Watching Him Build a Tower

Meanwhile, at Xihai Company in Ryukyu.

They too had been following the matter in secret and had naturally noticed the related CCTV news report the previous evening.

However, Wang Da Fu, the owner of Xihai Company, wore a cold smile. Although his subordinate had been arrested, he did not care in the slightest. Instead, he pinned the entire matter on the other party, issuing a statement declaring that he was innocent and had been framed.

At that moment, he looked at the printed formula documents in his hand, lightly tapping the sheets against his palm as he laughed smugly.

"Want to sue me? As long as I don't sell this technology, then set up a few shell companies as fronts, it won't matter even if you sue me at the United Nations. At worst, we won't sell eel fry in the mainland or Japan. The other markets will still be enough to feed us."

His son beside him seemed somewhat worried. "Dad, are we really going to convert 300 mu of fishponds? We don't have enough mature eels..."

Wang Da Fu clenched his fists. "Buy them. Hurry up. We're having a share of this gravy too."

On the third floor of Hai Lu Feng Company headquarters were several offices and studios exclusively belonging to the Online Store Department.

They were holding a small meeting.

Holding a document, Zhang Xinyi looked at everyone. "This news coverage is a form of indirect publicity for the company, so everyone needs to step it up. I'll assign the tasks now."

"Xiao Jie, you and Tian Ci will go to the Canned Food Factory for a livestream today. I've already spoken to Manager Li. Focus on highlighting how clean and hygienic our production line is."

"Okay, Sister Zhang!" Xiao Jie was a round-faced young woman with tiger teeth. She had only graduated from high school last year. Since her grades had not been good, she had gone straight into work.

Tian Ci, the company's cameraman, nodded along with her.

Zhang Xinyi looked toward Chen Siyuan in the online store page design office. "Siyuan, did Tian Ci give you the pictures yesterday?"

"He did."

"Good. Start creating the relevant pages as soon as possible. The strawberries at South Lake Farm will likely begin bearing fruit in another two months. That's when the pressure will be on us. You must finish the page designs, product details, and so on within two weeks."

"Understood."

Zhang Xinyi then turned to Liao Fan from the Marketing Planning Office. "Liao Fan, come up with several promotional and publicity plans as soon as possible. The strawberries from our farm are excellent quality, so we aren't afraid of exaggerated promotion. As long as it doesn't damage the company's image or break the law, you can use it."

Liao Fan thought for a moment and suggested, "In that case, how about inviting some well-known bloggers to livestream and sell products for us?"

"You decide. But the boss and I have one requirement: the bloggers we invite must not have any negative scandals in their past. Especially controversial bloggers with questionable stances—they're all a pass. The company doesn't want to get involved with that kind of notoriety-driven traffic."

"Don't worry about that. I'll screen them strictly."

At the laboratory construction site across from the company.

Du Zhongming, the business manager of the company contracted to build Anjiede Laboratory, asked with some concern, "President Jiang, the case from a few days ago won't affect our cooperation, will it?"

Jiang Miao knew that the man was worried about Hai Lu Feng Company's ability to pay. He smiled and said, "Don't worry. Even if the company has no money, I personally still have tens of millions. That's enough to pay your company's remaining construction fees."

"Uh... that's not what I meant. I was just a little concerned about your company's future operations." Du Zhongming laughed awkwardly.

"Oh? Then thank you for your concern, Manager Du. I also hope Manager Du will help us build the laboratory properly. Only then can we develop new products through scientific research."

Hearing Jiang Miao's words, Du Zhongming did not know how to respond for a moment and could only reply perfunctorily, "I guarantee that the laboratory will be completed as soon as possible and put into use on schedule. I also wish your company's research and development every success."

"I'll take that as a good omen. Please carry on with your work. I'll be leaving now."

"Of course, President Jiang. Please do as you wish."

Jiang Miao could naturally tell that the other party did not believe Hai Lu Feng Company could develop anything worthwhile. After all, there were countless scientific research projects in the country now, yet very few produced results, and those that produced commercially valuable results were rarer still.

In Du Zhongming's and the others' eyes, Hai Lu Feng Company had already been incredibly lucky to develop Eel Artificial Breeding Technology. Wanting to produce another commercially valuable research result would certainly not be so simple.

However, as the business manager of the company contracted for the laboratory project, Du Zhongming naturally could not point out his client's shortcomings.

Deep down, he held the attitude of: watch him build a tower, watch him entertain guests, then watch his tower collapse.

