A Crazy Test
Williams' expression suddenly changed, and he exclaimed, "Tai, you're going to conduct a level 5 stress test on the energy-shield booster? Isn't that a little too harsh? "
The stress test was a method unique to the military, and its purpose was to test the maximum endurance an equipment could endure when operating at full capacity during a war. The test was divided into five levels based on the different pressures, and the level 5 stress test that Tai requested was the most difficult of them all.
Usually, the military would not require auxiliary equipment like the energy-shield booster to undergo such a high level of stress test, for this test was basically destructive! At that time, the energy-shield booster would face a barrage of attacks until it was completely destroyed.
Only one in ten thousand equipment could pass the level 5 stress test, and even the equipment that could withstand this abnormal pressure would be expensive top-tier equipment. The energy-shield booster had never been strengthened according to the military's requirements, so its price was relatively low. Based on its functions, it should be a piece of equipment that was used for both military and civilian use.
A set of top-tier equipment worth over a hundred million would, of course, have a higher chance of passing this limit test than an energy-shield booster that only cost a few million each. Top-tier equipment would use more expensive materials, so even if it passed the level five stress test, it would not mean much. The military would not equip expensive top-tier equipment in large quantities.
To be more precise, the level 5 stress test was used to test the stress tolerance of top-tier equipment used by special forces, and Xia Fei's energy-shield booster was clearly a piece of commonly used equipment. Even the most optimistic Williams felt that it was a little too harsh to have it undergo the crazy level 5 stress test.
Tai disagreed. "This company is pitifully small, and it doesn't have the experience or tradition of supplying equipment to the military. If not for the two of you pushing so hard, I wouldn't even consider it. Performance isn't something that can be easily determined by a single test. Many companies are unable to guarantee the consistency of their products due to various reasons. We're the military, so we can't treat the military lightly. Performance is very important, but what's more important is whether this company can stick to the military's requirements for hundreds of years. The military's suppliers won't just do it once or for a few years. Once this energy-shield booster enters the procurement list, it means that as long as the Alliance and the military exist, this company will have to serve the military until a better replacement is found. Be it a hundred years, a thousand years, or even ten thousand years, there can't be any mistakes. Only then can this be considered a qualified A-list supplier.
"Since you want this company to enter the ranks of A-list suppliers, and this company itself doesn't meet the requirements, then you'll have to come up with a product that other companies can't. Otherwise, I'll never agree to let a company that has just been registered for two years, with no capital or strength, become the guarantee of the military's combat power. Either you prove that you're the best, or you're eliminated. The problem is that simple!" Tai sternly said.
This string of unquestionable words left Williams and Layton somewhat suffocated. Tai's requirements had always been strict, especially when it came to weapons and equipment that were related to the military's strength. It could even be said that his requirements were harsh, but for the energy-shield booster to pass the level 5 stress test could not even be described as harsh.
Williams chuckled. "Tai, I understand your request. Equipping the fleet with a new product is no small matter. I'll arrange for the level-5 stress test right away. So, should we continue with the regular combat test?"
Tai replied, "Yes! Since I'm already here, I'd like to see just how powerful this energy-shield booster you all so highly recommend is. The stress test will take place later. How many samples did you get this time? Where did you get them from? "
Williams answered, "We got six samples this time, three each for the standard version and enhanced version. A few months ago, the Adjudicator Union purchased a batch of energy-shield boosters, and these six came from the stock in their warehouse. You can rest assured that Quantum Holdings has no idea that we've already gotten our hands on the samples and are currently testing them."
It was a tradition of the military to conduct the tests without informing the manufacturer. If they informed the manufacturer and obtained the samples from them, it was very likely that the manufacturer would purposely produce some of the better ones in an attempt to bluff their way through. As such, when the military was inspecting a certain piece of equipment, they would either purchase it from the market or, like today, borrow a batch from a guild that already had it.
Tai frowned. "Why is there a standard version and an enhanced version? What's the reason for that? "
Williams chuckled. "That's not all. Quantum Holdings' energy-shield boosters have a total of four levels, each with different recharge rates and prices.
"The economy version provides a twenty-five percent recharge rate, the standard version thirty percent, the enhanced version thirty-five percent, and the enhanced version thirty-eight percent. In terms of price, the economy version starts at two million star coins, the standard version at four million, the enhanced version at ten million, and the enhanced version at thirty million star coins."
Tai laughed heartily. "The person in charge of this company sure knows how to do business. He's trying to segment the market by targeting different customer groups. The rich will be able to purchase the most powerful product, greatly satisfying their vanity, while the average person will be able to choose the cheaper ones. Although the effects will be slightly weaker, they'll still be affordable."
Williams nodded. "Mm, this is a pretty good marketing strategy, and the price is also fair. At present, the CL5 large-scale energy-shield generator we're using costs over eight million star coins per unit. Adding a standard energy-shield booster will only cost us an additional four million star coins per warship, and if we purchase it in bulk, we'll be able to lower the price even further."
