Great Power Reclamation

Chapter 2865 When you're caught in the middle, who can stay clean?

Ye Feng rubbed his throbbing temples, his fingertips tracing the documents on his desk. His gaze fell on the bolded words "Future Progressive Party Policy Platform," and a bitter feeling rose in his throat.

At heart, he is a believer in the engineer's mindset—setting goals, breaking down problems, and using the optimal solution to move forward.

Investing in new energy sources stems from a genuine belief that they can change the pollution crisis and allow the automotive industry to break free from its dependence on oil.

But now, what's piled up on his desk isn't technical specifications, but rather records of debates in state legislatures, lists of lobbying efforts by interest groups, and "compromise suggestions" from party members.

"We need to promote new energy vehicles while also maintaining sales of traditional gasoline vehicles..."

He muttered to himself in the empty office, as if trying to solve an unsolvable equation.

California's emissions laws are clearly aimed at Warrior Group's gasoline-powered vehicle business, and he'd love to immediately invest in developing new technologies to fight back.

But the financial statements told him that the new energy sector was still burning through cash, and its cash flow was entirely supported by gasoline vehicles.

The day Michigan announced its tax increase policy, the phone call from the head of the European region nearly shattered his eardrums—the distributors there were already stockpiling goods, fearing that the purchase price would rise again next week.

What frustrated him most were those "high-sounding" reasons.

The opposition shouts about "environmental protection" and "employment," but then turns around and gives traditional automakers the green light.

While claiming to promote "fair competition," they secretly slip political donations to the Future Progressive Party in order to give members an extra five minutes of speaking time in parliament.

Last time in Pennsylvania, in order to block the "industry balancing fund" bill, he had to make his battery plant promise to hire two hundred more people locally.

Even though automated production lines don't need that many people, this is "politically correct," a "achievement" that lawmakers can use to explain to voters.

He had an internal report locked in his drawer, prepared by the strategy department. It stated that if they completely abandoned gasoline-powered vehicles and fully invested in new energy vehicles, the speed of technological iteration could increase by 30% within five years.

But he didn't dare. Last week, the head of the Michigan union sent a photo of workers gathered at the factory gate, holding signs that read "We want jobs, not empty talk."

"In a capitalist society, money calls the shots?"

Ye Feng chuckled and picked up the coffee on the table; it was already cold.

Yesterday, the president of the Florida car rental association visited and handed him a "sponsorship list," saying that if he was willing to cover the extra inspection costs, they would "voluntarily" purchase an additional 500 electric vehicles.

Isn't this blatantly asking for money? And he still has to put on a smile and say, "I'll think about it"...

Because the opposing side has three legislators standing behind them, who hold the voting rights for new energy vehicle market access.

Sometimes when he gets home late at night, he will take out his college notes, which contain only ideals and aspirations, without these tangled web of interests.

He wanted to get things done, but those things were always shrouded in the quagmire of politics.

Just like Georgia's carbon emissions accounting, the data is right there, but it can be drastically altered beyond recognition.

The environmental expert he sent was so angry that he smashed his calculator and said, "This is not science, it's magic," but what could he do?

In the end, we still have to spend money to hire a third-party organization to redo the report, and then spend money to get media exposure, dragging things out step by step.

"At least... the direction is right."

He spoke to himself in the window, but without much confidence.

The phone on the table vibrated; it was a message from a future Progressive Party MP:
"North Carolina's compensation has dropped to $50, which is a small win."

He replied with an "okay," but he knew in his heart that this was only a temporary respite.

The owners of those gasoline-powered car repair shops will not give up easily, and the opposition will come up with new tricks sooner or later.

He picked up his car keys to leave, and as he passed the conference room, he heard people arguing inside.

The public relations department is discussing the speech for tomorrow's press conference.

“We should emphasize ‘sustainable development’.” “No, we should mention ‘protecting traditional industries’.” “Or it would be safer to say ‘technology neutrality’.”

Ye Feng sighed and gently closed the door.

Doing practical things? Perhaps.

But in this game of chess, reality never arrives in a straight line.

He first had to learn to exploit loopholes in the politicians' high-sounding rhetoric and move pieces on the chessboard of capital, even if every step was reluctant.

Why does he want the wheels of new energy to roll over the old era, but also doesn't want his tires to be punctured by the pebbles falling from the old era?

As the car drove out of the underground parking garage, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

Looking at the company building getting smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, Ye Feng suddenly felt like a tightrope walker...

