What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 703 Disaster-Level Scene

"A Nimitz-class A4W reactor?"

Rams frowned as he listened to Kazimirz's retelling, his brows furrowing deeply.

Selling the ship and using the reactor in exchange for control of the Paradise City has garnered considerable support within the Empire, but there are preconditions for doing so:

First, it was necessary to determine the potential of the Paradise City. After evaluation, Newport News Shipbuilding believed that if it was carefully designed and prepared, the Paradise City could increase the number of aircraft by at least 2.5 times when assisting the Nimitz-class carriers in combat, which would be equivalent to 2.5 supercarriers, making it worth investing in.

Another key point is to ensure that it is under the surveillance of the Empire under normal circumstances... Since Tang Wen has decided to hand it over to the foundation set up by Goldman Sachs and Buffett to operate, there is naturally no need to worry.

But Rams originally only wanted to sell the outdated reactor from the Enterprise at an extremely high price. Tang Wen's outrageous demand for the same reactor as the Nimitz-class, and his insistence on a discounted price from within the Empire to deliver the goods immediately, was simply going against the grain.

But Taylor also included Gagkin's reasons when delivering the message:
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Space is extremely valuable on commercial passenger ships, and the fewer reactors there are, the less space they require.
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Commercial safety standards are no lower than military standards. The Paradise City can carry up to 3.5 people, and an accident there would be a major problem. The experimental small reactor on the Enterprise is actually more dangerous.
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Commercial passenger ships are extremely sensitive to costs. If they have to pay extra, Tang Wen would rather find a Russian or simply use conventional power. After all, everyone knows that the financial industry is the world's mainstream, and traditional real industries are in a difficult position!
Taylor himself offered his advice: giving the advanced reactor would reduce the Empire's maintenance hassle and there would be no possibility of it being dismantled for research—once the reactor is sealed, it starts operating, and dismantling it would be destructive. The University of Tokyo would not do that; at most, they would secretly observe harmless details such as the layout.

"The President believes it is open to discussion."

Kazimirz spoke first:
"As long as the Paradise City insists on having an aircraft deck, it must be brought under our control and treated as a potential supercarrier, unless Geigen abandons the construction of a long deck."

“Money may not be the most critical issue. The problem is that the A4W reactor that Westinghouse is currently manufacturing needs to supply the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, which will begin construction this year. If it is handed over to Geiger, the Reagan will be delayed by at least one year to wait for the reactor.”

Rams shrugged, clearly indicating the importance of aircraft carriers.

Hearing this, Kazimirz frowned:
"Tang means that the Paradise City will be completed in 1 to 1.5 years, so the reactor must be delivered as soon as possible."

"What? A million-ton cruise ship built in such a short time?"

"I don't believe it either, but Tang is willing to make a betting agreement. As long as the Empire can provide the reactor within 6 months of the start of construction of the Paradise City, he guarantees that the construction work can be completed within 14 months. If it cannot be completed, the Empire will give the Paradise City 50% ownership. On the contrary, if the Empire cannot provide it on time, they will find another way out."

"That's troublesome."

Rams looked very conflicted, wondering whether or not to repurpose the aircraft carrier's reactor.

But then I thought... if the Reagan's commissioning is delayed, it won't be launched until at least 2002 and commissioned until 2004. The later it is commissioned, the more budget can be saved.

Budget!

Cutting down aircraft carriers has always been his long-cherished wish. Although the Lost Empire seems to be in some trouble now, it's just a minor ailment.

Besides, the Reagan was not expected to enter service for at least 5 years and would not be of any immediate use, so a delay is not a big deal.

Seeing Rams's fingers twirling and interlacing, Kazimirz simply said:
"Let's discuss this after Tang arrives in the Empire. Let's first see his attitude and confirm the start date of the Paradise City project."

(A very rough estimate of the layout of the Paradise cruise ship from above. The superstructure on the right is not drawn in red, which only represents the hull. The flared hull on the right is not drawn.)

The one above is the Kuznetsov-class (PS: please ignore the messy lines)
(The Paradise City uses a double-angled deck cross layout. In daily use, the angled decks can be ignored and used as straight decks, while the angled decks can be used when it is requisitioned for combat.)
……

During their time in Goose City, Taylor and Tang Wen became increasingly familiar with each other.

There was no other reason than that, although he found the latter to be relatively unfamiliar with the traditional financial field, he had an extremely keen sense of internet finance and the new economy, but not a very clear understanding of them—this was talent, true talent.

Sometimes, Tang Wen's casual promises could keep Tang Wen up all night, making him increasingly convinced of the existence of geniuses.

What shocked him even more was Gekin's sphere of influence. Although Goose City still looked very backward, like Detroit fifty years ago, as a company, Gekin's coverage encompassed the entire South China Sea and the core areas of Southeast Asia.

