283: Chapter 283 Calm Sea

In Su Chen's office that evening, Lin Wan delivered a summary of the latest news:

European Union: Antitrust authorities received a complaint from Apple, demanding an investigation into whether "Spark giving away headphones constitutes unfair competition."

Japan: The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry officially launched the "Spark Product Government Procurement Exclusion" procedure.

Australia: Telecommunications providers have suspended HX2 negotiations.

India: Customs has begun spot-checking Spark products, and customs clearance speed has changed from 2 days to 2 weeks.

"The storm is coming," Lin Wan said.

Su Chen stood by the window, looking at the lights of Shenzhen.

"Let them come."

"The seven-day launch event was just the opening ceremony. Now, the real war begins."

He turned around: "Notify all core executives that starting tomorrow, we enter 'wartime status.' 7 days a week, 12 hours a day, until we take our place in the global top three."

"Additionally, launch the 'Spark Global Talent Program'—from today's 100,000 resumes, screen 10,000 people to be onboarded within three months. Salaries will increase by 20%, and stock options will be granted upon signing."

Lin Wan nodded, then hesitated: "Will it be too fast? 10,000 people... the management pressure..."

"It's not fast," Su Chen interrupted. "This year, the active employees of the two major groups must reach 300,000, and in three years, we need 500,000. If we don't grab them now, and they are taken by our competitors in three years, we'll have to pay ten times the price to catch up."

He looked back out the window.

In the night, the Shenzhen Bay Bridge was brightly lit, with traffic flowing like a woven web.

At the other end of the bridge was Hong Kong, the South China Sea, Malacca, the Indian Ocean, and every shipping lane leading to the global market.

The storm had risen.

Xingchen's fleet had already set sail.

Late at night, Su Chen stood alone on the rooftop.

The night breeze blew past, carrying the characteristic humidity of May.

His phone vibrated; it was a private text from Mahathir:

"Mr. Su, the agreement is signed. Malaysia's future is now tied to Xingchen. Please don't let us down."

Su Chen replied:

"We won't. In ten years, ASEAN will be grateful for today's decision."

He put his phone back in his pocket and looked up at the sky.

The light pollution in Shenzhen was severe, and few stars could be seen. But he knew those stars were there—beyond the light pollution, above the clouds, and even further away.

Just like Xingchen's goals.

Beyond the light pollution.

Above the clouds.

In the distance.

Footsteps came from behind. Lin Wan walked up carrying two cups of coffee.

"Can't sleep?"

"Just thinking about things." Su Chen took the coffee. "What about you?"

"Too much to think about." Lin Wan stood beside him. "The amount of information today alone is greater than the entire past month."

The two of them looked at the night scene in silence.

After a long time, Lin Wan asked, "Can we really win? Apple, Samsung, DJI, GoPro, Japan, the US, the EU... this is half the world encircling us."

Su Chen didn't answer directly.

He pointed toward the distant Shenzhen Bay Bridge.

"Do you see that bridge?"

"Yes."

"At the end of that bridge is Hong Kong, beyond Hong Kong is the South China Sea, beyond the South China Sea is Malacca, beyond Malacca is the Indian Ocean, and beyond the Indian Ocean are Europe, Africa, and the Middle East."

He paused.

"Every phone we build, every drone, every chip, every engine, every missile—they will all cross that bridge to reach those places."

"When they use our products, our production lines, and our weapons—the encirclement of those politicians, the counterattacks of those giants, and those legal lawsuits will all become scraps of paper."

He took a sip of coffee.

"So we will definitely win."

"Not because of how great Su Chen is, or how powerful Spark is."

"It's because—the things they need, only we can provide."

Lin Wan was silent for a long time.

Then she smiled.

"When did you learn to be so sentimental?"

"Just now." Su Chen also smiled. "I just learned it."

They looked at the night, saying no more, just quietly holding each other's hands.

In the distance, the lights of the Shenzhen Bay Bridge extended to the horizon.

Further away, on the other side of the Pacific in Washington, Berlin, Tokyo, and Seoul, countless meeting rooms were brightly lit.

