527: Chapter 522's attack was bigger and more dangerous than his.

"Elder Long, what do you think of Wu Qingyuan's recent chess manual? The method for countering the 'Tengen' move is truly exquisite."

Mr. Ling’s voice came through, carrying a hint of deliberate flattery.

Long Tianzheng held his teacup, merely nodding faintly without responding.

The atmosphere was somewhat cold.

A flicker of awkwardness crossed Mr. Ling’s face.

Ms. Su sat to the side, keeping her eyes down, acting as if she saw nothing.

"The step CEO Ling mentioned must be the one countering the star point invasion, the 'Three-Three Incursion into the Corner,' right?"

A calm voice suddenly interjected.

The three of them looked up simultaneously toward the source of the sound.

Shen Yan had stood up at some unknown time and walked up to them.

A polite smile played on his face, but his gaze fell upon the empty air in front of Long Tianzheng, as if an invisible chessboard lay there.

"Master Wu's move, while appearing to be a counter, is actually a lure."

"He sacrifices a corner territory to gain thickness in the center, all for the sake of slaying the dragon in the latter half of the game."

"This is no longer mere chess technique; it’s the application of 'momentum' (Shi)."

Mr. Ling frowned. Who was this young man who suddenly appeared? How dare he interrupt?

When he clearly saw Shen Yan's face, a trace of disdain flashed in his eyes.

"You are, Shen Yan?"

He recognized this rising star who had been making waves recently.

Shen Yan nodded at him as a greeting.

His gaze remained fixed on Long Tianzheng.

The previously still eyes of Long Tianzheng finally showed a ripple.

He raised his head and looked at the young man directly for the first time.

"You understand chess?"

"I know a little.", Shen Yan replied neither subserviently nor overbearingly.

"Sit."

Long Tianzheng pointed to an empty seat beside him.

That single word instantly made Mr. Ling’s expression turn ugly.

He had tried his best to integrate into this circle, yet he couldn't compare to Shen Yan’s few words.

Shen Yan sat down calmly.

"Mr. Shen, you are truly young and promising.", Mr. Ling spoke with a forced, insincere smile. "I heard your company recently acquired land in City T and established some 'janus' studio. Now you plan to enter the chip industry?"

This statement sounded like flattery, but it was actually laced with hidden barbs.

Shen Yan picked up his champagne and took a gentle sip.

"CEO Ling is quite well-informed."

"It's not that I'm well-informed; it’s that Mr. Shen’s movements are too significant. It’s hard not to notice."

Mr. Ling leaned forward, pressing aggressively.

"I'm just curious, the chip sector is a bottomless pit. You could pour tens of billions in and might not even hear a splash."

"Mr. Shen started with software. Such a huge leap across fields—aren't you moving a bit too fast?"

His words caused the air around them to chill slightly.

Ms. Su also raised her eyelids, watching Shen Yan with keen interest, wanting to see how he would respond.

This was the question on everyone's mind.

Why would an outsider dare to venture into this forbidden zone dominated by giants and national teams?

Shen Yan did not look at him.

He placed his glass down with a crisp sound.

"CEO Ling is right. Manufacturing chips is indeed a money burner."

He admitted it frankly.

"However, many people misunderstand one thing."

"They think that once the chip is made, they have won."

"That is not the case."

Shen Yan’s gaze swept over everyone present, including the silent Long Tianzheng.

"The chip is the skeleton, but without flesh and nerves, the skeleton is just a pile of useless white bones."

"What are the flesh and nerves?" Ms. Su suddenly asked, her voice cool but carrying a hint of curiosity.

"It is the application; it is the ecosystem."

Shen Yan replied.

"My janus project is my Artificial Intelligence model; it is the nerve center."

"All the software and services under my banner are the flesh grown around this center."

"When my users and my industries can no longer do without this ecosystem, I need a skeleton that belongs entirely to me to support all of it."

"I am not gambling money on some vague, ethereal future."

His voice was calm, yet it resonated forcefully.

"I am forging the cornerstone for the empire I built with my own hands."

This speech turned Mr. Ling’s face from green to pale.

He intended to use technological barriers and capital thresholds to corner Shen Yan, but the other party had directly elevated the discussion to the level of strategic structure.

He was talking about 'Technique' (Shu), while Shen Yan was discussing the 'Way' (Dao).

The difference in superiority was immediately clear.

Brilliance shone brightly in Ms. Su’s beautiful eyes.

This man was far more formidable than described in the files.

"Well said."

The always silent Long Tianzheng spoke slowly.

He looked at Shen Yan, his eyes holding a trace of admiration.

"Pre-emptive positioning, planning before acting—it has the flavor of the chessboard."

"Elder Long flatters me.", Shen Yan nodded slightly.

"Business is like a game of chess; sometimes one wrong move leads to losing the whole board."

"But sometimes, a risky move can also bring a dead situation back to life."

He shifted his tone, seemingly casually saying.

"Like young entrepreneurs today, daring to dream and daring to fight; their courage is commendable. Although they may lack experience and take some detours, that drive is the most precious thing."

"I heard that Elder Long’s son recently made a risky move in the e-commerce field. I deeply admire his boldness."

As soon as these words left his mouth, the hand holding the teacup paused in mid-air for half a second.

The expressions of Mr. Ling and Ms. Su instantly became subtle.

The news of Long Xiaoyu's failed entrepreneurial venture was no secret in this circle.

But no one dared to mention it in front of Long Tianzheng.

This was reopening an old wound.

Was this Shen Yan crazy?

The atmosphere, which had just eased, instantly dropped back to freezing point.

Long Tianzheng slowly put down his teacup, looking at Shen Yan with profound eyes.

"It seems Mr. Shen did quite a bit of homework before coming here."

"Knowing yourself and knowing your enemy is the most basic respect for the game of chess.", Shen Yan met his gaze without retreating in the slightest.

"I am very interested in Young Master Long’s 'Xinchao E-commerce' project."

"Oh?" Long Tianzheng's tone betrayed no emotion.

"His direction is not wrong; he just lacks the 'momentum' (Shi) to ignite the market."

"My 'janus' can provide him with consumption habit analysis precise to every single user, and my social software can drive tens of millions of young users to him."

Shen Yan looked at Long Tianzheng and slowly stated his objective.

"I can invest in his Series A round."

"The condition is that Guojin Capital must also become one of the lead investors in my 'Poxiao' chip project."

The entire room fell silent.

Mr. Ling’s mouth fell open; he could hardly believe what he heard.

This Shen Yan was actually negotiating terms right in front of Long Tianzheng!

Not only did he expose the Long family's weakness, but he was also using this matter to leverage investment from Guojin Capital in return!

This was no longer just being bold.

This was playing with fire in a dragon's den.

Long Tianzheng stared at Shen Yan for a full ten seconds.

Those ten seconds felt as long as a century.

Just as Mr. Ling thought he was about to erupt in anger.

Long Tianzheng suddenly laughed.

A very faint smile appeared on his gaunt face.

"Your move here is bigger than Xiaoyu's."

"And riskier than his."