Tai waved his hand. "We'll talk about the price later. If we want to enter the military's A-list supplier list, we'll need to demonstrate the strength worthy of the military! Otherwise, there's no need to talk about it! "
…
The combat test proceeded smoothly. The simulated warship equipped with the energy-shield boosters had a thirty-two-seventeen percent increase in resistance, greatly improving its survivability on the battlefield.
Even Tai, who had always been strict, felt that the energy-shield boosters were a decent choice for the military to increase its defensive capabilities. Tai rarely praised others, and his words of "decent" were at least at an excellent level.
He came in a hurry and left in a hurry. Tai had come in a hurry and left in a hurry. This person in charge of the Alliance's military affairs was always so busy that even his wife could not stand the loneliness and had left him. However, he continued to do things his own way, devoting all of his attention to the military. It was as if the military was his wife and war was his favorite lover.
Williams and Layton escorted him to the door, and before he boarded the warship, Tai said, "No matter what, the level 5 stress test must be carried out. If two of the six samples can pass, I can consider making an exception and granting Quantum Holdings the status of an A-list supplier to the military."
Watching Tai leave, Williams sighed and said to Layton, "This is already the greatest concession he can make. After all, the status of an A-list supplier is no small matter. Once Quantum Holdings obtains this status, it means that they'll become a partner of the entire Alliance. Not only will the military give them strong support in terms of funds and technology, they'll also receive special protection from the military in many other areas."
Layton shook his head. "The treatment is great, but the requirements are equally harsh. The responsibility that an A-list supplier has to bear is unimaginable to the average person. The products used to equip the military in large quantities must be produced by an A-list supplier designated by the military. This is an old rule of our military."
"A level 5 stress test, huh. The intensity of the test is equivalent to working at full capacity in a large-scale battle for five years without any breaks! Don't look at how Tai has lowered the requirements to a one in three pass rate, but I still don't think that the energy-shield booster has the ability to pass. "
Williams smiled. "I feel the same way. To pass the incomparably harsh level 5 stress test, aside from the product's quality, a little bit of luck is also required."
Layton suddenly rubbed his chin and thought for a moment, as if he had suddenly thought of an idea.
"Do you think Quantum Holdings will be willing to sell the technology to the other A-list suppliers of the military? They have the qualifications, and they've worked with the military for many years. If they're the ones supplying the military, Tai will definitely agree, "Layton said.
Williams patted Layton on the shoulder. "My dear Admiral Layton, if you were the one who invented the energy-shield booster, would you sell it?"
Layton shook his head. "Of course not. This thing has a lot of potential. Even if the military doesn't want it, the other organizations will buy it. I heard that the Adjudicator Union is already preparing to buy a second batch. The reason why we're unable to become an A-list supplier of the military right now is entirely due to the company's strength. As long as we focus on developing it, it'll only be a matter of time before it becomes the standard equipment of the Alliance's armies. No one will easily give up on a product with such potential."
Williams laughed. "You and I have both met the boss of Quantum Holdings, Xia Fei. That kid is very shrewd, and he'll naturally be able to think of what you can think of. That's why we don't even need to ask him. There's no way he'll give up on this patent so easily."
Layton nodded, somewhat dejectedly saying, "That's right. Now that I think about it, that kid is truly a shrewd monkey. Let's just wait for the stress test results to come out."
…
Xia Fei was wearing a brand-new black suit, helplessly standing in the middle of the living room, facing a giant mirror. Moreover, he had to constantly turn around and make all sorts of movements according to Avril and the tailor's requests.
Avril had one hand under her chin, looking like a focused little fox. "Hmm, the cuffs are a little long, so I still need to retract them by 0.5 centimeters. The trousers are a little wide, so I need to tighten them a little more …"
The tailor hurriedly recorded down Avril's requests so that they could be modified in the future.
Avril nodded. "This is more or less enough. Let's try on the day suit."
Xia Fei pursed his lips. "Isn't it enough for something like a suit? Why do you need to separate it into days and nights?"
Avril smiled as she walked over to Xia Fei. "Suits are divided into days and nights, so just in case, I've ordered three sets of both the day suit and the night suit."
Xia Fei was speechless. He usually only had a few sets of clothes, but for the sake of attending Avril's grandfather's birthday banquet, he had ordered six sets of formal wear. This left Xia Fei, who did not really care about his clothes, speechless. The only feeling he got from attending a banquet of the upper class was how cumbersome it was. Everything had to be meticulously prepared, and it was just too troublesome.
Seeing how serious Avril was, Xia Fei suddenly felt relieved. If he could make the girl he loved happy, what did it matter if he was a little bit awkward?
Who would have thought that after trying on the evening gown, Avril would get someone to bring out a whole car of shirts, bow ties, cufflinks, leather shoes … There were white, black, green, gold, and many other colors. Even the styles were different. Xia Fei was dazzled by the variety.
"Are you opening a shopping mall?" Xia Fei asked with a frown.
Avril smiled. "These are all things you'll be using. You'll have to try them all."
Xia Fei was speechless. There were many things that he had not even seen before. He originally thought that a suit would be enough to keep up appearances, but after seeing what Avril had prepared for him, he realized that it was far from enough.