To the left is the precipice of new energy, to the right is the abyss of gasoline-powered vehicles, and the tightrope beneath our feet is called political maneuvering.

He could only move forward step by step, even if each step required some unwilling "excuses" and "compromises".

The streetlights outside the car window were still on, casting a yellowish glow on Ye Feng's face and highlighting the bloodshot veins in his eyes.

He took out his cigarette case, intending to smoke one, but then put his finger back down in mid-air...

Just last month, he confidently declared at an environmental forum that "Warrior Group will be a zero-carbon pioneer," only to be caught smoking and get into trouble again.

The phrase "grand and imposing" has been constantly on his mind lately.

Just like the battle in North Carolina, where the opposition was clearly exploiting the anxiety of auto repair shops to extort money, they insisted on packaging it as "upholding market fairness."

His lawyer, who was sent to negotiate, returned complaining that the opposing legislator slammed his fist on the table and said, "Technological barriers are stumbling blocks to innovation," but then turned around and collected "legal consultation fees" from traditional automakers.

Ye Feng was so angry he wanted to slam his fist on the table, but in the end he gave in—the $50 compensation wasn't a lot, but it wasn't a small amount either; it was enough for those old auto repair shops to buy a few testing machines, and it was also enough for the legislators to go back and explain to their constituents.

"Look, we've secured benefits for you."

He recalled his private conversation with prospective Progressive Party MPs last week. He crossed his legs and said slowly:
"Politics is like kneading dough; it has to be soft one moment and hard the next. If people want the renewable energy bill to pass Congress, they have to build a few toilets at gas stations in Ohio first—gas station owners are the hometowns of those congressmen and are their staunch voter base."

Ye Feng felt disgusted when he said these words, but what could he do?
The charging station construction plan was shelved for six months, but in its place, a subsidy policy from another state was implemented ahead of schedule.

That's reality. He wants to achieve technological breakthroughs, but implementing them depends on the state legislature's approval.

He wants to build a battery factory, and the location must be chosen in "friendly constituencies" that can bring tax breaks.

Even the guest list for new technology launch events has to include a few politicians who "contribute to the industry"—

Even if the other party can't even tell the difference between a motor and an engine.

During a lecture at MIT, a student asked him bluntly, "Do you think the current new energy policy is driven by technology or by profit?" Ye Feng paused for a moment and said, "It takes both into consideration."

After stepping off the stage, he looked in the mirror and berated himself for being "slippery."

But he couldn't tell the truth—half of the cut funding for internal combustion engine development went into the pockets of corporations that supported the opposition.

And the research projects he funded himself were also aimed at preserving the market share of the warrior fuel vehicle.

The phone rang again; it was a video call request from the European branch. On the screen, the sales director looked worried.
"The dealers in Germany said that if we don't 'optimize' the emissions data of our gasoline cars, we might not be able to get them into mainstream stores next month."

Ye Feng gripped his phone tightly, his knuckles turning white. "Optimization," what a nice-sounding word, but frankly, it's tampering with things.

He wanted to say "no," but what came out of his mouth was: "Let the technical department think of a way to adjust the testing conditions within the scope of compliance."

No matter how advanced your technology is, it can't compete with a politician's words. In engine technology, what brand can compare to the Warrior engine right now?

But believe it or not, politicians can ban your products at any time and switch to engines that are inferior to yours in every way.

They can have many excuses, such as protecting domestic companies, fighting monopolies and anti-dumping...

He hung up the phone, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes. Images of oil-stained hands flashed through his mind—the old workers assembling internal combustion engines, their children perhaps tightening screws in a new energy battery factory.

He always talks about a "smooth transition," but the price of this transition is that some people have to put down their wrenches, and some people have to relearn programming. He is caught in the middle, having to both promise the former and provide financial support to the latter.

As they approached home, they passed a 24-hour convenience store. Ye Feng asked the driver to stop, and went inside to buy a bottle of ice water.

The television next to the freezer was showing the news: the Florida Supreme Court was in session, and the opposition lawyer was speaking with great enthusiasm:

"The safety re-inspection of new energy vehicles is for the sake of every consumer's life!"

Ye Feng unscrewed the bottle cap and took a big gulp. The ice water flowed down his throat, but he couldn't suppress the restlessness in his heart.

Although he wasn't there when Warrior New Energy was first established, he could imagine how those engineers worked with his eyes closed.

