After speaking, Zhong Yun settled back into his chair, silent, watching with keen interest the rare expressions of shock on the faces of these powerful figures who could sway fortunes in Davao.

These four items were technologies he had spent considerable time developing, synthesizing them from the available resources in Davao, crafted barely within the limits of their current technological capability—and only with the assistance of Xiao Ling.

A profound silence fell over the room. They were all busy processing the news, contemplating the seismic shift these innovations would bring to Davao’s military strength.

“Is that all?” Yang Yunrong broke the quiet, looking at Zhong Yun with palpable hope.

“Do you think I’m some kind of immortal?” Zhong Yun shot him an exasperated look.

“To us, you already are,” Yang Bingchang interjected, his eyes alight with excitement and awe. He understood the immense implications behind these developments perhaps better than anyone.

Zhong Yun rubbed the back of his head, offering a sheepish chuckle; anything he said now felt inadequate. I’m not the immortal; Xiao Ling is, he thought to himself.

“With these four things, victory for Davao in this war is absolutely assured,” Shi Jinfan’s voice resonated with fervor, his excitement barely contained. “Zhong Yun, what is the absolute fastest you can produce working prototypes?”

This was it. Zhong Yun had been waiting for this very question, signaling that negotiations had entered their final phase. Now, it was all down to how decisive this President would be.

“Only if you grant me absolute support. Three months at the absolute longest,” Zhong Yun held up three fingers, “and we can achieve mass production.”

A sharp glint ignited in Shi Jinfan’s eyes. He slapped his hand down on the desk. “Excellent. You will have my utmost support. However, I need the physical items in hand in half a month.”

“One week,” Zhong Yun countered immediately, locking eyes with the President, refusing to yield. “I require one thousand B-rank certified engineers and three hundred A-rank certified engineers from the National Academy of Sciences for the duration of the war, dedicated solely to my service. All resulting patents will belong exclusively to me.”

Shi Jinfan’s pupils constricted. This Zhong Yun truly dared to demand the moon. The National Academy of Sciences and the Giant Machinery Group’s Research Institute were known as Davao’s two supreme centers of scientific research, institutions that essentially dictated the direction of technological progress.

Yet, despite the word ‘National’ in its title, the scientists within the Academy were not strictly governed by the state. They joined for better exchange with other cutting-edge researchers and access to superior equipment; it was, functionally, an employment relationship.

Sensing the President’s hesitation, Zhong Yun added a crucial bargaining chip. “I also possess several mecha design blueprints…”

“Done,” Shi Jinfan decided instantly; he was not one to dither.

Of course, this was merely an initial agreement in principle. The specifics would require technical experts to hammer out. But during wartime, time was life itself. Shi Jinfan immediately picked up his phone and dispatched someone to retrieve Zhong Pingjiang.

“Send people from the Quartermaster Department. My father has dealt with them before,” Zhong Yun explained, wanting to spare his father the shock. He had heard the anxious President summon his second secretary to personally fetch him, and flashing that level of official authority in front of his unsuspecting father would likely terrify the older man half to death.

Shi Jinfan readily agreed and instead called the Quartermaster Department.

As he finished that call, Zhong Yun quickly stepped to a corner and phoned his father.

With that settled, Zhong Yun’s part was done. Shi Jinfan swiftly turned to Yang Tianlie and Yang Bingchang to discuss war strategy, showing no reservation about Zhong Yun being present.

Far away in Mingzhou City, Zhong Pingjiang answered his son’s call feeling slightly perplexed. After a moment of thought, he summoned his secretary.

“Manager Zhong, what is it?” His secretary was a sharp, capable woman in her early thirties, meticulous and entirely trustworthy.

“Go fetch Deputy Minister Huang from the Research Department, Minister Yun from Finance, and Minister Zhang from Legal,” Zhong Yun instructed.

The female secretary nodded. “Yes, I’ll go right away.”

The secretary had barely left when Zhong Pingjiang received the call from the Quartermaster Department—it was the colonel he frequently liaised with. “Mr. Zhong, are you at the office?”

Zhong Pingjiang instinctively felt this call was connected to what his son had just told him. “I am in the office now.”

“I am ordered to invite you to a specific location. A car will pick you up in ten minutes.”

The colonel’s tone seemed subtly different from before. Zhong Pingjiang didn't dwell on it, his attention captured by the instruction. “What location is that?” he asked.

“You will find out when you arrive,” the colonel replied, bound by confidentiality regulations and thus unable to disclose more. He snapped a crisp salute and terminated the call.

The first to arrive was Yun Rong, who worked in the same building. She entered immediately. “Why the urgent summons? I have been swamped with finance work all day today,” she complained slightly, understandably tired from a full day’s labor.

“Let’s wait for the others. Please, have a seat,” Zhong Pingjiang gestured toward the sofa opposite him. Seeing that his boss seemed preoccupied, Yun Rong sat down. “Nothing else has gone wrong, has it?”

Zhong Pingjiang’s fingers traced circles unconsciously on the sofa’s armrest. “I honestly don’t know what this is about.”

Yun Rong grew more curious, about to press further, when the door opened again. The secretary entered, ushering in Huang Jian, the Deputy Minister of Research, and Zhang Du, the Minister of Legal Affairs.

“You’re all here. Please, take a seat,” Zhong Pingjiang indicated the seats to his left.

Once they were settled, Zhang Du spoke up. “Boss, why the urgent need to call us? Is there something specific?” He was Zhong Pingjiang’s staunch friend from university, and their bond remained strong. After the company expanded, Zhong Yun had brought him in.

Zhong Pingjiang glanced at the time. Five minutes remained before the colonel’s scheduled pickup. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. “I’ve secured a deal that requires you three to accompany me for negotiations.”

“Which company is it?” Yun Rong asked. Seeing Huang Jian and Zhang Du both looking at him, Zhong Pingjiang offered a wry smile internally. Xiao Yun, Xiao Yun, you certainly know how to give me a challenge. Earlier, his son had not mentioned the details of the business, only that it was a government partnership, nothing more. He had just said someone would arrive shortly to pick him up and that he needed to settle company affairs first.

“Uh, it’s a cooperative venture with the government,” Zhong Pingjiang vaguely admitted. “For now, put down what you’re working on. We will be heading to the Capital together shortly.”

The Capital? Huang Jian and Zhang Du exchanged glances.

“Do we need to prepare anything?” Zhang Du inquired.

“No,” Zhong Pingjiang admitted, knowing he had no idea what preparations were necessary, as he didn't even know the nature of the cooperation. He truly felt exasperated by his son, who constantly sprung these “surprises” on him.

“Boss, do you really need me for a negotiation?” Huang Jian asked hesitantly. As a mechanical engineer, such a setting truly wasn't his area of expertise.

“Yes. There are some technical points that might require your expertise to explain,” Zhong Pingjiang could only reply, knowing Zhong Yun had specifically designated Huang Jian to come.

Just then, a phone rang. Zhong Pingjiang checked the time—ten minutes had just elapsed. “Mr. Zhong, the car is downstairs at your building.”

As he headed downstairs, Zhong Pingjiang couldn't help but wonder, What new surprise is my son engineering for me this time?

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