Preparation Technology for an Ultra-Long-Range Telescope

Shen Bing's father stopped paying attention to Little Doudou once he saw the divine dog his son had mentioned.

"This mutt is the dog you were talking about?"

"What do you mean, mutt? He's a Chinese Rural Dog!"

"A Chinese Rural Dog is still a mutt! Nobody wants one of these even for a few dozen yuan, and you have the nerve to ask me for a million?"

"Mine's the smartest Chinese Rural Dog there is!"

"Still a mutt." Shen Bing's father felt sure he had made the trip for nothing.

Had he somehow ended up with a fake son? What kind of son tried to fleece his own father?

"Dad, don't regret this. Big Yellow, fetch me a cup of tea." Shen Bing gave the order without a care.

Shen's Father stared, dumbfounded, as Big Yellow trotted over to the water dispenser, held a glass between his front paws, set it beneath the spout, and pressed the switch.

Water poured out, steaming hot.

"Didn't you learn your lesson? Where are the tea leaves?" Shen Bing said with disdain.

Shen's Father felt as though someone had struck him on the head with a club.

But the next second, Shen's Father was completely stunned. Big Yellow froze for two seconds, then ran to the desk. Somehow, he pried the lid off the tea tin with his paws, picked up the tin, and tipped some leaves into the glass.

"Is... is that even a dog? How long did you train him?"

"Two hours," Shen Bing answered honestly.

Like I'd believe that! Shen's Father shot him a scornful look.

Still, Shen's Father had to admit that even after a year of training, getting a dog to do all that would be nothing short of incredible.

"One hundred thousand. That's my highest Gao." He gazed at Big Yellow as though the dog were a rare treasure.

"I might as well make soup out of him. A dog this smart must be nutritious." Shen Bing looked at Big Yellow with a malicious gleam.

Big Yellow's eyes drooped at once. He looked so pitiful that Shen Bing's father's heart ached.

"Two hundred thousand."

"I'll make soup."

"Three hundred thousand."

"Soup."

"Four hundred thousand."

"I—"

"Soup, my foot! Four hundred thousand for a mutt! If you weren't my son..."

"Dad, even at a million, you'd be getting a bargain. If you weren't my father, I wouldn't make you this offer. Think about it. Nobody's surprised when a Border Collie is clever, but take a mutt like this out in public and he's the ultimate way to show off. And he's one of a kind. Isn't that exactly what those rich young guys love?"

When it came to business, Shen's Father was leagues ahead of Shen Bing. He simply hadn't wanted to pay that much.

Now that he saw Shen Bing understood the business angle too, he stopped arguing and agreed to the million.

Shen's Father might not have been the most dependable dad, but he was a dependable businessman. He immediately transferred a million yuan to Shen Bing, then called Big Yellow and left with him.

Of course, Shen Bing had already instructed Big Yellow to go along. Otherwise, Shen's Father might not have managed to take the dog away.

On his way out, Shen's Father said casually, "Son, that's the money I saved for your wedding. Don't squander it. And don't tell your mother, or she'll skin you alive."

Shen Bing watched his father stroll away and stood there, utterly at a loss.

"Look at me now! I'm a rich man!" Shen Bing bounced around his little apartment in delight.

But his excitement lasted less than half a minute. Once he remembered that a million yuan would buy him only one Immortal Jade, it vanished.

I'm still broke.

It wasn't that Shen Bing hadn't wanted to ask for more for Big Yellow. The key was that his father's dog farm was only so big, and he had perhaps one or two million yuan available to spend. Asking for more than half of it in one go was already pushing it.

After all, his father had always kept a tight grip on his spending money. His monthly allowance of just a thousand yuan said it all.

There was a reason for that, of course. Shen Bing had offended someone he shouldn't have.

What can I do with a million? Buy Immortal Jade? Forget it. That'd be a drop in the bucket. Using the money to make more money is the only sensible choice.

Shen Bing looked at his phone and opened the Gate to the Immortal Realm. A small blue orb of light sat in his inventory.

"Preparation Technology for an Ultra-Long-Range Telescope."

The technology probably wasn't too Gao. Its light was only one color, after all, while Quantum Teleportation Technology had glowed in five colors.

Shen Bing didn't dare tackle Quantum Teleportation Technology yet, but a Telescope seemed manageable.

He had obtained the technology by analyzing the kaleidoscope-like treasure Clairvoyance had given him. Called the Eye of Gods and Demons, it could make something a thousand miles away appear as though it were right before his eyes. It was astonishing.

The catch that left Shen Bing exasperated was that transferring out the Over-the-Horizon Telescope Manufacturing Technology would cost six Immortal Jade.

