Some of the faces of the people in the room had turned red while some others had dark expressions. They had performed a good show in front of him. Their aim was very obvious — they wanted his Thunder Horse Military Factory.

They wanted to merge the three companies and make him the chairman. On the surface, it seemed like he had gained a higher position and that his Thunder Horse Military Factory had grown bigger. The offer even made it seem like he achieved his dream of becoming the head of a world-class military company. But in reality, what he received was an empty title and he would lose Thunder Horse Military Factory if he agreed to their offer. Thunder Horse Military Factory would change from a private enterprise to a state-owned enterprise.

These people, to put it bluntly, didn’t want to see a private enterprise stealing the market from state-owned enterprises. In fact, at the rate the Thunder Horse Military Factory was currently growing, it would be able to eat up Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial Group’s market sooner or later. It was only a matter of time before his company became one of the top military companies in the world. What these people were doing was the same thing that had happened to Steve Jobs. When Steve Jobs founded the Apple Company, he had taken over a large portion of the cell phone market. When that happened, people wanted to acquire Steve Jobs’ Apple Company. Did Steve Jobs agree to that?

Steve Jobs wasn’t a fool and Xia Jobs wasn’t a fool either. Even if they divided his IQ of 998 by 10, he still wouldn’t agree.

“Mr Xia, Elder Mu has already abdicated his position so that someone more worthy than him can contribute to, and expand China’s military industry. Why don’t you assume the role of the chairman of the new company? You will be able to receive more support and gain a greater room for development to achieve your ambitions,” said Yu Shanhe.

Everyone in the room was staring at Xia Lei as they waited for him to declare his decision.

A faint smile emerged from the corner of Mu Jianfeng and Ye Kun’s mouths. The two military tycoons appeared to believe that Xia Lei would accept their offer because this time, the person who appeared was Yu Shanhe and Ling Han. From these two people, Yu Shanhe brought Xia Lei immense pressure while Ling Han gave Xia Lei confidence. This was because he was Xia Lei’s friend. The previous time, when Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial Group had joined hands to suppressed Thunder Horse Military Factory, Ling Han had stood by Xia Lei’s side. He had helped Xia Lei a great deal.

However, Xia Lei gave a reply which stunned everyone.

“No,” said Xia Lei.

This was Xia Lei’s answer. It was a simple ‘no’, but it was like a slap in the face to everyone else in the room.

The person who must’ve received the most painful blow from Xia Lei’s slap was undoubtedly Yu Shanhe. Or maybe Ling Han.

Yu Shanhe’s face darkened immediately. He stared coldly at Xia Lei without saying a word.

A trace of dissatisfaction also flashed in Ling Han’s eyes, but it quickly disappeared. “Xia Lei, what’s going on? The three companies will be integrated into one large company, this will undoubtedly increase the competitive strength of the new company. Furthermore, you will be the chairman of the new company, Isn’t this a good thing? Why did you reject the offer?” Ling Han said.

“I’m accustomed to being unconstrained. I don’t like to be restrained by other people. If the three companies are integrated into one company, I won’t be able to manage the people who receive a high salary but are incapable of doing anything practical,” Xia Lei said flatly.

Ye Kun immediately became unhappy. “Xia Lei, what do you mean by that? I didn’t offend you today. If you want to say something, then I will ask you to clarify yourself.”

“I don’t have the guts to criticise you, Director Ye. Please don’t assume that the criticism is directed at you,” Xia Lei said.

“Am I assuming that the criticism is directed at me?” Ye Kyn spread out both of his hands. “Everyone, please tell me, am I assuming that the criticism is directed at me? Or is it really directed at me?”

No one spoke out, but it was clear to everyone that the people who received a high salary but have no practical value that Xia Lei was talking about was Mu Jianfeng and Ye Kun.

There were plenty of people in China Industrial Group and Hanwu Weapons who were paid a high salary but were unwilling to do any practical work. But those people were only considered to be ground beetles and not great lords.

“Xia Lei!” Mu Jianfeng immediately became furious. He slammed the tea table violently and pointed a finger at Xia Lei. “Don’t think that just because you have achieved some accomplishments, that you can do whatever you please and become so condescending towards everyone else!”

Xia Lei sneered. “Just because I refused to merge with other companies, it means that I’m doing whatever I please and that I believe that everyone is beneath me?”

Everyone in the room was left speechless.

Thunder Horse Military Factory belonged to Xia Lei. It was too overbearing for Mu Jianfeng to say that Xia Lei thought that everyone was below him and that he was doing whatever he pleased just because he refused to merge with other companies.

The atmosphere in the room became awkward. Ling Han was silent for quite a while before he said, “Xia Lei, you have to fully understand that they’re not trying to make things difficult for you or snatch Thunder Horse Military Factory away from you. They genuinely want to contribute to the military industry of our country. I know that you’re a very patriotic person, so don’t you want to do this?”

“Brother Ling, I have already said very clearly that Thunder Horse Military Factory will not merge with Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial Group. I am a patriotic person and I am proud of it. However, being patriotic has nothing to do with this matter. You can’t use this matter to measure how much I love my country,” Xia Lei said.

Ling Han frowned slightly. “Xia Lei, your words...”

Xia Lei interrupted Ling Han. “Also, not all companies can be merged. Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial Group are both state-owned enterprises. They are both large military weapons companies, so everyone working there has an official position and a military rank. I’m just an ordinary person, so how can I control those people? Since I can’t even manage those people, how can I manage Director Mu and Director Ye?”

Mu Jianfeng coldly said, “Xia Lei, are you saying that I’m jealous of talented people? In your eyes, am I this unbearable? Humph!”

