Chapter 157 Report on the Red Star Technology Phenomenon

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation spoke next.

That leader pushed up his glasses, his tone even more excited than Vice Minister Liu's:

"I don't understand industrial matters; I only talk about money."

"From last year's 'Red Star · gentle breeze' and 'red star whirlwind' shavers..."

"...to this year's 'Red Star · forest oxygen bar' and 'M1' machine tools."

"Red Star Technology is like a money-printing machine."

"The country's foreign exchange situation has been greatly improved."

The representative from the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building followed closely, saying:

"The 500 machine tools delivered by Quancheng No. 1 Machine Tool Plant this time have opened up the Middle East market."

"Everyone knows what the situation in the Middle East is like right now."

"Now that the situation has opened up, if all goes well..."

He paused and said:

"It is estimated that within the next 3 to 5 years, the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building can earn more than 500 million US dollars in foreign exchange for the country!"

"Clatter!"

Someone dropped their pen on the table.

What did 500 million US dollars mean in 1981?

That was an astronomical figure, enough to make any high-level leader lose sleep out of envy.

"Moreover, we've discovered an interesting economic model."

Vice Minister Liu of the First Ministry of Machine Building Industry added a concluding point:

"Red Star Technology never keeps all the profits to itself."

"For every 1 yuan they earn domestically, they drive a 40 yuan increase in revenue for upstream and downstream raw materials, logistics, and supporting factories."

"For every 1 dollar of foreign exchange earned abroad, they drive 5 dollars of foreign exchange in related industries."

"This is an engine, a locomotive that can pull the entire industrial system forward!"

The atmosphere in the meeting hall reached a fever pitch.

At this moment, the representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs raised his hand somewhat oddly.

"Ahem, I agree on the economy and industry."

"But there's a situation here that's a bit... bizarre."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative took out an internal reference document:

"Ever since that 'Rare Earth Strategy' was launched..."

"Our hand at the negotiating table has indeed become much stronger."

"But recently, something has been a bit off with the Lighthouse Country."

"What's off?" Zhang Zhengguo's eyebrows quirked.

"Their intelligence agencies."

"Seem to have developed a sort of... for Red Star Technology, or rather, for Comrade Lin Xi..."

"...deep apprehension."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative had a complex expression, as if he wanted to laugh but didn't dare:

"They seem to have over-interpreted some of Red Star's civilian technologies as precursor technologies for certain strategic weapons."

"For example, the bestseller 'the secret of qi' that promotes the forest oxygen bar."

"The American side believes it's research into directed-energy weapons."

"We've debunked the rumors multiple times through informal channels, saying it's just an advertisement for selling fans."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative spread his hands:

"In the end, the people from the Lighthouse Country actually believed it more, thinking we were engaging in 'strategic deception'."

"They've judged Red Star Technology to be unfathomable."

"Intelligence shows that the Lighthouse Country has even accelerated their 'Star Wars' program because of this."

"Pfft—"

The leader of the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building, who was drinking water, spat it out directly.

The big shots looked at each other, their expressions a colorful sight to behold.

A company that builds machine tools and sells fans...

...actually managed to fool the intelligence agency of a superpower until they were limping?

This kind of "accidental" strategic deterrence was almost more effective than actual missiles.

"This is also a good thing."

Zhang Zhengguo pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the water off the table, speaking with a straight face:

"The way of war is the way of deception."

"Since they're willing to be afraid, let them stay afraid."

By this point in the meeting, the tone had been completely set.

The "Red Star Model" must be protected, promoted, and reported to the highest levels.

Just as everyone was preparing to pack up their documents and end the meeting...

A leader who hadn't said much couldn't help but tap on the table.

"Old Zhang, I have a personal question here to ask on behalf of everyone."

Zhang Zhengguo's heart skipped a beat, and he looked at the other man warily:

"What are you doing?"

"If you want money, there is none. If you want people, there are none."

"Lin Xi belongs to our Seventh Ministry of Machine Building Industry; no one should even think about transferring him!"

The leader waved his hand:

"No transfers, no transfers."

"I'm just curious."

"Look, this Comrade Lin Xi."

"Technically, he can handle Swiss experts; managerially, he can coordinate eighteen major factories; and strategically, he can plan for a foundation that lasts ten thousand generations."

"He can even play the people from the Lighthouse Country like a fiddle."

"A talent like this—which compound was he raised in?"

"Is he forty? Or fifty?"

"A person this mature and calculating must be around that age, right?"

This question voiced what everyone present was thinking.

In their imagination...

Lin Xi should be an old expert with graying temples and thick glasses who had spent half his life struggling on some secret front.

Everyone's gaze focused on Zhang Zhengguo once again.

Zhang Zhengguo slowly closed the lid of his teacup and leaned back against the chair.

A punchable expression appeared on his face, the kind that said, "My kid came in first in the whole province, but I have to act like I don't care."

"Forty years old?"

Zhang Zhengguo chuckled. "Your vision is still too limited."

He held up two fingers and waved them in the air.

"After the new year, he'll be twenty-one by nominal age."

"Snap."

This time it wasn't a pen dropping; the temple of the glasses in the questioning leader's hand was snapped clean off.

"How old?!"

"Twenty-one?!"

"Old Zhang, are you joking?!"

"What was I doing at twenty-one? I was playing with mud in Beidahuang!"

"A twenty-one-year-old understands hydrostatic pressure?"

"He can command eighteen subordinate machine tool plants?"

The meeting hall instantly exploded, and the serious atmosphere vanished without a trace.

The big shots stared wide-eyed, as if they were hearing a fairy tale.

This completely violated the objective laws of cadre development, and even biological laws!

Seeing everyone's horrified expressions, Zhang Zhengguo felt incredibly satisfied.

He slowly stood up and straightened the collar of his zhongshan suit.

He lightly delivered the final, fatal blow:

"He is a bit young."

"However..."

Zhang Zhengguo paused, his gaze sweeping across the room. His voice wasn't loud, but it landed like a thunderclap:

"He is Elder Qian's student."

"Personally taught, his final disciple."

Boom!

The originally noisy meeting hall instantly fell silent.

Everyone's expression changed from 'shocked' to 'sudden realization', and finally to 'it makes sense'.

"Oh... Elder Qian."

"He's Elder Qian's student; then it's reasonable."

"I was wondering, how could an ordinary person have such skill?"

"Since he was brought up by that Elder Qian, it's normal for a genius to emerge."

"No wonder the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building Industry is guarding him so closely."

"This isn't just a talent; this is a successor."

This was the weight of a national-level grandmaster.

As long as this great figure was brought out...

Never mind if Lin Xi was 21.

Even if you said he was 12, these people would have come up with a 'prodigy descended to earth' script in their heads.

Zhang Zhengguo watched as this group of people completed the logical loop on their own.

He laughed inwardly: Sorry, Elder Qian, I'll have to borrow your banner to show off a bit longer.