Chapter 55: Smart Assistant Press Conference

Chen Mo trusted Zhao Min completely, believing in her after choosing her, so he rarely intervened in the company’s affairs after handing over management to her, aside from occasionally looking at financial reports.

But trusting Zhao Min didn’t mean there weren’t corrupt people within the company. The company’s finances were its most important asset. Money tempted people, and he couldn’t be sure no one would try to take advantage.

When Ink Girl was first formed, he wanted her to supervise the company’s financial systems and accounts, but he wasn’t at the company then, so he didn’t go through with it.

Now that he was at the company, it was necessary for him to oversee the finances as well. Corruption within the company would not be allowed, as it could easily undermine the foundation.

“Ink Girl received.” As soon as Chen Mo finished speaking, Ink Girl’s voice responded: “Bank accounts are now monitored, financial system monitoring is complete, data is being compiled, calculations are done, accounts are clear.”

Chen Mo nodded and turned his attention to the computer before him.

“Now, please organize the data on Carbon Crystal-Based Lithium-Ion Batteries,” said Chen Mo.

Carbon Crystal was a new battery material. Before Graphene battery technology matured, Carbon Crystal Batteries showed great promise. Producing Carbon Crystal Batteries could bring huge benefits to electronic products.

The laboratory would soon be ready. Once the technical data was organized, he could start experiments immediately.

Time passed quickly, and four days were soon gone.

Today was the day of Legion Ant Company’s product launch. The announcement had been released on the official Weibo account three days earlier.

During the previous low-key launch, Legion Ant Company had stunned everyone with the Army Ant System and Butterfly Eye Phone, grabbing a lot of attention.

After several months, Legion Ant Company was launching another product, which immediately caught the public’s interest.

Back then, the Butterfly Eye Phone had been named the most beautiful phone of the year. Legion Ant Company had used the Butterfly Eye to enter the mobile phone market, quickly establishing itself and gaining recognition from young people.

Due to limited production, only about two million Butterfly Eye Phones had been sold so far, but for a new company, that figure was impressive.

Legion Ant Company had been unwilling to increase production, so the Butterfly Eye Phone remained in short supply in the market.

This time, the company was holding a grand launch for a new product but keeping the details a secret, making people wonder if the product was as revolutionary as the Army Ant System or if it was a new phone.

With so much mystery, Legion Ant Company’s product launch became a focal point. All invited media attended, arriving early in Binhai City.

Many media outlets tried to get early interviews with Zhao Min, but all were refused.

At that moment, Zhao Min was heading toward Chen Mo’s office area.

The Smart Assistant launch was scheduled for 2 p.m. that afternoon, and the Chairman was still leisurely conducting experiments in the laboratory, which frustrated her.

The laboratory had been completed three days earlier. Since then, Chen Mo had gone straight there to conduct research every day he was in the company.

She finally understood why Chen Mo had so little time for company matters before—he was a classic tech nerd. In the whole company, only Xiaoyu could manage to summon the Chairman.

After her identity was verified by Facial Recognition, Zhao Min entered Chen Mo’s Experimental Zone.

Chen Mo was staring at a metal container in front of him. On the laboratory table lay several black substances, some of which had formed into sheets with regular patterns, while others had faintly glowing substances attached, but they weren’t pure.

Because the data wasn’t accurate, all of these were failed attempts. So Chen Mo had been trying to find the optimal conditions for synthesizing Carbon Crystal.

He had failed seventeen times before, and this was his eighteenth attempt.

“Ink Girl, what is the current pressure?”

“1013 KPa, equivalent to ten standard atmospheres,” Ink Girl’s young voice replied.

“What about the temperature?”

Chen Mo picked up his notebook and started recording the data. This data was key to his experiments.

“1347 K, just reached the boiling point of lithium.”

“Still not quite right,” Chen Mo said and began adjusting the equipment in front of him. “Increase the temperature by 1 K, pressure by 50 KPa. Notify me when those numbers are reached.”

