When I went home for Chinese New Year, I spent a million times more money on my foreign wife.

The encrypted terminal in Chen Yang's study stayed lit all night.

Chen Yue called at 2 a.m.

"Brother, Lockheed Martin, in conjunction with three major defense manufacturers, has packaged a batch of the latest anti-aircraft missiles. The contract has been signed, with a total price of $8.7 billion. The first batch will arrive at the front lines in Erma next week."

"What model?"

"The 'Sky Shield-4' is an air defense system that the US just finalized last year. It boasts an interception rate of 97% and is specifically designed to counter our drones."

Chen Yang flipped through two pages of the military briefing that Lei Zi had sent.

What is Lockheed Martin's current stock price?

"Four hundred and twelve dollars, a record high. After news of this arms deal leaked, Wall Street was scrambling to buy."

"Go for it. The higher the better."

Chen Yue paused for a moment. "Brother, are you going in?"

"Move in 20 billion US dollars, split into multiple accounts, and start building positions slowly from tomorrow. Don't disturb the market, and keep the daily volume of new purchases below 2% of the daily trading volume. Complete the position building within ten trading days."

"Two billion shorting Lockheed Martin? Dude, that company has a market capitalization of over three hundred billion. Is two billion enough to short it?"

"Wait for my signal."

Chen Yue didn't ask any more questions. "The trading team is still at the Snow Palace; I'm managing them remotely."

"Okay. Also, have Wingship Technology switch its production lines."

"Switch to what?"

"Remember those all-weather miniature drones that were unlocked by the system last month?"

"I remember. They've already produced 300 units of the Wingboat, which are half the size of the DJI drone and can fly in blizzards."

"Give the formula for the sixth-generation fighter stealth coating to the chief engineer of Yizhou."

There was a four-second silence on the other end of the phone.

"Bro, that coating... it's for sixth-generation fighters. You want to apply it to drones?"

"How much will the radar cross-section of a drone be reduced after applying that coating?"

Chen Yue flipped through the data. "Based on the formula parameters... it's close to zero. No active air defense radar can detect it."

"That's right."

"But bro, the cost of this coating—"

"No need to calculate the cost. The first batch of 500 aircraft will be shipped to the Northern Theater Command of Russia within three days."

"clear."

I hung up the phone.

-

Ten trading days passed quickly.

Over the course of ten days, Lockheed Martin CEO Wayne Harris appeared on seven television programs. Each one touted the Sky Shield-4 air defense system.

"This is the most advanced air defense weapon in human history; any drone is a sitting duck in front of it."

"The era of cheap drones for Chinese people is over."

"I can say with certainty that Sky Shield-4 will completely change the course of the battle on the front lines."

The stock price rose from 412 to 489.

Chen Yue reports on the progress of the stock purchase every day.

"On the tenth day, the account was fully in place. A short position of 20 billion US dollars, with an average price of 467."

"Have they responded from Lockheed Martin?"

"No. Our volume is too dispersed; their risk control system didn't trigger any warnings at all."

"Okay. Now let's wait for news from the front."

-

Northern Theater Command of the Russian Empire.

Ivan personally delivered 500 micro-drones coated with stealth technology to the 9th Mechanized Infantry Brigade.

Sergeant Mikhail opened the box and pulled out a black aircraft that was no bigger than the palm of his hand.

"What is this thing? It's even smaller than the last batch."

Ivan slapped him on the back of the head. "Stop talking nonsense. Where is the Sky Shield-4 position on the other side?"

"In the valley twelve kilometers away. It was just deployed yesterday, and three of our reconnaissance drones flew over there, all of them were shot down. That air defense system's radar coverage radius is at least twenty kilometers; nothing can escape it."

"This batch will escape unscathed."

Ivan pointed to the outer shell of the black drone. "The coating is new. Radar can't see it."

Mikhail, still somewhat skeptical, turned on the control terminal and launched the first aircraft.

The drone took off and flew straight toward the enemy position twelve kilometers away.

In the lower left corner of the control screen, there is a line of real-time data: "Enemy radar scanning... Not locked on."

Five kilometers.

"Not locked".

Eight kilometers.

"Not locked".

Ten kilometers. We have entered the core defense perimeter of Sky Shield-4.

"Not locked".

Mikhail's hand trembled slightly.

Twelve kilometers. The drone arrives over the target. The control screen switches to the onboard camera view—four SkyShield-4 launch vehicles are neatly lined up in the valley, and six ammunition supply vehicles are parked next to them, filled with interceptor missiles that have not yet been loaded.

Total value: Over three billion US dollars.

"Release it," Ivan said.

Mikhail pressed the release button. The first drone carrying the miniature thermobaric bomb detached and hit the nearest launch vehicle two seconds later.

Flames shot into the sky.

The ammunition supply vehicle exploded, and the chain reaction turned the entire valley into a cauldron. Four SkyShield-4 missile systems, six interceptor missile vehicles, and the command and communication vehicles surrounding the position were all destroyed.

Mikhail didn't let up. He divided the remaining 499 drones into 20 groups, and over the next 40 minutes, cleared out all twelve SkyShield-4 positions that Ermao had just deployed along the 180-kilometer front.

Forty minutes.

The US military-industrial complex spent $8.7 billion and three months transporting air defense equipment, only to have it all go to waste.

-

When the news reached Mo City Manor, the New York Stock Exchange had just opened.

Chen Yue stared at the terminal screen, where frontline battle reports and Lockheed Martin's stock price chart were displayed side by side.

"Brother, the Russian Ministry of Defense has released its battle report. The title is 'US SkyShield-4 air defense system completely destroyed, losses exceeding eight billion US dollars.' It includes a video of the scene."

What about Lockheed Martin's stock price?

"The market opened with a 9% gap down, and it's currently at 445, still falling. Wall Street analysts are working overnight to revise their reports, downgrading Lockheed Martin from 'Strong Buy' to 'Sell'."

"Once it drops below 400, we'll close out one-third of our short positions. We'll hold the rest."

"If one-third of the position is closed, the profit will be approximately—" Chen Yue calculated for a few seconds, "2.7 billion US dollars."

"This money will be allocated to Wingboat Technology to expand its stealth drone production line. Ivan has already urged them three times for the second batch of orders."

"receive."

Chen Yang turned off the terminal and left the study.

Katyusha stood in the corridor, holding a cup of coffee in her hand.

"Another battle over?"

"It's over."

"You won?"

"We won."

She handed him the coffee. Chen Yang took a sip.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. It was a message from Chen Yue.

"Dude, Lockheed Martin CEO Wayne Harris just canceled his TV interview for tomorrow."

Chen Yang turned his phone face down on the table, picked up his coffee, and walked towards the garden.

The gold bricks were still laid on the lawn, shining brightly in the sunlight.