Chapter 121: Virtual Research in the Endless Cave

Laser weapons may seem high-end, but in reality, many people have mastered the technology; the challenge lies solely in their application.

Laser weapons exist in many fields, even in consumer products, though these civilian versions cannot harm humans—at most, they might make you feel a bit warm. True laser weapons require massive amounts of energy, a type of power source not currently available on Earth. While nuclear energy is a possibility, the unresolved issue of radiation makes the deployment of laser weaponry impossible.

The most advanced laser weapon currently in the United States uses a super-battery pack—a high-density, ultra-powerful battery capable of powering a laser device to strike targets dozens of kilometers away. Standard energy units can barely manage a few kilometers, which clearly shows that the United States is well ahead in battery technology.

The Blue-class battleships consist of two vessels: the *Blue* and the *Fantasy*. The *Blue* uses an electromagnetic cannon as its primary weapon, while the *Fantasy* utilizes a more advanced kinetic energy cannon. Naturally, Zhu Lan could not reveal the *Fantasy*, as the military would certainly arrest him for designing such hardware. Simply presenting the *Blue* was sufficient.

"I have underestimated you!" Xu Dezheng looked at Zhu Lan. Zhu Lan had proposed that Fantasy Technology would cover all manufacturing costs, with the military merely needing to issue a warship manufacturing permit. Xu Dezheng would not object to this; as long as Zhu Lan did not build anything too cutting-edge, Xu would not intervene. Battleships might look formidable, but in modern warfare, they are essentially floating coffins—sitting ducks waiting to be destroyed.

"I am simply forced into this. Virtual technology requires hundreds of billions in capital. If I don't find a way to secure those funds, the research cannot continue. Since conventional sectors can no longer satisfy this massive financial demand, I have no choice but to take risks and enter new fields."

"It is indeed a risk." Virtual technology is being researched by China, and not just China—many countries worldwide are doing the same. What is currently known as 3D imaging technology is merely a subset of virtual technology. China's investment in this area has already exceeded its military budget for the past decade. The secret funding invested by China in various fields is astronomical. It is not just China; the United States, Russia, and other nations invest hundreds of billions annually into such research.

Publicly known secret projects, such as the aerospace program, illustrate this well. The total investment in China’s Tiangong and Chang'e programs exceeds two trillion, spread over twenty years—averaging one hundred billion per year. And that is not even accounting for the vast, undisclosed funds poured into other black projects.

Xu Dezheng did not disagree with Zhu Lan’s assessment. While Fantasy Technology is impressive, when it comes to virtual technology, even if Zhu Lan invested another two hundred billion, success is not guaranteed. Virtual research is a long-term endeavor; Zhu Lan must ensure he has enough funds every year to fill this bottomless pit. Unlike the state, which has tens of trillions in tax revenue to support slow, steady research, Fantasy Technology is in a different position.

Although Fantasy Technology is generating money quickly, it is merely a drop in the bucket compared to the needs of virtual research. Furthermore, other projects also consume significant funding. If the rate of income fails to keep pace with the rate of expenditure, research will stagnate—and Xu Dezheng understands the consequences of such stagnation all too well.

What Xu Dezheng does not know is that Zhu Lan possesses a capability that no one could believe: the Fantasy System. Equipment that might cost tens of billions to purchase is something Zhu Lan can resolve in a few hours. Moreover, much of this equipment is under embargo by Western nations; even with money, one cannot buy it.

The value of the equipment already revealed within the Blue Base exceeds five hundred billion. Not to mention other needs—in the future, at least another trillion in equipment will be required to keep the research moving forward. If he had to buy it with cash, it would be nearly impossible. Others may not know the difficulties Fantasy Technology faces, but many within the country are aware that Zhu Lan has invested all his capital. After Xu Dezheng visited the Blue Base and received an evaluation report stating a total value of seven hundred billion, he realized that while Zhu Lan may seem fine on the surface, he has secretly poured everything he has into this.

Because of this, Xu Dezheng, along with those above him, believes that Zhu Lan is truly researching virtual technology. No one knows better than them how much money this pit requires, as the annual secret reports quantify these figures in the hundreds of billions.

Xu Dezheng rose from the sofa, walked to his desk, picked up a pen, and made several revisions to the script. "If that is the case, I will take the responsibility and approve your request for leasing!"

