109: Chapter 109 Beyond the World's Imagination

Facing the blinding lights, Lin Yuan walked with steady steps to the center of the podium.

In the front row below, senior reporters from domestic and international media outlets held their telephoto lenses, their shutters clicking so frantically that sparks almost seemed to fly.

Lin Yuan!

It really was Lin Yuan!

Everyone's minds uncontrollably recalled that press conference from some time ago, the one that had forcibly torn a bloody gash in Western technological hegemony.

Back then, it was this upright young man who had used an extremely calm tone to announce Xia Country's total dominance in the field of Photolithography Machines to the entire world.

And now, at this high-profile official press conference for major matters that came without warning, Lin Yuan had actually stepped out of the tunnel second, right after Zhou Ping, who was in charge of strategic resources.

This entrance order sent a signal that was far too direct and far too shocking!

Seeing this, the hands of the domestic media members trembled with excitement, and over a dozen versions of news headlines were already being drafted at light speed in their minds.

Naturally, they would not forget that near the end of the previous Photolithography Machine press conference, Lin Yuan had casually left behind two phrases!

Next-Generation Communication Technology!

Bottom-layer Intelligence!

These two terms, full of infinite sci-fi feel and imaginative space, exploded wildly in the minds of every Xia Country reporter.

Could it be that, following the Photolithography Machine, Xia Country was going to draw its sword again in these two fields so soon?!

The Other Side of the Ocean, the hearts of certain department personnel who were watching the live broadcast of this press conference in real-time suddenly sank to the bottom.

An intelligence analysis director stared fixedly at that young, composed face on the screen, his teeth grinding audibly.

"It's him... God, why is it him again!"

"Damn it, why is he appearing here?!"

"Those two cursed terms he mentioned at the last press conference... weren't they strategic deceptions meant to divert attention and bluff?"

No one answered.

Because everyone knew that Xia Country never joked at such major press conferences.

While they could still comfort themselves regarding the breakthrough in Photolithography Machines as merely a loss in hardware manufacturing...

They still held a suppressive advantage in software, communication, and the future intelligent ecosystem.

But if Lin Yuan's appearance here today was to completely flip the table in the fields of communication and intelligence...

Then the nightmare most feared The Other Side of the Ocean would fully turn into reality!

Inside the press conference hall, the shock continued.

After Lin Yuan, several more figures dressed in dark formal suits emerged from the tunnel in sequence.

The reporters below, with their extremely sharp eyes, recognized their identities with just a single glance.

Any one of these figures, if placed in a peak industry summit on a regular day, would be a definitive core finale character, a focus that countless lenses would scramble to chase!

But at this moment, they entered the venue lined up uniformly behind Lin Yuan.

The several people took their seats in order.

Lin Yuan's seat was very deliberately arranged to the right of Zhou Ping.

He sat in a relaxed posture, his hands resting naturally on the table, calmly welcoming the hundreds of burning gazes from below.

The commotion in the press hall was surprisingly suppressed by a level at this moment.

Everyone clearly remembered that the last time Lin Yuan sat in this seat, the global semiconductor landscape was completely rewritten.

So, what about today?

In the official live broadcast room, the bullet comments had become so dense that the video image was completely obscured—a terrifying level of activity.

"Holy crap, holy crap! The moment I saw Lin Yuan come out, I got goosebumps all over!"

"Communication technology! Intelligence! Is the foreshadowing planted at the last press conference going to be revealed today?!"

"Based on the current technological progress, it should be our country going all-in on researching an improved version of fourth-generation communication, right? Or maybe developing a slightly smarter AI assistant?"

"Why think so much? It's about to be announced. Brothers, just sit tight; I feel like we're about to witness history again today!"

On the podium.

Zhou Ping had a solemn expression. He adjusted the microphone in front of him and tapped twice on the base with his index finger, neither too lightly nor too heavily.

Tap, tap.

The short tapping sounds spread throughout the venue via the amplification equipment, smoothing out the last of the noise in the hall.

Hundreds of reporters stopped whispering. The foreign reporters adjusted their translation devices tightly, and everyone stared with full concentration at the people on the stage.

"Friends from the media, good morning everyone."

Zhou Ping's voice was steady and powerful, neither hurried nor slow, carrying a heavy sense of natural authority.

"Welcome everyone to today's press conference on major matters."

"The purpose of holding this press conference is primarily to announce an extremely important matter to the entire society and the entire world."

At this point, he paused deliberately.

Then, Zhou Ping tilted his head, his gaze passing over the microphone and landing without hesitation on Lin Yuan, who was sitting to his right.

At the same time, the other people on stage also cast their gazes toward Lin Yuan with perfect tacit understanding.

Lin Yuan met everyone's gazes and nodded slightly, his posture remaining unhurried and composed.

Afterward, Zhou Ping withdrew his gaze and looked back at the pairs of eyes below.

"I think when everyone sees Comrade Lin Yuan sitting here, you should already have some sort of guess in your hearts regarding the matter to be announced."

As soon as these words were spoken, a burst of uncontrollable gasps suddenly rang out from below.

The hands of several foreign media reporters jerked violently, nearly throwing their expensive recording pens.

The domestic reporters' eyes were shining; they craned their necks one by one, wishing they could shove their microphones directly to Zhou Ping's lips.

Zhou Ping took in everyone's reactions. He straightened his back, and his words became even more steady, yet carried an irresistible, heavy power.

"A short while ago, Comrade Lin Yuan showed everyone the major breakthrough our country achieved in the field of Photolithography Machines."

"I'm sure you all still have fresh memories of the grand occasion of that press conference."

"Similarly, I believe you will not forget that during that press conference, Comrade Lin Yuan also mentioned two keywords."

When these words were dropped into the venue, the backs of countless reporters tensed up simultaneously.

It's coming!

It's about to come!

Zhou Ping's words showed no sign of stopping.

"Next-Generation Communication Technology."

"Bottom-layer Intelligent System."

He threw these two terms heavily into the ears of the global audience.

An uncontrollable commotion suddenly erupted from the audience!

But Zhou Ping raised his palm and pressed down slightly.

That small gesture caused the commotion to dissipate as quickly as a receding tide.

"That's right. These two keywords mentioned by Comrade Lin Yuan are the core of our press conference today, and Xia Country's next important strategic layout—"

"Communication and intelligence!"

"Of course, I need to emphasize one point."

Zhou Ping's gaze slowly swept across the entire venue, and his voice deepened.

"Xia Country's layout for communication and intelligence may be beyond the world's imagination."

There was absolute silence in the hall.

Lin Yuan sat to the side, his finger unconsciously tracing the tabletop lightly, maintaining that faint smile on his face.

The real bombshell was only one final step away from being ignited.

Looking at the faces below that were tense to the extreme, Zhou Ping finally revealed the final answer.

"I now officially announce that, effective immediately, Xia Country will officially form a National-level Dispatch Task Force to comprehensively advance two epoch-making technological breakthroughs—"

"Fifth-Generation Communication Technology!"

"And, Brain-like Machine Intelligence!"