kvmb Chapter 337 Deepening Cooperation
Chapter 337 Deepening Cooperation
The salon didn't gradually disperse until late at night.
The guests left with their own takeaways and reflections.
Arthur, still wanting more, pulled Zhou Chengjing and Bai Li into having another drink before letting them leave.
"Thank you for your hard work today, Shi Shui." Bai Li patted Shi Shui on the shoulder.
The salon ended, and Shi Shui was still somewhat dazed.
In just a few hours, he glimpsed a completely different world beyond the ordinary one.
Bai Li understood Shi Shui; when she first attended a similar banquet, she was no less surprised than Shi Shui is now.
It was then that she truly realized how closely and seamlessly intertwined opportunity, wealth, and power are in a certain dimension.
Unfortunately, this is something you can only experience once you've entered the industry.
Entering this circle is as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Bai Li's soft voice awakened Shi Shui.
He shook his head, his gaze towards Bai Li complex and unreadable: "Sister, thank you for bringing me here."
He was able to participate in such a high-profile salon today entirely thanks to Bai Li.
It was only today that he truly realized what Bai Li was facing.
I used to think there was a gap between me and Shirai, but I never imagined it would be such a huge difference.
"No need to thank me, it's because you're excellent," Bai Li replied with a smile.
After the initial nervousness, Shi Shui quickly got into the zone, explaining clearly and professionally.
When faced with questions from several top tech leaders that nearly touched on core secrets, he displayed composure far beyond his years, both protecting the secrets and cleverly showcasing the superiority of the technology.
Such ability is extremely rare.
After today, Shi Shui's name will be remembered by these big shots.
If Bai Li hadn't been there, they probably would have already extended an olive branch.
Therefore, Bai Li could almost foresee the brilliant future that Shi Shui would have.
She merely provided a fulcrum; it was his own excellence that enabled him to achieve this leap.
"Ah Hu." Bai Li winked at Ah Hu behind her, "Send some people to escort Shi Shui and the rest of the team back."
During the Davos talks, I originally only brought a few bodyguard NPCs with me.
But ever since the Lingxi team and Shishui arrived, Baili has transferred all the bodyguard NPCs over.
Shi Shui is not yet aware of her own value.
But after today's salon, his net worth increased more than ten thousand times.
Gaining attention is a double-edged sword.
I will protect Shi Shui while he is still young and vulnerable.
"Yes." Ah Hu, who had been silent behind him, responded crisply and quickly dispatched manpower through encrypted communication.
Within seconds, several bodyguard NPCs in the same uniform silently gathered together.
Everyone has bulges on their sides. These are not allowed in China, but they are necessities abroad, for emergencies.
"Go back and rest." After explaining the last few things, Bai Li said goodbye to Shi Shui and got into the car to return home.
The extended luxury limousine departed.
Bai Li leaned back in the comfortable leather seat, exhaled softly, and felt the fatigue from the intense work surge up, but even more so, the excitement and relaxation of success.
Watching Shi Shui and his party disappear into the night, Zhou Chengjing withdrew his gaze, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes, but he said nothing.
It's not surprising that a woman like Bai Li has male confidants.
"Is your cleanup going smoothly?" Bai Li asked, taking the initiative to start a conversation when Zhou Chengjing remained silent.
She looked up at him, the ambient lighting in the carriage outlining his distinct silhouette.
Inside the extended version of the car, the seats are not arranged side by side, but rather facing each other.
At this point, it is easier for the two to talk when they are sitting facing each other.
“Hmm,” Zhou Chengjing replied briefly. “The effect is even better than I expected. Arthur, although he loves watching the show, really helped push things along this time. The pressure on the bill will be much less. Those congressmen will naturally ‘re-evaluate’ certain clauses of the proposal when they get back.”
Those influential councilors exchanged glances with Zhou Chengjing privately, and their attitudes clearly softened.
Although the bill has not yet been formally put on the agenda, the stance of the most key figures has already undergone a subtle shift regarding new artificial intelligence technologies.
He changed the subject slightly, his gaze falling on Bai Li's face, with a reserved smile: "Congratulations, you've had a good day."
“Congratulations.” Bai Li’s lips curved into a smile. “Silas’ absence has actually amplified the effect. He was excluded, but someone will tell him what happened tonight, which will make him feel worse than if he had faced off against him in person.”
Before the salon even ended, Bai Li received collaboration offers from several tech venture capitalists with substantial investments, her hands overflowing with business cards. The favor of these top-tier venture capitalists means that Lingxi will receive immeasurable support in terms of funding and resources in the future.
Although Silas of Prometheus Technologies was not present, his absence served as the best illustration, making everyone smell the scent of gunpowder.
Overnight, Bai Li was no longer a vague concept in other people's mouths, but had truly taken root in the hidden upper circle of Davos.
"It's all thanks to your advance planning," Bai Li said sincerely.
Zhou Chengjing's voice was calm: "It's just mutually beneficial. If this bill passes as is, it will be a huge obstacle for me as well."
Bai Li's heart stirred.
This was precisely the question she had been asking.
Zhou Chengjing, who wouldn't act without self-interest, personally intervened to block the bill, simply to help her?
He must have deeper reasons related to his own interests.
“So,” Bai Li looked him straight in the eye and asked the question that had been nagging at her, “which part of your interests does this bill affect?”
Zhou Chengjing did not answer immediately.
Outside the car window were silent snow-capped mountains and a dazzling starry sky.
A brief silence fell over the carriage, broken only by the low hum of the engine.
After a moment, he spoke slowly, his voice low and clear:
"National security."
Four words, yet they carry immense weight.
Yes, in the past six months, Zhou Chengjing has climbed many more steps up the ladder.
Given his current position and family background, the dimensions he considers are no longer limited to just commercial interests.
“Prometheus Technology’s ‘Olympos’ system has penetrated too deeply.” Zhou Chengjing only said this much, but Bai Li’s pupils contracted slightly, and she instantly understood a lot.
Therefore, we need an architecture that is independent and controllable, has superior performance, can be seamlessly integrated into the existing system, and can eventually replace it.
Bai Li finally understood just how important the Lingxi Project was to the government.
Lingxi (灵犀) is both the key to unlocking a business empire and a crucial bargaining chip in national power struggles.
Zhou Chengjing had probably planned to establish contact with her even earlier than she had anticipated, paving the way for their future together.
When did it start?
It should start with using investment projects from advanced research institutes to exchange for the first batch of commercial adaptation rights.
It's suspicious that a nationally significant project could be so easily approved for use by a private research institute, and that the institute could so easily secure the first batch of commercial compatibility rights.
At the time, I suspected that there was a powerful force pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Sure enough.
"I understand." Bai Li's voice carried a sense of relief after everything had settled down.
She smiled slightly.
His smile, bathed in moonlight, appeared both clear-headed and tinged with the excitement of having met his match.
"Brother Zhou, it seems I can't get off your boat."
Seeing Bai Li's expression, Zhou Chengjing knew that the seed he had planted long ago must have been noticed by her.
He showed no sign of embarrassment at being exposed. Instead, he leaned back in his chair with ease and chuckled, "It's been a pleasure working with you, Bai Shimei. We'll be on this boat for a long time to come, sharing the same boat."
Their relationship is more complex than simple allies, more profound than pure interests, carrying the calculation of mutual exploitation, but also seemingly... mixed with a few unspeakable genuine feelings.
Half an hour passed.
Just when Bai Li thought the topic was over.
A barely perceptible glint flashed in Zhou Chengjing's deep eyes: "Bai Li, have you ever thought that our cooperation could go deeper and last longer?"