Chapter 234: The Mountain Comes to Me

A strong dragon does not suppress the local snake, especially in the current era. Why can so many counterfeit and pirated manufacturers survive, and live quite comfortably? It is because of local protection strategies.

These factories can provide local jobs, tax revenue, and so on. Plus, at this time, there is no emphasis on patents, technology, etc., which naturally gives small manufacturers a chance to survive.

For the Oriental Era shopping mall, it is the same. Just like Pang Donglai in a certain place, it has always been difficult to enter the provincial capital. Of course, there are many reasons for this, but the existence of barriers is an indisputable fact.

It can't even enter the provincial capital, let alone leave the province. Admittedly, if the scale is small and easy to manage, it can indeed provide users with high-quality services. But what if this is a giant that originally had the hope of challenging Walmart and Aeon, but is trapped in shallow water?!

Li Dongling does not want Oriental Era to encounter the predicament of a dragon trapped in shallow water being bullied by shrimp one day in the future!

If there is an opportunity, Oriental Era must definitely walk out, not only out of Pingyang, but even out of Hanxi, and even out of the domestic market.

Walmart's annual revenue can exceed 500 billion US dollars. This is not as simple as a string of numbers. The so-called "big store bullies customers"—when Walmart is big enough, it has pricing power when facing suppliers!

In the first TV series filmed by Wong Kar-wai after transitioning to TV series, domestic companies fought tooth and nail to get the order to supply jeans to Walmart, which shows Walmart's influence.

And jeans are just one of Walmart's 20,000 to 30,000 products. It has already built a huge supplier industrial chain globally, with tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of companies and millions of practitioners relying on it for a living.

Walmart's orders can already affect the life and death of countless companies around the world. Every price adjustment can even affect the purchasing power of the paper currency in the hands of people in a country!

Saying it will replace Walmart is a bit whimsical, but if it can't walk out of Pingyang, it probably won't even see Walmart's taillights. It can only be passively beaten, accepting the situation where other retail giants come to Hanxi or even Pingyang to wrestle with Oriental Era, while Oriental Era has no way to fight back!

With the addition of Hanxi State Investment Group, from now on, Oriental Era can run rampant throughout Hanxi Province.

Li Dongling is prepared to let Oriental Era play the game of shopping malls, plus mid-to-high-end residential housing, and international schools. Not to mention anything else, at least in places like the Mainland, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea that pay attention to family education, Oriental Era can definitely be popular. Oriental Era will have the opportunity to blossom everywhere in the Asian region!

Rather than letting Oriental Era be inseparable from users, it is better to let users be inseparable from Oriental Era. Every Oriental Era is equipped with top-tier shopping malls, mid-to-high-end residential housing, and educational resources represented by international schools. If top-tier college entrance examination training institutions, art training, civil service exam prep, etc., are introduced, then wherever Oriental Era goes, it will likely be welcomed with open arms...

"It's a deal!"

Hearing Li Dongling agree to let Oriental Era accept the investment from Hanxi State Investment Group, a smile also appeared on Wu Yaoguo's face.

Whether it is investing in the Torch Group, or the Pingyang Cargo Airport, or Oriental Era, for Wu Yaoguo, the most important thing is not how much money he makes on these projects. His mind is actually on Li Dongling and Dongling High-Tech.

What really makes Wu Yaoguo covetous is Dongling High-Tech itself. But wanting to invest in Dongling High-Tech is not easy. Since its establishment, except for the period of developing the Silver Mink mouse when the capital chain was a bit tight, after getting the Microsoft settlement compensation, the capital chain has never been tight again.

Especially now, relying on the explosive sales of the Xiaolingtong, Dongling High-Tech's revenue is almost the highest in the domestic technology industry, leaving a host of companies like Nande, Giant, Hope, Sitong, Huawei, Gree, Haier, Changhong, Chunlan, etc., far behind.

The latest wealth ranking list, although not yet released, many domestic and foreign media have actually written Li Dongling's name on the news draft in advance!

Even media in Hong Kong, Singapore, and other places have begun to calculate what rank Li Dongling's net worth can reach on the Asian rich list!

