Chapter Summaries

Apple Inc.’s upgraded Siri drove a surge in Apple S3 preorders and revived the company’s domestic prospects, prompting debate over its rivalry with Ant Army Company. Chen Mo and Zhao Min met at Blue Sea Pavilion to discuss licensing Ant Army Company’s Multilingual Intelligent Assistant, where they were greeted by Xu Yanxin before their first guest arrived.

• Apple Inc.’s upgraded Siri helped push its market value above 900 billion US dollars and fueled debate about its competition with Ant Army Company.
• Zhao Min arranged a meeting at Blue Sea Pavilion with phone-company representatives interested in licensing the Multilingual Intelligent Assistant, and Xiao Yu brought Chen Mo along.
• Chen Mo joked with Zhao Min about holding the business meeting at a roadside food stall, but they stayed at the club.
• Xu Yanxin recognized Chen Mo and Zhao Min at Blue Sea Pavilion, then led them to private room number nine.
• Chen Mo, Zhao Min, Xiao Yu, and Xu Yanxin settled into the private room, and the first guest arrived.

Chen Mo and Zhao Min met with leaders from the major phone companies to discuss licensing Ant Army Company's Multilingual Intelligent Assistant. Zhao Min held firm to a 5.2% fee per phone, leaving the companies to review the contract as they considered competing with Apple’s S3.

• Yu Chengnan arrived and greeted Chen Mo, Zhao Min, and Xu Yanxin before Lei Jun, Chen Mingyong, and Fan Wei joined the meeting.
• Zhao Min distributed the proposed licensing contracts and explained that the fee would be 5.2% of each phone’s retail price, settled quarterly.
• Yu Chengnan, Chen Mingyong, and Fan Wei argued that the fee was high, while Zhao Min defended it by pointing to the assistant’s value and potential to raise phone prices and expand into overseas markets.
• Lei Jun proposed a fixed fee of 150 yuan per phone, and Fan Wei suggested 160 yuan, but Zhao Min refused to bargain and invited the companies to review the contracts.
• Chen Mo ended the business discussion, and the group ate together before leaving to study the contract and consider acting before Apple’s S3 launched.

Chen Mo gently rejected Xu Yanxin’s invitation and reaffirmed his relationship with Xiao Yu. The next morning, representatives of four phone companies arrived to sign licensing agreements with Ant Army Company, and they all requested a signing ceremony.

• Xu Yanxin invited Chen Mo to dinner, but he told her he was engaged to Xiao Yu and tactfully rejected her advances.
• Chen Mo reunited with Xiao Yu and Zhao Min, and Xiao Yu asked him to see a movie with her that night.
• Zhao Min teased Chen Mo about his history of saving women and joked that he had a “Criminal Record.”
• The representatives of several phone companies arrived at Ant Army Company after reviewing Zhao Min’s licensing agreement and agreeing to its terms.
• Yu Chengnan, Lei Jun, Fan Wei, and Chen Mingyong each said they had a request, and Yu Chengnan asked for a signing ceremony.

Army Ant held a public signing ceremony licensing its Multilingual Intelligent Assistant to five major phone companies, turning the deal into a major news event. As Huawei Micro, Millet, Vivo, and Oppo announced upcoming phone launches, Cook ordered Apple Inc. to accelerate S3 shipments before the new competitors arrived.

• Zhao Min appeared onstage with the heads of Huawei Micro, Honor, Millet, Vivo, and Oppo, revealing that Army Ant would license its Intelligent Assistant to all five companies.
• Zhao Min gave a brief speech, and representatives of the six companies signed and exchanged the licensing contracts.
• News of the deal sparked heated debate online, while media outlets and industry experts discussed its impact on competition.
• Huawei Micro announced a flagship phone launch in ten days, and Millet, Vivo, and Oppo soon announced their own upcoming launches.
• Cook judged the licensing deal a serious threat to Apple Inc. and ordered the production department to increase output and ship S3 pre-orders the day after tomorrow.

Samsung executives faced the threat of competing intelligent assistants, and Gao Zhendong ordered Samsung to seek a license from Ant Army Company. Zhao Min prepared to handle Samsung’s request while Chen Mo returned to designing a medium holographic projector.

• Gao Zhendong asked Li Renzhong whether Bixby could be upgraded, and Li Renzhong warned that a breakthrough within two months was unlikely.
• Samsung executives agreed that licensing an intelligent assistant from Ant Army Company might be their only option, so Gao Zhendong ordered them to seek authorization.
• Zhao Min told Chen Mo that Samsung had requested a meeting to discuss licensing the multilingual intelligent assistant.
• Chen Mo left Samsung’s negotiations to Zhao Min and said he would support her decisions.
• Chen Mo entered the laboratory and continued designing the medium holographic projector with Mo Nv.

