Chapter 7 (1/2)

The difference between dream and reality was like that between mantou1 and baozi2.

Early the next morning, Huang Xuan learned his second lesson in acc.u.mulation of capital—don't promise easily, especially to somebody stronger than you. Although he had already gathered the base Rolin had been guarding was big, he had never supposed it could be so enormous. The ”Great” Mr. Rolin claimed: ”I calculated last night. I need around 24.5 million kWh of electricity, and that would be 8.82 multiplied by 1013 J.”

Huang's school electricity cost 52 cents per kWh. By rough calculation, 24.5 million kWh of electricity would cost 12.74 million yuan, almost all the after-tax income he got from selling the stamps. The worst part was that he couldn't use the money.

Huang Xuan began to regret. He thought about it and asked: ”Rolin, where can I recharge your base?”

”The base is a part of a league,” Rolin corrected him. ”You can use the energy chain within a 10-mile range.”

”Energy chain?”

”It is a type of transmitters. I will teleport it to your room.”

Huang Xuan's real intention wasn't to ask what the energy chain was. He continued: ”It would be unsafe. You know, such a large amount of electricity will definitely catch a lot of attention.”

Apparently, Rolin had already thought it over. He said: ”I think you can manage it within 30 days, if we do it through your family connections.”

”What should I tell my family then? I've searched it up, and the daily electricity consumption of the entire city is at most only 80 million kWh. With such a huge expenditure of power, even if we divide the usage into 30 days, don't you think it would go against your first priority?”

The words ”first priority” caused Rolin to start thinking about it again, but he still didn't compromise. ”You can use the energy chain in the range of 10 to 100 miles as well, but there will be a 10% loss in transmission. You can think about it.”

Huang Xuan felt a bit speechless. He said: ”100 miles would still be within Nanjing city. It's the same.”

Rolin normally wouldn't make this kind of mistake, but Huang Xuan didn't realize it. After a short silence, Rolin said: ”I can give you more time to do it, but there must be at least 10 million kWh of electricity within a month. Thermal or optical energy will also do.”

” 'Will also do', ” Huang Xuan mumbled. He made the last attempt and said: ”Do you really not worry that I would tell people about you?”

”I believe in you. And I will pay you enough compensation if you succeed.”

Huang Xuan snorted. He didn't buy Rolin's empty promise. But as the heir to the Huangs, he thought he was obliged and was able to establish a good relations.h.i.+p with this nonhuman existence. Since he had agreed to Rolin's request, he came to his bedroom and found the energy chain. It was a black block of the size of a cell phone. He put it into the pocket on the inner side of his s.h.i.+rt, and totally forgetting the fact that he had been grounded by his mom, he ran away through the backyard by climbing over the wall.

He had been familiar with this escape route since he was little. He hailed a cab and came to the construction site of the nearby f.u.xin housing estate, which was developed by a real estate agency affiliated to World Group. He knew about it because the person in charge of the construction was his cousin.

The construction started only several months ago. Almost everything on the site was still undone, and the thick, tied-up steel bars stuck out of the ground. Walking through the crude entrance of the rumbling site, Huang Xuan looked around and saw the sole row of completed buildings.

His cousin was not there, and only a man who looked like a clerk was sitting behind a desk. He was wearing a crumpled suit and an old s.h.i.+rt that had a dirty collar, and the top two b.u.t.tons of his s.h.i.+rt were left undone. He looked better than the constructing workers, yet not by much.

”How can I help you?” The man looked up as he felt that someone in front of him was blocking the sunlight, and there he saw Huang Xuan.

”Hey, I am looking for Zhang Haoji.”

”Manager Zhang is out.” Li Shenggang said as he observed the fas.h.i.+onable teenager in front of him. He didn't know the brand of Huang Xuan's clothes, but he figured that the Nike on Huang Xuan's feet might be worth his one-month salary. Huang Xuan's fair-looking face had indicated that he couldn't just be some random rascal from the streets, so he added politely: ”He might be at the headquarters. May I have your name, please?”

”I'm his cousin.” Huang Xuan didn't like the man's triangular eyes, which in novels were representative of bad guys. He said, ”Give him a call. Tell him that Huang Xuan is looking for him.”

”OK. Sure.” Li Shenggang put on a smiley face the moment he heard that it was the general manager's cousin that was standing in front of him. He subconsciously pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, but realizing it wasn't right, put it back into the drawer with a fawning smile. Then he poured some water into an old enamel mug, put it in front of Huang Xuan and said: ”I am Li Shenggang. You can call me Li. Please wait a minute. I am making the call right away.”

As the old saying goes, there's never too much politeness. Although Li Shenggang was talkative and the ”please” and ”may” sounded awkward when they were said by an adult to a 15-year-old boy, Huang Xuan forced a smile. He put the mug near him and looked out of the window.