Tech Giants: Starting from Bankrupt Companies

44: Chapter 44: Iron and Fire, Forging a New ChapterDecember 20, 2016, Saudi Arabia, outskirts of Riyadh.

The scorching sun baked the boundless yellow sands, but above the newly completed Spark-Arab Defense Company headquarters and testing grounds, an anticipation hotter than the sunlight permeated the air. Vehicles from global defense media, military representatives from various Middle Eastern countries, international observers, and some ”specially invited” clients packed the parking lot to capacity. A press conference destined to shake the global defense market was about to begin on this land where ancient and modern intertwined.

Inside the venue, the air conditioning was blasting, creating a sharp contrast with the sweltering heat outside. A massive circular screen occupied an entire wall, dynamically displaying the intertwined logo of Spark and Arabia. The background music was low and rhythmic, filled with a sense of power and technology.

The lights focused as the CEO of Spark-Arab Defense Company, Prince Fahd bin Al Saud, dressed in a well-tailored suit, strode onto the stage. He wasted no time on pleasantries; his gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s as he scanned the sophisticated audience. His first words, delivered in fluent English, set the tone:

”Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished partners. The traditional rules of the battlefield are being rewritten. Today, standing here, we are not here to showcase cold killing machines, but to reveal to everyone—how **intelligence, precision, and efficiency** are reshaping the form of modern warfare.”

The large screen behind him instantly lit up, showing the silhouettes of three drones covered by shrouds.

”First, the evolution of our loyal ’eyes’.” The shroud was pulled back, revealing a drone with a sleeker design, larger wingspan, and more stealthy livery—”**thunderbird no. 2**, an all-weather strategic scout.”

The technical lead took the stage to provide a detailed explanation: ”Based on the outstanding performance of ’thunderbird no. 1’, ’thunderbird no. 2’ has achieved a comprehensive **doubling of performance**. Its endurance has been extended to 6 hours, its service ceiling is higher, and it is equipped with a new generation of synthetic aperture radar and multi-spectral reconnaissance pods co-developed with Xinghuo Headquarters. It possesses stronger anti-electromagnetic interference capabilities and target recognition abilities in complex environments. It will become an indispensable ’Eye in the Sky’ for battlefield commanders.”

A low murmur of discussion rose from the audience; clearly, the phrase ”doubling of performance” had deeply struck many professionals.

Immediately after, Prince Fahd’s voice rang out again, carrying a hint of heart-pounding excitement: ”But seeing far and clearly is not enough. Sometimes, you need a swarm of swift and lethal ’hornets’.”

The second shroud fell, revealing a seemingly ordinary individual launch tube, along with an exquisitely designed insect-like drone displayed next to it, only as long as an adult’s forearm. ”**Wasp M1, Intelligent Attack Swarm System**.”

A live demonstration video began to play: In a simulated urban ruin, a soldier shouldered the launch tube and pressed a button. Instantly, dozens of ”Wasp M1s” swarmed out like a disturbed nest of bees, buzzing. They quickly formed autonomous formations in the air, sharing information via data link. The screen switched to their ”first-person view,” where the AI system operated at high speed, automatically identifying multiple ”enemy” fire points and personnel hidden behind broken walls. Without central commands, they grouped themselves based on preset priorities and threat assessments, diving down from different angles like they possessed a collective consciousness, precisely striking their respective targets and erupting in small-scale but lethal warheads.

”Miniaturization, intelligence, and swarming.” The technical lead emphasized, ”The core of the ’Wasp M1’ lies in its swarm intelligence algorithm driven by Spark’s self-developed ’Flint’ AI chip. They are cheap and expendable, yet through their numbers and high degree of coordination, they can overwhelm any traditional point defense system.”

The video ended, and the venue fell silent for a moment before erupting into even more enthusiastic applause and amazement. This level of tactical subversion sent shivers down the spines of everyone who understood the industry.

”And when the ’swarm’ needs a true ’sledgehammer’,” Prince Fahd’s voice pulled everyone’s attention back, ”we have prepared this—**Rhino A1, heavy attack drone, the battering ram of the company and platoon level!**”

The third shroud was pulled back, and a drone with a noticeably burly build, rugged lines, and additional armor covering key parts of the fuselage appeared on the screen. In the demonstration video, a ”Rhino A1” forced its way through a simulated air defense network, its armor withstanding several rounds from small-caliber anti-aircraft guns. It hovered steadily over the target, its belly bay opened, and a small missile screeched out, precisely blowing a distant abandoned light armored vehicle into scrap metal.

”Powerful payload, some armored protection, and precise heavy firepower,” the spokesperson summarized. ”The ’Rhino A1’ is born for assault and anti-armor missions; it can execute high-risk tasks that are difficult for traditional infantry to complete.”

Finally, Prince Fahd took the stage again and emphasized solemnly: ”Please remember, what gives these products their ’soul’ is the powerful ’brain’ inside them—the **’Flint’ series artificial intelligence chip**, completely independently developed by our parent company, Spark Technology. It is this ’spark core’ that gives our drones intelligence, anti-interference, and swarm coordination capabilities that surpass their peers. This is our technical barrier that cannot be replicated!”

Before the shock of the product display had subsided, Prince Fahd immediately dropped an even more significant commercial bombshell.