Samsung Company struggled with falling phone shipments as competitors gained ground with Ant Army Company's Multilingual Intelligent Assistant. After an executive proposed apologizing to Ant Army Company over the OLED Incident to secure cooperation, Gao Zhendong decided to travel to Huaxia.

• Mei Lan, ZTE, and One Plus obtained or pursued Intelligent Assistant licensing, while Huawei Micro and Big Rice released new phones featuring the technology.
• Cook reviewed Apple's slowing phone sales after Huawei Micro and Big Rice launched competing phones.
• Gao Zhendong learned Zhao Min had postponed meeting Samsung Company and called an executive meeting to address declining sales.
• A marketing manager reported Samsung's shipments had fallen 5.3% year over year as rivals' multilingual assistants hurt its markets.
• Li Renzhong reported no technical breakthrough, and an aloof executive suggested Gao Zhendong apologize for the OLED Incident and offer concessions to Ant Army Company.
• Gao Zhendong told the executive to accompany him to Huaxia the next day.

Chen Mo and Zhao Min discussed Samsung’s visit and the company’s response to its earlier supply restrictions, while Chen Mo continued designing the Holographic Projector. Gao Zhendong’s delegation arrived at Ant Army Company’s headquarters to negotiate, with Jin Zhizhang’s arrogance already worrying Gao.

• Zhao Min told Chen Mo that Samsung mobile division president Gao Zhendong would visit that afternoon, and Chen Mo left the response to her judgment.
• Zhao Min said Samsung’s OLED supply cutoff had caused losses and that she would not easily grant the company benefits; Chen Mo agreed with her last remark.
• Chen Mo returned to work on the Holographic Projector design with Mo Nv’s assistance.
• Gao Zhendong arrived in Bin Hai City with his assistant, Jin Zhizhang, and five bodyguards.
• Jin Zhizhang disparaged Huaxia people and predicted Ant Army Company would yield, while Gao Zhendong warned him not to speak recklessly.
• Gao Zhendong’s vehicle reached Ant Army Company’s headquarters campus.

Gao Zhendong visited Ant Army Company to mend relations with Zhao Min and seek authorization for its Intelligent Assistant. After making him wait, Zhao Min heard his explanation and let him raise the real purpose of his visit.

• Gao Zhendong and his Samsung delegation arrived at Ant Army Company and were received by the robot Xiao Yao.
• Xiao Yao told the delegation that Zhao Min was in a meeting and that Chen Mo did not receive visitors, leaving Gao Zhendong and Jin Zhizhang waiting for about an hour and a half.
• Zhao Min and Xiao Yu entered the reception room, and Zhao Min explained the delay while Xiao Yu silently recognized that Zhao Min had not actually been in a meeting.
• Gao Zhendong described Samsung's delayed OLED screen delivery as a misunderstanding and apologized, while Zhao Min indicated she understood the supposed force majeure.
• Gao Zhendong invited Zhao Min to dinner, then revealed that he had also come to request authorization for the Intelligent Assistant.
• Zhao Min said authorizing the Intelligent Assistant was open for discussion.

Zhao Min offered Gao Zhendong and Jin Zhizhang a licensing agreement for the Intelligent Assistant, then revealed a fee so high that they could not accept it. Gao Zhendong took the agreement away to review, while Zhao Min refused to lower the price further.

• Zhao Min had Xiao Yu print the Intelligent Assistant licensing agreement and handed it to Gao Zhendong.
• Gao Zhendong and Jin Zhizhang discovered the agreement charged 21.4% of each device’s price, and Zhao Min lowered it only to 19.2%.
• Gao Zhendong offered 3% of the device price and later proposed paying 10% in exchange for the intelligent code, but Zhao Min rejected both proposals.
• Jin Zhizhang accused Zhao Min of abusing a dominant market position, and Zhao Min challenged him to sue.
• Gao Zhendong said they would review the agreement and contact Zhao Min later, and Zhao Min had Xiao Yao escort them out.

After Ant Army Company rejected Samsung’s proposed terms for licensing its Intelligent Assistant, Gao Zhendong returned frustrated and worried about Samsung falling behind in the smartphone market. Zhao Min explained to Xiao Yu why she had met Samsung, used the negotiations to seek compensation for its past actions, and expected Gao Zhendong to return with a price approved by Samsung’s executives.

