Merchants seek profit.
Merchants without a sense of national pride can seek even greater profits.
Take Maschek, for instance.
Even out of respect for Lieutenant General Tommy.
However, when it touched upon his core interests.
Maschek's displeasure was still evident, easily detected.
Regarding Maschek's slight shift in expression.
Lieutenant General Tommy leisurely picked up the red wine glass on the table, took a sip, and then with a crunch, cut into a steaming, medium-rare steak with his knife and fork.
"The wine is excellent... a 10-year-old Screaming Eagle, valued at least 50,000 US dollars!"
"The meat is also top-notch... air-flown M12 Wagyu, melts in your mouth, with a rich, fragrant aroma. It's likely worth no less than 10,000 US dollars!"
"Maschek, you are truly a generous host. This meal alone must be worth seventy to eighty thousand US dollars. To receive such fine hospitality without being able to offer you any benefit in return makes me uneasy!"
Tommy.
A Lieutenant General of the United States.
A meal costing seventy to eighty thousand US dollars was hardly a significant matter to him.
Many people would spend millions of US dollars just for the chance to dine with him.
However.
His sudden mention of this clearly indicated a shift in topic.
Snapping back to attention, Maschek quickly put on a cheerful smile.
"Lieutenant General Tommy, what are you saying."
"It is my honor to dine with you."
"To speak of money would be rather vulgar..."
Before Maschek could finish speaking.
Lieutenant General Tommy swallowed the Wagyu in his mouth, took another sip of red wine, and chuckled.
"No, no, no."
"You are a businessman."
"Naturally, we should talk about money."
"As I said before, I came bearing good news today."
"I won't keep you in suspense; I'll tell you directly!"
Lieutenant General Tommy wiped his mouth with the napkin, finally getting to the point of the day.
"It's like this."
"Meng Hao has just joined the United States."
"So, we plan to involve him in our research and development work."
"However, certain research directions like nuclear submarines, rocket satellites, and phased array radars cannot be disclosed to him for now."
"The reason is simple: we cannot fully trust him yet. However, some high-value, profit-generating civilian equipment can be made available for him to participate in its development, or even to develop independently."
Oh?
Maschek's interest was immediately piqued.
After all.
He had suffered such a crushing defeat previously.
It was entirely due to the superb quality and low cost of the equipment developed and produced by Meng Hao.
For example.
Mechs with a cost of just over 100,000 US dollars!
He recalled that.
Before Maschek even considered entering the mech industry, the mechs he had developed and prepared for market each cost upwards of seven to eight hundred thousand US dollars, and their performance couldn't match Meng Hao's.
If Meng Hao could assist in developing new products.
The prices could be driven extremely low.
The costs could be compressed to the absolute minimum.
Even the initial research and development expenses could be saved.
With renewed enthusiasm, Maschek quickly put on a fawning smile.
"May I know, Your Excellency Lieutenant General Tommy, what product you intend for Meng Hao to assist me in developing!"
Lieutenant General Tommy rolled his eyes.
"Isn't that something you should consider yourself!"
"I am merely informing you of this good opportunity. The choice of product is entirely up to you."
"However, this is a one-time offer, so don't pick some low-profit electronic junk!"
Maschek chuckled, rubbing his hands together.
Right.
He had gotten too excited.
He had forgotten this point.
To have Lieutenant General Tommy choose?
That would be like talking to a wall.
Lieutenant General Tommy was involved in weapons research and had no understanding of products in the civilian market.
"Oh dear, this bottle of wine is almost empty."
"Can't you have some initiative and bring out a few bottles of 30-year-old red wine... without opening them, so that dear Lieutenant General Tommy can take them back."
"Lieutenant General Tommy, please help yourself to the food and drink. I need to excuse myself!"
At the dining table.
For the host to temporarily leave was.
An extremely impolite act.
However.
Lieutenant General Tommy could understand Maschek's state of mind.
Meng Hao.
Who was he?
A monstrous genius capable of conquering the F-35 and photolithography machines.
Since he was to be tasked with selecting a product for Meng Hao to focus on, Maschek would surely aim for maximum profit.
After more than half an hour.
Tommy was already feeling quite full.
At this moment, Maschek hurried back.
"My dear Lieutenant General Tommy, I've just convened a brief board meeting."
"During the meeting, all the directors unanimously decided to have Meng Hao assist in researching a new model of Tesite new energy vehicle, how about it?"
"Our requirement for the cost is to keep it within ten thousand US dollars; the specific parameters required are a theoretical range of over 800 kilometers and an actual range of no less than 600 kilometers..."
Lieutenant General Tommy, slightly tipsy, quickly interrupted Maschek.
"Stop, stop, stop."
"I'm not interested in these numerical parameters."
"Just tell me, how much can we earn?"
Maschek paused.
Then he quickly provided the answer.
"Currently, the global market for new energy vehicles is around 300 billion US dollars annually. We hold nearly half of that... after deducting all labor and R&D costs, our annual net profit is around 20 billion US dollars."
Tommy did some calculations.
150 billion US dollars in sales.
20 billion US dollars in net profit.
A profit margin of approximately 13%.
This was not a very high profit margin for any company.
He noted that.
Let alone high-profit products like jewelry and diamonds, even the profit margins in the ordinary chip industry could reach over 30%.
"This profit margin is indeed not high,"
Lieutenant General Tommy responded calmly.
"If my parameters can be fully achieved, our profit margin can reach 50%."
Oh?
Lieutenant General Tommy raised an eyebrow.
"That would mean an annual profit of 75 billion US dollars, which is already very high."
Maschek, incredibly excited, shook his head.
He rubbed his hands together.
And quickly added.
"No, your calculation is incorrect."
"Assuming the annual market of 300 billion US dollars remains constant... if Meng Hao can develop and manufacture new energy vehicles that meet my set standards, we will capture at least seventy percent of the global market, which is about 200 billion US dollars... calculating based on a 50% profit on 200 billion US dollars, our annual net profit will reach a staggering 100 billion US dollars."
One hundred billion US dollars annually, and in US currency at that.
This was a terrifying figure globally. In fact, many small and medium-sized countries had annual total fiscal revenues equivalent to this amount.
"Then, I truly must congratulate you in advance, Maschek."
Maschek calmed down from his elation.
Lieutenant General Tommy was no philanthropist; how could he bestow such a generous gift for no reason?
Maschek, seeking a topic, asked.
"Why aren't you taking these bottles of wine?"
"These are all 30-year-old fine wines."
Lieutenant General Tommy chuckled, glancing dismissively at the wines.
"Even if these wines are valued at 500,000 US dollars per bottle."
"10 bottles would only be 5 million US dollars."
"Compared to an annual profit of 100 billion US dollars, 5 million US dollars worth of wine seems a bit meager, doesn't it?"