“Did you receive any information from our informants in Eden?” Areh asked her secretary.
“No, sir. It appears that due to the significance of her meeting, the president arranged for her to land at one of the country’s domestic airports to avoid attracting unwanted attention,” Charlotte replied, answering Arieh’s question.
“What on earth does she intend to do in that country that she rushed there directly from her visit to Israel?” Arieh asked, as he attempted to speculate on Rina’s motives for visiting the impoverished nation
“I believe it’s possible that she intends to invest in the country while it is still in a vulnerable phase,” Charlotte suggested, offering her perspective on what Rina might have been up to.
“I understand that, but if that’s true, it would be a foolish move on her part,” Arieh commented on Charlotte’s suggestion regarding Rina’s actions.
“What do you mean by that, sir?” she asked, curious about his reasoning behind the statement.
“We had a board meeting where it was suggested that we invest in the country while it is struggling. However, during the meeting, we discovered evidence indicating that the country is on the brink of bankruptcy.
As a result, we decided to wait until it reaches that point before making any moves. By waiting, we can obtain more than double the value of our investment compared to what we would have received if we had invested now.
Rina was present at that meeting, so she should be aware of this information. It’s puzzling why she would choose to invest her limited funds there when she could wait a little longer and acquire assets at a significant discount.
Additionally, let’s not forget that Rina is still in debt, and it appears that she suffered significant losses during the flash crash a few months ago.
So, she is currently searching for ways to raise money in order to repay the bank when the repayment period arrives. Otherwise, she risks losing the competition once again,” Arieh explained, shedding light on Rina’s financial situation and his concerns about her decision-making.
“It appears that she may have panicked and was concerned about missing out on the opportunity to invest during the initial rush when the country finally falls,” Charlotte suggested, offering her perspective on Rina’s actions.
“I had the same thought. However, if she proceeds with the investment and the country indeed goes bankrupt, her earlier investment would likely decrease in value by at least half, rather than doubling,” he said, pausing for a moment to reflect. “It seems like she may have taken such a drastic measure out of fear that I would take over her debt. She’s placing a bet, hoping that the country doesn’t collapse,” he added, a smile appearing on his face as he contemplated the possibility.
Curious, Charlotte inquired, “What would happen if the country successfully avoids bankruptcy and manages to sustain itself?”
Arieh explained, providing his reasoning for why the country’s avoidance of bankruptcy is impossible. “It is highly impossible, as the countries that could potentially help them avoid bankruptcy are also the ones seeking something in return for their financial assistance.
Since the new government previously rejected their offers of help, these countries are going to proceed slowly when approached for assistance again. They aim to teach the new government of Eden a lesson about how the world operates.
Consequently, they will only provide aid once the country has already gone bankrupt,” Arieh stated, indicating his belief that the country’s bankruptcy is inevitable.
He added, “However, in the unlikely event that the country manages to avoid bankruptcy, it would become one of the rare nations to maintain true neutrality. In that scenario, we would have missed the opportunity to enter the country early and reap the majority of its benefits.
As for those who had trusted and made bets on its stability would have likely gained the upper hand. But I must emphasize that this is merely a hypothesis,” he concluded, acknowledging the potential outcome if the unlikely scenario were to occur.
“Ahaaa,” Charlotte exclaimed, finally grasping why Arieh regarded Rina’s decision as unwise.
……..
Aron stood at the port, observing as Rina was escorted by a convoy of cars carrying members of the Ares members as they began their journey towards the presidential palace, where Rina was scheduled to have her meeting with the president.
After the meeting, she would be accompanied back to the airport to depart the country.
[Why didn’t you personally accompany her to the meeting?] Nova inquired as Aron boarded the boat and began his journey back to the island.
“She will be engaged in a lengthy meeting with Alexander, and I can utilize that time for more productive endeavors. Moreover, I will have the opportunity to meet her again in virtual reality when she is departing, so there is no need to waste time unnecessarily,” Aron explained as the boat accelerated, sailing away.
