What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 426 Brothers of Justice (5200 monthly votes in May)

Two hours later, there was a one-hour break for afternoon tea, during which both parties rested briefly.

Yuhiro Uchimura found out that the meeting room door was open and quickly found Rams to ask about the situation.

"Seven hundred million? Sir, aren't we discussing the price of the bare ship?"

"This is the price of the bare ship, just like what you saw at the Yangcheng Shipyard, with no extras."

The conversation immediately silenced Tomohiro Uchimura.

Negotiations broke down? They're not selling anymore?
How could a bare ship cost two hundred million dollars more!

This was the first thought that came to his mind.

However, Rams immediately waved his hand and handed a stack of documents to Tomohiro Uchimura: those were also obtained by him.

The latter picked it up and saw that the first sheet was a price list:
Bare ship price: US$12 billion

C802 missile depreciation: xx (details in attachment)

HHQ-7 launch system depreciation: xx (details in attachment)

Inventory holding cash: xx (details in attachment)

Cancellation penalty for the original installation order: xx (See attached copy of the contract)
Losses in naval vessel service plans: xx (Analysis based on think tank research, see attachment for details)

……

The list of additional costs incurred from dismantling the weapon system is as high as twenty-odd items, each of which is clearly "reasonable". The rest of the paper consists of supporting documentation!

The list includes almost everything related to equipment manufacturers, research institutes, the navy, shipyards, materials, and personnel. It can be said that almost every unit even remotely connected to battleships is included!
After carefully reading the first two pages, Tomohiro Uchimura could no longer maintain his composure.

Who exactly is the empire?
This contract is simply outrageous, manipulating the buyer and showing absolutely no sincerity!
According to these rules, isn't he basically paying money on his knees?

Tomohiro Uchimura immediately panicked, and seeing that the second half was about to begin, he quickly said:

"This contract is absolutely outrageous! It even includes the shipyard workers' bonuses. This is blatant profiteering, trying to take advantage of the empire's setbacks!"

Rams also looked pale, but he pondered:

"We agree. The Empire will not accept such an insult, and this order should be cancelled!"

"That's not the case."

Uchimura Tomohiro quickly waved his hand, saying that the military and many of these incompetent old men valued battleships highly, and if things were to fall apart, he would likely suffer greatly when he returned home.

“What I mean is that we should reject these unreasonable demands. Paying a maximum of $12 billion for the bare ships is enough. We want the Empire’s advanced equipment more.”

Despite saying this, Tomohiro Uchimura was actually feeling a bit uneasy inside. The old man's "American version of the Yamato modernization upgrade package" was priced at 8 million + 17 billion US dollars, divided into a first phase of renovation of 8 million and a second phase of in-depth renovation plan of 17 billion.

The goal of the first phase is to complete an upgrade like Missouri in a short period of time, but its combat strength is not very strong.
The second phase involved a deep overhaul based on the Taishan model. The US also wanted to install some "advanced" equipment on a newly built super-large hull to try to create an extremely powerful single warship.

In fact, the Empire was also having some doubts after the battleships launched one after another in the East. They were planning to use the battleships purchased from Japan to practice their skills, even if they lost money, someone else would pay for it.

Because whether it's the first phase or the second phase, the 25 billion renovation fee will be paid in one lump sum!
The University of Tokyo definitely won't accept debts; arms sales loans are a privilege reserved for quasi-allies, and paying out $40 billion upfront would be quite a blow to Japan. There's not a single good person on either side!
But Uchimura Tomohiro only dared to complain in his heart. Rams saw through it but didn't say anything. He nodded and turned to go back into the meeting room.

Tomohiro Uchimura was hoping for a good outcome, but soon after, Eita Horikawa approached him with a dark expression, clutching a newspaper in his hand.

The Southeast Weekend, which was just released today, has the following headline:
"A former Japanese cabinet official admitted that discussions are underway regarding the purchase of Type 001 battleships."

Tomohiro Uchimura's eyes widened instantly; he knew something terrible was about to happen.

"What?! Who is this idiot? Doesn't he know this will only increase the obstacles to the negotiations?!"

……

Tang Wen received two pieces of good news, one piece of bad news, and one piece of inexplicable news.

Good news 1: Japan has provided a crucial boost. A knowledgeable retired high-ranking official excitedly jumped out and admitted that they will purchase the Type 001 and have it modified by the Empire for service in the Maritime Self-Defense Force.

Previously, official sources indicated that the buyer was Puget Sound Shipyard, but no details were provided regarding the specific warships or their final destination, leaving outsiders with only suspicions.

The most likely explanation is that the Empire needed battleships, given the USS New Jersey's two triumphant returns.

But selling to the bookstore was a different story. This caused a huge uproar in public opinion, which put the team led by Tomohiro Uchimura in a very difficult position, leaving them with much less room to maneuver.

Good news 2: Wawa and Luzon have started fighting.

According to the official explanation currently available:

A group of unidentified armed bandits forcibly landed on Mionas Island and killed Commissioner Plevani, who was inspecting the oil fields. They were eventually driven away by brave and fearless domestic workers. The identity of the bandits remains to be confirmed.

However, the version Tang Wen obtained from Wang Hu was more specific:
Seeing the Gekin fleet erecting its nodding donkeys at an unimaginable speed, Suha hurriedly tried to seize them before the strong protection of the Jawa, but ended up bumping into the equally anxious Prevani. In the chaos, Prevani was unfortunately hit by a stray bullet and could not be healed.

Knowing he had committed a grave offense, Suha returned to Santa Maria City and disappeared without a trace, most likely hiding away to avoid trouble.

Both sides, who have always had a good relationship, are trying to exercise restraint, but it's hard to say what will happen next.

The bad news is that the workers who went abroad stopped working.

The main reason was the construction team brought by Han Feng. They had just arrived in a foreign country and were shocked by the exciting scene. They were deeply suspicious of their own situation and preferred to stay safe and sound rather than spend money.

Tang Wen couldn't force these legitimate construction teams to stay. His plan was to replace them with a group of daring first-term trainees, plus Hong Kong employees.

The last inexplicable message was:
One of his men, who calls himself the "Brothers of Justice," wants to cooperate with the Second Fleet.

This news comes from a U-boat that operates a smuggling business. Although the activity frequency of ordinary U-boats has decreased significantly, many forces have not been bought off by the IAA and continue to rely on U-boats for charity to maintain some business.

In Mosaic, a smuggler boarded the submarine and suddenly revealed his identity, saying that he was a member of the "Brothers of Justice" and told the captain that the Second Fleet's base in the rainforest would be searched and attacked, and that he could provide assistance.

U-boats frequently encounter such situations. Tang Wen's previous attitude was to immediately open the sea valve upon discovery, treating everyone equally as IAA informants and rejecting any sweet talk.

But this time was different. Perhaps knowing that U-boats liked to scuttle themselves, the men who called themselves "Brothers of Justice" directly produced a stack of photos, saying that the US was planning to build a forward base and a preliminary operational plan, as well as a list of the Marine Corps' elite special operations team, and guaranteed that the source was genuine.

(End of this chapter)