"Don't worry about that," Shen Bing said. "The chips will be ready in the next couple of days. But before that, you need to do me a favor."
"What favor?" Gao Jingchuan sounded distinctly suspicious. Anything that made Shen Bing ask for help sure as hell couldn't be a small matter.
"Get me some californium," Shen Bing said.
"Cut what open?" Gao Jingchuan looked utterly baffled. "Laozi would like to cut you open with a cleaver!"
Shen Bing slapped his forehead. Apparently, this guy had no idea what californium was. "I said californium, you idiot. Californium metal! Ignorance really is terrifying."
Gao Jingchuan wasn't someone who admitted defeat that easily. He immediately shot back, "Laozi isn't a chemist. How am I supposed to know everything? What the hell is this californium metal? It's not something restricted, is it? Something like enriched uranium?"
"No, it's not."
"For fuck's sake! If it's not, then go wave your money around and buy some! Why come to me? This is a market economy. What can't money buy?" Gao Jingchuan had successfully evened the score.
Shen Bing's mouth twitched. "If Laozi could buy it, would I be asking you?"
On the other end of the phone, Gao Jingchuan hunched his shoulders. He didn't dare offend Shen Bing right now. If the guy deliberately sabotaged the Ghost Eye Type 1 Telescope, he'd be in deep trouble.
"All right, then. How many tons do you want?"
Shen Bing was instantly speechless, his mind reeling. Once upon a time, I was the richest man in the world. Then I made the mistake of asking an idiot to buy a few tons of californium, and now I'm penniless...
"I don't need tons. Just get me a gram or two. I'll pay the market price."
"For fuck's sake! Are you