246: Chapter 246 The Giant Loses His Voice 2

12:30 PM, Media Interview Area.

Wu Yi just came out of the negotiation area and was immediately surrounded by over thirty reporters.

The camera flashes were blinding.

"Mr. Wu, does the technology of Spark Materials involve military applications?"

"Will CMC be exported to the United States?"

"What is the patent layout for graphene materials?"

Questions flooded in like a tide.

Wu Yi raised his hand to signal for quiet: "One at a time. One question per person, please raise your hand."

The first person called was James from CNN.

"Mr. Wu, I am James, a reporter from CNN. You claim that CMC performance leads the world by five years, but as far as I know, General Electric (GE) released similar materials last year and has already used them in the LEAP engine. How do you explain this technological gap?"

It was a very sharp question, carrying obvious skepticism.

Wu Yi was unruffled: "Mr. James, you mentioned GE's CMC; that must be their CMC-AS, a silicon-based ceramic matrix composite. I can provide you with a few data comparisons."

He signaled his assistant, and the big screen immediately pulled up a table:

Xinghuo CMC-SiC vs GE CMC-AS

Maximum operating temperature: 1700°C vs 1600°C

Creep life at 1600°C: >2000 hours vs 200 hours

Density: 2.1 g/cm³ vs 2.8 g/cm³

Coefficient of thermal expansion: 3.2 × 10⁻⁶/K vs 4.5 × 10⁻⁶/K

Oxidation rate (1700°C): 0.01 mm/100h vs 0.1 mm/100h

In every category, Xinghuo was clearly leading.

"These data points all have third-party verification," Wu Yi added. "Reports from five institutions—Switzerland SGS, Germany TUV, American UL, Japanese JIS, and the China National Accreditation Service—are all here, feel free to review them."

He had his assistant distribute copies of the reports to the reporters in the front row.

James took the report and flipped through it quickly, his face changing color. The report contained the complete testing process, instrument parameters, and raw data; it looked impeccable.

"But... GE has already mass-produced it. What is your mass production capability?" He tried to regain his footing.

"Our Phase I capacity is 400 tons, expanding to 1000 tons next year," Wu Yi said calmly. "Moreover, we have already signed supply contracts with Aero Engine Corporation of China. If GE's mass production is real, then so is ours."

James was rendered speechless.

The second person called was Nakamura Masako, a reporter from Japan's NHK.

"Mr. Wu, I am Nakamura from NHK. Does Spark Materials' restriction on Japanese companies mean that China is starting to implement technological protectionism? Does this violate WTO rules?"

Another tricky question.

Wu Yi's expression was serious: "First of all, Xinghuo has not restricted any company. We are simply prioritizing the needs of our local partners—this is normal business behavior for any company, just like Toyota would prioritize supplying Japanese automakers."

"Secondly, the term 'technological protectionism' is better suited to describe Japan's technological blockade against China over the past thirty years. We are just learning: when you have technology, how to protect your own interests."

He paused, his tone softening: "However, I can reveal today: we are negotiating aerospace material cooperation with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The prerequisite is that Mitsubishi must open up some carbon fiber technology in exchange."

It was a clever reversal.

It showed an open attitude while setting exchange conditions.

Nakamura Masako wanted to pursue the questioning further, but Wu Yi had already pointed to the next person.

The third was Marina from Radio France Internationale.

"Mr. Wu, I am French reporter Marina. These materials clearly have important military uses. Has Xinghuo already cooperated with the Chinese military? Will this trigger a new round of arms race?"

The room went quiet.

This was the question everyone wanted to know but dared not ask directly.

Wu Yi smiled and did not answer directly: "Today is a business press conference; I will only discuss business applications."

He deliberately paused for three seconds, letting the suspense ferment.

Then he changed the subject: "However, at 2:00 PM today, in this same venue, Xingchen Defense will have a new product launch. At that time, perhaps you will have more clues regarding your question."

A perfect suspense hook.

The reporters exploded instantly:

"Xingchen Defense? Is that a military subsidiary of Xingchen Group?"

"What is being released this afternoon? New material weapons?"

"Can Mr. Wu reveal a little more?"

Wu Yi had already turned away: "Sorry, time is up. Everyone is welcome to continue paying attention to this afternoon's press conference."

He left under the escort of security personnel, leaving behind a group of reporters who were still eager for more.

