Chapter 54: Making Silicon Wafers from Dirt? Is He a Jester?

Xu Wanying added, "Based on the chip cooperation agreements we have signed so far, domestic silicon wafer suppliers can only satisfy a fraction of the demand, with an estimated profit of over twenty billion."

"Moreover, these twenty billion can only be consumed within our Huaxia internally, along with a few smaller nations connected to Huaxia, and they can't consume very much."

"Logan thrusting his hand into this has resulted in every supplier outside of Huaxia being too afraid to cooperate with us. After all, a major figure has already died at Logan's hands."

"In other words, Logan's actions have caused you a loss of at least two trillion US dollars, and you are going to miss out on a massive market."

Zhu Qingan's phone vibrated, and she picked it up to take a look.

"Honey, my dad called the top leadership of Huaxia, and they are already aware of this matter."

"The Foreign Ministry spokesperson will immediately help question this matter."

"The Ministry of Commerce will also assist with the negotiations."

Zhang Fan furrowed his brows and shook his head.

"It's not that Huaxia isn't strong enough now. Precisely because Huaxia has grown strong enough to shake the United States, the Americans, as well as Logan's family, will definitely withstand the pressure from Huaxia."

"The reason is very simple. If our picometer-level chips enter the market in large quantities, the nanometer-level chips previously monopolized by the West will lose all their market share. This is a massive market with profits reaching tens of trillions, or even dozens of trillions of US dollars."

"It involves almost every industry!"

Zhu Qingan's brows knitted slightly, and she couldn't help feeling worried inside.

"If Logan and the top American leadership truly intend to go head-to-head with Huaxia until the end, then to protect their interests, they will stop at nothing."

"Indeed. A massive market worth tens or even dozens of trillions—who would let that go?"

"If Huaxia swallows up this market share, the Zhang Group alone will be able to support at least two to three hundred million laborers. Not to mention letting them live completely like developed nations, it would still raise their quality of life significantly."

Zhang Fan narrowed his eyes.

"That is precisely why we must swallow this market!"

"In the past, ordinary workers in Huaxia could only engage in low-end manufacturing. How did that saying go? Trading the revenue from two million shirts for airplanes and cannons!"

"Now, since I have established the Zhang Group, I must, within my lifetime, free my compatriots in Huaxia from these shackles!"

"I will do everything in my power to serve the people of Huaxia, and to serve Huaxia."

A trace of anticipation welled up in Zhu Qingan's eyes.

"If you can really swallow such a huge market, even after tens of thousands of years, the people of Huaxia will never forget you."

Just as Zhang Fan was deep in thought, the system's voice sounded.

[Ding! Detected that the host has encountered trouble. The host may search the system store to redeem corresponding props.]

[Current Points: 3200]

[Current Balance: 5 Billion]

A light flashed in Zhang Fan's eyes.

Perhaps he could exchange for something useful with his points.

However, what was going on with this balance of five billion?

Before getting rid of Liu Yan, his balance was already five billion.

Logically speaking, after completely dealing with Liu Yan, he shouldn't only have five billion, right?

Why didn't the system give a reward?

Could that fellow Liu Yan have escaped?

Zhang Fan shook these thoughts away, excused himself to the restroom, opened the system panel, and found the points store.

There were indeed all kinds of dazzling goods inside.

Zhang Fan even spotted something insanely powerful and heaven-defying.

A Space Carrier!

"Damn it!"

Zhang Fan was stunned and clicked on the space carrier to examine it in detail.

He had heard that Huaxia had already begun laying the groundwork for space carriers, though they lacked sufficient nuclear propulsion technology.

And this thing was a complete, ready-made vessel!

If Huaxia could possess a space carrier, what would that mean?

The entire world would never dare to provoke Huaxia again!

Whatever Huaxia said went!

The United States?

What if another hundred Americas came along?

Launching weapons at the US from space—could old man America defend against that?

Unfortunately, the points required for the space carrier were far too many—a full one million points were needed for redemption.

He quickly looked away, searched carefully, and spent one thousand points to redeem an item.

