Chapter 115: Super Special Steel

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“Ding ding ding.”

Zhou Chao picked up the phone placed beside the table, glancing at the caller ID that read “Si Cong”. He immediately answered the call.

“Hello, Si Cong, what’s up?”

“Chao, I want to discuss something with you today!” Zhou Chao felt a hint of hesitation in Si Cong’s voice.

“Just spit it out, no need for the suspense!”

“Well, my birthday is coming up in a few days, and I’m thinking of celebrating it on your Dragonfly. So…” Zhou Chao understood the unspoken words from Si Cong, cutting to the chase.

“Sure, let’s not waste time on this. I’ll have George prepare everything for you. Food, drinks, all well-arranged. That should be good, right?” Zhou Chao efficiently offered a solution, ensuring a smooth plan.

“Great! And make sure you come too!” Si Cong was excited to hear that Zhou Chao would take care of the arrangements. The gesture meant a lot to him.

“Alright, tell me when your birthday party. 1’11 check my schedule.”

“It’s just seven days from now, right on the weekend. Originally, it was in January, but I’ve moved it up since I’ll be busy then.” Zhou Chao mentally calculated. If he could wrap up matters at the research institute quickly, he could be back in Modu to celebrate Si Cong’s birthday.

“Got it, I can’t confirm right now. Let’s touch base later.” Zhou Chao had a lot on his plate, and Si Cong knew that. He respected Zhou Chao’s sincerity.

“Sure, we’ll catch up later.” After ending the call, Zhou Chao reviewed his upcoming schedule, realizing he had a busy time ahead.

After completing his obligations at the research institute, Zhou Chao had his sights set on being in Modu for Si Cong’s birthday. Following that, a journey to Jingdu was in the near future. With Jiang Li’s return, they could relish in precious moments together. Lost in contemplation, a smile graced Zhou Chao’s face.

Shaking off his daydreams, he decided to prioritize Si Cong’s arrangements. He promptly made a call to George.

“Oh, boss, what can I do for you?” The surprised tone in George’s voice made Zhou Chao feel as if a flock of crows had flown overhead.

“In a few days, a friend of mine will use the Dragonfly. He wants to celebrate his birthday onboard. I need you to ensure all kinds of ingredients, fruits, and drinks are prepared in advance. Take care of the rest.”

“Understood, boss. 1 guarantee the captain’s mission will be accomplished!”

“Good, that’s it then!” Zhou Chao ended the call.

In the blink of an eye, four days passed. During this time, Zhou Chao shuttled between the research institute and the hotel. He was eager to see how the special steel formula he had acquired earlier would perform.

In the morning, Zhou Chao had risen early from bed. The special steel had entered the final testing phase, and today was the day to receive the results. He intended to head to the institute in the morning to await the outcome.

“Ding ding ding.”

Just as Zhou Chao was getting ready to leave, his phone rang again. He looked at the caller ID: “Zhou Jilong”, and quickly answered the call.

“Boss, boss, we did it! We’ve achieved a new breakthrough!” Excitement radiated from the voice on the other end, prompting Zhou Chao to give the table a firm pat.

“Excellent work! I’m coming over right away. Run accurate tests!” With that, Zhou Chao hung up and swiftly left the hotel.

He got into the Toyota Alphard driven by Da Wu and headed straight for the research institute in the High-Tech Zone.

“Squeak!” The car came to a smooth stop at the entrance of the research institute. Zhou Chao stepped out and headed upstairs, followed closely by Da Wu.

Zhou Chao arrived on the upper floor and pushed open the door to Zhou Jilong’s office. There, he found Zhou Jilong looking delighted while examining a report.

“Boss, you’re here!” Zhou Jilong stood up promptly, handing over the report he held to Zhou Chao.

“Tell me the details!” Zhou Chao wasn’t an expert in this field, so he let Zhou Jilong explain while he listened.