That was when the communicator on his wrist rang. Xia Fei ran to the balcony as if he was running for his life. He unbuttoned his shirt and pulled out a Hongtashan cigarette from his pocket. He took a deep breath and felt relieved.
Thuram examined Xia Fei's attire and nodded. "Avril made this, right? Not bad. You look more spirited, but you have quite a lot of white hair on your head, and you look a little old. "
Xia Fei shrugged. "Uncle, is it that troublesome for you to attend a banquet too?"
Thuram laughed heartily. "I'll just wear the Union's uniform. Why would I need all this stuff?"
Xia Fei was slightly stunned, and his heart was immediately filled with envy for Thuram.
"I have two pieces of news for you, one good and one bad. Which do you want to hear first?" Thuram asked.
Xia Fei thought about it. "Let's hear the good news first."
"The good news is that the military is conducting a secret experiment on the energy-shield booster you're researching. The process is going very smoothly. The military triumvirate has already seen it, and even the strictest Tai didn't say anything."
"Then, what's the bad news?"
Thuram revealed a very sinister smile. "The bad news is that your luck is terrible. Tai believes that Quantum Holdings doesn't have the capability to supply the military with the energy-shield booster, so he requested a level 5 stress test on it."
"Level 5 stress test?" Xia Fei was puzzled. "What's that?"
Thuram answered, "All I know is that the level 5 stress test is the military's highest level of testing. The standard is very harsh, and most equipment won't be able to pass the extreme test. The military and the Adjudicator Union are two completely different systems, so that's all I know. I heard from the people over there that the energy-shield booster will have a hard time passing the test, so you'll have to be mentally prepared. It won't be that easy to accept a contract from the military."
Xia Fei was somewhat disappointed, but he nodded. "Thank you for telling me this. Actually, there are many businesses that want to buy it in bulk, so there's no need to worry about sales. After all, the military is the largest arms buyer in the Alliance, so it's a pity that I can't be their supplier."
Thuram replied, "Don't be discouraged. The results aren't out yet. General Tai has always been a man of tradition. He believes that only companies that have been serving the military for many years are reliable. The reason why he's worried is that your Quantum Holdings is too small and has only been registered for a short time. It's not that the energy-shield booster isn't useful, but it's not necessarily a bad thing that you can't be a supplier to the military. Focus on developing your company first, and it won't be too late for you to accept a contract from a giant like the military once Quantum Holdings has the strength of the Alliance."
Xia Fei nodded with a smile, seemingly unaffected by the news.
The time he spent with Avrils was always happy and short. It would not be long before he set off again, heading toward the distant Black Abyss. That place was already a war zone, and no one knew what awaited him there. That was why Xia Fei cherished this rare moment of relaxation and was not upset over the fact that the military did not use the energy-shield booster.
Besides, even if the military did not use it, it did not mean that others would not use it. They would not be missing a single product that should be sold. It was just that the plaque on Quantum Holdings' door was missing a shiny 'A-list military supplier' sign.
Avrils careful voice came from the room. "Xia Fei, can you take a look at this shirt first? I think it's best to use smooth alloy cuffs. Do you like the color?"
Thuram laughed heartily. "Kid! I'm almost envious of you! I'm afraid that every man in the world will die of jealousy if you have a girlfriend like Avrils. Alright, go do what you need to do. I'll contact you again if there's any news. "
Xia Fei scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly. He bade farewell to Thuram and turned back to Avrils side.
Youre the one to decide. Xia Fei looked at Avrils affectionate eyes and said.
…
In the military's secret laboratory, the harsh level 5 stress test was underway. The results of the test would directly determine whether Xia Fei's energy-shield booster would become standard equipment for the Alliance military.
Though Xia Fei made it sound easy, anyone would understand that the military was the largest arms buyer in the entire Alliance. As long as he could get an order from the military, it would be hard for him not to soar.
Moreover, the value of being an A-list military supplier had long surpassed the scope of money. It was like a protective talisman. The military would more or less favor the companies that supplied them for their own benefit. After all, their rise and fall would directly affect the military's combat strength.
What was the most important thing for a business?
Credibility!
What kind of credibility would a company that supplied standardized equipment to the Alliance military have?
Superb!
How much was the bank willing to lend to an A-list military supplier?
Unlimited!
From this, it could be seen that producing equipment for the military was the fastest way to become a top company in the Alliance.
Right now, whether or not this shortcut could be reached was all dependent on the level 5 stress test being conducted on some unknown military planet in the Alliance, also known as the ultimate test!
Layton had been coming to the laboratory every day for the past two days to personally observe the progress of the level 5 stress test. He stood in front of the large floor-to-ceiling window, his eyes somewhat worried. His military instincts told him that the military needed this energy-shield booster to increase their combat strength, but Tai's words made sense. The military could not just hand over such a huge order to some unknown small company.
Williams walked in noiselessly and said with a smile, "You're here again?"
Layton pursed his lips. "Aren't you the same?"
Williams did not say anything. The two of them felt the same way. They both believed that the energy-shield booster would be an epoch-making product.
"How many is it now?" Williams softly asked.
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