Annie was 'thrown' off the Captain's chair by her neck.
"Are you very tired?" Zhao Chen looked at Annie with a half-smile.
Annie clasped her hands behind her back, drawing circles on the ground with her right foot, her eyes showing a hint of embarrassment.
"I... I... This isn't... I just brightened up when I saw you."
As soon as she finished speaking, Annie was tapped on the head by Zhao Chen.
"Say something serious," Zhao Chen said.
"I just want some bonus... Although I'm currently on the Executive Officer's food standard... But when I return to the Owl Dragon Star System, I still have to take care of my mother and younger siblings... That's five mouths to feed..." Annie mumbled softly.
Zhao Chen looked at Annie, who had the air of a 'little adult'.
"You did well this time. I'll approve an extra month's food standard for you later," Zhao Chen ultimately gave Annie a bonus as encouragement.
Annie immediately beamed with joy, opening her arms and pouncing towards Zhao Chen: "Commander, I knew you were the best to me, I love you to death."
Zhao Chen pressed Annie's small, chubby face with one hand: "First, tell me about your construction plan."
Annie chuckled, immediately straightened her attitude, and began to explain.
"According to your request for constructing a T3 Star Gate.
If the construction task were to be entirely undertaken by T2 Iron Hammer-class Heavy Interstellar Industrial Ships, with ten T2 Iron Hammers working simultaneously, it would take two months.
However, if an industrial base within a planet is arranged to be responsible for manufacturing a portion of low-to-mid-end components and modules, and then transported to the 'Star Gate construction site', then the two months of construction time can be shortened by 30%!
At the same time, because our raw materials are currently insufficient, I have also divided the project into several phases. As long as the raw materials can be in place before the start of each phase, the current phase will not have any problems.
The Star Gate on our Owl Dragon Star System side, if nothing unexpected happens, can be completed before the end of July.
The Star Gate on the Lion King Star System side can be completed before the end /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ of August, allowing the planets on my father's side to undertake some of the production tasks for low-to-mid-end components.
As for raw materials, they will be transported by Interstellar Transport Ships; although it's a bit troublesome, there's no other way.
Here are also the detailed construction steps..."
Zhao Chen listened to Annie explaining everything in a methodical, comprehensive, and clear manner.
The two Star Gates connected together are expected to be put into use before the end of August.
Although, theoretically, after the Star Gate on the Owl Dragon Star System side is completed, it can connect with other Star Gates, currently, without absolute certainty, Zhao Chen cannot connect with external Star Gates; it's impossible in the short term.
Now everything is ready, only the east wind is lacking.
No, it should be said that only raw materials are lacking.
Before Zhao Chen's fleet was about to use warp travel from the border of the Arctic Fox Star System to the Owl Dragon Star System, Li Yaqi finally contacted Zhao Chen, saying that Chidong was willing to negotiate a transaction with him.
At the scheduled time, Zhao Chen entered a holographic projection room.
Across the table, as promised, was the masked Chidong girl.
"I heard you want to cooperate with me?" Chidong's red eyes beneath her mask stared at Zhao Chen, her tone very cold.
"Yes," Zhao Chen said.
"Li Yaqi has already told me the detailed cooperation content.
You want a raw material supply worth five billion star coins, and it needs to take a sufficiently covert route.
Where is the destination?" Chidong asked.
"The border of the Owl Dragon Star System," Zhao Chen reported a coordinate location.
Although this coordinate location exposed the Owl Dragon Star System where Zhao Chen was located, it was still some distance from where Zhao Chen wanted to build the Star Gate.
Although there was still a risk of exposure this way, it was unavoidable.
Every matter inherently carries risk, which cannot be avoided.
"Is there a time requirement?" Chidong asked again.
Zhao Chen said: "It can be transported in multiple batches, but it must all be delivered before the end of July."
It was now the end of May, which meant two months.
"According to my rules, this business requires a 30% commission. Is that okay?" Chidong proposed her commission.
"No problem," Zhao Chen said.
Although it was a bit expensive, for the sake of the Star Gate, this sacrifice was acceptable.
Anyway, he still had his 'dear' Governor Chu backing him up.
Chidong continued: "Within these two months, I will transport the raw materials worth five billion star coins to your designated location in two to three batches.
Once the five billion star coins worth of raw materials are in place, you need to pay me a commission of one point five billion star coins. I accept any form of payment, including Imperial accounts or Galactic Alliance accounts.
As for the procurement funds, I will send you the amount of payment required for procurement three days before each batch of raw material procurement.
Since this is our first transaction, you can send it to Li Yaqi first, and Li Yaqi will act as an intermediary guarantor."
Both Imperial accounts and Galactic Alliance accounts have very high confidentiality permissions. Unless a person is deemed extremely dangerous and their account information is publicly declared for search, even the royal family has no right to view it.
It is also because of this level of confidentiality that the Imperial accounts and Galactic Alliance accounts have a high degree of trust, and even some people operating in gray areas will use these accounts.
"No problem, we'll do as you say," Zhao Chen said.
"Then that's it," Chidong said, then directly cut off the communication.
The efficiency was truly decisive.
He wondered what connections she had to get five billion star coins worth of raw materials.
Zhao Chen calculated that her method was nothing more than'smuggling,' and if it was smuggling, the entire procurement and transportation process would incur a certain cost. Based on the additional 10% or so in costs, she would still have a 5% commission in her hands.
If this transaction went smoothly, then he could conduct more transactions with Miss Chidong in the future, which would also expand his avenues.
After finalizing the transaction with Chidong, Zhao Chen's fleet also quickly arrived at the Star System's edge space, after a long period of warp travel.
In mid-June, Zhao Chen's T3 Blizzard, along with six T2 Iron Hammers, arrived in the Owl Dragon Star System.
This was his second return to the Owl Dragon Star System.
Because of the previous 'internal strife,' accompanied by the purge and exodus of a group of internal nobles, the Owl Dragon Star System had declined significantly compared to before.
But relatively, it also had fewer troublesome matters than before.
Under the handling of Jiang Hong, arranged by his eldest sister, it was still quite orderly.
Zhao Chen did not return to his Owl Dragon Main Star, but headed directly towards the Star System border.
After about half a day of travel, the seven Interstellar Warship exited warp travel mode.
What met their eyes was a small asteroid belt.
The fleet slowed down and slowly entered the small asteroid belt. After more than ten minutes of regular travel, their fleet passed through the small asteroid belt.
At this point, a planet appeared before Zhao Chen and the others.
"My mother and younger siblings live here?" An excited Annie almost pressed her face against the viewscreen.
