Leveling Up With My Pet



Qingyun International faced a dire situation as the supply of mid and high-end chips became a significant problem. Bi Qingyun, the company's leader, bore the burden of this challenge single-handedly, while Ding Wen, a close associate, couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Understanding the weight on Bi Qingyun's shoulders, Liu Yong, a trusted friend, expressed his empathy and reassured him with a nod. "Brother, don't overthink it," Liu Yong comforted, "Uncle is right, there's always a solution to every problem. The car will find its way up the mountain, and we'll overcome this hurdle too."

The two companions engaged in conversation throughout their journey, providing a comforting presence for each other. As they continued, Liu Yong suggested, "Shall we grab dinner now? I'll join you for a drink, brother."

Ding Wen replied, "That sounds good. I just want to drown my worries tonight. I won't go home until I'm drunk."

Following Liu Yong's instructions, their driver took them to a reputable restaurant, where they secured a private room and ordered a sumptuous feast. Ding Wen personally uncorked a bottle of Moutai, pouring generous amounts into two glasses. With a strong voice, he exclaimed, "Brother, let's raise a toast. Here's to my father resolving the chip problem and Qingyun International smoothly overcoming this challenging period."

Liu Yong raised his glass, clinking it gently with Ding Wen's, before taking a deep sip of wine.

As they conversed over drinks, their discussion centred predominantly around the chip supply issue faced by Qingyun International Group. After more than an hour of indulging in food and alcohol, the bottle of Moutai had been emptied.

As they emerged from the private room, Ding Wen was noticeably intoxicated. Liu Yong's driver assisted him until he settled into the car, and with instructions from Liu Yong, the driver embarked on taking Ding Wen home.

Meanwhile, on an unnamed desert island, four large containers sat nestled amidst the woods. Occasionally, curious seabirds flew by, inspecting the containers before soaring away.

Bawang, a loyal guardian, rested near the island. Upon awakening, he ventured within a range of one to two hundred nautical miles, hunting for prey. Once sated, he returned to the vicinity of the island.

Bawang's sole responsibility was to safeguard the four large containers. Days passed with calm weather, devoid of ships or passing planes within the area.

After several days, Bawang became certain that the island was exceedingly safe. Yet, as he dutifully watched the containers, he couldn't help but ponder: When would their ship arrive? How much longer would he have to wait?

Simultaneously, the "Blue Whale" sailed across the vast expanse of the sea, forsaking fuel efficiency for speed. Liu Yong wished for the ship's prompt arrival at the unnamed desert island, hastening the retrieval of the four large containers.

Within the Global Shipping Group headquarters, Liu Yong occupied the Boss's chair, engrossed in monitoring the situation of the containers through third-party surveillance. The feed revealed a clear view within a thousand-meter radius centred around Bawang. The loyal guardian nestled in the island's woods, not far from the containers.

Liu Yong's attention was fixated on these four containers. The more he observed, the more he sensed their exceptional nature. Their appearance surpassed that of ordinary containers, exhibiting a delicate quality. The material appeared to be an aluminium alloy adorned with English lettering.

Uful scrutiny of the English markings, Liu Yong's certainty solidified—the containers housed lithography machines. Moreover, it seemed they possessed not just two but four lithography machines.

A wave of astonishment washed over him. "Oh my God! Could it be four lithography machines?" he pondered. Two of them were undoubtedly 5-nanometer lithography machines, but the identity of the other two remained a mystery.

After deciphering the English text on the containers, Liu Yong deduced that they hou of four lithography machines. Two were 5-nanometer lithography machines, while the others potentially belonged to the 8-nanometer category.

The realization that there might be four advanced photolithography machines left Liu Yong exhilarated. This discovery was far from ordinary.

"Four lithography machines!" he exclaimed, fully aware of the immense value each possessed. Acquiring a single one at a high price would be nearly impossible, yet he passed four.

The question loomed: How should he handle these four lithography machines? Should he sell them to others or retain them for personal use? After considering it, Liu Yong felt it would be best to retain them and start a chip foundry business.

China's annual import of chips amounted to hundreds of billions of dollars, with an insatiable demand. The lack lay not in chip design and development by domestic companies but in manufacturing capacity. They were compelled to seek chip foundry companies for production.

Liu Yong firmly believed that once he established a chip foundry company, orders would pour in like snowflakes, eliminating concerns about a lack of demand.

Determined, Liu Yong picked up the phone and summoned Qiu Yang and Hu Shijun to his office.

"Boss, you called for us," they greeted as they entered.

"Yes," Liu Yong confirmed, diving straight into the purpose of the meeting, "I intend to establish a global semiconductor company primarily focused on chip OEM production. I need you both to plan accordingly."

The revelation stunned them. "What! The Boss wants to venture into high-tech? Chip foundry production, no less!" Qiu Yang exclaimed, taken aback. Hu Shijun mirrored his surprise, and a brief moment passed before they composed themselves.

Qiu Yang spoke cautiously, "Boss, if we're to enter the chip foundry industry, we have no shortage of funds, and we can recruit the required technical talent. We can also acquire some manufacturing equipment. However, the critical equipment—chip lithography machines—may pose a challenge to procure."

Hu Shijun added, "Brother Yong, it's nearly impossible to purchase a lithography machine from the international market. They aren't available for sale at any price."

"China has managed to develop a 20-nanometer lithography machine, but its technology remains immature and unstable for industrialized mass production. Even if it were viable, chips produced using 20-nanometer technology lag behind in terms of advancement, limiting their market potential."

Liu Yong smiled, witnessing their concerns and reservations. "Who said we can't acquire a lithography machine? Let me assure you I possess two 5-nanometer lithography machines and two 8-nanometer lithography machines. Qiu Yang and Hu Shijun stared at Liu Yong in disbelief, assuming they had misheard.

Qiu Yang, delighted, exclaimed, "Boss, you truly possess two 5-nanometer lithography machines and two 8-nanometer lithography machines?"

Liu Yong affirmed their doubts, "Yes, I do indeed have four such lithography machines."

Hu Shijun's excitement was palpable. "Brother Yong, you're incredible! These advanced lithography machines, even the 8-nanometer ones, are highly sought-after in the chip industry."

The 8-nanometer process represented the current mainstream, while the 5-nanometer process had limited applications. The semiconductor company in country M had purchased two 5-nanometer lithography machines as a forward-looking move and to prepare for the future. Now, Liu Yong has gained a significant advantage.

With two 5-nanometer lithography machines and two 8-nanometer lithography machines at his disposal, there was no longer any hindrance to establishing a global semiconductor company specializing in chip foundry services.

Qiu Yang and Hu Shijun wore expressions of delight. They were about to embark on an extraordinary journey of high-tech chip manufacturing.