All they care about is range and charging speed. Good is good, bad is bad. If something is good, it can crush everything else.

Little did they know that there are many other factors that determine the market, and every decision requires weighing seven or eight layers of interests. Every word has to be spoken in a roundabout way. They are clearly trying to make money, yet they talk about a "green future."

They are clearly afraid that competitors will seize their market share, yet they shout "protect national industries."

When he got home, the study light was still on. Yuanfang had left him a note:

"An environmental organization in Georgia sent me an email asking you to be their consultant."

Ye Feng picked up his phone, opened the email, and found it filled with passionate phrases like "Fight for the truth" and "Reject data fabrication." He stared at the screen for a long time before slowly typing out his reply:
"Happy to oblige."

The moment he sent it, he suddenly found it a little ridiculous.

While complaining about the filth of politics, they also have to use the voices of environmental organizations to fight back against their opponents.

While criticizing the "grand and dignified" rhetoric, they also have to use these words to package their own demands. But is there any other way?

The sky outside the window was completely bright. Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting shadows on the floor, much like his current state of mind—half of him wanted to do things in the light, and half of him had to struggle in the shadows.

Ye Feng rubbed his face, made himself a cup of black coffee, and turned to walk towards his desk.

On the table is the latest revised version of the Illinois Parts Procurement Act, and next to it is a technical upgrade plan for new energy motors.

He had to keep going. Even if every step was fraught with contradictions, every word with compromise, even if he knew in his heart that there would never be a clear winner in this game.

Why can't he let go of his original aspiration to "change the world" and also throw away the heavy burden of the "Warrior Group"?

The coffee was bitter, just like his current situation. But he knew he had to drink it no matter how bitter it was—because countless games awaited him, and he was both a player and the most crucial piece on the chessboard.

Ye Feng slammed his coffee cup down on the table, the steam from the rim blurring his glasses.

A stack of newly delivered faxes lay on the corner of the table. On top was a reply from the Ohio Department of Transportation, the ink still wet, stating "Charging station budget review temporarily suspended," but below, in smaller pencil, was a line of text:
“A legislator proposed that 20 pilot projects could be approved first, provided that golf courses in his constituency are given priority.”

He stared at the words and laughed out loud, the sound echoing through the empty study.

Golf courses? Those lawmakers who drive luxury gasoline cars probably think that owners of new energy vehicles should ride electric cars to play golf.

But he couldn't expose it—20 pilot programs were better than none, even if it involved using public resources for private transactions.

He picked up his pen, circled "golf course" on the reply, and wrote a note next to it:

“Have the public relations department contact the chamber of commerce in that constituency and have them ‘voluntarily’ cover the electricity costs for the stadium’s charging stations.”

This is the price of doing real work. If you want to install charging stations to make things easier for ordinary people, you have to first appease those who hold the power of approval.

If you want to promote new energy technologies, you have to tolerate the manipulation of capital behind the scenes.

Last week, a financial reporter pressed him, asking, "Is Warrior Group a technology company or a political lobbying firm?"

Ye Feng laughed frankly at the time: "We are paving the way for technology."

But behind closed doors, he knew exactly how filthy the road was—how many exchanges of interests were buried beneath, how many insincere words were mixed in.

My phone vibrated; it was a video from my daughter. On the screen, the little girl held up her "Little Environmental Protector" certificate from school and said in her sweet, childish voice:

"Dad, the teacher said you're doing something important to protect the Earth!"

Ye Feng's heart felt as if it had been struck by something, a soft, aching sensation washing over him. He nodded at the screen and said:

"Yes, Dad is trying to stop the car from smoking."

After hanging up the video call, he stared blankly at the "Carbon Emission Accounting Revision Plan"...

The numbers game played by those people in Georgia almost turned the environmental advantages of new energy vehicles into a "negative number".

In an attempt to turn the tide, he had to commission a third-party organization to produce a "beautified" report, which made the carbon emissions from battery recycling appear exceptionally optimistic.

"For the sake of justice, sometimes we have to use less-than-just means."

He tried to comfort himself with that thought, but when his fingertips traced the “error range ±15%” mark on the report, he still felt a burning sensation.

During the evening video conference, the European team was again protesting their innocence.

French dealers have been sued by the local association for gasoline-powered vehicles, which claims that Warrior New Energy's advertising "exaggerates its driving range."

Thank you so much, that's awesome!