Chapter 151: Chapter 151
"With all due respect, your idea is mistaken."
A bishop responsible for sales from the Apocalypse Sect calmly addressed Li Ye.
"There is an agreement among our world-class organizations that limits the grade of items sold in different-level zones."
Li Ye was not surprised by this; in fact, he had already vaguely suspected it.
The price of the Electromagnetic Railgun was not cheap—it actually cost 250,000 Crystal Coins.
Li Ye gloomily counted the Crystal Coins in his possession, then spoke up. Thıs text ıs hosted at 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⁂𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⁂𝓷𝓮𝓽
"Can it be a little cheaper?"
At first, the bishop firmly refused.
However, upon learning that Li Ye was the Lord of Tomorrow and had traded a large amount of natural gas with Bishop Heath, his expression softened considerably.
Li Ye’s thoughts stirred.
"Then could you possibly give me a bit of a discount?"
"I can consider offering a discount of 3,000."
After a round of soft persuasion and hard bargaining—and mentioning Bishop Heath—Li Ye finally got him to relent slightly and agree to a discount of 15,000 Crystal Coins.
Li Ye immediately let out a sigh of relief.
Compared to the total price of 250,000, a discount of 15,000 wasn’t much.
But it was already enough for him to purchase several Tier 2 Blueprints.
After paying the full amount, he immediately sent a Black Hawk Helicopter to deliver the Electromagnetic Railgun to the Armor Deck.
When the people aboard Tomorrow saw another Tier 3 Item being delivered, the whole ship erupted with excitement.
Everyone forgot about touring the Destroyer and swarmed toward the Electromagnetic Railgun.
Li Ye, meanwhile, fell into deep thought.
This Electromagnetic Railgun was not purchased for Tomorrow but rather for deployment on the Peacemaker.
After all, it was a long-range strike weapon, more suitable for fire-support Mobile Cities positioned in the rear.
Meanwhile, Tomorrow was an Assault-type Mobile City, which mainly operated on the front lines and often engaged in close-range crossfire while performing Mobile Evasion.
In such scenarios, aiming the Electromagnetic Railgun from the Armor Deck would be difficult.
Thus, Li Ye transmitted the Electromagnetic Railgun over and attached a note, instructing Zhou Xing and the others to seize the next two days to extract natural gas as quickly as possible and transmit as much as they could back.
He could already imagine how delighted Yang Zheng would be upon seeing the Electromagnetic Railgun.
Next, Li Ye counted his remaining Crystal Coins.
He still had over 30,000 Crystal Coins left.
This amount was insufficient to purchase another Tier 3 Item but could procure many Tier 2 Items.
His top procurement priority was waterborne armed-type vehicles.
Li Ye quickly selected a Tier 2 Upgrade Blueprint for a torpedo-type weapon.
At sea, torpedoes function like the cannons of a Mobile City, offering similarly high lethality.
Once a torpedo struck a hull and caused an explosion and breach, seawater would rush in, and the Mobile City might sink.
This torpedo-type Tier 2 Blueprint wasn’t cheap either, priced at 5,000 Crystal Coins.
Li Ye bargained it down to 4,500 Crystal Coins, then input the blueprint into the Production Workshop to upgrade the original Tier 1 "Black Shark" Torpedo.
After the upgrade, the Black Shark Torpedo's anti-ship damage rose from 20% to 35%, with a new additional effect: "15% Speed Increase."
Upgrading from Tier 1 to Tier 2 Torpedoes required only 10 units of Tier 2 Iron Ore.
In other words, the total cost for Tomorrow to create a Tier 1 Torpedo and then upgrade it to Tier 2 was...：：：
Tier 1 Resources: 20 units of Iron Ore, 5 units of Fuel, 5 units of Gunpowder.
Tier 2 Resources: 10 units of Iron Ore, 2.5 units of Fuel, 2.5 units of Gunpowder.
Overall, the cost of creating a Tier 1 Item and upgrading it to Tier 2 was slightly lower than directly creating a Tier 2 Item.
This also had another benefit—it allowed full utilization of Tier 1 Resources, preventing waste.
After completing his purchase, Li Ye continued browsing through the Tier 2 Item Blueprints.
Very soon, he selected something.
It was the Blueprint for a Tier 2 Depth Charge.
【Item Name: MK6 Depth Charge】
【Additional Effects: 1. Explosion Radius +25% 2. Depending on Submersion Depth, Damage Increases by 5–20%】
【Requirements: 5 units of Iron Ore (Tier 2), 2 units of Gunpowder (Tier 2)】
The Blueprint also detailed various stats for the MK6 Depth Charge.
Its sinking speed was 2.5 meters per second, and it could be triggered either by a preset-depth hydraulic fuse or a contact fuse upon impact.
Naturally, Li Ye had to purchase it.
This Tier 2 Depth Charge was primarily used against enemy submarines, giant fish, or Sea Beasts.
