82: Chapter 82 Agreement Signing and the Hidden Poisonous Scheme

Three days later, Engineer Li arrived at the Fanxing Technology factory with his team.

In the Fanxing conference room, everyone sat down and exchanged a few pleasantries.

Engineer Li took a document out of a folder; the gold-stamped Keyu Aerospace Group emblem on the cover was particularly eye-catching under the lights.

He pushed the document in front of Chen Fan, his voice low but every word clear: "President Chen, all procedures have been specially approved by the highest levels. Based on the impeccable performance of your insulation tiles and the subsequent extreme environment verification data, Keyu Aerospace Group has officially listed Fanxing Technology as a Core Strategic Partner in the field of special aerospace materials."

He tapped his fingertip on the cover of the agreement: "This isn't a common order. This is a 'Sole External Supplier' status certification—a five-year framework with a guaranteed minimum volume and no upper limit. Pricing follows the most favorable terms, and it includes the joint construction of a laboratory, collaborative research on technical bottlenecks, and priority investment rights from the group's subsidiary funds."

Chen Fan took a deep breath and opened the agreement. The terms were clear and generous, with benefits balanced by responsibilities, revealing the vision and sincerity of Keyu Group at every turn. Without the slightest hesitation, he picked up a pen and signed the name "Chen Fan" at the party B signature line with forceful strokes, then stamped it with the official seal.

A genuine smile finally appeared on Engineer Li's serious face as he tucked away his copy of the agreement and gave a firm handshake. "A pleasure doing business with you, President Chen. From now on, we are truly comrades fighting side by side."

As the atmosphere relaxed slightly, Engineer Li asked, "By the way, President Chen, I've seen a superconducting material you released earlier codenamed 'Xuanniao'; the laboratory data was quite stunning. Although this cooperation is for insulation tiles, the internal assessment grade for 'Xuanniao' within the group is... very high. I heard it hasn't reached mass production? Where is the bottleneck? We're all on the same side now; if there are difficulties, feel free to mention them."

Chen Fan understood that the other party was gauging his true technical foundation. He appropriately showed a mix of pride and distress on his face. "Engineer Li has a keen eye. The performance of 'Xuanniao' is indeed beyond imagination, but its preparation process is... too demanding. The requirements for raw materials and the environment are almost insane. However," he changed his tone, his eyes turning firm, "we have recently concentrated our efforts on tackling the problem and have made some breakthroughs in mass production ideas. We are planning to set up a pilot production line."

"Oh?" Engineer Li's eyes lit up, his interest surging. "You're confident? This is a big deal! We must have a detailed chat sometime! If you need a venue, equipment, or special raw material channels, the group can coordinate!"

"Definitely! I'll certainly be bothering you and the group for support when the time comes." Chen Fan followed the lead, laying the groundwork for future cooperation on "Xuanniao."

After seeing off a satisfied Engineer Li, Chen Fan returned to his office. Before he could even sit down, Lin Hao rushed in holding a tablet, his face full of excitement.

"Fan Zi! Look! Keyu Group published a journal article on applied materials, a front-page article that just came out!"

On the tablet was a highly professional review article with the striking title: "Technical Paths and Breakthroughs in Next-Generation Spacecraft Thermal Protection Systems." The article did not mention "Fanxing" throughout, but the core performance data cited, the breakthrough indicator curves, and keywords like "a certain private tech enterprise," "disruptive solution," and "establishing a generational advantage" were practically a tailored advertisement for Fanxing Technology's insulation tiles!

This article was like a giant boulder thrown into a calm lake. Almost the moment it leaked, the stock price of the listed Keyu Aerospace company shot up like a rocket, showing an astonishing increase in a short time. Meanwhile, the related business sectors of the Long Group, which had dominated the field for years, suffered an invisible hammer blow; capital quietly flowed out, and the stock price fell in response, turning a glaring green.

"Haha! This assist from Engineer Li is too powerful! This is more effective than holding dozens of press conferences!" Lin Hao pumped his fist excitedly.

Chen Fan looked at the curves on the screen, his gaze as calm as an abyss. "This isn't just an assist. This is a declaration to the entire industrial chain and capital market: the technical route has been chosen, and the future rules of the game will be co-authored by us. This is paving the way for us, and it's also a warning to all rivals still trying to live off the old ways—the times have changed."

---

Long Group, CEO's Office.

