15: Chapter 15 A Two-Front Crisis! Rare Earth Monopoly and the Shadow of Assassination (2)

The supply chain crisis was easily resolved by Engineer Mu through a technological breakthrough.

Zhang Hongyuan's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, completely settled. The look in his eyes as he gazed at Engineer Mu deepened with admiration: "Engineer Mu, you truly have the gift of foresight! If not for the purification optimization technology you redeemed in advance, we would have really been ruined by the supply chain this time. Not only would we be unable to pay the breach of contract penalties, but we would have also completely missed the window for technology promotion!"

Engineer Mu shook his head, his tone calm yet tinged with gravity: "This is just the beginning. The Six International Energy Giants have suffered successive defeats in technology and supply chains; they will never just let it go. They still have a second move—assassination by Mercenaries."

As he spoke, he briefly relayed the threatening content of John's phone call from last night to Zhang Hongyuan, Dr. Chen, Lin Guodong, and the others.

The expressions of everyone present instantly grew tense again; the relaxed atmosphere from resolving the supply chain crisis vanished completely.

They could find ways to deal with commercial competition and technological blockades, but assassination by Mercenaries touched upon the bottom line of life safety—this was a danger no one had anticipated!

"Engineer Mu, what about your safety?" Zhang Hongyuan said immediately. "I will immediately transfer twenty top-tier security personnel from a security company to provide you with 24-hour close protection, and I will have bulletproof glass and protective barriers installed at your residence and the R&D center!"

"Ordinary security personnel cannot deal with the world's top Mercenaries," Engineer Mu said calmly. "They are well-trained, well-equipped, and may even carry heavy weapons; conventional protection is simply useless. However, I have already contacted the China Security Bureau in advance. They will send a professional special security team over. These are all elites who have experienced actual combat and can handle various emergencies. Besides, I have also made some preparations."

As he spoke, Engineer Mu took several palm-sized black devices from his briefcase and handed them to Dr. Chen, Lin Guodong, and the engineers beside him: "These are danger warning devices I developed based on energy sensing technology. They have built-in micro-energy detectors capable of precisely detecting signals from firearms, grenades, and other weapons within five hundred meters, and can also capture the trajectories of high-speed moving dangerous targets. Each of you should carry one. Once turned on, a flashing red indicator light means there is danger. The R&D center, my residence, and the core workshops of Huaguang Rare Earth have all been equipped with comprehensive energy protection systems. Once an unidentified person breaks in, the system will automatically trigger a high-frequency alarm while sealing off the entry and exit channels to buy time for rescue."

Just then, the danger warning device in Engineer Mu's pocket suddenly emitted a slight vibration, and the red indicator light flashed rapidly, with the frequency getting faster and faster! His expression changed, and he shouted loudly: "There is danger! Everyone, hide in the safe area of the laboratory immediately!"

Everyone had no time to think; they followed Engineer Mu and rushed into the explosion-proof safe room inside the laboratory. Just as they closed the heavy alloy door, a loud "bang" came from outside, shaking the entire laboratory, followed by the crisp sound of shattering glass and muffled gunshots!

"It's a sniper rifle!" An engineer in the safe room turned pale, his voice trembling. "They actually dared to take action directly within the factory grounds inside China; this is too arrogant!"

Engineer Mu looked out through the observation port of the safe room and saw a black figure flash across the roof of an abandoned office building outside the factory wall. Clearly, the sniper was changing positions after firing. He immediately took out his encrypted communication phone and dialed the contact number for the China Security Bureau. His tone was urgent yet clear and organized: "Huaguang Rare Earth factory in Donghai City, under sniper assassination attack. The suspect is on the roof of an abandoned office building three hundred meters northwest of the factory, carrying a sniper weapon. Requesting immediate reinforcements!"

"Received! Engineer Mu, stay hidden! Our special security team happens to be executing a mission in the vicinity of Donghai City and will arrive at the scene to carry out an arrest within five minutes!" A hurried yet firm response came from the other end of the phone.