Especially in Southeast Asia, the United Fruit Company, which once made Nanmei tremble with fear, was simply insignificant compared to Gaijin's status in Southeast Asia. The former at most controlled some gang fights, while the latter was a truly subversive force!

Sure enough, when Schat was formally arrested, Serginho immediately joined forces with many local celebrities to write an invitation letter to Tang Wen, hoping that he would come to Jakarta to attend the "Odebiao Chamber of Commerce Alliance Development Conference," but it was obvious to everyone that he was asking a big shot to endorse him.

Both the Lin family and Wang Hu privately advised Tang Wen to agree, and the latter naturally wouldn't miss the chance to reap the rewards, otherwise the joint defense team would have come south for nothing.

When the King Kong, accompanied by two escort ships, sailed south from Natuna, Tang Wen also prepared to fly there—this time it was a direct flight from Echeng, operated by the newly acquired MD.11G of Qiongzhou Airlines.

Taylor went along too, since the ongoing chaos had caused Goldman Sachs to suffer considerable losses in its assets in Chuawa, and going there would be a good opportunity to use Gaykin's influence to demand compensation.

……

"Extravagant, far too extravagant!"

Zhao Hande also wanted to catch it, but since he was in Hongdu when he decided to set off, he simply went south to experience the new plane assembled by Gaijin.

However, to his surprise, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11G aircraft that was operating the flight was not the standard version, but a custom version specially reserved by Qiongzhou Airlines.

Although Tang Wen himself was somewhat intimidated by the MD.11G, it was, after all, his own brand, so he could only grit his teeth and go through with it. In the end, he decided to buy an MD11G under the name of Gaijin Group and hand it over to Qiongzhou Airlines, which was qualified to operate it. The latter would only receive a fixed share and would not have to worry about profits or losses. It would operate normally on a regular basis, but would be used as a special plane when necessary.

This MD.11G has undergone special modifications, with a white/gold two-tone paint scheme, a giant snail "G" emblem on the tail fin, and the first-class cabin in front has been removed and replaced with a private, independent room.

要知道MD.11G可是6米宽的大客机，座舱布局可以做到3-3-3，中间有2排过道。

(The interior space of a wide-body passenger aircraft is enormous.)

The renovated first-class cabin layout retains only one aisle. The remaining space on the right has been transformed into two large bedrooms, a study, and a dining/meeting room, while the left side features a private bathroom with separate wet and dry areas and an additional viewing room. All rooms are also suitable for sleeping, and the interior decoration is extremely luxurious.

Not to mention Zhao Hande was amazed, even Taylor couldn't help but nod when he pushed it open. Even in the Empire, few wealthy people could afford such treatment—or rather, were willing to spend that much money to maintain a large aircraft.

Taylor, having seen and experienced the world, quickly found a comfortable sofa to lie down on, while Zhao Hande's eyes lit up when he saw a solid wood table and chairs. He couldn't wait to walk over, but then stopped before sitting down, hesitating several times before finally sitting down with a nervous look on his face. Then, as if he had accomplished something remarkable, he let out a long breath, stroking the delicate texture of the solid wood with relish and closing his eyes.

Tang Wen had never experienced such enjoyment in his previous life, but seeing Old Zhao so engrossed in a decorative (X) desk and chair, he couldn't help but wonder:

"What's so great about sitting on that thing? You don't sit on it every day. You'd be better off sitting on the airline sofas here. These are custom-made airline seats from Europe, with zero gravity and massage functions."

However, Zhao Hande remained immersed in his own world, his eyes slightly open, just enough to see the clouds outside the window. This feeling…

"I never expected that I would experience the treatment of the president's private jet. It was worth it."

Tang Wen: "..."

Taylor, watching the interaction between the two, lowered her head thoughtfully. Since the three "outsiders" didn't talk much on the plane, they soon went to their respective bedrooms to rest. The luxurious rooms had extra soundproofing and active noise cancellation, and they all slept very well, only being woken up by the flight attendants 30 minutes before landing.

……

Jakarta International Airport

Lin Jiayao looked down at the two rows of children beside him, each with rosy cheeks and holding flowers:

"Chairman Tang's private plane is about to land, have you all remembered that?"

"Remember!"

The children answered in fluent Mandarin. They were all children of Chinese descent, and they were there not only to welcome Tang Wen and make a scene, but also to show off in front of him. Therefore, they stood at the very front on both sides of the red carpet.

Behind them were two rows of elementary school students dressed in distinctly local styles. These were people arranged by Sergio. Seeing Lin Jiayao and that group of children, he felt a pang of unease and quietly pulled aside the person in charge of the welcoming team, saying:

"When Chairman Tang arrives later, you must shout even louder than those little Dengs before you, and your expressions should be even more joyful... to the point of tears of joy, understand? You need to leave a good impression!"

The person in charge said, "But our children are standing in the back row, so I'm afraid Chairman Tang won't even be able to see their faces."

"Then jump up, understand?"

