Chapter 543
Chapter 543
Chapter 543 (4000 words)
In November, the nights in Northeast China are already quite cold.
At 2 a.m., in the abandoned agricultural machinery station outside the east wall of Changhong Factory, two dark figures huddled in a corner, their breath billowing in the beam of a flashlight.
"Sato-san, how much longer do we have to wait?" The younger man rubbed his hands together, his teeth chattering.
Sato didn't say anything, but simply raised his chin, gesturing for him to look across.
Separated by a drainage ditch covered with a thin layer of ice, the east workshop of Changhong factory was brightly lit.
In the dead of winter, the windows were left a few cracks open, and hot air escaped, condensing into white mist in the cold air.
“It’s been three days already.” Sato glanced at his watch. “We start working after 10 p.m. every night and continue until 4 or 5 a.m. The daytime is surprisingly quiet.”
The younger one took out his camera and pointed it at the workshop window.
Just then, the workshop door opened.
A group of people pushed a large piece of equipment covered with a canvas, slowly moving it outwards.
The equipment was very tall, much taller than a person. Several people held onto both sides and carefully pushed it down from the diving board.
Sato's pupils contracted slightly.
"shoot."
Click. Click.
I didn't dare turn on the flash, but the outline of the equipment was still captured by the film under the moonlight.
It's square and upright, with complex pipes on top, resembling some kind of large-scale production equipment.
The equipment was pushed onto a truck covered with a tarpaulin.
The truck started in the dark without its headlights on, and slowly disappeared into the night along the factory's narrow roads.
"Let's go." Sato waved his hand, and the two disappeared into the darkness.
Three days later, in Guangdong Province.
Taro Inoue sat in his office with several photos spread out in front of him.
The photo isn't very clear, but you can tell it's a large piece of equipment being moved at night.
There was also an investigation report next to it.
"Changhong factory has been active at night for the past month. According to information provided by an informant, the factory is secretly installing a new production line. The informant is not high enough to access the core details of what kind of production line it is, but judging from the size and weight of the equipment being moved, it should be high-precision electronic equipment."
Taro Inoue raised his head and looked at the head of the intelligence section in front of him.
"Is that informant reliable?"
“Reliable. It was developed last year and has never been used before, just for this critical moment. The information he provided matches the photos Sato took.”
Inoue Taro was silent for a while, then picked up the photos again and looked at them carefully, one by one.
Can you specify which production line it is?
The intelligence chief shook his head: "It's impossible to be sure, but we can use a process of elimination."
He walked to the wall, pulled back a curtain, and revealed a huge chart.
"What Changhong Factory lacks most right now? Color picture tubes. But they've announced they're going to make plasma TVs. What's the hardest part about plasma TVs? Manufacturing the plasma panels. And the most crucial piece of equipment for manufacturing plasma panels is this."
He pointed to a spot on the chart with his finger.
"The sealed sintering furnace for plasma display panels. The size and weight of this equipment are very close to those shown in the photos."
Taro Inoue narrowed his eyes.
"You mean, Changhong is really working on plasma?"
"We can't be completely certain, but it's a possibility," the intelligence chief said. "Moreover, we've uncovered an interesting piece of information. Lin Xiaohe, the factory director of Changhong, is on his way to Moscow."
"On the surface, they were there to discuss the sale of color TVs, but we suspect they were there to discuss the purchase of color picture tubes."
"Among the people she brought was a Russian named Ivan. Although he was officially employed in the foreign sales department, according to our investigation, his father was a veteran engineer specializing in electronic equipment. This engineer had participated in the research of plasma display technology during the Soviet era."
Taro Inoue frowned.
"Did the Soviets work with plasma?"
"We did it. The Soviets weren't lagging behind in electronics technology; it's just that they collapsed later, and many projects were canceled. Those technical documents and those veteran engineers are now scattered among the people." The intelligence chief paused. "If the East could bring them over..."
He didn't finish speaking, but his meaning was already quite clear.
Taro Inoue stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the gray sky outside.
"Keep this a secret, don't let anyone else in the association know! I need to report to headquarters."
Taro Inoue took a plane back to Japan overnight.
The following afternoon, an emergency meeting was held at Panasonic's headquarters.
Around the long conference table sat people at the level of headquarters executives or above.
Taro Inoue stood in front of the projection screen and displayed the photos one by one.
"This is the latest news from Changhong's factory over the past month. Nighttime construction and secret equipment installation. This information came from our informant. They're setting up a new production line. What kind of production line is it? We analyze that it's very likely a plasma panel production line."
A buzz of discussion erupted from below.
The head of Panasonic's technical department looked the worst.
Everyone knows that Panasonic's plasma technology is world-leading, and its investment in it is also the largest.
