The group chatted casually for a while. Yi Shuihan was mainly curious about how these students knew SMMH, but Chen Xu was ambiguous about the truth, while Gao Xiaojie looked on with admiration. So Yi Shuihan could only sigh that they were all lucky to have received SMMH's favor despite the unfairness of the situation.
However, Yi Shuihan couldn't help but marvel inwardly. After all, he was quite old and had experienced all sorts of things. Moreover, given his current status, countless people would try to flatter him. Although he repeatedly declined, in a land like China where personal relationships are highly valued, he couldn't very well refuse some invitations.
At these banquets, he had seen countless beautiful women of all kinds—innocent, aloof… These socialites filled the clubs, naturally including many beauties, even top-tier beauties. He had seen countless women who were no less stunning than, and perhaps even more so than, the three girls before him.
But the feeling these three girls gave him was completely different.
Because of the pure and innocent aura they exude.
To say someone is innocent is an understatement; you'll find plenty of women like that in high-end nightclubs and parties. But for women who frequent those places, their so-called innocence is nothing more than a disguise to attract men.
These three girls possess a rare and precious purity, a naiveté that is also their most valuable asset.
These three girls were especially beautiful, but they weren't just pretty faces; each possessed her own unique charm, like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums. And judging from the occasional glances they exchanged, there seemed to be an inexplicable, ambiguous affection between them and their junior brother. To be honest, Yi Shuihan felt he truly couldn't see through his junior brother.
Chen Xu was carefree and unpretentious, yet he subtly possessed an air of superiority. His demeanor was unrestrained but not arrogant. A calm, composed confidence emanated from his speech… which Yi Shuihan found truly perplexing. Where did his "junior brother's" confidence come from?
But he could also see that Chen Xu's arrogance was not unfounded. It was precisely this humility and confidence that made Yi Shuihan realize his extraordinary nature.
Next, the group traveled together to Company S. While in the car, Yi Shuihan jokingly said he hoped these people would join Company S after graduation so they could work together, but only Gao Xiaojie enthusiastically agreed. Guan Yi had his own career, Chen Xu... well, that goes without saying, and as for Zhan Jing, her interest was only so-so, because she also had her own career…
Company S's office building is located in Zhangjiang High-Tech Park in Shanghai, but it's currently rented. Meanwhile, Yi Shuihan has already begun planning to build his own luxurious office building, because it would be a huge letdown for a large international company not to own its own land. For now, however, the office building is rented, but an entire floor is leased.
Seeing Yi Shuihan personally leading several young people who looked like students up, all the employees were taken aback. Who on earth was qualified to be personally brought here by Yi Shuihan? And they all seemed very familiar with each other.
Some players of "Martial Arts" recognized Chen Xu and guessed his relationship with SMMH. They figured they were both from SMMH, which explained their close relationship. Ah, I can only blame my bad luck for not having the chance to meet such a legendary figure.
Although Company S was only established a few months ago, the entire building still feels somewhat dilapidated and lacks sophistication. It's hard to believe it's befitting the future richest man in China... Just look at the chandelier in the PetroChina lobby; it's said to cost tens of millions.
But though small, it was complete in every way. Along the way, Yi Shuihan acted like a dutiful tour guide, introducing the company to Chen Xu.
Today, Company S is mainly divided into two departments: one is regular commercial operations, and the other is providing military supplies... The military supplies are the manufacturing of liquid body armor. This is something that is absolutely classified, so the manufacturing factory, laboratory, and key data are not located in such an undefended building, but in a special military-controlled area.
"The company's main business right now is the release of this 'Translator' magazine. Hmm, there's something new on it too, also developed by our teacher, which is currently under research and production, and is expected to be officially released in about six months... It's truly a great thing that benefits the country and its people!" Yi Shuihan's face was full of fervor: "Our teacher has brought us countless conveniences through technology; he is undoubtedly a god of technology!"
"What on earth could be so exaggerated?"
Yi Shuihan hesitated, but considering these people weren't outsiders, and according to confidentiality regulations he couldn't say too much, he stammered and whispered, "I can't reveal what it is right now. You can go back and ask your teacher. Of course, the teacher may not even know which one it is, since there are many things he's shown. But I'll give you a hint. Once this product is released, the health of the entire nation will be greatly guaranteed!"
