Chapter 135: Negotiation (Part I)

The pilot was a major general. Xiao Kaitian returned the salute with polite formality; such details signaled the gravity with which the other party approached this meeting.

The major general offered no further words, merely gesturing for them to follow. He strode forward, with Xiao Kaitian and Huang Ming close on his heels.

The trio arrived at a large stone building. Inside, a long table was flanked by people. A quick glance revealed the man at the center: a middle-aged man in his fifties with a square jaw and an air of unyielding resolve. His rank was that of a general.

Standing behind him with hands clasped behind his back were two men whose combat power readings—820 and 827—were terrifyingly high. They were clearly martial cultivators, both holding the rank of major general.

Everyone else at the long table wore military uniforms, the lowest in rank being a major general, with most being lieutenant generals or full generals. As Xiao and his companion entered, the eyes of everyone in the room converged upon them.

Under the stern gaze of these military officers, the atmosphere grew tense. Yet, Xiao Kaitian showed no sign of intimidation; he simply nodded with a faint smile. The pilot who had escorted them saluted and reported, "Reporting! Huang Ming and Xiao Kaitian have arrived."

The middle-aged man stood up, gave a slight nod, and gestured to the seat on his left, adopting a demeanor that was as gentle as he could manage. "Sit. Let me introduce myself. I am Cai Lizhi, Commander-in-Chief of the 13th Field Army."

"Xiao Kaitian." As Xiao stepped forward to shake hands, he clearly felt the qi of the two martial cultivators behind Cai Lizhi sweep over him. Only after they confirmed he posed no threat did they retract their focus. Xiao then took his seat.

Perhaps to keep the atmosphere from becoming too oppressive, Cai Lizhi had arranged for Xiao to sit at his right hand. Huang Ming sat down immediately beside him.

These men were soldiers, accustomed to directness and unversed in circuitous pleasantries. Cai Lizhi went straight to the point. "Mr. Xiao, the purpose of inviting you here today—which I believe Director Huang has already mentioned—is to discuss the possibility of cooperation."

"We will listen to your demands first, but allow me to offer a reminder: we represent the military and the state. If your terms are unreasonable or contrary to our protocols, do not bother bringing them up, as there would be no basis for negotiation."

It was typical military style—concise and sharp. Yet, this was a method of negotiation Xiao Kaitian preferred. He nodded with a smile, indicating he understood.

His composed attitude clearly pleased Cai Lizhi, who pulled out a pack of unbranded cigarettes and offered one to Xiao. Xiao accepted without hesitation, and there, in front of the gathered crowd, the two lit up and smoked.

This interaction gave everyone a general impression of Xiao Kaitian: he was a man of courage. Soldiers have a natural affinity for such grit.

Would Xiao Kaitian be intimidated? Regrettably, he was not.

With a cigarette dangling from his lips, Cai Lizhi looked no different from an ordinary shopkeeper selling sunflower seeds and beer on the street if one were to strip away his uniform. Yet, Xiao knew that the more unassuming such a person appeared, the more composed they were at their core.

"My demands have already been broadly outlined, and I believe you and your colleagues have studied them," Xiao said with a smile. "Otherwise, I see no reason for us to be sitting here today."

A glint of light flashed in Cai Lizhi’s eyes. This was an exceptionally sharp young man. He had already memorized Xiao Kaitian's dossier—the dissolute playboy of the Shangjing Xiao family, even rumored to be a fool—but the man before him did not fit that description in the slightest.

Just as Xiao said, they had studied his requirements in detail and determined there was room for negotiation, which led to today’s meeting.

It was truly interesting. Was the information in the dossier a smokescreen set by the Xiao family, or had Xiao Kaitian been playing the fool to catch a tiger? Cai Lizhi crossed his legs, waiting for Xiao’s next move.

"First, I require capital—at least thirty billion, preferably fifty billion. I hold the 'Future Century' project in my hands," Xiao said, flicking the ash from his cigarette. "I can provide the details of the project. This funding will be used to relaunch it."

"Beyond the commercial aspect, this project also encompasses a high-tech industrial park—in other words, the production of the very things you desire. That is one part of the funding allocation. Furthermore, I have an agreement with the Port City government to build a high-speed corridor connecting Haidu to Port City."

"Oh?" Cai Lizhi was slightly surprised. This was information not found in the dossier. A high-speed corridor connecting two major cities was, without question, a benefit to the nation and its people. For a merchant, Xiao Kaitian possessed remarkable foresight.

"Of course, this will also add value to my 'Future Century' project," Xiao explained, sensing their hesitation. "That is the general distribution of the funds."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the faces in the room. "As for technical production, I insist that my company retain control. The core technology cannot be shared for the time being, though some peripheral technologies can be made available."

"Mr. Xiao, if that is the case, we provide the money and the effort, but you reap all the benefits. That is a losing deal for us," an army general challenged.

Xiao Kaitian shook his head. "That may appear to be the case on the surface, but please, think carefully. Where are the production base and the technology? They are in Hantang. 'Future Century' is a Hantang project; it is only under my sole control for the sake of confidentiality."

"That is sophistry," the general frowned.

"Look at it from another angle. My refusal to open the core technology is not without a time limit. We could agree on a term—thirty or fifty years, for instance—after which parts of the technology will be gradually released. How about that?"

Silence fell over the room. Xiao’s proposal was not without merit. The military did have a tradition of delaying the transparency of new technologies; his suggestion was not outlandish.

Furthermore, although he controlled production, the base was located in Hantang. As long as monitoring was strict, the leakage of technology could largely be prevented.

Xiao Kaitian’s actions also suggested he was not a man driven solely by profit; otherwise, he could have taken his technical data to any nation and been welcomed with open arms.

"Mr. Xiao," Cai Lizhi crushed his cigarette in the ashtray. "If we proceed, I require that the military participate in production, or at least have our own personnel responsible for oversight."

"That is no problem," Xiao Kaitian agreed immediately, knowing they would never give up if they couldn't have a hand in the process. "However, I have one special requirement: I intend to use a portion of the finished mechs as a security detail for the 'Future Century' project, stationed near the production base."

This amounted to building a private armed force. Cai Lizhi did not even have to think about it; he rejected the notion outright. "Absolutely not!"

"General," Xiao said, seemingly having anticipated the refusal. His expression grew grave as he scanned the room. "Please, give me a moment to explain the situation in detail."

"I believe I have an absolute justification for this."