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墨書 Inktalez
The security issues were settled, and anyway, Li Hong would only be staying here for two or three days at most, so there was no need to worry too much.
Soon, the Ford Mondeo sped along and quickly arrived at the hotel where Mark and his team were staying.
Before arriving, Li Hong had already instructed Mark to prepare rooms for them, so they didn’t have to worry about not having a place to stay upon reaching the hotel.
After arranging accommodations for Li Hong's family, Mark immediately contacted the Security Company.
Since it was just a matter of insurance and the target's profile was not very high-profile, he quickly found a suitable company.
Before long, Li Hong's security team was successfully on duty, ensuring the safety of Li Hong and his family around the clock during their stay in the United States.
Just when Li Hong thought everything was going smoothly, an unexpected visitor arrived outside the hotel room door.
Upon learning that the visitor was from the White House, even Li Hong, who usually remained unfazed, couldn't help but be taken aback.
"Hello, Mr. Li. I am Jebed, a special envoy appointed by Mr. President," the man said as he extended his hand toward Li Hong.
Not wanting to offend someone who approached with such sincerity, regardless of his intentions, Li Hong decided it was best to remain cordial.
"Hello, Mr. Jebed. Please have a seat."
Lin Ruxian had already taken Yuchen away from the living room. Since they were in a presidential suite, they had plenty of space to move around; there were still many rooms available.
After sitting down on either side of the sofa in the living room, Li Hong curiously looked at Jebed.
“Mr. Jebed, what can I do for you?”
Mr. Jebed was a fair-skinned middle-aged man, and due to the secrecy surrounding his identity, Li Hong could not guess the background of the person before him.
However, regardless of who Mr. Jebed was, as long as he came from the White House, he could not be underestimated.
Smiling lightly, Mr. Jebed explained, “Mr. Li, there’s no need to be nervous. I’m actually here on behalf of Mr. President to request your cooperation on a matter.”
Li Hong raised an eyebrow; the visitor did not seem to have good intentions.
“I will help with whatever I can,” he replied cautiously, knowing that there would be room for negotiation later.
Mr. Jebed’s gaze sharpened as he spoke in a serious tone, “On behalf of Mr. President, I would like to congratulate you on the tremendous achievements of your company. Mr. President is also very fond of the Virtual Helmet product. Upon learning that your company’s production capacity is insufficient, he specifically asked me to inquire if you have any plans to establish a manufacturing facility in the North America market.”
“Sorry, our current production capacity is sufficient, and we have no plans to expand at this time,” Li Hong directly refused Mr. Jebed.
Mr. Jebed did not seem offended; in fact, being a smart person himself, he would not react with anger like those shallow individuals who took rejection personally.
“Well then,” he said, “we operate in an open market and certainly won’t force anyone’s hand. Since Mr. Li has no such intentions, we won’t push you.”
“However…”
At this point, Mr. Jebed’s expression turned more severe than before: “Mr. Li, please agree to one request: the Virtual Helmet must not be released for sale within the next two years.”
“That’s impossible; delaying our launch will result in significant losses for us. I refuse to comply with such a request,” Li Hong stated firmly.
He had long known that the emergence of the Virtual Helmet would inevitably touch upon the interests of certain individuals. However, he never expected that Microsoft and Intel would go so far as to send the President as a guest.
Jebed curled his middle finger slightly and tapped it on the table. "Mr. Li, perhaps you should consider this. This is our bottom line. The Virtual Helmet is revolutionary; we will not stifle such technology. However, we need to ensure the survival of domestic tech companies. Two years is a timeframe that everyone can accept."
At this point, Jebed chuckled, "As for the issue of losses, Mr. Li need not worry. We will compensate you in various ways for any losses you may incur."
"I can assure you on behalf of Mr. President that in two years, Sweet Potato Technology will become the first trillion-dollar tech company in human history, and you, Mr. Li, will become an unprecedented super-rich individual."
"Sorry, I'm not interested in any of that," Li Hong replied, shaking his head.
"Must you be so stubborn?" Jebed was angry for the first time.
Li Hong's clear eyes revealed no impurities as he spoke in the most sincere and resolute tone: "Thirty years ago, you pushed forward the Internet Era without waiting for anyone else. Thirty years later, I am driving the development of the Virtual Era, and I have no need to wait for you Americans for two years."
Jebed was taken aback; he had never expected Li Hong to bring up past events at this moment.
He frowned and asked, "Mr. Li, please do not conflate old matters with this one. The Internet is the Internet; the virtual world is the virtual world."
"Furthermore, back then, apart from America, no other country had the confidence to develop the Internet. But now, just give us two years, and we will certainly keep pace with the Virtual Era. Walking alone can be too lonely; the road widens as one walks further, and there’s no good outcome in monopolizing everything."
"We are willing to slow down our pace, but you will never catch up. Also, we can bring friends along but cannot accept a robber traveling with us," Li Hong insisted firmly.
Jebed sneered, "Robber? Are you in America? Sorry, in my view, any country's development resembles that of a robber. Even the sun-never-sets British Empire exploited its colonies; no country can claim to be clean."
"Sorry, but it seems you've forgotten about my homeland. We rose from humble beginnings without ever drinking a drop of blood from this world's colonies."
Jebed's face was grim as he threatened, "Mr. Li, be straightforward. What will it take for you to agree to our demands?"
"My country has a saying: those who do not share the same path cannot make plans together. I've said enough; you should consider your options carefully," Li Hong replied, refusing to say more.
"This is the key to the Virtual Era. You must believe in our determination as Americans! We are willing to go to war for the key to the next era!" Jebed said in a low voice.
Li Hong remained unmoved. America was strong, but that was in the past. The current America no longer had the courage to declare war on Huaxia. The America of sixty years ago, after World War II, was the strongest presence.
As for now, it was merely a facade of strength!
Seeing that Li Hong was impervious to his threats, Jebed had no choice but to issue his final ultimatum: "Mr. Li, please take some time to think this over seriously. You have ample time to weigh the pros and cons; we will extend your visa."
With that, Jebed elegantly walked out the door. Upon reaching the entrance and seeing several bodyguards outside, he smiled and said, "Mr. Li probably doesn't know that these fellows are all skilled agents from the CIA. They will protect you well. As for security fees, I’ll waive them all for you."
"Think it over carefully; I don't believe Huaxia's Aircraft Carrier fleet can reach Las Vegas."
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