When he said that, Guan Yi, Gao Xiaojie, and the other two were completely confused, but Chen Xu showed a look of sudden realization.
It turns out to be that "civilian food safety testing instrument"!
Seeing Chen Xu's expression, the three women naturally knew he knew the inside story, and quickly asked him. After Chen Xu explained, Gao Xiaojie's eyes immediately lit up, and she said, "Does that mean those guys in the food industry won't dare to counterfeit anything anymore?!"
Yi Shuihan smiled and nodded: "Yes, of course, this is undoubtedly bad news for many people in the food industry. But for us ordinary people, it is a powerful tool that allows us to keep our safety in our own hands."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Guan Yi frowned and said, "If what Chen Xu said is true, then this thing is certainly good. But getting it out will be very stressful, won't it?"
Yi Shuihan smiled proudly: "The pressure was naturally considerable. To be honest, when the teacher handed this over to the military, the military system had no objections. But getting it approved at the Standing Committee meeting wasn't so easy. Some guys said that our country is still in the early stages of reform and development, and we can't be too harsh on businesses. Bah! What kind of logic is that? Does that mean the health of the people is something to be taken lightly? Hmph, but the product was eventually approved. Compared to the teacher's absolute technical strength, all those powerful forces are just phantoms and fleeting clouds. Heh, it was just that when I finally took over this product, it took a lot of trouble, because everyone knows that this is another money-making deal."
Indeed, such a large order attracted a lot of competition. Those princelings and similar groups have a keen business sense, and naturally, they flock to it when there's profit to be made. They fought tooth and nail for months, pulling strings and using connections, but still reached a stalemate. Until recently, when Chen Xu presented Yi Shuihan with the liquid bulletproof vest, which significantly elevated Yi Shuihan's status within the military. Moreover, Yi Shuihan already had a close working relationship with SMMH, so with the military's support, the "civilian food safety testing instrument" naturally returned to his hands.
"After several meetings and discussions, we have decided that the company's current priorities are twofold." Yi Shuihan explained to Chen Xu in great detail, just as he would to SMMH. Yi Shuihan wanted to report these matters to SMMH, but the other party was always offline and seemed to be indifferent. He thought that as SMMH's apprentice, Chen Xu would probably have more time to communicate with SMMH, so telling him these things would be the same.
"The first aspect is expanding the market. Our goal is to get 600 million people around the world to buy a Babel Tower Translator software. Just imagine how much that costs! Of course, we know that's a pipe dream, but the prospects for Translator are huge. All we need to do now is find a way to sell it to more people."
"Secondly, the company has also established a dedicated laboratory to conduct further research based on the technology provided by our teachers..."
Chapter 264 The Shock of the Cat's Eye Stone
Yi Shuihan's current positioning of Company S is absolutely correct. Because as long as there is a need in the world, "Babel Tower Translator" is an invaluable treasure trove, and it will never have trouble selling... Even if many people feel they don't need it, there are still those who can. Every year there are newborn babies and children just entering school age, and they all desperately need this translator software.
So as long as this "Babel Tower Translator" game isn't cracked, this money can continue to be earned steadily.
Will this software be cracked?
Well, maybe in thirty or fifty years, but by then they'll have basically made their money.
Of course, as a large company, Yi Shuihan felt it was still necessary to develop its own technology. With so much money and technology, there was no worry about developing what they needed… If they encountered any difficulties, they could try consulting the expert SMMH. But the most urgent task for the company was to expand the market and establish sales channels.
Moreover, once this sales channel is opened, it will bring endless profits... because it is a sales channel that spans the entire world!
If I can sell you a toothbrush, I can also get you to buy the toothpaste along with it... So today, I'm using this incredibly popular translator software to open the door to your distribution channels. From now on, whatever comes out, even if it's not as groundbreaking as "Babel Tower Translator," as long as I have this channel, I won't have to worry about selling it!
Therefore, Yi Shuihan was quite farsighted. After hearing this, Chen Xu couldn't help but nod in agreement, feeling that entrusting the company to Yi Shuihan was the right thing to do... Chen Xu knew nothing about business, but seeing that Guan Yi also agreed with Yi Shuihan's "channel" theory, Chen Xu felt relieved... He still trusted Guan Yi's judgment.
