38: Chapter 38 Procurement of Cobra-class Destroyers

【 Rule Description: All Reincarnators are forced to participate. Killing units of the hostile faction will earn points. Points can be exchanged for supplies, equipment, technology blueprints, bloodlines, etc., in the War Store. 】

【 Note: Reincarnators with the Lord profession can choose to enter alone or bring armed forces belonging to their territory to participate in the war (consuming additional points). 】

Fu Haoran scanned the instructions and went straight to the forum section.

Pinned Post: 《 Must-read for Newcomers! The First Warhammer World War, Surviving is Profiting 》

"Newcomers, don't court death! Just survive and ride the victory of the faction; it earns more than blindly charging in, otherwise, you're just throwing your life away~"

"According to statistics, the survival rate for newcomers who chose to lay low during the first Warhammer World War was 87%, while the survival rate for those who chose to charge in was less than 5%. I don't need to say more about how to choose, right."

The replies were scrolling fast, consisting entirely of "+1, choice is greater than effort," "Isn't lying down to win great? Charging means death," and "Choose the Blue Faction, win easily and eat chicken."

Fu Haoran closed the post.

"Others can lay low, but I cannot."

Fu Haoran pulled up the troop list, his finger sliding across rows of data.

The Warhammer World is a place that eats people; if you want to live, you must fight.

...

Being a Lord has one advantage: you can bring an army into the instance.

The war starts in 24 hours. To win, one must bet everything.

But the problem is, even if you can bring over ten thousand people, the role a group of ground forces can play is very limited, unless it's urban warfare.

Fu Haoran thought it over, and the only feasible plan was to bring a starship!

Planet Scylla IV, the only person who can buy a starship is a Rogue Trader: Reck Vance.

Of course, this Rogue Trader is not that Rogue Trader.

Not all Rogue Traders can summon wind and rain.

Reck is neither a Rogue Trader authorized by the Emperor or Primarchs, nor one authorized by the High Lord council; he is just the lowest level issued by the Imperial Ministry of Internal Affairs.

He has no fief, only a basic trade license, and makes a living by reselling supplies.

He is simply not on the same level as those top-tier Rogue Trader dynasties that can mobilize fleets.

But he has a trade fleet in his hands; when it comes to buying and selling starships, he is the only one on this planet.

Less than half an hour later, Reck Vance came in person, wearing a gold-trimmed trade uniform, clutching a data pad, with a shrewd smile on his face.

"Governor, what a rare guest." He rubbed his hands and got straight to the point, "I heard you want to buy a destroyer from me? What, tired of life on the ground, and yearning for the sea of stars?"

Fu Haoran didn't take the bait and stated his requirements directly: "I need a sturdy, high-firepower destroyer. Give me a quote."

Reck put on a troubled expression: "Governor, I would love to sell to you, but as you know, I only do small business."

"Ships with high firepower have high costs and thin margins. I only run safe routes, so I have no use for them."

Bullshit.

Fu Haoran knew very well that a Rogue Trader is, to put it bluntly, a replica of a 16th-century merchant ship with a letter of marque from Britain.

This kind of fleet doesn't value firepower?

Only a ghost would believe that.

Without firepower for protection, they would have been robbed by pirates long ago.

Fu Haoran couldn't be bothered to expose him.

"Cut the crap. What ships do you have? Bring them out and let me see."

Reck handed over the data pad.

The screen displayed a 3D model of a ship—a cobra-class destroyer.

Fu Haoran felt a surge of joy.

The cobra-class destroyer is one of the smallest units in the Imperial Navy capable of Warp travel.

High mobility, versatile, excellent cost-performance ratio, specializing in torpedo raids.

Anyone who has played World of Warships knows that destroyers are responsible for laying smoke, spotting, and launching torpedoes. If the torpedoes hit, it's a profit.

It is exactly the ship Fu Haoran needs right now.

"Take me to see the ship."

...

An hour later, Fu Haoran stood in the dock, looking up at the steel behemoth before him.

1.5 kilometers long, the hull was slender with sharp lines.

Ten times more shocking than the holographic projection.

"Why are there no torpedo tubes?" Lucifer suddenly spoke up.

Fu Haoran was stunned and immediately looked in the direction of Lucifer's gaze.

On both sides of the hull, the launch ports where heavy torpedo launch tubes should have been arranged had actually been welded shut!

Fu Haoran's expression sank instantly, and he turned to look at Reck.

"Damn! Meddlesome woman! Now I can't fool him!"

