Fighting the Machine Star wasn't simply about spending money.
The hundreds of thousands of tons of military supplies captured were war spoils.
These military supplies were generally very valuable, as Machine Star soldiers weren't living beings and didn't need cheap items like food, clothing, or medicine. Various electronic devices, charging stations, all-terrain motorcycles, and hovercrafts constituted the vast majority of the spoils.
Jiang Ye took them without hesitation, selling them directly without contacting the Machine Star through diplomatic channels.
The buyers turned out to be over a dozen manufacturers that supplied the Machine Star.
They first sold the goods to the Machine Star, then these goods were captured by the Jiang Ye Star forces. They then bought them back at a low price, simply refurbished them, and sold them back to the Machine Star, profiting from the price difference.
They were making a killing.
Jiang Ye wasn't at a loss either; he found that the money earned from selling these spoils was just enough to cover the daily expenses of the Birong Star troops.
Meanwhile, the air force bases being built with the help of his father-in-law were completed one after another.
In the third week, tens of thousands of aircraft began to patrol Jiang Ye Star's territory regularly, flying twice a day, from east to west, and from south to north. The Jiang Ye Star forces had suddenly broken through to [Major City Tier 30%].
Currently, other forces on Birong Star hadn't even reached the City Tier, and the Jiang Ye Star forces were already two major realms ahead of the others.
The entire planet was in an uproar.
Originally, everyone had been watching Jiang Ye Star as a joke, thinking that being stalemated with the Machine Star for so long would surely leave them severely weakened and no longer the dominant power.
However, Jiang Ye Star's strength had not diminished but increased, leaving all the major powers stunned.
They were actually getting stronger as they fought? Getting richer as they fought?
Then, rumors even spread that the Jiang Ye Star troops were fully capable of quickly eliminating the Machine Star. The prolonged conflict was simply to make the enemy continuously send war spoils, akin to a lifesteal ability in a game.
The battle ended three days later, with the Jiang Ye Star troops successfully breaching the lowest level of the Machine Star's main base and capturing all remaining resistors.
The Machine Star lost its eligibility for the competition and completely withdrew from the Birong Star competition.
However, there were still 1.13 million robot prisoners, held captive far away on Jiang Ye Star.
The Machine Star finally contacted Jiang Ye through diplomatic channels.
Their message was simple: "The war is over, please return the prisoners."
Jiang Ye's reply was equally simple: "With great pleasure."
Before the Machine Star could rejoice, Jiang Ye's addendum arrived.
"But please first pay the transportation fees, management fees, electricity fees for consumption, accommodation fees, environmental damage fees, and wages for related staff for the 1.13 million prisoners..."
Over sixty items of fees were listed, with numerous and meticulously crafted charges.
The Machine Star inquired, "What is the total cost for all fees?"
Jiang Ye Star replied, "160 billion."
The Machine Star was furious, "This is robbery!"
Jiang Ye Star: "The price is fair, no deception, no installment payments. Friendly reminder, the longer these prisoners remain on Jiang Ye Star, the higher the related fees will be."
The Machine Star fell silent.
They were all planets under the jurisdiction of the Galactic Empire; they couldn't just go to war and seize prisoners.
It was impossible to simply hand over over a million robots to Jiang Ye Star, as it could easily lead to planetary rebellion.
After a while, the Machine Star sent over some charts showing their total fiscal situation. Their current fiscal deficit was already over 400 billion and was still rising.
Jiang Ye's reply was blunt, "Stop crying poverty to me. Am I not poor? The people of Jiang Ye Star are eating coarse food and tightening their belts, saving money to keep your planet's prisoners well-fed and plump. Do you want to take them away without paying? Wouldn't that make us Jiang Ye Star people suckers? Your fiscal deficit is so high, why did you still fight so stubbornly? This is all your own fault. You must pay the prisoner fees, even if it means selling your pots and pans and your children!"
Jiang Ye was furious.
The Machine Star, likely unable to come up with the money, requested to pay in installments and redeem prisoners in batches.
Jiang Ye considered it and agreed, but stipulated that at least 50,000 prisoners must be redeemed each time, and the prisoners remaining on Jiang Ye Star would continue to accrue fees.
The Machine Star paid the first installment and redeemed 100,000 people.
Jiang Ye felt comfortable.
He could earn 100,000 per prisoner from this batch.
He could earn even more later.
He suddenly felt like a great power, winning a war and forcing the defeated to pay his war expenses.
This military operation was considered a complete success, eliminating four invaders, occupying their stronghold, and expanding their territory considerably.
Jiang Ye ordered the troops to rest and recuperate, and the factories to resume operations in an orderly manner.
He did not linger on Birong Star, nor did he return to Jiang Ye Star. Instead, he boarded a spaceship and visited Daughter Star again.
Fu Qiuyan received Jiang Ye and his family of three at her home.
She was very interested in Jiang Senlin, but Jiang Senlin was not interested in her. Facing Aunt Fu Qiuyan's teasing, Jiang Senlin's little face remained very indifferent, making the situation quite awkward.
"Please be understanding. Artists, you know, their tempers are a bit peculiar. He often gives his own parents a cold shoulder at home. The last time I fed him, the food wasn't quite to his liking, and this brat broke more than twenty of my lipsticks," Cen Yemeng whispered to Fu Qiuyan, trying to smooth things over.
"He's just a child, a good beating will do," Fu Qiuyan chuckled lightly.
After dinner, Jiang Ye and Fu Qiuyan went to the office alone to discuss business.
On the way, Jiang Ye had explained the resurrection of the Solaris people to Fu Qiuyan from beginning to end.
"So, is there any possibility for this matter?" Jiang Ye asked, sitting by the desk.
"It's very difficult," Fu Qiuyan said.
"Meaning there's a possibility?"
"Yes."
"The questions I sent you earlier," Jiang Ye said, "I can't figure out how to solve them. Can you explain them to me? After all, we're both taking risks for this."
"Technically, it shouldn't be a problem," Fu Qiuyan said. "Our planet's industry is focused on this, and we're quite familiar with industry advancements. Thirty years ago, technology to restore brain structures based on consciousness data already existed, and it was public technology with no patent fees. So, our planet's Nidian Company can handle it."
"What about legally?" Jiang Ye asked.
"There are compromises," Fu Qiuyan said. "For example, a traditional lottery system, setting a quota for how many consciousnesses can be given physical bodies each year, and letting them draw lots, relying on luck. However, there's one point: those consciousnesses might not accept it."
"What?"
"Those consciousnesses now have their own savings, a portion of their money from when they were alive, and the money they've accumulated through mental labor over the years," Fu Qiuyan said. "If they are granted physical bodies, all this money will be zeroed out, and they might even have to pay a portion of the afterlife fees."
"Why?" Jiang Ye was shocked.
He had been counting on the Solaris people bringing a large amount of wealth after being resurrected on Jiang Ye Star, but how did it suddenly turn into a large debt?