Tech Giants: Starting from Bankrupt Companies

147: Chapter 147 Arms Sales HurricaneThe evening of December 20th

The dome of the conference room was painted with intricate Arabian geometric patterns, and the light from the crystal chandelier flowed across the gilded walls.

At one end of the long table, the holographic projection of King Salman hung in the air—this elderly monarch rarely attended in-person meetings due to health reasons, but today’s situation was special.

The holographic projection flickered slightly, but the King’s voice was clear and powerful, carrying the low, guttural tone characteristic of the Bedouin: ”The American Ambassador delivered a diplomatic note an hour ago, with stern wording. It demands that we expel all Spark technical personnel within 24 hours and freeze all of its funds and assets in Saudi Arabia.”

Twelve people sat on both sides of the long table: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Director of the General Intelligence Directorate, and core members of the Royal Advisory Council.

In front of each person lay an identical document—the note delivered personally by the American Ambassador.

”24 hours...” Prince Mohammed, the Minister of Defense, sneered. He was a hardliner within the royal family. ”This is an ultimatum, not a diplomatic note. Do they think we are a colonial governor’s office?”

Foreign Minister Al-Jubeir was more cautious: ”The wording is indeed excessive, but America is, after all, a superpower. Our F-35 order, the Patriot missile maintenance system, and even the assets of some royal family members in America...”

”Those assets have already begun to be transferred,” Finance Minister Turki interrupted. He was the Crown Prince’s economic reform architect. ”Over the past six months, the royal fund has withdrawn 32 billion USD from America and redirected it to Asia and Europe. Furthermore, the defense company we formed in a joint venture with Spark contributed 1.2% of our GDP last year, and more importantly—”

He pulled up a data projection: ”The drone factory in Jazan Port employs 3,127 Saudi youths, 40% of whom are university graduates. The average age of the engineers on the production line is 28. This is the first time in Saudi history that so many young people have participated in high-end manufacturing.”

The King in the holographic projection remained silent for a few seconds: ”The drone factory... I remember, 70% of the parts produced by that factory are sourced locally in Saudi Arabia?”

”72%,” Turki replied precisely. ”From aluminum alloy profiles to circuit boards, everything is supported locally. Spark helped us establish a complete supply chain standard. Now, what we can produce is not just drone parts, but also basic components for civilian consumer electronics.”

The Director of the General Intelligence Directorate, Al-Waleed, suddenly spoke, his voice raspy: ”There is one more thing that you may not know. Last week, in the Eastern Province, we secretly test-fired the extended-range version of the H1 rocket artillery provided by Spark, which reached a range of 350 kilometers.”

There was silence in the conference room.

350 kilometers—this range meant that, if launched from within Saudi territory, it could cover most of the nuclear facilities in Persia, American military bases in southern Iraq, and even some targets in the Jewish state.

”What about accuracy?” the King asked.

”The circular error probable is 18 meters, capable of precision strikes on hardened targets,” Al-Waleed paused. ”During the test fire, Spark’s technical personnel were present throughout, but all operations were carried out by Saudi officers and soldiers. They taught us very thoroughly.”

The holographic projection fell silent again. The King was thinking, and everyone in the room knew what he was weighing.

Saudi Arabia’s security has relied on American ”security commitments” and weapon supplies for decades. But commitments are unreliable—during the Arab Spring in 2011, America abandoned Mubarak of Egypt; during the 2015 Yemen War, American weapon support for Saudi Arabia was also subject to various restrictions.

And now, what Spark provides is not just weapons, but the ability to manufacture weapons, the skills to train soldiers, and the possibility of establishing an autonomous defense industry.

”Father,” Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman finally spoke. He was the actual decision-maker, 38 years old, Oxford-educated, Western-minded but with a heart set on the Arab Renaissance. ”America is no longer the superpower that can unilaterally decide our fate. China is rising, Russia is returning, and the world is becoming multipolar.”

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night view of Riyadh outside: ”More importantly, what Spark gives us is not just weapons. Among the first batch of 3,000 soldiers recruited by their ’Desert Shield’ military contracting company, 500 are Saudi veterans. These people have trained in America, are familiar with American tactics, and have now learned Chinese equipment and combat methods—they are the seed instructors for the future Saudi army.”

”So what is your recommendation?” the King asked.

”Reject America’s request,” Mohammed bin Salman turned around, his eyes firm, ”but not with a direct confrontation. We must wrap a firm stance in diplomatic language: Saudi Arabia is a sovereign state and has the right to choose its partners. At the same time, we can ’pause’ some arms purchase negotiations with America—such as that 12 billion USD THAAD anti-missile system; its performance is not as good as China’s Red Flag-19 anyway.”

Prince Mohammed frowned: ”That will anger the Americans. They might actually sanction us.”

”Let them sanction us,” Turki interjected. ”Over the past year, the scale of our oil rmb settlements with China has already reached 80 billion USD. If America imposes sanctions, we can shift all our oil exports to rmb settlement—China will protect this channel. Moreover, Spark has promised that if America cuts off the supply of F-35s, they will help us develop a fifth-generation fighter jet, with technology sharing.”

”Fifth-generation fighter jet...” the King repeated the term, ”Does Spark have this capability?”

”They have Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group as a partner,” Mohammed bin Salman replied, ”and Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group has the J-20.”

There was silence in the conference room again. Everyone was digesting this information: if Saudi Arabia possessed fifth-generation fighter jets, if Saudi Arabia could independently produce advanced drones, if Saudi Arabia could settle oil in rmb... this would completely change the Middle East landscape and alter the global energy-currency-security trinity system.

”Let’s vote,” the King said. ”Those who agree to reject the American request, raise your hands.”

Twelve hands, all raised.

The King’s holographic projection nodded: ”Then, tomorrow morning, hold a global press conference. Al-Jubeir, you will read the statement yourself. Remember, the tone must be firm, but the wording must leave room for maneuver. We must make the Americans understand: cooperation, we welcome; coercion, we do not accept.”

The holographic projection disappeared.

The people in the conference room did not leave immediately. Mohammed bin Salman walked over to Turki: ”How much more can the scale of oil rmb settlement be expanded?”

”If we go all out, we can reach 200 billion USD within two years,” Turki said in a low voice, ”but that would completely offend America.”

”Even if we don’t offend them, they have never truly respected us,” Mohammed bin Salman sneered. ”From the moment the first King of Saudi Arabia reached an agreement with President Roosevelt on the ’Quincy’, we have been trading oil for security. But what is security? It is a promise that can be torn up at any time.”

He looked at the city outside the window: ”Now, we have the opportunity to trade oil for the future. Spark’s technology, China’s market, and Arab youth—the combination of these three might truly realize ’Vision 2030’.”

Outside the window, the night sky over Riyadh had sparse starlight, but the city lights were like stars on the ground.

An alliance that had lasted for seventy years was about to undergo a drastic change.