Kunlun Group

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Kunlun Group (昆仑集团)
Alias(es)	Kunlun Company; Kunlun Technology; Kunlun Factory
Type	Technology group / neutral character
Affiliation	Huaxia-based private enterprise; collaborates with strategic partners, state entities, and military research organizations 71 245 308
Occupation/Role	Research-oriented industrial technology group; developer and coordinator of materials, energy, machinery, software, semiconductor, and aerospace programs 153 245
Status	Active 334 335
First Appearance	Chapter 13

Background / History

Kunlun began as a factory focused on polymer materials. Its Research and Development Department was established when Xu Qingzhou brought students to help set up the laboratory, marking the company’s shift toward a research-led model 13. Early success came through the X-series fibers, beginning with quick-drying X1 and later expanding into thermal, elastic, and high-strength applications 23 25 38.

As international chemical-fiber firms targeted the company, Kunlun adopted the internal principle: “Never surrender, never admit fault, we’ll fight to the end.” It reinvested loans and profits into laboratories, research teams, and talent recruitment rather than prioritizing short-term returns 29. By the time X3 was released, its R&D department had expanded to more than 300 people and its reputation had spread beyond materials science through PLA adoption of its products 38.

Kunlun built its growth around strategic partnerships rather than direct manufacturing. This model enabled the company to coordinate apparel, tire, battery, automotive, and later construction and aerospace industries while retaining control over core technologies 43 66 174.

After acquiring Cambrian for 85 billion yuan, Kunlun Company established a software department and formally became Kunlun Group 153. Its later expansion included artificial intelligence, semiconductors, precision machinery, robotics, energy, controlled fusion, defense systems, and space development 184 244 288 310.

Organization and Operations

Research Model

Kunlun operates as a research-heavy organization that divides difficult projects into numerous small tasks, assigning them to specialized teams while Gao Yuan consolidates the results and directs overall progress 97 106 240.

The Galaxy Eye research system was designed around a neuron-like model: hundreds of research groups work on highly granular problems under a central command structure 93 97 241.

• The group initially employed roughly 1,200 people before its major recruitment expansion 93.
• Kunlun launched a nationwide recruitment campaign for science and engineering graduates, including ordinary undergraduates rather than only elite-degree holders 93 94.
• The company has no fixed working hours; employees may work intensely during project periods before receiving concentrated leave 241.
• Hot meals are available around the clock, and the company provides dormitories, a gym, cafeteria, and city shuttle service 60 93 241.

Corporate Culture

Kunlun maintains a comparatively informal workplace. Employees continue working casually around Gao Yuan, with less emphasis on hierarchy and seniority than the state-owned and Japanese companies where Li Changxing previously worked 60.

Its stated supreme principle is:

“Never surrender, never admit fault, we’ll fight to the end!” 29

The group also emphasizes practical deployment rather than research for its own sake:

“Technology creates the world, technology changes life.” 160

Revenue and Manufacturing Model

Kunlun focuses on research, licensing, technical support, and partner coordination rather than owning conventional manufacturing plants. It earns royalties through the partner network, including five percent of the selling price for each tubeless tire and solid-state battery produced by partners 241.

• Kunlun provides partners with technology, technical assistance, production support, and cross-company coordination 43 105.
• Partners may receive promotion or demotion based on performance 44 66.
• The model allows Kunlun to prioritize R&D while partners handle manufacturing, sales, logistics, and market execution 245.
• Foreign firms can join the network; Japanese brands Kashima and Kamakura used Kunlun technology and domestically produced contract-manufactured tires to survive in their local market 81.

Strategic Partner Program

Sector	Documented Partners	Notes
Textile and apparel	32 initial strategic partners	The first group gathered during Kunlun’s autumn partner conference and prepared X-series fabric products for launch 32.
Tire industry	Eight major Huaxia tire enterprises	Kunlun entered the tire industry through these partners and challenged Bridgestone and Michelin 65.
Battery industry	Ten major domestic lithium-battery companies	Agreements were signed during the Galaxy Eye project’s battery-development phase 97.
Automotive industry	Changan, Geely, Great Wall, Chery, BYD, NIO; later Wuling	Kunlun selected one state-controlled and five private firms for its first automotive partner group; Wuling later joined 124 137.
Aerospace	Aerospace Group	A joint laboratory was established to adapt and improve X Fiber for space applications 71.
Mechanical exoskeletons	BYD and Changan	Both companies manufactured Atomic Ant No. 1 157.

