What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 397 Rebellion Against the Heavenly Gang (3400 monthly votes in May)

Due to the shortage of shipyard resources, the refitting project of the Musashi has been put on hold and it is still sitting in the port gathering dust.

Tang Wen initially planned to sell her to the Navy, but after selling her in Hanover, he felt that the chances of selling her again were slim, so he kept delaying it.

Now he has found an opportunity:

It's not just a matter of having ships to sell; the Musashi and Yamato are essentially the same class of ships, although in the game Musashi is one rank lower than Yamato, there's practically no difference between them.

Transforming Musashi into Yamato wouldn't be a problem; it would only take a little time and money.

Since China has already built the Yamato, it's perfectly normal to have another ship of the same class, isn't it? It wouldn't seem out of place at all.

If it weren't for the concerns about explaining the source, Tang Wen could even have sold it to Wisconsin!
The USS Wisconsin, which was looted from the last super crate, is still there. This isn't just wreckage salvage; it's the fifth Iowa-class destroyer. Even the Americans would be stunned.

Even if the old man isn't in a hurry, he can wait until the three U69s finish this story battle, which will give him at least tens or hundreds of thousands of experience points. At that time, he can directly unlock the first line of Japanese battleships. He can sell not just one Yamato, but 100 Yamatos!

Tang Wen became increasingly excited as he thought about it, and started to fabricate stories:
"Don't even mention Musashi, we still have several Yamato ships in stock. We don't need to send any people, but we can sell the ships as we please. Try to get the Americans to buy as many as possible, and I can deliver as many as they want."

Now it was Zhao Hande's turn to fall silent. He really hadn't expected Tang Wen to be so audacious.

Selling old rice? How could you even think of that!
"Old Americans are just bored and have nothing better to do than buy this stuff. The Empire only knows how to fleece others and bleed them dry. You think you can rebel against the Heavenly Gang?"

Tang Wen thought it made sense at first, but then a thought suddenly struck him:
"If the US won't buy it, let the Japanese buy it! They're still allies!"

Zhao Hande wanted to refute it, but suddenly felt that... it was somewhat feasible?
I've been envious and jealous of you guys in the newspapers every day. Well, now I can just give you one directly, right?
However, he immediately thought of another problem:
If we actually buy it, will the Yamato and Missouri fight together against Bismarck?
Even though he was in the most solemn capital city, Zhao Dehan felt that the whole world had gone mad, otherwise how could such an absurd thing happen!
Although he felt that the world before him had become bizarre and surreal, he still kept this idea firmly in his mind.

……

Appama.

Because it was daytime, Fern wasn't too worried about a sudden plane attack.

He and Marcel arrived in Guyana by helicopter and, after obtaining permission from Bassin, entered the airspace over the rainforest.

Of course, he was near the border, but even so it was risky, but Fern wanted to see it for himself.

Upon opening the helicopter door, Fern immediately felt the hot and humid climate.

Marcel extended his hand outside the cabin and silently counted to ten for a second before pulling it back and showing him his wet palm:
"This place is like being completely submerged in a bathtub. Look at my hands, you can almost see water droplets!"

Fern also looked incredulous. He turned to the Guyanese guide who had followed him, pointed to the dense, almost impermeable rainforest below, and asked loudly:

How long will it take for these trees to grow?

The guide held up one finger:
"One rain, just one rain is enough. Even locals would get lost here, and if you wear clothes, your flesh will rot quickly, and all kinds of machinery will rust and break down within a few days!"

He was also a minor official in the colony and knew why Fern came.

But he knew even better that people would die trying to survive and build infrastructure in this godforsaken place!
"Dampness is the biggest enemy. Skin will ulcerate and maggots can appear in a day. Leeches will crawl all over you as soon as you go out. Mosquitoes can suck your flesh dry. This is a real hell. People die here every year because of this."

However, the more he spoke, the more Marcel and Fern believed him:

If it weren't for such a remote and uninhabited place, how could a huge organization have been operating secretly for decades?
Although the environment here is harsh, it is not insurmountable with the help of technology.

Moreover, the area is rich in mineral and water resources, making it naturally suitable for industrial development.

Marcel: "Since they haven't left any trace for so long, if we keep radio silence, it will be very difficult for our planes to find them. The rainforest can even hide heat."

“No, no, even the best methods will eventually leave some traces.” Fern pointed to the boundless forest:

"Although the area is vast, there are not many suitable places to build a base, at least initially. The location must meet certain requirements, such as being near a river, having a relatively safe terrain, and having firm soil."

Furthermore, the gnats have a limited range from taking off from here to launching their attack. We just need to focus our search on areas within the radius of their range that meet our requirements. Also... I don't know if they will attack again tonight. If they do, then we will definitely catch them!

……

After refusing once at the United Nations, the state media refused a second time in newspapers.

Renowned military expert Feng Qianjun wrote a lengthy article, arguing that all newly commissioned warships in China were not properly integrated or even incompletely equipped, rendering them ineffective in combat, while the warships that were capable of fighting were too outdated.

In addition, economic newspapers also published articles arguing that getting involved in war at this time would be of no benefit and that peaceful development should remain the top priority in the country.

Despite being rejected twice, the Empire remained undeterred. On one hand, it arranged for its own media to begin praising the combat capabilities of the Taishan, Huashan, and even the Qi Jiguang training ship. On the other hand, some officials also subtly indicated in public that the ships could "integrate into the international community more quickly."

As for how to integrate and to what extent, you can figure that out yourself.

Both sides probed the issue twice, through personal representatives and official responses.

As for other forces, upon hearing such explosive news, they, with the mentality of "the more the merrier," immediately began speculating about how the domestic warships would be deployed, as if it were already a settled fact.

……

Horikawa fell in love with the environment of Hong Kong as soon as he arrived. In addition, the most troublesome part of the Taishan ship's renovation was completed, so he stayed here to relax and enjoy tea.

The country has set a confidentiality period for him, but now Horikawa believes that it's not a bad idea to enjoy his retirement here.

It wasn't until Tan Qing walked into the private room, sat down in front of him, and poured herself a cup of tea that he finally understood.

“Mr. Horikawa, I’ll be returning to the north soon. If you’d like to stay, I’ll put in a word and find you some people to look after you.”

"Oh, thank you so much, I'm really unworthy of it."

Horikawa Naoko habitually bowed his head to express his gratitude, but then noticed that Tan Qing looked very tired, and couldn't help but ask:
"Why do you look so tired? What problems did the Taishan encounter during its sea trial?"

"No, it's just that there's another big project, and we're discussing renovation plans all night."

Horikawa Naoki sat up abruptly, asking in shock:

"What?! Battleships too?"

Tan Qing nodded with a wry smile:

"I consider you my elder, so I may as well tell you. Actually, more than one Yamato was built in China, but the Taishan was modified too roughly, and subsequent modifications would require more effort, so it's very troublesome."

"Alright, enjoy your retirement. I have to go back north."

Horikawa Nao: "..."

Even after he returned to the hotel, he still felt a bit incredulous. A beaver?
What does it mean that there is more than one Yamato?
If there are two or more, wouldn't that mean the IJN (International Journal of the Japanese Nationalities) is officially based at the University of Tokyo?
He fell into a deep sleep with this absurd idea in mind, only to be woken up early the next morning by a phone call from the front desk. Apparently, it was his nephew from the local area who wanted to see him.

Horikawa didn't think too much about it and asked them to bring the other person up.

(End of this chapter)