137: Chapter 137 opens with a bombshell: the 5nm chip is actually real?

May 31st, the day before the public beta test for ten thousand people.

Lu Li received an unexpected call.

The call was from the city's second-in-command, the tone tinged with surprise and a wry smile.

"President Lu, the commotion Guanghui Technology has caused this time is beyond imagination."

"Railway and aviation departments issued emergency reports; since yesterday afternoon, the passenger flow into Mingzhu City has surged by nearly three hundred thousand, putting immense pressure on major transport hubs."

"I just checked the data, occupancy rates in hotels across the five districts near the exhibition center are completely maxed out; even homestays are booked solid."

"You must ensure proper reception and crowd control; do not let any chaos ensue."

Lu Li hadn't expected that a mere ten thousand public beta spots could mobilize such a terrifying crowd.

Those who didn't win the qualification chose to vote with their feet, wanting to be there in person to witness the dawn of a new era.

The popularity was beyond the word "incredible."

After hanging up, Lu Li made arrangements immediately.

He contacted the Mingzhu City Exhibition Center and bought the full-day usage rights for the two-hundred-square-meter giant LED screen in the central plaza.

Next, he bought the circular canopy on top of the Wangfujing Building next door.

At that time, the press conference would be broadcast live on these outdoor screens, allowing those unable to enter the inner venue to feel the atmosphere firsthand.

After arranging everything, Lu Li's phone notified him of a new email.

It was the staff sending over the edited video of the fan with the ID "Want to make Dad smile" using the Virtual Helmet.

He opened the video, watched for a few seconds, then silently closed it.

Even he had to admit that while technology could replicate some things, the weight of that emotion was enough to touch even the hardest heart.

This video would be a trump card at the press conference.

...

Night fell.

Su Qingxue finished a busy day and returned home.

After washing up, they embraced on the soft bed.

No excessive words, just quietly feeling each other's body temperature and heartbeat.

Tomorrow would be the day that decides the future of Guanghui Technology and the entire Blue Star.

"Are you nervous?" Su Qingxue asked softly, pressing her cheek against his chest.

"No." Lu Li smiled, stroking her long, smooth hair, "It's more anticipation."

Su Qingxue looked up, her beautiful eyes shining brightly in the dark, reflecting his silhouette.

"I'm actually quite scared."

Lu Li looked puzzled: "Scared of what? Scared I won't be able to hold the stage?"

"No, I'm scared you'll be too dazzling, and I won't be able to resist showing off that this is my husband right on the spot."

Hearing Su Qingxue's playful words, Lu Li couldn't help but slowly lower his head, burying his face in the quilt, searching for something.

...

The next afternoon at two o'clock.

Mingzhu City, National Exhibition Center.

In the sky, three helicopters painted with the Guanghui Technology logo circled and roared, broadcasting the grand occasion to the world from different angles.

On the ground, it was a sea of people.

The spacious central plaza was already packed, countless people looking up, staring at the two-hundred-square-meter giant screen, their faces full of fanaticism and anticipation.

Many small streamers who didn't win tickets or even get media passes simply set up their phones on the periphery.

Even just streaming the crowd in the plaza, tens of thousands of viewers flooded into their live streams.

"Friends, do you see this? Just coming to the scene, the atmosphere of this peerless grand occasion makes me tremble. Could Guanghui Technology really be completely opening the prelude to a new era?"

Among the streamers broadcasting from the outside, one named "Movie Storm" was introducing the scene to the audience with an excited face.

He was also very excited, his face glowing with pride.

"I vaguely remember Lu Li saying at the first press conference that he would redefine the next ten years of magnificence. Could this be the stepping stone for that decade of magnificence?"

Pan Tianwei said excitedly; he knew Guanghui Technology like the back of his hand.

His live stream was also very popular; on the periphery, his stream had the most people.

"Can't believe you still remember Lu Li talking about redefining the next ten years?"

"The blogger must be a true fan of Guanghui Technology, pity he can't get into the inner venue."

