Chapter 117: Buying an Aircraft Carrier for Fun (Part I)

Regis was taken aback. To buy an aircraft carrier just for fun? What kind of condition was that? He wasn't overly surprised, as it wasn't unheard of for the ultra-wealthy to purchase such vessels.

Some used them for commercial ventures, while others did it purely for amusement. Compared to the matters they were actually there to discuss, this was hardly a condition at all. Even under normal circumstances, there would be no issue with him buying one; in fact, it would be a benefit to the nation. Decommissioning old aircraft carriers was a massive headache, especially since the early models had mostly been retired and the U.S. now relied primarily on nuclear-powered carriers.

What was his game, though? Regis didn't truly believe this was the core of Xiao Tianci's demand. He was wondering if there was some hidden meaning behind the request.

Xiao Tianci stood up, walked over to the wine rack, and selected a bottle of red wine. He opened it with a professional, practiced air, poured two glasses, and carried them over to Regis with refined grace. Regis accepted the glass. He could have understood Xiao Tianci's earlier demeanor, but this sudden shift into a gentleman felt almost clownish. It felt beneath him, or perhaps, as Regis recalled the words of Mei Hua or even Will, Xiao Tianci was simply a madman.

This gesture reset the negotiation to a new starting point. Negotiations are inherently a tug-of-war; every action and word exchanged prior had already been part of the process. Now, they had reached the moment to show their hands. All the posturing, joint propaganda, and probing were finished.

Regis wasn't surprised. Regardless of Xiao Tianci’s previous performance, he would negotiate when he wanted to. Anything else was just a way to increase his leverage or test the waters.

Holding their glasses, the two moved toward the window of the reception hall, acting as casually as old friends. From there, they could see the entire cityscape—a modern metropolis built of steel and concrete.

"Mr. Xiao, are you really interested in buying an aircraft carrier for your own amusement?" Regis asked.

"Of course. Did you think I was joking?" Xiao Tianci chuckled softly, adding with a mysterious air, "To be honest, ever since I was a child, I’ve loved war movies, especially the sheer scale of aircraft carriers."

Was he truly interested? What was his real motive? Yet, since he was continuing to talk, there was no need to resort to final measures. Although his recent actions had caused losses for the U.S., his intent was clear: he was willing to suffer damage himself just to kick Will out and regain control of Mei Hua. But revitalizing Mei Hua wouldn't be easy—unless he truly held the trump card: the force field.

Xiao Tianci spoke excitedly, rambling on about his fascination with aircraft carriers. Regis was in no rush; in negotiations, the one who loses their cool loses the advantage.

After listening to Xiao Tianci’s musings, Regis looked out at the beautiful city and smiled. "Indeed. The advent of the aircraft carrier is a marvel in human military history. It transitioned naval warfare from a two-dimensional plane to a three-dimensional one. It is the birth of the aircraft carrier that gave rise to modern naval warfare as we know it. A powerful carrier strike group, integrating air defense, anti-ship, anti-submarine, and coastal strike capabilities, is the most formidable force on the modern battlefield. An aircraft carrier is a strategic weapon comparable to nuclear weapons."

Xiao Tianci smiled inwardly. He really did want to buy a carrier, but not for the reasons Regis imagined. If he wanted one like everyone else, he wouldn't need to make such a point of it.

"Well, Mr. President, I wonder if you could help me realize this little childhood dream of mine?" Xiao Tianci never bothered with the pretenses of nobility or how he was "supposed" to act. He simply did what he wanted, shifting from a shrewd businessman to a pampered playboy in the blink of an eye.

Regis nodded slightly. "That is not a difficult request. But since you’ve set this as your condition, there must be something in return."

Xiao Tianci shrugged. "Ultimately, after all that has been said, isn't your goal the force field? I imagine the whole world is keeping a close eye on it now, isn't it?"

Negotiations can be vague, artistic, subtle, or elegant. They can be elevated to a high level, even when discussing the dirtiest, most despicable, and most shameless matters. It is all a matter of necessity—everything in a negotiation is for the sake of interest.

If an agreement cannot be reached, then treaties and friendships are discarded, and the conflict continues until it is time to talk again. Or, the mask of hypocrisy is torn away, and it becomes as simple and direct as a transaction between a prostitute and a client: you sell, I buy.

Seeing Xiao Tianci speak so plainly, Regis stopped beating around the bush.

"Haha... Mr. Xiao, since you put it that way, I do have a question I don't quite understand. Has the force field really been successfully developed?"

***

"Hmph, of course it has. But I have no idea what this kid has been up to all this time."

The environment shifted. The two men were now lying on reclining chairs, the sun warming them. The table between them was filled with various snacks. They were well-prepared.

"Crunch." A potato chip was tossed into his mouth. "Tell me, what do you think he’s been doing? We didn't follow him back to the island. I feel like that was a mistake."

"Mmm... smack... this drink is not bad... smack..."

