Chapter 221

Egghead’s mouth fell open wide enough to fit an entire goose egg.

A hundred units right off the bat. Even the cheapest Azeroth Model 1 cost ten billion dollars—equivalent to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s annual budget. Director Wang really was a capitalist, treating money like it was nothing!

He smiled pleasantly on the surface while inwardly chuckling.

Though Director Wang was young, he was even more cunning and treacherous than an old man like him who was nearly ready to meet god. A person like this could not possibly be shifting goods from one hand to the other just to make money off a hundred Iron Soldiers.

The first of those two sentences had been purely a joke. What mattered was the second: a friendly reminder to the council.

Everyone, the chatting was done, and the backroom deals had been made. What were they waiting for? It was time to release the funds!

With that realization, Egghead relaxed from body to soul, a teasing smile appearing on his face.

This had nothing to do with him. Never one to fear a bigger spectacle, Egghead tried to make his words sound like he was talking to himself.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has only received half of this year’s funding, and after suffering such massive losses, we should apply for an additional ten billion dollars. The plans for the second-generation Sky Carrier have undergone major changes. Its overall performance has improved by two hundred percent beyond expectations. Three hundred billion definitely won’t be enough; we need another three hundred billion…"

The four council members looked at one another, inwardly speechless.

To sit in their current positions, their status in their respective countries was roughly equivalent to Alexander Pierce’s status in the United States. They had one foot in the heart of politics. While they had no hope of becoming the top leader, there was still hope for third or fourth place.

They were all old foxes. Who was he trying to fool?

Did talking to oneself need to be that loud, Director Fury? His acting was terrible. He should go watch The Brain.

And Director Wang, wasn’t it just ten Resurrection Serum injections and a tiny portion of Azeroth Industries’ shares? Were his demands not a little excessive?

Greed truly was the original sin. Once they had boarded the pirate ship, there was naturally no getting off. The seas outside were rough, so they had to stick together. Otherwise, if the ship capsized, no one would have an easy time of it. Their political careers might even go down the drain. This was a period of intense anti-corruption measures, after all.

The other three simultaneously turned to look at the female council member from the United Kingdom.

The old woman who aspired to become like Margaret Thatcher could not help cursing inwardly.

Who told her to be so proactive? Now she could only stay proactive to the end.

She pondered in silence, choosing her words and weighing the gains and losses. Under Old Wang’s gaze, she held out for a full three minutes before finally smiling, her facial muscles relaxing. "The Shengun Bureau has only just begun to be established, and there are many areas that require funding. I propose an allocation of two billion, with further additions depending on the situation."

Before she had even finished speaking, she looked toward the French council member.

The smile at the corner of the French council member’s lips instantly froze.

We have no old grievances and no recent grudges. Why are you staring at me?

Last year, you lost your cabinet bid because of thirteen named accusations. Your opponent may have been on good terms with me, but I really had nothing to do with that. If you don’t believe me, ask MI7!

Feeling five heated or icy gazes fall upon him—especially Director Wang’s rather unfriendly stare—the French council member could only say in the gentlest tone possible:

"This is already the largest amount we can secure… I suggest discussing it at a meeting tomorrow. The Shengun Bureau is Apollo’s Arrow against extraterrestrial threats to Earth, while the United Nations Security Council is Apollo’s Bow. We should put in more effort, so Apollo’s Arrow can fly farther."

The other two council members nodded in succession, saying that they would do their utmost to secure the funds. However, the funding would take at least a month to arrive.

Before then, applications had to be submitted, reviews conducted, approvals obtained at every level, and meetings held for discussion. They hoped Director Wang would not mind—

He should not be unhappy. This efficiency was already very high by global standards. If he did not believe it, he could ask Egghead.

Old Wang believed them.

He had experience from two lifetimes ago, so he did not ask.

Political matters were even more complicated than he had imagined, especially when money was involved.

This was a commercial society. Everything revolved around money.

The Security Council was so poor!

Two billion was probably already the limit. Even if it rose to three billion, it was nothing—enough to build less than half a Sky Carrier. The reason Old Wang had insisted on bringing it up under these circumstances was mainly to deepen their relationship.

As for whether there were any additional side effects…

Old Wang could only say, he really had not done it on purpose!

"Director Wang, the meeting is over." Seeing Old Wang nod, the British female council member’s meaning was obvious.

As for those hundred Iron Soldiers, they would pretend they had not heard it. They truly had no money.

Old Wang shrugged.

The Shengun Bureau existed to deal with enemies beyond Earth. Now that there was not even a shadow of an enemy in sight, asking for a hundred Iron Soldiers right away did seem a tiny bit excessive.

As for protecting the world, the governments of various countries and S.H.I.E.L.D. were enough.

It did not matter.

They still had to be built, and when they were needed, they still had to be bought. Just shift them from one hand to the other and save the trouble.

They just had to remember to give the people above enough of a cut.

The council only discussed relatively important matters. As for the Shengun Bureau’s internal affairs, Old Wang could make the decisions himself, then have Skye prepare a few reports.

The meeting adjourned.

The Azeroth Industries exhibition concluded perfectly and went extremely smoothly.

Before the ten Air Force Iron Soldiers had even returned, Justin Hammer was surrounded by the big shots at the venue. They all expressed their intent to purchase and submitted requests for backroom dealings.

Naturally, these were only intentions. For business deals measured in hundreds of millions of dollars, they had no authority to make the decisions themselves and had to return for meetings and discussions.

Moreover, it involved all sorts of issues, such as whether the United States would obstruct it, whether the Iron Soldiers were truly "safe," and whether any backdoors had been left behind—

All right, there did not seem to be much room for doubt on that point. The question was whether they had the ability to weld the door shut or add a lock so that it could not be opened even with a key.

In short, no decision would be made so quickly.

What Old Wang had not expected was that the first buyer would not be the financially powerful European Union, Russia, or some Eastern country, but General Ross of the U.S. Air Force.

After opening a portal back to the Azeroth arms factory, Old Wang immediately saw the future "Graviton"—General Ross’s subordinate, Air Force Brigadier General Talbot.

"Congratulations, Director Wang."

Talbot was not military high command, but his superior, General Ross, was a major figure throughout the United States and a strong candidate for future Secretary of State. It was perfectly normal for him to know about the Shengun Bureau and Old Wang’s new identity.

General Ross was a genuine hawk with a hardline style. Since Talbot could become General Ross’s confidant, he naturally also adhered to the military’s iron-blooded methods and straightforward manner.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Talbot said, "The U.S. Air Force wishes to purchase ten Azeroth Air Force Model 1 units and one Air Force Model 2, to be delivered within three months."

Since someone was offering him money, Old Wang naturally welcomed them with a smile. Still, he asked, "General Talbot, hasn’t the Department of Defense already ordered sixty-four Iron Soldiers? Sixteen of them are Air Force models. I thought General Ross would not need to place an additional order."

There was a hidden barb in his words, but Talbot ignored it directly. "The United States has many Air Force departments and many Air Force generals. Of the sixteen Air Force Iron Soldiers, General Ross can receive no more than two."

Old Wang looked somewhat surprised. "Two are not enough? S.H.I.E.L.D. is responsible for the security of more than two hundred countries worldwide and has only ordered ten! What does General Ross need so many Iron Soldiers for?"

His acting was so exaggerated… Talbot remained expressionless. "That is classified."