The entrance to the Banyan City New Development Zone Management Committee.
Dai Jinwei held a guest list that had been revised again and again in his hand.
The names of the leaders who attended the event were changed repeatedly.
At first, it was just district leaders, then city leaders, then provincial leaders, and finally, people from the ministry.
The speech draft needs to be revised again.
Dai Jinwei felt like dying!
I stayed up all night and finally finished revising the manuscript. I thought I had nothing more to do and could go home and get some sleep, but then I found out that several of my female colleagues in the office thought it was too sunny and made up all sorts of excuses not to come in.
This fellow man was once again conscripted to work as a laborer, responsible for the logistical support of the reception.
"It's just a foreign company, is it really necessary to be so concerned?"
Dai Jinwei looked at the list in his hand. The top title was " Warhammer Technology's Onboarding Ceremony," followed by a string of names he had only ever seen on television news: Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Executive Deputy Senior Official,
Director of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission and the top leader of the city----
He was just a junior staff member who passed the civil service exam four years ago. He usually handled business matching for food processing plants and hardware accessory factories, and he hadn't even met the district head more than a few times.
Two weeks ago, the higher-ups said they would contract out a development zone to a foreign company.
Finally, they chose this unfinished industrial park in front of them. The old, potholed, broken road at the park entrance was paved with three layers of new asphalt overnight.
More than a dozen construction teams moved in overnight and worked around the clock.
This is the first time in all his years that Dai Jinwei has seen such a high level of construction efficiency. In the past, machines waited for people; now, workers are eagerly waiting for the machines.
As the saying goes, the speed of a project depends on how quickly the client pays. Once the payment is in place, the earth will be scrapped for you.
"What's the background of this company? They're incredibly wealthy."
Dai Jinwei didn't have the opportunity to attend the provincial coordination meeting; he only knew it was an Amerikan company.
Last month, it was named and sanctioned by President Lanpu, but then it became an official supplier to the Amerikan government.
No one knows why it suddenly abandoned first-tier cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen, and insisted on building an industrial park in Banyan City, a second-tier city. All that is known is that there was a strict order from above, "Any request from the other party must be met unconditionally, and no refusal is allowed."
"They're here!" someone whispered.
Dai Jinwei roused himself and straightened his back.
No Rolls-Royces, no Bentleys, just a row of silver-gray pickup trucks leading the way!
"Does this entrepreneur have such unique tastes?"
Dai Jinwei was puzzled. The convoy had already disembarked, and then a group of foreigners got off the bus.
Dai Jinwei's gaze swept across the crowd, and he suddenly froze.
"That person looks so familiar?"
"It looks like my old classmate, Fu Haoran?"
As a roommate who lived with him for four years in college, Dai Jinwei was certain that he had not mistaken the person for someone else.
The problem is that the other person wasn't particularly outstanding in school; their grades were only average to above average.
I heard that I was sent to Amerikan after graduation, but I only stayed there for four or five years. No matter how well I did, I shouldn't have gotten to the point where a ministry would send someone to me, right?
"However, I think I saw a report a few days ago that mentioned an old classmate's name, but it was probably just someone with the same name."
"How could Haoran be so powerful as to be specifically mentioned by the president? This guy is said to be bringing back a project worth tens of billions, with provincial leaders personally accompanying him."
"Even if it really is Old Fu, I'm just a junior staff member now. If I go there to claim kinship, and they don't recognize me, I'll just be making a fool of myself."
Suddenly, someone called his name.
" Dai Jinwei?"
Dai Jinwei suddenly looked up and saw a familiar face walking towards him.
"It really is you!"
Seeing Fu Haoran ignoring everyone else and walking towards him, Dai Jinwei opened his mouth and subconsciously glanced at the leader next to him.
Sure enough, he found that everyone was looking at him.
To admit or not to admit?
Dai Jinwei's face instantly turned a deep purplish-red. He instinctively reached out to shake hands, but then realized his hands were sweaty and it would be too impolite. He withdrew his hand halfway through and could only nod with a forced laugh, "Hao-- Haoran, I really didn't expect it to be you."
9
Fu Haoran didn't seem to care. "I heard you got ashore. Are you working in this district?"
Dai Jinwei nodded blankly. "Yes... yes."
