Spy-x-War Showdown
Chapter 840 - 845 Overturn

Chapter 840: Chapter 845 Overturn

Yang Yi felt the burden on his shoulders was too heavy, so heavy that he almost couldn’t bear it, because the consequences of what Li Fan had just said were too severe.

How severe? Severe enough to overturn the current world order.

Severe enough to possibly trigger a third world war.

This was fundamentally a cross-era technological advancement.

The first industrial revolution was the era of the steam engine, marked by the appearance of the steam engine.

The second industrial revolution was the electrical age, indicated by the internal combustion engine replacing the steam engine.

The third industrial revolution was an era represented by biotechnology, aerospace technology, and electronic information technology.

Up to now, humanity had yet to undergo a new industrial revolution, and the biggest constraint was the energy issue.

The most important energy source in the steam age was coal, and there was no doubt that oil was the most important in the electrical age. Until now, humanity had not found a new energy source that could completely replace oil as fuel.

It goes without saying how crucial oil is; everyone knows that without oil, the whole of human society would be paralyzed.

And oil is destined to be depleted.

How many wars have been fought over oil? Isn’t it because oil is so important? But what if a new material, even if not a new energy source, could simply replace the main function of oil as fuel?

Take the simplest example: electric cars.

Why can’t electric cars replace fuel cars? Because charging for several or even a dozen hours and then only being able to run two or three hundred kilometers is a reason most people give up on electric cars, even if charging stations were as common as gas stations.

But what if there was a new type of battery that could run two thousand kilometers after just half an hour of charging? Could such cars replace fuel-powered ones?

Cars are just the simplest example. What about smartphones and computers, and all portable electronic products? What would it mean if battery life could be extended dozens of times?

To put it bluntly, if this new material could be applied on a large scale, it would be a cross-era product that completely overturns the world’s electronic product market, affecting the livelihood of people all over the world. To call it an industrial revolution would be an understatement; it could barely qualify as the fourth industrial revolution.

Whoever mastered this technology first would essentially hold the future.

And such a serious, or rather, great responsibility, had unexpectedly fallen on Yang Yi’s head.

Yang Yi felt dizzy, he and Li Fan walked to the front of the Venus statue and stared at the masterpiece of incomplete beauty for a long time before Yang Yi whispered, "But that’s not right, Uncle Wang. If the material is as powerful as you claim, has the United Kingdom government gone mad?"

It all started with two little cameras, spy-specific cameras made by the British. After initiating the first industrial revolution, could the British have the chance to raise the banner of the fourth industrial revolution? If so, then the heavens are indeed excessively fond of the United Kingdom.

But the question was, how could the British fail to realize the value of their finished product?

Let’s not forget one thing: those cameras were shelved right after being made, otherwise Eric Forland wouldn’t have been able to get his hands on and sell them.

"You’re asking me about this kind of thing, but whom should I ask? Or rather, shouldn’t I be asking you that question?"

Li Fan spread his hands and then whispered, "You suddenly sent back these two little gadgets, and I don’t even know how you got them. Now this gadget has caused a sensation, and you’re asking me why the British don’t care, or whether the British have conducted deeper research. How would I know?"

Yang Yi whispered, "So it’s the material that matters, right? Then you’ve already got the material."

Li Fan sighed lightly and said, "That’s exactly the problem. We obviously know what the raw material is, but the problem is, the molecular formula of this raw material has changed; it’s no longer the same. That is, we know what the raw material is but we don’t know how to change its form, transforming it into a material with completely new functions and properties. So, the process is what’s most important."

Li Fan looked at Yang Yi and whispered, "Time is of the essence, so I contacted you at all costs. Let’s hypothesize that perhaps a lab stumbled upon a new material by accident, but they didn’t realize the significance of this material."

Yang Yi immediately said, "That’s impossible!"

"Yes, impossible. Anyone with even a slight scientific background couldn’t fail to see the value of this material. So, the second scenario is the worst: the British have discovered the new material and have been researching it all this time—perhaps how to apply it on a mass scale or secretly studying how to reduce the cost. But either way, it means the British are already ahead and we can’t let this happen. Even if we’re not the first to find it, we must be the first to apply it in industry!"

Li Fan finished speaking and whispered, "In the end, it might all turn out to be for nothing—a material that was once highly anticipated might ultimately be abandoned for various reasons. Such things have happened many times, but this could also be a great discovery capable of changing the course of technology. Our task is to ensure that we are not behind at the beginning, because such technological progress can affect the rise and fall of a nation. Over the past few hundred years, we have missed many opportunities to lead, and now that we have one, we must not miss it. We can’t wait another hundred years!"

Yang Yi took a deep breath and then whispered, "I understand! I bought these things from a spy equipment dealer; his nickname is Christmas Tree, his name is Eric Forland."

Li Fan whispered, "We will certainly do our utmost to figure it out, but time is pressing, and you have the best conditions to get it done in the shortest time, so you’re carrying the burden. And we will fully cooperate with you, unconditionally, at all costs!"

"At all costs?"

Li Fan looked at Yang Yi and whispered, "Don’t take advantage of our determination and ask too much, $30 million is already a lot!"

Yang Yi smiled sheepishly and said, "How about a little tip? For something this important..."

Li Fan sighed and said, "You’ve become mischievous, eh? Let me put it this way; the commission is not increasing by a single cent. I was just talking about prospects, you understand? If it were a sure thing, I’d dare promise you three hundred million."

Yang Yi sighed softly, "Alright, I wouldn’t have known about it if you hadn’t told me, and I can’t double-cross you after you’ve given me so much face. Let’s just leave it at that, I’ll go straight to work."

Li Fan nodded in satisfaction, "That’s more like it. Don’t worry, you won’t have to pay for any expenses needed. As long as you can wrap this up quickly, funding for the operation is no problem!"