“Boss, the finished special steel produced according to the formula you provided has undergone testing, and its various data have reached or even exceeded the world’s most advanced special steel!”

“The strength of the special steel has reached 2700 megapascals, far surpassing the most advanced domestic special steel, exceeding it by a margin of over 500 megapascals.” Hearing this, Zhou Chao couldn’t help but feel pleased and also pondered some other matters.

“Jilong, regarding the formula, how many people know about it?”

“Boss, aside from you, only I know the formula. Others were involved in different stages, and they all signed confidentiality agreements. You can rest assured about this.” Saying so, Zhou Jilong took a USB drive out of his pocket and handed it to Zhou Chao, who accepted it without hesitation.

“Jilong, should we produce it ourselves or collaborate with certain departments?” Zhou Chao couldn’t decide for the moment, so he sought Zhou Jilong’s opinion.

When the question reached Zhou Jilong’s ears, he lapsed into silence. As the saying goes, “Being ahead by half a step is the mark of a genius, being ahead by a full step is the sign of a lunatic.” Their current special steel innovation had surged ahead by more than just one step; it was several steps in advance. Consequently, he found himself at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond.

“Boss, I’m not sure either!” Zhou Jilong finally admitted.

“That’s fine. You two can step outside for now, and I’ll make a phone call!” Zhou Chao motioned for Zhou Jilong and Da Wu to leave the room.

“Well, there’s no choice. I’ll have to ask Xiao Yang.” He took out his phone and dialed Xiao Yang’s number.

The phone rang for quite some time before being answered!

“Zhou Chao, what’s the matter? Hurry up, I’m in a meeting on my end!” Hearing the faint voice from the other end of the phone, Zhou Chao cleared his thoughts.

“I’ve got a research institute here that has just developed a type of super-special steel. All aspects of the data have reached or even exceeded the world’s most advanced standards. The strength of the special steel has reached 2700 megapascals. 1 just wanted to ask, can I start my own factory to produce it?” Zhou Chao blurted out everything in one breath, then waited silently for Xiao Yang’s response.

“Damn.” A huge exclamation of astonishment came from the phone, and the people in the meeting on Xiao Yang’s end all turned their attention toward him!

“Excuse me, leaders, I have something to report!” Xiao Yang directed his gaze toward the person at the top, who nodded. Xiao Yang quickly whispered his report by his side.

“We’ll end the meeting here for today. Dismissed.” The leader immediately ended the meeting and led Xiao Yang to the office.

“What’s that kid trying to do? Is he planning to start his own factory?”

“Minister, he might just be inquiring about the possibility of large-scale production or seeking a compromise!” Xiao Yang said quietly.

“I understand. I’ll convey this upward. I’ll get back to you with a response later!” After saying that, Xiao Yang left the office and called Zhou Chao back.

“What the heck is wrong with you, kid? Why are you stirring up such a big issue again? Do you want me to clean up the mess for you again?” As soon as Zhou Chao answered, he heard an ear-piercing voice on the other end. He quickly held the phone a bit farther away until the yelling subsided.

“Brother Yang, I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to earn some dowry money, so that Jiang Li can have a better life in the future!” Upon hearing Zhou Chao’s words, Xiao Yang was dumbfounded. After all, whose dowry needed to be in the billions?

“Okay, let’s not focus on that for now. The higher-ups will take care of discussing this issue with the authorities. You can expect a response in due course.” Zhou Chao’s face lit up with a smile, indicating that his concern about the dowry was mostly sorted out.

“Okay, thanks, Brother Yang!”

“Get lost!” Zhou Chao chuckled and hung up the phone, then walked out of the office to find two people standing not far away.

“Zhou Jilong, don’t think about this matter for now. I’ll make arrangements for the follow-up, and there won’t be any shortage of bonuses for you.” Zhou Jilong couldn’t help but smile upon hearing this.

“I’ll head back to the hotel for now. Da Wu will take me to the airport tomorrow, and I’ll go back to Modu.”

“Alright, boss..”