Chapter 71 Paulaner and Philippe are getting anxious

Yangcheng Liuhua Road Exhibition Hall, International Long-Distance Zone.

Hans practically crashed his way inside, trembling as he dialed that transoceanic number.

"Connect me to Frankfurt! Urgent! Hurry!"

The dozen or so seconds of the transfer tone felt like an entire century to the ears of this burly Germanic man.

His shirt was already soaked through, clinging tightly to his back, drenched in a cold sweat born of fear.

The scene in the exhibition hall just now was like a heavy hammer, shattering all of his professional pride.

"This is the Braun Technical Department," a languid German voice came through the receiver.

"This is Hans!"

"I need to speak to the CEO! Immediately!"

Hans roared into the mouthpiece, his voice cracking from extreme agitation.

After several transfers, the displeased voice of the CEO finally came from the other end:

"Hans, you'd better have a good reason to explain your loss of composure."

"Is Chinese rice wine really that delicious?"

"Boss, I've seen God..."

"No, it's a machine built by Satan!"

Hans clutched the receiver, his teeth chattering.

"Calm down. Did the Chinese build a flying saucer?"

"Or did they rub a giant out of a magic lamp?" the CEO continued mockingly.

"It's more terrifying than that!"

Hans stared fixedly toward Hall C in the distance.

"They built a micro-motor that hits 12,000 RPM!"

"And a 0.04mm electroformed foil!"

"Those are things our lab is still fantasizing about on blueprints..."

"No, pre-research technology! They've built the physical product!"

There was three seconds of silence on the other end of the line, followed by a scoff:

"Hans, has the heat gone to your head?"

"This is a science fiction plot."

"Damn it! I touched it with my own hands! It's real!"

Veins bulged on Hans's forehead as he hissed in a low voice, every word squeezed out from between his teeth:

"What's worse is that Philips's cunning Vandersa was also there!"

"If we don't get this technology, before next year is out, Braun will become scrap metal in a junkyard!"

"We will be swept into the dustbin of history like trash!"

The mocking laughter from across the ocean stopped abruptly.

In its place was a deathly silence, followed by rapid breathing and the sound of documents being flipped.

Half a minute later, the CEO's cold and majestic voice came through:

"Hans, I don't care what method you use."

"Buy it out, steal it, or kidnap that Chinese man and bring him back."

"What's the bottom line?" Hans swallowed hard.

"If it's real... there is no bottom line."

The CEO's voice carried a chilling murderous intent:

"If you still can't get it at all costs..."

"You don't need to return to Germany. Just jump into the Pearl River and feed the fish."

Click.

A busy tone followed.

Hans went limp against the hot glass wall, gasping for air.

Through the reflection in the glass, he saw Vandersa walking out from the other side, his face just as pale as paper.

Their gazes collided in the air.

They had been bantering allies just moments ago, but in the face of absolute interests, they had instantly become mortal enemies.

To survive, it had to be a fight to the death.

...

Inside the exhibition hall, at the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building Industry booth.

Although the crowd had dispersed, the afterglow of "having done something big" still fermented in the air.

Lin Xi sat behind the counter, seemingly resting with his eyes closed, but in reality, the bullet chat in the stream room before him was scrolling frantically.

【Here it comes! A classic business spy drama!】

【Those two foreigners ran faster than rabbits just now, they definitely went to call for backup!】

【What's the Streamer's move? Sell it to Braun or Philips?】

【Sell? The Streamer must be up to no good! Waiting for what happens next!】

As he watched, a hairy hand silently reached into the counter.

Under the guise of looking through a fan manual, a gold-embossed business card was pressed under a product brochure.

Lin Xi didn't even lift an eyelid.

Hans stood with his back to Section Chief Wang, speaking urgently in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Tonight at eight o'clock, Tai Ping Guan Western Restaurant."

"Just us, don't bring anyone else. There's big business."

Finished, he turned and blended into the crowd before Lin Xi could react.

Lin Xi picked up the card with two fingers, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.

"The fish has taken the bait."

...

Night fell at the Yangcheng Tai Ping Guan.

This was probably the place in 1980s Yangcheng that came closest to Western luxury.