Chen Xu and his group spent the next two days at Company S, until Prince Maktoum personally sailed over.
Finally boarding the legendary "Dubai" luxury yacht, Chen Xu realized what true grandeur was!
Yachts are not something the average person can afford. The cost of building a yacht is exorbitant, and the maintenance costs are even higher. Unlike houses, yachts don't appreciate in value just because you leave them there for a few years! A yacht's lifespan is generally only about twenty years. After that, the parts age and become unrepairable, eventually requiring disposal... Of course, I doubt wealthy people's yachts will last that long. They've definitely already replaced them with new ones.
So investing in yachts is actually a very wasteful thing... just like aircraft carriers, they're all about showcasing one's power, and their symbolic meaning far outweighs their practical significance... Of course, the significance of aircraft carriers isn't that simple either. We'll discuss that later.
But why do so many wealthy people still invest in yachts? The reason is quite simple: to demonstrate their wealth and status.
It's important to understand that the high seas are a very delicate place, where many things are not protected by human laws. While yachts like the "Dubai" don't have many shady dealings, other lesser-known, ordinary yachts engage in all sorts of activities on the high seas... underground boxing, gambling... all of which can be done openly and legitimately.
However, the Dubai yacht was obviously not going to have such a thing. Prince Maktoum politely invited Yi Shuihan and his entourage aboard and gave them a tour of the yacht. The yacht was incredibly well-equipped. It basically had everything that could be found on land, even the swimming pool was built in an extremely luxurious manner… Chen Xu maliciously speculated that these nouveau riche hadn't replaced all the toilets with ivory ones?
Because the Dubai cruise ship wasn't intended for ordinary tourists, it had plenty of rooms. Furthermore, not everyone from Yi Shuihan's S company could come at once, so there was no shortage of suites. Therefore, Chen Xu and his group each had a luxurious suite. Gao Xiaojie, however, insisted on sharing a room with Zhan Jing.
Accompanying him this time was Huang Anping, a notorious princeling from Shanghai.
Chen Xu had a very good impression of Huang Anping at first sight. He was witty and humorous, with a generous and poised demeanor. His behavior was proper, and his sunny, warm smile easily made him approachable.
However, Yi Shuihan privately told Chen Xu to stay away from Huang Anping.
Yi Shuihan's original words were: "This guy is a smiling tiger. Right now, with Teacher SMMH in charge, he doesn't dare to do anything, and we're cooperating very well. But if the wind changes one day, he will definitely be the first one to strike!" Yi Shuihan concluded: "This person can be regarded as a business partner, but he can never be a friend."
To be honest, Chen Xu didn't take these words seriously. After chatting with Huang Anping for a while, he felt the man was quite nice, but there was also a certain air about him that made it difficult to develop a deep friendship. This was because the guy was incredibly skilled at so many things. Whether it was cards, mahjong (various forms of gambling), or other sports like swimming, golf, bowling, and soccer, he was proficient in all of them. Moreover, he was charming and debonair, truly a prince charming in the making. He was also easygoing and humorous, easily winning people's favor.
But it was precisely because he was so easy to like—because he was always so polite and courteous to everyone—that Chen Xu felt he was a good playmate and could barely be considered a friend, but it was difficult for him to be a true confidant.
But what made Chen Xu happiest was that Huang Anping was extremely sensible.
Because the people accompanying them this time included not only executives from Company S, but also some tycoons from Shanghai… After all, the Dubai is not a place that just anyone has the opportunity to board, so some government officials or extremely wealthy individuals who have business dealings with Company S were also on board. Yi Shuihan naturally could not refuse the requests of these people, so the ship was not empty at the moment.
The group that arrived naturally included many wealthy young men. Among them, a few were utterly captivated by Guan Yi, Zhan Jing, and Gao Xiaojie at the banquet on the first night, and then relentlessly pursued them... These guys are no longer on the ship; Huang Anping had them driven away directly by helicopter.
Nowadays, the princelings in Shanghai basically follow Huang Anping's lead. Huang Anping privately spread the word: those three girls, if they don't want to end up like Zhang Bo, should go to bars.
