Chapter 573: Aren't You Tired?

Days passed one by one, and one draft of the Technology Authorization Agreement after another was drawn up.

From top to bottom, whether it was Li Zhengwu or the six company representatives, they all hated Lin Sicheng to the bone.

He was too difficult to deal with.

To say he was professional would be nonsense. Compared to the representatives from the several companies, he at most knew a little bit of the surface.

To say he was knowledgeable about the law would be even further from the truth. Any intern from a law firm would know more than he did.

The reason Lin Sicheng felt difficult to deal with was that every single time, he could grasp the other party's psychological state:

Can this clause be agreed to, and where is the bottom line?

Can this clause be compromised on, and what is the ratio?

Is this clause a smoke screen, or is it a small tactic by the opponent to advance by retreating?

He guessed right nine times out of ten, with an accuracy rate as high as ninety percent.

It felt as if Lin Sicheng had installed a mind-reading machine.

Li Zhengwu indicated that he was already exhausted.

The six representatives had long since given up resistance. Since they couldn't play the game of deception, they would deal with the facts: yes is yes, and no is no.

They even spoke bluntly, telling Lin Sicheng directly what their bottom line was.

Beyond that, don't even think about it.

This tactic was indeed effective, and the negotiation process became faster and faster.

But at the same time, it was the turn of the Commercial Office official Su Bingnan and the several "Lawyers" to worry.

According to their plan, no matter what kind of agreement was reached, it could be voided.

But there was a prerequisite: drag it out long enough for the six companies to finish updating all their backup systems.

The original expectation was one month, but only two weeks had passed, and the negotiation process had already reached eighty percent.

For the remaining twenty percent, it would take at most two or three more days.

But Li Zhengwu indicated, don't be impatient: the previous eighty percent was just an appetizer, and the remaining twenty percent was the main event. Even the things agreed upon earlier were just smoke screens. Because from beginning to end, Lin Sicheng's goal was never money.

If it were for money, he wouldn't have needed to set such a high threshold at the very beginning: making the six companies admit to fraud and admit to stealing clients' Artifact Research data through a Backdoor.

For these companies, this was no different from making them go bankrupt directly.

If it were for money, Lin Sicheng wouldn't have gone through so much trouble and scheming to force the six companies to send representatives to negotiate with him.

Wouldn't it be easier to turn fake extortion into real extortion?

Sure enough, it did not exceed Li Zhengwu's expectations...

Today is the fifteenth day.

It is still that same conference room, still those same people.

It is still that same procedure: after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lin Sicheng had the several Lawyers distribute the newly drafted Contract.

The first half consisted of the terms already agreed upon, while the second half contained those that had not yet reached a consensus and were still being repeatedly haggled over.

Today's agenda had two points: first, an amendment to the Contract. That is, to fundamentally prevent the Executives of the purchasing companies from using their positions to commit Contract fraud against the buyers.

Second, technical compensation.

When it comes down to it, the fact that these Chinese enterprises suffered losses is a reality.

The only difference is who caused it and who should be made to pay.

If one followed normal logic, whether following the laws of China or the laws of Europe and America, one could not trace this back to these six companies. One could only go after Liu Anhua, or at most, the Saishi Purchasing Company where Liu Anhua worked.

But who let Lin Sicheng have their leverage in his hands?

You don't admit it?

That doesn't matter.

Perhaps tomorrow, or even the next moment, the underlying keys of these six companies, as well as their core programming and code, will appear on the dark web. As for whether someone, a group, or even a rival company will use these keys to do something bad, like stealing some patents or something, that would have nothing to do with me.

Even though these companies knew full well that only Lin Sicheng would do such a thing, they had no evidence in their hands.

They could only pinch their noses and endure the disgust while negotiating with Lin Sicheng.

Of course, ten billion was impossible, and even one billion was impossible.

Admitting to any fraud, stealing data, etc., was even more impossible.

The best way was to avoid paying money and instead provide some technical assistance in disguise.

The representatives of the several companies unanimously believed: they could extend the period of free after-sales service and could also agree on the number of free maintenance sessions.

But Lin Sicheng disagreed: this is a machine, not a perpetual motion machine.

In as short as a year, or as long as two or three years, it will be updated and replaced. Even if repairs are free and the Software can be updated for free, as time passes, the components will age.

No matter how diligently you update the Software, the hardware remains the same, and the operating speed will only get slower and slower.

As for agreeing on the number of maintenance sessions, that is even more ridiculous. If Lin Sicheng were the manufacturer, he would have a hundred ways to make this agreement a mere formality. Patching a small bug today, fixing a small vulnerability tomorrow—he could use up the quota in less than a month.

