835: Chapter 83 Delivering Something to You

He turned around and looked at Ning Ke, who was still in a daze.

"President Ning, by the current valuation, how many times will it multiply?"

The cigarette in Ning Ke's hand was finally lit, but he forgot to take a drag.

The ember glowed and dimmed right at his fingertip.

He looked at Shen Yan as if he were meeting this man for the first time.

Before, in his eyes, Shen Yan was an unlucky fellow with a bit of luck and a bit of courage.

Now, Shen Yan was a monster wearing human skin in his eyes.

Once this material is mass-produced, let alone doubling the valuation.

The entire high-end manufacturing industry chain in Jinghai, or even the entire country, would have to watch his expression to survive.

This was an attempt to flip the table and set new rules.

"Shen Yan..."

Ning Ke took a deep breath, threw away the cigarette butt, and stomped it out with his foot.

He straightened his tie, and his face assumed a solemn expression he had never worn before.

"No, President Shen."

"I'm afraid we mortals cannot comprehend this valuation."

"Tomorrow, I will summon all the bosses involved in heavy industry in Jinghai."

"Our Cloud Top Clubhouse must host a grand banquet for you."

Shen Yan smiled but did not reply.

He walked up to the metal ingot and reached out to touch its cold surface.

"Guang Ke."

Shen Yan called out softly.

"Brother Yan, I'm here!"

Chen Guangke immediately straightened his back, his voice loud and clear.

"Cut this sample piece in half and prepare exquisite packaging."

Shen Yan turned his head and looked out at the pitch-black night outside the window, toward the direction of the Liu family in the Jinghai district.

"Send a gift to our arrogant Dr. Liang."

"Tell them the good show has only just begun."

The night was as dark as ink, shattered by neon lights.

A black maybach slowly stopped at the entrance of the Park Hyatt Hotel in downtown Jinghai City.

Chen Guangke unbuckled his seatbelt, tightly clutching the still-warm sandalwood box he had just brought from the workshop.

He glanced at Shen Yan in the passenger seat.

Shen Yan was resting with his eyes closed, his fingertips tapping rhythmically on his knee.

Only Shen Yan could see that a pale blue system panel on his retina had just refreshed with a new message.

[Daily Intelligence Updated]

[Target: Liang Zexu]

[Intelligence Level: B-Rank (Involving Old Secrets)]

[Details: Fifteen years ago, Liang Zexu, Feng Quji's sole doctoral student, stole core experimental data on the eve of Feng Quji completing the "33 Al-Li Alloy Formula." He preemptively published the paper, causing Feng Quji to be expelled from the research institute under the stigma of "academic fraud." Liang Zexu used this opportunity to obtain a full scholarship for overseas study, publicly claiming that Feng Quji was jealous of his talent.]

The finger Shen Yan used to tap his knee suddenly stopped.

So it wasn't just contempt.

This was an old debt that needed to be settled clearly.

Originally, he only planned to use this piece of metal to silence Liang Zexu and boost his company's profile.

But now, the nature of the matter had changed.

This was settling a score within the family.

"Brother Yan, we're here."

Chen Guangke's voice trembled slightly, not out of fear, but excitement.

"Let's go."

Shen Yan pushed the door open and got out.

The banquet hall at the Park Hyatt Hotel was hosting the "Jinghai High-End Materials Science and Technology Salon" that evening.

The organizer was the investment institution that had previously rejected Shen Yan, and the center of attention was naturally the overseas-returned Doctor Liang Zexu.

The banquet hall was magnificent, with champagne towers refracting intoxicating light.

Well-dressed elites held wine glasses, uttering professional jargon that sounded expensive.

Liang Zexu wore a perfectly tailored silver-gray suit, his hair meticulously combed.

He stood in the center of the hall, swirling a glass of red wine, his face bearing the reserved arrogance unique to scholars.

A circle of investors eager to give him money surrounded him.

"Dr. Liang, I heard your team has conquered the fatigue testing for the 7-series aluminum alloy?"

A bald investor said obsequiously.

Liang Zexu took a sip of wine and smiled faintly.

"Just a minor breakthrough. In overseas labs, this was something people were done playing with five years ago."

"China's basic industry is too weak. Catching up isn't just about throwing money; it requires brains."

As he spoke, he pointed to his temple.

The surrounding crowd echoed his words, their flattery deafening.

"Indeed. If it weren't for Dr. Liang returning to China, our materials science in Jinghai would still be in the Stone Age."

"Some nouveau riche think they can dabble in scientific research just because they have a few stinking coins. It's a joke."

This statement was clearly pointed.

Everyone in the circle knew that Shen Yan had approached Liang Zexu with blueprints a few days ago, but the deal didn't go through.

Liang Zexu enjoyed the feeling of controlling the scene, raising his voice slightly.

"Scientific research is sacred. It's not something some stray cats and dogs can try to claim just by gathering a few useless experts."

"I heard that Shen Yan found Feng Quji?"

"Heh, a drunkard whose hands were ruined in an experimental accident, paired with an outsider who dabbles in software."

"That combination can probably only forge scrap iron."

A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

The air was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

Until the doors of the banquet hall were pushed open by two servers.

A chill that did not belong there slipped in.

Shen Yan wore an ordinary black trench coat, without even a tie.

Chen Guangke followed behind him, holding the wooden box as if it were the Imperial Seal.

The laughter stopped abruptly, like a duck whose neck had been grabbed.

All eyes focused on the doorway.

Liang Zexu's smile froze for a moment, then shifted into an expression of watching a show.

He swirled his wine glass and walked over slowly.

"Oh, isn't this President Shen?"

"What, is the scrap metal collection station closed? Come here for a free drink?"

He glanced at the box in Chen Guangke's hand, feigning surprise.

"Or perhaps President Shen forged some peerless divine weapon and wants me to appraise it?"

A round of low chuckles sounded from the surroundings.

Shen Yan ignored the grating noises.

He walked straight up to Liang Zexu and stopped.

The distance between the two men was less than half a meter.

Shen Yan was half a head taller than Liang Zexu, and this condescending view made Liang Zexu very uncomfortable.

"Dr. Liang."

Shen Yan's voice was flat, betraying no emotion.

"I have come to deliver something to you on behalf of someone else."

Liang Zexu frowned and subconsciously took half a step back.

"Deliver something? What? I don't accept trash."

Shen Yan didn't speak, merely nodded toward Chen Guangke.

Chen Guangke stepped forward and slammed the sandalwood box heavily onto the display stand in front of Liang Zexu.

On that stand originally rested a sample of imported aluminum alloy brought by Liang Zexu, which he had boasted was an "industrial work of art."

The slam was forceful.

Liang Zexu's sample vibrated slightly.

"Open it."

Shen Yan uttered two words.

Chen Guangke took a deep breath, and with a click, he undid the latch.

The box opened.

There was no dazzling golden light, nor any special effects.

There was only a silver-gray metal ingot lying quietly on the black velvet cloth.

It looked too ordinary.

Apart from the heart-stopping smoothness of the cut surface, it looked no different from a regular aluminum ingot.