Meanwhile.

Jiayi County, Ryukyu.

This was the main base of Xihai Fry Company and the location of its breeding and fry-rearing facilities.

"Boss, Mr. Yamada is outside."

Hearing his assistant's words, Wang Da Fu narrowed his eyes, then smiled. "Show him in."

"Yes."

Before long, a sharp-faced Japanese man walked in with three assistants.

"Mr. Wang, it has been a long time."

"Mr. Yamada, have you been well?"

Yamada Toufu smiled. "Mr. Wang should have received the summons from the Kagoshima County Court, correct?"

"What? Yamada, are you here to terminate our cooperation too?" Wang Da Fu asked with a cold laugh.

Yamada Toufu shook his head. "Mr. Wang, you misunderstand. I'm here to cooperate."

"Cooperate? You want that technology too? Don't listen to people's nonsense. I never sent anyone to steal the technology. It's all completely fabricated." Wang Da Fu denied it casually.

Yet Yamada Toufu ignored Wang Da Fu's nonsense and continued speaking on his own. "Kagoshima Eel Company will likely begin mass-producing eel fry soon. Even if I obtained the technology, I would still need to specially renovate my Eel Farm, so there wouldn't be enough time. It would be better to cooperate with Mr. Wang. After all, material and labor costs in Japan are both higher than in Ryukyu. I might as well import the fry directly."

By this point, Wang Da Fu had clearly figured out what the other party wanted. A smile returned to his face. "How do you want to cooperate?"

"Your company will definitely lose the case in the Eastern Ying courts. When that happens, the eel fry you produce won't be able to enter the Eastern Ying market. I can cooperate with you to establish an eel fry cultivation company. Your company can transfer the eel fry it produces to that company first, and then they can enter the Eastern Ying market through it."

"Then why shouldn't I cooperate with someone else?"

"Mr. Wang, you haven't forgotten that my father is the vice chairman of the Eastern Ying Eel Farming Association, have you?"

"Looks like Mr. Yamada is determined to get this done."

"Hehe, I merely wish to cooperate. If Mr. Wang isn't willing, I won't force you."

Wang Da Fu pondered for a while before finally nodding. "Fine, but the eel fry you distribute can only be sold in the Eastern Ying market."

"No problem. Happy cooperation."

"Happy cooperation."

After settling the cooperation details with Yamada, Wang Da Fu felt their previous investment had been too small. He immediately called in the two vice presidents, who were also major shareholders, and told them about the agreement.

One of them, a bald middle-aged man, showed a trace of delight. They had originally planned to abandon the mainland and Eastern Ying markets, but unexpectedly, things had taken a turn for the better. He immediately said:

"I agree. How about expanding the farming scale to five hundred mu?"

"What about the indoor farming facility? Do we need to expand that as well?" The other shareholder, an elderly man wearing glasses, was somewhat worried.

Bald Head's face was filled with greed. "Of course we do. Hai Lu Feng Company's indoor farm covers thirty mu. We need at least fifty. Only then can we seize the markets in Ryukyu, Southeast Asia, and South Goryeo."

"But we don't have enough money..."

"Take out loans! We'll use some of our properties as collateral for bank loans." Bald Head had already been carried away.

Wang Da Fu likewise agreed with Bald Head's idea.

The two of them sped farther and farther down the road to ruin, with the accelerator pressed to the floor.

In truth, Wang Da Fu was simply too greedy. It wasn't as though no companies had secretly approached him in recent days to discuss cooperation, hoping to obtain that technical material from him. But after calculating Hai Lu Feng Company's earnings over the past few months, he had decided to keep the technology all to himself.

As long as he did not leak the technology, only three companies currently possessed the technology for artificial eel breeding: Hai Lu Feng Company, Kagoshima Eel Company, and Xihai Company.

He could completely swallow up the markets in Ryukyu, Southeast Asia, South Goryeo, and part of Eastern Ying. Even if he could only profit for a few years, it would still be an enormous sum.

However, he did not know that Jiang Miao had already tampered with that confidential feed formula.

And this short-sighted, profit-hungry approach pushed both himself and Xihai Company even further toward a dead end.

After all, if he had chosen to sell that formula, he could at least have made tens of millions of Huayuan. In Eastern Ying, South Goryeo, and the mainland, there would certainly have been a large number of companies willing to pay several million each for it. A few million from each company—more than a dozen companies would have meant tens of millions.

Unfortunately, Wang Da Fu had chosen his own destruction.