More importantly: whether it is repairs or Software upgrades, Saishi could handle it.

If it were just for this, Lin Sicheng wouldn't need to go to such great lengths to bring the six companies to the negotiating table.

For this reason, both sides agreed that today they would each propose a feasible plan regarding these two points.

To put it bluntly: let's all be straightforward, and no one play any tricks.

What Lin Sicheng wants and what the six companies can give should all be laid out on the table to discuss.

The Contract was distributed, and when the company representatives flipped to the end and took a rough glance, they all revealed expressions of astonishment.

The first part, the Contract amendment: that is, the key supplementary terms of the agreement with the foreign purchasing company (the Second Party).

Everything else was fine, but there were three points in particular: first, the term of the Contract.

It was increased directly from the previous three to six months to five years.

There was no so-called "break-in period," and certainly no so-called "liability exemption period": from the first day of equipment delivery, within these five years, any discovery of passing off inferior goods as quality ones, or refurbished items as new, would be treated as a "fundamental" breach of contract.

Even if just one screw is discovered, Party A may, regarding that equipment, demand that Party B pay punitive liquidated damages at "three times the contract unit price" and return the entire batch.

At the same time, compensate Party A for all direct and indirect losses suffered as a result.

A full five years; how much loss would be caused during this period?

But it is not over yet: Party A has the right to disclose the facts of Party B's breach of contract and fraud to the Industry Alliance, major client groups, and public media, and Party B acknowledges this.

Second, collaborative constraints with the original manufacturers.

When domestic enterprises order products from these six companies again, they will no longer sign procurement contracts with the procurement company, and must simultaneously attach the original manufacturer's "Safety Delivery Treaty."

To put it bluntly: the procurement company is no longer a middleman, but a service provider. Once a quality issue arises, the original manufacturer and the procurement company bear equal responsibility; once the procurement company delivers, it is deemed that the original manufacturer is fully aware and guarantees the quality. If a problem is discovered, Party A can sue both together. An additional clause is attached below: the place of arbitration shall in all cases be Hong Kong.

Both of these are rigid treaties, with no room for pushback. At first glance, it seems quite excessive: it is equivalent to Lin Sicheng copying the agreement from the first day word for word.

But in fact, there is a difference, and a significant one: the previous one was for compensation, for things that had already happened; if you dared to agree, you would have to pay tens of billions. Now it is an agreement on how to avoid it happening again.

The terms are indeed quite strict; once signed, the original manufacturer must bear equal responsibility.

But there is one point: the original manufacturer can shift the responsibility: what I delivered to the procurement party was definitely brand-new equipment; if a problem arises, it must be the work of you or your people.

In this way, the original manufacturer can re-negotiate with the procurement party: once a quality issue arises, Party A and I have an agreement, and the part that requires me to be responsible will be fully borne by you.

What, you won't agree?

You need to be clear: for these manufacturers, China is basically a seller's market. That you dared to be lawless before was entirely based on our authorization. To put it bluntly, who I choose to procure for doesn't matter?

Either you agree to the terms, or I reduce the authorization, or even replace the procurement agent.

It is equivalent to Lin Sicheng coaxing the original manufacturers to force the procurement agents: if you want to do business, be a little more honest.

The key is that the original manufacturers absolutely agree: they were almost driven to bankruptcy by Saishi, who would want to go through that again?

What the few representatives are curious about is Lin Sicheng's stance.

Before, he opened his mouth like a lion, demanding that the manufacturers compensate for the losses of all affected enterprises, and one could still say he had ulterior motives, wanting to skim a profit from the middle. But this supplementary agreement stands entirely from a fair and higher perspective. To put it bluntly, this is the work of China's government departments.

Lin Sicheng writing this part into the compensation agreement is not only strange, but eerie.

But it is merely curiosity; after all, before coming, Li Zhengwu had already given each company a heads-up: this negotiation is called a civil commercial dispute, but Lin Sicheng definitely has official support behind him.

Not looking at Li Zhengwu, not only are there foreign affairs officials endorsing him, but there are even United States official agencies providing strategic advice.

It is the same.

Continue reading down: technical compensation.

But after just a glance, the few representatives were all stunned: what is this?

Demanding that each company transfer patent technology for free, or grant long-term authorization.

Looking closely again, it is not the most core or cutting-edge technology. It is basically technology that has been on the market for more than a year, has been operating maturely, and has extremely high popularity.

To put it bluntly: there is almost no growth potential left, and the profit cycle is predictable. Each company has already begun R&D on alternative upgrade technologies. It will be updated in a year or two at the fastest, or three or four years at the slowest.

