PCJ – Chapter 714 Attracting a Big Shot

“You have to tell us today exactly how you cheated,” Ji Jiaxin said after stopping her car. She went to check Zhang Jiaohua’s vehicle, even drove it around for a lap, but found nothing unusual. Still, she clung to him, refusing to let it go.

Zhang Yuanbao laughed. “Even if Jiaohua admitted it, you still couldn’t beat him. He must’ve used Daoist arts.”

Kong Fangzhou quickly figured it out: “Wind-Riding Technique! Even if we knew, we couldn’t win against the Sect Master. We can’t use that spell to control a car.”

Mei Qing asked, “Then does that count as cheating?”

“Of course it does. We’re supposed to be racing, not showing off Daoist magic. Using spells in secret is definitely cheating. His results shouldn’t count. Mark him zero. I’m first place, and Teacher Mei is second,” Ji Jiaxin said with a laugh.

Kong Fangzhou added, “But if we inscribed a Wind-Riding rune on the car’s front, it could activate automatically during driving. That would cut down resistance, make the car more stable, and reduce noise even further.”

Ji Jiaxin shook her head, rejecting the idea. “I don’t think that’s meaningful. Endurance and power aren’t problems for us anymore. Our new energy cars already have a huge technological lead over all others. Enough to crush any competitor. Even if we added that feature, the average consumer might not notice the difference. It’s pointless. We should preserve some of our advanced tech, leaving room for future upgrades.”

Nie Tong nodded. “Exactly! Jiaxin is right. We should learn from those cunning foreign companies—release our technology step by step. Our new energy tech alone is already revolutionary. And with the intelligent control system, it’s even more cutting-edge. Each of those technologies is world-shaking on its own. If we dump them all at once, it’s not cost-effective. If not for the perfect synergy between this new energy tech and the smart control system, even those two should’ve been released separately.”

Kong Fangzhou thought purely in terms of technology, but Ji Jiaxin had to weigh both technology and market strategy. For Meishan Group, maximizing profit was essential. The two perspectives weren’t actually in conflict.

“Hey, don’t forget the real purpose today. We came here for a test drive. If there are problems, you need to point them out,” Mei Qing reminded with a smile.

“Then let’s start with this so-called racing mode. What’s the point of having a speed limit on it?” Qi Xia asked.

Kong Fangzhou hurried to explain: “The reason for setting a max limit is that our materials can’t yet handle infinite demands. If unrestricted, once speeds exceed 500 km/h or higher, passenger safety can’t be guaranteed. After all, this car isn’t a racecar. It must prioritize safety. And remember, real roads aren’t like these mountain tracks with just a dozen cars running. In complex traffic, even with our advanced safety systems, unpredictable risks can still occur.”

Mei Qing strongly supported him. “Hall Master Kong is right. Our cars can’t become culprits in traffic accidents. This racing mode shouldn’t be included in consumer models. For regular cars, there should be effective safety limits—if the car exceeds safe ranges, it should automatically switch to safety mode. We can also preset emergency conditions. For example, if a driver loses control, the intelligent system should forcibly take over. More scenarios should be pre-configured to prevent accidents and protect passengers.”

The feedback, however, wasn’t exactly what a professional test driver would provide, which disappointed Mei Qing. Their suggestions lacked technical depth. Still, the car’s performance was undeniably excellent. The group of ten or so testers weren’t all veterans, but none were novices either. Even those with over ten years of driving experience couldn’t find serious flaws.

The car quickly passed approval, but this time the test drew the attention of a very important figure. The bio-energy battery was small, had extraordinary energy storage and conversion efficiency, and could even use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into bio-energy to offset losses. This gave it astonishing endurance—and enormous potential in many fields.

For instance, on airplanes, it could drastically reduce weight by eliminating heavy fuel tanks and jet fuel, avoiding many hassles. On fighter jets, its endurance would vastly expand combat range. With reduced weight, payload capacity would multiply, dramatically boosting combat effectiveness. On submarines, it would be even more powerful—the bio-energy system produced almost no noise and minimal heat emissions, massively improving stealth capability.

The military applications of such technology were staggering.

This time, the visitor was none other than Lieutenant General Li Zhuocheng, Deputy Director of the Equipment Department’s Science and Technology Commission.

“Dr. Zhang, Dr. Mei, the applications of your bio-energy battery are far too broad. Honestly, I don’t even want you releasing such advanced technology for civilian use. But a nation can’t grow strong relying on military tech alone. Bringing this to the market might actually accelerate the development of bio-energy science. I have one question: once your cars launch, how long before foreign energy companies can replicate this technology?” Li Zhuocheng asked.

“This technology is built on in-vitro embryo cultivation. So far, there’s been no successful reports abroad of achieving that. Which means bio-energy tech like this won’t be copied anytime soon,” Zhang Jiaohua replied.

Li Zhuocheng nodded with satisfaction. “Good. Dr. Zhang, I hope you keep this technology firmly in your hands. We won’t restrict your civilian development, but we do hope you never transfer it abroad. This technology is of immense importance to national defense.”

Zhang Jiaohua smiled. “In the short term, our products will only supply the domestic market—just like the cancer cure drug. Our production capacity is limited, and the domestic market alone is more than enough for us.”