“Okay.”

Not long after, seeing the fragmented graphite crystals before him, Chen Mo sighed.

Another failure. But this attempt showed some improvement over the last, getting him one step closer to success. The crystalline fragments were slightly larger than before. With continued trial, he would soon have the precise data for synthesis.

The technical manual for Carbon Crystal-Based Lithium-Ion Batteries listed the conditions for synthesizing Carbon Crystals but not the exact data. In material synthesis, small errors could lead to complete failure, so patience was essential.

“Ink Girl, analyze all the experimental data and show me the data table,” Chen Mo said.

“Okay, Ink Girl understands.”

Shortly after, the printer produced a table comparing the data from multiple failed experiments. Chen Mo stared at it, lost in thought.

“Brother Mo, Zhao Min has entered the Experimental Zone,” Ink Girl reminded him just as he was thinking about the possible reasons and data for the experiment’s failure.

“Oh, got it.”

Chen Mo put down the crystalline fragments, removed his lab coat and gloves, washed his hands, and left the laboratory. Just outside, he saw Zhao Min approaching down the hall.

“Chairman, how do you always know when I’m coming?” Zhao Min asked. She remembered that every time she entered the Experimental Zone, Chen Mo would find out and come out to meet her.

“Doesn’t it require Facial Recognition? I get a notification whenever someone is identified,” Chen Mo said, heading toward the office area first. “What brings you here this time?”

“How’s the experiment going?”

“Still failing, but there’s some progress. It shouldn’t be long before it succeeds. I’ll send you the equipment list later. Please arrange to purchase the equipment and set up a factory for future mass production experiments.”

“Alright. The Smart Assistant launch is today at 2 p.m., which is in an hour and a half. I came to get you so we can go together,” Zhao Min said.

“Fine, I have some free time now, so I’ll go with you.”

Chen Mo changed into his jacket and left with Zhao Min. He planned to use this time to think more about why the Carbon Crystal synthesis had failed.

“Aren’t you planning to go on stage?” Zhao Min asked.

“Why should I go on stage? The company didn’t hire a celebrity for endorsement, but having you, the well-known President, host the launch saves on fees. It would be a waste not to use such a famous person,” Chen Mo joked.

“You know this is exploitation, right? Can I get a raise?” Zhao Min rolled her eyes at him.

This Chairman refused to make public appearances. Meanwhile, she had become an internet celebrity and ended up with many troubles.

“I doubt many people in the country earn more than you.”

Back when he asked Zhao Min to manage the company, he gave her a 5% share of the profits. Just from the previous half-year’s revenue, Zhao Min had earned tens of millions in dividends, and this was only the beginning.

“If not a raise, how about treating me to a meal?”

“Sure, you choose the place,” Chen Mo said with a smile.

“Where would you like to go?”

“I’d like to go to the food stall near my school. The skewers there are really good.”

Zhao Min gave Chen Mo a helpless look.

After leaving the company, they got into a prepared car with some staff and headed toward the launch venue.

This launch was held at the Binhai Grand Theater. It was Legion Ant Company’s second launch, much more grand than the previous one held in a hotel.

Over five hundred media outlets attended, including the largest ones, along with Butterfly Eye fans from Binhai City. Representatives from several major domestic phone companies also came. Many uninvited media and independent creators showed up as well.

Close to two thousand people attended this launch, completely different from the simple setup last time.

As a rapidly rising tech star in the country, Legion Ant Company always drew attention. This mysterious launch piqued everyone’s curiosity.

Online, many people were already guessing what product Legion Ant Company would launch.

Even with all sorts of rumors flying around, Legion Ant Company didn’t respond directly, and all its employees kept quiet. Some didn’t know the details, and those who did couldn’t reveal anything without risking their jobs.

Once the convoy reached the Grand Theater, the two got out of the car and, guided by staff, entered the backstage area.