That was SMMH's top disciple's "female friend." With Huang Anping's experience, he could easily see the rather ambiguous relationship between the four of them. There are many women in this world, and there are quite a few socialites and beauties on this ship alone. It's not worth getting into trouble with someone you shouldn't be bothered by targeting a few girls.
His ban had a positive effect, which satisfied Chen Xu, but also left him with some regret… How to put it? Now, everyone on the ship, especially the young people, treated him with the same respect they would show Yi Shuihan. The anticipated scenarios—like a few clueless guys pursuing Guan Yi and the others, or some oblivious individuals pointing fingers and yelling, “How dare this kid, dressed so poorly, board this ship?”—none of them happened.
Everyone gets along very well and harmoniously.
This made Chen Xu a little frustrated. Was he really the protagonist? Didn't he see that in novels, the protagonist usually had a bunch of people coming to provoke him in this kind of situation?
This is mainly because SMMH has such a huge reputation. Leaving aside the Zhang Bo incident, this translator directly created a future China's richest man, or even a world-class billionaire. Who would dare offend such a person's protégé? Everyone knows SMMH is fiercely protective of its own. Last time, they casually spent tens of millions to help Yi Shuihan, a complete stranger. If their own disciple were bullied, wouldn't they cause a huge uproar?!
This is fear of SMMH, but besides fear, this group also has "respect".
Leaving aside other things, the reason they're on this luxury yacht is because of the software developed by that internet god. It's like they're indirectly benefiting from that god's influence!
As the saying goes, "He who takes a man's gift is bound to be grateful, and he who eats his food is bound to be compliant." This is like someone inviting you on a trip and to eat, and then you inexplicably beat up their family. Or you might wear a poker face... Not many people would actually do something like that.
So at the party, Chen Xu was quite popular. Many of the princelings who usually looked down on others politely came to toast him, expressing their gratitude, which seemed rather sincere.
Another aspect is the last hacker war.
SMMH single-handedly defeated hackers from around the world. This greatly boosted the reputation of the Chinese people. Moreover, these people were not ordinary citizens; they had access to a lot of inside information and knew that hundreds of people indirectly died at the hands of SMMH in the last battle, which was enough to make them awe.
"Have you found the culprit behind the last hacker war?" During a moment of boredom at the party, Yi Shuihan suddenly remembered this question and asked Chen Xu.
Chen Xu shook his head, but quickly realized his action was inappropriate, so he said with a bitter face, "The teacher didn't say, and I'm not too sure either. But I feel like we didn't catch them, because I participated in the later attack with the teacher. The hacker on the other side was very mysterious and disguised very well. Even many of his subordinates didn't know who that person was. The records on the computer were completely wiped clean."
Yi Shuihan nodded; he wasn't actually surprised by the news.
Because Yi Shuihan himself was a highly skilled programmer, and the line between programmer and hacker is very thin. Therefore, he knew very well that if someone was deliberately trying to outmaneuver another, many advanced hackers on the internet could remain completely hidden… They only needed to avoid showing themselves, and when searching for henchmen, they needed to conceal their identities and delete all records. Even a true master hacker couldn't find them. At this moment, Huang Anping was beside him, taking a sip of his drink, and said, “It's very likely that person didn't dare show his face during the last hacker war. If that's the case, then it means he knew he lacked confidence against SMMH. But I heard that the program code he released was very advanced, a level above current computer technology. That means his skills should be world-class. But if he lacked confidence, why did he provoke SMMH in the first place?”
Yi Shuihan thought for a moment and said, "The teacher's reputation is too great, it's like a tall tree attracting the wind. But you have to know that the hacker world is different from the real world. Only the hacker himself usually knows his own strength. There are many so-called top hackers on the internet who exaggerate their abilities. Unlike some professions in the real world, such as football. Watching the World Cup can at least show most of the skill gaps. So this guy may be resentful of the teacher's reputation, but out of caution, he just used a borrowed knife to kill someone. That's also possible."
Huang Anping smiled and said, "I think about the same thing as you, but I have a feeling that this person is not simple. Just look at the fact that he released such advanced program code, but no one in the world knows who he is. This person is very cunning and has been lying in wait for a long time. I think he will cause trouble for SMMH in the future. Trust me, my intuition is always very accurate."
