novelweb Chapter 1351 The Arms Dealer’s Dream
Chapter 1351 The Arms Dealer’s Dream
"Mr. Xu, look at me. Do you think I am a bad guy? This is not an ordinary business. This is an arms dealer business specially approved by the state. Look at these shabby guys. As long as they are optimized, they can be sold, and our problem of capital shortage can be completely solved." Chen Jun's face was full of confidence, with excitement flashing in his eyes, and he talked to Mr. Xu.
"Holy crap..." Even the usually composed Elder Xu couldn't help but burst out with a quip. He'd lived most of his life, and he'd never heard of a scientific researcher getting involved in the arms business. In his understanding, the only time the country would sell weapons and equipment was during air shows. Chen Jun's idea was beyond his wildest dreams.
"No, Xiao Chen, how are you going to optimize these things? They've been obsolete for over a decade, maybe even decades! You're not just going to spruce them up and sell them like ordinary merchandise, are you? These are weapons! If they don't perform as effectively on the battlefield, it will severely impact our country's international reputation. That's no small matter..." Elder Xu frowned, his face filled with worry. This was indeed his biggest concern. Weapons were unlike other commodities; their performance directly impacted a country's reputation and international standing.
"Don't worry, Mr. Xu. I have already written the optimization equations. Please take a look first." As he said that, Chen Jun took out a stack of modification drawings from the file bag and handed them to Mr. Xu.
Elder Xu took the blueprint and examined it carefully. The drawings detailed various modification plans, primarily involving replacing the outer shell material. By using new alloys, the tank's protection would be enhanced while also reducing its weight. Internally, the engine would be optimized and upgraded to increase power output. Furthermore, intelligent systems would be incorporated, giving the tanks more advanced battlefield awareness and command and control capabilities. It's undeniable that these improvements would significantly improve both the appearance and performance of these outdated weapons. At least in terms of price/performance, they would be significantly better than some renowned international weapons, making them a relatively affordable option for friendly nations like Pakistan.
"What do you think, Mr. Xu? Do you think this deal is feasible?" Chen Jun looked at Mr. Xu expectantly, waiting for his reply.
"Chief Engineer, I'm just asking, when will construction begin?" Old Xu looked up, his eyes filled with excitement and anticipation. He had been convinced by Chen Jun's proposal and saw its enormous potential and value.
Chen He laughed heartily, patted Old Xu on the shoulder, and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you to get them started as soon as possible. I still need to go check out the tank depot and come back with a more complete modification plan so we can sell these weapons to our neighboring country."
"That's great, Chief Engineer. I wish you a safe journey." Old Xu responded cheerfully, already mentally planning how to organize the staff and develop a detailed work plan. He knew this mission wasn't just about resolving funding issues; it was also an opportunity to showcase the nation's scientific research prowess. With this in mind, he immediately convened a meeting with Old Chen and the others, preparing to work overtime and aggressively. After all, in their view, what business could be more profitable than an arms dealer? This was undoubtedly one of the most promising.
Chen Jun took Yajieer on a journey to the national tank obsolete warehouse to conduct on-site inspections.
Soon, they arrived at a military factory called 413. This was a renowned tank manufacturing base in China. Upon entering the warehouse area, the sight was breathtaking. The densely packed warehouses were neatly arranged, each one filled with tanks, as if telling of a glorious past.
The person in charge who brought Chen Jun here introduced with a look of resignation, "General Chen, these are our country's first-generation tanks. Some of them were taken away by the fire department and converted into special vehicles for firefighting, while the others are piled up here. Although they have been retired, we really can't bear to destroy them all, so they have been kept here and have arranged for regular maintenance."
Chen Jun nodded, slowly walked over, and carefully examined these tanks, which had been discarded by time. It was clear that the maintenance work here was very good. He gently touched the outer shell of the tank with his fingers, and there was not a speck of dust. Stepping inside, the tank was also spotless, and every part was well preserved. However, the design was indeed very old, after all, it had been decades.
"If it were in the past, without the emergence of black materials, it would indeed be difficult to reform. But now... you stubborn guys have finally met me. Next, I will give you a new look and prepare to be your 'bride'." Chen Jun smiled and joked. The relaxed atmosphere made Yajieer beside him couldn't help laughing.
Then, Yajieer saw Chen Jun lying on the tank, pulling out a notebook and meticulously writing and drawing on each component. From her perspective, she could see complex equations constantly appearing on the notebook, the handwriting densely packed yet neatly arranged. It was obvious at a glance that Chen Jun was a professional.
Yajie'er couldn't help but secretly admire him. Zhan Ge had always said he wasn't convinced by this captain. In his carelessness, he'd lost a fight to him, leading to his retirement from the Fifth Division and a desperate plunge into the "sinkhole" of the hacker base. But as time went on, she joined Chen Jun on more and more missions, and the more she learned about him, the more shocked and astonished she became. Zhan Ge's brother, the leader of the Judgment Sect, was no ordinary soldier. He seemed to have a cheat, capable of anything.
At this moment, Chen Jun's mind was racing with knowledge and skills. He used his fusion of skills, drawing on his mastery of materials science, mechanical engineering, and other fields, to analyze and optimize each of the tank parts.
"We'll need to replace some materials, optimize the command system, and upgrade the periscopes. While the modifications won't reach the standards of today's most advanced Tiger 9 tanks, it should still be able to reach the level of the late 90s. I'm sure this kind of performance would be highly sought after in other countries. After all, just the sight of our high-tech materials is incredibly valuable." While Chen Jun was calculating, he confidently asked the head of the 413th Military Factory, "How many tanks like this do we have in stock?"
