A live stream of someone hand-making a giant white robot attracted the attention of the government,

The warmth of that hug seemed to still linger on the fabric of the shirt.

The atmosphere in the Qiming No. 1 laboratory was extremely eerie the next morning.

Su Wanqing changed back into her impeccably tailored women's suit, styled her hair back into a bun, and put on her frameless glasses, reverting to her icy CEO persona.

But her bright red ears and her refusal to meet Bai Che's gaze completely betrayed her.

She buried herself in a list of newly delivered equipment, using work as an excuse to forcibly create an invisible wall between herself and Bai Che.

Wang Tao tiptoed in and immediately saw the "Do Not Disturb" sign that someone had picked up and placed neatly on the shoe cabinet by the door.

He instantly snapped to attention and went into silent mode, walking on tiptoe as if afraid of making the slightest sound and disturbing the delicate magnetic field.

Bai Che was still the same as always, sprawled at his assigned workstation, holding his phone with some silly match-3 game playing on the screen.

His attention was completely off the game.

Trouble.

This is really troublesome.

He was inwardly wailing. Last night's hug, that burning heat, that nasal "thank you," had completely disrupted all his plans to be a couch potato.

This is no longer as simple as just flirting with her and seeing her blush.

This was a completely new problem, one he had never dealt with before, called "out of control".

In the midst of this deathly silence, the internal phone in Su Wanqing's office suddenly rang urgently.

She answered the phone almost as if she were being launched into action, speaking in an unusually urgent tone.

"Hello, this is Su Wanqing."

On the other end of the phone was her newly hired head of the legal department.

"President Su, there is... there is an official email from overseas, sent by... Apple Inc. of the United States."

Su Wanqing's fingers tightened suddenly around the receiver.

"Forward directly to my highest-authority email address."

After hanging up the phone, she immediately sat down at her computer.

one second.

two seconds.

An email with Apple's gray logo sat quietly at the top of the inbox.

From: Tim Cook.

Su Wanqing's heart skipped a beat. She took a deep breath and opened the email.

The email was written in fluent English, with elegant and sincere language.

But its contents possess a tyrannical power capable of overturning the entire global technological landscape.

[To Mr. Bai Che and Ms. Su Wanqing, founders of Zero Boundary Technology:]

On behalf of Apple, I would like to express my deepest respect and admiration for your company's world-changing technological achievements. Mr. Bai Che's talent shows us the shadow of the next Steve Jobs...

Su Wanqing completely ignored the high-sounding praise that came before.

Her gaze was fixed on a line of bold, enlarged numbers in the email body.

[...We have formally submitted a takeover offer to acquire Zero Realm Technologies and all of its patented technologies in full, through a cash transaction.]

[Acquisition offer: US$1,000,000,000,000.]

One hundred billion.

US dollars.

Su Wanqing's hand holding the mouse trembled violently.

This number is no longer within the realm of business.

This amount of money is enough to buy any internet giant in China, and even more.

This is not an acquisition at all.

This is a letter of surrender that was bought with money, accompanied by an exorbitant dowry.

In the latter part of the email, Cook made an offer that was impossible to refuse.

Following the acquisition, Mr. Bai Che will possess the highest level of technological freedom within Apple, enabling him to leverage Apple's global supply chain, R&D centers, and distribution resources to realize any technological vision he desires. Apple will become his strongest support...

Su Wanqing's back instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

She understood the meaning behind the email better than anyone else.

This is not a business transaction.

This is a strategic probe from a global technology superpower, or even a strategic strangulation.

Either they'll acquire you for an exorbitant price and make you part of their technological empire.

Alternatively, they could face a comprehensive attack from patents, supply chains, and market channels.

This is an open conspiracy.

It's a fair and square choice, presented to you with absolute strength, a choice you can't refuse.

She immediately stood up, her face extremely grave, and quickly walked out of the office.

"Bai Che, Wang Tao, conference room, emergency meeting!"

Her voice trembled slightly, without her even realizing it.

Five minutes later.

The atmosphere in the newly renovated conference room was oppressive.

Wang Tao was restless; it was the first time he had ever seen Su Wanqing so apprehensive.

Bai Che strolled in leisurely, pulled out a chair, and continued playing his Candy Crush game, as if everything outside was irrelevant to him.

Without saying a word, Su Wanqing slammed the email she had just printed onto the table.

"Take a look."

Wang Tao took it out of curiosity.

When he saw that outrageously long string of zeros, he was completely dumbfounded.

He stretched out his finger, poked at the A4 paper, and started counting the words one by one.

"Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousand, hundreds of thousands, millions, tens of millions, hundreds of millions, billions, billions, hundreds of billions..."

"One hundred billion?!"

"US dollars?!"

Wang Tao's screams nearly lifted the roof off the conference room.

He suddenly stood up, so excited that he knocked over his chair.

"Che...Che-ge! We...we're rich! We're struck gold! A hundred billion US dollars! How much is that? Will I ever be able to count it in my lifetime?!"

He had begun to speak incoherently, and his whole being was engulfed in a frenzied ecstasy.

He started counting on his fingers how many Tomson Riviera mansions could be bought with 100 billion US dollars, how many meals of top-grade Wagyu beef yakiniku could be eaten, and how many roads made of pure gold could be built for his hometown village.

Su Wanqing ignored Wang Tao, who had gone mad.

She stared intently at Bai Che.

"This isn't about money."

Her voice was a little hoarse from nervousness.

"This is the strategic plan of the United States against us. They want to buy out Zero Boundary Technology, your brain, and turn it into their weapon. If we refuse, we will face a complete blockade and suppression from the entire Western technological world."

"Our company is just starting out and has no foundation. We simply cannot withstand this level of confrontation."

She laid bare all the stakes and consequences before Bai Che.

In the entire conference room, only Wang Tao was still excitedly calculating how much money he would get.

After Su Wanqing finished speaking, she looked at Bai Che and waited for his decision.

She knew that this decision would determine the life or death of Zero Boundary Technology, the future direction of technology in the Dragon Kingdom, and even... their future together.

A long silence.

Bai Che finally cleared another level in the match-3 game.

He slowly locked his phone screen and looked up.

He first glanced at Wang Tao, who was still gesturing wildly, before turning his gaze to Su Wanqing, who had a solemn expression.

His face was expressionless.

There was no excitement, no tension, not even the slightest ripple.

He simply asked a question.

"Oh, and then?"