With Immortal Jade in such short supply, he had to count every piece. He didn't want to end up unable to afford a Teleportation Talisman. That would be a disaster.

But with a million yuan on hand, he felt a little more secure. He immediately transferred out the Over-the-Horizon Telescope Manufacturing Technology.

Shen Bing looked at the two Immortal Jade remaining in his inventory, then forced himself to look away. Out of sight, out of mind.

He wanted to transfer out the Eye of Gods and Demons too, but he couldn't afford it. More than any single item, Shen Bing needed technology. That was the goose that laid the golden eggs.

After the Aperture-Opening Pill transformed Shen Bing's brain, his ability to absorb information improved enormously. When the Over-the-Horizon Telescope Manufacturing Technology entered his mind, he didn't even blink.

Shen Bing's expression grew serious as he sorted through the information in his head.

The Over-the-Horizon Telescope technology was much simpler than Quantum Teleportation Technology. At least he could understand plenty of it.

That was only thanks to his transformed brain, of course.

There was still plenty he didn't understand, but that was because he lacked the necessary background knowledge.

"Looks like I'll be spending more time at the Library."

The Over-the-Horizon Telescope involved far more than lenses. It also incorporated a great deal of electronic and information technology, including Image Restoration Technology and Ray Enhancement Technology.

The most crucial part, though, was the Glass-processing technology.

Shen Bing was a complete novice in that field, so he had no idea how Gao it was.

But after spending two days at the Library, he wanted to shout, "Who else can compete with this?"

The Telescope might have been handheld, but it contained no fewer than thirty-eight Lenses. More astonishingly, each Lens had distinct properties and performance specifications superior to anything produced by any factory in the world.

The manufacturing process for any one type of Lens could support a fiercely competitive company.

Shen Bing had spent only a day at the library when Old Yang dragged him away.

Yang said he needed to rescue his friend before he went any further down the path to madness.

At a street food stall, four people sat around one table with four glasses of beer.

"Shen Bing, I know being treated as a backup boyfriend hurts, but you can't give up on yourself like this. Take a lesson from me: every setback only makes me more determined," Wang Bo said earnestly. "When was I ever—" Shen Bing's eyes widened as he started to protest.

Sun Li cut in at once. "Shen Bing, don't try to deny it. Old Yang told us you were wandering around the Library clutching a stack of books. If that isn't self-inflicted misery, what is?"

"I—"

Old Yang said, “Shen Bing, there's no need to rush the job hunt. Senior year has only just started. We've got a whole year to waste!”

“Shut up. Are you three jerks messing with me on purpose?” Shen Bing glared at them. “First, I'm not anyone's backup boyfriend. That was a coincidence. Second, I'm not worried about finding a job. Third, I'm planning to start my own business, and I've been studying at the library. Could you three get a grip?”

As Shen Bing spoke, Wang Bo, who sat beside him, reached over and touched his forehead. “Strange. No fever, huh?”

Shen Bing deflated. These guys seemed convinced something was wrong with him.

Forget it. No point explaining. They'll see for themselves soon enough.

“Oh, right. Sun Li, you're from Rongcheng. Do you know where I can find a Glass factory? Ideally one that both produces and processes Glass,” Shen Bing said.

Sun Li and the other two stared at him blankly. Where had that come from? One moment they were talking about him being a backup boyfriend, and the next he was asking about Glass factories.

The three exchanged glances. Each saw the same thought in the others' eyes.

There's definitely something wrong with him!

“What are you planning to do? Work at a Glass Factory?” Old Yang asked. It was a stretch, but it was the most plausible explanation he could think of.

Shen Bing raised his eyes. “Why would I work for one? I'm going to be the boss. I'm thinking of buying a Glass factory and trying my hand at making Glass.”

Old Yang and the others stared at Shen Bing. He had clearly lost his mind.

"Shen Bing, isn't a Glass Factory a pretty lousy idea? They're everywhere. Even little counties way out in the sticks have one or two. You really think you can break into that market?"

Old Yang, ever the top student, tried to reason with him. “You'd be better off going home and starting a pig farm.”

“All right, let's not get into whether you can make Gao-grade Glass. Even an ordinary Glass Factory would cost tens of millions to acquire. Do you have that kind of money?”

"Uh..." Could he say he had a million?

For the past few days, he had focused entirely on learning about Glass and related electronics. He hadn't considered the cost of the equipment at all.

“I'll look it up!” Shen Bing immediately pulled out his phone and began searching online.

Yang and the others were left speechless.

Was he making this up as he went? He was only checking now? Checking what? Had he decided to start a factory without finding out how much it would cost?

Could he be any less prepared?