That evening, at the National Convention Center in the imperial capital.
While countless people were still lining up outside, desperately begging for an iPhone 4 but unable to get one, a press conference that was destined to go down in the history of Long Kingdom’s mobile-phone industry was being held here.
The media reporters who arrived first had assumed they were merely attending an ordinary product launch for a domestic mobile-phone brand. After all, there were plenty of homegrown phone companies these days. Most of them were just knockoff phones with new casings and different labels, offering little in the way of genuine technology. The reporters had planned to take a few photos, see what all the fuss was about, and go home to finish their assignments.
But when the invited guests began entering the venue, every one of those reporters was left utterly stunned.
“Isn’t that Ma Yunyun? The one from Ali Group?”
“And that’s not all! Look over there. That’s Li Yanhong from Baidu, and beside him is Ding Sanshi from NetEase. There’s Cao Wei from Xinlang, Chen Sheng from Shengda Entertainment, and Zhang Yang from Souhu… My God! Almost every internet heavyweight in the country is here!”
“Pony Ma is here too? Doesn’t he never attend events like this?”
“Holy crap, aren’t those people from Hong Kong? That’s Zhang Ting, and beside him is Xie Jichuan. They’re both scions of old-established Hong Kong families.”
“What… what kind of phone launch is this? How did they manage to invite so many big names?”
“…”
These reporters had seen lavish product launches before, but never one on this scale.
Nearly every major figure in the domestic internet industry had shown up.
Besides the internet tycoons, the reporters also spotted a number of famous investors, including Ji Zhe of Qixing Capital and Chu Hai of AEG Capital.
The representatives of Hong Kong’s business world were naturally Zhang Ting and Xie Jichuan. The two tycoons had flown in from Hong Kong specifically to lend their support.
The reporters’ cameras began flashing wildly. After all, it was rare to see so many influential figures gathered in one place. If they didn’t take as many pictures as possible, when would they ever get another chance?
Ten minutes before the press conference was about to begin, another commotion erupted at the entrance.
Everyone turned in unison and saw a group of young men and women enter the venue. Each of them carried an extraordinary air, and sharp-eyed observers quickly recognized them.
“Holy crap! That’s Chu Junlin of the Chu family!”
“And there’s someone from the Shen family…”
“…”
“They’re all young masters and heiresses from the most powerful families!”
“…”
Most of these people were members of the Yunshan Society, along with several scions of prominent families from the imperial capital.
“This phone launch has connections that are practically against the heavens! It’s a brand-new company, yet it managed to invite all these people.”
“…”
In addition to business leaders and scions of aristocratic families, more and more familiar faces from the entertainment industry began arriving. Every one of them was a major celebrity.
“J Lun!”
“It’s J Lun! Oh my God, Xue Qian is here too!”
“They’re actually appearing together!”
“This is way too impressive!”
“…”
The reporters hurriedly readied their equipment and began snapping photos. The entertainment reporters were especially excited. This was guaranteed to make tomorrow’s headlines.
Once all the invited guests had taken their seats, many people stared at the lineup in the first few rows in a daze.
The guest list for this press conference could no longer be described as luxurious. It was a gathering of the stars.
The internet industry, Hong Kong’s business community, the investment world, the children of the country’s most powerful families, and the biggest names in entertainment were all represented.
This was unquestionably the most impressive lineup at a domestic phone launch in more than a decade. In fact, even across the entire technology sector of Long Kingdom, it would be difficult to find another event with such an extraordinary gathering of guests.
As the start of the press conference drew nearer, however, many people noticed one detail: the seat at the exact center of the first row remained empty.
Was there still someone who hadn’t arrived?
Was this person deliberately putting on airs?
Of course, some people speculated that the owner of the seat must have an incredibly powerful background. Otherwise, they wouldn’t dare arrive so late and make everyone wait.
“Could there really be someone even more important who hasn’t arrived yet?”
“That can’t be. Every major figure in the domestic internet industry is already here. Who could possibly have a bigger presence than them?”
