Spy-x-War Showdown
Chapter 319 - 318: So Poor

Chapter 319: Chapter 318: So Poor

Yang Yi entered the room, and then he placed a stack of completed lists on Mike’s bed.

"It’s all written here, mostly common items, but Xiao Ran’s needs are somewhat special."

Mike picked up the list, and said leisurely, "Oh, what does Xiao Ran need?"

With a sigh, Yang Yi said with a helpless expression, "Xiao Ran faints at the sight of blood, and she wants to overcome this issue. I think it’s a psychological disorder, so we might need to find her a psychologist first."

Mike frowned and said, "A psychologist? That’s useless, and do you have any idea how expensive they are?"

Yang Yi spread his hands and replied, "No matter how expensive, she needs to see one. Xiao Ran is very capable, but this condition with blood cuts her combat effectiveness by more than half."

Mike shook his head firmly and said, "I have a way, let’s talk about the other things first."

Picking up Zhang Yong’s list of needed items, Mike thought for a moment, then said, "After Brian and the other two left, Zhang Yong became our main combatant. The weapons he needs must be procured, which won’t cost much. We can prioritize those purchases. However, to go to Mexico to pick up people, we need a fund of a hundred thousand US dollars... this..."

Mike looked at Yang Yi and asked, "Can it be postponed for a while?"

Yang Yi shook his head and said, "We can’t postpone any longer. If we delay further, I’m afraid there will be nobody left to pick up. These people are all skilled and will be incredibly useful."

Mike put down the list and, after contemplating for a moment, said, "Alright, give the money to Zhang Yong and tell him to head to Mexico as soon as possible."

Picking up Kate’s list, Mike’s eyes lit up and said, "Cosmetics? Is Kate a makeup expert?"

Yang Yi nodded and answered, "Correct, her mother is an exceptionally talented makeup artist. I’m not sure how good Kate is, but I believe she should meet our requirements. She’s quite impressive."

Mike said without hesitation, "The role of a makeup artist is too important, no matter how much money she needs, give it to her! Allocate a budget of two hundred thousand US dollars for her. If that’s not enough, add more!"

Yang Yi said in surprise, "Two hundred thousand? Is that much necessary?"

Mike nodded, smiling, and said, "This is for special makeup, not the kind girls usually need. Did you know that many of the gadgets you see in movies actually exist and are even more advanced? Like 3D-printed facial masks, they do exist. If we have that technology, combined with Kate’s makeup skills, you could disguise yourself as anyone. The only problem is that it’s too expensive for us to afford. More frustrating than the high price is that even if we had the money, they’re not easy to purchase."

Taking a breath, Mike looked at Yang Yi and said, "So a lot of the stuff Kate will need is going to be pricey. To get the best results, we have to pay the price. Don’t buy those particularly expensive garments for now; with a twenty thousand US dollar budget, we can just about manage the current situation."

Kate had listed clothing on her list without specifying which type, but listening to Mike’s plan, it seemed even twenty thousand dollars might not be enough for clothes.

"What kind of clothing is that expensive?"

Seeing Yang Yi’s astonished look, Mike sighed and said, "Apparel is a critical part of the makeup system. Imagine, if you need to pose as a wealthy individual at a gala, could you wear a cheap suit? What about sportswear? Just getting a outfit that you can wear in front of top-tier rich people costs at least a few thousand dollars, and that’s just for one outfit. If it’s a short-term mission, it’s manageable, but what about a long-term one? Can you wear the same clothes every time? Many outfits tailored to your body shape to suit different occasions are needed, along with... in short, clothing can cost a substantial amount of money."

Shrugging his shoulders, Mike said with resignation, "We can only choose clothes based on the mission at hand for now. Leave a two hundred thousand dollar budget for Kate; it’s a bit tight, but that’s all we can manage."

Yang Yi said, "I don’t have any particularly urgent needs right now. We’ve already spent three hundred thousand dollars of the budget. Is there anything else?"

Mike nodded and replied, "Communication equipment will need at least two hundred thousand, bulletproof vests and weapons, at least two hundred thousand, some essential surveillance equipment, at least three hundred thousand dollars. Then we also need to set up a network intelligence center, the sooner the better. I estimate the setup of this intelligence center will cost about one million dollars."

Yang Yi was stunned, and then he started counting on his fingers, "That’s two million dollars right there. Subtracting rent and other necessities, we have left six hundred and thirty thousand euros from our haul, and I had about six hundred and fifty thousand US dollars left when I came from the United States. With that, our shortfall is at least seven hundred thousand dollars. Let’s not even consider the euro to dollar exchange rate since we need to keep some money to live on."

Mike shrugged and said, "Yes, our biggest problem is lack of funds."

After thinking for a while, Yang Yi sighed softly, saying in a low voice, "I’ll have to take some of the remaining money to pay off debts."

Mike frowned and criticized, "Pay off debts? Don’t joke around. It’s more likely we’ll have to borrow now. Don’t even think about paying debts!"

"No, no, it’s easier to borrow again when debts are paid. I have to repay the money I owe to the captain, and then, I want to borrow some more from him, at least to tide us over the current difficulty until we can pay him back after making some money."

"Are you sure you can borrow more money?"

"Probably... I suppose so."

After a moment of contemplation, Mike eventually sighed and said, "Alright, pay it back and borrow again. Just know if you repay but can’t borrow more, we’re in trouble."

Yang Yi nodded and asked, "Is there anything else? You said earlier you had a way to cure Xiao Ran’s blood fainting issue. How?"

Mike smiled and explained, "This is something we’ll entrust to Brian. He’s not a doctor, nor a psychologist, but he can certainly treat Xiao Ran’s psychological condition. Go call Brian here, and you’ll soon find out what to do."

Yang Yi brought Brian into the room, and when Brian arrived, Mike said calmly, "Brian, how long has it been since you’ve personally trained your subordinates?"

"A long time, a very long time," Brian replied.

Mike waved his arm and proposed, "But I believe you haven’t forgotten. Xiao Ran wants to overcome her blood fainting problem, and I’m leaving this to you. Once you sort this out, you can go find that woman. How about it?"

Brian remained expressionless, and after a moment, he nodded, saying, "I’ll take care of it."

Mike smiled and pressed, "I trust it will be quick?"

"Very quick, maybe half a day, maybe a day, maybe a week, but it won’t take too long. Get me what I need, and I can start."

Yang Yi asked in a deep voice, "What do you need?"

Brian looked toward Yang Yi and said, "Plasma, preferably human plasma. Find plasma with anticoagulants from a hospital, the more the better."