After entering the building and turning left, they reached the hall Luo Yao had visited last time.
The geniuses were all going about their usual business.
But this time, they noticed Luo Yao and the others arriving.
"Boss, what task are you assigning us?" The moment Sergei saw Luo Yao, he walked over.
The others also put down what they were doing and looked at him.
Luo Yao found Sergei's attitude strange. After thinking it over briefly, he figured Peng Xun must have told them about the laboratory, which was why none of them found his arrival surprising.
But a task?
"Luo Yao, wait a moment. Everyone needs to sign a confidentiality agreement and study the confidentiality regulations before they can officially take part in Shannon Laboratory's work assignments." Peng Xun appeared out of nowhere, carrying a stack of documents.
Luo Yao froze. This pre-job training seemed far more extensive than he had expected.
"President Peng, haven't we already gone through confidentiality training once?" Sergei looked speechless, unable to understand why they had to do it again.
"This project is not an ordinary one. Everyone must sign the agreement again and study the relevant regulations. If you cannot complete it, you will not be allowed to participate in the work that follows."
Peng Xun's stern words clearly frightened the young people present. Wang Ye even muttered to Wu Tianming, "Signing a confidentiality agreement... like the kind on TV?"
"My family has done business with tomb raiders, and we never signed anything like this. Why do we have to sign one just for an internship?"
"Say less. See that group standing at the entrance? Professional bodyguards." Wu Tianming had sharp eyes and immediately realized that the laboratory's project seemed far more deeply involved than he had imagined.
"Professional? How can you tell?" Wang Ye felt that they all had two eyes and one mouth, no different from ordinary people.
"My dad once received some leaders from the capital's health inspection team. There were several people like that around those leaders."
"Look at their eyes. They aren't staring in one direction—they're like cameras, constantly scanning."
Wang Ye had never seen anything like this before, and it made him nervous.
Still, he forced himself to stay calm and asked Luo Yao, "Boss Santu, do I have to sign this too?"
Luo Yao glanced at Peng Xun, who was handing out the agreements, and nodded.
"Alright, then I trust you! Come on, Tianming, let's go sign!"
They had thought that once they signed, they would be done. Instead, Peng Xun had a burly man with ape-like arms and a wolfish waist begin explaining the confidentiality regulations to them.
The more they listened, the more alarmed they became. Combined with the intimidating presence of that burly man, the atmosphere was utterly stifling. Everyone focused on the lesson, and no one dared to slack off.
"Luo Yao, it's almost five. You can go home first. There's a car at the entrance that can take you straight home."
Luo Yao glanced at Wang Ye and Wu Tianming, who were still studying, and asked, "What about them?"
"They need to study here for two days. During those two days, don't mention Pangu EDA to them yet."
Pangu EDA was currently tied to Hua Nation's overall chip strategy. The higher-ups were paying close attention to Luo Yao and Pangu EDA, so they had specifically emphasized the confidentiality training.
"I'll have someone take you back first. Tomorrow morning, you still need to meet with the Semiconductor Alliance representatives."
Luo Yao looked at Wu Tianming and Wang Ye, both wearing miserable expressions. Knowing that studying the confidentiality regulations would only benefit them, he followed Peng Xun outside.
Peng Xun's Peugeot 308S was parked at the entrance. After handing the keys to someone, Peng Xun had Luo Yao get in, and the person with the keys drove him home.
Huaji Industrial Park was only a five-minute drive from Greenboat, so Luo Yao arrived home quickly.
His parents were both surprised to see him back so early.
"Yao'er, did you get off work early? That won't do. Huaji Company has been so good to our family. You can't act willfully just because they treat you well."
When Luo Yao was in middle school, he had often found classes boring and skipped school to go to the library or returned home early.
Seeing that Luo Yao had returned at only 5:10 p.m., Sun Xiulan instinctively assumed that he had slipped home again.
"Mom, the company car just brought me back. We get off work at five in the afternoon."
"I see. Then sit down. Mom will make you something delicious. I learned a new East City dish today called kiln-baked chicken. I'll make it for you all!"
"Thanks, Mom."
There was no way Luo Yao could just sit around doing nothing. He went online and started searching for information about the East City Semiconductor Alliance and recent developments in Hua Nation...
"Xiao Yao, did you buy this computer? It looks so advanced!" During dinner, Luo Zhu suddenly noticed that Luo Yao had a laptop and curiously took a look.
"The company issued it. Do you need one?"
Luo Zhu hurriedly waved her hands. "Uncle Peng got me a computer. It's enough for my classes, and I don't need to go anywhere."
"Mm. If I have time later, I can tutor you." Luo Yao actually did not like helping people with their schoolwork, but Luo Zhu was an exception.
"Thank you, Xiao Yao. You can have this drumstick."
