Chapter 888
Century Academic Press Conference
Do you know what this means?
"Know!"
"It means we will become the focus of the whole world. It means countless eyes will be watching us. It means those who do not want us to succeed will do everything they can to stop us, smear us, and suppress us. They will do it overtly and covertly, softly and hard."
"Know!"
"This means we can no longer make a fortune in silence. We have to step into the limelight, be scrutinized by the whole world, and face all kinds of open and covert attacks. One wrong move and we could be doomed."
"Know!"
"So you're still going to do it?"
Wang Donglai took a deep breath.
"Old boss, I'd like to ask you a question."
"explain."
"How many years has China been quietly developing?"
There was no answer on the other end of the phone.
"From 1978 to now, it has been forty-one years."
Wang Dong asked and answered himself: "In 41 years, we have transformed from a country that couldn't even solve the problem of food and clothing into the world's second largest economy. We have built high-speed rail, aircraft carriers, BeiDou navigation system, space station, quantum computer, and lunar rocket."
His voice grew louder and louder.
"But have you noticed that every time we achieve something, someone says: 'China is a threat,' 'China is free-riding,' 'China doesn't follow the rules,' 'China steals technology and intellectual property.' No matter what we do, it's wrong, and no amount of explanation helps."
"why?"
"Because this world has never believed in strength that lies in humility. The more humble you are, the more people think you are easy to bully. The more you explain, the more people think you are guilty. The more you abide by the rules, the more people want to change the rules."
He paused.
“Old leader, we have been developing for forty-one years and have grown to such a large size. We can no longer continue to humbly and cautiously explore, like before. That path has come to an end.”
"Now, it's our turn to step up and lead the world."
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone.
Wang Donglai could hear the other person's breathing, sometimes deep, sometimes shallow, as if they were thinking or sighing.
a long time.
"Academician Wang..."
The voice finally rang out, carrying a complex emotion—a mixture of relief,感慨, and a hint of worry: "Your idea is very bold, extremely bold."
"I know!"
"It's also very dangerous."
"I know!"
"but……"
The sound paused for a moment.
"...But you have a point."
Wang Donglai's eyebrows lifted slightly.
"Boss, you've agreed?"
"I neither agreed nor disagreed."
The voice on the other end of the phone said, "This is a huge matter; I can't make a decision on my own. We need to hold a meeting to discuss it. We need to report to higher management. We need to assess the risks, develop contingency plans, and coordinate with various departments."
"So, what do you think the outcome of the discussion will be...?"
"I reckon they'll agree."
Wang Donglai's smile revealed a hint of relief: "Thank you for your understanding and support, leader."
"Don't thank me yet, I have two more conditions."
"Please speak."
"First, this academic conference cannot be held at Galaxy Technology. It must be held in a place that represents the national image. Tsinghua or Peking University, you choose one."
Wang Donglai hesitated for a moment, but still mustered up the courage to say, "Old leader, I'd like to place it at Tangdu Jiaotong University."
"Tangdu Jiaotong University?"
"Correct!"
Wang Donglai said, "This is my alma mater and the headquarters of Galaxy Technology. It is more suitable to hold the event here. We want to take this opportunity to let people from all over the world come to Tangdu, to see this ancient city, to see this school, and to see how we Chinese people have come to where we are today."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
"you sure?"
"Sure!"
"Tsinghua and Peking University are recognized as the top universities in China. Placing them there carries more weight and symbolic significance. Scholars all over the world know about these two schools. Placing them at Tangdu Jiaotong University might not have the same effect."
"Boss, I don't think so. If they don't even know about such an important scientific research achievement, then they can't possibly be our competitors!"
"Everyone knows that Tsinghua and Peking University are the top universities, so placing them there doesn't bring any surprises. Placing them at Tangdu Jiaotong University will make people remember that China has more than just Tsinghua and Peking University; there are other universities that can also host world-class academic events."
"Besides, Tsinghua and Peking Universities have hosted plenty of international conferences over the years, so they don't need my one. But Tangdu Jiaotong University is different. It's a century-old university, but it's never been very well-known. I want to give it a chance."
There was no immediate response on the other end of the phone.
a long time.
"Mr. Wang, you're advertising for Tangdu Jiaotong University."
Wang Donglai said with a smile, "Old leader, you're right, it is advertising."
