Chapter 72 You Don't Want It, But They Do

"Lease?" Hans was stunned.

"That's right, lease only, no sales."

Lin Xi pulled a pre-prepared contract from his chest pocket, flicked it with his fingertips, and it slid to the center of the table.

"I prefer to call it — technical harvesting..."

"Oh no, a technology licensing model."

Lin Xi's smile at this moment looked even brighter than a demon's in Hans's eyes.

"Red Star provides the manufacturing standards for the core motor and blade mesh, and Braun is responsible for production and sales."

"For every unit sold, we take 5% of the terminal retail price."

He held up half a palm and shook it.

"That is about 4 USD."

"Considering we only intend to license a small number of companies, this price is not expensive."

Bang!

Hans slammed the table and stood up. The red wine glass wobbled, and wine spilled onto the white tablecloth like a glaring bloodstain.

"You're crazy! You're absolutely crazy!"

Hans's face turned liver-colored, and the veins on his neck bulged. "5%?"

"And you want a lifetime royalty?"

"This is equivalent to Braun working for you for every machine in the future!"

"This is absolutely impossible!"

"Impossible?"

Lin Xi wasn't annoyed either; he just leaned back against the chair, his eyes playful.

"Mr. Hans, get the situation clear. This is a seller's market right now."

"I have a gun, while you only have a fire poker in your hands."

"Without my motor, the power system that Braun is so proud of is a joke;"

"Without my blade mesh, your so-called 'ultimate comfort' is a pile of shit."

"Once this technology enters the market..."

Lin Xi paused on purpose, raised his hand to look at his watch, and put on a regretful expression.

"Oh my, the time is about up."

Lin Xi picked up his napkin, wiped his mouth, stood up, and waved at Section Chief Wang.

"Let's go, Old Wang. Mr. Vandersa is still waiting at the Liuhua Hotel. Let's not keep him waiting."

"What?!"

This name was like a precision armor-piercing shell, instantly piercing all of Hans's defenses.

"You... you're going to find Philips?" Hans's voice was trembling.

"Why not?"

Lin Xi straightened his collar, a harmless smile on his face.

"Mr. Vandersa sent someone to pass a message this afternoon. He said Philips is very willing to accept the 5% licensing fee."

"After all, as long as they get this technology, they can completely wipe out Braun and dominate the global market."

"Compared to the exorbitant profits of a global monopoly, this little licensing fee is nothing."

Saying this, Lin Xi started to walk out.

In fact, Vandersa hadn't contacted him at all.

This was the most classic of open conspiracies — the prisoner's dilemma.

As long as they believed their opponent would betray them, they had no choice but to scramble to be that "sucker."

In the livestream chat, the audience was already hyped, and the danmu was refreshing frantically.

[Incredible! This is top-tier psychological warfare!]

[Brother Lin is playing in the stratosphere! Empty-handed white wolf tactics played too smoothly!]

[Vandersa: Sitting at home, the pot falls from the sky. Did I become a stand-in this time?]

[Asking for the area of Hans's psychological shadow right now. This is a CPU master!]

[This is so satisfying! In the past, foreigners always held us up for patent fees. Today, we're finally harvesting them back!]

One step, two steps, three steps.

Lin Xi walked very slowly. The "tap-tap" sound of his leather shoes on the floor felt like every step was landing on Hans's carotid artery.

If Philips got this technology and Braun didn't...

Terrifying images appeared in Hans's mind: On store shelves, Philips's shavers were sweeping everything away.

Meanwhile, Braun's products were being discarded by consumers like trash because of the noise and poor shaving quality.

The stock market crashed, the board of directors was furious, and he was swept out the door, ending up on the streets...

The fear of being eliminated by the market was ten thousand times stronger than losing one million US dollars!

Just as Lin Xi's hand was about to touch the handle of the restaurant door.

"Wait!!"

Hans, who had been trembling, finally collapsed. He rushed over like an injured bull, grabbing Lin Xi's arm with frightening force.

"No! Lin! Don't go!"

Hans's eyes were bloodshot, he was panting heavily, and his voice carried a hint of sobbing and humble pleading:

"We'll sign! Braun will sign!"

"5% is 5%!"

"I'll sign it now!"

"Immediately! Right now! Today!"

Lin Xi stopped and slowly turned around.

He looked at this Braun executive, who now had no dignity left, as if looking at prey that had fallen into a trap.

"Mr. Hans, have you thought it through?"

Lin Xi's smile looked particularly alluring in the dim light.

"I heard that people from Germany are very rigorous in business. Don't you need to consult your headquarters? The process is usually very slow."

"Screw the headquarters! By the time I ask for instructions, the opportunity will be gone!"

"That old fox Vandersa won't give me a chance!"

Hans pulled a fountain pen from his pocket, his hand shaking so much he could barely hold it.

Section Chief Wang stood to the side, watching this scene, his mouth open wide enough to fit an egg.

He looked at the foreign adult who was usually so arrogant, now humbly hunched over the dining table, signing and pressing his seal on that "unequal treaty," afraid that Lin Xi might change his mind. And all this was just because of Lin Xi's meal and a few lies.

Is... is this the power of knowledge? It's too damn scary!

After signing, Hans slumped into his chair as if his spine had been pulled out. He clutched the contract tightly in his hand, as if clutching Braun's last straw.

"Very good."

Lin Xi took the copy of the contract and gently patted Hans on the shoulder. "Congratulations on making the right choice."

"You... you are a devil." Hans looked at Lin Xi, muttering to himself.

"No." Lin Xi turned and walked into the night, his shadow stretched very long. "I am the one who makes the rules."

Walking out of the restaurant, the humid night breeze of Flower City blew against his face.

Section Chief Wang only just recovered, so excited that he was stuttering:

"Manager Lin... did it really work?"

"Can we collect money for every unit from now on?"

"Excited already?"

Lin Xi looked at the lights of the Pearl River in the distance, his eyes as deep as a cold pool.

"Old Wang, we've barely started."

"The good show has just begun."

...

The next day, East Osaka, Japan, "Moonstand Manufacturing" Central R&D Center.

The conference room was brightly lit, the atmosphere oppressive.

At one end of the long table sat Moonstand President Kenichi Tanaka, with the famous "Ichigo Ichie" calligraphy hanging behind him.

On both sides of the table were over a dozen gray-haired, arrogant-looking engineers. They were the "technical dream team" that Moonstand was proud of, and the foundation of Japan's manufacturing industry sweeping the globe in the 80s.

"Gentlemen."

President Tanaka tapped his fingers on the table, pointing to the black shaver that had just been unpacked in the center of the table — red star whirlwind.

"Just yesterday, Germany's Braun and Netherlands's Philips bowed to the Chinese in that backward exhibition in Flower City."

Tanaka's voice was low, carrying undisguised anger:

"This is a great humiliation!"

"What do the Chinese know about precision manufacturing? They only know how to make rough enamel basins and thermos bottles!"

"When is it their turn to set industry standards?!"

"Hai!" the engineers replied in unison.

"This machine was bought from the black market at ten times the price and flown back overnight."

Tanaka waved his hand fiercely, his eyes fanatical and greedy:

"I want you to, within three days..."

"No, within twenty-four hours!"

"Dismantle it, draw it, and replicate it!"

"We will use lower costs and more exquisite craftsmanship to launch the 'Yamato Whirlwind' and drive the Chinese out of the market!"