1:30 PM, second-floor observation room.

Su Chen looked at Hall 4, which was being cleared downstairs.

Staff were dismantling the material display booths and replacing them with a brand-new set: dark gray tones, metallic texture, with the outlines of weapons vaguely visible on the background wall.

The Xingchen Defense press conference would begin in two hours.

"Three hours of negotiations, what are the results?" Su Chen asked Wu Yi, who had just walked in.

Wu Yi handed over the summary table:

Third-generation steel: received intended orders totaling 82 billion yuan, involving 12 automakers and 5 construction machinery enterprises.

CMC: intended orders of 35 billion yuan, mainly from aviation giants like Boeing, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, and Safran.

Graphene composites: intended orders of 28 billion yuan; Huawei and Xiaomi have already signed pre-order agreements, and Samsung is in urgent negotiations.

"Samsung wants to buy?" Su Chen raised his eyebrows.

"They offered 30% more than Huawei, but I said I would consider it," Wu Yi laughed. "Let them get anxious. Once Huawei and Xiaomi's phones hit the market, Samsung will offer an even higher price."

"What about the demand from the military side?"

"The military has already sent people to contact us," Lin Wan took over. "Both CMC and graphene materials are urgently needed by them. Especially CMC; if it can be used on hypersonic aircraft, the weight of the thermal protection system can be halved."

Su Chen nodded: "For the defense press conference this afternoon, you need to be present as well, Mr. Wu. Combining materials and weapons is the only way to demonstrate maximum value."

"Understood."

Just then, Lei Zhan walked in, holding a report.

"Mr. Su, we caught three," he said in a low voice. "Two were trying to use micro-cameras to photograph details of the CMC samples, and one was installing a wiretap in the negotiation area. They are all CIA agents."

"How did you handle it?"

"As per your instructions, arrest them," Lei Zhan said. "They have already been handed over to the national security department. The American Embassy called just now to 'express concern,' and we replied: handled according to the law."

Su Chen sneered: "They are used to stealing things at other people's homes, and they still feel aggrieved when they get caught."

He looked out the window; the new set for Hall 4 was already more than half finished.

Under the dark gray curtains, one could vaguely see some sharp, angular outlines, as well as structures similar to gun barrels and missile launchers.

"For this afternoon's press conference, increase security by another level," Su Chen said. "I have a premonition that some people won't be able to sit still."

"It has already been deployed," Lei Zhan nodded. "Golden Shield has transferred three teams, and the five-kilometer radius around the convention center is under surveillance. In addition, the military has also sent plainclothes support."

Su Chen checked the time one last time: 1:45 PM.

15 minutes until Xingchen Defense takes the stage.

Downstairs, new audience members were entering one after another.

This group of people was clearly different: more personnel wearing military uniforms or uniforms, more middle-aged men with serious expressions and sharp eyes, and several foreigners wearing foreign military attaché credentials.

The atmosphere was more murderous than in the morning.

"Let's go," Su Chen put down his water cup. "Time to prepare for the next round."

As he turned, Wu Yi suddenly asked: "Mr. Su, are we... moving too fast?"

"Fast?" Su Chen stopped in his tracks.

"In three years, from batteries to cars, then to materials, and now military industry," Wu Yi said. "There are already many voices internationally saying that Xinghuo is challenging the existing order."

Su Chen was silent for a few seconds, then smiled.

"Mr. Wu, do you remember the sentence at the entrance of our material research center?"

Wu Yi nodded: "'Materials determine the height of civilization.'"

"Right," Su Chen looked out the window. "The history of human civilization is essentially a history of materials. From stone tools to bronze, from iron tools to steel, from silicon chips to graphene. The leaders of each era are the civilizations that mastered the core materials of that era."

His voice was calm but powerful:

"For the past two hundred years, the West mastered steel, oil, and semiconductors, so they defined the world."

"Now, it is our turn to master the era of new energy and new materials."

"This is not challenging the order; this is—creating a new order."

After saying this, he walked toward the door.

Wu Yi stood where he was, savoring those words.

Creating a new order.

Yes, if you are always following behind others, when will you ever get to the front?

He took a deep breath and followed Su Chen's steps.

Downstairs, the lights in Hall 4 dimmed again.

The new curtain was about to be raised.

And this time, it would make the whole world truly tremble.