Chapter 18: Hungry Dogs Circle
In a sleek office on the other side of town, Dongfang Parts Group's executive assistant placed a folder on a polished desk.
"Sir, this is the updated report on Ruihua Motorcycle Factory."
Zhao Peng, a lean man in a tailored suit, leaned forward. His eyes narrowed as he flipped through the pages.
"They're producing their own brake discs now?"
"Yes. It's not just assembly anymore. Looks like they're experimenting with in-house manufacturing."
"On those machines?" Zhao raised an eyebrow. "Should be a mess."
"Our scouts say the first batch passed basic road tests."
Zhao leaned back, frowning.
"That's not possible. Chen Zhong never had the capital, the talent, or the spine. Someone's backing them."
He tapped his finger against the desk.
"Find out who. And check with our usual suppliers — I want to know if Ruihua's started ordering raw materials directly."
Back at Ruihua – Testing Bay
The clamp bracket vibrated under high stress. A mechanical arm pushed and pulled it with increasing force. The lights flickered as torque peaked.
Li Wei watched nervously.
"It's holding… Come on… come on…"
Click.
The machine stopped.
"Passed!" he shouted. "Still intact. No warping."
Chen Rui grinned.
"That's two components down. We'll need five more before we can assemble an entire frame on our own."
"That would mean—"
"—we're no longer just a factory. We'd be a manufacturer."
[SYSTEM UPDATE: FACTORY EVOLUTION PROGRESS – 17.4%]
Milestone: Independent Frame Production
Unlocks: Manufacturing Strategy Skill Tree
🔧 New System Feature: "S5 Optimization - Workflow Streamliner"
Allows automation of repetitive tasks using modular flowchart logic. Improves efficiency by 10–15% for designated tasks.
Chen Rui opened the interface.
[Activate S5 Optimization System?]
Confirmed.
Within seconds, the workshop dashboard recalibrated. Job queues streamlined. Cooldown windows optimized. Even shift rotations updated to eliminate redundancy.
"Is it just me," Li Wei said, watching the schedule adjust in real time, "or did the whole factory just get smarter?"
Chen Rui smiled.
"It's not the factory. We are."
Evening – Local Teahouse
Several rival factory bosses sat together in a dark corner. The mood was sour.
"Brake discs? Clamp brackets? That's suicide with their setup."
"Maybe it's suicide… or maybe someone is helping them."
"Who'd help Ruihua?"
"A competitor who hates us more than them."
Zhao Peng's name floated through the room like smoke.
One man spoke quietly:
"Maybe we should remind Ruihua of their place… before they forget."