Fu Haoran said, "That's perfect. You can be the liaison officer from now on. I'll feel more at ease having an old acquaintance here."
You also have my WeChat.
Fu Haoran said this while explaining to the provincial leaders.
What appears to be negotiation is actually making demands.
Given this major investor and the "foreign company" specifically requested to be taken care of by name, the province couldn't possibly refuse this small request.
The only thing we need to be concerned about is that this position needs to be moved up a bit. We can't let a junior staff member contact a big company; if the level isn't high enough, it won't show any importance.
No sooner had Fu Haoran left than someone approached Dai Jinwei.
It was the director of the management committee calling, his tone ten times more friendly than usual, even with a hint of ingratiation. "Xiao Dai! After the event, go to the city to discuss your transfer and promotion."
"Work hard, achieve some results, and getting promoted won't be difficult. Let me give you a heads-up, the higher-ups really value this cooperation—"
Dai Jinwei felt dizzy; happiness had come too quickly.
When he took the civil service exam, he spent three months memorizing for the essay section and barely managed to score 65 points. He practiced the interview dozens of times before he finally passed with difficulty.
He thought that at most he would reach the level of a section chief and retire.
Today, Fu Haoran's casual remark directly changed the trajectory of his life.
The park is very large.
Five thousand acres of land, built against the mountain.
At first glance, there seems to be no problem, but upon closer inspection----
"Boss, something feels off here." Based on his experience, Tychus felt this place didn't feel like an industrial park; it was more like a Grand Company.
Although there were no high walls, electric fences, or guard towers.
But Tychus felt it was no different from a concentration camp.
The entire park was fenced off, and the only exit leading outside was surrounded by a food street.
There seemed to be nothing wrong at first glance, but Tychus knew something was amiss once he saw the surface that reflected his image.
--
What's even stranger is that all the stall owners kept glancing towards the park's main entrance, seemingly not caring much about the work they were doing.
"Interesting. Since they're so welcoming, let's just stay here. Having someone act as our security guard for free saves us a lot of trouble." Tychus continued to pretend he hadn't noticed anything, ready to watch the show.
The facilities inside the park are much more luxurious than those outside.
The serviced apartments, with private bathrooms, feature floor-to-ceiling windows facing the artificial lake.
The gym has the most luxurious equipment, even more complete than the best commercial gyms in the city.
The canteen was built according to the standards of government agencies.
"All the supporting facilities were built to Silicon Valley standards," the province's second-in-command explained.
"If Mr. Fu is dissatisfied with anything, please let us know at any time, and we will fix it immediately."
Fu Haoran shook his head. "No need, I'm fine now."
The job fair was held in the park's open-air plaza.
The square is very large and can hold tens of thousands of people, but today the square was packed with people.
Not only local university students from Banyan Province, but also recent graduates from all over the country.
The students stood in the center of the square, whispering to each other, their faces full of doubt.
Warhammer Technology? Never heard of it.
"My advisor made us come; he said we wouldn't graduate if we didn't."
"Could it be a pyramid scheme? Last time, a senior from my school got tricked into getting involved in blockchain, and it turned out the company was located in a residential house in Nakamura."
A bespectacled boy lowered his voice. "I checked, this company belongs to Amerikan, and they've been sanctioned before. I heard they have a lot of problems. Could it be a scam company?"
"Give me a break, how could a scam company fool so many leaders?"
A girl in a plaid shirt sighed, "What else can we do? Schools will do anything to boost employment rates."
Last year, our department sold over a hundred people to an electronics factory. They worked on the assembly line for three months without receiving a single penny of wages.
"I've heard about it too. Oh well, I'll just treat it as a formality. I'll submit my resume and then head to the job fair next door."
"Look, someone's come up on stage."
Everyone saw a young man walk onto the stage.
"Who is this? They look so young."
"It should be the host."
Fu Haoran stopped, glanced at the densely packed crowd below the stage, and began, "I have three sentences to say."
"First, we don't value academic qualifications here, but we value ability, so the starting salary isn't high, 8,000 for fresh graduates. But you have one chance to get a raise every year, based on your own abilities, with no upper limit."
"Secondly, 10% of the company's annual profits will be distributed as bonuses, excluding my share."
"Third, if you don't pass today's interview, it's okay. As long as you are passionate about technology, bring your portfolio to me. If you pass the verification, you can be hired directly."
