After breaking up with my boyfriend, I made a fortune and rose rapidly in my career.

"Headed by Governor Liu Mingyuan, with Comrade Chen Pingfang as the executive deputy leader, the group has the authority to make decisions on the allocation of industrial resources without prior approval."

Secretary Deshan's words echoed in the large conference room, each word carrying weight and conviction.

The meeting room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. All the standing committee members were staring at the young man, the former director of the Industry and Information Technology Department who had just swiftly and decisively brought down the director of the Science and Technology Department.

Governor Liu Mingyuan broke the silence first, turning to Chen Pingfang and speaking solemnly.

"Comrade Pingfang, time waits for no one. I'm giving you a week to lead a province-wide, no, a national, mobilization meeting for the semiconductor industry. We must raise our banner high and make our voice heard!"

Chen Ping stood up and bowed slightly to Secretary Deshan and Governor Liu Mingyuan.

"We guarantee the mission will be completed."

Without any superfluous words, it carries more weight than any grand pronouncements.

As the meeting ended and the Standing Committee members left one after another, many people quickened their pace as they passed Chen Pingfang, and couldn't help but glance at him again.

Chen Pingfang is no longer an ordinary person.

~

Within a week, the Southern Province was operating with astonishing efficiency.

Multiple departments, including the Provincial Government Office, the Department of Industry and Information Technology, and the Publicity Department, worked together to send out invitations bearing official seals from Nanzhou to technology companies, research institutions, and media outlets across the country and even around the world.

The conference had only one theme: The Spark of the South China Chip.

On the day of the conference, the Nanzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center was packed with people.

Representatives from hundreds of semiconductor companies across the country, well-known investors from Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, as well as blond-haired, blue-eyed foreign journalists and industry observers, packed the main venue, which could accommodate thousands of people, to capacity.

Flashes of light went off one after another, and the air was filled with a mix of Mandarin, English, Japanese, and Korean. Everyone's attention was focused on the young man who was about to speak in the center of the stage.

Chen Pingfang was dressed in a dark suit without a tie, looking capable and composed. As he walked to the front of the stage, the noise in the entire hall instantly disappeared.

Chen Pingfang didn't look at the speech notes; he simply calmly surveyed the entire room.

Good morning, distinguished guests and friends.

His opening remarks were simple and direct.

"Today, we won't talk about the past, only the future. Here, I'd like to introduce a new friend to everyone, 'Corefire'."

On the huge LED screen behind him, a logo made up of countless streams of code appeared, depicting a blazing flame.

"'Chipfire' is a complete EDA industrial software solution that we have independently developed. Today, we are officially releasing its first preview version."

The moment the words were spoken, the audience erupted in chaos.

Representatives from domestic semiconductor companies, in particular, could hardly believe their ears. Independent EDA? A complete solution? How could this be?

"I know many people will have doubts."

Chen Pingfang seemed to have anticipated everyone's reaction.

"Therefore, we will not explain, we will only demonstrate."

He made a gesture, and Professor Gu Weizhen and his team appeared in the video link on the big screen.

"Now, Professor Gu will use 'Chipfire EDA' to conduct a layout verification of the chip back-end design on site, benchmarking against M~Tek's newly released AetherX software."

The scene erupted in uproar.

This is a blatant challenge! To challenge the industry leader in front of the world's media!

Everyone held their breath, watching the large screen split in two. On the left was AetherX, and on the right was "Corefire EDA," both simultaneously importing a complex design document.

The operation begins.

Everyone's heart was in their throat.

Time ticked by, and the progress bar for "CoreFire EDA" on the right continued to advance at a steady pace visible to the naked eye. On the other hand, AetherX on the left, although it started a little faster, seemed to slow down at a certain complex point.

Five minutes later.

The progress bar of "Corefire EDA" reached 100% first, and a green "Verification Passed" icon popped up on the screen.

AetherX, on the other hand, is still struggling at 92%.

Won!

Although it was just one step, and only a few minutes faster, the experts present understood what it meant.

This means that "Corefire" is not just a PowerPoint presentation; it has the strength to compete with industry giants on the same stage!

The hall erupted in applause. The domestic entrepreneurs who had previously been skeptical were now flushed with excitement, clapping enthusiastically.

Chen Ping raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

The applause gradually subsided, but everyone's emotions were still running high.

"The creation of 'Corefire' is to give ourselves the right to choose."

Chen Pingfang's voice was clearly transmitted to everyone's ears through the microphone.

"Based on this, on behalf of the Semiconductor Industry Leading Group of Nanzhou Province, I hereby formally announce a new industry standard, the 'Spark Standard'."

He paused, emphasizing each word.

"Starting today, all chip products involved in the construction of critical infrastructure in the Southern Province, including those in the energy, transportation, finance, and communications sectors, must pass the 'Chipfire Standard' security certification."

If the previous demonstration caused quite a stir, then this statement is nothing short of a huge shock.

The audience was completely silent.

Everyone was stunned by this unprecedented "Corefire Standard".

This means that Southern California will have to start from scratch and establish its own rules of the game. All chip companies that want to do business in key sectors of this economic powerhouse will have to bow to this new standard.

"Finally, I have the second announcement."

Chen Ping ignored the shocked, bewildered, and even angry reactions from the audience and continued his announcement.

"In light of the serious security vulnerabilities recently discovered, Nanzhou Province has decided to conduct a comprehensive security inspection of all critical information infrastructure within the province, effective immediately. Until the inspection is completed and compliance with the 'Chipfire Standard' is confirmed, all overseas chip products confirmed to have hardware backdoor risks will be indefinitely suspended."

boom!

The entire venue erupted in cheers.

"He's gone mad! He must be mad!" a foreign journalist exclaimed, while his colleagues frantically sent reports to headquarters.

"This is a show of force! This is a show of force to the whole world!" An elderly expert with white hair was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes.

Governor Liu Mingyuan sat in the first row, his palms sweating, but looking at the tall figure on the stage, he finally gave an approving smile.

Young people should have this kind of spirit!

Just as the entire audience was caught in a mix of fervor and chaos, a staff member rushed onto the stage, handed a document to Chen Pingfang, and whispered a few words excitedly in his ear.

Chen Ping took the document and quickly glanced at it.

That was a congratulatory telegram jointly sent by multiple ministries, including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the Ministry of Science and Technology, which highly affirmed and supported the breakthroughs achieved by Nanzhou Province in independent innovation in the semiconductor industry.

At this moment, Chen Pingfang's name truly entered the vision of higher-level leaders.

~

After the press conference, Chen Ping declined all interview and dinner invitations and returned alone to the backstage lounge of the convention center.

He took off his suit jacket, casually draped it over the sofa, and then walked to the window, watching the crowds below gradually disperse.

My phone suddenly vibrated in my pocket.

He took it out and saw that it was an unknown number without caller ID.

Chen Ping swiped to answer the call but didn't say anything.

There was silence on the other end of the phone, with only a faint static noise. After a few seconds, a processed, gender-indistinguishable synthesized voice spoke in a flat, emotionless tone in standard English.

"Mr. Chen, you have opened Pandora's box."

"AetherX's revenge has only just begun."