Translator: _Min_ Editor: Rainystars
“The West Coast has formed a separate force, mainly concentrated in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The battleship of the Beluga Inspection Station anchored on the shores of Los Angeles has sent boats to carry our people onto the continent.”
“After they arrived, our people set up a post on the West Coast and sent soldiers to explore Los Angeles. On the outskirts of Los Angeles, we encountered a kind of mutant similar to the mutant lizards we see here. They live in groups and act aggressively, but fortunately, our people first discovered them. After taking care of those lizards, our people successfully arrived in Los Angeles.”
“The entirety of Los Angeles is in ruins. It’s similar to the situation in Wanghai, but the population there is much smaller. Based on what the local people said, there are large and small survivors’ settlements on the West Coast, including the National Guards, the militia “Minutemen”, the cannibal tribe ‘Blood Hounds’, and the mutated humans tribe ‘Destruction’.”
“They have a developed animal husbandry industry. Our people have found large-scale Double-headed Cows on the edge of the desert in California. Their Double-headed Cows are larger in size because of the consumption of a fern that reduces radiation. The radiation of these cattle is low, and the meat quality is relatively delicious. The survivors mainly use crystals and mutant skins as the currency for trade. Also, there is something else that’s interesting…”
Chu Nan took out something from his pocket and gently dropped it on the table.
“…We found this from the Beluga Station and brought it back.”
“This is… a bottle cap?” Jiang Chen was confused as he examined the bottle cap that was spinning on the table.
“More precisely, it’s a limited-edition bottle cap created by the Coca-Cola Company after 2168. It is equipped with Coca-Cola’s nickel-plated anti-counterfeit logo. Each bottle of Coke has a specific number stored in the database of the Coke Plant in California.” Chu Nan grinned. “The factory is now controlled by the California National Guard as their money printing machine.”
“Using bottle caps as currency?” Jiang Chen revealed a strange expression.
3
“That’s right. This is hard to forge. Every factory bottle cap is automatically recorded into the database. The entire West Coast and even some inland states are using this as currency. However, this bottle cap seems to experience high inflation. A good quality rifle requires 10,000 caps, an adult Double-headed Cow is worth 100,000 caps. A National Guard Power Armor requires an astronomical figure, close to ten million I think.”
“Where did they get so much nickel?” Jiang Chen asked.
Although nickel was not a rare earth material, it was more scarce than rare earth materials on the wasteland, let alone North America which was already scarce of nickel. It was due to the already high demand for nickel. From power armor to tanks, every product depended on this particular metal. The amount recycled from wastes was not enough, and Jiang Chen relied on the modern world to solve NAC’s nickel crisis.
In order to smuggle a bit of nickel from the NAC, the Northern Alliance District tried all different kinds of means, but the survivors on the West Coast actually used nickel to produce bottle caps?
“They certainly don’t have that much nickel.” Chu Nan shrugged, then laughed. “So when our people proposed a trade with the California National Guard, the first thing they asked about was, ‘Do you have nickel? ‘.”
Jiang Chen already understood. For the survivors on the West Coast, nickel served the same purpose as gold. Nickel standard instead of gold standard? Or the “security code” standard?
In addition, Jiang Chen gained some other information from Chu Nan. For example, since the survivors used nickel to “cast coins,” presumably their industrial level shouldn’t be high. At most, they would be comparable to the Sixth Street four years ago, building rifles to power armors by hand.
Chu Nan looked at Jiang Chen and already guessed what his boss was thinking, so he asked, “What is your plan?”
He was worried about the boss suddenly making a rash decision and sending thousands of soldiers to California to liberate North America. Even though he believed that NAC’s force could easily dominate the rest of the world, it served no purpose.
Now NAC’s sphere of influence was between Wanghai and the Wu City region. They could easily expand to the southern provinces rich in resources. It served as an advantage to control the West Coast all the way across to the Pacific Ocean.
Jiang Chen certainly understood the drawbacks.
“The West Coast post is to be maintained at its current size. It will likely alarm the local forces if we expand.”
“Don’t let our people just be idle. Get them to investigate what specialty products are worth bringing back, and then research what the local survivors lack in addition to metal resources. In three days, I need you to provide me with all this information in a report.”
Chu Nan smiled confidently. “No problem, maybe it won’t even take three days.”
“Right, there is still one more thing I need your input in.”
“Please go ahead,” Chu Nan said respectfully.
“I’m going to build a navy. What do you think?” Although he said it was an issue he wanted to discuss, his tone revealed his certainty. He has thought about forming a NAC Navy since a long time ago.
It used to be unnecessary, but with the expansion of the NAC, its own market was far from enough to feed the booming industry. NAC’s expansion must be built on trade routes and the role of the ocean played a bigger and bigger role.
However, the ocean was controlled by the Beluga Observation Station.
Previously hiring Beluga Station to escort NAC was due to NAC’s lack of energy to expand to the ocean, while also being worried that these guys with guns and rifles will end up becoming pirates. As for the sonar to repel away small marine mutants, Camp 027 already created a prototype, ready to be put into action at a moment’s notice.
Chu Nan was thrilled to hear the news.
“General is wise!”
“No need to flatter me, I asked you for your opinion.” Jiang Chen smiled.
“NAC should have had its own navy long ago! If you have to ask me, this is my only opinion.” Chu Nan laughed and slapped his thigh, then after recollecting himself, he looked at Jiang Chen with seriousness, “I share the same opinion as you. NAC’s ocean must be maintained by NAC itself. The only trouble now is what will the Beluga Station think of this.”
Jiang Chen frowned when he heard the concern.
The opinion of the Beluga Inspection Station was indeed a problem. Now the oceans in the entire Pan-Asia region were almost monopolized in their hands. Any fleet that wished to conduct offshore trade must sign a protection agreement with them.
If NAC started to develop a navy, it would indeed affect their interest.
Unless he could find a suitable entry point…
Carefully weighing the pros and cons, Jiang Chen’s sight unconsciously landed on the Pan Asia map on the wall. When his eyes moved to the sea near Wanghai, a brilliant idea suddenly came to his mind.
A suitable reason, or an excuse.
Even if the Beluga Station was displeased, he would have the perfect excuse.