4
Fu Haoran paused, then nodded slightly. "Alright, I'm done. Thank you everyone."
After finishing his speech Fu Haoran stepped down from the podium.
There was a deathly silence in the audience.
Everyone is waiting for the fourth sentence.
After waiting for almost ten seconds, I realized he was really gone.
The whole thing took less than a minute.
The students looked at each other in bewilderment.
That's it?
"Just three sentences? Not even a mention of company culture?"
"Wait a minute—did he just say 8,000 for recent graduates?"
Annual salary increase? With no upper limit?
"Ten percent of the profits as bonuses? Not including the boss himself?"
The students, who had been listless, suddenly became energetic and rushed towards the makeshift interview room.
Someone flipped to the first page of the job posting, thinking they had misread it, rubbed their eyes and counted the numbers again—yes, eight thousand for fresh graduates, twice the offer from the companies at the job fair next door.
Overtime is automatically calculated for working more than eight hours a day, triple pay is given on holidays, accommodation is provided, and breakfast and lunch are provided.
She folded the admission notice for the job fair next door into a paper airplane and threw it into the trash can.
On the other side, in the indoor conference room.
The atmosphere here is completely different from outside.
Thousands of engineers sat in tiered seating, most of them technical backbones borrowed from China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and Aviation Industry Corporation of China, and some were retired chief engineers poached with three times their salary.
There was no job posting, and no interview process.
Fu Haoran walked onto the stage and turned on the projection screen.
There were no grand plans, no vision or mission on the screen, only a table, a salary table detailed to two decimal places.
The minimum monthly salary starts at 50,000 yuan, with 100,000 yuan being the middle level. The highest-level chief engineer earns an annual salary of 10 million yuan, which is much higher than CEO Fu Haoran's own salary.
"I'm not good with sweet talk," Fu Haoran said, taking his hand out of his pocket. "I'll just say one thing: if your salary and bonuses aren't paid properly when you work for me, that's my problem."
"Those on secondment will receive equal pay for equal work; those who wish to stay are welcome."
"Those who don't want to stay, work out the full contract period, and I'll give you double your bonus before you leave."
Even after you leave, as long as the project is successful, you will all receive your due bonuses in full.
The audience remained silent for a full three seconds.
A retired chief engineer with gray hair pushed up his reading glasses, his gaze lingering on the line stating that the chief engineer's annual salary was ten million.
He whispered to the person next to him, "I've worked at the aerospace institute for forty years, and my highest annual salary was only two million."
The eyes of the young engineers lit up, and they exchanged excited glances.
Only Yang Yaohui, sitting in the corner, remained calm, but his grip on the pen tightened unconsciously.
He was an undercover agent planted by the National Security Bureau, codenamed " Woodpecker ".
Before he came, his boss talked to him for three hours. The core message was the same: Warhammer Technology is Amerikan- certified arms dealer with a complicated background. Once you're in there, you need to listen and observe more, collect all the technical data and internal intelligence, and come back after a year.
Therefore, Yang Yaohui didn't have a good impression of Fu Haoran on stage.
"He's just a capitalist, trying to win people over with high salaries. I've seen this kind of tactic many times."
But he had to admit that even he was tempted by the price.
He worked at the National Security for five years, earning only 12,000 yuan a month, less than the lowest-ranking assistant engineer there.
He shook his head, banishing the thought from his mind.
"One year. As long as I complete a full year, I can leave with the intelligence! These sugar-coated bullets can't sway me."
A few days later, in Shanghai, the World Supply Chain Conference.
The round table dialogue venue on the third floor of the Expo Center was brightly lit.
Su Yi stood backstage, holding a walkie-talkie, his face grim.
The rehearsal director had just been given a severe dressing-down by her.
"The armchair color is wrong! I wanted dark gray, not brown! Change it immediately!"
"The stage lighting is a shade too warm! Turn it down a bit! This is a world-class business summit, not a rural stage!"
"The nameplates in the first row are in the wrong order! Mr. Yang is on the far left, Mr. Ma is in the middle, Mr. Shen is on the right, and the one on the far right— Fu Haoran, right? Put his nameplate on the very edge, and don't give him too much screen time."