If the people of Dongguo really succeed in developing plasma technology, even if it's just a low-end product, it will be a huge blow to Panasonic.
"Inoue-san, isn't this evidence too little?" The head of the technical department frowned. "A few blurry photos and a source's statement are enough to conclude that the people in the East are working on plasma?"
“Not only that.” Taro Inoue pressed the remote control, and another document appeared on the screen.
“There was an employee at Changhong Factory named Ivan. His father was an electronics engineer during the Soviet era. This man participated in a plasma research project codenamed Dawn. The project was later canceled, but the technical data was still in his possession.”
He pressed it again.
"This is intelligence we obtained from Russia. This engineer received a letter from the East three months ago. The writer was Lin Xiaohe. The letter was very simple, inviting him to the East for technical exchanges."
The meeting room fell silent.
The president of Panasonic spoke up: "Inoue-san, do you mean that Changhong is using technology from Russia to develop its own plasma technology?"
“That’s possible,” Inoue Taro said. “And don’t forget, who’s behind Changhong Factory? It’s the Liaoyang Provincial Government and the State Council’s Machinery and Electronics Office. Do they lack money? No. Do they lack people? They can bring them in from all over the country. Do they lack technology? Although the Soviet Union has collapsed, its technology remains.”
He paused, his voice lowering.
"If we don't take action now, and the Japanese really develop plasma technology, even if it's just a low-end product, it will still impact the market position of Japanese companies. Don't forget, what the Japanese are best at is making high-end products as cheap as cabbage."
Silence fell over the conference room. The head of Panasonic's technical department was still unwilling to give up: "Is it possible that the plasma TV issue, like the procurement of CRTs from Samsung, is a smokescreen released by Changhong? We know best how difficult plasma TVs are. The Japanese couldn't possibly have done it in such a short time, and they don't have that much money! Inoue, aren't you overestimating Changhong and Lin Xiaohe?"
Taro Inoue looked at him and said, word by word, "Don't forget, who stole most of our Dongguo market? It was Changhong Factory, it was Lin Xiaohe. The core technology patents for sauna tubs and Panshi color TVs are all in Lin Xiaohe's hands. There have been speculations among the Dongguo executives that Lin Xiaohe must have obtained the contact information of a high-level international information broker, and that she bought these technologies."
"Those international news brokers can even sell information about presidential elections. Do you think they might sell Soviet plasma technology?"
The head of Panasonic's technical department had beads of cold sweat on his forehead, but he still stubbornly said, "There is a long way to go before patents and formal production can be achieved."
Taro Inoue tugged at his collar in frustration, a hint of impatience showing in his eyes.
For their own benefit, they persisted in making the wrong choices. It's precisely because of people like this that Panasonic has never reached the top spot in the world!
"Lin Xiaohe has already reached a cooperation agreement with Harbin Institute of Technology's High-tech Industrial Park. With the support of Harbin Institute of Technology, this process won't take long. Bu Tai, if Changhong's factory has really started production, are you confident that you can perfect all the technologies for plasma TVs under the current conditions?!"
Bu Tai, head of Panasonic's technical department, bit his lip tightly, his face contorted in a grimace, as if he were torn between his own mind and his own body.
Three minutes later, he collapsed like a punctured balloon, his energy and spirit completely gone.
He stepped back, bowed respectfully at a 90-degree angle to everyone in the conference room, and sincerely apologized: "I'm sorry, under the current conditions, we cannot do it!"
The conference room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone's heart felt as if a huge boulder had been dropped on it, heavy and uneasy.
Plasma television technology is something they've worked on for decades, investing enormous human, material, and financial resources in.
If we give up now, the losses will be incalculable.
Time ticked by, and Bu Tai remained bowed, his whole body trembling. Large beads of sweat dripped to the ground, but he dared not move an inch.
After a long silence, the president of Matsushita slowly spoke: "Inoue, what do you think we should do?"
Inoue Taro looked around and, seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, he spoke firmly.
"Increase investment in research and development. Get ahead of others, thoroughly master plasma technology, and build a high patent wall. Even if they manage to develop it, they'll have to pay us patent fees."
He walked to the conference table and placed his hands on it.
“We can also go to Russia and preemptively purchase the Soviet Union’s plasma technology. Russia has a very weak awareness of international patents. We can apply for patents for all core technologies related to plasma globally as soon as possible. We will block every possible path and make it impossible for them to bypass us.”
Taro Inoue smiled with relief: "We've checked. Changhong Factory hasn't successfully registered its international patents yet; they've only submitted about ten applications. We can use diplomacy to delay their application process and register first."
This kind of thing is very common, especially since Dongguo's international status is quite awkward, it can be said to be a global power.
After exchanging glances and whispering among themselves, the group in the meeting room officially began the voting process.
Bu Tai nodded: "Agreed."
