38: Chapter 38: The Spark of Flint, Rebirth from the Ashes

Guancheng, Spark chip Temporary R&D Center.

The air inside the ultra-clean laboratory seemed to have been frozen for several hours, with only the low hum of operating instruments and the subtle clicking of keyboards alternating. Luo Qinghe, Jiang Jing, Anderson Li, and dozens of engineers from the core design team all held their breath, their eyes fixed intently on the screen of the high-speed testing instrument in the center. On the screen, the progress bars and data streams representing the various performance indicators of "flint one" were refreshing at an unprecedented speed.

This was the final full-function, full-parameter limit test. Success or failure depended entirely on this single moment.

Time passed minute by minute. When the heart-stopping green "PASS" appeared after the final test item regarding image processing stability under extreme temperatures, the entire laboratory fell into a brief, unbelievable silence.

Then—

"We succeeded—!!!"

No one knew who roared out first, their voice cracking with extreme excitement. This shout was like lighting a fuse on a powder keg, instantly detonating the pressure, anxiety, and anticipation that had been building up in everyone's hearts for months!

"Success! We did it!"

"flint one! The tape-out was successful! All standards met!"

"Ahhh—!"

Deafening cheers, applause, and even sobbing cries almost lifted the roof off the lab. Young engineers hugged and jumped, while older professors took off their glasses to secretly wipe the corners of their eyes. Jiang Jing gripped Anderson Li's arm so tightly her knuckles turned white, and the usually stern equipment expert was now grinning, revealing bright white teeth. Luo Qinghe stood in the center of the crowd, his gray hair trembling slightly; he said nothing, just pumped his fist again and again, tears streaming down his face.

Wang Ming and Evan Chen practically burst through the laboratory door; they had been waiting anxiously in the conference room next door. Seeing the screen full of green and the celebrating crowd, the two understood instantly.

Wang Ming grabbed the encrypted communication phone, his fingers fumbling with excitement as he nearly screamed the report to Su Chen:

"President Su! President Su! We succeeded! 'flint one,' the 28nm SoC, tape-out successful! All test data passed on the first try! The performance... the performance completely meets the design targets, and the image processing unit's energy efficiency ratio is even 25% higher than the imported chips we used before! Our heart... our own heart has started beating!"

On the other end of the line, in the Shenzhen headquarters office, Su Chen suddenly stood up from his chair. His hand holding the phone tightened, knuckles whitening, but he tried his best to control his emotions. He just took a deep breath and spoke into the receiver in a voice that was as steady as possible but still carried a hint of a tremble:

"I understand. Hard work pays off! On my behalf, pay tribute to... all the comrades in the R&D team! Spark is great because of you!"

Hanging up the phone, Su Chen stood in place for a full minute before slowly sitting back down. He closed his eyes and leaned against the back of the chair; no one saw the curve of his lips, which was both relieved and filled with infinite power.

The next morning, the strategic conference room on the top floor of the headquarters.

All core executives were present, and every face beamed with uncontrollable excitement. The air pressure in the conference room seemed to rise by several points.

"Everyone," Su Chen's voice carried clearly through the room with the brightness of a dawn, "just yesterday, we received definitive news from the Guancheng chip R&D Center—our independently designed 28nm SoC chip, 'flint one,' has successfully taped out, and its performance has fully met all standards!"

"That's fantastic!"

"Finally!"

The conference room erupted in heartfelt praise and applause.

Su Chen pressed his hands down to signal for silence, his gaze becoming sharp and decisive: "This means that the most lethal hand gripping our throat has been pried away by us! Now is not the time for celebration, but the moment for us to draw our swords and strike back!"

His gaze swept over Wang Ming and Evan Chen: "Engineer Wang, Evan, I order: the drone project team and the camera project team, as of now, are fully restarted!"

"Yes!" the two replied in unison, their voices booming.

"The R&D for the new generation of products will immediately enter the final sprint phase!" Su Chen's tone was resolute. "I have decided that on December 1, 2016, we will hold a global launch event to officially introduce our new generation of products powered by our self-developed 'flint one' chip—"

The giant screen behind him lit up, showing a 3D model of a drone with smoother lines and a more high-tech feel on the left.