"Promoting one's alma mater shouldn't be against the rules, right?"
"Row!"
The leader finally relented: "As you wish, Tangdu Jiaotong University it is. However, security will be handled by our people. No matter how strong your Galaxy Technology's security is, it's still commercial security, which isn't high enough."
"no problem."
"There is a second condition."
The voice turned serious: "The content of the press conference must be reported in advance. It's not censorship, it's understanding. We need to know how much you plan to present, whether it's all of it or just a portion."
Wang Donglai naturally understood what his leader meant and immediately said, "Leader, do you want me to keep something in reserve?"
"It's not about holding back!"
"It's about leaving yourself a way out. Some things can be shown to the whole world. Some things are better kept for your own use. You should understand this principle!"
Wang Donglai nodded and said, "I understand. 'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.' To give it all away is to court death. To not give it away is to hoard it. Giving away only a portion is just right."
That's exactly what I mean.
"Let me think about it..."
Wang Donglai quickly went through the information in his mind and said, "I would report the critical temperature of the Breath Soil as minus 23.4 degrees Celsius. But in reality, Li Zhenhua's team has already pushed it down to minus 20 degrees Celsius. I won't say anything about that."
"it is good."
"I would quote 1,300 tons of thrust for the Hercules rocket. But in reality, after being coated with the Breath of Soil, it has exceeded 1,500 tons. I won't go into that." "Okay."
"Regarding Galaxy Bio's brain-computer interface, I would report a vision level of 0.1. But in reality, it's already at 0.3. I won't go into that."
"it is good."
"I would report Galaxy Semiconductor's manufacturing process as 7 nanometers. But in reality, 5 nanometers is already in mass production. I won't go into that."
"it is good."
Wang Donglai rattled off seven or eight points in one breath, and the person on the other end of the phone responded to each one.
At last.
"Boss, is that enough?"
"That's enough, that's enough."
The voice carried a hint of amusement: "President Wang, you've prepared a very deep escape route. These things that we don't talk about are enough for us to digest internally for several years."
Wang Donglai replied, "What we put out will never be the most advanced. This has always been our tradition, and I am just following the old rules."
"Haha, alright, it's settled then."
"I'll coordinate with the various departments on my side, and you prepare the materials on your side. Is a month enough time?"
"Boss, I think we can extend the time to half a month; there's no need to waste any extra time."
The leader only thought about it for a moment before agreeing.
"Alright, then let's hold a world-shaking academic exchange conference at Tangdu Jiaotong University for half a month, and let the world see what China's scientific and technological strength is all about."
"it is good!"
The phone hangs up.
Wang Donglai put down the phone and let out a deep breath.
"boss."
Nuwa's voice rang out: "Do you need me to warm up the network in advance?"
"no need."
Wang Donglai said calmly, "The world is not ready to accept a China that is leading in all aspects. We have to take it one step at a time and let them adapt slowly. Trying to get fat in one bite will only make you choke."
"Moreover, this is just a technological breakthrough, and there is still a long way to go before it can be practically implemented."
"The strategy of announcing one generation, hiding another, and deploying the third is also applicable to us."
"Recorded!"
……
In May 2019, the entire domestic and international internet platforms were abuzz with excitement.
Breakthroughs in room-temperature superconducting materials will bring about tremendous changes to the entire world, changes that will be overwhelming and attract immense attention.
At this critical moment, Galaxy Technology did not hide anything and responded publicly, which immediately became a hot topic.
"Galaxy Technology will host the 'Century Academic Symposium and Cutting-Edge Technology Achievement Release Conference' at Tangdu Jiaotong University from June 1st to 7th, 2019. The conference will showcase Galaxy Technology's latest breakthroughs in fields such as room-temperature superconductivity, string theory, aerospace technology, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, new energy, and biomedicine. We sincerely invite experts and scholars from related fields around the world to participate in this grand event. Please stay tuned for further announcements regarding the detailed agenda and registration methods."
Three minutes after this statement was released, Douyin's servers almost crashed.
Five minutes later, this message dominated the top ten trending topics on Weibo.
#GalaxyTechnologyCenturyPressConference#
#Is Room Temperature Superconductivity Really Here?#
#Wang Donglai's Breakthrough in String Theory#
#TangduJiaotongUniversity#
#BreathEarth#
#Tangdu in June#
#Global scholars will gather in China#
#Chinese Technology Shocks the World#
Who is Wang Donglai?