Directly investing in Dongling High-Tech is not easy, but Wu Yaoguo has not given up. Even if he cannot directly invest in Dongling High-Tech, he must let Hanxi State Investment Group invest in the industries under Dongling High-Tech and the projects launched by Li Dongling.

To put it bluntly, what Wu Yaoguo really values is not any project, but Li Dongling. He is betting on Li Dongling's vision!

Wu Yaoguo has a vigorous and resolute character. When facing Li Dongling, Wu Yaoguo has a warm expression and a full face of smiles, but when facing others, it is not this expression.

Entering the Torch Group laboratory, Wu Yaoguo pulled a long face and asked the Torch Group's General Manager Zhang Xiaocheng, as well as Zhou Wenyang and other Torch Group supervisors in charge of the technical department, with a sharp gaze: "Torch Group, when exactly can it start production? Give me an answer today!

This project is not only a key project for the Pingyang municipal government, but also a key project supported by the Hanxi provincial government, the Yanjing Economic and Trade Commission, the Foreign Exchange Bureau, etc. I know you are under great pressure, but the people who guarantee this project are under no less pressure than you!"

Zhang Xiaocheng, Zhou Wenyang, and the others all felt the pressure coming from Wu Yaoguo, and their gazes could not help but look toward Li Dongling.

Finally, Zhang Xiaocheng gritted his teeth and said to Wu Yaoguo, who was a member of the Torch Group board of directors: "What the Torch Group is doing now is building factory buildings and developing technology. But currently, the constant-flow valve lighter technology has just had a breakthrough..."

"Next year, at the latest by next year, the technical department is confident in developing the first generation of constant-flow valve lighter technology!"

Zhou Wenyang hurriedly spoke at this time. For this technology, the entire Torch Group technical department was almost driven crazy. The funding that passed through his hands flowed away like water.

However, now, under the cost-insensitive R&D investment, and with the support of a large group of university laboratories and academic giants, the constant-flow valve lighter technology finally had a breakthrough. According to the R&D progress, next year, Zhou Wenyang was confident in getting this technology out!

"You can start production of a portion of lighters first, and put them into the domestic and foreign markets to test the waters. When the constant-flow valve lighter technology is developed next year, you can officially impact the global market!"

Li Dongling spoke at this time. The lighters that the Torch Group wants to produce are priced at 1 RMB domestically and 2 USD for overseas export, which is only half the price of South Korean and Japanese lighters. Placed in the current lighter industry, it is absolutely a dimensionality reduction strike.

When the constant-flow valve lighter technology is developed, it will also surpass foreign lighter manufacturers in technology. At that time, it will be the time for the Torch Group to sweep the global lighter industry.

Hearing Li Dongling's words, Zhang Xiaocheng was overjoyed. What he was waiting for was Li Dongling's words. With Li Dongling speaking, he could let go of his hands and feet and do a big job.

Wu Yaoguo, Yao Zhengru, and the others all nodded in agreement, letting the Torch Group start production to test the waters first.

Whether it is a mule or a horse, you have to pull it out for a walk to know. From the beginning of its establishment, the Torch Group was praised by the media in Pingyang and Hanxi in various ways. The title of the largest lighter production base in Asia was put on its head early on.

But what kind of performance the Torch Group can have, no one knows. It must be tested before knowing whether the Torch Group can fight, not only to compete with a host of domestic lighter manufacturers, but also to fight with foreign lighter manufacturers!

"For the Torch Group, the most important thing is the sales channel, which is crucial. If you are ready to start production, then now, you must start preparing to lay out sales channels for the Torch Group!

From shopping malls to supermarkets, to supply and marketing cooperatives, street newsstands, etc., including airport shops, hotels, restaurants, etc., all must be laid out. You must lay out the Torch Group's lighters to all parts of the country, and even reach the towns and villages!"

After walking out of the laboratory, Li Dongling said to Yao Zhengru, Wu Yaoguo, Zhang Xiaocheng, and others. For lighters, it is too dependent on sales channels.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 235 =====