Chapter 52: Slap in the Face, Pre‑sale

The next morning at 8 a. m., the Capital News Centre.

The press conference venue was packed with no empty seats; hundreds of reporters from around the world crowded here, long and short guns stood in rows, every camera's red work indicator light was on, focusing on the empty podium.

The Western reporters in the front row, especially those from Yingjiang Guo, all wore arrogant expressions, their laptops already filled with sharp, sarcastic questions.

They were not here to seek the truth; they were here to conduct a trial, to expose what they saw as a century‑long scam.

When the time came, spokesperson Ge Ge stepped onto the stage punctually.

He brought no notes, merely adjusting the microphone calmly, his gaze sweeping calmly across the audience.

"Good morning, fellow reporters! Thank you all for coming to today's press conference."

Without further pleasantries, Ge Ge got straight to the point.

"I know you have many questions; seeing is believing. Before I answer your questions, please watch this live footage."

As his words fell, the massive LED screen behind him lit up instantly.

The screen showed not a PowerPoint, nor a promotional video, but a futuristic ultra‑clean factory; the camera slowly pulled back to reveal a towering, pure‑white machine that gleamed with metallic luster, standing still.

Its smooth lines, precise structure, and unmatched technological beauty silenced the crowd in an instant.

The camera gave a close‑up, clearly showing the machine's nameplate, where two flamboyant Chinese characters and a line of numbers appeared——Heaven and Earth One.

The venue fell dead silent.

All the reporters, even the most demanding Western media figures, stared at the screen, mouths agape.

It was not a prototype, not a model—it was a real lithography machine!

A reporter muttered involuntarily, "My God, did they really make it?"

"Now, you may ask questions."

Ge Ge smiled and said.

After a brief stupor, the venue instantly exploded.

A blond‑haired, blue‑eyed Yingjiang Guo reporter leapt to his feet, snatched the microphone, and spoke in an aggressive tone:

"Respected Mr. Ge! Your country claims this is independently developed, but everyone knows the technical barriers of EUV lithography are extremely high, and it requires the combined effort of many nations to produce; how did your country, in just a few months, surpass decades of technological accumulation elsewhere?"

"Please answer frankly: did you obtain our country's and allies' core technology through improper means such as hacking and bribery?"

That question was vicious and direct, instantly dropping the atmosphere to freezing point.

Everyone looked at Ge Ge, wanting to see how he would respond to this barrage of filth.

Yet Ge Ge's smile remained unchanged; he looked at that reporter and asked calmly:

"Mr. Reporter, your question rests on a rather interesting logic—namely, if I already have the technology to build a maglev train, would I still need to steal the technology of a coal‑fired locomotive? You only blindly doubt others, failing to see the effort behind it."

Saying this, Ge Ge paused, his tone taking on a hint of amusement.

"This mindset we usually call arrogance. I suggest that, instead of making baseless accusations here, you go back and reflect on whether your own technology has fallen behind."

"Pfft—"

In the Yanhuang Guo reporters' section at the back, someone couldn't help but laugh out loud.

That Yingjiang Guo reporter's face instantly turned the color of pig liver.

Next, an Ohio reporter stood up, his question being relatively professional:

"May I ask, even if the machine's body can be made, the core light‑source system and lens assembly are patented by only a handful of Western companies. How does your country's 'Heaven and Earth One' solve these critical components?"

This question, too, is a trap.

Admitting the use of Western parts would mean admitting to being merely an assembly plant; denying it would require producing evidence convincing enough for the world.

"As for technical questions, we'll let a professional answer."

Ge Ge turned sideways and gestured.

The door at one side of the venue opened, and an elderly man with white hair but sharp spirit, accompanied by staff, walked onto the stage.

The old man took the microphone, his resonant voice filling the hall: "This friend's question is excellent; our 'Heaven and Earth One' uses no existing Western technical solutions, whether for the light source or the lens system."

He looked at the doubtful eyes below and continued:

"Our light source adopts a plasma confinement discharge scheme, with energy‑conversion efficiency 35% higher than the mainstream laser‑excitation scheme and greater stability."

"As for the lens, we did not follow the traditional Zeiss reflective‑mirror structure; instead we adopted a 'metamaterial composite diffraction lens assembly.' Simply put, we are taking a completely different path."

His remarks, filled with many unfamiliar technical terms, left most reporters in the audience bewildered.

But they could understand the last sentence—"We are taking a completely different path."

This means the Yingjiang Guo‑claimed "technology theft" theory cannot stand at its root.

You cannot steal the answer sheet to an exam whose solution approach is completely different.

The commotion in the venue grew even larger.

If this is true, then Yanhuang Guo is not merely catching up; it has achieved a leapfrog advance in a different direction.

Looking at the astonished crowd below, Ge Ge walked back to the front of the stage.

"I believe that, through the briefing just given, everyone now has a preliminary understanding of our technical strength."

He shifted his tone, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face.

"Of course, the Yanhuang nation has always loved peace and advocated win‑win cooperation. With such advanced technology, we do not intend to hide it or erect technical barriers—that is something only certain countries like to do."

He cleared his throat and dropped today's biggest bombshell.

"After deliberation, it has been decided that the next‑generation lithography machine will be opened for global sales!"

"Boom!"

The entire news centre seemed as if truly blown up by a bomb; everyone went mad, unable to believe their own ears.

Sell?

They actually want to sell?

Such an advanced lithography machine should not be hidden, should it?

How come it's reversed now? What kind of operation is this?

"The sales method is presale, with the first batch set at five units, but due to the complex manufacturing process, the earliest delivery will take at least one or two years."

After hearing this, everyone expressed understanding; after all, the manufacturing difficulty of such a high-precision lithography machine is certainly not low.

"Then may I ask, Mr. Lan, what is your pricing?"

An O State reporter asked.

His question was also something everyone was concerned about.

"As for the price…… following the principle of promoting global technological progress together, we've set a modest price—each unit sells for one hundred billion Yanhuang currency."

Brother Lan extended a finger, smiling as he answered.

One hundred billion!

The reporters on site quickly did the conversion in their heads.

That is over ten billion US dollars!

The Lan River lithography machine that is pricey but lacks a market, with a 2-nanometer process, quoted starting at three hundred million US dollars!

However, that was 2 nanometers, while this is 1 nanometer; the technological gap is huge. According to physical laws and material properties, this is already the limit of silicon-based chips—going lower basically has no meaning.

One hundred billion is quite cheap.

Before everyone could react, Brother Lan dealt another blow, his gaze unintentionally drifting toward the Yingjiang Guo reporter.

"Of course, our production capacity is limited, so the presale will have an order; we uphold the principle of fair and equal trade. And those countries that have long imposed unreasonable technology blockades and unilateral sanctions on us."

"I think you may need to patiently wait at the end of the queue. After all, we must prioritize satisfying our friends' needs, right?"

"Swish!"

Everyone present turned their gaze toward the Yingjiang Guo reporter, whose face was ashen and lips trembling.

That gaze seemed to say: "Did you hear that? They're not playing with you anymore!"