35: Chapter 35: Surrounded by Enemies, True Gold Retained by Fire

The silence at Spark Technology headquarters did not earn the mercy of its opponents; instead, it was viewed as a sign of weakness.

A new, more ferocious and precise wave of attacks, like a long-planned combination of blows, followed one after another, intending to completely stifle this rising star of Eastern technology.

The first strike came from Washington.

On a weekday morning, the official website of the United States Department of Defense quietly updated with a notice, its title cold and glaring: "Executive Order Prohibiting the Use of Certain Chinese Technology Products in United States Military and Critical Infrastructure."

Although the notice did not name names directly, the described technical characteristics and application scenarios pointed directly at Spark Technology's drones and supporting systems, and for the first time, "Spark-Arab Defense Company" and its product "thunderbird no. 1" were listed as associated sanctioned entities.

Almost simultaneously, the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) of the United States Department of Commerce issued a formal ban, citing "unacceptable data security risks" and the "potential for use in monitoring United States citizens and critical facilities" as reasons to prohibit all Spark Technology products from being sold, operated, or even provided with technical services in the United States market.

"It's over, the North American market has been completely wiped out..." David Li, the Director of the Overseas Market Department, stared at the news flash popping up on his screen, his face ashen as he muttered to himself.

The North American team he led had been struggling to maintain operations for industry clients over the past few months; now, all those efforts had come to nothing.

This was not just a loss of current revenue, but the complete closing of the door to the world's most high-end market in the future.

The second strike came from Brussels.

Before the repercussions of the Washington ban had settled, the European Union Commission's announcement followed.

Compared to the security accusations from America, the European Union's approach appeared more "standardized" and "civilized," yet it was equally fatal.

Margrethe Vestager, the European Commissioner for Competition, an iron lady known for her tough stance on antitrust, announced at a press conference that after an "in-depth investigation," it had been determined that Spark Technology had "abused its market dominant position" in the consumer drone and high-end battery markets, squeezing out competitors through "bundling sales" and "refusing to license necessary patents."

Consequently, Spark Technology was hit with a sky-high antitrust fine of 1 billion euros (approximately 8 billion rmb), and was required to submit a rectification plan within 90 days, including "reducing its market share in the European market to a safe level" and "licensing its core patents based on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) principles."

"This is barefaced robbery!" Shen Nanpeng almost lost his composure when he saw the fine amount.

8 billion rmb! This almost emptied out most of the cash reserves Spark Technology had left after dealing with the chip crisis.

And the so-called "reducing market share" and "compulsory licensing" were meant to directly castrate Spark's competitiveness and technical barriers in the European market.

The darkest hour had arrived.

Bad news spread through the capital markets like a plague.

Already fragile investor confidence collapsed instantly.

"Spark Technology faces dual strangulation from America and the European Union, its survival prospects are worrying!"

"Sky-high fine may cause cash flow to break, the Spark myth is on the verge of collapse!"

"Exclusive Analysis: Spark Technology's darkest hour, can Su Chen create another miracle?"

All sorts of sensational headlines flooded financial media.

Short-selling institutions that had been lying in wait, like sharks smelling blood, swarmed out, publishing one pessimistic short-selling report after another, aggressively shorting Spark stock.

The stock price, like a kite with a broken string, plummeted.

160 yuan, 140 yuan, 120 yuan, 100 yuan... Support levels were like paper, broken through one after another.

Finally, in a wave of panic selling, the stock price of Spark Technology smashed down to the 80 yuan mark, and its market value plummeted below the 100 billion mark, evaporating more than half from its peak!

Meanwhile, on a luxury yacht overseas, Zhou Tianyu accepted a video interview with CNBC.

He swirled his glass of red wine, his face wearing undisguised smugness and mockery:

"I said long ago that a castle built on sand cannot withstand the wind and waves. Mr. Su Chen and his Spark Technology are too superstitious about technology, while ignoring the basic rules of global business and the reality of geopolitics. Their expansion was too aggressive, and they made too many enemies. Today's situation is not surprising at all. I believe the valuation model of Spark Technology has completely collapsed, and the so-called 'spark core' plan is nothing more than a desperate gamble, with a slim probability of success. Perhaps, before long, we will see the end of this 'miracle'."

His remarks spread rapidly through international media, like venom further eroding the market's already thin confidence.

Inside Spark Technology, the atmosphere was oppressive to the extreme.

Although core projects were still being advanced in secret, ordinary employees could not help but be affected by the storm outside.

In the pantry, whispers were filled with unease; in the office area, some people's faces were full of confusion and worry about the future.

Just at this moment of internal and external troubles and precariousness, Su Chen issued an order that surprised all executives: convene a global employee online conference.

