721: What's the point of Chapter 716?

Shen Yan offered no comment, merely picking up his teacup and taking a small sip.

Lin Zhiyao understood the implication. He took out a beautifully bound cooperation agreement from his briefcase and presented it to Shen Yan with both hands.

"Mr. Shen, this is a cooperation framework we drafted overnight. Please review it first."

Shen Yan did not take it, only glancing at it lightly.

"Director Lin, please get straight to the main points."

A thin layer of sweat beaded on Lin Zhiyao's forehead. He nodded, opened the agreement, and continued.

"We completely agree to all the conditions you proposed."

"The Tiangong Intelligence company will be majority-owned by our Lin family with fifty-one percent, granting us veto power. Mr. Shen's team will hold the remaining forty-nine percent."

"Our Lin family will contribute the entire database of core crafts like Su Embroidery, Kesi, and Yun Brocade, along with the craftsmanship experience and Artisan resources accumulated over several hundred years by our family, as our technical investment."

"The company's daily operations and market promotion will be entirely handled by Mr. Shen's team. We will only be responsible for technical inheritance and craft oversight, and will absolutely not interfere."

Having said this, he paused, looked up at Shen Yan, and then stated a clause that caused even Shen Yan a slight surprise.

"In addition, to demonstrate our sincerity and our confidence in the future of Tiangong Intelligence, our Lin family is willing to inject an additional one billion in cash as the initial startup capital for the company, outside of the agreement."

"And..."

Excitement crept into Lin Zhiyao's voice.

"We hope to sign a permanent binding agreement with Mr. Shen. Tiangong Intelligence will serve as the most crucial strategic core for our Lin family's future. We will dedicate all our resources to supporting its development."

"We do not seek short-term gains; what we want is for the Lin family's name to stand alongside Mr. Shen at the pinnacle of the Artificial Intelligence era's wave!"

When his words fell, the warm pavilion fell silent.

Even Youyou, who had been playing nearby, seemed to sense the unusual atmosphere, stopped what she was doing, and looked over curiously.

The Lin family was placing a bet.

No, this was no longer just a bet.

This was an 'all-in' move.

They were staking their entire family future on Shen Yan.

They were even willing to spend an extra billion just to secure a ticket onto Shen Yan's massive vessel.

Shen Yan finally raised his eyelids, his gaze sweeping over Lin Boyuan and Lin Zhiyao.

He saw the longing, the ambition, and a trace of desperate resolution in their eyes.

He knew his objective had been achieved.

What he wanted had never been a mere technology supplier.

What he wanted was an ally who would invest all resources without reservation and bind deeply with him.

Clearly, the Lin family possessed more boldness than he had anticipated.

Shen Yan picked up the agreement and casually flipped through it.

Then, under the tense gaze of the Lin family members, he pushed the agreement back.

Lin Zhiyao's heart instantly sank to the bottom.

"Mr. Shen, is... is there something we haven't done well enough?"

Shen Yan shook his head, a slight smile curving his lips.

"No, you've done too well."

He looked at Lin Boyuan and spoke slowly.

"The startup capital is not needed from the Lin family. I will invest the one billion."

"I have only one requirement."

"All core technical personnel for Tiangong Intelligence must be personally selected by me. All encryption and storage of core data must also use my standards."

Lin Boyuan was first stunned upon hearing this, then overcome with joy.

Shen Yan was using his actions to tell them that he not only wanted cooperation but also intended to advance the project using top-tier resources!

"No problem! Everything will be done as Mr. Shen says!"

Lin Boyuan blurted it out, afraid Shen Yan might change his mind.

Shen Yan stood up, walked over to Youyou, and picked her up.

The little girl snuggled into his arms and yawned.

"It's getting late; the child needs to sleep."

He looked at Lin Boyuan and extended his hand.

"A pleasant cooperation, Elder Lin."

Lin Boyuan quickly stood up, gripping Shen Yan's hand tightly, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

"A pleasant cooperation, Mr. Shen!"

Lin Boyuan's hand still held an almost imperceptible tremor.

What he was holding onto felt not like the hand of a young man, but the hand of an era that was rapidly ascending.

Shen Yan gently returned the grip, his pressure steady, and then let go.

He turned around and carefully handed the sleepy-eyed Youyou in his arms over to Liu Hui.

"We will be leaving now."

His tone was calm, as if the grand project just finalized—one worth hundreds of billions that would change the entire landscape of traditional craftsmanship—was merely a casual dinner invitation.

Lin Boyuan and Lin Zhiyao escorted them to the entrance of the warm pavilion.

"Mr. Shen, please take care."

"Mrs. Shen, Miss Youyou, please be careful on your way."

Their demeanor was respectful and proper, with none of the probing attitude from the daytime remaining.

Watching the backs of Shen Yan's family disappear at the end of the moonlit corridor, Lin Zhiyao finally let out a long breath, feeling his back was already slightly damp with sweat.

He turned back to his father, his voice carrying suppressed excitement and a touch of lingering fear.

"Dad, did we... bet correctly?"

Lin Boyuan did not answer immediately.

He turned and walked back into the warm pavilion, picked up the now completely cold Biluochun tea from the table, and downed it in one gulp.

The crisp tea slid down his throat, but it could not quench the fire burning in his heart.

"Zhiyao."

"Dad?"

"This is not a gamble."

Lin Boyuan's gaze fell upon the empty main seat, his expression complex.

"This is the greatest opportunity our Lin family has had in a hundred years."

He paused, his voice becoming exceptionally serious.

"From today forward, all Lin family resources will be unconditionally tilted toward the Tiangong Intelligence project. All clan members must unconditionally comply with any request from Mr. Shen."

"Anyone who violates this will be expelled from the family."

Lin Zhiyao's heart tightened.

He had never heard his father issue an order with such resolute finality.

"I understand."

"You don't understand."

Lin Boyuan shook his head, slowly sat down, looking as if all his strength had been instantly drained.

"What we see is just the tip of the iceberg. The things he exchanged with us—quantum encryption, extreme environment AI, core lithography machine algorithms..."

"Any single one of these items is enough for a nation to list it as a top strategic technology."

"And he gave them to us as if he were casually taking a few candies out of his pocket."

Lin Zhiyao gasped.

Only then did he truly realize the terrifying power hidden behind Shen Yan's casually presented background report.

"What is he after?"

"What he is after are the 'roots' we have accumulated over these several hundred years."

A flash of realization crossed Lin Boyuan's eyes.