The air pressure was terrifyingly low. An expensive bone china teacup was smashed violently against the marble floor, sending shards and tea splashing everywhere.

Long Zaitian stared fixedly at the two screens side-by-side in front of him. One showed the eyesore of the academic article abstract, especially the words "generational advantage," which seemed to mock his incompetence. On the other screen, the stock price of Long Group's core materials company was pulling a hideous downward line, its market value evaporating silently.

"Core strategic partner... Keyu Aerospace's orders... generational advantage..." Long Zaitian squeezed these words through his teeth, each one wrapped in ice shards, his eyes bloodshot. "Chen Fan! Are you a fucking cockroach? I can't stomp you to death, and you're just jumping higher and higher?!"

The group's network system had issues recently, leaving him no time to deal with Chen Fan, and he had actually let Chen Fan pull off so much.

What made his chest feel tightest, almost making him cough up blood, was that Chen Fan's factory—which should have been crippled by the EMP—had not only resumed production at an incredible speed but had also signed with Keyu.

Long Zaitian paced back and forth in the spacious office like an agitated trapped beast. He stopped abruptly, his hands bracing against the massive mahogany desk, veins bulging on the backs of his hands.

A direct frontal assault? Chen Fan now had Keyu Aerospace behind him, with the "Core Strategic Partner" status acting as a golden shield. Conventional business suppression and technical blockades would have greatly reduced effects and might even backfire.

Going head-to-head was a dead end for now.

He slowly raised his head, the fire of rage in his eyes gradually settling.

"Chen Fan... if I can't touch you personally, can I not touch the people around you?" The corners of Long Zaitian's mouth slowly curled into a twisted smile. "I heard your 'Spark Alliance' is doing quite well? Very loyal? Very tight-knit? Fine... I love breaking apart this kind of 'unity' the most."

He turned around suddenly, his voice decisive: "Suspend all frontal actions against Chen Fan and his direct industries. From today on, the strategic focus shifts completely!"

The assistant stiffened. "Young Master Long, the new target is?"

"The members of the Spark Alliance!" Calculation flickered in Long Zaitian's eyes. "Especially those small bosses who have been acting so high and mighty lately because of Chen Fan's technology and orders! Dig up everything on them!"

He walked back to his office chair and sat down, his fingers tapping on the desk as names and corresponding weaknesses flashed through his mind.

"First, Wang Yonggu of 'Yonggu New Materials'." A sharp light flashed in Long Zaitian's eyes. "I checked; he still owes our raw materials company over five million, and a ten-million-yuan bank loan is about to expire. Act immediately: demand payment, pressure the bank to withdraw the loan, and spread news that his capital chain has broken. I want his cash flow completely severed within three days!"

"Yes!" The assistant quickly noted it down.

"Second," Long Zaitian said sinisterly, "Li Guodong of 'Hongda Metals'. I remember... this man has an unsavory hobby. He likes to gamble a bit, has terrible luck, and has lost quite a lot. His family is almost falling apart over it, right?"

The assistant blinked, then nodded. "Young Master Long has a good memory. Indeed, Li Guodong is a heavy gambler and owes money at several underground dens, but the amounts aren't particularly large, so he can barely keep it hidden."

"Then give him a hand and make him owe a big one!" Long Zaitian's tone was relaxed. "Make arrangements to find a reliable den and set a trap to lure him in. Let him taste some sweetness first, win a million or so, and once his eyes turn red with greed, trap him in one go. I want him to owe a hole in one night that even a year's profit from Hongda Metals can't fill! Remember, the contracts, IOUs, and recordings—the full set of 'procedures' must be complete so he can't back out!"

A chill ran down the assistant's spine. "Understood! I know a few junkets from Wangmen; their methods are very professional. I guarantee it will be done cleanly, leaving Li Guodong with no choice but to suffer in silence!"

"Very good." Long Zaitian nodded with satisfaction, leaning back. "One loses his business, the other is ruined personally. When these two explode one after another, the others in the Spark Alliance will surely be panicked. Then, picking them off one by one will be as easy as turning over a hand!"

"Yonggu New Materials, Hongda Metals... this is just the beginning. We'll play slowly; I have plenty of time and means to play well with those 'brothers' of yours!"

The assistant took the order and exited the office silently and swiftly to arrange these two poisonous schemes, one overt and one covert.