The meeting started promptly at eight in the evening.

Through video link, all Spark Technology employees worldwide, whether at the Shenzhen headquarters, the Guancheng construction site, the Spark-Arab Defense Company, or the remaining overseas market personnel working from home, received the connection notification.

On the screen, Su Chen's figure appeared.

He was not sitting in a luxurious office; the background was that simple, temporary command post of Xingchen Heavy Industry, with the outlines of machine tools and blueprints faintly visible behind him.

He was wearing simple work clothes, his face showing a hint of exhaustion, but his eyes were as firm as Bedrock, burning with an unyielding flame.

He had no opening remarks, no appeasement; the first sentence he spoke was like a drawn sword, cutting through the haze hanging over everyone's hearts:

"Warriors of Spark!"

His voice traveled through the airwaves to every corner of the world where there were Spark people.

"I know many of you are experiencing confusion, anxiety, and even fear right now. Watching the stock price plummet, watching opponents celebrate, watching those who once praised us turn their guns... This feeling is not easy."

He paused, his eyes burning like torches, as if piercing through the screen to look directly into the heart of every employee.

"However, I want to ask you a question!" Su Chen's voice rose sharply, carrying a resolute power, "Did we found Spark, walking from the edge of bankruptcy to a market value of 100 billion, just to do things according to others' whims? Did we develop drones, conquer battery technology, challenge industrial mother machines, and even now develop our own chip, just to kneel down and beg others for a piece of the market?"

"No!" He asked and answered himself, his voice like thunder.

"Why are they suppressing us? It's not because we did something wrong, but precisely because we did it right! Because we mastered technology they didn't want us to see! Because we moved the cheese they have monopolized for decades! Because we proved that Chinese people can also reach the world's top level in the field of high technology!"

Su Chen's tone became impassioned, carrying a tragic yet heroic atmosphere:

"Today's suppression is not our shame, but our medal! This is the 'coming-of-age ceremony' we must experience to become a truly great company!"

"They think they can lock us down with security bans? Crush us with sky-high fines? Destroy our confidence with short-selling and singing doom? They are wrong! Dead wrong!"

"The more this happens, the more it proves we are on the right path! The more this happens, the more it ignites the unyielding fighting spirit in our bones! From today on, forget the stock price, forget the market value! The goal of our Spark Technology is no longer just to make money! Our mission is to break the shackles! It is to use our technology and products to carve out a path for the country behind us, for Chinese technology, that is not controlled by others!"

He waved his arms, every word resonant:

"We will build the chip! We will make the machine tools the best in the world! We will lead the world in batteries! We will draw new rules in the sky over Saudi Arabia with our drones! If they block one market, we will open ten more! If they cut off one material, we will develop one hundred substitutes! Spark people, never surrender!"

In the online meeting room, the previously silent chat area exploded instantly.

"Never surrender!"

"Boss Su is mighty! Spark will win!"

"Break the shackles, forge swords for the country!"

From domestic to overseas, countless employees were moved to tears, typing their oaths firmly on their keyboards.

The long-suppressed emotions turned into a surging will to fight.

Almost at the same time as Su Chen's speech, external support began to gather.

Yu Dong, CEO of the terminal business of Huawei, immediately reposted the news of Spark Technology's sanctions on his personal Chinese microblogging platform account, with the caption: "Work together through thick and thin, overcome difficulties together. Believe in Spark, believe in the resilience of Chinese technology!"

Li Fu, Chairman of Geely, and heads of many other leading domestic enterprises like Changan Automobile, Great Wall Motor, and Xiaomi, publicly expressed their firm support for Spark Technology, emphasizing that they would continue to deepen cooperation.

Even more moving was the power from the people.

Major domestic media launched special reports on "Support Spark, Go spark core".

Hundreds of millions of netizens flooded social media, and the topic once topped the trending search list.

"Spark, hold on! 1.4 billion people are your backing!"

"If we don't buy Spark products today, we won't be able to use Chinese chips tomorrow!"

"The more America and Europe suppress us, the more we must support! Spark, we are waiting for your triumphant return!"

Some netizens even initiated a grassroots fundraising initiative of "One yuan per person to support Spark through the difficulties" (although politely declined by Spark officials, the sentiment was moving).

Besieged on all sides, the giant ship that is Spark Technology seemed precarious, but its keel had never been so solid, its crew had never been so united, and its course had never been so clear.

Su Chen closed the video conference and walked to the window.

Outside, the city lights remained, but his heart was calm, even carrying a hint of anticipation.

"Only fire can forge true gold." He whispered to himself, "This raging fire is just right for tempering our... spark core."