Chapter 381: Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Gu Ming hurriedly called his assistant at the company, asking them to get that joint letter with his name on it back no matter what!

Any thoughts of boycotting the Torch Group or challenging the Torch Group vanished from Gu Ming's mind the moment he saw the Torch Group appear on the News Broadcast!

When a company appears on the News Broadcast, and in a commendatory posture, one can imagine what will happen next. Sweeping the entire domestic lighter market is already a certainty, and no one can stop the rise of the Torch Group.

Gu Ming felt anxious, not knowing if that joint letter could be retrieved. Once it was published or made public, the companies that had their names written on it would probably all be in big trouble.

From the news just now, Gu Ming already knew Yanjing's attitude. Compared to their group of old-school lighter companies, Yanjing obviously valued the Torch Group and the Torch Industrial Park more!

Gu Ming, who had experienced big winds and waves, knew clearly that only by being able to bend and stretch could one live longer. Otherwise, it would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, using an egg to hit a stone!

At this time, Gu Ming no longer thought about confronting the Torch Group. Going to defect to the Torch Group and getting a part of the lighter export share to mix for food was enough for him.

The phone on the table rang. Gu Ming hurriedly answered the phone. After hearing that the joint letter had been retrieved, Gu Ming couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

But listening to the assistant's words behind, Gu Ming's face became strange, and then he couldn't help but curse, "A bunch of grass on the wall!"

It turned out that Gu Ming was not the only one who was anxious to retrieve that joint letter. Some lighter manufacturers had even jumped out in advance, claiming to join the Torch Industrial Park.

"Buy the earliest flight tomorrow morning, I'm going to Hanxi!" Gu Ming cursed secretly, gritting his teeth, preparing to go to the Torch Group to worship the pier and hand in the certificate of surrender. It is not shameful to worship the pier at this time, it is better than the company going bankrupt!

"Get me another bottle of wine, the ten-year-old wine!"

In an apartment in the family courtyard of the Hanxi Provincial Government, when seeing the Torch Group appear on the News Broadcast, Luo Junwu, the founder of the Torch Group, was not drunk at this moment, but seemed to be drunk without drinking.

Looking at the TV and then at Luo Junwu, who was obviously excited to the extreme, Luo Junwu's wife knew that he was in a high mood. Although she was not very willing to let him drink, she still got up and brought the wine over.

"Drink less. Your body is not as good as before. During the physical examination last month, the doctor also explained that you can't drink too much..."

Regarding his wife's nagging, Luo Junwu was not angry, poured a glass of wine with a smile, and then drank it in one gulp, "Today is different, it's worth drinking!"

The news on TV had long since ended, but Luo Junwu's eyes were still looking at the TV. He was the founder of the Torch Group. The Torch Group was a project he approved when he was the head of Pingyang. No one can refute this point.

Although he had long since left Pingyang and was promoted to the provincial capital, for Luo Junwu, the Torch Group was the most dazzling credit in his official career!

As long as the Torch Group performs well enough, even if Luo Junwu retires in two years, he will be remembered. When news related to the Torch Group appears, he will also be mentioned. In the officialdom, how many people can have such treatment?!

Not only Luo Junwu, but people in the officialdom related to the Torch Group and the Torch Industry all felt that the Torch Group was becoming a book of credit when they saw this news.

As long as there are people related to the Torch Group and the Torch Industry, they can benefit from the book of credit. In the future, with the development of the Torch Group, I am afraid that more people in the officialdom will benefit from the Torch Group.

Almost shortly after the Torch Group appeared on the news, the phone of the Torch Group'

Almost as soon as the Torch Group made the news, the phones at the Torch Group's marketing department were blown up. The phones didn't stop ringing for an entire night; they simply couldn't keep up with the calls.

That same night, the Torch Group's orders almost directly exploded. A massive volume of orders from all over the country poured into the Torch Group frantically.

This appearance on the news was almost equivalent to running an advertisement for the Torch Group in front of hundreds of millions of viewers across the country, and it was an advertisement certified by the authorities.

If before, it was mainly tobacco, liquor, and health supplement companies that wanted to take the Torch Group's lighters to run "buy product, get a lighter" promotions, then this time, it was major domestic shopping malls, supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, hotels, and other retail channels placing orders with the Torch Group. One wave of orders was enough to burst the Torch Group's warehouse capacity!

When the Torch Group appeared on the News Broadcast, there were no longer any obstacles to the establishment of the Lighter Import and Export Association.

"Approved by multiple departments including the State Economic and Trade Commission, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the General Administration of Customs, the Torch Group, in conjunction with several lighter industry companies, has officially formed the National Lighter Import and Export Association. The first president of the Lighter Import and Export Association will be served by Zhang Xiaocheng!"

The next day, the Hanxi Daily publicly announced the news of the Lighter Import and Export Association's establishment. At this point, naturally, there was no longer any voice of opposition.

Gu Ming rushed to the Hanxi provincial capital early in the morning and then headed toward Pingyang. A letter of intent is definitely better submitted sooner rather than later; what would be the point of submitting it late?