Reck glared viciously at Lucifer. Previously, he had thought this woman had an extraordinary bearing and was secretly calculating whether he could take the opportunity to buy Lucifer as a lover.

But now, he just wanted this woman to shut up and then buy her back to train her!

Reck, having been exposed, was not flustered. He spread his hands and explained: "Governor, I am a businessman. The torpedo bay takes up space; removing it allows me to carry more cargo."

"The hull structure, armor, thrusters, and close-in defense lasers are over 92% intact. The condition is absolutely excellent."

Fu Haoran's face darkened. The biggest highlight of the cobra-class destroyer is the heavy torpedo launch tube array on both sides.

Without torpedoes, how is this ship any different from a civilian ship?

Relying on those few close-in defense laser cannons, it can only defend itself at best.

This is like a fearsome viper that has had its most lethal fangs pulled out, leaving only fangs used for scratching itches.

"You call this a destroyer?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Reck argued with sound reasons, "The Imperial Navy registration number is still there, the ship's registry is still there, who dares to say it's not a destroyer?"

This explanation sounds reasonable.

But reasonable is reasonable, and unpleasant is unpleasant.

Just as Fu Haoran was about to lose his temper, a thought flashed through his mind.

"Warhammer's torpedo technology is terrifying, but to put it bluntly, isn't it just missiles and rockets?"

"As long as I can return to the 2K World, from anti-air to anti-ship, from cruise to ballistic, what kind of missile wouldn't I have?"

"Perhaps not as advanced as Warhammer's, but it wins in having a complete system, terrifying production capacity, and ready-made technical principles."

"If I can't replicate the Empire's torpedoes, I'll fill them with Earth's missile torrent!"

Fu Haoran suppressed his emotions and asked expressionlessly: "How much?"

Reck smiled and held up two fingers: "20 million throne coins."

Fu Haoran's face really darkened.

Not pretending.

The liquid cash in his account was less than 12 million in total.

"20 million?" Lucifer spoke again, her green eyes sweeping over Reck, "Ordering a brand-new cobra-class from the Adeptus Mechanicus has a three-year delivery period and is quoted at 15 million."

"You dare to ask for this price for a destroyer that has been resold over a dozen times?"

"Are you really treating others like monkeys?"

The smile on Reck's face froze, and then it turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He didn't expect this vase of a woman to be so knowledgeable, ruining his good deeds twice!

"Madam, you can't say that. My ship..."

"Shut up." Lucifer interrupted him, her tone even colder, "Any dockyard has the ability to modify a cobra-class, with a cycle not exceeding 5 years."

"This scrap ship of yours is worth 8 million at most. Do you think we can't afford to wait, or do you think you can play me for a fool?"

Fu Haoran nodded at the right time: "Since we can't agree, then forget it. I'll go contact the Adeptus Mechanicus; at worst, I'll wait another two years."

"Wait!" Reck gritted his teeth, "12 million! It can't be lower!"

Fu Haoran didn't stop.

"10 million!" Reck took a step forward, "This is my bottom line! Any lower, and I'd rather let this ship rot in the harbor than sell it to you!"

Saying this, Reck was calculating in his heart. Selling this eighteenth-hand scrap ship for 10 million is enough for him to buy a second-hand merchant ship in better condition. It's a guaranteed profit.

Fu Haoran's footsteps paused. He feigned hesitation, and after a moment, nodded: "Okay, but I want to take delivery and take over the ship now."

"Deal."

...

The news reached the ears of Navy Commodore Valerius that evening.

He slammed his fist onto the table.

"Reck, are you stupid! For a few coins, you sold a noose to the enemy?"

On the other end of the communicator, Reck was indifferent: "Commodore, what are you worried about? That ship has no torpedo tubes; it's equivalent to a viper without teeth."

"Even if Fu Haoran buys it back, it can only be used as a transport ship. I sold scrap metal, not a weapon."

Valerius sneered: "Scrap metal? Are you sure he won't install things on it?"

"Install what?" Reck scoffed, "Torpedo technology is military-controlled material. A grassroots governor like him can't get it at all."

"As for lances, that thing takes up space. Even if he installs it, he won't be able to beat your fleet. You are overthinking it."

Valerius stared at the communicator for a long time before suppressing his anger.

"It better be that way!" He cut off the communication and said coldly to his adjutant, "Keep a close eye on that ship. If he dares to install any weapons on it, we will teach him a lesson with orbital cannons."