The person in charge gave a number that surprised Chen Jun: "General Chen, there are more than 5,000 such tanks in stock."
"General Chen, if you can use them, you can take them away. However, please treat these treasures well and don't destroy them casually for some materials." The person in charge said sincerely. These old tanks are like old friends to him. Although they have been retired, he still has special feelings for them.
"Don't worry, not only will they not be destroyed, they will even reappear on the battlefield. However, I need the help of the designers in your factory so that we can better complete these transformation tasks." Chen Jun said.
The person in charge was taken aback for a moment, then quickly reacted and said, "I'll go and inform them right away." He couldn't afford to be negligent. This young general was no ordinary person. Before Chen Jun came down for inspection, the higher-ups had issued a document through the headquarters, clearly instructing that no matter what Chen Jun said, it must be resolutely implemented and that the whole country must cooperate with Chen Jun to complete his instructions.
Not long after, all the scientific research cadres and technical personnel of the 413 Military Factory rushed to the conference room. Everyone was on high alert, wondering what important task the young general was going to assign.
A while later, Chen Jun strode into the conference room. After scanning the room, he said, "You are all Yan Country's top tank experts and armored vehicle modification engineers, right?"
Everyone nodded bewilderedly, wondering what this young general, who looked only in his early twenties, was up to. Was he simply trying to curry favor with them? That was too strange.
"I'll give you a formula. Use this formula to renovate some old tanks and re-arm them. After this batch of tanks is successfully sold, I will give you a certain amount of rewards based on your contribution. I guarantee that the bonus will not be reduced in any way, and there will be absolutely no delay." Chen Jun's voice was firm and powerful, full of confidence.
"what……"
"Fuck..."
Everyone was in an uproar when they heard this. Selling these long-obsolete tanks and sharing the prize money? It felt like going back to the days of fighting against local tyrants and then dividing the profits. But the question was, could these old tanks still be used? Could they be sold? And was sharing the profits even a reasonable idea?
A deep silence fell as everyone pondered this seemingly fantastical plan. Finally, someone couldn't help but ask, "General, these tanks have been obsolete for decades. Even if we gave them away for free to other countries, they probably wouldn't want them. Also, is there a formula to modify them so they can be sold?"
"Yajie'er, circulate the documents to them." Chen Jun said calmly.
"Yes!" Yajieer immediately copied the equation written by Chen Jun more than a dozen times, and then distributed them to everyone for circulation.
The researchers and engineers took the documents and began to carefully read them. Looking at Chen Jun's modification plan, especially the equations regarding the application of new materials, they couldn't help but whisper and discuss. Gradually, their eyes lit up.
"If we modify them according to this blueprint, we can indeed optimize the performance of these tanks to the level of the 90s. And the price won't be too high. The cost-effectiveness is simply incredible."
"This design idea is very interesting. We can completely optimize these tanks and put them back into service. We might even be able to sell them."
"Who designed these blueprints? Him?" Everyone exclaimed in amazement, staring at the young Chen Jun in shock, a large, black question mark popping up in their minds. They were all geniuses in their industry, earning their place at a top military unit like Factory 413. Yet, even so, none of them could write such a sophisticated optimization equation.
Seeing everyone's expressions, Chen Jun smiled and said, "You guys should discuss it carefully first and figure out how to divide up and carry out the work. I'll be here for the next few days. If you have any questions during the transformation process, feel free to come and talk to me."
When the person in charge saw this situation, he knew that there should be no problem, so he immediately agreed and said that he would fully cooperate.
For the next three days, Chen Jun stayed in the factory and had in-depth exchanges with scientific researchers and engineers.
He not only provided detailed answers to various questions encountered during the modification process but also offered unique modification suggestions for the engines of tanks and armored vehicles. After all, most of the previous engines were already scrapped. While Chen Jun's optimization method might seem simple, it contained profound technical principles. Leveraging his fully qualified materials research and mechanization skills, he identified the latest engine models and then performed targeted optimizations to adapt them to these older tanks.
Under Chen Jun's guidance, the people present were filled with admiration and even more worship. They had never seen someone so young yet so talented. It was as if Chen Jun possessed infinite wisdom and power.
After resolving the inventory restructuring issue at the tank warehouse, Chen Jun immediately rushed to the armored vehicle and artillery warehouses for inspections. He also used his professional knowledge and skills to optimize the inventory in these warehouses.
Under Chen Jun's leadership, all domestic factories involved in weapons modification were bustling with activity. Workers toiled day and night, eager to complete the optimization and modification of this batch of weapons as quickly as possible. Chen Jun himself was so overwhelmed that he barely had time to even call An Ran. Every day, he was like a spinning top, scurrying back and forth between factories and warehouses, sleeping either in his office or on a makeshift cot in the warehouse, and never eating on time. Yet, he remained relentless, determined to expand his arms business globally. After all, to gain a foothold in the international arms market, he needed a sufficient supply of high-performance weapons for other countries to choose from.
Finally, after a period of intense work, the first batch of optimization results came out.
"Report, General Chen, the performance of all the tanks in stock at Factory 413 has tripled after being optimized according to your plan. Other armored vehicles, artillery, and missile vehicles have also been optimized, and their performance has been greatly enhanced..." Pieces of exciting information were gathered to Chen Jun through different channels like a stream of water.
Looking at these reports, Chen Jun's face lit up with a satisfied smile. He knew his efforts had not been in vain. So, with this encouraging information, he confidently went straight to see Mr. Ye.
He knew in his heart that his dream of becoming the strongest arms dealer was finally about to begin.