Chapter 488
"Etc."
Shi Lei interrupted to correct the incorrect statement:
"First, the victim is Lappland. If you're going to apologize, you should apologize to her. Second, I'm not indiscriminately killing innocent people, and I won't hold anyone accountable. You can deal with anyone involved in this kidnapping yourselves. But if they are ordinary citizens unrelated to this, don't make things difficult for them. If I find out you're using this to settle personal scores, you'll face the consequences."
"Mister Zhongli, your reprimand is absolutely correct. Miss Lappland, I am truly very sorry."
Lappland, being Eldest Daughter of high birth, was quite elegant when not attacking. She grinned, revealing two Fangs, clearly pleased with the scene before her.
Especially the father, who was usually so high and mighty, now had to be subservient to others. This made Lappland, the White Wolf who often went against his family, find it quite amusing.
However, she had no intention of deliberately refusing or mocking these family patriarchs. Through friendly negotiations between the two sides, the matter was completely resolved.
"It's so late now, Tai He to send you to Seven Hills City to capture people. How about this, tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, I'll remove the rocks outside. Do as you say, and I won't interfere anymore."
"Thank you for your understanding, Mister Zhongli. We will arrange for people to go to Seven Hills City to wait for us tomorrow morning."
Shi Lei the principle that after a slap, you must give a sweet treat, so he proactively steered the conversation towards the main topic:
"Thank you all for your hard work today. In the end, it's because your Signal Network coverage is insufficient. If information between different Mobile Cities were transparent, many things could be resolved with just a phone call, and this wouldn't happen."
Perfect timing! I'm planning to build a Transnational Signal Network spanning multiple countries. If you're willing to join this project, you'll be able to communicate with them remotely and without barriers, without having to travel to other countries.
If Catastrophe occurs during this period and damages the base station or Optical Cable equipment, my company will be fully responsible. What do you think, Madam Sicily?
Madam Sicily hadn't expected this turn of events, and after a moment's thought, she decided against making a decision immediately.
"Let me discuss this with everyone first, and I'll give you an answer tomorrow, okay?"
Shi Lei gave a polite smile and agreed.
"Of course, participation in this project is not mandatory. If you don't want to participate, I can change the route and take a detour through other countries, it won't cause any delays. If there's nothing else, I'll head up now."
"Please wait a moment, Mister Zhongli."
Although the meeting has not yet been held, Madam Sicily felt it necessary to ask key questions:
"We are extremely honored that you have allowed us to participate in this large project. We just don't know how much it costs to participate, or if we need to purchase equipment from within China?"
No matter how you look at it, money is still the most important thing.
"Participation is free; just allow me to build base stations and lay cables on the Syracuse border. As for enjoying Cross-border Signal Service in the future, I can buy a monthly subscription package."
Monthly subscriptions and package deals sounded like a pretty good deal to Madam Sicily.
[Urge Update Sign-in]
PS: One more chapter to finish writing and post, expected after 2 AM.
Chapter 562 A pincer attack (Bonus chapter)
The Madam Sicily seemed thoughtful, wanting to know the specific price of the Cross-border Communication Package. What if the other party asked for an exorbitant price, which they might not be able to afford?
"Mister Zhongli, if I may ask, how much does your monthly subscription plan cost approximately?"
"Hehe, it's not expensive. This kind of Cross-border Signal service doesn't cost 998 yuan per month, it only costs 9.9 yuan."
"Ah?"
Madam Sicily and the head of the Twelve Families didn't understand the joke about Eight Gold Eight Diamonds. But they still found the price unbelievable.
"Less than 10 yuan per month? Is it really that cheap?"
Seeing the doubts and questions on these people's faces, Shi Lei could roughly guess what they were thinking.
If one can print high-purity Pure Gold indefinitely, whether or not one makes money is irrelevant. Even if one were to amass all the wealth in the world, it wouldn't bring much sense of accomplishment.
However, it wouldn't be right to charge nothing, so they set a very reasonable price.
Shi Lei knew that this alone probably wouldn't be enough to convince Madam Sicily. So he made up a reason, carefully choosing his words before explaining:
"Yes, 9.9 yuan is indeed cheap. Not just you, even any salaried family member wouldn't think it's expensive. 9.9 yuan a month, less than 120 yuan a year. But have you considered how many countries my Cross-border Communication Project will pass through? And how many people in each country are willing to participate?"
If I price it too high, only a small number of people will be able to enjoy the convenience brought by Cross-border Signal. Such a business path is destined to be short-lived.
With the advantage of being a multinational company and the low price, it's affordable for ordinary people. The first priority after establishment is to seize the market and acquire a sufficient number of customers. Only with a large customer base can profits accumulate gradually. The profits obtained in this way will not be less than if a high price had been set from the beginning.