#Just how powerful is Galaxy Technology?#
Ten minutes later, WeChat Moments was flooded with posts about it.
"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! Room temperature superconductivity! Is this for real?"
"Wang Donglai is about to do something big!"
"A breakthrough in string theory? A grand unification of physics? This is progress for human civilization!"
"Tangdu Jiaotong University is going to be a sensation! My alma mater! I'm so proud!"
"I want to go to Tang Dynasty capital in June! Are there any tour groups?"
"Can anyone tell me what the actual use of room-temperature superconductivity is?"
"Upstairs, if room temperature superconductivity is real, human civilization will enter a new era!"
"Looking forward to it! Looking forward to it! Looking forward to it!"
Half an hour later, foreign media began to reprint the story frantically.
Reuters: "China's Galaxy Technology announced that it will release room-temperature superconductivity results, shocking the global academic community."
Associated Press: "Is it true or false that a Chinese entrepreneur claims to have mastered room-temperature superconductivity?"
AFP: "A 21st-century academic conference will be held in Tang Dynasty China, where Nobel laureates may gather."
Kyodo News: "Several Nobel laureates from Japan plan to attend a conference in China; the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology is making urgent coordination."
DPA: "Max Planck Institute: If the news is true, it will rewrite physics textbooks."
An hour later, the official Nobel Prize website announced: "It is understood that several Nobel laureates in Physics and Chemistry have received invitations and are arranging their trips to Tang Dynasty China. These include Robert Laughlin, the 1998 Nobel Prize laureate in Physics; Wolfgang Kettler, the 2001 Nobel Prize laureate in Physics; Andre Geim, the 2010 Nobel Prize laureate in Physics; and Hiroshi Amano, the 2014 Nobel Prize laureate in Physics."
Two hours later, the University of Tokyo officially announced: "We will send a 15-member delegation led by three Nobel laureates to participate in the Tangdu Academic Symposium. The delegation will be led by Professor Hiroshi Amano and will include top scholars from the University of Tokyo, Osaka University, and Tohoku University."
Three hours later, the Max Planck Institute announced: "Director Martin Strel will personally lead a 20-member delegation to China. The delegation includes three Nobel laureates, five Max Planck Institute directors, and twelve senior researchers."
Four hours later, Harvard University, MIT, Stanford University, Caltech, and the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton jointly issued a statement: "A 30-member delegation will participate in this academic event of the century. The delegation will be led by Professor Edward Witten of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and will include five Nobel laureates, twelve members of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, and thirteen top young scholars."
Five hours later, research institutions from more than 60 countries around the world, including France, Britain, Italy, Canada, Russia, Israel, India, Australia, Brazil, and South Africa, announced that they would send delegations to participate.
Six hours later, the number of applicants exceeded three thousand.
Twelve hours later, the number of applicants exceeded five thousand.
Twenty-four hours later, the number of applicants exceeded 10,000.
Forty-eight hours later, the number of applicants exceeded 20,000.
Seventy-two hours later, the number of applicants exceeded 25,000.
All five-star and four-star hotels in Tangdu City are fully booked.
Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Shangri-La, InterContinental... the front desks of all international hotel chains were overwhelmed with inquiries from attendees.
B&Bs, guesthouses, and even basements around Jiaotong University in Tangdu were fully booked.
Some people even posted online: "Are there any apartments still available near Jiaotong University in Tangdu District? Looking to rent, price negotiable."
Someone replied below: "Forget about the house, even the basement is gone. My classmate rented a 10-square-meter partitioned room near the school, and now someone is offering 1,000 yuan a day to sublet it."
The reason for its immense popularity is quite simple.
The technology that Galaxy Technology presented was truly amazing, attracting not only researchers but also domestic and international investors and entrepreneurs.
Every breakthrough in cutting-edge technology brings huge business opportunities.
Moreover, Galaxy Technology itself is a super business giant, which brings even more opportunities.
Scholars want to understand the details of advanced technologies, businessmen want to see if there are any profitable business opportunities, and investors want to catch the next big trend...
This naturally leads to such a popular situation.
For a time, Tangdu City became a focal point of political turmoil. (End of Chapter)