Zhu Lan looked at it and shook his head. "Elder Xu, what is the difference between this and what we have now? The biggest selling point of this film is our country's military power. If you cut it down to this, the appeal disappears."

Xu Dezheng knew this, but he would not agree to the original terms.

"Elder Xu, let me be frank. This is just the first draft. There is a memorandum attached to this script, and this is what truly matters!" Zhu Lan did not mince words, pulling a thin sheet of paper from his bag and handing it to the elder.

Xu Dezheng read it and frowned. The original script contained only basic equipment, excluding the J-16 and J-20 air force assets, stealth bombers, nuclear warheads, and, most importantly, the strategic nuclear submarines. Zhu Lan had kept these in a memorandum, fearing that if he revealed everything at once, he would scare Elder Xu into an immediate rejection without even listening to an explanation. He had instructed Red Queen to delete these critical items, planning to present the memorandum only after the negotiations were on stable ground. Even if they refused, there would still be room to talk.

"You..." Xu had thought the previous request was bold enough; he had not expected Zhu Lan to be this audacious.

"Elder Xu, I must attract enough attention to this film. These are the hooks. I am not asking to film them for real; just provide me with some footage, and I will handle the post-production special effects."

Xu Dezheng squinted, lost in thought. "Can you guarantee this?"

"Elder Xu, we have invested a massive amount of capital. If the second part fails to deliver, you can take my equipment, right? I imagine the higher-ups would definitely be interested in the contents of the Blue Base! Those are the most advanced devices from the West. I doubt even those top-tier research institutes have several of them, let alone the same quality."

Xu Dezheng was startled. Zhu Lan was playing a high-stakes game, using his entire Blue Base as a wager. It was true that the equipment tempted him; the evaluation suggested that if the Blue Base's equipment were transferred to the research institutes, their research capability would increase by four to seven percent.

China can manufacture high-precision equipment, but due to material constraints, the annual output is extremely low. While it matches the quality of Western technology, the production cost is far higher because they have to choose more expensive manufacturing methods. This is not sustainable. Until material costs are lowered, such equipment cannot be mass-produced. A single high-precision unit costs two billion—a price even a major economic power like China cannot easily bear.

The Blue Base possesses several such units. China has them, but the quantity is far from sufficient. If he could obtain such equipment for free, not only would Xu have no objections, but no one, from the top down, would have any complaints.

"Are you certain?"

Zhu Lan nodded. "Elder Xu, I have no choice but to take some stimulating paths to earn the money I need. The items required for this film really cannot be cut, and they do not involve anything highly classified. To put it bluntly, foreigners already know about the submarines and nuclear missiles. I only need a few photos or video clips; I will use special effects in post-production to make them look indistinguishable from reality. This does not involve national secrets, yet it achieves the effect I need."

"You have quite the plan!"

Zhu Lan gave a bitter smile. "Elder Xu, you are mocking me. For the sake of virtual technology, I have racked my brain to make money. The current funds won't even cover next year's research costs. I must earn more. The War Club and the film are starting simultaneously, and after the New Year, I will release a new product: the agency rights for the Tier 1 Gene Optimization Serum. I fear that even after all this, I will barely have enough for next year's research."

"You left one thing out—you cannot cut corners on the quantum communication satellites!"

Zhu Lan wore a pained expression. "Elder Xu, if you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten. I have to spend a massive amount on rocket launches for the quantum satellites next year. Since we have a moment, could you offer a discount on the launches? The price is just too high!"

The quantum communication satellites were not even built yet, but the price for the rocket launches had already reached Zhu Lan's desk—over eighty million per launch. It was a staggering figure that Zhu Lan could barely afford. Setting up a global network would require at least fifteen satellites, plus spares for potential failures, totaling twenty satellites—meaning 1.6 billion in launch fees alone.

Xu Dezheng smiled and shook his head. "You know this is already the bottom-line price. If you went abroad to launch them, you would be paying in dollars!"

Zhu Lan nodded helplessly. The market price is twenty thousand dollars per kilogram; a satellite weighing several tons would cost tens of millions of dollars. Indeed, China was already giving him a favorable rate. Of course, Xu Dezheng was only joking; even if Zhu Lan wanted to take them abroad, the state would never allow such a move.