Sorry, we cannot agree to that condition!" After trying his best to calm himself, Coulson said to Lu Chen.
"I didn't say we couldn't haggle!"
Ten billion U.S. dollars is a lot; even if S.H.I.E.L.D. is a golden goose, it can't just give it away. The stated budget simply isn't enough.
If they were forced to produce it, the World Security Council would only discover the Black Hearted Bald Egg's trickery.
So, it's simply impossible!
Lu Chen knew very well that he was just asking for an exorbitant price.
"Then one million U.S. dollars!" Coulson thought for a moment and gave a reasonable figure.
Cough! Cough! Cough…
Instantly, a fit of coughing erupted.
Coulson and Lu Chen both looked in the direction of the sound, only to see Lorna Dane holding a glass of Water and coughing painfully, her face flushed.
She looked like she was choking badly.
"You… continue… don't mind me!" Lorna Dane said with difficulty.
"Just kill me!" Lu Chen ignored Lorna Dane and said to Coulson.
Coulson was very nonchalant.
You can ask for an exorbitant price, so why can't I cut it to the bone?
Putting that aside, Coulson looked at Lu Chen strangely and asked, "Why do you need so much money?"
Nonsense!
Of course, it's for spending. I don't have the deep-seated hatred you speak of.
If I catch an opportunity, why wouldn't I milk you dry, fleece you hard!
Of course, this was his inner thought. Outwardly, Lu Chen said, "I naturally have my own needs!"
Coulson frowned and looked at Lu Chen!
After hesitating for a moment, he said to Lu Chen, "I can only help you with a sum of one million U.S. dollars at most. If you want more, I'm sorry, I don't have that authority!"
"I can tell!" Lu Chen glanced at Coulson and said.
Coulson: "…"
What do you mean by that?
"Otherwise, I'll talk to your Director myself?"
Coulson thought for a moment and nodded!
This matter is best left to the Black Hearted Bald Egg; he's good at bargaining.
Coulson took out his communicator and, in front of Lu Chen, contacted the Black Hearted Bald Egg, also briefly explaining the situation here.
As expected, he was met with the Black Hearted Bald Egg's surprise.
However, he still agreed to communicate with Lu Chen.
"Hello, I am Coulson's Director!" The Black Hearted Bald Egg said to Lu Chen through the communicator.
"Hmm, hello!"
Lu Chen spoke while sitting on the sofa with the communicator in his hand.
"I want to know what you need ten billion U.S. dollars for!"
"Of course, to spend it. To live a life of extravagance and debauchery. What else could it be for?" Lu Chen retorted.
Lu Chen's excuse was clearly too fake; Nick Fury on the other end didn't believe him at all.
After a moment of silence, he finally said, "If that's the case, then ten billion is impossible. Our funds don't just come out of thin air; they are the sweat and blood of the World's taxpayers, and we cannot give them to you!"
"Then how much can you give?" Lu Chen asked, as if he hadn't heard that at all, preoccupied with his own question.
"One hundred thousand!"
Lu Chen: "…"
You're even more ruthless than Coulson, aren't you?
No wonder you could become the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and no wonder you could develop S.H.I.E.L.D. to its current state and hide so many secret Bases, while Coulson, as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., could only lose one Base after another.
"Can we be a bit more sincere? Your subordinate said one million!" Lu Chen said, speechless.
"He doesn't know the cost of living because he's not the head of the household, but I also hope we can be more sincere!" Nick Fury said.
Nick Fury believed that the so-called ten billion U.S. dollars was definitely not Lu Chen's bottom line; at most, it was just an exorbitant asking price.
Perhaps it wasn't even Lu Chen's true objective.
He was probing!
"We're all smart people, so I won't play games. If you want me to stop, this is a must. Ten billion U.S. dollars isn't a price to make things difficult for you, but something I genuinely need!" Lu Chen said to Nick Fury, looking at ease.
"May I be so bold as to ask what exactly you plan to do?"
"Actually, it's nothing much. I just plan to make some things, and I don't have money to buy equipment, so, that's how it is!" Lu Chen's eyes flickered as he said to Nick Fury.
Nick Fury didn't know if Lu Chen's statement was true or false!
Even if he knew Lu Chen was buying equipment everywhere.
But he still felt he might as well follow Lu Chen's lead.
"You don't have money to buy equipment, so you need that much money. We still have quite a lot of equipment. If we lend you our equipment, you shouldn't need that much money, right?" Nick Fury pondered for a moment, following Lu Chen's words.
He was playing along!
Of course, he might also know, but just wanted to figure out Lu Chen's purpose.
"That's fine, but I still need ten million U.S. dollars and some material support!"
"Material support can be discussed, but ten million U.S. dollars… is a bit of a problem!"
"Heh heh, it's alright. We can discuss the ten million U.S. dollars slowly. If the material support is provided, that'll be enough!"