With a younger brother like Luo Yao, Luo Zhu felt that all the hardships she had suffered before had been worth it!
She silently made up her mind that she had to repeat her final year properly and strive to get into a good school too.
That way, she would not become a burden to Luo Yao.
The next day.
Rao Huiling picked Luo Yao up to meet Dongtou Group, a board member company of the Semiconductor Alliance.
On the way, Luo Yao received a text from Wang Ye complaining.
Boss, what project are we even involved in? We still have training today ╥﹏╥
Looks like yesterday's training was for nothing.
Discussing laboratory matters in a text message—Luo Yao instantly felt that yesterday's training had been inadequate, so he had Peng Xun add another day of training for them.
When they arrived at Dongtou Group, they ran into Huaji's marketing president, Yu Bei, along with several upright-looking men. The moment they met, someone led them into the conference room.
There were four or five people seated in the conference room. One of them, a bespectacled middle-aged man, stood up when he saw them and greeted them.
"Oh, President Rao, President Yu, what an honor. Please, have a seat." He glanced at Luo Yao, assuming he was some kind of assistant, and ignored him.
"Since both of you are here today, have some tea."
Only after the tea had been served did the bespectacled man get down to business. "You said you developed a full-process EDA?"
"Why? Aren't the three major software products, like Synopsys, working perfectly well now?"
"Why spend all that effort researching one yourselves?"
Rao Huiling smiled faintly. She had expected that question. "Director Lin, you know about the several times Synopsys software became unavailable, right?"
Director Lin thought for a moment. "I know. There was a problem with Synopsys's account database."
"What about that time with Cadence?"
"Seems like there was a problem with a newly released version."
Rao Huiling shook her head. "But I specifically investigated the use of the same software in other regions at the time. They did not encounter the same problems we did."
"We believe this was not a mere coincidence."
"President Rao, you're being too nervous. Tell me, why would Synopsys or Cadence refuse to let us use their software? Think about it—Hua Nation is such a huge market. Don't they want to make money?"
"How stupid would they have to be? Hahaha." Director Lin could not help laughing at that point, and the Dongtou people in the conference room laughed along with him.
"Director Lin, we understand the logic. But precisely because of that, they know we are completely dependent on them and cannot leave them."
"If they choke off EDA, our IC factories will be unable to design, and chip manufacturers will be unable to produce anything without design engineering files. The entire chip industry will be affected." Seeing that the other side was not taking it seriously, Yu Bei hurriedly added.
Director Lin frowned and cut him off. "How could it be that serious?"
"You're really worrying about nothing."
"I already said it: why would EDA vendors like Synopsys block EDA Software?"
"Last year, Hua Nation accounted for 19% of Synopsys's revenue. Why would they abandon such a huge market?"
"Merchants pursue profit. I cannot understand why they would block EDA Software."
Rao Huiling looked at Yu Bei. Both knew it would be difficult to persuade the other side today. Just as they were thinking of a way, a voice suddenly came from beside them.
"What if it were for greater profits?"
Luo Yao had practically been stunned by Director Lin's stupidity. He had not wanted to listen any longer, but in order to get Pangu EDA launched sooner, he had no choice but to step in.
"Greater profits? What greater profits could there be?"
"Kid, let's hear it." Director Lin found it laughable. A child was claiming there were greater profits that could make Synopsys choose wrongly. It was utterly absurd.
"Luo Yao..." Rao Huiling was afraid Luo Yao would offend Director Lin and wanted to stop him, but she was too late.
"Control of the entire chip industry chain."
Director Lin thought he was being alarmist, but Luo Yao continued.
"At present, the three major companies, including Synopsys, occupy three-quarters of the Blue Star market. Shuijidian, Blue Star's largest foundry, also uses their design software—or rather, it only recognizes their software."
"Once a company brings engineering files designed with other EDA Software to Shuijidian for fabrication, Shuijidian will refuse them."
"That is the situation with one foundry. What about the others?"
"You may say we can find other foundries to manufacture for us. For money, there will always be factories willing to take the job."
"But in reality, can foundries that refuse to follow the rules of the three major companies, including Synopsys, obtain the latest test data from wafer fabs?"
The mockery at the corner of Director Lin's mouth faded.
"The answer is no."
"Because that data is integrated into Synopsys's EDA. Wafer fabs rely on them to obtain user data, so it is even more impossible for them not to work with them."
"In this way, the three leading EDA companies, including Synopsys, gain control over the entire chip industry chain."
"You say the three giants would not block technology for profit, but that statement is logically flawed. Profits can be large or small; only by comparing them can one choose the greater."
"Use annual revenue of several billion dollars from the EDA market to control a chip industry worth hundreds of billions. Which side do you think brings greater profits?"
"You can solve such a simple math problem, can't you?"
Before you continue