• Gao Zhendong left Ant Army Company angry over its high licensing fee and worried Samsung might lose ground without the Intelligent Assistant.
• Jin Zhizhang suggested suing Ant Army Company, but Gao Zhendong scolded him and explained that Huaxia would not punish a domestic company to protect Samsung.
• Zhao Min told Xiao Yu she had met Gao Zhendong to maintain appearances and had demanded a high fee partly to recover losses from Samsung’s past screen-supply cutoff.
• Zhao Min explained that cooperation could still be necessary despite personal grievances and predicted Gao Zhendong would return after consulting Samsung’s upper management.
• Xiao Yu said she trusted Chen Mo and felt no pressure from other women pursuing him.

Li Chengzhi told Chen Mo that the Potential Elixir trials had succeeded and formalized the agreement for its exclusive authorized use and payment. The authorities approved Chen Mo’s request to use the elixir on Wang Hai and others, and Chen Mo began arranging for them to come to his office.

• Li Chengzhi explained that the Potential Elixir trials had resumed after Shen Chongxin’s sabotage was investigated, and that the elixir safely enhanced physical abilities.
• Li Chengzhi gave Chen Mo an agreement for the elixir’s exclusive authorization, and Chen Mo signed it, accepting payment of ten thousand yuan per unit after tax.
• Li Chengzhi told Chen Mo that the authorities had agreed to let him use the elixir on Wang Hai and others, provided he submitted the names in advance and they signed confidentiality agreements.
• After Li Chengzhi left, Chen Mo told Mo Nv to summon Wang Hai, White Pearl, Black Hawk, and A Nan to his office.

Chen Mo offered Wang Hai, White Pearl, Black Hawk, and A Nan the chance to take his Potential Elixir, explaining that trials had shown it could safely improve speed and reflexes. All four agreed to participate, and Chen Mo arranged for Li Chengzhi to bring them to the authorities for the injections.

• Chen Mo asked the four bodyguards to sign nondisclosure agreements before revealing his confidential offer.
• Chen Mo described the Potential Elixir and said clinical trials had confirmed its effects and found no side effects.
• Chen Mo asked whether they were willing to use the elixir, and Wang Hai, Black Hawk, White Pearl, and A Nan all agreed.
• The four signed voluntary participation agreements after Chen Mo warned them they could not withdraw afterward.
• Outside the office, Wang Hai kept Chen Mo's secret when A Nan asked why the elixir seemed believable.
• Chen Mo called Li Chengzhi to arrange for the authorities to pick up the four bodyguards.

Chen Mo oversaw work on a Medium Holographic Projector prototype before Li Chengzhi arrived to take Wang Hai and three others for Potential Development. The chapter ended with Chen Mo asking Mo Nv to bring him three Potential Elixirs after work.

• Chen Mo asked Mo Nv to optimize the Medium Holographic Projector blueprint and ordered a prototype made.
• Mo Nv told Chen Mo that Li Chengzhi had arrived with four people, and Chen Mo asked Wang Hai and the others to prepare for Potential Development.
• Li Chengzhi arranged for four previously enhanced personnel to temporarily serve as Chen Mo's bodyguards while Wang Hai and his group underwent development.
• Chen Mo recognized Luo Yong, Zhang Chaoyi, Yang Lanlan, and She Ge among the new bodyguards and joked about poaching them.
• Chen Mo asked Mo Nv to bring him three Potential Elixirs from the laboratory after work.

Chen Mo prepared a Potential Elixir medicinal bath for Xiao Yu to improve her health and appearance. Xiao Yu fell asleep as the medicine took effect, and Chen Mo carried her back to the bedroom.

• Chen Mo explained that White Pearl and the others had gone to the capital for the Potential Development matter and that She Ge and Yang Lanlan were temporarily guarding them.
• Chen Mo told Xiao Yu he had brought home three doses of Potential Elixir and revealed that he had used it before their first hand-holding.
• Chen Mo persuaded Xiao Yu to try the elixir for its health and appearance benefits, and she agreed.
• Chen Mo diluted the medicine in a hot bath and helped Xiao Yu soak in it.
• Xiao Yu fell asleep after about ten minutes, and Chen Mo carried her to the bedroom once the water had cooled.

Xiao Yu woke after taking the Potential Elixir and discovered that her appearance and strength had changed, while Chen Mo helped her adjust to her new body. Later, Zhao Min negotiated a licensing agreement with Samsung and secured a 13.1% fee for Ant Army Company.

• Xiao Yu woke to find herself taller, more shapely, and stronger after taking the Potential Elixir.
• Chen Mo prepared seafood porridge for Xiao Yu, then exercised with her and taught her self-defense techniques.
• Chen Mo returned to the company and began designing the Miniature Holographic Projector in the laboratory.
• Gao Zhendong met Zhao Min to negotiate Samsung's licensing fee for the Intelligent Assistant as Samsung's phone sales continued to fall.
• Zhao Min held firm through the negotiations, and Gao Zhendong signed a licensing agreement with a 13.1% fee.