The partner system has three tiers:

1. Strategic partners
2. Business partners
3. General partners

Strong performance can result in promotion, while weak performance leads to demotion or removal from the network 66. Strategic partners are expected to contribute resources and manpower when Kunlun launches major projects; the Global Track Domination Plan was carried out through this mobilization system 77.

Research Units and Departments

• Research and Development Department — Kunlun’s original research division, established during its factory period 13.
• Kunlun Research Center — Expanded research facility supporting materials, tires, batteries, and later aerospace projects 60 71.
• Kunlun Asking the Way — Chinese-language academic website and journal platform. It attracted 50,000 simultaneous visitors within ten minutes of launch and received congratulatory messages from military research institutes 50.
• Software Department — Formed after the Cambrian acquisition; became Kunlun Group’s first wholly owned subsidiary structure 153.
• Intelligent Machinery Department — Led by Xu Zhenhua after Kunlun acquired his three exoskeleton companies 157.
• Kunlun Group–Aerospace Group–Special Materials Joint Laboratory — Develops X Fiber applications and improvements for space technology 71.
• Semiconductor Program — Combines optical systems, EDA software, lithography subsystems, chip design, and carbon-based computing research 234 244 245.
• Kunlun Group Security Department — A security unit established with military support; it was expected to be upgraded into a Security Bureau as Kunlun’s strategic importance increased 253.

Technology Portfolio

Program	Key Developments	Applications / Significance
X-series polymer fibers	X1 quick-drying fiber, X2, X3 high-elastic and bulletproof fiber, and X4 rubber-compatible fiber 23 25 38 65	Formed Kunlun’s original materials-science foundation; used in clothing, body armor, rubber, aerospace, and other industrial products.
Kunlun Silver Frost	Bulletproof fiber and vest line; a vest weighing slightly over 800 grams reached National Standard Level 4 protection 61	Adopted by the PLA and released in police and export versions 38 61.
Rolling Stone / Kunlun Infinite	Solid tires and Infinite Rubber Outsole technology 77 81 84	Rolling Stone tires broke lap records on global circuits; Infinite technology improved athletic performance and footwear durability 78 84.
Kunlun Crystal / Kunlun Meteorite	Solid-state battery technology and air-aluminum energy-storage technology 98 112 113	Supports vehicles, drones, photovoltaic storage, and large-scale energy systems; Meteorite was demonstrated surviving drilling and high heat while live 113.
Kunlun Dark Star	Carbon nanotube–polymer composite combining hardness and elasticity 133 134	Used in reinforced vehicles and advanced structural materials.
Kunlun Chasing Moon	Flying-car technology using six turboprop engines manufactured by Xifei Group 141	Designed for high-speed aerial mobility; future versions are intended to incorporate autonomous driving 142.
Kunlun Aurora / Hidden Dragon Motor	High-power-density motor technology, followed by the Deep Dive Cyclotron Overclocked Permanent Magnet Motor 155 156 169	Powers electric bicycles, exoskeletons, drones, deep-sea mining systems, and major infrastructure equipment.
Atomic Ant Series	Atomic Ant No. 1 lightweight general-purpose mechanical exoskeleton 157	Combines solid-state batteries, carbonaceous materials, X Fiber polymer interfaces, and Aurora motors.
Zero artificial intelligence	Basic AI “Zero,” medical-image analysis systems, Zero Craftsman machining calculations, and collaborative AI systems 184 195	Supports medical imaging, industrial control, research coordination, chip design, and precision manufacturing.
Kunlun Precision Engineering	Five-axis CNC machining center No. 1; produced aero-engine blades with an average error of 140 nanometers 194 198	Provides a precision-manufacturing platform for propellers, aerospace components, optics, and advanced machinery.
Kunlun Divine Craftsman	High-precision industrial robotic arm with flexible manipulator control 214	Designed for delicate industrial tasks and advanced automated manufacturing.
Semiconductor and computing systems	Optical lens systems, photolithography subsystems, Kunlun Kaleidoscope supercomputing, Kunlun Dream GPUs, and Kunlun Avalanche SoC chips 244 245 263 270 271	Supports domestic semiconductor independence, AI workloads, cloud–supercomputer integration, and high-performance computing.
Kunlun Zenith / Kunlun King Kong	Super laser weapon and force-field/plasma-shield systems 288 289 325 326	Used for missile interception, strategic defense, and high-energy protection tests.
Kunlun One / Kunlun Cloud / Kunlun Short Sword	Controlled fusion device, nuclear-powered rocket, and fusion-powered spaceplane 302 310 328	Supports energy independence, Jupiter resource missions, and frequent Solar System travel.
Kunlun Eternal Plan	Life-extension technology distributed under strict legal and moral conditions 334	Offered to Huaxia citizens, with priority for the elderly and ill.