The five minutes felt exceptionally long during the tense wait. Everyone in the safe room held their breath, and they could clearly hear each other's heartbeats. Only when intense gunfire and the roar of helicopters came from outside did the tension in everyone's hearts ease slightly. Ten minutes later, a staff member from the China Security Bureau called: "Engineer Mu, the suspect has been successfully captured! Preliminary confirmation indicates he is a member of the top international Mercenary organization 'Black Scorpion Organization'. He was carrying a high-precision sniper rifle, grenades, and a silenced pistol. When arrested, he was biting down on a highly toxic capsule, but our team members stopped him in time, preventing him from committing suicide."

Engineer Mu breathed a sigh of relief and raised his hand to signal that it was safe to go out. Opening the safe room door, the factory grounds were in a mess: where they had just been standing, the ground had been hit by the sniper rifle, leaving a deep crater. Surrounding experimental equipment had been struck by flying shrapnel, glass shards were scattered everywhere, and bullet marks remained on the walls. Looking at the scene before him, Lin Guodong was filled with lingering fear and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead: "Engineer Mu, fortunately, your reaction was fast and the warning device was effective, otherwise we would have all been in trouble today! This 'Black Scorpion Organization' is truly too audacious!"

"Was the 'Black Scorpion Organization' hired by the Six International Energy Giants?" Zhang Hongyuan asked through gritted teeth, his eyes full of anger.

"In all likelihood, yes." Engineer Mu's gaze was cold. "The 'Black Scorpion Organization' is notorious internationally, and there has always been the shadow of Western capital behind them, specializing in handling 'shady' business for multinational corporations. The fact that they dared to openly conduct an assassination within China this time clearly shows they are emboldened. There must be the Six International Energy Giants backing them, and they may even have received the tacit approval of certain Western forces."

Not long after, the person in charge from the China Security Bureau arrived at the scene with several special security personnel and reported the situation to Engineer Mu in detail: "Engineer Mu, after preliminary interrogation, this Mercenary confessed that their organization sent a total of five core members to infiltrate Donghai City, all targeting you. Besides him, there are four others lurking near your residence, the Universal Energy R&D Center, and the headquarters, each equipped with different weapons, preparing to act when the opportunity arises. We have already launched a city-wide manhunt and have currently locked onto the locations of two of them and are in the process of arresting them."

"Thank you for your hard work." Engineer Mu nodded. "Additionally, please thoroughly investigate the financial dealings and personnel connections between the 'Black Scorpion Organization' and the Six International Energy Giants. Collect evidence of their crimes; we must not let the masterminds behind the scenes go unpunished."

"Please rest assured. We have already established a special investigation team, uniting the police, customs, and other departments. We will definitely follow this lead to the very end and bring all involved personnel and the masterminds to justice!" The person in charge said solemnly, then arranged for two experienced special security personnel to remain by Engineer Mu's side for full-time close protection, while also dispatching additional personnel to strengthen security at all key locations.

After experiencing this thrilling assassination storm, Engineer Mu did not retreat in the slightest; instead, he became even more determined to push forward with technology R&D and promotion. He knew that the reason the International Energy Giants were so unscrupulous was because they feared his technology would break their monopoly and shake their global energy hegemony. Only by truly implementing the technology, forming a large-scale industrial advantage, and establishing an autonomous and controllable industrial chain could he completely deprive them of the ability to threaten him.

That evening, Engineer Mu returned to his residence at Skyline One. Instead of resting, he worked through the night to perfect the R&D plan for the new rare-earth-free permanent magnet. He combined the R&D blueprints redeemed from the system with Huaguang Rare Earth's technical data and experimental results to formulate a detailed three-stage R&D plan: Phase One, utilize existing equipment to complete the basic formulation R&D of the rare-earth-free permanent magnet and ensure core performance meets standards; Phase Two, overcome the nano-composite process challenges and solve stability issues during mass production; Phase Three, optimize the formulation and process to achieve magnetic performance that surpasses traditional rare-earth permanent magnets while reducing production costs.