Gao Xiaojie scoffed at these words, sipping a juice she'd never seen before. She said nonchalantly, "What does it matter? He's just a clown. How could he possibly withstand the might of the SMMH boss? Besides, his code might have been advanced before, but that doesn't mean it will be in the future. Jingjing is studying the Chinese language book written by the SMMH boss, and she can vaguely discern some advanced programming methods; it might not be any worse than what that guy released. Hey, classmate, as the SMMH boss's first disciple, don't you have anything to say?"
Chen Xu was pushed by her. He laughed and said, "That's right, people like that are just clowns, they can't pose any threat to my teacher."
While saying these words, Chen Xu did not actually mean it that way.
Because no previous hacker encounter had shocked him as much as this one.
The most important problem is that the virus used by the other party wasn't recorded in Xiaomin's database?!
This is almost impossible.
Although much of Xiaomin's data has not yet been recovered, the virus database is very complete, containing records from the very beginning of computers, when computer viruses were still in their nascent stages, all the way back eighty years later.
Although the virus wasn't sophisticated, the fact that Xiaomin cracked it so easily showed a significant gap in technical skill between them. However, the "no such virus information in the database" message greatly shocked Chen Xu. This exceeded the omniscience and omnipotence of Xiaomin's database!
Fortunately, the situation is still under Chen Xu's control. However, whether this accident was a coincidence or something else is puzzling Chen Xu, and it feels like there's a thorn stuck in his heart.
It was only then that Chen Xu realized that he had been quite arrogant all along.
Especially in the field of computers!
He relied too much on Xiaomin, too much on Xiaomin's omniscience and omnipotence, and he never expected that such an exception would appear. This should serve as a wake-up call for him!
However, here, Chen Xu's status as "SMMH's top disciple" naturally prevented him from showing any surprise; instead, he had to act as if he had complete confidence in his teacher.
This means underestimating the opponent strategically, but taking them seriously tactically.
Seeing how confident Chen Xu was, the others naturally didn't say anything. Moreover, everyone now had confidence in SMMH, after all, the God of the Internet's actions were truly well-deserved.
There were four students present, three of whom were beautiful women—beauties you couldn't afford to offend or pursue. So, some of the "princelings" didn't bother coming over to waste their time…because their usual conversations revolved around money and women…or, to put it more politely, career and love. However, their careers often involved shady dealings, and their love life was best described as promiscuity.
These things weren't appropriate to say in front of Guan Yi and the others, so they didn't join in. Only Yi Shuihan and Huang Anping were outsiders at the table. However, Huang Anping was very sociable, often making witty remarks that made the women laugh. Even Chen Xu didn't feel jealous; instead, he thought this man was a very good companion.
As everyone was getting into the conversation, a waiter suddenly came forward with a plate in his hand. On the plate were three boxes, and no one knew what was inside.
The waiters on this ship are all professionally trained and carefully selected. Although translation software is available, they still use their own translation methods... and almost every waiter is fluent in more than five languages. This time, they came specifically to China, and the waiters and maids on the ship were specially selected to speak fluent Chinese. Each one speaks more fluently than a mountain.
The waiter stepped forward, bowed, and respectfully placed the plate on the table, saying, “Our prince heard that there are three special guests on this ship, all beautiful ladies, so he specially sent me to deliver this small gift to express his gratitude for the great convenience that SMMH has brought to Dubai.”
That's a very skillful way of putting it.
If Prince Maktoum wanted to give a gift to a beautiful woman, he certainly wouldn't have a waiter bring it. Presenting it himself would show sincerity. However, men need to be careful when giving gifts to women, because a mishap can easily lead to misunderstandings… and whether those misunderstandings will be pleasant or have other consequences, no one can guarantee.
Prince Maktoum must have heard about the relationship between Guan Yi and his two companions and Chen Xu, the top disciple of SMMH. Therefore, to avoid embarrassment, he used this method… The waiter's words, "Thank you, SMMH," were actually a way of thanking Chen Xu, implying that the gifts were perfectly legitimate and that he shouldn't misunderstand.
After all, Dubai is a tourist destination, and Prince Maktoum is the future successor of Dubai. He would never let a few women cause any misunderstandings with his biggest client.