If enterprise users need it, they can also activate the Enterprise Edition service. It will offer smoother data speeds and call quality compared to the Personal Edition. Later, we'll also offer differentiated services, such as Annual Fee Member, Diamond Member, Ultimate Member —and that'll bring in the money, right?
"I see... I've learned something new."
Upon hearing this, Madam Sicily and the clan chiefs suddenly understood. Zhongli's Cross-border Communication Project followed a low-profit, high-volume strategy. If enough people participated, the profits would indeed be greater than setting a high price.
Due to random Catastrophe, signals from all countries on this land can only be used within their own borders. Crossing borders requires sending Messenger, which is quite inconvenient.
If Catastrophe strikes, widespread damage will be a major problem. Moreover, once the multinational project is completed, it will severely impact domestic telecommunications companies. The investors behind it, having lost money, will inevitably strongly resist it.
But Mister Zhongli's personal strength is too great; he can overcome all disadvantages with that alone. Even if he doesn't have as much money as capitalists, he has the confidence to overturn the table.
If you try to use underhanded tactics, I'll use force.
Shi Lei gave them a few minutes to process the information, and then continued:
"You guys need to broaden your horizons. Don't just focus on the 9.9 yuan monthly fee; consider what that 9.9 yuan can actually bring you."
Once Cross-border Communication Network is successfully established, this land will surely usher in an era of Information Explosion.
Regardless of the fact that ordinary people can browse various news and information on the Internet for just 9.9 yuan a month, any business that wants to grow will subscribe to a package. What used to take weeks can now be done with just one phone call. What goods to purchase and how much to buy can be communicated in real time, eliminating middlemen and preventing them from deceiving you.
The revenue generated by this Instant Communication definitely exceeds 9.9 yuan per month. If Syracuse wants to export, it only needs to save the phone numbers of suppliers in several different countries to understand market conditions. Ultimately, it can determine the optimal sales location and maximize profits.
There are endless business opportunities here; whether you can seize them depends on your own luck."
After this guidance, a clan patriarch praised:
"Mister Zhongli truly has a far-sighted vision; I am ashamed to admit my inferiority. I never imagined that this Cross-border Communication Project would be such a beneficial thing for the country and its people."
It's not that they couldn't think of it, but that they knew the probability of success was extremely slim. Natural Catastrophe with high randomness can greatly shorten the lifespan of base stations and cables.
Any profitable project is bound to have been thought of by someone. Even Shi Lei's project wasn't his original idea; countless businessmen had tried it before. But don't take on a task you're not King Kong for. If you can't handle the damage from Catastrophe, your investment will only result in total financial ruin.
Shi Lei listened to the patriarchs' flattery, letting it go in one ear and out the other, paying it no heed.
"Alright, that's all for today. We'll meet Seven Hills City at ten o'clock tomorrow morning. Just give me an answer before I leave. If you're willing, I'll cross the border when I lay the cables. If not, that's fine too; I'll cross from other countries."
Madam Sicily is now willing to agree, but she still needs to go through the process of discussing it with the family patriarchs.
As Mister Zhongli said, the Cross-border Communication Project is a rare opportunity for Syracuse. If it can seize this opportunity, its national strength will be greatly enhanced.
"Okay, Mister Zhongli, you go ahead with your work. We'll discuss it now and give you an answer by 10 a. m. tomorrow."
After bidding farewell to the heads of the various families, Madam Sicily left the New Volcini Grand Hotel.
As night fell, a chilly breeze swept through the air.
Wolf Lord Zaro, emerged from the smoke and entered a cave in the wilderness more than 30 kilometers from Seven Hills City.
The curved Cave Entrance resulted in little wind inside, making the environment extremely dry. There was no light source inside, but the Lupos possessed Night Vision, so they did not need to light a fire.
The many Wolf Lord do indeed have an agreement. They will cultivate their own 'Fangs' as pawns and place them on the 'chessboard' of Syracuse to determine who wins and who loses.
Each Wolf Lord's territory is strictly divided. They won't wander around unless there's an urgent matter.
From the Fangs, Zaro learned that Shi Lei had rescued Lappland from Seven Hills City. He immediately understood that the mastermind was another Wolf Lord — Casapa. His sudden visit was aimed at the other party.
Casapa lay deep inside the cave, seemingly quite surprised to have arrived there:
What are you doing here?
Zaro wanted to close the distance, but seeing his opponent crouch down in a fighting stance, he could only take two steps back.
"My friend, you were so careless. Of all people to mess with, you had to pick on Zhongli."
Casapa sensed the hidden meaning in the words and stared warily at the uninvited guest.
"What, are you here to arrest me?"
"No, no, no, you've misunderstood. Casapa, we're both Beast Lord. How could I possibly fight you to the death over a human?"
I know you kidnapped Lappland, which is why Zhongli is targeting her now. This visit is to offer a permanent solution. That way, you won't have to hide all the time, and you won't have to fear being caught."