To put it another way: even if transferred to China's R&D Department, even if they could copy the same type of equipment with performance parameters reaching the same level in the shortest possible time, the impact on the original manufacturers would be minimal.

There are only four words for the reason: brand recognition.

One is an industry-recognized big brand, the other is a small workshop that suddenly popped up; who would the customer choose?

Even if an impact might occur, the original manufacturer can respond in time: what I authorized to you is only second-generation technology; if you use low prices to impact the market, although I cannot launch the third generation, I can launch the 2.5 generation.

The technology does not need to be very high, just a little higher than yours will do.

Customers will naturally think: if I buy the small workshop's low-priced second-generation equipment, what if the big company suddenly launches a brand-new third-generation product? As long as they wait and see, it gives the big company enough time.

Therefore, these terms are not non-negotiable. At least, they are much easier to accept than the previous unreasonable terms of over a billion in compensation and admitting to participating in fraud with the procurement party.

Of course, it is only negotiable. Whether it can be authorized and how much can be authorized must first be reported to the company headquarters.

Secondly, and most importantly: it requires the consent of the United States departments and the Industry Alliance.

The few representatives were just strange; Li Zhengwu was indeed right: behind Lin Sicheng, there is official support.

Otherwise, why would a small Center for Artifact Research need so much instrument technology?

Li Zhengwu said "as expected" several times: he had long anticipated that Lin Sicheng would want technology.

He thought of it the day he met with Liu Anhua.

But he did not expect: Lin Sicheng would want so little?

It does not involve core technology, let alone border blockades and alliance treaties, and the technology requested for authorization is not much: although they are the companies' flagship products, they are only one item under vertical technology that has already been produced and applied.

And it just so happens to be below the sensitive line of each company, the commercial alliance, and the European and American business and technology departments.

To put it bluntly: the probability of agreement is very high.

But this does not fit Lin Sicheng's character at all, and even less does it fit Li Zhengwu's understanding of him: saying he wouldn't play games, he actually stopped playing them? Shouldn't it be like before: throwing out a completely unacceptable term, then grinding it bit by bit, replacing it item by item, to judge the other party's psychological bottom line.

The previous eighty percent was negotiated that way.

It feels like Lin Sicheng has suddenly become much more straightforward: skipping all the probing and directly throwing out a result that both sides can accept.

While suspicious, a finger felt slightly cold; as if unintentionally, the cap of the "translator's" pen tapped on Li Zhengwu's finger.

This is the signal.

Li Zhengwu sat up straight: "General Manager Lin, sorry, I cannot agree to these terms of yours!"

Old routine, old lines. Li Zhengwu has to say this sentence several times every day.

Lin Sicheng was unhurried: "General Manager Li, which clause specifically!"

Li Zhengwu really wanted to say "the first clause," which is the supplementary agreement. Although from a reasonable perspective, he is not very resistant: only with standardization can business last longer.

But he does not just represent Saishi Technology, he also represents Saishi Procurement; even if he agrees, he cannot say it.

There are also the second and third clauses, which it seems cannot be agreed to either.

Once agreed, the end of the negotiation will not be far off. The rest is nothing more than the specific amount of compensation.

He has a premonition that Lin Sicheng definitely does not want much; as long as these technologies are in hand, whether he wants compensation or not is fine, and China's government departments will pay him privately.

Thinking a lot, but it was just a flash of thought, Li Zhenghao said without hesitation: "I do not agree to all three clauses!"

Lin Sicheng smiled but not quite: "President Li, you only represent Saishi!"

That statement is correct.

But those who know, know; including Lin Sicheng, who knows: behind Li Zhengwu, there is not only the U. S. Department of Commerce and security departments, but even more so, the European and American business and technology alliances.

His attitude is the attitude of all the representatives.

Instead of answering, he asked in return: "General Manager Lin, why the sudden rush?"

It is not exactly a rush, but rather that news was received: yesterday, Director Su notified that the Artifact Research had fully grasped Liu Anhua's system. Next, it requires Liu Anhua to personally participate and provide technical ideas.

To put it bluntly: there is no need to drag this out, and no more need to play-act with these foreign devils.

"General Manager Li, let's end this as soon as possible!" He smiled, "Aren't you tired?"

Li Zhenghao stiffened his face: How the hell do you have the nerve to say that?

Scheming and calculating, racking his brains... not to mention anything else, just consider this: in order to prevent Lin Sicheng from judging his psychological state from his expressions and body language, Li Zhengwu's brain was nearly dried out from thinking.

Looking at Lin Sicheng by contrast, he was leisurely and carefree, extremely comfortable...

Li Zhengwu was expressionless: "General Manager Lin, we are only representatives, not the bosses; we need to request instructions from headquarters!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Alright!"