The Giant Corporations that Started in Night City

Chapter 107: The Bio-Flight Vehicle That Defies Conservation of Energy!

At that moment, the travelers admiring the flapping-wing drone erupted in cheers of excitement. They had never seen such an aerial performance in space before.

The environment in space was entirely different from Earth, and for a machine to accomplish such high-difficulty maneuvers in such a short time clearly indicated its immense cost and advanced technology.

"Zuma, do you hear the travelers' cheers? I bet LA Company's headquarters is already flooded with calls from countless companies," Li Ang said with a smile, watching the stunned expression on Zuma's face. As an engineer, Zuma surely understood the implications of such a device in space.

"Mr. Li Ang, can you tell me the energy source and wing materials of this thing? If it's built from metal and machinery, then LA Company has achieved a technological miracle!"

Zuma couldn't imagine a material that could withstand such high-frequency flapping without succumbing to metal fatigue. Nor could he fathom what kind of engine powered the drone.

Faced with Zuma's bafflement, Li Ang didn't bother hiding the truth. He openly shared the basic structure, principles, and key specs of the drone, including its endurance.

After all, this bug-like machine was utterly impossible to replicate in reality. Even if he handed over the blueprints to the High Knights, they would be helpless to recreate it.

The drone had a body length of 22.86 meters, a wingspan of 39.3 meters, and a net weight of 11 tons. It could carry six passengers and featured a specialized cockpit glass that could withstand sandstorms traveling at 850 km/h.

The wings consisted of four-segment pulse blades, connected to the body via a vibration-damping balancer, while a complete filtration system was installed beneath the chassis to handle sand and debris.

Its main propulsion system at the tail, coupled with auxiliary thrusters on either side, enabled agile and responsive maneuvering even in a space environment.

Moreover, a bioengine-powered energy shield protected the drone from long-range weaponry. This shield recharged every three hours and could be deployed up to three times, making it a versatile combination of offense and defense.

When Zuma learned that the drone's engine was powered by a biological clam, even his wealth of knowledge in cutting-edge science felt inadequate to process this revelation.

It was his first time witnessing a bio-flight vehicle in real life.

What truly blew his mind was learning that the clam engine required no traditional fuel like ethanol-2 or helium-3. It merely consumed airborne microorganisms for energy, seemingly defying the very laws of conservation of energy.

"Are you saying... the drone doesn't need any supplemental fuel and can sustain itself by feeding on microorganisms in the air to recharge the clam engine?"

Cold sweat began to form on Zuma's forehead. The clam engine's energy conversion efficiency far surpassed anything he had ever imagined.

If the High Knights could mass-produce such drones for resource transportation, their efficiency would skyrocket.

Or better yet, dismantling the clam engine for other applications could yield immense benefits as well.

That is, of course, if Li Ang agreed to share such a treasure.

"Exactly. The energy demands of the drone are minimal. You could even feed it scraps of meat; it's a 'grazing cow' in a sense," Li Ang replied with a light chuckle. "In short, LA Company is committed to spreading human civilization across the universe. Creating this little gadget is just the beginning."

"I'm not just looking for a deal to benefit LA Company. I'm giving you a chance to embrace the future."

Li Ang gazed at the drone outside, and once the timing felt right, he signaled Pila via a micro-transmitter to recall the drone.

With its graceful, agile movements, the drone returned to its docking station like an elegant sprite. Zuma, utterly captivated, struggled to suppress his excitement and amazement.

"Mr. Li Ang, I'll be honest. I'll agree to anything you ask for—except the mass driver technology—so long as it's within the High Knights' capabilities!"

In Zuma's mind, the only company that had made strides in bioengineering was BioTech Corp, but their focus lay in modifying animal and human genetics through DNA editing.

Their method involved integrating vast amounts of DNA into target organisms and using decay-inducing drugs to dissolve and methylate unwanted genetic sequences. This process left behind stable, usable genes for bioengineering purposes.

But for something like the clam engine—a device that seemingly broke the laws of conservation of energy—Zuma couldn't fathom how it could possibly be achieved through genetic engineering.

"Zuma, what LA Company wants from you is not the mass driver. We need your engineers to help us build a spaceport, complete with basic rocket launch facilities."

"Additionally, we'd like access to some of your core aerospace technologies. As for the mass driver, we don't need it for now."

Seeing the opportune moment, Li Ang laid out all his demands.

After the groundwork of demonstrating the drone's capabilities and dismissing the mass driver as a priority, Zuma immediately agreed to Li Ang's terms.

Constructing a spaceport was a trivial task for the High Knights. If they could lease drones in return, it was an unparalleled bargain.

"Mr. Li Ang, your request is reasonable. I'm willing to sign a cooperation agreement with LA Company to build the spaceport," Zuma said, brimming with joy.

With this marvel of engineering to handle resource transport, the development of High Knight colonies would become significantly more efficient and convenient.

"Zuma, I look forward to our fruitful collaboration."

At this point, Li Ang had achieved his primary goal in the negotiation.

Building a spaceport was a secondary concern. His main objective was to establish a deeply interwoven relationship of mutual benefit with the High Knights.

Previously, LA Company's greatest threat came from Orbital Aerospace, which wielded space-based weapons capable of mass destruction.

But now, with his alliance with the High Knights, Li Ang had addressed LA Company's most critical vulnerability.

He could now confidently sit down with the European Union and negotiate on equal terms.

And even if the negotiations soured, they wouldn't dare use space-based weapons first—after all, the High Knights were keeping them in check.