40: I thought it was stuck in my neck, but it turned out that I was wearing the sweater inside out!

Inventory? And it's unwanted? Is that even human language?

Director Gu's face darkened. After all this time, the Navy's military research team of nearly a thousand people couldn't even compare to a private steel factory?

He leaned down, wiped the dust off the arresting cable, and felt a wave of sadness.

Ma Quanlin nudged Lu Shenwei with his elbow: "Xiao Lu, why is Director Gu crying?"

"Too excited?" Lu Shenwei whispered.

"Director Gu, if our Navy needs them for construction, Julong Steel Factory can donate all of our super steel cables."

Director Gu snapped back to reality: "No need, the Navy can afford that much."

Dragon Xia is vigorously building up its Navy, with military funding maxed out from the top; the brothers in the Army are almost crying with envy while leaning on their shovels.

Furthermore, the Dragon Xia military is prohibited from engaging in business, and even more so from accepting donations from enterprises without cause.

"Tell me, Xiao Lu, why did you make so many high-quality steel cables when you had nothing else to do?"

Old Zhong, who was squatting on the ground studying them, asked the question that the entire Navy arresting cable R&D team wanted to know.

Chen Huatao chimed in: "Could it be that you knew the aircraft carrier would need arresting cables when it launched and started researching it ahead of time?"

"How could that be? This batch of steel cables was originally intended to be sold to the Eagle Sauce company at a high price, but they suddenly breached the contract, which put us in a very passive position," Lu Shenwei explained.

Ma Quanlin added: "Director Lu was worried about them being picky about quality, so he even specifically improved the production process at the time, but in the end, they unilaterally terminated the contract."

"There's such a thing? The Eagle Sauce company actually purchased arresting cables from you?" Director Gu asked in surprise.

Lu Shenwei nodded: "Uncle Ma, bring the contract and let the leaders take a look."

"What would the Eagle Sauce company want with arresting cables? They can't possibly have bought them to use themselves," Chen Huatao said casually.

But his comment sparked a realization in Director Gu and Old Zhong. Director Gu asked hurriedly: "When did the Eagle Sauce company purchase the first batch of arresting cables?"

"About three years ago. The price was quite high, 100,000 USD per cable, and they ordered 200 at once," Lu Shenwei recalled.

*Hiss—*

Director Gu gasped; it seemed the Eagle Sauce Defense Department had also suddenly announced the successful development of a new generation of arresting cables three years ago.

It was quite possible that the Eagle Sauce's arresting cables were actually bought from Julong Steel Factory.

Ma Quanlin came running back, panting while holding the contract. When the Navy's accompanying translators took a look, they were dumbfounded on the spot.

Locke Dongde Niu Ding Company's Florida branch—wasn't their parent company the weapons manufacturer contracted by the Eagle Sauce Defense Department?

Blood rushed to Director Gu's head; he was so angry he almost passed out.

He had thought Eagle Sauce was choking us, which was why we couldn't develop the arresting cables.

Turns out, I was the one wearing my sweater backwards!

"Besides the batch sold to Eagle Sauce, have these arresting cables been sold to anyone else?"

This concerned the development of the Navy, and even national secrets, so Director Gu was extremely cautious.

Old Zhong, standing to the side, also said: "Xiao Lu, think carefully—who else has had contact with the manufacturing of the arresting cables?"

Hearing them say this, Lu Shenwei also became nervous: "Apart from the batch the Eagle Sauce company wanted, there was later a Japan company that wanted to buy our steel cables."

Upon hearing "Japan company," Old Zhong and Director Gu frowned simultaneously.

Japan is no good; their Maritime Self-Defense Force built some Izumo flat-top ship with 40,000 tons of displacement, yet insisted on calling it a destroyer.

Anyone with eyes could see they wanted to build an aircraft carrier, crossing the line.

But Eagle Sauce isn't a fool either; they kept the leash tight and refused to give them the arresting cables.

Once Japan bypassed Eagle Sauce to get the arresting cables, their Izumo destroyer could immediately transform into an aircraft carrier, threatening regional security.

"You didn't sell them to the Japan company, did you?" Director Gu asked nervously.

The quality of the arresting cables produced by Julong Steel is top-tier globally; if the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force got their hands on them, it would be troublesome.

"Even if Julong Steel starves or goes bankrupt, we will never do business with a Japan company. I think their money is dirty!"

Lu Shenwei said indignantly, and Old Zhong was full of admiration.

"Well done, you have backbone!"

Director Gu breathed a sigh of relief and said to Chen Huatao: "Xiao Chen, make a note of this. Later, investigate thoroughly which company wanted to buy Julong Steel cables."

"Seal the warehouse. The Navy will take this entire batch of steel cables," Old Zhong said generously.

Lu Shenwei chuckled: "Since it's for building up the Navy, I really feel bad about taking money."

"Then give us a discount," Director Gu said, half-jokingly.

Lu Shenwei thought for a moment: "The Navy's tender price is 1.5 million per cable; how about we calculate it at 1 million?"

"The budget is 750 million; the unit price cannot be lowered, but you can include some extras," Director Gu said.

"I'll follow your arrangements," Lu Shenwei said with a chuckle.

Ma Quanlin tugged on Lu Shenwei's sleeve, and Lu Shenwei added: "Old Zhong, Director Gu, if you don't have any other questions, please wait in our reception room for a while. Our press conference is only halfway through."

"Press conference? What do you mean? Releasing a new product?" Director Gu asked, confused.

Lu Shenwei scratched his head: "Maybe our products sold too well, and we've been targeted. Many media outlets are smearing us as a traitorous enterprise."

"This matter must be clarified today. Leaders, please sit for a moment; I'll be back as soon as I finish the press conference."

Old Zhong asked in confusion: "Japan offered a high price for the steel cables, and Julong Steel refused to sell. How could such an enterprise be traitorous?"

"Nonsense. There's no need to continue the press conference; I will clarify it for you," Director Gu said seriously.

There must be hostile forces behind the scenes targeting Julong Steel. Donating 750 million just like that—would such an enterprise be traitorous?

No matter what others think, he, Director Gu, doesn't believe a word of it.

"Xiao Chen, contact the Qinchuan Cyber Information Department immediately, investigate the truth, and restore Julong Steel's innocence."

"It's truly great that the two of you can help us," Lu Shenwei said happily.

With the Navy intervening, how could a Japan company possibly turn the tables?

"Director Ma, have Vice Director Wang Zizhong come back; we'll properly welcome the Navy leaders at noon."

At the press conference, Wang Zizhong, who was busy and overwhelmed, was stunned when he heard it was cancelled.

Many troublemakers at the scene jeered: "Why bother with a press conference? The chairman and the factory director have both been taken away."

"Laughable! And they claim they aren't a traitorous enterprise? Armed soldiers have already appeared."

"Julong Steel will be finished sooner or later. Let's disperse, let's disperse!"

Wang Zizhong raised his hand and said loudly: "There's been a sudden situation today, but we will give everyone an explanation."

"Boo! An explanation? To explain that you're a traitorous enterprise?"

"I declare the funniest joke of the year in Qinchuan is that Julong Steel is not a comprador traitorous enterprise!"

In order to ruin Julong Steel's press conference, the Japan company spent a huge amount of money to buy internet trolls.

Bai Xiaoying shouted at the top of her lungs: "If Julong Steel collapses, what good does it do you?"

[Stepping up, Xiao Ying is awesome! Truly standing up for justice!]

[Worthy of being the heroine who can crush Hirohito's golden pill with her bare hands, go Xiao Ying!]

[Unfollowing, trash streamer, colluding with Julong Steel!]