Moreover, Depth Charges could be equipped on Destroyers and Vanguard Armed Gunships.
After negotiating, he acquired the Blueprint for 3,700 Crystal Coins.
5 units of Tier 2 Iron Ore, 2 units of Tier 2 Gunpowder.
While the cost of crafting a single MK6 Depth Charge seemed low, in real combat, a Mobile City would usually drop dozens at once to strike a wide area.
This equated to spending hundreds of units of Tier 2 Iron Ore in one go.
In the following time, Li Ye walked and looked around, soon selecting another Tier 2 Flying Vehicle Blueprint.
This Tier 2 Flying Vehicle was an Anti-Submarine Aircraft.
【Item Name: SH-60 "Sea Hawk" Anti-Submarine Aircraft】
【Additional Effects: 1. Speed Increase +15% 2. Fuel Consumption Reduction –10%】
【Requirements: 125 units of Iron Ore (Tier 2), 25 units of Precision Flying Vehicle Components (Tier 2)】
The Blueprint also detailed the Sea Hawk’s configuration.
Sonobuoys that were deployed into the water to detect enemy traces using Sound Waves.
Magnetic Anomaly Detectors for sensing magnetic disturbances caused by submarines.
Mini radars for scanning submarines when surfaced or in snorkel mode.
Infrared sensors for detecting thermal signatures of submarines and large creatures.
Overall, the Anti-Submarine Aircraft was a Flying Vehicle specialized for counter-submarine missions.
Li Ye then fell into deep thought.
Submarines held irreplaceable tactical value in naval warfare.
Whether for stealth, reconnaissance missions, anti-ship operations, or even ambushing enemy Mobile Cities to immobilize them, the Tomorrow Alliance that planned to venture out to sea had to take anti-submarine measures seriously.
"A Tier 2 Mobile City ultimately has significant limitations," he couldn’t help but think. "A Tier 2-scale Production Workshop can at best create Mini Submarines and Speedboats. Destroyers and Conventional Submarines are still out of reach."
Although the Sea Hawk Anti-Submarine Aircraft had excellent anti-submarine capabilities, its combat ability was weak—virtually nonexistent.
Li Ye wasn’t worried. If necessary, he could equip the Sea Hawk with MK6 Depth Charges.
Additionally, he could also equip the Sea Hawk on a Tier 3 Destroyer.
What surprised Li Ye was that the Blueprint for the Sea Hawk Anti-Submarine Aircraft was unexpectedly cheap—it only cost 2,300 Crystal Coins.
The reason was simple.
Compared to Tier 2 Jet Planes or Tier 2 Airships, the Sea Hawk’s role was merely submarine detection.
Only someone like Li Ye, who was determined to set out to sea and had deliberately prepared for anti-submarine warfare, would consider purchasing it.
The two parties thus completed the transaction.
At that moment, Li Ye suddenly realized he was a bit hungry.
After all, from the moment he arrived at the Red Ridge Zone, he had been so busy that he hadn’t eaten anything.
This market also had a large variety of food.
After all, Mobile Cities usually collected many food-related Blueprints.
Chips, cakes, cream bread, stir-fried noodles, rice noodles..：：：
Li Ye was momentarily dazzled by the selection.
Just then, he caught a whiff of a delicious aroma.
"That smells like... fried chicken?" he muttered.
Following the scent, he found a fried chicken shop.
Fried chicken chunks, burgers, chicken wings, fries, popcorn chicken, cola, chocolate ice cream, egg tarts...：
The store had a wide range of items, leaving him stunned.
Upon asking the staff, he learned that this store was operated by a Tier 2 Mobile City.
The Lord of this Tier 2 City loved fried chicken and had spent years collecting fried chicken-related Blueprints, even raising chickens with care in the city.
If not for this passion, it would’ve been impossible to collect a complete fried chicken menu.
Li Ye glanced at the prices.
【Fries: 20 Crystal Coins】
【City Chicken Chunks: 30 Crystal Coins】
【Spicy Chicken Wings (One Pair): 25 Crystal Coins】
【Egg Tart: 15 Crystal Coins】
【Spicy Chicken Leg Burger: 35 Crystal Coins】
【Popcorn Chicken: 32 Crystal Coins】
"Hiss......" he couldn’t help but take a sharp breath.
It seemed like having a fried chicken meal at this store would easily cost two to three hundred Crystal Coins.
But on second thought, having fried chicken on the Wasteland was no easy feat, so the price seemed acceptable.
Unexpectedly, the shop even offered ten-wing buckets, burger combos, and other sets, with discounts included.
Li Ye then purchased a large platter of fried chicken and began eating slowly.
Considering Lin Wu, Tang Fang, and the others had truly worked hard recently, he spent 2,000 Crystal Coins to purchase a large batch of fried chicken and entrusted the staff to deliver it to Tomorrow.