[Ding! The host has successfully spent one thousand points to redeem ten thousand methods of manufacturing silicon wafers.]

[Current Points: 2200]

A book materialized out of thin air and landed in Zhang Fan's hands.

Goodness!

The mathematical formulas and foundational materials science recorded inside far exceeded the average level of science and technology in the world today.

It was the product of at least fifty years in the future!

With this thing, Huaxia might just be able to mass-produce silicon wafers.

There is a way!

Zhang Fan tucked the book into his clothes and grinned from ear to ear.

"I've thought of a great method, and it will definitely defeat Logan."

"No matter what tricks Logan pulls, I can handle them."

Xu Wanying and Zhu Qingan were chatting and looked skeptical when they heard him say this.

Zhang Fan sat down in front of the two of them and looked at them seriously.

"It's very simple: wage a price war!"

"As long as we produce enough picometer-level silicon wafers, those capitalists who need picometer-level silicon wafers will naturally risk their lives to continue cooperating with us."

"Capital is the kind of thing where if you block its path to making money, it will fight you to the death. But likewise, as long as the profit is large enough—dozens or even hundreds of times greater—they will go crazy, willing to risk their lives just to cooperate with you!"

Xu Wanying let out a helpless, bitter laugh.

Zhu Qingan was even more amused yet exasperated.

"Honey, the idea is great, but how do we implement it?"

"Based on the current domestic silicon wafer production levels, we can only meet a fraction of the demand."

"Even if we want to wage a price war, we need our inventory to reach at least half of the world's current silicon wafer stock to even be qualified to fight one."

Zhang Fan smiled faintly.

"It's very simple! I'll just research and develop silicon wafers myself."

"Normally, the raw material for silicon wafers is sand, but this production method is extremely cumbersome, and the processes are insufficient to scale up production in a short time."

"I am going to come up with some methods that don't need sand, and can even produce silicon wafers using ordinary mud."

The two women's mouths widened enough to swallow an egg.

Their gazes towards Zhang Fan were filled with sheer disbelief.

Zhu Qingan was dumbfounded.

"Honey, no, it's not that I don't believe you..."

"That picometer-level lithography machine—wasn't it actually the state stepping in secretly to help you?"

"After all, that kind of equipment isn't something a single person can build. And now you're saying you want to research a new silicon wafer manufacturing solution?"

What did this amount to?

It was tantamount to directly inventing a brand-new material.

If things went well, he might even win the highest award in global physics.

Zhang Fan was extremely confident, especially since the formulas were written right there in his book.

He stood up.

"I'm heading to Qingqing-Beijing University right now."

"That place has the smartest group of scientific researchers."

"I will cooperate with them. As for whether we can pull it off, you don't need to worry."

Zhu Qingan and Xu Wanying still found it hard to believe.

No matter how versatile you, Zhang Fan, might be, you couldn't possibly know everything!

Yet neither of them dared to speak, their hearts brimming with intense curiosity.

One day later.

Inside a physics laboratory at Qingqing-Beijing University.

A balding student hurried into the lab.

"Professor Ji, Mr. Zhang Fan is looking for you!"

"He said he has come up with a new formula for manufacturing silicon wafers—one that can use mud to make them."

Professor Ji, who was reading a paper, frowned and glanced at the student.

"Xiaolong, what crazy talk are you spouting?"

"Materials science in physics hasn't seen a new breakthrough in many years."

"Furthermore, using mud to make silicon wafers? That is sheer wishful thinking. Which amateur scientist is this now? Wait... Zhang Fan? The Zhang Fan who developed the picometer-level lithography machine?"

Xiaolong nodded excitedly.

"Yes! That's him!"

Professor Ji furrowed his brows deeply, still unable to believe such an absurd thing.

In his view, Zhang Fan creating the picometer-level lithography machine was completely fake news.

It must have been the state secretly lending a hand, while the actual group of people who developed it simply didn't want to step into the spotlight.

Professor Ji's gaze immediately grew a bit colder.

"Tell him to go find little Wang in the chemistry lab next door."

"I have no interest in cooperating with someone like that."

"He's just someone with a louder name, that's all."