The director's pleading came through the earpiece. "Ms. Su, there are still fifteen minutes before the round table event starts. It's too late to change chairs now—"
"Fifteen minutes is enough," Su Yi interrupted him, her tone righteous and stern. "This concerns the face of our country. If something goes wrong, can you take responsibility?"
She slammed the walkie-talkie down and straightened her collar in front of the vanity mirror.
Today's roundtable discussion is the result of her hard work and the best proof of her professional abilities—as for outsiders saying that she got this opportunity because of her parents' connections, Su Yi scoffs at it.
"Hmph, my family just gave me a heads-up. You have to be capable yourself. What good are connections in ministries if I don't have the ability? I'm still hopeless."
"With so many children of officials, how come I was the only one who got this hosting opportunity? It's all because of my strong professional skills."
Those who say I got here through connections are just jealous.
She gestured with her chin towards her reflection in the mirror.
"Besides, who doesn't have a few relatives who are officials?"
Su Yi attached great importance to this summit, which was broadcast globally.
This is the best stage for her to enhance her resume, and also the perfect opportunity for her to get revenge.
Therefore, she specifically added a "open question" section in the final segment.
On the one hand, it's to give myself the opportunity to interact face-to-face with industry leaders and showcase my professional skills.
On the other hand, this is also an opportunity to teach that arrogant Fu Haoran a lesson.
" Fu Haoran from Warhammer Technology is here too, perfect timing."
"Last time, he pettily reported me for making false accusations, which caused me to be scolded by the station director, suspended from my duties, and even my originally planned overseas correspondent position was canceled."
"I must settle this score with him today."
Su Yi had planned it all along.
She wanted to make the man who had humiliated her lose face utterly humiliated in front of a global audience.
She wanted everyone to know that Fu Haoran was nothing more than a nouveau riche who had gotten rich by sheer luck, and that he was nothing but a clown in front of the real industry leaders.
Two hours later, the meeting moved into its final and most important segment: a roundtable discussion on future industry trends.
The spotlight shone on the center of the stage, where Su Yi, dressed in a well-tailored white suit, confidently walked onto the stage.
Next up is the roundtable discussion.
"Today, we are very honored to have invited three legendary figures from the domestic business world, who are—"
Su Yi extended his hand, pointing to Yang Yuanqing on the far left, his voice filled with undisguised respect. "Mr. Yang Yuanqing, Chairman of Lenovo Group, the founder of China's PC industry, and the one who led Lenovo to become the world's largest PC manufacturer! Let's welcome Mr. Yang with warm applause!"
Thunderous applause erupted.
Yang Yuanqing stood up, waved to the audience, and wore a smug smile.
"Next up is Mr. Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, a pioneer in China's internet industry, and someone who has changed the lifestyles of over a billion people! Welcome, Mr. Ma!"
The applause grew even louder.
Jack Ma stood up, clasped her hands together, bowed slightly to the audience, and smiled warmly and infectiously.
"Next up is Shen Wanlin, Chairman of Eternal Great Group, a benchmark figure in China's real estate industry, and the man who has created countless business miracles! Welcome, Mr. Shen!"
Shen Wanlin stood up, nodded slightly, and exuded an aura of authority.
The applause from the audience lasted for a long time.
As the applause gradually subsided, Su Yi slowly introduced, "Some say he is a once-in-a-century scientific genius."
"Some say he will redefine the global defense and technology landscape."
"His grand plan includes developing a space-based SkyNet system, brain-computer interfaces, humanoid robots, and Space Elevator."
Luna base and a series of cutting-edge technologies that could change the future of humanity.
The audience erupted in excitement, whispering amongst themselves and craning their necks to look at the young people in the front row corner.
"He is Mr. Fu Haoran, the founder of Warhammer Heavy Industries and DYB Technology! Let's give Mr. Fu a warm round of applause!"
Sparse applause broke out. Most of the audience had never heard of the name before and were just clapping out of politeness.
The three bigwigs on the stage all had their expressions darken simultaneously.
Yang Yuanqing frowned and pursed his lips.
A mere 30-something-year-old kid pulled off a few unprecedented gimmicks and was touted as a once-in-a-century genius, even placed on equal footing with the three of them—it's utterly laughable.
Shen Wanlin also revealed a hint of disdain. He remembered this young man; he was indeed promising, but compared to a veteran entrepreneur like himself, he was far inferior.
