---o---
Although Topaz didn't know why Fu Zhu was asking this, she still nodded and answered honestly.
"Yes. Before discussing the debt issue with the Great Guardian, I assessed all of Jarilo-VI's resources. While the Geomarrow here is considered a rare mineral, its reserves are insufficient for Belobog to repay its debt, and that includes all other resources."
Resources, huh?
Fu Zhu couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Jarilo-VI's resources are finite, but Steve's resources are infinite!
After his time as an architectural player, a survival player, and a modpack player, he had another identity: a technical player!
If he wanted to, he could supply any resource in infinite quantities.
Fu Zhu took a piece of string from his inventory and handed it to Topaz, asking, "Miss Topaz, could you help me assess the value of this string?"
"Of course."
Topaz took the string and held it in her hands, studying it carefully for a moment. "Hmm, this is exceptionally high-quality string. What kind of creature produced this? To think it could form a thread of this diameter."
"A spider."
"A spider?"
Fu Zhu's answer surprised Topaz. String produced by spiders was typically very fine; creating a thread of this thickness would require an enormous amount of spider silk.
"In that case, its value increases slightly. It could be used for daily goods or in various other fields."
Fu Zhu nodded knowingly, then pulled out an iron ingot from his inventory.
"What about this?"
Topaz glanced at it, confirming it was just an ordinary iron ingot. Its value immediately popped into her head, but given Fu Zhu's reputation, she decided to take it from him and inspect it more closely.
As Topaz reached out to take the ingot from Fu Zhu's hand, she was immediately struck by its weight. Even for her, one of the Ten Stonehearts, the ingot felt strenuous to hold. It was clear that the quality of this iron was not as simple as it looked.
"The density of this iron ingot far exceeds that of a normal one. While I'm curious as to how you achieved this, Mister Fu Zhu, I imagine you won't tell me. As for its value... it would be several dozen times that of a regular ingot of the same volume."
After examining both items, Topaz had a good idea of what Fu Zhu was planning. She set down the string and the ingot, her expression turning serious.
"Mister Fu Zhu, you aren't planning to use these two items to help Belobog repay its debt, are you?"
Fu Zhu didn't answer directly, merely raising an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"
Topaz sighed with a hint of disappointment. She had thought that if anyone could come up with a miraculous solution for Belobog, it would be Fu Zhu.
But now, it seemed she had gotten her hopes up a little too high.
"Mister Fu Zhu, while these two items are different from ordinary string and iron, they are, in the end, just spider silk and iron. That is all. The technology you possess to increase the density of this iron is certainly impressive, but have you forgotten? The Company has already assessed all of Jarilo-VI's resources. By my calculations, even if you process every resource on this planet with your special techniques, it still won't be enough to repay the Company's debt. If this is truly your plan, then I'm afraid you will be disappointed."
Hearing Topaz's words, Fu Zhu couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Who told you I was going to use Jarilo-VI's resources?"
If he had just arrived on Jarilo-VI with nothing to his name, then yes, he might have had to use some of the local resources.
But he was no longer a penniless newcomer. He had the resources to build a whole series of machines—String Duplicators, Iron Farms, TNT Duplicators, Carpet Duplicators, and so on. He didn't need to consume a single pebble from Jarilo-VI.
Topaz was taken aback by his response, her brow furrowing. "Then surely you don't intend to use resources from other planets to help Jarilo-VI?"
If that were the case, Jarilo-VI might actually be able to pay off its debt, but that would incur even greater costs.
Could the Astral Express truly bear such an expense? Or rather, would the Astral Express really go to such lengths?
"How I plan to do it is none of your concern, Miss Topaz. Thank you for your help. These two little things are a gift for you."
Fu Zhu stood up from the table. Since he had decided to show the Company what a technical player was capable of, he needed to go make some preparations.
Xing and March 7th quickly stood up as well, following Fu Zhu out.
Watching the three of them leave, Topaz sighed, but at the same time, a flicker of curiosity ignited within her. Just how was Fu Zhu going to help Jarilo-VI?
---o---
On the way back to their rooms, Xing kept glancing at Fu Zhu, who was walking with his head down in thought. She couldn't help but ask, "Old Bro, since you said that to Topaz, does that mean you're planning to help Jarilo-VI?"
March 7th chimed in, "But Cocolia and Bronya probably won't accept it, right? After all, they both said the same thing before..."
"Whether they accept it or not is their business. Whether I do it or not is my business. Besides, someone from the Company actually thinks I can't help. A gentleman can be killed, but not humiliated."
Xing's eyes lit up. She immediately recalled the string, the iron ingot, and the Upper, Middle, and Lower Strategies Fu Zhu had mentioned before.
"So, you're saying your Upper, Middle, and Lower Strategies are actually useful? Tell us! Tell us! I'm so curious!"
"Yeah, yeah! Me too! Is there anything we can do to help?"
Seeing how curious they both were, Fu Zhu subconsciously raised his fingers.
"Lower Strategy: Build a few dozen String Duplicators. Since Topaz thinks the string is cheap, we'll just win with quantity!"
String Duplicator?
Xing and March 7th exchanged a bewildered look. Neither of them understood what a String Duplicator was, but that didn't stop Fu Zhu from continuing.
"Middle Strategy: Build a Carpet Duplicator and supply the Company with an infinite amount of high-quality carpets."
"Upper Strategy: Just build a quad-core Iron Farm. Same idea, we'll win with quantity!"
After explaining his Upper, Middle, and Lower Strategies, Fu Zhu stroked his chin thoughtfully. "But well, considering Jarilo-VI's debt is quite substantial, I think I'll have to bust out the Supreme Strategy I've been saving for a long time!"
"What? Old Bro, you have a Supreme Strategy? Does that mean you've been slacking off and holding back during our adventures this whole time?!"
The moment Xing finished her sentence, she received a bonk on the head.
"Ouch!"
March 7th couldn't help but stifle a laugh. "There are some things you just can't say out loud, Little Xing."
Fu Zhu shot Xing a fierce glare before continuing, "The Supreme Strategy is also very simple. It's just using the Upper, Middle, and Lower Strategies all at once. I'd like to see if the Company can still say I'm not capable of helping Jarilo-VI then!"
"So the so-called treasured Supreme Strategy is just a combination of the other three... How disappointing..."
Thwack!
"Ouch! Old Bro, you hit me again!"
---o---
P.S. To avoid misunderstanding, the protagonist does not acknowledge this debt and will not pay it off. He's merely proving he has the ability to do so!!!