169: Chapter 169 What doesn't kill us makes us stronger!

On the plaza in front of the headquarters building of Fanmi Technology.

The early morning sunlight spilled across the plaza, cut into fragmented spots of light by the surging crowd.

Reporters from more than thirty media outlets squeezed outside the cordon with their cameras and equipment, blocking the entrance completely.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the interior of the Fanmi building, waiting for Lei Jun's figure to appear.

Soon, a figure walked out quickly from inside.

"President Lei! Please respond to the blockade order from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Why are they blacklisting Fanmi Technology?"

"Have overseas sales of the fanmi 2 come to a complete standstill?"

"There are rumors that your chip supply chain has completely broken down. Is it true?"

The moment they saw Lei Jun, sharp questions rose one after another, and microphones were almost shoved into his face as he emerged.

Several security personnel stepped forward quickly to shield his sides, their military boots making steady thuds on the marble floor, invisibly separating him from the restless crowd.

Lei Jun straightened his slightly wrinkled shirt collar, a customary gentle smile on his face, but he held a folded document in his hand.

"Friends from the media, please stay calm. Regarding the reason for the blockade order, the U.S. Department of Commerce's announcement actually explains it very clearly."

He unfolded the document and showed the part with the red seal to the cameras. "They believe that 'Fanmi products might be used for military purposes.' We actually didn't expect this reason. I'm more curious about where those soldiers managed to snatch our phones from?"

A burst of low laughter erupted from the crowd, and the atmosphere eased slightly.

Everyone knew this was just a Western excuse. Sanctioning a company just because their signal was good? It was far too flimsy.

But Western technological hegemony was nothing new.

"Then what is Fanmi's view on this?" Li Xiangyu, a reporter for Huaxia Science and Technology Daily, squeezed forward half a step, her voice clear. "Are you just going to let them suppress you like this?"

Lei Jun's smile faded slightly, and his gaze became sharp: "We are naturally disappointed. The significance of technology lies in promoting the progress of human civilization, not in becoming a weapon for political games."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"From the day it was founded, Fanmi has believed that harmonious development is the path a technology company should take! We are willing to cooperate with any country or enterprise, provided there is equality and respect. Unfortunately, this time, the other party doesn't seem to think so."

"But the blockade is now a reality!" a reporter pressed. "How do you plan to respond?"

"Respond?" Lei Jun suddenly laughed and turned to look at the four large characters for 'Fanmi Technology' on the building wall behind him, his eyes determined. "Perhaps everyone has forgotten that Fanmi grew up amidst repeated suppression. We have never feared a challenge!"

"From the initial contempt of suppliers and our self-developed system, to the cutoff of the entire industry chain and chip manufacturing, we have long been used to finding a way to survive in desperate situations."

"Just yesterday, the yield rate of our Huaxia 45nm domestic chips stabilized at over 85%. Our Western friends might have forgotten one principle—when no one is willing to help you, the potential forced out of you is often even more terrifying!"

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even more fervent questioning.

"Does this mean Fanmi has completely broken free from dependence on foreign technology?"

"Is the breakthrough of Haicheng Microelectronics' 45nm Lithography Machine related to Fanmi?"

"Will using domestic lithography machines and chips affect the retail price of the phones?"

Lei Jun raised his hand to signal for silence: "Completely breaking free still takes time, but at least we have the confidence to not be pushed around! As for the impact—"

He changed his tone, and a smile blossomed on his face again.

"I can responsibly say that phone performance and price will not be affected. Furthermore, the development of the Fanmi 3 is already on the schedule, and it may achieve over 95% domestic replacement of components!!!"

Just then, a reporter wearing a peaked cap suddenly shouted: "There are reports that Fanmi is secretly planning to enter the new energy vehicle field. Is this true? Faced with the blockade, are you trying to break the deadlock through cross-industry expansion?"

The scene fell silent instantly, and all lenses were focused on Lei Jun's face.

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow and said in a relaxed tone: "As for this question... it's a secret for now."

He looked at the reporter and deliberately drew out his words, "If you must have an answer, then it is—no."

A burst of laughter rang out from the crowd, easing the tense atmosphere significantly.

Everyone could hear that it was a joke, but the more Lei Jun denied it, the more curious people became.

"Alright everyone," Lei Jun glanced at his watch, "I have an important meeting to attend. One last thing—" He suddenly raised his voice, his eyes burning bright.

"Fanmi is never afraid of a challenge! What doesn't kill us makes us stronger!"

After speaking, he turned and walked into the building, the glass doors slowly closing behind him, shutting out all the noise.

A security guard followed closely behind and whispered as they passed the reception desk: "President Lei, that guy in the peaked cap just now didn't look like a real reporter."

"I know," Lei Jun replied without looking back.

"Probably a spy sent by some car company!"

...

Meanwhile, in Washington, at the U.S. Department of Commerce building.

Carlos slammed the freshly printed transcript of Lei Jun's interview onto the desk. The brown liquid from his coffee cup splashed out, spreading a stain across the document.

"He actually said he's 'not afraid of a challenge'? Where does a small company founded less than two years ago get such confidence?"

The secretary kept his head down, not daring to speak.

The interview in front of Fanmi's headquarters was playing on a loop on the screen. Lei Jun's confident smile when mentioning the 45nm chips pricked Carlos's eyes like a needle.

"Investigate! Find out everything!" Carlos suddenly roared, pointing at the screen. "When exactly did Huaxia's 45nm Lithography Machine make a breakthrough? Why didn't we receive any news beforehand?"

"Mr. Secretary," the secretary carefully handed over a report, "according to the latest intelligence, the assembly of Haicheng Microelectronics' lithography machine was completed just three days ago. The first mass-produced chip came off the line yesterday morning, right after we issued the blockade order."

"A coincidence?" Carlos sneered, his fingers tapping heavily on the desk. "There's no such thing as a coincidence in this world! They must have had the breakthrough long ago and deliberately waited until we issued the ban to announce it, just to slap us in the face!"

The secretary hesitated for a moment but added: "There's even more troubling news... ASML's technical evaluation team just sent a telegram saying that Huaxia's composite ceramic bearing technology completely bypassed our patent barriers and even exceeds our special alloy bearings in terms of high-temperature stability."

"What?" Carlos stood up abruptly, his chair sliding back half a meter.

"That's impossible! Their technology exceeds ASML's?"

"That's not clear..." The secretary shook his head. "The other party's patent application documents were just submitted, and our experts are still analyzing them... but one thing is certain: if this technology is applied to aircraft engines, performance will increase by at least 30%."

Carlos's face instantly turned ashen.

He suddenly remembered the report from the CIA special agent yesterday. The fanmi 2 phones appearing on the battlefield indeed had signal penetration capabilities far exceeding ordinary civilian equipment.

If they could even achieve an independent breakthrough in precision equipment like lithography machines, then Huaxia's technological strength was likely far beyond their estimates.

"Notify everyone immediately!" Carlos grabbed the phone, his knuckles turning white from the force. "Increase the intensity of the blockade on Fanmi! Every upstream and downstream enterprise cooperating with Fanmi must be blacklisted. I don't care what method they use, Fanmi's supply chain must be completely paralyzed within three months!"

"If we make it this big, will the President's office..."

"I don't care about that anymore!" Carlos roared impatiently. "If we let Huaxia gain a firm foothold in the semiconductor field, we won't just lose the profits of a few tech companies; it will even affect our right to speak in the field of cutting-edge technology!"

He walked to the window and looked at the white dome not far away, his eyes dark and sinister.