Stroke his beard, the other man frowned in annoyance. "Can’t you be more refined? You’ve wasted all the time you spent reading those etiquette manuals. You make such noises when you drink."

"Hmph... you’re one to talk. Who is the one enjoying the luxuries of this world? If you don't want to suffer, then come with..."

"I, I am only doing this to conduct a better investigation. Otherwise, how can we help him..."

"Hmph..." Ignoring him, he reached down and pulled out more snacks and several books. "Forget it. I think this kid is a lost cause. Too hopeless. Maybe we should just look elsewhere and head back."

Even though he enjoyed the comforts of the city, he hadn't forgotten his mission. "Absolutely not. He still has time."

Xiao Tianci turned and walked back to his seat. Regis followed and set his glass down, watching him.

"Of course it was successfully developed. I announced it to the whole world, didn't I? A person as honest and sincere as me would never lie." Xiao Tianci felt quite pleased with his own performance; he had praised himself so convincingly he almost believed it himself.

Regis said, "That is good to hear. If you are willing to cooperate using the results of the force field, I believe..."

"Wait, wait... what did you say?" Xiao Tianci raised a hand to stop him, feigning shock. "Cooperate using the force field? Mr. President, did I hear you correctly?"

What was he playing at now? Regis stared at him. "Mr. Xiao, why pretend to be ignorant?"

"What pretend to be ignorant? When did I say I would bring out the force field? Besides, the force field was stolen long ago. I told you, I’m an honest man—how could I lie?"

The back-and-forth, combined with Xiao Tianci’s antics, was enough to anger a saint. Regis snorted coldly. "Mr. Xiao, what is your meaning? Are you joking, or are you playing with me?"

*Damn, he really has impressive self-control,* Xiao Tianci thought. *A president is a president—those who play politics are different. They can smile even while they want to kill you.*

"Tsk, tsk. Look at you, why say it like that? Joking? You’re the President of the United States. I’m the richest man in the world—I’ve been rich for several months now! How could I possibly be joking with you?" Xiao Tianci’s expression was that of a seasoned actor, though his act was so transparent it was almost comical. His tone was so low-brow that it was hard for anyone to believe he wasn't playing around.

"Playing with you? That’s even more impossible. Who are you? I wouldn't dare."

Regis’s expression was cold, though he wanted nothing more than to kill Xiao Tianci. "Mr. Xiao, if you think this is amusing, I’m afraid I don't have the time to play with you."

Saying this, he stood up again. Negotiations, chips, and prices could all be discussed, but every negotiation had a bottom line. If there was no foundation, there was no point in talking.

Xiao Tianci downed his drink. "Look, why be like this? I don't have the force field, but I do have something that is no less impressive. Take a look at this before you decide."

It was another small electronic device, just like the one he had given Elder Zhao. Regis took it, looking at Xiao Tianci with suspicion. What could be comparable to a force field?

He checked it immediately. Soon, his face displayed genuine shock. The data inside wasn't overly specialized, and he could understand it all. Even though he wasn't an expert, he could be eighty percent certain that this was real. It was indeed technology that could rival the force field. The U.S. had been researching this for years, and they had invested more than anyone else in the world, as this was a technology that could trade money for lives on the battlefield.

Xiao Tianci took in Regis’s expression. *Ha, ha, ha!* He laughed inwardly. *The world is so damn realistic. Without strength, talk is useless. With strength, everything is negotiable.*

Regis sat back down, studying the data carefully. The U.S. had made some progress in this area, but it was far behind what Xiao Tianci had provided. What the U.S. had secretly spent hundreds of billions on over a decade was only the first phase; they were still a long way from actual application.

***

"Hey, stop sleeping! Hurry up and zoom in. See what he's looking at. What did this kid get his hands on that has the President so surprised?"

"Ah... mmm... fine... okay..." Drowsily, he quickly magnified the image. The view, which had been like watching a movie, suddenly became a 3D hologram. It zoomed and rotated until it was as if they were standing right behind Regis, looking through a magnifying glass.

Stroking his beard, he muttered to himself, "Let me see what kind of good stuff has him so surprised. What's the big deal? I couldn't even guess just now."

"Hmph... what is this? It's just brain-wave connection control. Hmph, I thought it was something important enough to wake me up... really... what's the big deal? This is all junk we threw away years ago..." He turned over and went back to sleep, casually adjusting the light. The sunlight pouring into his half of the room was suddenly blocked off, leaving his side in darkness and silence—perfect for sleeping—while the other side remained bright.

"Ugh, what do you know? This isn't the same. This is about warfare. I'll explain it to you, but you wouldn't understand... if you even wanted to listen..."

He had just started when he heard snoring. He sighed helplessly and cut off the sound on his side. *How can I be so smart and end up with someone like this? It seems that what they say about this God (a person worshipped by others, as he had recently learned) is true: the world is always fair. When a door is closed, a window is surely opened. If you are born with my intelligence, there must be a catch...*