Xia Lei smiled. “You see, I haven’t even said anything, yet you’re already this emotional. If I become the chairman of the new company, aren’t you going to create more trouble for me? Your subordinates follow your orders. Will they be willing to listen to me?”

“Xia Lei, I promise that no one is going to go against you if you accept our offer.” Yu Shanhe finally said something.

Mu Jianfeng and Ye Kun both stopped talking when Yu Shanhe spoke.

“He’s right. Xia Lei, you don’t have to worry about this. You have me and Yu backing you up. Who has the guts to refuse to obey you? Anyone who doesn’t comply will be down on his luck indeed!” Ling Han said.

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

“My decision is the same as before. The Thunder Horse Military Factory will not merge with Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial Group. I don’t care about becoming the chairman of a new company. I have established the Thunder Horse Military Factory with my own two hands, so other than the Thunder Horse Military Factory, I won’t join any other factories. The factory is at a crucial period right now. Once it has overcome this barrier, it will become one of the top international factories. At that time, it will be one of the well-known military factories of the Republic of China and bring in many benefits for our country. How is this not bringing pride to the country? Is it not a good thing to let it develop? Do you consider it to be a good thing only by turning a young spirited company into a place where people fight and scheme against each other? Where they scramble for power and profit?” Xia Lei said.

Everyone in the room became silent. Everything that Xia Lei had said was the truth. These people wanted to convince him to merge the three companies, not for the interest or honor for the country. Instead, they wanted to slowly break into the Thunder Horse Military Factory’s management department and get to know about the factory’s skills by making this factory part Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial Group. Once that happened, the Thunder Horse Military Factory would turn from a potential “dark horse” into a dead horse. They knew all about this plan, yet they didn’t feel guilty at all.

“Xia Lei, you are overthinking things.” Ling Han sighed. “Please agree to it for my sake.”

“Xia Lei, please agree to the offer for my sake too.” Yu Shanhe also said the same thing.

Ling Han’s tone was gentle. He was lowering his status to persuade Xia Lei. Yu Shanhe sounded like he was forcing Xia Lei to submit to him.

If their soft approach didn’t work, then they could just use force!

A sneer emerged from the corner of Mu Jianfeng and Ye Kun’s mouths at the same time. In their eyes, Xia Lei and his Thunder Horse Military Factory couldn’t overcome the barrier in front of them, and it was all due to the fact that Xia Lei was on his own with no backing, and didn’t dare to offend Ling Han and Yu Shanhe!

It wasn’t only Mu Jianfeng and Ye Kun who had this kind of thought. Everyone else in the room was thinking the same way. They were a team and Xia Lei was a team by himself. When they compared the two teams, Xia Lei seemed more powerless, and weaker.

“Hahaha...” Xia Lei suddenly laughed.

“Why are you laughing?” There were already traces of anger on Yu Shanhe’s face.

Xia Lei smiled and said, “Nothing. I’m just laughing at myself. I’ve always thought that I’m smart, but I appeared to look so stupid in front of you guys. If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to do such a thing.”

“What do you mean?” Yu Shanhe looked at Xia Lei coldly.

Xia Lei frankly spoke boldly and without fear. “Since we’ve already discussed up to this point, I’m not afraid of offending you guys anymore. I’m just going to be straightforward with my words. You guys want to use this method to swallow my Thunder Horse Military Factory, and drive me out of the military industry. I understand you guys because you guys must be considering this from your perspective. Thunder Horse Military Factory is now threatening Hanwu Weapons and China Industrial Group’s existence. But I want to tell you that the rule of the market is “survival of the fittest”. If your company cannot uphold the standards, then it will be eliminated sooner or later. If you guys use this method to destroy the Thunder Horse Military Factory, one day you will be eliminated by the international market.”

“The Thunder Horse Military Factory is threatening the existence of China Industrial Group and Hawu Weapons? Xia Lei, you’re speaking too highly of yourself!” Mu Jianfeng said.

Xia Lei ignored him. He continued, “You guys can prevent me from obtaining loans, and you guys can create all the trouble you want for Thunder Horse Military Factory. But I must tell you guys, I will not give up. The only way you can close Thunder Horse Military Factory is if you can convince a high-ranking official to close down my factory. Otherwise, I will use my own ways to solve this problem. If domestic banks won’t lend me money, I will just give a call to foreign banks and ask foreign banks to loan me money.”

“Humph. Tell me, which country’s bank will loan you 20 billion? Do you think it’s only two million?” Yu Kun said.

Xia Lei smiled. “Since you asked, then I will tell you. The United Arab Emirates bank isn’t afraid of giving me a 20 billion loan. The loan will also be in the form of Chinese currency. I can get this amount of money as long as I give a call to Prince Khalifa.”

“Xia Lei, do you have to make such a big deal out of this? I promise you that you won’t lose anything from this transaction. Even if you suffer losses, you can earn it back from another place.” Ling Han said. This was a hint.

Xia Lei shook his head. “That’s enough. I already made it very clear. I will go out and ask banks to give me a loan tomorrow. If I’m not able to obtain the loan here, I will ask foreign banks. If you guys continue to create more trouble for Thunder Horse Military Factory, I’ll destroy my machine tools. At worst, I’ll just stop making weapons. This way, no one will be able to gain those advanced technologies. But I advise you guys not to do this, because you guys can do anything to me, but if the Thunder Horse Military Factory shuts down for no specific reason and the high-ranking officials ask about it, a few scapegoats will not be enough to bear the responsibility for this. Okay, you guys can continue the conversation. I’m going to leave.”

Xia Lei turned and walked out of the door without any regard for anyone’s dignity, with all of them watching.