“Could it be someone from the government?”
“No, that seat is clearly reserved for someone from the business world. But I honestly can’t think of anyone else.”
“…”
The reporters whispered among themselves, offering one guess after another.
Some said it might be the head of a state-owned enterprise. Others suggested a mysterious overseas investor. A few even joked that perhaps Jobs had flown over from Apple.
The reporter who made that remark received a withering look from a colleague. Everyone laughed, but afterward they still couldn’t help glancing at the empty seat.
As the reporters continued their quiet speculation, the rear of the venue suddenly fell silent.
Every reporter instinctively turned around.
The doors at the back of the hall had been pushed open.
A group of men in black filed in. They were all dressed in identical black suits, with silver dragon-shaped badges pinned to their chests. Their presence created an overwhelming sense of pressure.
A straight passage had been left open between the two lines of men.
Then a slender figure dressed in black appeared at the far end of the passage and walked toward them.
It was a woman.
No—more accurately, she was a girl.
She appeared to be barely twenty. She wore a tailored black suit and had delicate, exquisite features. Her bearing was cool and aloof, and she radiated an imposing authority that made people instinctively wary.
A golden dragon-shaped badge was pinned to her chest.
As she approached the first row, everyone in the hall turned their attention to her.
What happened next left even the reporters, who were accustomed to witnessing grand occasions, utterly astonished.
In the first row, the business magnates whose every move could send tremors through the entire internet industry—including Ma Yunyun, Pony Ma, Li Yanhong, Ding Sanshi, Cao Wei, Chen Sheng, and Zhang Yang—rose from their seats almost in perfect unison the moment they saw her.
It gave the strange impression of a classroom when the homeroom teacher walked in and all the students instinctively stood to attention.
Next, the representatives of Hong Kong’s business community, Zhang Ting and Xie Jichuan, stood as well.
The investment heavyweights—Ji Zhe, Chu Hai, Lei Yun, and the others—rose to their feet.
The entertainment celebrities stood too.
Even the young heirs and heiresses of the imperial capital’s most powerful families stood up. Chu Junlin led the way, followed by the young masters and young ladies of the Shen, Lin, and Gu families.
Once the influential figures in the front rows had all risen, the people from the technology media and the ordinary attendees followed suit.
After all, if the big shots were standing, remaining seated would seem rude and out of place.
At that moment, everyone in the hall was on their feet.
The reporters were completely shaken.
Although some of them had guessed from the insignia on the girl’s clothing that she was probably the chairwoman of the Wanlong Group, they had never actually seen her before. There were no photographs of her anywhere online—at most, one could find a few basic details about her.
One rookie reporter instinctively raised his camera, hoping to capture a close-up of the girl. But before he could press the shutter, a man in black stepped in front of the lens and raised a hand to block it.
“Sorry. Photography is prohibited.”
The rookie reporter’s hand trembled. He hurriedly lowered the camera, his face pale with fright.
The other reporters and audience members who had been about to raise their equipment were stopped as well.
Every camera in the room was blocked.
No filming was allowed.
No images could be recorded.
The reporters could only etch the sight before them—one so shocking it left them speechless—into their memories.
After reaching the front row, the girl shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with each of the industry heavyweights standing there.
With every handshake, the executives bowed slightly, adopting an exceptionally deferential posture.
Was this the legendary chairwoman of the Wanlong Group?
She was... she was incredible!
The reporters were at a loss for words. The first phrase that came to mind was the only one that seemed fitting:
Absolutely badass!
And why did they think she was so impressive? It was simple.
If, at the age of twenty, you could make so many business tycoons stand to welcome you—and be so respectful while doing it—you’d be pretty incredible too.
Once the girl sat down in the middle of the front row, the executives standing behind her finally took their seats as well.
The lights gradually dimmed, and the enormous screen slowly lit up.
Amid the eager anticipation of everyone present, a highly distinctive dragon emblem appeared on the screen.
The press conference officially began.
