Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

In late July, the air in Central, Hong Kong, was thick with a suffocating heat. The sun beat down mercilessly on the asphalt roads, and a thin layer of mist rose from Victoria Harbour in the distance. But inside the conference room on the top floor of the Golden Harvest International headquarters, it was cool as autumn, so quiet that only the extremely faint hiss of the temperature-controlled air conditioner could be heard.

Lu Chen sat upright in the main seat, leaning against the pure black leather executive chair. In the conference room, apart from his personal bodyguard, Ba Wanghua, who stood with her head bowed, the other three were all top executives of the Jiahe Empire—Cheng Yiyan, Ma Zhihua, Li Tian, ​​and Liang Boguang, the newly appointed president of Longteng Technology.

Liang Boguang is not a character from a Hong Kong film, but rather a department head in Lu Chen's former laboratory. However, Lu Chen noticed his keen sense of the future and strong organizational skills demonstrated during the development of the Longteng computer. After a period of observation, Lu Chen decided to give him more responsibility and appointed him as the president of the newly established Longteng Technology.

"Mr. Lu, the status of the first batch of goods prepared for the 'Dragon Soaring Project' has been verified."

The cool, professional voice of the "Overlord Flower" echoed in the room. Dressed in a well-tailored black business suit, she looked incredibly capable. "As of late last night, our OEM factories in Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan had completed the sealing of 250,000 Longteng D1 mobile phones and 200,000 Longteng VCDs. As for Longteng computers, due to the adoption of the latest integrated motherboard technology, although the yield rate is stable, we have only completed the preparation of 70,000 units."

"570,000 units..." Cheng Yiyan couldn't help but exclaim, "Boss, this is absolutely unprecedented in the history of Hong Kong's electronics industry."

Ma Zhihua adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and said calmly, "Boss, although the value of these goods exceeds HK$2 billion, I'm worried about the market's ability to absorb them. Even though we were very successful at the press conference, these are unprecedented technological products, and they won't be available until September. Such a large amount of inventory will also be a test for the group's cash flow."

As a financial steward, Ma Zhihua expressed his concerns from his own perspective.

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen slightly raised his head, a faint smile curving his lips.

"Old Ma, you still underestimate the power of Longteng's new product, and you also underestimate people's desire for communication and entertainment." Lu Chen's voice was calm, but carried an undeniable force. "Two hundred and fifty thousand mobile phones? Faced with a product like Longteng Type 1 that delivers such a dimensional blow, Hong Kong's orders will clear it out in less than a month. You're worried about not being able to sell them, but I'm worried about not having enough to sell... In short, don't stop the factory, keep producing and keep stockpiling."

Lu Chen stood up, walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, and looked down at the bustling Connaught Road below.

"And we need to prepare early... Has anyone thought about how many mobile phones factories on Hong Kong Island can produce in a day?" He turned around and pointed to the densely packed old industrial buildings outside the window. "Our labor costs are doubling, labor costs are going crazy. Those real estate developers can't wait to demolish the factories and build dozens of-story luxury residences. Soon, the land on Hong Kong Island will be too small to accommodate the factories."

Cheng Yiyan nodded sharply: "Boss, you mean industrial upgrading?"

"Excellent!" Lu Chen tapped the table. "Hong Kong Island's future positioning is as a financial center, our headquarters, and our R&D core. Longteng's high-end chip manufacturing and precision component R&D for electronic products can stay on Hong Kong Island, but those low-end, labor-intensive assembly processes will only drag down our profit margins if left here. Once we go public in September, orders will come in like snowflakes. Even if we put our workers in three shifts around the clock in our existing factories, we absolutely cannot keep up with the pace."

A brief silence fell over the meeting room. Everyone knew that what Lu Chen said was true. After 1982, although Hong Kong's manufacturing industry still existed, the trend of transformation was irreversible.

"Therefore, we need to establish a large-scale overseas OEM base." Lu Chen sat back down, looking around at the three of them. "The reason I called you here today is to discuss this 'place'."

Ba Wang Hua quickly replaced the map on the projector with a map that had been prepared beforehand.