The president of Matsushita nodded: "Agreed."
That evening, Panasonic's headquarters were brightly lit.
At the emergency board meeting, the president made the decision.
An additional 20 billion yen will be allocated for in-depth research and development of plasma technology and global patent portfolio. At the same time, the expansion plan for the plasma production line will be brought forward by six months, aiming to officially commence production of next-generation plasma panels by the middle of next year.
After the meeting, an internal document was sent to all relevant departments.
[Given the potential threat posed by Dongguk Enterprises in the plasma technology field, the company has decided to accelerate its plasma technology research and development process to seize a leading position in global patents. The goal is to achieve mass production of next-generation plasma panels by the end of June next year, increasing market share to over 60%.]
At the end of the document, a line was marked in red:
This task is classified as the company's highest priority, and no department may delay it.
Taro Inoue had returned to Guangdong Province. Looking at the document, a smile appeared on his lips.
He picked up the phone and called the head of the intelligence section.
"Keep an eye on the Changhong factory. Report any movement immediately."
After hanging up the phone, he walked to the window and looked at the brightly lit Tokyo night view outside.
"Lin Xiaohe," he muttered to himself, "what makes you think you can compete with me, a factory manager from a small factory in Northeast China?"
Outside the window, the night was deep.
What he didn't know was that the equipment being moved at the Changhong factory at that moment was not a plasma sintering furnace at all, but a second-hand color picture tube testing instrument bought from Russia.
What he didn't know was that the real secret of Changhong Factory was hidden in a place he would never notice.
That place is called LCD TV.
Meanwhile, in Anning County.
At two o'clock in the morning, the old factory director stood at the window on the second floor of the factory office, looking at the lights of the workshop on the east side in the distance.
The head of the security department pushed open the door and came in: "Secretary, we've found out. There are three spies in our factory. One of them is Qian Sen from the transportation and logistics department. He owes gambling debts. Someone contacted him and offered him money as long as he reported what was happening in our factory."
"The second one is Ai Ye, a newly recruited member of the technical department. We only caught him secretly taking pictures of technical documents, but we haven't found out who was behind him. This kid is very stubborn and won't say anything no matter what we do."
“The third one…” The head of the security department frowned deeply, unsure how to begin.
By the moonlight streaming through the window, the old factory director read through the document line by line: "Speak."
The head of the security department took a deep breath: "It was Old Ma. To be precise, he didn't intentionally leak the information. We all know he's henpecked, and he tells his wife a lot of things."
The head of the security department was both angry and anxious: "His wife is also someone who can't keep her mouth shut. The Japan Color TV Association sent a widow in her fifties to be her sister. Old Ma's wife saw that she was pitiful and took good care of her."
Damn, this business war has turned into a spy thriller. The Japanese really have a knack for this kind of thing, generation after generation.
Qian Sen is a good-for-nothing; he used to be so poor he had to sell his blood to survive. Now that things are finally getting better, he dares to gamble!
Seeing that the old factory director did not speak, the head of the security department leaned over and said almost in a whisper, "Qian Sen... he wants to redeem himself by reporting some information. Deputy County Magistrate Chen has contact with the Japanese."
Without evidence, he dared not say he was dead.
The old factory director remained silent for a long time: "I will report to the factory director. As for Ai Ye, hand him over to the Discipline Inspection Committee. They recently developed a new method that is very effective. It involves confining people to a small room, allowing them to use the toilet and drink water, but not allowing them to sleep, with a dedicated person guarding them. So far, no one has lasted more than 72 hours."
"it is good!"
The former factory director immediately called Lin Xiaohe.
At this time, K19 was about to arrive in Manzhouli.
The trip, originally planned for 6 days and 6 nights, is estimated to take 7 or 8 days due to frequent train malfunctions.
After listening to the Japanese's commotion, Lin Xiaohe smirked: "Rent the newly built logistics center warehouse in the county to store Pan Shi 2.0. Produce Pan Shi 1.0 and 2.0 simultaneously to create a smokescreen, keeping the Japanese confused about what we're doing. Put pressure on them to accelerate their research investment. Once they've spent most of their money, we'll use Pan Shi 1.0's nationwide distribution channels to quickly withdraw from Pan Shi 2.0!"
The old factory director showered him with praise.
The factory director is brilliant; she is the chosen one, sent by heaven to save Liaoyang Province.
He continued talking until he ran out of things to say, but he still didn't hang up.
Lin Xiaohe: "Is there anything else?"
The old factory manager revealed the spy's story: "Old Ma is a long-time employee of the factory. He is very loyal to the factory and has the ability to work. It's just that his wife is a chatterbox. Of course, he is a chatterbox himself. It's his responsibility to not be able to control his wife."
The old factory director's voice grew softer and softer until he finally said nothing more.