Early the next morning, Engineer Mu brought the perfected R&D plan back to Huaguang Rare Earth and held an emergency R&D meeting with Lin Guodong and the technical team. When Lin Guodong saw the R&D blueprint and expected performance data for the rare-earth-free permanent magnet, he was so excited he nearly jumped out of his chair: "Engineer Mu, this... this is simply a disruptive technology! If it can be successfully developed, not only will our Huaguang Rare Earth leap to become the leading enterprise in the global permanent magnet field, but the entire China will be able to completely shake off its dependence on foreign rare earth purification technology and high-end permanent magnets, gaining a voice in the field of global core energy materials!"

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

"That's right, this is also our key bargaining chip against the international energy giants," Mu Li said. "I've already had Universal Energy allocate 500 million in R&D funds to establish a joint R&D team. It will be co-led by Dr. Chen and your company's technical director, Engineer Zhao. We'll draw core technical personnel from both sides, aiming to complete the first stage of R&D within three months and achieve small-batch production within six months."

"No problem! We'll transfer all our core technical personnel, work in 24-hour shifts, and arrange food and lodging right at the factory. We won't delay the progress for a second!" Lin Guodong promised, thumping his chest, his eyes full of fighting spirit.

Just as the joint R&D work was in full swing, Mu Li received unexpected news. The Ministry of Energy of Jilong Country in the Nanyang region had sent a formal invitation through the China Energy Administration. They invited him to attend the upcoming "Southeast Asian Energy Cooperation Summit" in Jilong Country and expressed hope to introduce his Wireless Power Transmission Technology to solve the power supply problems in Jilong Country's remote mountainous areas and islands.

"Jilong Country?" Zhang Hongyuan was somewhat surprised. "Why would they suddenly invite us? And with a letter sent personally by the Ministry of Energy, the level of hospitality is quite high."

"It must have been the technical demonstration at the National Energy Conference that showed them our strength." Mu Li looked at the invitation in his hand, his gaze deep. "The energy market in the Nanyang region has long been monopolized by energy companies from the Europa Alliance. These companies not only charge high prices for electricity but also frequently restrict local development under the pretext of technical blockades. Jilong Country's initiative to invite us is both to solve their own power supply pain points and to use our technology to break the monopoly of the Europa Alliance companies. For us, this is an excellent opportunity for our technology to go global, opening a breakthrough into the Nanyang and even the global market."

"But your current safety..." Zhang Hongyuan was a bit worried. "If you go abroad and leave the domestic security system, the Mercenaries will likely take the opportunity to strike. The environment abroad is more complex, and the risk is too great."

"The China Security Bureau will arrange an exclusive security team to accompany us, equipped with a full set of protective gear and emergency plans. Additionally, I will bring the latest Portable Danger Warning and Defense Equipment we've developed," Mu Li said. "Taking our technology global is imperative; we can't give up this opportunity just because we're afraid of threats. Moreover, once our technology is implemented in the Nanyang region, it will further weaken the influence of the international energy giants and allow more countries to see the strength of Chinese technology, making subsequent promotion even smoother."

Just as Mu Li was preparing to reply and accept the invitation, even more startling news came from the China Security Bureau: "Engineer Mu, through the interrogation of the Black Scorpion Organization's Mercenaries, we've traced a larger conspiracy. The Six International Energy Giants have teamed up with the Star Alliance Nation's Military-Industrial Complex to set a trap for you in the Nanyang region. They not only want to assassinate you during the summit but also plan to seize your Wireless Power Transmission Technology data and equipment prototypes!"

"They really don't give up." A cold smile curled at the corner of Mu Li's mouth, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Since they want to make a move in the Nanyang region, I'll give them what they want. It's just as well; I'll show them that my technology and strength aren't something they can just covet as they please."

Zhang Hongyuan was anxious. "Engineer Mu, this is too dangerous! The other side has joined forces with the Military-Industrial Complex and has immense power. Plus, they might have more resources abroad. Perhaps we should decline the invitation and wait for a better time to consider going global?"

"Decline? That would only make them think we're afraid, and they'll only intensify their suppression of us in the future." Mu Li shook his head, his tone firm. "Not only am I going, but I'm also taking our technical team and equipment prototypes to perform a live demonstration at the summit. I want all the countries in the Nanyang region to see our technical strength and sincerity. As for their trap, I have my own way of dealing with it."

