Chapter 425: The Backbone

Jiang Lai had a deep impression of Ke Zhongyu's uncle and aunt; for someone as steady as his uncle to call and ask, the severity of the situation was clear.

She looked down—the internet was already buzzing with heated discussion.

This was already the result after Secretary Cen and the Public Relations Department had handled it.

The effect was minimal.

At the emergency executive meeting, Assistant Zhou reported:

"The self-media traffic has already been fully harvested; articles are being widely reposted and spreading—we can't delete them all."

"Even internal accountability cannot reverse the public opinion that has already fermented."

"No one believes our official clarification—instead it's being interpreted as 'the officials hiding their inadequacy, their equipment too advanced to dare show ahead of time.' The heat isn't dropping; it's rising."

As the last two words fell, the executives erupted into discussion.

Jiang Lai didn't know much about business matters; she set down her tablet and asked one question: "What is the biggest impact of this public opinion?"

Assistant Zhou: "Everyone believes we will hold a product launch in three days."

Jiang Lai: "What if we hold it according to the original schedule of seven days later?"

Assistant Zhou pressed his lips together and looked at President Ke.

Ke Zhongyu: "The public opinion heat will burn out, people will question whether the project has crashed, question whether our R&D is faked, military cooperation trust will be damaged, and subsequent projects will be very difficult to push forward."

Jiang Lai nodded thoughtfully: "So we just follow the public opinion and hold the launch in three days, right?"

"No." An executive below objected. "A rash exhibition will expose flaws and leave technical vulnerabilities—not only will it affect the Ke Clan, Professor Jiang, you will be affected too."

Jiang Lai recalled the current problems with the Bee Armor: extreme low-temperature range degradation, and close-combat protection module response delay.

Her eyes shifted slightly, and she turned to look at Ke Zhongyu: "I have a proposal."

The moment he met her eyes, Ke Zhongyu knew what she was going to do. Ke Zhongyu's sword-shaped brows furrowed, and he refused in a low voice: "No."

His tone was fierce.

The conference room fell instantly dead silent.

Everyone's gazes crossed—they had already guessed what Jiang Lai's proposal was; some had thought of it just now too, but out of consideration for the relationship between President Ke and Professor Jiang, no one dared to raise it.

Now that Professor Jiang had raised it, someone summoned the courage to say: "Holding the leaker accountable has no practical value anymore. The optimal solution right now is to ride this wave of nationwide attention and hold the early launch as scheduled, seizing industry voice and military orders. The only point is... Professor Jiang must overcome the remaining improvement challenges within three days."

Jiang Lai stared at the screen full of sky-high praise, news that was overly deifying the Bee Armor. She didn't complain about the leak; she calmly reviewed the existing defect data once more.

No one disturbed her while she was silent—they could only place their hopes on her now.

Five minutes later, Jiang Lai raised her eyes to meet every expectant gaze and gave her answer: "No need for three days—two days will do. On the morning of the launch, I will produce the final finalized product."

She stood up and said to Ke Zhongyu: "I want to request a sealed underground independent laboratory. Apart from basic supply deliveries, no one may enter. I'll only keep your encrypted communication line."

Ke Zhongyu stood up and gripped her wrist, very tightly: "What are you going to do."

"Ke Zhongyu, it's not just you who values the Three-Region Project—I value it too. The development of the self-designed chip and the Three-Region Project is my first time truly taking the lead. It must succeed; otherwise I cannot accept that the blood and sweat of our group would be thwarted simply because of a public opinion that isn't even bad."

"I'll be in the lab; you need to hold the situation steady on the outside. I don't understand business matters—only you can navigate them."

Jiang Lai looked at Ke Zhongyu earnestly.

In Ke Zhongyu's mind, the problems they were about to face had already surfaced: the media demanding exhibit previews, refusing to show the real thing would lead to speculation that the project had major flaws, fending off smear campaigns from competitors, and also soothing the military leadership.

His uncle's phone call just now was already quite mild and face-saving.

Jiang Lai patted the large hand on her wrist, soothing: "I want Professor Cheng and Xiao Qian to take shifts coordinating with me, and Director Guo too—you'll all have to work hard."

She added to Ke Zhongyu: "Remember to pay us bonuses and overtime."

Ke Zhongyu knew she was dead set on doing this.

"My phone is for you—if there are calls, answer them for me first. If it's Shifu's call, help me soothe her." Jiang Lai simply handed her phone over to Ke Zhongyu.

Ke Zhongyu's palm burned hot, his brows furrowed the whole time.

"I'm heading to the lab now." Jiang Lai nodded to the executives. In the conference room, everyone rose one after another, watching Jiang Lai and Director Guo walk out.

Someone celebrated in a low voice: "We're saved."

Ke Zhongyu's expression was grim—they were saved, but Jiang Lai would have to stay in the lab for two days, racking her brains to solve the difficult problems.

Others could take shifts; Jiang Lai could not.

Because she was the backbone.

After Jiang Lai's back disappeared, Ke Zhongyu gripped the phone in his hand, sat back down, and the executives also took their seats one after another.

The backbone in the lab was Jiang Lai; the stabilizing anchor in the business world was Ke Zhongyu.

Everyone discussed the response strategy going forward.

Someone couldn't help asking: "What if Professor Jiang fails to complete the final improved version in two days?"

Ke Zhongyu: "Shut your mouth."

A low pressure spread through the conference room.

That person shut up.

But this was indeed a question that needed to be considered. Ke Zhongyu asked grimly: "Is trusting your own comrades and having your own comrades' backs something as difficult as reaching the sky?"

"Meeting dismissed."

Ke Zhongyu rose and left. Just as he returned to his office, Jiang Lai's phone rang—it really was Shifu Wang Ruohua calling.

"Shifu."

Wang Ruohua heard Ke Zhongyu's voice, fell silent for a moment, then asked: "Did Jiang Lai lock herself in the lab?"

Ke Zhongyu was slightly surprised, but thinking that Jiang Lai had mentioned before leaving that Shifu would call, he should have guessed the tacit understanding between the two.

"Professor Cheng and the others will go assist her."

"That stubborn girl." Wang Ruohua couldn't help cursing over the phone. "Why is she just as stubborn as Old Cui? For the sake of results, do you absolutely have to hold the product launch in three days?"

Ke Zhongyu didn't dare make a sound.

"Every one of you—I'm out of ideas with you all!" Wang Ruohua hung up the phone in anger.

The phone here just hung up, and the phone there rang again.

Ke Zhongyu's own mobile phone.

「Dad, Mom. 」

「Mm, the product launch will be held in three days. 」

「A Lai, she went to the lab. 」

「My fault. 」