”Since the debut of ’thunderbird no. 1’, with its exceptional reliability and cost-effectiveness demonstrated in countless real combat environments, we have cumulatively delivered 50,000 ’thunderbird no. 1’ drones to multiple friendly nations in regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, and Latin America!” The screen behind him displayed a massive figure: $5,000,000,000 (5 billion US dollars).

”This proves our products have withstood the test of fire, and it proves that Spark-Arab Defense Company has established a firm foothold in the global defense market!”

Thunderous applause broke out, especially from the customer representatives who had already purchased and benefited, their faces showing satisfied smiles.

However, the climax had only just begun. Prince Fahd paused, a mysterious smile appearing on his face, his voice carrying through the microphone to the entire venue:

”And today, here, I am honored to announce some good news to everyone. Before our new products officially debuted, based on close early communication and highly effective testing, ’thunderbird no. 2’, ’Wasp M1’, and ’Rhino A1’ have already secured procurement contracts from our esteemed partners totaling more than **10 billion US dollars**!”

**$10,000,000,000!**

This figure hit the venue like a physical shockwave! After a brief dead silence, there were gasps that nearly blew the roof off and a storm of camera flashes! Journalists frantically pressed their shutters, analysts recorded rapidly, and military representatives whispered to each other, their faces filled with shock and gravity. Ten billion dollars! This wasn’t just a massive order; it was the ultimate vote of confidence from the international market in Spark Defense’s technical strength!

The explosive news from Saudi Arabia was transmitted back home almost in real-time via satellite signals and the internet.

The first to boil over were the headlines of major financial and military media:

”Spark Defense Shows Its Sword in Saudi Arabia; Three Intelligent Drones Shock the World!”

”Ten Billion Dollar Order! Spark Technology Achieves Stunning Results in Overseas Military Trade!”

”From Consumer Electronics to Intelligent Weaponry, Spark Technology Completes an Amazing Crossover!”

The Chinese microblogging platform’s trending searches were instantly dominated by terms like ”Spark Defense’s Ten Billion Order,” ”thunderbird no. 2,” and ”Wasp M1 Drone.” Netizens were completely ecstatic:

”My god! Su Chen is really going to the moon! After making money in the civilian market, he’s going straight to making arms money?!”

”This ’Wasp M1’ is too terrifying! It’s practically the model for future warfare!”

”So Spark’s chips are this incredible? They can even be used in drone swarms? How high must this technical barrier be?”

”Who said before that Spark wouldn’t make it after being sanctioned? Look! They’re having even more fun on a different track!”

Immediately following, Spark Technology’s listed company website released an official announcement, concise and powerful:

”This company holds a 51% stake in Spark-Arab Defense Company. Based on preliminary calculations of its disclosed sales data and order status, it is expected that this defense business will contribute more than **1.5 billion US dollars (approximately 10 billion rmb)** in net profit to the company in 2016.”

This announcement was like pouring a bucket of high-purity aviation fuel onto the already blazing capital market.

In stock forums and trading boards, posts were refreshing so fast they were a blur:

”10 billion in profit! And it’s in rmb! God Su, please take my knees!”

”I thought batteries and chips were the main business; I didn’t expect arms to be the most profitable! This hidden BOSS!”

”This profitability, this technical barrier, this market prospect... It would be a crime if the stock price doesn’t hit 500 yuan!”

Analysts from major institutions held emergency conference calls overnight. A senior defense industry researcher excitedly stated during a meeting:

”We must completely update our valuation model for Spark Technology! It has successfully built a commercial empire with a ’consumer electronics - industrial equipment - defense systems’ tripod that is extremely stable and possesses powerful synergistic effects! The defense business not only brings in staggering, high-margin profits, but more importantly, it demonstrates Spark Technology’s unfathomable technical transformation capabilities and survival resilience against external sanctions! This kind of ’military-civilian integration’ high-tech giant is rare globally and must be given a higher valuation premium!”

The market’s reaction was immediate. On December 21, when the A-share market opened, Spark Technology’s stock price, driven by massive buying pressure, opened high and surged upward, breaking through all resistance. The intraday high once touched 458 yuan! It finally closed steadily above 455 yuan, with the company’s total market value already approaching the legendary milestone of 500 billion rmb!

Shenzhen, Spark Technology Headquarters.

Su Chen stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, listening to Shen Nanpeng’s report on the stock price and market reaction, his face still a picture of calm depth.

”Understood,” he said simply, his gaze turning southward, as if traveling through time and space to see the iron and fire upon those yellow sands.

Lin Wan walked to his side with a cup of tea and said softly, ”Prince Fahd just called from Saudi Arabia, saying the results far exceeded expectations and many new clients are actively contacting them.”

Su Chen took the tea cup, feeling the warm touch of the porcelain on his fingertips. The corners of his mouth finally curled up into a nearly imperceptible arc.

”This is just the beginning,” he said softly, as if stating an established fact. ”Only technology tempered by iron and fire can forge a truly immortal chapter.”

Iron and fire, forging a new chapter. Spark Technology, a company that started in consumer electronics, has already carved its name deeply into the map of the global defense sector. Its journey has long since surpassed the realm of business, entering a new era that is bound to be more magnificent and inevitably more fraught with danger.