In the game, Lin Lan instructed the ship girls to deploy in groups of six. Even if there were only tens of thousands of barrels of oil, it would be sufficient to last for a long time.
However, if an entire camp of ship girls were to undertake a long-distance journey, tens of thousands of barrels of oil might not be enough.
More importantly, if they intended to cross the sea, they would have to rely on a mass-produced fleet.
Lin Lan had also considered using an ordinary passenger ship to transport the ship girls.
However, if a passenger ship were to encounter a sudden attack by Sirens in the open ocean, engaging in battle immediately would be extremely difficult.
Thus, the best vehicle remained a mass-produced model, despite its high fuel consumption.
He was not entirely certain about the specific terms of the contract signed between Ulrich and Akashi, but he trusted that it would not be too unfavorable.
With the assistance of the Tianou Group, his fuel supply issues would undoubtedly be resolved in the future.
Once Bismarck and Friedrich had arrived, he would prepare to depart for the nearest other camp as soon as there was enough fuel.
This would require Bismarck to bring the energy center of the Iron Fortress and activate the ultra-long-distance communicator before discussions on which camp to join could commence.
If nothing unexpected occurred, the first target would be the White Eagle.
After all, the White Eagle was located in the eastern continent of the Orlan United States and was likely closer than the other camps, whose distances remained uncertain.
As dusk approached, the sky gradually darkened, and the workers from the surrounding Tianou Group had already finished unloading the cargo and returned to the ship.
At this moment, Lin Lan noticed that the light blue flames on Jian Qianou's body became more pronounced as the sky dimmed.
"Commander, the terms have been signed."
Z23 approached Lin Lan with her notepad in hand and presented him with the terms she had recorded.
Lin Lan took the notepad and quickly scanned its contents under the fading light of the setting sun.
He discovered that many resource clauses were expressed as percentages and spanned durations of ten years or more.
Additionally, the Tianou Group was required to unconditionally obey Lin Lan's orders and provide all intelligence and information he required.
Moreover, there were numerous clauses that amounted to blatant exploitation.
As expected, it was a collaboration between the Iron Blood and the shrewd profiteers—an entirely one-sided agreement.
However, Lin Lan also had tasks to fulfill for the Tianou Group—mainly minor commissions involving the protection of merchant and passenger ships.
For this one responsibility that required him to dispatch ship girls, he retained the right to refuse, and all costs incurred from these commissions would be borne by the Tianou Group.
Aside from this, the Tianou Group had only one request:
Should the Tianou Group suffer a catastrophic blow, Lin Lan would be obligated to intervene and help them overcome the crisis.
Lin Lan did not find this demand excessive. After all, the stronger the Tianou Group grew, the more resources he could extract from them.
After dismantling Battleaxe Military Industry, he could utilize the Tianou Group for post-war reconstruction, seamlessly taking control of the city without significantly disrupting the livelihoods of ordinary citizens.
The Ministry of the Navy lacked the departments and personnel necessary for city administration, but the Tianou Group possessed both.
Lin Lan nodded slightly and returned the notepad to Z23.
"Mr. President, since you have no objections to the terms, I will take my leave for now. I will arrange for Sun Dewang to oversee the transportation of the resources."
Seeing that Lin Lan raised no objections, Jian Qianou breathed a sigh of relief.
The resources stipulated in the contract were by no means a small sum, and the agreement contained many humiliating clauses.
However, Jian Qianou understood a fundamental truth:
Everything he provided was essentially purchasing a golden immunity medal for the Tianou Group for at least the next hundred years.
The agreed-upon resource allocations remained within acceptable limits for the current Tianou Group and would not destabilize its foundation.
By allowing Lin Lan to directly oversee the Tianou Group, Jian Qianou could deepen the leader's trust in their operations.
Once this formidable ruler realized the Tianou Group's utility, their resurgence would be inevitable.
Their Tianou Group had no dignity to speak of, but did any of the other consortiums wield enough military power to contend with that terrifying ship girl?
Clinging to the most powerful sword was more than enough for the Tianou Group.
After witnessing Ulrich's strength, Jian Qianou immediately resolved to bind the Tianou Group completely to Lin Lan's command.
The other consortiums of the Zhuhai Chamber of Commerce had abandoned their original roles and sought to seize true power after the nation's collapse.
But Jian Qianou, with his extensive experience, understood why the Tianou Group had persisted for so many years—it had never overstepped its bounds or forgotten its purpose.
Even when he eventually joined the Zhuhai Chamber of Commerce after the regime's downfall, he had been the last to do so, only after confirming the inevitable collapse of the authorities.
Jian Qianou gazed at Lin Lan, whose face was illuminated by the amber glow of the setting sun.
The formidable battleship girl who had been imposing just moments ago had now returned to Lin Lan's side, eyeing him coldly.
Jian Qianou slowly knelt on one knee before Lin Lan, and Sun Dewang quickly followed suit.
"My Lord, from this moment onward, the Tianou Group shall be your most loyal servant."
Upon witnessing this scene, Lin Lan suddenly grasped why the Tianou Group had always maintained a foothold in Oran's history.
This master infiltrator had made an indelible contribution to the survival of the Tianou Group.
And as of today, Lin Lan had officially become the hidden master behind this colossal consortium.
After Teacher Rang Nimi gestured for them to stand, Jian Qianou and Sun Dewang prepared to depart.
Just before boarding the cargo ship, Jian Qianou suddenly turned back to Lin Lan and said,
"Master, I have something to report."
"Dongyun City… Battleaxe Military Industry appears to be making significant moves lately."
"Their general agent in Dongyun City has been frantically amassing materials for the manufacturing and repair of mechas."
Having said that, Jian Qianou bowed once more before boarding the cargo ship and departing upstream.
As Lin Lan watched the fleet disappear into the horizon, the sun dipped completely below the sea, signaling the end of the day.
"Have Weser dispatch carrier-based aircraft to escort this fleet to Lihu County. If anything suspicious arises, provide immediate support."
Lin Lan instructed Ulrich.
This was not an act of kindness toward the Tianou Group—it was merely to ensure that word of his ascension as the true power behind the Tianou Group spread.
Though he doubted Jian Qianou would be eliminated so easily, ensuring his survival would prevent any setbacks to today's progress.
Ulrich nodded slightly, took out a small communicator, and began contacting Weser at the port.
"With so much cargo, Akashi, our Muscle Manjuu can finally come in handy!"
While Ulrich was making the call, Deutschland turned toward the massive stacks of cargo at the dock and grinned at Akashi.
"Meow? Using Muscle Meow costs the commander money, meow!"
To Deutschland's surprise, Akashi outright refused.
"Akashi, are you asking for trouble? We built Muscle Manjuu together, and now I don't even have the right to use it?"
As the Iron Blood princess's smile darkened and she approached Akashi, Lin Lan removed his mask, grinned, and declared,
"It's fine. I've already bought the rights to Muscle Manjuu."
Are you kidding?
As the newly crowned chairman of the Tianou Group, by tomorrow, his account would be overflowing with Oran coins.
He could finally spend as much as he pleased!
A mere red gems? Buy it!
_______
50 advanced chapters on p@t re on (.) com/SenatusTheta
_______
If any of you noticed an error, please point it out in comments!