Subsequently, Mu Li immediately contacted the China Security Bureau to learn the details of the conspiracy. It turned out the Six International Energy Giants had bribed Jilong Country's opposition party, planning to create chaos with a terrorist attack on the day of the summit, and then have the remaining members of the Black Scorpion Organization strike Mu Li amidst the confusion. At the same time, they had forged a large amount of false evidence claiming "Mu Li's technology plagiarized Star Alliance Nation companies," which they intended to release at the summit to smear his reputation and stop the technology from going global.

"Since they want to play, I'll play with them to the end." A cold glint flashed in Mu Li's eyes. "Chairman Zhang, arrange for people immediately to compile our technical traceability report, certification documents from the International Academy of Energy Sciences, evidence of the Six International Energy Giants' previous slander against us, and information regarding the Black Scorpion Organization's assassination attempts. Have them translated into multiple languages like Chinese, English, and Malay, and printed into booklets to bring to the summit. Also, have the R&D team prepare a portable Wireless Power Transmission equipment prototype, keeping the size to that of a suitcase. I want to do a live demonstration at the summit and use our strength to slap them in the face for their false accusations!"

"Alright! I'll arrange it immediately!" Zhang Hongyuan nodded. Although he was still worried about Mu Li's safety, he knew that once Mu Li made a decision, it wouldn't change, and he also believed in Mu Li's wisdom and strength.

That evening, Mu Li opened his system panel again to check his remaining system points and unhesitatingly exchanged them for a "Portable Energy Defense Barrier" and a "Multi-language Technical Real-time Translation System."

[Exchange successful! The Portable Energy Defense Barrier has been issued. Once activated, it can form a high-density energy shield within a ten-meter radius, effectively resisting bullets, explosion shockwaves, and other attacks. It lasts for 30 minutes and can be recharged for repeated use.][The Multi-language Technical Real-time Translation System has been unlocked. It supports precise translation for over thirty languages, especially for professional terms in energy and engineering, achieving error-free conversion. Translation results can be output in real-time through earphones.]

Having made full preparations, Mu Li looked at the night outside his window, his heart filled with fighting spirit. This contest in the Nanyang region was not only the first battle for his technology to go global but also a direct confrontation between him and the international energy giants and Western forces.

He knew that in this battle, he could only win; he could not afford to lose. If he won, his Wireless Power Transmission Technology could smoothly go global, and the foundation of his energy empire would become even more solid. If he lost, not only would the plan for the technology to go global be ruined, but he would also fall into a passive position of being attacked, potentially even affecting the promotion process of the technology domestically.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Star Alliance Nation, at the headquarters of Huaxingmeng ExEnergy, John was in a meeting with several men in military uniforms who possessed powerful auras.

"The trap in Jilong Country has been set. The opposition party has already received our funds and weapons and will create large-scale chaos on the day of the summit. The top assassins of the Black Scorpion Organization are also in place, disguised as staff members around the venue," John said with a sinister smile. "This time, Mu Li must die in the Nanyang region, and his technical data and equipment prototypes must be seized! We absolutely cannot let China's new energy technology threaten our global hegemony!"

A tall man in a military uniform sneered, "Don't worry, we've already arranged for military satellites to monitor the summit area in real-time and mobilized special forces from nearby military bases for support. As long as Mu Li dares to go to Jilong Country, he can forget about coming back alive. His technology will ultimately only become a tool for us to consolidate our hegemony."

A life-and-death struggle spanning national borders was quietly brewing. Mu Li packed his bags and, accompanied by a special security team for personal protection, his technical team, and equipment prototypes, boarded a private plane to Longman City, the capital of Jilong Country.

The moment the plane took off, Mu Li looked out at the layers of clouds, his gaze resolute. He knew that what awaited him ahead were swords, shadows, and numerous traps, but he was fearless.

Technology is king, and strength is supreme. Anyone who tries to block his progress will be completely crushed! The energy landscape of the Nanyang region is about to be rewritten by his own hands! And this is merely the prologue to the rise of his energy empire; more challenges and opportunities await him to conquer in the future!