Rebirth as an American Tycoon

[Chapter 812: The World of the Rich]

"What? What did you say? Tesla Rocket Dynamics?"

"Ahem, yes, sir. William White has acquired a piece of desert land in Nevada. That so-called rocket company proposed an enormous plan."

"Andi, what date is it today? Are you sure this isn't an April Fool's joke?" The head of Morgan Stanley was flustered. William White's investment firm had clearly been retracting its operations lately.

Everyone thought he was just waiting to spring a big surprise. A bunch of old-timers widened their eyes in anticipation. Let's be honest, William White's strange behavior was interpreted as just a smokescreen by them.

Well, William White was merely looking for an excuse to indulge himself. He already had several kids; it was getting a bit hard to keep up the reckless lifestyle.

At least, when it came time to write his memoirs, he could spin things to his advantage. It wasn't just for himself; it was also to confuse his competitors.

However, the sudden move into rocketry indeed left people scratching their heads.

"Sir, it doesn't look like a joke. They've purchased the blueprints for Merlin engines. About twenty scientists from Europe and the U.S. have accepted their invitation. A few of them are ones NASA even couldn't recruit."

"No wonder some said he's like Howard Hughes. At the very least, his level of craziness indeed resembles that guy."

...

Meanwhile, in the press release hall of the White Center, more than thirty media teams packed the venue, creating a veritable logjam.

"Mr. White, I'm a reporter from the Washington Post. May I ask what motivated you to establish this rocket propulsion company?"

"I don't know, ahem, just kidding," said William White, wearing a jumpsuit that looked quite odd. He genuinely resembled a mad scientist.

"I have made enough money; I can't even remember how much exactly. To be honest, watching those numbers grow on the reports every day has become quite tedious."

Several old-timers tuning in to the live broadcast stumbled back in shock. Seriously, did he have to act like that?

"Bringing wealth to the grave or leaving it to future generations is immoral, and it doesn't align with the American spirit. This planet we live on is too small. Due to human greed, it is facing destruction.

Yes, we need to expand into broader horizons. During my lifetime, I probably won't be able to settle on Mars. However, that doesn't stop me from doing something."

...

Sitting in the Oval Office, Clinton was also bewildered. "Come on, you can't be serious. You think you can tackle something even NASA wouldn't dare dream about?"

"Al, settling on Mars? I didn't mishear, did I?"

"Bill, the plan they proposed is indeed quite grand. If it can be realized, who knows about Mars, but the cost of launching satellites would certainly be significantly reduced."

"What? Are you sure?"

"I can only say there's that possibility. As he said, it might not happen within his lifetime."

The concept of reusing first and second stage rockets shocked the president. This was no laughing matter; that kind of stuff had always been one-time use.

...

Not to mention the conundrum they faced here, the White Center was bustling. The reporters in attendance seemed just as dumbfounded. Although it was merely a computer-generated animation, the concept was genuinely creative.

"Mr. White, I'm a reporter from The New York Times. Don't you think this sounds a bit exaggerated? Reentering the atmosphere, you're sure these rockets won't be torn apart?"

"Ha! Someone once told me that the bigger your dreams, the larger your world. And my dreams? They've likely punched through the galaxy.

Kids, dreams should be had; what if they come true?

Again, mathematicians and astronomers confirmed the feasibility of the Tesla rockets. Right now, we can't do it; there are still many problems to solve.

But theoretically, it's feasible. Besides, what's a bit of cost in pursuit of a dream? What if it becomes reality?"

Well, that brief press conference conveyed a message to the world: someone was tired of being on Earth and intended to check out Mars. If lucky, maybe snag a couple of extraterrestrials on the way back.

I have to say, William White was quite the orator. Those reporters who thought they knew something were quickly outclassed. It was clear that this wasn't something one could grasp in a day or two.

The richest man's plan was evidently long in the making, or else he wouldn't so casually toss around that kind of terminology.

...

"Steve, did you do this animation?"

George shrugged, not quite taking it seriously. Truth be told, he had been thoroughly shocked by what he'd seen.

"George, the animation's nothing. I asked friends at NASA. They told me it's theoretically plausible, but implementing it will definitely pose many challenges."

"Damn, this guy! I thought he was just planning to shoot a movie, but it turns out he genuinely intends to do this."

"Movie? What are you talking about?"

"Deep Impact, an asteroid hits Earth, and a team of brave astronauts saves humanity. I thought it was just a movie; his ideas were quite different from mine," Lucas said, rubbing his forehead in frustration.

"A madman! This is just a delusional lunatic."

Indeed, William White could afford to be crazy. George Lucas couldn't follow suit. Nearly a hundred million dollars budget for a disaster movie?

Cough, that was downright insane.

As for why he was running a rocket propulsion center, Lucas couldn't make heads or tails of it. Well, the world of the rich was hard for ordinary wealthy people to understand.

As for the onlookers, they actually seemed quite thrilled. If it worked, that would be great; humanity would take another leap into space.

Even if it failed, it didn't seem to matter, right?

It was hard to remember how much money he had; come on, don't hit a guy when he's down. If you really couldn't spend it, maybe lend a little.

...

"Dad, is he stepping into the defense sector? NASA probably won't give him a contract for a private satellite company, right?"

Bush Sr. could only chuckle wryly. He honestly couldn't comprehend William White's latest moves. Whether it counted as a military enterprise was questionable, considering their motto was geared toward all of humanity.

"Son, I can't quite grasp it, but this thing isn't military-related. Otherwise, he wouldn't be going on about all humanity."

*****

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