After Ant Army Company partnered with Samsung Company, Zhao Min visited Chen Mo and saw his newly built Holographic Projector produce a three-dimensional image of Mo Nv. Zhao Min then told Chen Mo that the Rothschild Family wanted to cooperate in the mobile phone business and that its heir, Alexander, wanted to meet him.

• Gao Zhendong told his assistant to announce the partnership with Ant Army Company and the upcoming launch of Samsung Company's S11 flagship phone.
• News of the partnership sparked arguments online, while Ant Army Company continued its work and Zhao Min arranged a possible meeting with Alexander.
• Chen Mo invited Zhao Min to Laboratory No. 3 in Building No. 1, where he showed her the newly built Holographic Projector.
• Chen Mo activated the projector, and Mo Nv appeared as a three-dimensional image while she reported problems with color deviation and blurring.
• Zhao Min told Chen Mo that the Rothschild Family wanted to cooperate with Ant Army Company in the mobile phone business and that Alexander wanted to meet him.

Chen Mo discussed a possible mobile phone partnership with the Rothschild Family, then worked with Mo Nv to improve his holographic projector. Mo Nv dismissed his idea of a Stark-style lab as impractical and proposed transparent screens instead, before Chen Mo returned to his research.

• Zhao Min told Chen Mo that Alexander of the Rothschild Family wanted to cooperate on mobile phones, and Chen Mo agreed to meet him when he arrived.
• Chen Mo resumed optimizing the holographic projector’s color blur with Mo Nv’s help.
• Chen Mo described plans for holographic televisions, computers, and a Stark-like holographic laboratory.
• Mo Nv argued that freely manipulated holograms were impractical for ordinary research and recommended transparent glass screens for the laboratory.
• Chen Mo praised Mo Nv, set aside the laboratory discussion, and focused on improving the projector’s image quality.

Alexander visited Ant Army Company to discuss deeper cooperation with Zhao Min, hoping to help the Rothschild Family regain influence through the partnership. Zhao Min welcomed him and brought him to a conference room, where he asked how she wanted to cooperate.

• Alexander arrived at Ant Army Company and reflected on its rapid rise and Chen Mo's and Zhao Min's success.
• Zhao Min welcomed Alexander at the entrance with Xiao Yu, a robot, and company staff.
• Alexander asked to meet Chen Mo, and Zhao Min said Chen Mo was in the laboratory but would meet him before he left.
• Alexander and Zhao Min discussed how Ant Army Company and Rothschild Bank were both controlled by a single family.
• Alexander told Zhao Min that he had come sincerely to cooperate and asked how she wanted to proceed.

Zhao Min and Alexander finalized a European distribution partnership between Army Ant Company and the Rossi family, granting the family exclusive general distribution rights for its phones. After the agreement was signed, Alexander and Zhao Min went to meet Chen Mo, who was working on a Miniature Holographic Projector.

• Zhao Min gave Alexander the former Altice Group agreement, and he accepted its terms as a basis for cooperation.
• Alexander explained that the Rossi family had acquired a controlling stake in a small European telecom operator and warned that initial orders would be limited.
• Zhao Min offered the Rossi family exclusive general distribution rights in Europe, and both sides negotiated and signed a revised agreement.
• Alexander asked to meet Chen Mo, and a robot told him that Chen Mo was waiting in his office.
• Chen Mo paused work on the Miniature Holographic Projector design and prepared to receive Zhao Min and Alexander.

Chen Mo met Alexander of the Rothschild Family, who sought both a friendship and a possible telecommunications investment with Ant Army Company. Chen Mo left the investment decision to Zhao Min, then hosted Alexander for dinner before returning to the villa with Xiao Yu.

• Chen Mo reviewed information about the Rothschild Family after Zhao Min told him Alexander wanted to meet.
• Alexander met Chen Mo and joked that marrying Zhao Min would save a lifetime of struggle, prompting Chen Mo to mention his fiancée, Xiao Yu.
• Alexander asked about Chen Mo's robot, and Chen Mo explained that it was a customized assistant that could not yet be mass-produced.
• Alexander proposed investing together in a telecommunications company, and Chen Mo directed him to discuss the matter with Zhao Min.
• Chen Mo and Alexander chatted to build their relationship, then went out for dinner.
• Chen Mo returned to the villa with Xiao Yu after dinner ended at nightfall.