Casapa's wariness remained undiminished; he continued to lean forward, his back arched, maintaining his attack stance.
"Stop joking, Zaro. We've known each other for thousands of years, don't I know what kind of person you are? You cowardly bastard who won't do anything for personal gain, do you think you'd be so kind?"
"Heh, of course you have! Don't forget that Zhongli is not only your enemy, but also mine. When he came to Syracuse, he made me lose face in front of Fangs. That was an immense humiliation for me!"
Casapa had heard about this, and the wariness in its eyes eased somewhat, but its posture remained unchanged. As long as Zaro didn't get too close, it wouldn't attack.
"You just mentioned a way to solve the problem once and for all. What exactly is it?"
Zaro tentatively took two steps forward, but seeing that Casapa was still tense, he retreated.
"A year ago, Zhongli adopted a Vulcan Clan Girl as his goddaughter in Syracuse. This girl had Nine Tails, which was his greatest weakness."
Tomorrow we'll stake out Seven Hills City. One of us will keep Zhongli occupied, and the other will launch a surprise attack. If we can kidnap this little girl, he'll obediently submit.
After that, all I could do was keep Vulcan around, providing him with the best food and drink, so that Zhongli wouldn't be able to set foot in Syracuse. At least that would guarantee he wouldn't dare cause you trouble here for decades."
Casapa thought the idea was good, but something felt off, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it:
"You're just being kind by helping me restrain him?"
Zaro knew that the Wolf Lord was very wary, so he immediately denied it:
"What do you mean I'll control her? Why don't you control her yourself? We're in the same boat now, our fates are intertwined. If I can control that little girl, wouldn't that be the same as you controlling her?"
"Then we'll get Zhongli out of Syracuse, and that will solve the problem once and for all. As for our internal conflict, it's already agreed that Fangs will compete fairly. We should unite against the common enemy, and discuss the rest behind closed doors."
Casapa has known Zaro for over a thousand years; he knows this vain and cowardly fellow all too well.
If he claims he'll restrain her, such unusual behavior is definitely suspicious. But if he can truly control the girl, perhaps he'll still have a chance to catch his breath.
Casapa hid here because it had discovered the enormous rock towering Seven Hills City. It didn't even bother to investigate; instead, it cowered and hid.
What if controlling it doesn't work?
"Impossible. He treats that girl like his own daughter. How could he remain indifferent to seeing her being controlled? If this plan weren't impossible to complete alone, I wouldn't have come all the way here to discuss it with you."
If threats don't work, he should come after me, the one controlling the girl, first. Then we'll find a chance to escape, find a place to sleep for decades, and then we'll talk about the rest."
Casapa remained extremely cautious, bombarding him with questions. It knew far too little about the suddenly appearing Zhongli. Now that Seven Hills City was under siege, it was too late to gather intelligence; it could only rely on Zaro.
"That girl didn't have any bodyguards with her?"
"Yes, but I can manage. Just tell me if you're available tomorrow or not. If not, I won't go."
Casapa remained silent for a long time before finally agreeing. "If controlling the girl doesn't work, just run away; it'll be shameful for a wolf."
It can quickly blend into the smoke, and unless other Beast Lord interfere, even Zhongli cannot hold it back.
"Okay, I'll go with you tomorrow."
July 10, 1098, 9:50 am
Madam Sicily and the heads of the Twelve Families were extremely precise, arriving early to wait Seven Hills City.
As the saying goes, no one gets up early without a reason; they came here because they coveted the area vacated by Seven Hills City.
Regardless, the tribe that kidnapped Lappland will surely be punished. As for how to distribute the spoils, we can discuss that after Mister Zhongli leaves.
Shi Lei and his group walked slowly, arriving almost right on time. They planned to finish their business here and then head to their next stop, Sargon.
Lappland didn't want to stay in Syracuse any longer and insisted on taking her along. Considering they were both employees of Penguin Logistics, Shi Lei didn't refuse.
Texas didn't object, because she, Mudrock, and Yu were all around her boyfriend. Even if Lappland wanted to do something, she wouldn't have any chance.
As the group drew closer, the clan patriarch, accompanied by his trusted confidants, approached them.
"Mister Zhongli, our family's elite forces are all ready. When will you bring this rock...?"
Shi Lei raised an eyebrow and glanced at it, without needing to do anything extra. With just a thought, the rocks that had trapped Seven Hills City all night vanished in an instant.
The sudden change shocked the thousands of elite family members outside the city. One of them, who was relatively close to him, mustered his courage and asked:
"Excuse me, are these all just tricks?"
Shi Lei was too lazy to explain further; this was simply a power that didn't belong to this land.
"Whatever you say, then it is."
Upon seeing the rocks sealing off Seven Hills City disappear, the clan patriarch immediately ordered his elite troops into the city. Besides arresting people, they took everything of value; it was a race to see who could act first.