"'spark 3' intelligent drone!" Su Chen introduced. "It will feature: Level 7 wind resistance, 40 minutes of ultra-long battery life (a 40% increase over the previous generation), the brand-new OcuSync 2.0 image transmission technology with a maximum range of 8 kilometers, and 1080p real-time HD quality. Equipped with APAS 3.0 (Advanced Pilot Assistance System) driven by 'flint one,' it can achieve omnidirectional obstacle sensing and intelligent bypass in all directions. It supports up to 4K/60fps video recording and 15-megapixel static photos. Its Intelligent Follow 3.0 algorithm can more accurately lock onto and track subjects."

Then, the right screen lit up, showcasing a more compact and rugged action camera.

"And, the 'Spirit Eye 2' ultra-stable action camera!" Su Chen continued to announce. "It also carries 'flint one,' supporting 4K/120fps ultra-HD slow-motion video and 20-megapixel panoramic photos, as well as 1080p/240fps extreme slow motion. It has a built-in advanced FlowState 2.0 stabilization algorithm, achieving cinematic stability without a gimbal. The bare unit is waterproof to 10 meters, features a removable battery and enhanced microphone, and supports AI-driven automatic video editing and highlight capture."

The performance parameters of these two products already fully matched or even surpassed the top consumer-grade products on the international market in 2016! A collective gasp filled the conference room, followed by even more enthusiastic applause. Everyone understood that this was not just a product upgrade, but a declaration of technology and a reconstruction of confidence!

The news spread through the entire Spark Technology campus like wildfire.

In the R&D building, Zhang Ming, a young engineer who had joined less than six months ago and had secretly updated his resume and struggled internally countless times during the darkest moments, was calling home with red eyes:

"Dad! Mom! We did it! We made our own chip! The tape-out was successful! ...Yes, the one that was choking us before! ...I'm fine, I'm just so happy! I was hesitating about whether to leave... I feel so stupid now! Dad, Mom, I was right to stay! This is a company that can create miracles! Truly! Our boss is amazing!"

In the drone assembly workshop that had been silent for months, the old foreman Master Li was leading his apprentice, meticulously wiping down every piece of equipment, oiling the conveyor belts, and checking the precision of the robotic arms. Looking at the indicator lights turning back on and the assembly lines resuming operation, he said to his young apprentice:

"Kid, you see that? Following President Su, you've got to have this stubborn streak of not believing in bad luck! Foreigners won't sell us chips? We'll just build them ourselves! And build them better! Did you hear? The new chip works even better than the old ones!" He patted a brand-new SMT machine next to him, his voice booming, "Everyone, stay sharp! Our machines are about to roar for our own 'spark core' again! This time, the sound has to be even louder!"

The marketing and supply chain departments entered a wartime state. Phone rings, keyboard clicks, and intense discussions rose and fell.

"Yes! Manager Wang, our new products are set for December 1st! chips? Haha, don't worry, it's our self-developed 'flint one,' performance is absolutely guaranteed!"

"Manager Li, contact the previous material suppliers immediately. Yes, restart the orders, highest priority!"

"Promotional plans! Teaser posters! Launch venue! Everyone, move! Time is tight and the task is heavy, but we must win this comeback battle!"

A long-lost sense of purposeful and hopeful busyness filled every corner of Spark Technology. It was a power that finally erupted after being suppressed for so long, a cohesive force that became even more united after surviving a desperate situation.

Su Chen and Lin Wan walked side-by-side through the revitalized R&D corridor, looking at the brightly lit offices on both sides and the figures walking hurriedly but with shining eyes.

"It feels like the whole company has come back to life," Lin Wan said softly, her tone filled with relief.

"No," Su Chen shook his head, his gaze looking deep into the distance, "it has been reborn from the ashes. After this trial by fire, our bones are harder and our hearts are stronger. This 'Fire of Flint' has ignited not just a chip, but our never-extinguishing Spark Road to the future."

Striking flint to light the way ahead. Spark Technology, this giant ship that was once on the verge of running aground, has now adjusted its course and increased its horsepower after being fitted with its own powerful "heart." It is about to set sail again with a more uplifted posture into the vast blue ocean full of challenges and opportunities. The world's consumer electronics landscape is about to face a new storm because of this "Flint" from the East.