"TIM, you will definitely go viral!!"

There were many bloggers broadcasting from the outside like this.

...

At exactly two o'clock in the afternoon, major platforms across the entire internet opened their official live streams simultaneously.

The official Douyin live streams of Magic Technology Company and Guanghui Technology Company saw online viewers exceed a terrifying ten million the moment they started!

Inside the exhibition center, the ten thousand lucky winners had already passed strict security checks and found their seats.

In the media section, long lenses and short guns stood like a forest.

Mingzhu TV, Xiangnan TV, and other partners sent their ace hosting teams for on-site reporting.

In the front row of the guest section, the appearance of a few figures caused bursts of low exclamations.

Brother Hu adjusted his sitting posture, Liu Yifei smoothed her skirt, and Yang Mi took off her sunglasses.

They had turned down multi-million dollar gigs just to secure an entry ticket.

They were all veteran game enthusiasts; after receiving the invitation letter, they turned down all gigs and came specifically.

The municipal party committee deployed over a thousand police officers and traffic police with unprecedented force to maintain order, with dozens of ambulances on standby on the periphery, raising the security level to the highest.

Backstage, Lu Li, in a well-tailored casual suit, held the hand of Su Qingxue, who was wearing a white dress and looked like a goddess, and arrived at the preparation area under the escort of staff.

2:15 PM.

The lights on the scene suddenly dimmed.

Darkness submerged the entire venue like a tide.

Only a single spotlight hit the center of the stage.

Lu Li, in a well-tailored casual suit, walked calmly.

The huge projection screen behind him lit up, revealing the dark blue Guanghui Technology logo and Magic Technology's logo, with the Genesis Game Studio logo in the corner.

"Welcome, everyone, to the future."

The voice was clear, carrying a self-confidence that controlled everything.

There was no long-winded pleasantry, no emotional buildup.

He got straight to the point.

Ergonomics, material science, thermal structure...

Item after item of parameters, chart after chart, flowed behind him.

Professional, precise, yet it seemed... unremarkable?

"Is that it?"

"Although the parameters are top-notch, it doesn't feel much different from the Apple press conference."

"A bit disappointed, has God Lu run out of talent?"

The barrage in the live stream started to have noise.

Until—

Lu Li introduced the core processor.

He stopped his steps, his gaze swept across the audience, and the corners of his mouth curled into a smile that was not quite a smile.

"As everyone knows, we made the list."

"That famous Entity List."

There was a commotion in the audience.

This was a thorn in the heart of every Chinese tech person.

"Intel cut off supply, Qualcomm banned sales, and ASML won't even sell us a single screw for their Lithography Machine."

Lu Li's voice was very soft, yet it hit everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

On the screen, a gray timeline appeared.

It was the bloody history of the Chinese chip industry being besieged and blocked.

"Some said Guanghui Technology was doomed this time."

"Some said China's Virtual Reality dream was going to wake up before it even started."

Lu Li suddenly raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

"Snap."

The gray screen behind him shattered instantly!

Replacing it was a flash of gold so dazzling it was extreme!

A line of sharp characters, like a sharp sword splitting chaos, spanned between heaven and earth:

[Process: 5nm FinFET EUV]

The whole venue was deathly silent.

For a full three seconds.

Then, the sound of gasping for air joined together.

"5nm?!"

"How is this possible! We don't even have a 7nm Lithography Machine!"

"Is this PPT manufacturing? I don't believe it!"

Before the doubts could spread, Lu Li's voice sounded again.

"I know what you are thinking."

"This chip is not called Pengpai, nor is it called Longxin."

He turned around, looking up at the parameters, his eyes filled with endless emotion and pride.

"For it, we deceived the whole world; we lurked in the darkness for too long."

"Those humiliations, those blockades, those noisy ape cries from both sides, in the end, cannot cover the wheels of history."

The golden light on the screen dissipated.

A lone boat traveling through rough waves broke through the waves.

Two vigorous Chinese characters slowly emerged—

[Light Boat]