But tonight, they couldn't sleep.

Because they finally realized:

That East, which once only knew how to imitate, catch up, and offer low prices, is no longer the student.

Now, it is the teacher.

May 9th morning, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister's Office

Morning light spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows into the office, casting golden shadows on the mahogany floor.

Mahathir Ismail sat at his desk, his pen hovering over a document. He was 80 years old this year, his hair completely white, but the hand holding the pen was as steady as it was thirty years ago.

The second batch of cooperation agreements was spread out on the desk:

Malaysia-Xingchen Industrial Deepening Cooperation Agreement

Article 1: Xingchen New Energy Vehicle Production Line—Annual capacity of 100,000 vehicles, starting production in 2020. Xingchen provides complete vehicle manufacturing technology, battery technology, and charging facility solutions, while Malaysia establishes the supporting industrial chain.

Article 2: Spark chip Packaging and Testing Plant—Monthly capacity of 20,000 wafers, starting production in 2021. Xingchen provides packaging and testing equipment and technical training, with 70% of products exported to ASEAN.

Article 3: Xingchen Defense Technology Training Center—Training 500 officers annually. Xingchen dispatches instructors, while Malaysia provides the venue and trainees.

Article 4: Spark Mobile Phone Localized Production—Annual capacity of 10 million units to meet ASEAN market demand. Xingchen provides core chips and systems, while Malaysia is responsible for assembly and sales.

Article 5: Joint R&D Fund—Each party contributes 1 billion Ringgit to establish the "Malaysia-Xingchen Technology Innovation Fund" to subsidize local universities and enterprises in collaborative R&D with Xingchen.

Article 6: ...

A total of seventeen articles.

Secretary of Defense Razak Hussein stood nearby, his palms already sweating. He was 58 years old and had served in the military for 40 years; he had seen many storms, but at this moment, he still couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Prime Minister," he said in a low voice, "Singapore is anxious. Lee Hsien Loong summoned the US Ambassador overnight and talked for two hours."

Mahathir didn't look up, continuing to flip through the documents: "Talking about what?"

"Supposedly... they're talking about the number of US ships rotating through Changi Base, the sales permit for the F-35, and even..."

He paused.

"Even what?"

"Even the possibility of a nuclear umbrella."

Mahathir's pen stopped.

He slowly raised his head, a sharp glint flashing in his cloudy eyes.

"Nuclear umbrella?"

"Yes. Singapore wants to obtain written confirmation of 'extended deterrence' from the United States."

Mahathir put down his pen and leaned back in his chair.

Outside, the Kuala Lumpur skyline gradually became clear in the morning light. The Petronas Twin Towers stood tall, a symbol of Malaysia's modernization. Further away was the direction of the Strait of Malacca—that maritime lifeline carrying 40% of global trade.

"1990," Mahathir spoke slowly. "That year, Singapore allowed US warships to use the Changi Naval Base. From then on, they tied their national security to the American war machine."

He paused.

"Thirty years have passed. What has the US given them? F-16s, F-15s, and now possibly F-35s. But will an American aircraft carrier really fight for Singapore?"

Razak was silent.

"They won't," Mahathir answered himself. "The US only fights for US interests. Singapore is just a pawn on the chessboard."

He picked up his pen again and signed his name on the seventeenth article.

Mahathir Ismail

"Notify Customs," he put down the pen, "Starting today, the tariffs on Spark products imported by Malaysia will be halved."

Razak was stunned: "Prime Minister, this will impact our local industries..."

"Local industries?" Mahathir laughed, a dry sound. "Where are our local industries? Cars? Controlled by Japan. Mobile phones? Controlled by Korea. chips? A complete blank."

He stood up and walked to the window.

"What Xingchen is giving us is a complete industrial system. From chips to cars, from phones to weapons, from talent cultivation to joint R&D. Since the end of the colonial era, this is the first time a country has been willing to do this for us."

He turned back to Razak:

"If the US really cared about us, they would have given it long ago. They didn't. So now, we can only rely on ourselves."