Chapter 163: The Lithography Machine Was Acquired

Intel and Samsung were willing to exchange seismographs. This answer surprised Chen Mo.

He originally thought that if one company was willing to make the exchange, they would already be very happy, because their goal was to obtain the lithography machine. Now that two companies were willing, it was more than he could ask for.

The cost of the seismograph was not high, and having one more lithography machine was not something he would mind.

“Both companies want four seismographs. They have no other requirements,” Zhao Min said.

“Four? They sure know how to avoid losses,” Chen Mo said. “Go ahead and exchange with them. One more machine isn’t a problem.”

Not long after the news was announced, both companies contacted them. The intention was clear: they wanted to use the seismographs to study earthquake early warning technology.

“Okay,” Zhao Min immediately agreed.

The seismographs were for export. Since they dared to export them, they naturally were not afraid of technology leaks. The core chips, internal algorithms, and seismograph system were all encrypted. It was almost impossible to obtain the algorithms, so Chen Mo was not afraid they could replicate the seismographs.

Even if they manufactured all the hardware, without the core algorithms and seismograph system, it would just be an empty shell, completely useless.

Both sides wanted to make the exchange, so the transactions with the two companies proceeded without any resistance. South Korea and the United States wanted to get the seismographs, while Legion Ant Company and Huaxia wanted the lithography machines. Both were cutting-edge technologies, and each side got what they needed, so the exchanges were not restricted by the governments of the three countries.

Two weeks later, the exchanges were successfully completed.

Chishang Jiang sat in the reception room of Intel, his face glowing with a smile, as if celebrating a joyous occasion.

Not long after, seeing Paul walk in, Chishang Jiang’s face immediately bloomed like a chrysanthemum. Without a word, he went up to greet him, almost as if welcoming the arrival of his master.

“President Paul, it’s a pleasure to see you.”

Paul inwardly looked down on Chishang Jiang’s flattering expression but did not show it. “Ambassador Chishang, what brings you here in person?”

Paul was also in a good mood because the successful exchange with Legion Ant Company for the seismographs had caused their company’s stock price to rise over the past few days. Intel’s market value was also increasing. The impact of the seismograph exceeded his expectations.

Just by obtaining the seismographs, their market value was already being viewed favorably. If they could actually acquire the earthquake early warning technology, their company would surely reach new heights under his leadership.

“President Paul, I came this time to ask about the seismographs. Is it possible to sell one to us?” Chishang Jiang got straight to the point without wasting words, speaking carefully for fear of offending anyone.

“Seismographs? I need to think about this,” Paul said.

If they sold the seismographs to the Island Nation, it would mean they would have one more competitor in their research, which was something they did not want to see. Although the Island Nation was small, its scientific research capabilities were definitely stronger than those of a single company. Selling the seismographs to the Island Nation now would be like doing the hard work for someone else.

“President Paul, when can we expect a reply? The price is negotiable. We are willing to pay one hundred million dollars for one seismograph,” Chishang Jiang said.

The Island Nation urgently needed seismographs now. No one knew when the next earthquake would strike. After the last major earthquake, there were two significant aftershocks, and they suffered considerable losses.

They needed seismographs more than any other country.

“In that case, I’ll get back to you after some time,” Paul said after thinking it over.

A similar scene was happening in South Korea.

The Island Nation was eager to get seismographs, but the Island Nation government did not have lithography machines and could not exchange with Legion Ant Company. Legion Ant Company was also not selling them to the public for the time being, so they could only set their sights on the two companies.

However, the two companies that obtained the seismographs did not make any deals with the Island Nation. They had gone to great lengths to get the seismographs and would not casually hand them over to the Island Nation, essentially doing the hard work for them.

At the same time.

Chen Mo and Zhao Min were walking through the company’s headquarters campus. The headquarters was currently undergoing final renovations, and the campus already had a basic structure.

Building the headquarters industrial park, along with rushing the construction, had cost them a lot of money.

Legion Ant Company’s headquarters was called the Ant Nest, like the nest of army ants. The headquarters’ exterior resembled the ring structure of an ant nest. It was not very tall but covered a large area. It was like a lower-tier version of the Bird’s Nest, though the shape was different and it was not made of steel. The exterior was wrapped in irregular glass, making it stunningly beautiful.

In addition to the basic office areas, there were also restaurants, supermarkets, gyms, multi-purpose halls, as well as internal and external meeting rooms.

Each area was like a chamber in an ant nest. Inside the ring structure, there were various passages leading to every area. The center of the ring was a green space, making it look from a distance like an ant nest built from glass.

Next to the headquarters building was another form of the Ant Nest, a separately constructed research institute connected to the headquarters by a passage.

The campus also had factory workshops, warehouses, and employee dormitories. The headquarters was planned to accommodate and provide workspace for ten thousand people.

They were now in the final stages, and it would take a few more months before it could be put into use.

Chen Mo and Zhao Min were now heading toward the research institute.

The two lithography machines obtained from the seismograph exchange had been airlifted back. Because they were special instruments, after arriving at the airport, they were transported to the headquarters’ research institute through emergency procedures.

“Because our temporary headquarters doesn’t have a constant-temperature room, we brought them back here. The lithography machines are now in constant-temperature containers and are being sent to the underground constant-temperature room of the research institute,” Zhao Min explained.

They did not need to worry about security issues. When the campus was first built, the research institute and headquarters building were prioritized. The research institute and headquarters building had already been renovated, and many experimental devices had been installed.

To be precise, the headquarters building and research institute were ready for use. However, the employee dormitories had not been fully renovated, so it would take another three to four months before people could move in.

“The research institute has security personnel on duty, and the surveillance and security systems are similar to those at the temporary headquarters. A Nan and Black Eagle are in charge of security here. All security personnel are former military,” Zhao Min said.

Chen Mo listened carefully to Zhao Min’s explanation. Soon, the group entered the research institute. With no one living there yet, the research institute felt somewhat empty.

The lithography machines were in a dust-free room. After putting on protective clothing, the group entered the research institute.

In the second basement level of the research institute, Chen Mo successfully saw the lithography machines in the constant-temperature room. They did not look very large and had the ASML logo prominently displayed.

The two lithography machines together were not even as big as a shipping container. This kind of lithography machine consisted of fifty thousand parts. In the past, Huaxia had tried every means but failed to obtain such a device.

“The packaging machines and furnaces are being purchased. With the lithography machines, buying the other machines will be much easier,” Zhao Min said.

“Mm,” Chen Mo nodded and looked around at the packaging machines. “Can the machines operate normally?”

“The technicians have checked, and there are no issues,” Zhao Min said.

“That’s good.”

They had put a lot of effort into obtaining these two machines. Now that they had them, it saved a lot of trouble.

At least his research on superconducting chips could proceed smoothly without worrying about outdated technology. With superconducting chips, the research on superconducting supercomputers would also face no major obstacles.

However, all of this would have to wait until they moved into the headquarters.

After inspecting the lithography machines and walking around the headquarters campus, Chen Mo, Zhao Min, and the others returned to the company’s office building.