[Good,] Nova replied with a smile, content with Aron’s response.
“What’s the meaning behind your reply?” Aron asked, still puzzled by Nova’s response.
[Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just glad that you’re able to think clearly], Nova replied.
“Anyway,” Aron said, deciding to let it go and redirect his attention to navigating the boat.
….
“Finally, they successfully transferred it in one piece,” Aron remarked, his gaze fixed upon the atomic printer positioned in front of him, adjacent to the fusion reactor. The surroundings were brimming with containers upon containers of raw materials.
“Now, let’s power it up and commence with the crucial tasks,” Aron declared, reaching for a cable emerging from the fusion reactor. He connected it to the atomic printer and promptly powered it on.
“Nova, initiate the printing process for the parts required to build a larger atomic printer,” Aron instructed, prompting Nova to begin printing the components necessary for the construction of the main printer. This new printer would be responsible for producing parts for all the upcoming projects once its construction was complete.
Nova promptly responded by increasing the fuel consumption of the fusion reactor and ramping up its energy output to supply the atomic printer with the maximum amount of energy it required to operate at full power.
This ensured that the printer would no longer be limited, as it had been during its time in the warehouse.
With the printer operating at full power, it swiftly commenced the printing process, fabricating the parts within a matter of seconds. The only factor causing any delay was Aron, who had to swiftly remove the already printed parts and insert new materials for them to be disintegrated and subsequently printed again. There was no moment of rest for Aron as the process continued relentlessly.
Aron tirelessly continued the process of removing completed pieces and inserting new materials into the printer without pause. For the next five hours, he remained the sole factor slowing down the process.
Despite this, they achieved remarkable progress, printing over a hundred thousand large parts and more than fifteen million small parts. Due to the printer’s capability to produce around ten thousand small pieces simultaneously, the production rate remained consistently high.
“I truly need some rest,” Aron admitted, lying down to catch his breath and rejuvenate. However, his relaxation was interrupted by Nova’s announcement, [Sir, Rina is calling you].
“Hello,” Aron greeted as he put on his glasses, causing Rina’s face to materialize in front of him.
“I’m still amazed by how all the technology is packed into these glasses,” Rina expressed, her gaze fixed on the real face of Aron that appeared before her while his augmented presence sat in the chair across from her inside the plane.
“You’ll become accustomed to it as time goes on,” Aron reassured her.
“It appears that you were occupied, so let me get straight to the point,” Rina said, after adjusting the setting to see Aron’s real surroundings, revealing him surrounded by a massive pile of machined parts with no one else present. “I called to inform you that I had a very positive conversation with Alexander. He was thrilled to hear the amount I intend to invest in the country and assured me that since you arranged the meeting, I won’t encounter any obstacles in obtaining the necessary approvals for my investments,” she explained.
“That’s great news,” Aron responded with a smile upon hearing Rina’s positive update.
“So, do you have sufficient time to show the virtual reality to me?” she inquired, curious about Aron’s availability for the task.
“Unfortunately, I won’t be able to personally guide you through the virtual reality experience, as I have some work that needs my attention,” Aron explained. “However, Nova will be more than capable of showing you the VR. She’ll assist you with anything you need,” he added, prioritizing his work on building the printer for his upcoming plans.
“Nova?!” Rina exclaimed, her initial disappointment swiftly replaced by surprise upon hearing the name.
“What’s the matter?” Aron asked, taken aback by Rina’s unexpected reaction to hearing the name Nova.
“Why wouldn’t I be surprised? I’ve heard so much about her from Ava. Whenever Ava spoke about Nova, there was always a sense of reverence in her tone,” Rina explained, clarifying the reason for her astonishment.
“Oh, in that case, the introduction between you two should be smooth,” Aron responded with a smile as he promptly instructed Nova to initiate the introduction process.