Chapter 52 A terrifying project worth two hundred billion US dollars!
Inside the car on the way back.
Sunlight, like a golden veil, gently filtered through the car windows.
It added a warm and tranquil atmosphere to the entire space.
Commander Liu Chengzhi sat in the car, waiting for Su Chen and the others!
This general of the empire usually wore a stern expression.
Yet at this moment, he could hardly hide the excitement and joy in his heart.
His eyes were bright and burning, as if he had just witnessed a great event capable of changing the nation's destiny.
After Su Chen boarded the car, it slowly started moving.
Commander Liu Chengzhi turned slightly, unable to wait to start chatting with Su Chen.
His tone was full of excitement and emotion.
"Su Chen, thanks to you taking this exercise seriously, you presented us with a grand performance!"
"The scenes that unfolded still make one's blood boil even now!"
"Especially seeing our Commander-in-Chief Wei and his pilots get frustrated, which is a rare sight!"
"You might not know this, but the Air Force of the Eastern Theater Command has a distinguished combat record; one could say they have never known defeat!"
"Yet, they suffered a real, major setback in front of the mecha!"
"To win so beautifully, even I was taken aback!" Commander Liu Chengzhi grinned.
It seemed he was very happy to see the people from the Eastern Theater Command frustrated.
Su Chen listened quietly, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, revealing a faint smile.
His eyes were deep and calm, like a tranquil lake.
He turned his head slightly to look at the scenery flying past outside the window, his mind also recalling the events that occurred during the exercise.
"The Air Force of the Eastern Theater Command is indeed very strong!"
"To be able to respond calmly and push their tactics to the limit while knowing so little about my mecha is already quite impressive in itself!"
"However, the gap between the two is exceptionally large; in the face of absolute power, all tactics appear pale and powerless!"
Su Chen said in a calm tone.
And that was indeed the truth!
During the process of dealing with the mecha, the Eastern Theater Command Air Force was able to constantly change their response methods based on the situation and could identify every opportunity, but the gap was simply there—a gap they could not bridge with their strength alone!
The era had changed, after all!
However, this time was different!
In the past, they were always chasing the era, but this time, they held the initiative.
Although the Eagle might have developed powerful mecha, this time they had caught up with the trend of the era and also possessed mecha that were worth showing off!
And all of this was thanks to one young man!
This was something no one could have imagined!
Commander Liu Chengzhi nodded, and at that moment, he suddenly thought of something, his tone becoming serious.
"Su Chen, there is one more thing!"
"Those words you said back at the base, about letting our pilots move from aviation to aerospace..."
"Is that true or false!"
"Why do I feel like you kid have some other great concept you're hiding from us?"
Commander Liu Chengzhi calling Su Chen's idea a "great concept" made Zhao Dairou laugh.
She smiled like a flower, looking at Su Chen, her eyes filled with a soft light.
Su Chen shrugged.
"Actually, it doesn't count as such a great concept!"
"It's just a project I thought of after deep reflection based on the First-generation Mecha!"
As a representative of the upper echelons of the Dragon Kingdom, Commander Liu Chengzhi immediately said:
"Since it's a project, it definitely needs funding!"
"Tell me, how much capital investment do you need!"
Zhao Dairou was stunned!
He hadn't even asked what the project was before directly asking how much funding was needed?
Was it that as long as the required funding was reasonable, the country would invest in whatever project Su Chen proposed?
This was spoiling Su Chen too much!
Su Chen pondered for a moment and held up two fingers!
"This project might need 200 billion... USD!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire car instantly fell silent!
Even Professor Ma Zhiqiang, who was driving, couldn't help but ask: "You brat, why do you need so much funding?"
"Are you trying to build a nuclear bomb?"
One had to know that the entire annual research budget for the National Defense University was only 100 billion!
And that was in RMB!
Yet Su Chen asked for 200 billion right off the bat, and in USD at that!
Converted, that was over one trillion!
It was equivalent to the GDP of some provinces for a whole year!
Commander Liu Chengzhi was also frightened by Su Chen's exorbitant demand!
His speech became a bit stuttered!
"Su Chen... you aren't joking, are you?"
"200 billion... USD?"
"This is definitely not a small amount for our country!"
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
Su Chen did not explain directly but instead took a file bag out of his backpack!
He handed a document to Commander Liu Chengzhi.
