Translator:Henyee TranslationsEditor:Henyee Translations

In the end, the Americans didnt make the transfer.

After all, such a large amount of money couldnt be transferred at a moments notice. This had to go through a banks special transfer route.

Lu Zhou didnt expect the Americans to actually pay

The Americans are actually paying? Lu Zhou said to Director Li.

He thought about it carefully and realized that it made sense. This wasnt about money anymore.

Not to mention the White Houses promise to pay the expenses, even if they didnt make their promise, the White House wouldnt have let China pay the money.

It would be embarrassing for America if they let China spend money to save their own people.

Director Li nodded and said, The US treasury secretary summoned our embassy members in Washington this morning. They said the US$1.7 billion figure was too high, and they are only willing to pay US$1 billion.

US$1 billion!

Lu Zhou felt his hands shaking.

He coughed and replied, 1 billion is enough.

However, Director Li looked a little unhappy.

Well try to get more for you, but the White House is only willing to pay 1 billion Is that enough for you? If not, we can give you more.

This rescue operation greatly improved Chinas international image and national prestige. This was worth the money.

Even though Lu Zhou was the chief designer of the Lunar Orbit Committee, Star Sky Technology was his private company. If Star Sky Technology really had to spend that much money on the rescue operation, it was reasonable for the central government to subsidize his costs.

After all, high tech companies were the future of the country. China wanted these companies to thrive.

However, after hearing Director Lis words, Lu Zhou shook his head.

Theres no way it would cost that much. Including all of the expenses, it is at most two to three hundred million USD.

Director Li was shocked.

Only two to three hundred million? Then the US$1.7 billion bill was

Lu Zhou laughed.

Exactly, it was a bargaining technique.

Director Li:

Asking for US$1.7 billion was indeed a bit too much, not to mention this was supposed to be a humanitarian relief mission.

Actually, Lu Zhou didnt plan on making money. He knew the Americans would give him a lower counteroffer, in which he would reluctantly accept the counteroffer.

He had no idea the White House would be so generous. Lu Zhou was almost embarrassed.

Lu Zhou thought for a while and didnt feel good about what he was doing.

Should I change the price?

Theres no need You really are ruthless. Director Li thought for a while and said, How about this Just tell them well cover the remaining US$700 million.

Remaining US$700 million?

One billion is more than enough, what do you mean cover?

Lu Zhou suddenly realized what Director Li meant.

He sighed and replied, I thought I was being ruthless I didnt expect you to be even more ruthless.

Director Li said, What do you mean What if we have other hidden expenses? Like the Mars Rescue documentary costs? Of course, when the media asks us, tell them that we spent US$1.713 billion. The Americans covered 1 billion, and we covered the 0.713 billion

Lu Zhou couldnt help but ask, Where did the 130 million come from?

Director Li sipped some tea and replied, It looks more legit that way.

Lu Zhou:

On the other hand.

NASA headquarters.

Ares program ground command center.

The president stood next to the console with his hands behind his back. He stared at the flashing green dot on the big screen, as well as a green trajectory line.

That green dot was Starlight, flying toward Mars for the rescue mission. The president wasnt in a good mood.

It had been twenty years since the Columbia incident, in which all seven astronauts were killed.

Honestly speaking, the president would rather let another seven astronauts die than for the Soviets to obtain the wreckage of Columbia He was sure that George W. Bush would have thought the same.

However, that was just a hypothetical situation; there was no way for the Soviets to obtain the wreckage.

However now

It seemed like China was going to obtain the wreckage.

The president tilted his head and looked at Director Carson.

Whats the situation in New Virginia like?

Carson said, The colonists are in a stable mood. We already told them that there is a rescue spacecraft heading toward Mars and that they would have more than enough fuel for the return flight

The president nodded and signaled for Carson to stop speaking.

After a while, the president spoke.

The second phase of the Ares program has completely failed. We need to start doing damage control.

The BFS spacecraft is equipped with our most advanced space communications equipment. Boeing said that it would be better to crash the BFS spacecraft than to let the Chinese get their hands on the spacecraft.

It wasnt just communication equipment, but the spacecraft also contained environmental-control bio-security systems and cosmic ray shielding materials. These were all state-of-the-art technologies from America aerospace companies.

Although China might be ahead in the world in terms of the ion thruster propulsion system, the Americans dominated other aerospace technology fields.

The BFS spacecraft was the embodiment of the technology accumulated from hundreds of launch missions. If they allowed the Chinese to take that technology, it would be a huge loss to the American aerospace industry.

When Director Carson heard about the presidents crazy plan, he began to sweat from his forehead.

Hes talking about destroying a billion-dollar spacecraft!

Not to mention

But the high-power signal transmission equipment on the BFS is the only way we can get in touch with New Virginia. If we crash the BFS spacecraft

The crash will happen after Chinas Starlight has reached Mars orbit We can make up an excuse and say the spacecraft has failed. The president continued, No one will be on the spacecraft anyway. Itll just be a piece of metal falling out of the sky.

Director Carson said, But if the BFS spacecraft is destroyed, New Virginia will be completely isolated from our communication channel. This might make rescue efforts even more difficult.

God will protect our heroes, said the president. He looked at the large console screen and muttered to himself, If something goes wrong, we will give them our thoughts and prayers.