"We currently have three options," Cheng Yiyan said first. As Lu Chen's business representative, he had already done his homework. "First, there's Taiwan. Their electronics industry cluster is already quite large, especially in the Hsinchu area, where there's strong policy support. Moreover, the contact costs between Taiwan and Hong Kong are extremely low, and there's no language barrier. However, the downside is that their labor costs are also rising, and they have relatively strong local protectionism, fearing that we'll take away their domestic market."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen raised an eyebrow noncommittally: "Next."

"Secondly, there's Southeast Asia. Led by Thailand and Malaysia," the woman continued. "They're currently riding the wave of capital outflow from Europe, America, and Japan, experiencing explosive economic growth and extremely cheap labor. Many Japanese manufacturers are building factories there, and we can directly hire skilled workers. But the problem is that the political situation there is sometimes unstable, there's serious discrimination against Chinese people, and the infrastructure... to be honest, apart from a few key ports, electricity and transportation are a real headache."

"And the third one?" Ma Zhihua interjected from the side.

Cheng Yiyan hesitated for a moment before whispering two words: "Head north."

The air in the conference room seemed to freeze for a few seconds after these words were spoken.

Although China's reform and opening up has been talked about for several years, most Hong Kong tycoons still see it as a dangerous and unknown no-go zone. Policy fluctuations, legal loopholes, and even conservative thinking make large-scale investment extremely difficult.

"The mainland?" Ma Zhihua was taken aback. "Most of the big bosses in Hong Kong are just watching and waiting. Apart from those with grand visions like Mr. Huo and Mr. Bao, most people are only investing a few million Hong Kong dollars to test the waters. Building a large-scale electronics manufacturing plant there... People there may not even have seen what a computer is, and we know nothing about the skill level of their technicians. Moreover, if anything goes wrong, the hundreds of millions of US dollars we've invested could really go down the drain."

As Lu Chen listened to his subordinates' discussion, a smile that outsiders couldn't understand appeared on his lips.

As a time traveler, he knew all too well what miracles would happen on that vast land in the next thirty years. It wasn't just simple "growth"; it was an explosive leap unlike anything seen in the entire history of human industry.

"What you see as risk is, in my eyes, an unparalleled opportunity." Lu Chen spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable air of dominance.

He walked to the map and pressed his finger heavily on the circled area in the south.

"First, the cost." Lu Chen looked around at everyone. "The labor force there isn't just cheap, it's almost 'free.' More importantly, the workers there have a level of discipline and education that Southeast Asians can never match. Give them a chance, and they can create efficiency that will make the whole world tremble."

"Secondly, culture. We all share the same roots, so there's virtually no cost to getting to know each other. When Jiahe arrives there, they can take root instantly."

"Third, and most importantly," Lu Chen's eyes gleamed with unprecedented ambition, "there's a population of over a billion there. I'm certain that in the next thirty years, it will develop into the world's largest single consumer market. Building factories there now isn't just about hiring them; it's about nurturing them. We want the first people to use Longteng computers and mobile phones to be our own employees and the first generation of urban backbone in that country. When that sleeping dragon fully takes flight, Jiahe will also soar through the skies."

"While others are still observing, we must be the first to enter the market. While others are still testing the waters, we must establish the rules." Lu Chen waved his hand sharply and made the decision immediately: "Old Cheng, immediately prepare an inspection team. I will submit the application for going north under the name of 'Jiahe International'! We not only want to build a factory, but also the largest and most advanced Longteng Industrial Park."

The meeting room was completely silent.

Looking into Lu Chen's confident eyes, Cheng Yiyan's initial worries vanished under the powerful aura he felt. He recalled how this young man had gone from a "liar" to a tycoon in Central, every step of which was considered "crazy," yet every move was executed with the precision of a god overlooking the game.

Since the boss said it was an opportunity to "make money while lying down," then it must be.

"I understand, boss," Cheng Yiyan straightened his back, his eyes becoming intense. "I'll contact the mainland's office in Hong Kong right away. I'm sure they'll be very welcoming to Golden Harvest."

"This is a win-win situation for us," Lu Chen said, sitting back down and elegantly crossing his legs. "We will bring them what they need most—foreign exchange, technology, and jobs, and we will get what I want most—land and policy support."

With Lu Chen's command, the entire Jiahe Group, this massive and sophisticated machine, began to slowly adjust its direction, turning its fiery and majestic front towards the vast rivers and mountains to the north.