Dim crystal chandeliers, deep red velvet curtains, and the air filled with the aroma of butter-seared steaks and money.

Section Chief Wang, wearing a suit, sat beside Lin Xi, looking entirely out of place.

Looking at the dishes on the menu that easily cost dozens of yuan, he felt his heart twitching.

"Manager Lin, this... isn't this too extravagant?"

Section Chief Wang whispered, his palms sweating. "This one meal will eat up half a year's salary."

"Don't worry, someone else is paying." Lin Xi slowly and methodically cut into the 'Premier Steak' in front of him.

Opposite them, Hans had long since lost his arrogance from earlier in the day.

He attentively poured expensive French red wine for Lin Xi, the wrinkles on his face smiling like a blooming chrysanthemum.

"Mr. Lin, is the beef to your liking?" Hans raised his glass.

"To our upcoming great friendship, cheers."

Lin Xi didn't clink glasses; he just watched him quietly, his gaze so clear it made Hans feel uneasy.

"Mr. Hans, my time is very precious."

"Since you said there's big business, let's not beat around the bush. Give me your price."

Hans's smile froze. He hadn't expected this Chinese youth to be so unconventional.

He set down his wine glass, took a deep breath, pulled a pre-filled check from his briefcase, and pushed it toward Lin Xi.

"Straightforward! I like dealing with smart people."

Hans's eyes sharpened as he revealed his true intentions.

"The Braun Group is very interested in the technology of your 'Whirlwind' shaver."

"Especially the motor and the foil craftsmanship."

"This is the figure." Hans held up one finger.

"One million US dollars."

"To buy out your entire set of technical drawings and patent rights."

Clang!

Section Chief Wang's hand jerked, and his fork fell onto the plate with a sharp ring.

One million! And in US dollars!

In an era where 'Ten-Thousand Yuan Households' could walk tall, this was an astronomical sum that could take one's breath away!

Hans caught Section Chief Wang's loss of composure, and a flicker of subtle contempt flashed in his eyes.

As expected, there wasn't a Chinese person who didn't love money.

They were just a bunch of country bumpkins who hadn't seen the world; just dazzle them with cash.

"Furthermore," Hans lowered his voice, sounding full of temptation.

"This money can be deposited into a private Swiss bank account, completely untraceable..."

"Mr. Lin, as long as you nod your head, you can live like a king in any country in the world."

"Luxury cars, mansions, beautiful women... everything you could want."

The stream room bullet chat exploded instantly, the screen filled with exclamation marks.

【Holy crap! Sugar-coated bullets!】

【Is this the corruption of capitalism? How terrifying! I definitely wouldn't be able to hold out!】

【Wake up upstairs! One million to buy out monopoly technology for the next few decades? That's treating him like a beggar!】

【If the Streamer agrees, I'm unfollowing on the spot!】

【This is our Brother Lin! You think he'd care about such small change?】

Lin Xi didn't even look at the check; he didn't even break his rhythm while cutting the steak.

He elegantly forked a piece of beef into his mouth and chewed slowly.

Hans's expression shifted from smugness to confusion, then to anxiety, and finally, fine beads of sweat began to seep from his forehead.

"One million?"

Lin Xi finally swallowed the beef, picked up his napkin to wipe his mouth, and spoke flatly:

"Mr. Hans, are you insulting me?"

"Or are you insulting the Braun Group's vision?"

"Or do you think the wisdom of the Chinese people is only worth this much?"

"Mr. Lin, don't be too greedy."

Hans's face darkened, his tone carrying a hint of a threat.

"This is already a sky-high price."

"How much are China's current foreign exchange reserves?"

"This money is enough to buy ten small factories like yours!"

"The nation's business is our business." Lin Xi set down his cutlery and leaned forward slightly.

An invisible sense of pressure instantly enveloped the dining table. The gentle and refined young man now had eyes as sharp as knives.

"As for the technology..."

Lin Xi tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop, enunciating every word. His voice wasn't loud, but it landed like a thunderclap:

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hans."

"All core technologies of Red Star belong to the Seventh Ministry of Machine Building Industry; they are state secrets."

He offered a polite but distant smile:

"We only lease; we do not sell."