Putting aside any biases,
Maschek could be considered one of the rarest geniuses in human history.
A graduate of the world-renowned Stanford University, Maschek was not only a globally recognized investment magnate but also held dual doctorates in Material Science and Applied Physics.
With extraordinary achievements in both technology and business, Maschek, upon celebrating his 50th birthday,
had become one of the four richest individuals globally. He commanded an empire spanning over a dozen sectors, including aerospace, materials, automotive, social media, and communications.
Furthermore, every single one of his ventures was a leader within its respective industry.
For instance,
the medium used for the video call with Meng Hao was Maschek's encrypted Starlink communication system.
As Maschek saw Meng Hao's exceptionally young face through the Starlink video feed,
he exclaimed in surprise repeatedly.
For a fleeting moment, he even seemed to glimpse his younger self.
The same prodigy, the same natural talent, the same early fame.
It was a pity, however,
that Meng Hao did not belong to the Western bloc.
Otherwise, they might have become friends.
Following the Ng company's backstage scandal and now seeing Meng Hao in person,
Maschek had resolved to ruin and eliminate this young successor.
Otherwise, if Meng Hao were to grow unchecked, he would undoubtedly pose a tremendous threat to the US and other Western nations.
A nation's great talent is not necessarily its own fortune!
Maschek's only current advantage in his quest to bring down Meng Hao was his advanced age, comprehensive industry portfolio, and the vast scale of his corporate cluster.
In response to Maschek's exclamations,
Meng Hao merely offered a calm smile.
"You look very young yourself!"
"Completely unlike a man of fifty."
"More like an elite in his thirties!"
A graceful general,
even when facing a life-or-death battle in the next moment, would still offer the most sincere greetings before engaging.
Respecting one's opponent is respecting oneself!
"In the words of your Great Xia, 'the younger generation is formidable!'"
"If we weren't adversaries, we could have become lifelong friends!"
"Meng Hao, why don't you consider developing your career in the United States… I can directly appoint you as the second-in-command of my corporate cluster."
Undoubtedly,
Maschek genuinely admired Meng Hao… this young man from Great Xia who reminded him of his own youth.
Meng Hao bowed slightly.
He could sense the sincerity of Maschek's invitation.
"Thank you for your kind offer."
"Alas, the Yan Huang blood flowing through my veins…"
"Or, to put it another way, would you be willing to join us in Great Xia… and I will hand over Hua Rong Technology to you?"
Maschek paused for a moment.
Then, he burst into laughter.
"Indeed, a truly interesting young man."
"Hmm."
"Then let's drop this topic."
"I never expected that at fifty, I would encounter a worthy opponent. This is quite fascinating!"
The expressions of admiration, loss, and regret on Maschek's face gradually faded.
In their place, a renewed fighting spirit surged.
To contend with heaven, to contend with earth, to contend with humanity – endless joy!
Having a rival like Meng Hao, with whom he shared a sense of camaraderie, brought immense pleasure to Maschek.
"Returning to the main point."
"Currently, I am still uncertain whether the news from your Hua Rong Technology about developing new lithium batteries far superior to Ng Company's is true or false!"
"However, I can share a piece of information with you."
"The nation of India has expressed an intention to become the world's largest distributor of power mechs, and they have already approached me for discussions, planning to order mechs worth one billion US dollars."
Meng Hao raised an eyebrow.
He was unsure why Maschek would share such significant information with him at this juncture.
Of course, he never believed the other party was purely benevolent, intending to do a good deed.
The matter of India becoming the world's largest mech distributor was something that would eventually become public knowledge.
At the latest, within half a month, the news would be all over.
Therefore, Meng Hao was merely curious about Maschek's motive for revealing this information, rather than feeling grateful for being informed.
As expected,
Maschek continued to elaborate.
"The market share for power mechs is around thirty billion US dollars annually."
"Even though I am reluctant to admit it, I must state that being able to open up a completely new emerging market worth thirty billion US dollars is something I could not achieve when I was your age."
"In this regard, I am inferior to you."
"However, the business world is like a battlefield… you won't receive preferential treatment simply because you are young, have less capital, or are in the initial stages of development… bullets and bayonets do not discern age."
Meng Hao's expression showed a hint of impatience.
"Please, get to the point!"
Maschek chuckled.
"Young man, you must have patience!"
"If the news about your independently developed new lithium batteries is true… India will soon approach you for negotiations."
"Young man, do you dare to enter into a wager?"
A wager?
This was somewhat novel.
"What do you mean?"
"Please explain in detail!"
Just as Meng Hao awaited Maschek's further explanation,
his video feed suddenly froze.
After a full several minutes, the image finally resumed.
"As they say in your Great Xia, speak of the devil and he shall appear."
"A representative from India just made an encrypted call to me using my Starlink communication."
"They have agreed to sign a tripartite wager agreement."
"I will connect their signal, and we can discuss it together."
One had to admit,
whether it was the common citizens, government officials, or the esteemed monopolistic capitalists of India,
their speech carried a distinct aroma of curry.
The Indian representative participating in this satellite encrypted video conference was Hazan, the vice president of India's largest foreign trade company.
It was rumored that
this Vice President Hazan, dressed in a suit and tie, with a fairer complexion, was a member of the highest Brahman caste in India.
After babbling in their local dialect for over half an hour, Meng Hao finally understood the meaning of this so-called tripartite wager agreement.
In simple terms,
it was based on a total order of one billion US dollars, with Maschek's Teste and Meng Hao's Hua Rong Technology jointly supplying power mechs to Hazan's company, India's largest foreign trade firm, Tata Group.
Whoever provided the most mechs, with better quality and higher technological content, would naturally be the winner.
Of course, the mechs supplied to Tata Company in the future must maintain this unit price.
Otherwise, they would be liable for breach of contract.
Meng Hao shrugged.
"What benefit is there for me in lowering prices and helping Tata Company become the world's mech distributor?"
"Isn't it much more profitable for me to conduct domestic and international trade independently, setting my own prices, rather than helping you build a market at low prices?"
Indeed,
at first glance, this appeared to be an absolutely losing proposition.
In response to Meng Hao's query,
the curry-scented Tata Vice President Hazan immediately provided his explanation.
"Oh, dear Meng, your understanding is flawed…"