A valuation of hundreds of billions, cutting-edge technology—it's all hype.
Without real estate, everything is just a castle in the air.
The smile on Jack Ma's face also faded considerably.
He had seen far too many young people like this, who got an investment based on a single idea and thought they could change the world.
In the end, most of them burn through all their money, leaving behind a mess.
Su Yi took in the reactions of the three bigwigs and was secretly overjoyed.
"This is exactly the effect I wanted."
The higher you're lifted up, the harder you fall.
As Fu Haoran took his seat on stage, Su Yi asked with a bright smile, "Mr. Fu, my first question is for you."
"As we just mentioned, you have so many ambitious plans in your hands, from rockets to SkyNet, from brain-computer interfaces to Space Elevator and Luna bases—each one sounds like something out of a science fiction movie."
"How many years do you think it will take you to realize all these dreams?"
"Another question, which many viewers are also concerned about, is whether you believe that it is precisely because most domestic entrepreneurs are content with the status quo and only satisfied with making quick money in the domestic market, lacking your grand goals and pursuits that look globally and even to the universe, that we have consistently lagged behind Amerikan in the field of cutting-edge technology?"
The moment the question was posed, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.
All eyes were on Fu Haoran.
This is a complete and utter dead end.
If Fu Haoran said "it can be achieved within ten years," he would be labeled as "arrogant and boastful," becoming the laughingstock of the entire audience.
If he said "it will take fifty years or even longer," then all of Su Yi's previous praise would become a joke, and he would lose face on the spot.
The second question is even more ruthless. Whether he answers yes or no, he will offend the three bigwigs on stage, and even all the domestic entrepreneurs in the audience.
Su Yi put down the microphone, sat upright in his chair, and a victorious smile appeared on his lips.
She waited to see Fu Haoran become flustered and pale.
She waited to see the three big shots take turns criticizing the man who had offended her, leaving him utterly devastated.
Fu Haoran frowned.
"When did I offend this woman?" Fu Haoran pondered for a long time, but couldn't figure out the reason, so he simply gave up.
He picked up the microphone and spoke without hesitation, "First, let me correct you, these aren't dreams, they're projects I'm currently working on."
"The rocket has launched successfully, and the first phase of the SkyNet system has been initiated. As for how many years it will take to fully deploy, I will not make any unfounded predictions."
"All I know is that I will never put off until tomorrow what I can finish today."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three bigwigs on the stage. "As for the second question, I have never thought that way."
Every entrepreneur has their own choices and pace.
"Mr. Yang has been deeply involved in the PC industry for thirty years, enabling the whole world to use computers made in China."
"Mr. Ma has built the world's largest e-commerce platform, enabling over a billion people to shop globally without leaving their homes."
"President Shen has built numerous commercial complexes, redefining the modern lifestyle."
"They are all down-to-earth people who have made tremendous contributions to this country."
"As senior figures, they laid a solid foundation and deserve respect."
His voice was calm; he had neither fallen into Su Yi's trap nor been blinded by her flattery.
Instead, he took the opportunity of answering questions to flatter all three big shots, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
Su Yi was a little annoyed, but didn't pay much attention to it.
"A standard, unremarkable answer."
Just when everyone thought Fu Haoran's answer was over, they heard him continue, "But I want to say—"
The entire hall fell silent once again.
Thirty years ago, the hundred heroes who built computers.
Twenty years ago, those who created internet cafes were heroes.
"Ten years ago, he was a hero in the manufacturing industry."
But today, all of that is in the past.
Fu Haoran's voice suddenly rose an octave. "But I want to say that every generation produces its own talented people, each enjoying their own unique style and charm."
"Future heroes, those who dream of the stars and the sea."
"Every step I take now is in preparation for this day to come."
Fu Haoran leaned back and put the microphone back on the table.
An uproar ensued.
Everyone was stunned.
They had seen arrogant young people before, but never anyone this arrogant.
Yang Yuanqing's face instantly turned ashen.
Jack Ma's smile vanished completely. He sat up straight and, for the first time, looked at Fu Haoran with a truly scrutinizing gaze.
Shen Wanlin sneered.
Su Yi was stunned for a moment, then became furious.
"Great, I was worried you wouldn't take the bait, but you've really offered yourself up to me."