Facilities and Footprint

Jiangnan Base

Kunlun’s early laboratories were housed in an old printing-and-dyeing factory workshop, while employees lived in former textile-factory dormitories 261. The company later expanded through modular construction, creating new dormitories, a gym, cafeteria, offices, and research facilities 45 60.

Local authorities provided additional land and supporting infrastructure because Kunlun’s operations boosted regional tax revenue and industrial development 71.

Sky City

Kunlun announced plans to relocate its new headquarters to the Hotan region of Xinjiang, at the foot of the Kunlun Mountains near the Tarim Basin 222. The project, called Sky City, is planned as an integrated city built with polymer foaming materials, modular road systems, flying-car transport, mechanical exoskeleton labor, super-tall residential structures, and extensive green space 224.

Relationships

• Gao Yuan — Founder, CEO, chief scientific coordinator, and public spokesperson. He directs the group’s research priorities and partner network 38 97 240.
• Cao Feiyu — Executive President; manages operations, negotiations, partner coordination, public promotion, and expansion logistics 153 255.
• Xu Qingzhou — R&D Director and early research leader; helped establish Kunlun’s original laboratory and corporate principles 13 29 57.
• PLA / General Armament Department — Major customer and collaborator. The PLA adopted Kunlun protective equipment, while military departments provided research support, security, and testing resources 38 67 253.
• Aerospace Group — Joint-laboratory partner for space-material applications and contributor of research personnel 71.
• Cambrian — Acquired by Kunlun for 85 billion yuan; became the foundation of the software department 153.
• Liang Mengsong — Semiconductor specialist recruited to support Kunlun’s semiconductor expansion and carbon-based chip strategy 233 234.
• Changan Group and BYD — Automotive partners, manufacturers of Atomic Ant No. 1, and participants in Kunlun’s vehicle industry network 124 157.
• DuPont Group — Early primary rival in chemical fibers, body armor, elastic fiber, and later tire-related competition 61 67 87.
• Google Group — Rival in the artificial-intelligence competition surrounding Zero and medical-image analysis 183 184 190.
• Elon Musk — Frequent international competitor and critic; opposed Kunlun in tires, electric vehicles, computing, energy, defense, and space development 76 261 309.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arc	Kunlun Group’s Role
Chemical Fiber War	Rises from a small materials company through the X-series fibers and challenges global chemical-fiber firms 23 29 61.
Partner Expansion	Builds a domestic industrial alliance across apparel, tires, batteries, and automobiles 32 65 97 124.
Energy and Automotive Development	Launches Rolling Stone tires, Kunlun Crystal batteries, Kunlun Meteorite storage, and carbonaceous vehicle materials 77 98 112 134.
Industrial Automation	Expands into motors, exoskeletons, robotic arms, precision machinery, and infrastructure systems 155 157 194 214.
Artificial Intelligence and Semiconductor Race	Acquires Cambrian, develops Zero, enters chip design and lithography, and becomes a major force in Huaxia’s semiconductor industry 153 184 244 245.
National Infrastructure and Defense	Supports deep-sea mining, Sky City, supercomputing, laser defense, and advanced military-industrial projects 169 224 263 288.
Fusion and Space Era	Develops controlled fusion, nuclear-powered spacecraft, Jupiter mining operations, spaceplanes, and planetary resource infrastructure 302 310 314 328.
Kunlun Eternal Era	Introduces life-extension technology and becomes central to Huaxia’s scientific, social, and geopolitical transformation 334 335.

Trivia

• Kunlun’s mountain logo became widely recognizable after the success of X-series products and Rolling Stone tires 38 66.
• The group’s name initially contrasted with its Jiangnan location; Gao Yuan explicitly cited this when announcing the Xinjiang headquarters project 222.
• Kunlun Asking the Way reached 50,000 simultaneous visitors within ten minutes of its launch 50.
• The company’s strategic-partner network was compared to a “pack of wolves” because of its tiered competition and unified market offensives 66.