190: Chapter 190 My rules are the only rules

Star Technology headquarters building, top-floor conference room.

The massive circular conference table was as polished as a mirror, reflecting the soft lights from the ceiling.

Chen Xu sat at the head of the table, with only a glass of plain water in front of him.

He sat there quietly, as if he had been waiting for a long time, yet as if time held no meaning for him.

The conference room door was pushed open.

Guan Yi, dressed in a sharp business suit, led several guests inside.

Li Shu, Wang Fu, and Zeng lao.

These three giants, who respectively controlled the three major sectors of China's automobile manufacturing, core new energy technology, and power batteries, all wore similar complex expressions on their faces.

They sized up the conference room—minimalist to the extreme yet exuding a sense of high technology in every detail—before their gazes finally converged on the young man at the head of the table.

"Chairman Chen, it is an honor to finally meet you."

Li Shu of Geely spoke first, a habitual smile on his face as he attempted to create a relaxed atmosphere.

He took the initiative to reach out, intending to shake hands with Chen Xu.

Chen Xu merely raised his hand and made a "please sit" gesture toward the empty seats opposite them.

Li Shu's extended hand paused in mid-air before he withdrew it nonchalantly and sat down in the seat beside him.

Wang Fu and Zeng lao also took their seats.

The atmosphere in the vast conference room was somewhat subtle.

The three moguls, accustomed to being in control, felt ill at ease for the first time on someone else's home turf.

"Chairman Chen, we have come this time with the utmost sincerity."

It was Li Shu who broke the silence again.

He took a pre-prepared document from his assistant and placed it on the table.

"Geely Group hopes to reach a deep strategic cooperation with Star Technology in the field of new energy vehicle batteries."

"We are willing to open up the supply chains of all brands under Geely and share our global sales channels.

We want to establish a brand-new high-end joint venture brand with Star Technology; we will be responsible for manufacturing, and the profits will be split fifty-fifty."

The terms he proposed were very generous.

As soon as Li Shu finished speaking, Wang Fu of BYD immediately followed up.

"Chairman Chen, although BYD's battery technology isn't as good as yours, our technical accumulation in the other two electric systems is the deepest in the country."

"Not only can we provide channels and production lines, but we can also open up all our technical patents to jointly develop the next generation of vehicle platforms with Star Technology."

"Our mode of cooperation can be even more sincere than Geely's."

He glanced meaningfully at Li Shu beside him.

Finally, Zeng lao of Dening Era spoke.

As the former hegemon of the battery industry, his posture was somewhat lower.

"Chairman Chen, Dening Era possesses the world's most complete battery production bases and supply chain systems."

"If Star Technology is willing to grant authorization, we can build the world's largest and most technologically advanced super battery factory within three months."

"We can guarantee that the production cost of Star Technology's batteries will be reduced to the lowest in the world."

The three giants each threw down their chips.

They were both competing with and subtly allied with each other, attempting to secure the most advantageous position for themselves in this negotiation.

In the conference room, only the voices of the three of them echoed.

Chen Xu remained silent throughout, just listening quietly.

Once everyone had finished their presentations, the conference room fell silent once more.

The gazes of the three were all focused on Chen Xu, waiting for his answer.

Chen Xu interlaced his fingers and placed them on the conference table.

This simple action made the air in the conference room significantly heavier.

Then he spoke, his voice reaching everyone's ears.

"I understand all of your proposals."

"However, I have no interest in them."

With those words, the expressions on the faces of Li Shu, Wang Fu, and Zeng lao froze simultaneously.

They had prepared dozens of contingency plans and envisioned all sorts of negotiation scenarios.

The only thing they hadn't considered was being rejected so directly and mercilessly, a total dismissal.

"Chairman Chen, what do you mean by this?"

Zeng lao's brow furrowed immediately; as the former industry leader, he had never been treated this way.

"Our terms are already the most sincere that can be offered in the industry."

Chen Xu's gaze swept across his face, then he looked at the other two and said, enunciating each word:

"There is only one way to cooperate."

"Star Technology will provide the technology to establish a brand-new energy company."

"And as for the three of you," Chen Xu's finger tapped the names of Li Shu, Wang Fu, and Zeng lao on the table in turn, "you provide the money, the land, and the people."

After a brief pause, he stated his condition.

"In the new company, Star Technology will hold a fifty-five percent stake."

In the conference room, the smile on Li Shu's face vanished.

Wang Fu's hand under the table unconsciously clenched into a fist.

Zeng lao's face turned even more ashen.

"Chairman Chen! That's impossible!"

He was the first to stand up, his voice carrying uncontrollable rage.

"This is robbery! In the field of power batteries, although we, Dening Era, can't compete with your Star Technology, we were once the industry standard! By what right do you propose such overbearing terms!"

Chen Xu looked at the agitated Zeng lao, his face showing no emotion.

His gaze swept over the three of them, and he said in a very casual tone:

"From today onward, in the field of energy..."

"...my rules are the rules."

He didn't give the three of them any chance to retort or argue.

He simply said a sentence toward the empty side of the conference room.

"Zero, show the three chairmen the technical parameters of the next-generation battery we are preparing for mass production."

As his voice fell...

...the projection device in the center of the conference room activated.

A beam of soft light projected into mid-air, forming a three-dimensional model of a battery.

Beside the model, rows of data emerged; every number struck hard against the chests of the three industry giants.

[Model: SC-V3 Solid-State Battery]

[Energy Density: 600Wh/kg]

[Cycle Life: Over 8,000 cycles]

[Safety Rating: Military-grade bulletproof standard]

[Estimated Mass Production Cost: 15% lower than existing ternary lithium batteries]

When the line "Energy Density: 600Wh/kg" appeared, the breathing of Li Shu, Wang Fu, and Zeng lao all ceased at the same moment.

Although they had anticipated that Star Technology's super battery might have already surpassed the previous 400Wh/kg, they hadn't expected it to be increased by fifty percent this time.

This was a technology sufficient to subvert the entire automobile industry and even change the global energy landscape.

Chen Xu leaned back against his chair, looking at those three faces filled with shock, greed, and ultimately, powerlessness.

In a tone that was nearly cold, he delivered his final ultimatum.

"Either accept my terms and join these new rules..."

"...or be eliminated by them."

"I'll give you ten minutes to consider."

After speaking, Chen Xu stood up, adjusted his collar, and walked straight out of the conference room.

He didn't even look back once.

Leaving behind only the three moguls who commanded the winds and clouds in the domestic business world, and the set of data shining with blue light in mid-air.