Serginho only felt relieved after the person in charge nodded seriously, and then turned his gaze back to the sky.

The luxurious MD.11G has begun its approach. The pilot of this special plane is also from United Airlines. However, their landing is quite gentle. The main landing gear skids along the runway for several hundred meters before gently touching the ground, as smooth as butter. The nose landing gear also touches the ground silently and lightly.

Seeing this, Sergio couldn't help but gasp, and said to those around him with a mysterious expression:

"See that? This is the big boss's entrance!"

It must be said that the MD.11G’s massive size makes it quite suitable as a special aircraft. It quickly taxied to the designated location in front of the red carpet, and the scheduled electric gangway immediately connected to the cabin door.

When Tang Wen appeared on the gangway, he immediately saw a large welcoming crowd below and a banner not far away:

[Conquering the business world and benefiting overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia]

Connecting the world to build a great enterprise, joining hands with Southeast Asia to open a new chapter.

【…】

The bright and clear regular script made him nod in approval, but when he noticed the Chinese elementary school students on both sides of the red carpet, he immediately felt uneasy.

Sure enough, the next moment they started jumping around with flowers in their hands, shouting "Welcome, welcome!" Tang Wen felt so awkward that he could only force a smile and try to take a wreath that was about to be handed to him. Meanwhile, Zhao Hande and Taylor were standing behind them with strange expressions, and it was hard to tell what they were thinking.

But at that moment, something unexpected happened.

Behind the two rows of Chinese primary school students, the local primary school students, having received confirmation from the person in charge, raised their hands and jumped up and down to try to overtake their counterparts in front.

"President Tang, we love you!"

"Hello, Chairman Tang!"

May our friendship last forever!

Tang Wen was startled by the sudden increase in volume, and then looked in shock at dozens of elementary school students who were shouting slogans that made people's heads spin while jumping up and down with their hands raised, their faces bearing the unique combination of crying and laughing that Zhong Cheng had.

Not only him, but even the little girl who was about to present flowers was bewildered by the huge commotion behind her. Then she saw Lin Jiayao giving her a meaningful look and realized what was happening, so she prepared to go forward and continue.

However, it was too late. The local primary school students who saw the opportunity swarmed around Tang Wen, but when they got close, many of them didn't know what to do.

Tang Wen then saw the little girl who was presenting flowers stumble and was pushed to his side, grabbing him and refusing to let go. Then, the local elementary school students around him, with long faces, jumped forward like zombies, some even with snot on their faces!
After they surrounded themselves completely, some were still crying and jumping around, while others tried to offer flowers but no flowers were given, so they pushed their clapping devices and balloons over.

Tang Wen, positioned in the center, was like the sun surrounding a group of rabbits waiting to be fed. However, at this moment, the Chinese elementary school students realized that they had "fallen out of favor" and began to follow suit, raising their hands and jumping over to try to see who was taller.

The scene, both touching and eerie, left everyone present speechless, with only reporters frantically taking photos to document it.

Domestic reporters who witnessed this scene all had strange expressions and twitched eyelids, while their foreign counterparts were still marveling at Tang Wen's excellent relationships with the country.

……

The welcoming ceremony was a disaster—at least that's what all the parties involved thought. Although the television news reports showed that Tang Wen received a high-level welcome and engaged in friendly interactions, demonstrating the excellent reputation of the Gaijin Group in the area, the parties involved were very grateful for the ingenious welcoming event.

Then Lin Jiayao and Wang Hu were given a thorough dressing-down, and Sergio vowed never to do such messy tricks again before things were finally put to rest.

There were supposed to be some special programs at the dinner that day, but they had to be cancelled at the last minute. Although it was a bit bland, it was still normal.

On the first day, no one discussed any serious matters. Tang Wen left the venue halfway through the meeting to take a walk in the garden before returning to the hotel, but Taylor followed him out:
"Tang, I have truly broadened my horizons today."

"..."

"Now that you've seen my dark past, you have to silence me."

Tang Wen turned his head expressionlessly, and Taylor quickly waved his hand:
"Hey, I really didn't mean to laugh at you, I'm serious, and today I saw... something completely different."

Did you know that I used to manage McMora's mining operations in Africa, but a war broke out there, and all operations were eventually shut down. The company lost everything and was even extorted for a ransom to bring the employees back?

I've always thought it's unreasonable that a giant like McMora Mining Corporation would ultimately suffer incalculable losses and face the risk of being forcibly taken away because of a bunch of monkeys who can use AKs.

Tang Wen's faint tipsiness vanished instantly, and he looked at him warily:
"I don't understand the story behind this."

“It’s alright. I mean… Tang, your fleet… your sightseeing boat fleet has a cooperation agreement with Hawaii before, right? I’d also like to cooperate with you, for example, to rent a few sightseeing boats for… tours.”

Under the dim moonlight, Taylor's eyes gleamed with a chilling light.

(End of this chapter)