Counterfeit Hero

"I was wrong," Fatty admitted without hesitation, in a serious tone, "I won’t show you anymore."

Fang Xiang had a splitting headache. Quickly changing the subject, she said, "Let’s not talk nonsense. Let’s discuss business."

Blushing, she turned around, took a document from the file cabinet, and projected it onto the virtual screen: "This is the progress of our spaceship modification. Thanks to the industrial power of Blue Stone Star, we’ve completed thirty percent of the modifications on the Binart battleship we seized. As we become more familiar with the processes and expand the scale, the progress will accelerate further. It’s estimated that within three months, we’ll complete the modifications on all battleships, including those of the Hidden Blade Fleet."

Talking about this, Fatty became serious immediately.

He never had big ambitions growing up; his biggest dream was to become a small-time landlord or a tyrant. With money, a bunch of henchmen, he could dominate his own territory without any restrictions. In peaceful times, his biggest hobby was watching his savings grow with delight. Otherwise, he would hide at home, counting his collection of inflatable dolls, porn magazines, and movies.

But in wartime, the strength of the bandit army is his lifeline. Fang Xiang’s words hit his sweet spot.

Fatty carefully examined the document on the screen while listening closely to Fang Xiang: "The first phase of Mars recruitment has been completed, the production of Ranger Mechas is in full swing, and now, if we mobilize urgently, we can assemble twenty armored divisions and fifteen mechanical infantry divisions within three days."

Twenty armored divisions, Fatty calculated in his mind. There are eight armored divisions in the Hidden Blade Fleet alone, excluding the dozens of bandit army armored groups he formed before leaving, which can be organized into four or five divisions. The Sect Mecha at the base can form two or three divisions, meaning that during this time, the first phase of Mars recruitment has provided the bandit army with at least five armored divisions.

This doesn’t even account for the infantry division. The bandit army doesn’t have mechanical infantry divisions in their organizational structure; Mars has thousands of sects and hundreds of thousands of Mech Knights. Although the levels vary, they’re not so extravagant as to use all Mech Knights as infantry. The current mechanical infantry divisions consist of Mechanical Warriors without Mechas, who can transform into armored forces anytime as long as the Mechas keep up.

Even if these armored forces can’t compare with the initial few bandit army armored groups, in this world, they are powerful enough to make any country envious.

It seems that Mars, after the Sect War and the Suss Fleet’s attack, has begun to recover its formidable vitality, completely under bandit army control.

"Moreover, we’ve reached an agreement with arms dealers from neutral countries to purchase over fifty billion Fei Yuan in materials in the first phase. Most of it is energy, mechanical parts, and weapons ammunition for equipping Mechas. In the second phase, we’ll spend over one hundred and fifty billion Fei Yuan to order ships. Currently, the details of the contract are still being negotiated."

"Two... two hundred billion Fei Yuan?" Fatty stammered, utterly shocked, leaving him in pain.

Though he plundered a lot on Mars, seized a lot, and now controls the massive treasure trove of the Longbow Star System, two hundred billion Fei Yuan is still too colossal a figure for Fatty who measures wealth in terms of inflatable dolls.

"Wait..." Fatty’s face twitched, "Let’s slow down a bit. No matter what, let’s wait until I go to Hanjing and extort Hastings."

"Extort Hastings?" Fang Xiang was taken aback, staring blankly at the reckless Fatty.

Fatty gritted his teeth: "I’m not paying out of my own pocket. If you expect me to be at the forefront, whoever dares not to pay up, I’ll spit in their face!"

Fang Xiang held her head, unwilling to continue the conversation with this miser.

Currently, the bandit army is in a rapid development phase. Two hundred billion Fei Yuan is insignificant compared to the pace at which the bandit army is accumulating wealth. You must know, Audrey, the financial overseer of the bandit army, already has over six hundred billion Fei Yuan in cash. Half of it was accumulated after the sect war, and the other half has been acquired recently.

Now Mars, with all its routes and space stations, is fully under bandit army control, and Commerce Groups are as numerous as carps crossing the river. This alone brings significant income. Add to that the Resource Planet of Longbow Star System, which has essentially become the bandit army’s backyard, these two batches of procurement are merely supplementation and a trial for larger future transactions.

No one expected this country bumpkin to freak out over the two hundred billion procurement.

Looking at Fatty’s dazed expression and extremely pained look, Fang Xiang decisively ended the call. She didn’t take Fatty’s words seriously at all. This money is essentially a booster for the bandit army’s current development — what’s the point of holding onto it, huh, to buy him inflatable dolls?!

Fatty hadn’t recovered even when the spaceship arrived at Hanjing.

Outside the window, dozens of Feiyang battleships painted with the emblem of double wolves holding shields and more than ten battleships with the bandit army insignia entered the spaceport along with the battleship he was aboard.

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This segment needs careful attention. Many plot setups for later stages are contained within this Chapter. Let’s avoid any plot gaps later.

I recommend "The Evil Man" author Geng Xin’s new book "Usurping the Tang Dynasty." I recommend it because I’ve read it, not just because we’re friends. It’s truly excellent.

Also, the counterfeit simplified book has been listed on Taobao. Specific sales details aren’t yet known, presumably still stocking. Those interested can consider buying. Don’t buy the pirated version. The pirated cover is so grotesque, it makes me want to strangle the pirate who made it.

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(To be continued. To find out what happens next, please log onto www.qidian.com for more Chapters, support the author, and support legitimate reading!)