"It just so happens I have this document with me!"
"Could you please, Chief, help apply for approval from the higher-ups!"
Still somewhat stunned, Commander Liu Chengzhi took the document, and upon seeing the name on it, he became even more stunned!
He saw that a new term was written prominently on the document!
New Generation Pan-Space Mech!
This was a research and development application for a New Generation Pan-Space Mech!
Commander Liu Chengzhi slowly raised his head and looked at Su Chen in disbelief!
His mind was buzzing at that moment, as if struck by lightning.
Su Chen! He was actually preparing to develop a New Generation Pan-Space Mech!
He was actually preparing to develop a new mecha!
Did Su Chen's research capabilities really have no limits?
Only three months had passed, and he had already created a mecha, as well as the terrifyingly powerful Particle Laser Cannon!
Now he was actually going to develop a new mecha again!
Commander Liu Chengzhi suddenly thought again that the development cost for the First-generation Mecha was only a few hundred thousand!
The manufacturing cost of every technology was extremely low!
Why was it so much this time?
It needed 200 billion USD!
Just what kind of terrifying mecha was this?
Most importantly, the First-generation Mecha was already very powerful; was Su Chen not satisfied yet?
Commander Liu Chengzhi couldn't help but say:
"But Su Chen, don't we already possess a very powerful mecha?"
"Is it necessary to invest so much more to develop a new mecha?"
Su Chen looked at the sky, his eyes becoming deep:
"The First-generation Mecha is indeed very strong! Even when facing the most powerful Fifth-generation fighter, it can achieve total suppression!"
"But only being able to suppress a Fifth-generation fighter is not enough; one must be able to suppress an entire era!"
"Especially by striking the opponent from a higher dimension!"
Commander Liu Chengzhi was shocked by these words from Su Chen!
Su Chen actually wanted to suppress an entire era!
If someone else had said these words, Commander Liu Chengzhi might have been dismissive, thinking it was just big talk from an arrogant and ignorant young person!
But it happened to be Su Chen who said it!
This existence who had once personally developed a fighter that suppressed an entire era!
This time, he didn't just want to suppress the fighter jets of an era, but to carry out comprehensive suppression of this entire era!
Even Zhao Dairou was shocked!
Seeing Su Chen usually acting carefree, she hadn't expected him to have such aspirations!
Dr. Ma Zhiqiang, while driving, tilted his ears to listen to their conversation!
At this moment, his heart was also filled with deep emotion!
To be able to be Su Chen's teacher and to have personally facilitated Su Chen's path into manufacturing mecha, he felt quite proud in his heart!
Commander Liu Chengzhi came back to his senses, seemingly thinking of something:
"So, this... this Pan-Space Mech is..."
Su Chen explained: "You can understand it as a Space Mecha!"
"A Space Mecha!"
"You are actually going to build a Space Mecha???"
Commander Liu Chengzhi trembled all over, as if an electric current had passed through him!
In this instant, he understood what Su Chen had meant earlier about letting the Air Force move from aviation to aerospace!
He also understood the meaning of suppressing an entire era and striking enemies from a higher dimension!
Su Chen was actually going to develop a Space Mecha!
A mecha capable of combat in space!
One had to know, they hadn't even successfully achieved a manned moon landing yet!
Yet Su Chen was already preparing to manufacture a mecha capable of combat in space!
Thinking that one day in the future their mecha would be able to freely traverse the universe and then plant their flag on every planet, Commander Liu Chengzhi couldn't help but tremble all over!
Zhao Dairou suddenly said: "Does that mean by then, we will be able to farm on the moon?"
Sure enough, the Rabbit had an almost obsessive persistence for farming!
Su Chen nodded: "If the Space Mecha is built, there will be many conditions in place for building bases in space!"
"It would indeed facilitate the development of interstellar colonization!"
Hearing that one day in the future they could even farm on the moon, Commander Liu Chengzhi slapped his thigh hard!
"Invest!"
"This project must be invested in!"
"The sooner the investment is approved, the better!"
Commander Liu Chengzhi patted his chest in assurance: "Rest assured, Su Chen, I will find a way to get the project funding approved!"
It's just 200 billion USD, right?
If in the future they could build the mecha and even farm on the moon!
Never mind 200 billion USD!
Adding another zero wouldn't be out of the question!!!