It was a rare moment of small indulgence.
What surprised him was that not long after, Lin Xia actually showed up.
She came on behalf of the City Committee to request a funding allocation from Li Ye.
After all, she was not only the Lookout of Tomorrow but also one of the members of the City Committee.
For this reason, Li Ye had once discussed with her whether she would resign from the position of Lookout and focus entirely on her duties in the City Committee.
Lin Xia shook her head and refused.
She really liked the open view from the Watchtower and the feeling of watching the scenery, along with the sense of participation in battle.
"Wasn’t the 10,000 Crystal Coins I gave you earlier enough?" Li Ye asked in surprise.
Lin Xia shook her head.
She informed Li Ye that 7,000 Crystal Coins had been used by Lin Wu to purchase a Blueprint for a Tier 1 Item.
Li Ye was immediately shocked.
"What kind of Tier 1 Item costs so much—7,000 Crystal Coins?"
Lin Xia then pulled out a Blueprint from her pocket and handed it to him.
【Additional Effects: By using the Production Workshop and connecting with the corresponding Blueprints for furniture, daily necessities, or components, corresponding plastic products can be generated.】
【Requirements: Petroleum (Tier 1), quantity depends on the target】
"So that’s what it is."
Li Ye suddenly understood.
Plastic was highly moldable, and with its additional effect, Tomorrow could produce daily necessities like basins, cups, tableware, hangers, and more.
It could even produce plastic bags.
"So how much more funding do you need from me?" he asked.
Lin Xia pressed a finger against her chin and tilted her head, thinking.
"At least 10,000 Crystal Coins," she smiled and held up a finger. "Mainly because we want to buy some Upgrade Blueprints."
"What kind of Upgrade Blueprints?" Li Ye asked.
"Upgrade Blueprints for Tier 2 Crops," Lin Xia replied.
The market offered a series of Upgrade Blueprints for Tier 2 Items, including crops.
The prices were usually around 2,000 to 3,000.
After some discussion, the City Committee decided which Tier 1 Crops to upgrade.
The first two were daily grains, while Black Corn could be used for oil extraction.
As for the other Tier 1 Crops, those had to wait.
Li Ye thought for a moment, then gave Lin Xia an additional 5,000 Crystal Coins.
"Buy one more Upgrade Blueprint and upgrade Sunshine Apples too," he said. "And while you're at it, purchase some Tiered Fruits and arrange to have them planted in the Mid-level Farmland."
Lin Xia happily accepted the Crystal Coins.
Li Ye silently counted his remaining Crystal Coins.
Currently, there were fewer than 5,000 left.
By a rough calculation, he had spent more than 600,000 Crystal Coins.
This time around, he hadn’t even purchased the most basic Tier 2 Resources.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but shake his head.
"No matter when it is, Crystal Coins are never enough to spend."
After finishing his meal, Li Ye returned to the Armor Deck of Tomorrow.
At that moment, the City Committee led by Lin Wu was in the middle of a new recruitment drive.
Seeing Li Ye approaching, Lin Wu wheeled his wheelchair over and reported the current progress of the operation.
So far, Tomorrow had recruited 421 people.
The reason so many were willing to join was because of the sheer strength of Tomorrow.
Many had seen the Tier 3 Destroyer and the Vanguard Armed Gunship on its Armor Deck.
In addition, Lin Wu had purposely displayed the Storm Infantry Vehicle and Convoy One and Two, as well as the Black Hawk Helicopter..：：..
The people of the Red Ridge Zone thus learned that this Tier 2 City was immensely powerful and became highly drawn to it.
Moreover, the class rank system and living standards on Tomorrow had also played a significant role in attracting people.
While explaining this to Li Ye, Lin Wu also adjusted his glasses.
"More importantly than that is...."
Survivors on the Wasteland no longer had much sense of safety when it came to towns.
Even in safe zones like the Red Ridge Zone, many still lived in constant unease.
A mindset of vigilance in times of peace had already been deeply ingrained in their hearts.
As a result, they were more willing to go to powerful Mobile Cities.
"At this pace, we could recruit 1,000 people in two days," Lin Wu said.
Although Li Ye was somewhat tempted, he ultimately shook his head.
"Let’s take it slow. First, we need to fully absorb these five hundred, along with the two hundred we previously recruited in the Desert Zone," he said. "We’ll resume recruitment after that."
Besides that, Li Ye also assigned Lin Wu another task.
That was to select and train crew members for the Destroyer.
"Crew members for the Destroyer will receive a T4-2 rank, and the captain will be at T3-3," he instructed. "Within two weeks, the Destroyer must be fully operational."
Nodding, Lin Wu showed a trace of helplessness in his eyes.
It had to be said—he was getting busier by the day.
Li Ye naturally understood that relying on Lin Wu alone as a deputy was far from sufficient.
"Now, it might be time to consider recruiting another deputy."