vstars Chapter 185 Pre-installed Star System
Chapter 185 Pre-installed Star System
At 7:00 PM, local news from Nanjing.
After the host finished reading the introduction, the camera cut to the hotel entrance. Wu Jianguo was escorted out through the revolving door, handcuffed behind his back, head down. A barrage of flashes went off, and reporters' microphones were practically shoving into his face.
"It is understood that the suspect, Wu, is a senior executive at a computer company and is suspected of instructing others to rob a business competitor..."
Close-up shot: handcuffs, Wu Jianguo's evasive face, police officers pushing away reporters' hands.
At 7:35 PM, Suzhou TV rebroadcast this footage on its evening news, adding the caption: "Malicious Business Competition? Fantasia Computer Executives Involved in Million-Dollar Robbery Case."
At 8:10, Shanghai's Oriental TV broadcast a 30-second segment on its financial news, with a more direct headline: "Instigating Robbery to Win Bids: Where is the Bottom Line in Business Competition?"
In his hotel room, Lingyun held the remote control and switched channels one by one.
It's being broadcast on every channel.
The visuals are the same, but the narration varies slightly. Some emphasize "NPC deputies," some emphasize "millions in cash," and some analyze "vicious competition in the industry."
the phone is ringing.
"Mr. Ling, have you seen the news?" asked Zhao Weiguo.
"look in."
"It probably won't be published in tomorrow's Nanjing newspapers. I heard that Yi Xiang has found someone to help him."
"As expected." Ling Yun switched to the provincial station, which was broadcasting the weather forecast. "What about other places?"
"Newspapers in Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou have all received the press release, and it will be published tomorrow. The Shenzhen Special Zone Daily has even done a special feature and interviewed legal experts."
"it is good."
Lingyun hung up the phone and turned off the TV. The room became quiet.
Outside the window, the night in Nanjing was no different from usual. Traffic flowed, lights shone, and in the distance, the tower cranes at the construction site had their red lights on.
But some things are different now.
Beijing, headquarters of the visionary.
The ashtray in Liu Chuanzhi's office was already full.
The television in front of him was stuck on the provincial channel; the news had ended, and it was time to call it a day. But he was still staring at the screen, the cigarette between his fingers burning down to the filter.
The phone rang.
"Mr. Liu, what about Nanjing..."
"I know," Liu Chuanzhi interrupted. "Contact all media outlets and have them retract the articles. At any cost."
"We've already made contact. We've managed to suppress the demand in Nanjing, but in other places... especially Shanghai and Guangdong, they're not so receptive."
"Add more money."
"It's not about the money. One media outlet said that the article was provided directly by the other party, and the evidence is complete, so they have to publish it."
Liu Chuanzhi stubbed out his cigarette.
"Who is the other party?"
"Spark Technology, Soaring to New Heights."
silence.
"Connect me to Vice Mayor Wang of Nanjing."
"Now?"
"Now."
The call was transferred, and a waiting tone followed. It rang six times before being answered.
"Mayor Wang, this is Chuanzhi. There's something I need to discuss..."
"Old Liu," the other person's voice was calm, "I saw the news. This whole thing is ugly."
"It was my subordinates causing trouble, and I will definitely deal with it seriously. But now, public opinion..."
"I can't control public opinion," Mayor Wang said. "You are a people's representative and a well-known entrepreneur. This kind of thing... has a very bad influence."
"I understand. Could you help coordinate something, at least with local media in Nanjing...?"
"It's too late." Mayor Wang paused. "The provincial leaders have also seen it. You should keep a low profile these days."
The phone hangs up.
Liu Chuanzhi put down the receiver and looked out the window. The sky over Beijing was hazy and gray; no stars could be seen.
The next morning at 10 a.m., Lingyun received a phone call from an unknown number in her hotel room.
"Mr. Ling, this is Lao Xu. Liu Chuanzhi would like to invite you to dinner to apologize in person."
"I'm in Nanjing, he's in Beijing."
"He flew over. Tonight, at the Jinling Hotel, it'll just be the two of you."
"No need," Ling Yun said. "We can talk on the phone if needed."
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
"Chuanzhi means that this matter should end here. Wu Jianguo has been dismissed and handed over to the judicial authorities. We are also trying our best to mitigate the impact of media reports. We hope that President Ling will be lenient."
"I don't control the media," Ling Yun said. "They're just reporting the facts."
"...Mr. Ling, name your terms."
Lingyun walked to the window and looked at the street scene below.
"The 'Starry Sky System' will be pre-installed in all the projects we win in government and public institutions," he said.
The breathing on the other end of the phone became heavier.
"That's impossible. Our clients..."
"Then let's not talk about it."
"Mr. Ling, what's wrong...?"
"These are my conditions," Ling Yun said. "If you agree, I will withdraw all subsequent press releases. If you don't agree, there will be more detailed reports tomorrow, including the operational details of Yixiang's winning bid for the Hubei project last year."
A longer silence.
"...I need to ask."
Give me a reply before noon.
The phone hangs up.
At 11:50, the phone rang.
"Mr. Ling, Chuanzhi has agreed. But he has one request: no written agreement, just a verbal one."
"Okay," Ling Yun said, "but I will arrange for spot checks. If they find that the Star System is not installed, the agreement will be void."
"……good."
"Send me the list of projects for the first phase tomorrow."
"it is good."
The call has ended.
Ling Yun hung up the phone and called Zhao Weiguo.
"Notify all cooperating media outlets that this is the end of the news coverage on Wu Jianguo, and we will no longer follow up on it."
"They might ask why."
"Just say that the suspect has been apprehended and is awaiting trial; it is inappropriate to report on it excessively."
"clear."
At 3 p.m., the fax machine rang.
A piece of paper slowly emerged. It was a list of seventeen government projects undertaken by Fantasia Computers in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces. Each project was followed by a handwritten line: "Pre-installed Starry Sky System."
Finally, there is Liu Chuanzhi's signature.
Ling Yun picked up the paper, looked at it once, and put it into the folder.
Then he opened his laptop and started writing emails.
Recipient: Star System Development Team.
Subject: Government-customized version development requirements.
Content: Based on the attached list, customize a government-specific version of the Starry Sky system for Yixiang Computer. Requirements: Remove all entertainment functions, enhance security modules, pre-install government office software, and deliver the first version within two weeks.
Click send.
A robbery resulted in the pre-installation of the system in seventeen government projects.
Worth it.
But will Liu Chuanzhi faithfully fulfill his obligations?
Most likely not.
But it's okay.
As long as he signs that paper, as long as he agrees to those conditions.
There will be plenty of ways to force him to pretend later.
knocking.
"Mr. Ling," Chen Lingling said, pushing open the door, "would you like to review the final bids for tomorrow's auction?"
"No need," Ling Yun stood up. "You can decide."
"That……"
"Don't worry." Ling Yun picked up his coat. "No one will try to steal it this time."
He walked out of the room, downstairs, and out of the hotel.
The autumn sun in Nanjing is lovely, and it feels warm and cozy on your skin.
On the newsstands along the street, the front pages of newspapers from other places had been changed to different news.
But some people have already seen what they needed to see.
This is enough.