After getting in the car, Gu Ming made a call to Huang Xinhai. Being in the same lighter circle, they all had some connections, and Gu Ming and Huang Xinhai could be considered old acquaintances. It was just that their relationship hadn't been very close before, but this time Gu Ming had to beg Huang Xinhai, who had already defected to the Torch Group, to help introduce him to the Torch Group's senior management.

"Old Huang, this time I'm relying entirely on you, brother!" As soon as he arrived in Pingyang and saw Huang Xinhai, Gu Ming immediately complained bitterly.

Seeing this, Huang Xinhai shook his head and said, "Boss Gu, even if you didn't come to me, you wouldn't have any trouble. The Torch Industrial Park has long declared that it welcomes other domestic lighter manufacturers to move in and use the Torch Industrial Park's lighter industry chain together!"

Huang Xinhai had had contact with the Torch Industrial Park and the Torch Group's senior management, including Zhang Xiaocheng and even Li Dongling.

Huang Xinhai had a feeling that the structure of the Torch Group was far higher than outsiders imagined.

Old-school lighter manufacturers like Gu Ming were still thinking about selling goods at low prices, internal competition, or doing OEM work for Japanese or American lighter manufacturers. But the grand gestures displayed by the Torch Group gave Huang Xinhai a premonition that the formation of the Torch Group didn't seem to be truly aimed at fighting domestic lighter manufacturers for the scraps left over by foreign lighter manufacturers!

"That's easy to say, but who knows what will happen in the future? I still need you, Old Huang, to put in a few good words!"

Gu Ming had a worried look on his face. He already knew the news of the Lighter Import and Export Association's establishment. He asked himself, if such power and sharp weapons were in his hands, would he use them to deal with his past rivals?

Hearing this, Huang Xinhai didn't say much; he picked up a new newspaper and handed it to Gu Ming.

Gu Ming didn't understand what Huang Xinhai meant. He took the newspaper with some doubt. This was the latest report from today's Pingyang City Daily. When he saw the headline on the front page, Gu Ming's eyes widened. A surge of hot blood rushed to his head, making his brain feel dazed and his vision somewhat blurred.

"Boss Gu, are you alright?"

Seeing Gu Ming's body sway as if he were about to fall, Huang Xinhai was shocked and hurriedly supported Gu Ming, calling for people outside to come in.

"I'm fine!"

Gu Ming panted heavily, bloodshot eyes appearing. He clutched the newspaper tightly in his hand. "Is what this says true?"

"Could this be fake?"

Seeing that Gu Ming had recovered, Huang Xinhai breathed a sigh of relief. "Other media and newspapers haven't been delivered here yet, but I estimate they will all report it!"

A moment later, the Economic Daily, the International Business Daily, and other newspapers were delivered. Gu Ming grabbed them. Seeing the headlines, they were basically identical to the news in the Pingyang City Daily just now.

Gu Ming's gaze was complex, yet somewhat admiring. "We lost to the Torch Group, and it's not an injustice. If they can really win this lawsuit, I'm truly convinced. Those people like Zhang Xiaocheng at the Torch Group are real men!"

The newspaper in Gu Ming's hand slid to the side. The headline on it read impressively: "National Lighter Import and Export Association President Zhang Xiaocheng announces the first association proposal upon taking office: will officially respond to the anti-dumping investigation launched by Old Europe against the domestic lighter industry!

Additionally, one of the directors of the National Lighter Import and Export Association, the largest shareholder of the Torch Group, and founder of Dongling High-Tech, Mr. Li Dongling, announced that he will file an unfair competition lawsuit against the European Lighter Manufacturers Association, the American Lighter Association, and foreign lighter companies such as Zippo, Colibri, S. T. Dupont, and Bic!"

The domestic lighter industry had always been suppressed overseas, being targeted and fined in various ways. Led by lighter giants like Zippo, Colibri, and Bic, they used various means to target domestic lighter manufacturers, even lobbying the American Capitol Hill to pass the CR Act to drive domestic lighters out of the American market, and so on.

But in the past, including Gu Ming's lighter company, everyone fought alone. A single company could not bear the high litigation costs. There was another point: domestic lighter manufacturers had a sense of fear toward those overseas lighter companies and dared not respond to lawsuits, as if they were afraid that if they lost, they would become sinners of the industry.

This led to the fact that back then, when America launched an anti-dumping investigation against domestic lighters, not a single domestic lighter company dared to stand up and resist. They were easily driven across the Pacific by American lighter manufacturers like Zippo and Colibri!

But now, the National Lighter Association, which had been established for less than a few hours, stood up and responded to Old Europe's anti-dumping investigation, and even planned to countersue lighter giants like Zippo for malicious suppression of domestic lighters, unfair competition, and so on.

For Gu Ming, the shock was simply too great. It was like facing an opponent he had never dared to challenge, treating the other party like a god. No matter how excessive the other party was, he dared not resist for fear of angering them and suffering greater punishment.

But now, someone had stood up, raised the sword in their hand, and launched a challenge against the god in the eyes of Gu Ming and his peers. This kind of action was almost like god-slaying!

From the moment he saw the newspaper, Gu Ming knew that their group of old-school lighter manufacturers had already lost, and lost thoroughly. It wasn't just a loss in lighter revenue and sales; more importantly, the structure, courage, and strategic vision of the two sides were almost completely on different dimensions.

(End of chapter)