126: Chapter 127 The Hidden Ambition to Venture into Hardcore Technology!

Leaving the heavily guarded Dongjiao Hotel, the high-end black sedan smoothly merged into the evening traffic of the Magic City.

The interior of the car was quiet.

Shen Du leaned back against the spacious leather seat in the rear, his gaze falling aimlessly on the streetscape speeding by outside the car window.

Yet, in his mind, he was still rapidly deducing the current attitude of the Municipal Committee towards him, as well as the heavy encrypted phone in his pocket.

General Manager Chen Shengqiang, sitting in the front row, observed his boss through the rearview mirror for quite a while.

Seeing this rare appearance of Shen Du, who had been silent and lost in thought since getting into the car.

This usually composed head steward of Jiyuan Technology couldn't help but feel a sudden "thump" in his heart.

Finally unable to suppress the anxiety in his heart, he broke the silence inside the car.

"Boss Shen, what exactly... was discussed inside? Did the higher-ups introduce any new regulations targeting the internet that will affect our company's future development?"

General Manager Chen Shengqiang's worry was not without reason.

After all, until now, even General Manager Chen Shengqiang, Technical Expert Su Hua, and Operations Manager Zhang Nan, who formed the absolute core team of Jiyuan Technology, as well as himself as the general manager, remained completely ignorant about the unfathomable air-raid shelter laboratory beneath Sheshan, and that batch of "magic-modified chips" capable of overturning the global semiconductor table.

Hearing General Manager Chen Shengqiang's question, Shen Du's thoughts were pulled back to reality.

He turned his head, looked at his solemn-faced confidant, and waved his hand slightly in a soothing manner: "Don't guess wildly, it's not that there is any problem with the company's business."

Shen Du paused slightly, his gaze becoming somewhat profound, and he said slowly in a tone that was obscure yet revealed a hint of grand ambition: "It's just that it is possible... in the near future, our Jiyuan Technology will truly, in the literal sense, participate in the research and development of those underlying hardcore technologies."

When these words fell into General Manager Chen Shengqiang's ears, the alarm was instantly lifted; it could even be said to be a huge benefit!

His tense shoulders suddenly relaxed, and he let out a long breath of stale air from his chest.

He laughed, feeling somewhat helpless yet relieved: "Hey! Is that so! You scared me. I thought we were being throttled by some higher-level power. It turns out the authorities just want our Jiyuan Technology to participate in technological R&D!"

General Manager Chen Shengqiang, thinking he had completely guessed the reason for Shen Du's distraction, immediately switched to a confident, take-charge tone to reassure him: "Boss Shen, engaging in physical scientific research is indeed a bottomless pit that burns money, no wonder you have been dazed since coming out. But for us, this is not a big problem!"

"Just look at this month's financial report, Meituan's local life coverage and the live streaming commission from Xinghuo Platform. They are both experiencing explosive growth at the level of a money-printing machine! As long as our cash flow remains unbroken, taking a portion of the profits to invest in a research project to serve as a 'moat' and 'political achievement' for the company is just a small matter!"

Listening to General Manager Chen Shengqiang's confident, relaxed tone, as if he thought it was "just spending a little money to do some vanity projects," Shen Du just smiled faintly and did not voice a denial.

Only he knew in his heart that the "research project" he held in his hands was by no means a small matter that could be settled by just spending a little money.

That was a massive gamble to forcibly tear apart Western technological hegemony and blast out a complete chip industry chain out of thin air within the blockade line!

However, the power of this depth charge was truly too shocking. Currently, various forces were still surging in the undercurrents. But Shen Du knew that once the verification and support at the national level fully landed, sooner or later, he would have to completely reveal his most core trump card to this group of core backbone members who had accompanied him in building a ten-billion-dollar empire.

Withdrawing his profound thoughts, Shen Du refocused his gaze on this rear-guard head steward who had followed him through many battles. Since he had already made a decision in his heart, his eyes once again returned to his usual resolute and swift manner.

"Today is already March 18th." Shen Du raised his wrist to check his watch and ordered in a deep voice: "Chen Shengqiang, after we go back, you immediately send a notice to Technical Expert Su Hua and Operations Manager Zhang Nan who are stationed elsewhere. Tell them to hand over the business and work they have on hand in various provinces and cities. By the end of this month, have them all return to the Magic City headquarters."

General Manager Chen Shengqiang was slightly stunned, then his expression turned serious. While taking out a notebook from his briefcase and recording quickly, he nodded and replied: "Understood, Boss Shen. I will have them adjust their schedules in advance. Around the end of this month, the entire core management team of Jiyuan Technology will gather back at the headquarters to hold an internal meeting."

It must be said that the core team of Jiyuan Technology could definitely be considered the freest group of people among all current domestic internet companies.

Shen Du had always followed the iron rule of not employing those he doubted and not doubting those he employed. As long as the various businesses under his name did not go wrong and the targets could be over-fulfilled, he never cared where these core generals were at any given time.

Technical Expert Su Hua could run for cooperation in the capital today and go to Shenzhen to monitor servers tomorrow. Operations Manager Zhang Nan could also work continuously for two months in second and third-tier cities in the southwest for Meituan's sinking market.

But this kind of "freedom," which could be called an anomaly, was an exception for only one person: General Manager Chen Shengqiang. As the "anchor" of the entire Jiyuan Technology in the Magic City headquarters, General Manager Chen Shengqiang had to bitterly stay behind at the headquarters year-round, dealing with the mountainous piles of daily special approvals, coordinating conflicts from all sides, and serving as the first window for interfacing with Shen Du.

Watching General Manager Chen Shengqiang's profile as he recorded diligently, a hint of appreciation flashed in Shen Du's eyes. He took out the custom fountain pen he carried with him from his inner pocket. He dashingly scratched a few numbers on a checkbook, then tore it off and passed it along the armrest.

"Chen Shengqiang, everyone has been running around outside every day during this period, going wherever they want. Only you have been guarding the company headquarters, worrying about everything inside and out; it has indeed been hard on you." Shen Du placed the check in front of him, his tone unquestionable: "This five million is an extra bonus I am giving you personally. Take it, don't decline it with me."

General Manager Chen Shengqiang looked at the five-million-dollar check with a string of zeros and his eyelid couldn't help but twitch. To be honest, he didn't really want to accept it. As the general manager of Jiyuan Technology, besides his sky-high annual fixed salary and equity dividends, he personally controlled that gossip media platform that he operated and commanded remotely. Now, under the torrent of the mobile internet, that massive invisible public opinion empire was earning him a fortune every day. He could easily make tens of millions in pure profit a year; he really didn't lack these few million.

But having followed Shen Du for so long, General Manager Chen Shengqiang knew this young boss's temper and nature too well. When Shen Du gave money to his subordinates, it wasn't charity, but an affirmation of your value. When the boss hands a check to you, the most foolish thing to do is to decline it repeatedly with poor politeness.

"Alright then, I won't stand on ceremony with you, Boss Shen." General Manager Chen Shengqiang chuckled and readily reached out to take the check. He carefully folded it and put it into the pocket of his suit lining, his expression open and full of gratitude as he replied loudly: "Thank you for the reward, Boss Shen! Don't worry, if any of these guys dares to be late by the end of the month, see if I don't peel their skin off!"

Just as Shen Du's private car was driving smoothly towards the Jiyuan Technology headquarters, on the other side, a black sedan without any special markings, but bearing an eye-catching license plate, was speeding along the complex ring roads of the Magic City at an almost brutal speed.