Chapter 393: Chapter 393: The Far-sighted Big Shot
Tang Xiaonan was just as unsettled, because everything Adrian Hawthorne said perfectly matched the developments of the future. There wasn’t a single discrepancy. ’No wonder Adrian’s business grew so large. If nothing had happened to him, Clayton Xavier and Jacqueline Spann wouldn’t have stood a chance against him.’
"Did you come up with all this yourself?" Master Feng asked, suppressing his excitement. He found it hard to believe a boy of only twelve or thirteen could possess such foresight.
"I didn’t come up with it all on my own. An elder offered me some guidance."
Adrian Hawthorne was being honest. He had only been able to analyze these things with Old Master Tate’s guidance. The credit wasn’t his alone; besides, he didn’t have such incredible insight, nor did he have enough experience or knowledge.
Master Feng’s admiration for him deepened. ’This boy doesn’t try to take all the credit, and he isn’t arrogant. He’s destined for great things—even greater than his father.’
"Can you predict what will happen thirty years from now?" Master Feng asked, intrigued.
Adrian Hawthorne thought for a moment, then said, "I have indeed considered future economic models. In thirty years, there will likely be an energy crisis. Economies based on new energy sources will become dominant, as will the arms trade."
"You think there will be wars?" Master Feng sounded unconvinced.
"There will definitely be wars. The U.S. has always been a source of instability. An energy crisis is bound to happen in the future, and when they run out of resources, they’ll just take them from others. War is inevitable," Adrian Hawthorne stated with absolute certainty.
Tang Xiaonan gazed at him with adoration. ’He really is a mastermind. That kind of incredible foresight isn’t something an ordinary person possesses!’
’Isn’t that exactly what happens? The U.S. acts as the world’s shit-stirrer, causing trouble everywhere and plunging everything into chaos. Thank goodness great Celestia remains peaceful and prosperous.’
"What does ’energy crisis’ mean? I don’t get it." Aston Marsh and Goldie Thorne couldn’t resist coming over. They had been listening intently, but they looked completely baffled, unable to understand all the new terms.
In truth, Master Feng didn’t quite understand either. He wasn’t highly educated, but he was worldly and managed to grasp the general idea. He asked, "Are you saying there won’t be any more coal or gasoline in the future?"
"Impossible. There’s plenty of that stuff. The mountains are full of coal and the ground is full of oil. How could we possibly use it all up?" Goldie Thorne shook his head emphatically, convinced Adrian Hawthorne was talking nonsense.
Aston Marsh was unconvinced as well. Although Zhejiang Province didn’t produce coal, many other provinces were major producers. On a business trip once, he’d met a buyer from a coal mine who claimed their mine had enough reserves to last another hundred years. There was so much coal down there; how could it ever run out?
Adrian Hawthorne patiently explained, "Both coal and oil are non-renewable resources. They aren’t like trees that can grow back after being cut down. Every bit of coal and oil you use is a bit that’s gone forever. With the rapid future development of industry and transportation, the demand for energy will soar. An energy crisis is bound to happen. However, a new energy source will eventually emerge to replace oil, which is why I said that economies based on new energy will become dominant."
"And what do you think this new energy source will be?" Master Feng asked, intrigued. ’This boy’s theories are strangely fascinating.’
"There are several: nuclear power, hydropower, solar energy... But the primary one will definitely be nuclear power. Other countries have already started using it, but our nation’s technology isn’t mature yet," Adrian Hawthorne answered.
"We’ll have it too."
Tang Xiaonan couldn’t help but interject. ’And in the future, there will also be the Three Gorges Dam, another miracle that will astonish the world. Celestia is going to rise very quickly.’
Adrian Hawthorne froze for a second, then leaned close to her ear and whispered in delighted surprise, "You saw it, didn’t you?"
"Yes, we’ll have all of them."
Tang Xiaonan nodded. All the new energy sources Adrian Hawthorne had mentioned would become a reality in the future. ’It’s a shame I can’t say more.’
