Borrow some chips?
"Sorry, I didn't quite understand what you meant..."
Dulong stared at Luka in astonishment. "Why would lending you some chips... solve the problem?"
Weren't they discussing trade?
If it were an additional condition in the negotiations, he could consider it.
Yet the man before him claimed that simply lending them money would solve the issue.
Dulong even wondered if he had misheard.
Seeing Dulong's stunned expression, Luka cleared his throat and relayed the Administrator's words.
"Aren't you unhappy that we haven't spent our chips where they're 'supposed' to be spent? That's because we don't have money. Naturally, we have to carefully budget our savings, but if you're willing to lend us a sum, then things will be different."
Seeing that the man still failed to grasp the Administrator's brilliance, Luka patiently continued.
"We have just liberated Xizhou City. To accommodate the survivors there, we are building Dawn City."
"It needs at least ten thousand homes, huge quantities of food, cotton textiles, soap for cleaning, and all sorts of other consumer goods... Aren't these exactly the things you want us to buy?"
"Of course, we have the ability to make up those shortages ourselves. But relying on ourselves alone, it might take one or two years, or even longer, before the people there can live self-sufficient lives. However... with your help, it will be different."
Dulong's eyes widened.
"You mean... we lend you chips, and then you use our chips to buy things from us?"
"Yes." Luka nodded as if it were only natural. That was exactly what the Administrator had told him.
"Do you think that makes sense?" Dulong could not help asking.
"Why wouldn't it? Your factories get orders, your workers get jobs, and the chips we borrow will eventually be repaid to you. As you