Gao Zhendong looked out the window at the sleek and modern technology park surrounding the Marching Ant Company, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
At the moment, his feelings were complicated.
Samsung was a long-established conglomerate, influential across many industries—especially electronics. It was a recognized global titan.
And yet, he had come here personally, forced to lower his pride before the Marching Ant Company.
It was uncomfortable—undeniably so—but it had to be done. Without a breakthrough in smart assistants, Samsung's smartphones would fall a generation behind their competitors.
In the business world, especially in the high-stakes tech arena, falling behind meant being eliminated. There were far too many past lessons that proved this point. He couldn't allow Samsung's mobile division to fail under his leadership.
He now understood how Cook must have felt when he flew in to negotiate with the Marching Ant Company. Though the setting was different, standing in this position brought a sense of shared bitterness.
You didn't want to come, but you had no choice.
At least they still could come—many competitors didn't even have that chance.
The future clearly belonged to artificial intelligence. It was the global trend, and most of the world's major tech firms were investing heavily in it.
Whoever mastered AI would master the future.
While the seismograph added to Marching Ant Company's global prestige, it was their AI that had truly elevated them to unicorn status.
This year, the Marching Ant Company had become the most influential enterprise in the world—and it was still wholly owned. Every single share belonged to one man: Chen Mo. In terms of achievements, there was no one who could compare with him right now.
If only these achievements had been Samsung's…
After the vehicle passed through security, the group was allowed inside the Marching Ant Company grounds.
Just as they stepped into the building, a humanoid robot approached them.
"Hello, Mr. Gao. I am Xiao Yao. I've been assigned to receive you. Please follow me," the robot said in fluent, standard Korean.
Its pronunciation was clear and accurate—they had no trouble understanding it.
A robot receptionist. Not even a single staff member had come to greet them. Zhao Min wasn't here, and neither was anyone from her team.
Even if the president herself couldn't come, they had expected at least someone to be present—maybe a senior assistant.
Instead, it was just a robot.
The atmosphere felt… cold.
Gao Zhendong frowned slightly but said nothing. Silently, he followed the robot.
Marching Ant's robots were widely recognized as the most advanced in the world. Many wealthy people treated owning one like buying a luxury car. It was a status symbol—something to impress visitors.
Their intelligence was unmatched, part of what made Marching Ant's robot launch such a global sensation.
As someone deeply involved in Samsung's high-level operations, Gao Zhendong was well aware that Samsung's R&D department had discreetly purchased a few Marching Ant robots for internal research.
But as far as he knew, they had made no meaningful breakthroughs.
"Mr. Gao, President Zhao is currently in a meeting. Please wait here," the robot said as it led them into the reception room.
Gao Zhendong and Jin Zhizhang exchanged dark looks.
They had traveled all this way, only to be told she was still in a meeting?
What was that supposed to mean?
In corporate circles, saying someone was "in a meeting" was often an excuse used to avoid unwanted visitors.
They never imagined someone would use this routine on them.
Was this meant to teach them a lesson?
But given the current power dynamic, they were the ones asking for cooperation. They couldn't afford to lose their temper. If they made a scene, the deal would be over before it began.
"How long will it take?" Gao Zhendong asked, taking a deep breath to compose himself.
"I'm not sure," the robot replied calmly.
"What about your boss, Mr. Chen Mo? Can you contact him so we can speak with him directly?" Gao Zhendong asked with a smile.
"I don't have access to Mr. Chen. He does not accept visitors," the robot replied.
Once the robot left the room, both Gao Zhendong and Jin Zhizhang's faces darkened.
Never in their careers had they felt so blatantly disregarded. If this were any other situation, they would've walked out on the spot.
But this time, they couldn't.
"Sure enough, the Chinese are arrogant," Jin Zhizhang muttered.
"Careful," the female assistant beside him whispered quickly.
After all, this was the Marching Ant Company. There could be surveillance or hidden mics anywhere—they didn't know who might be watching or listening.
Jin Zhizhang's expression stiffened. He said no more.
An hour and a half passed.
No one came. No additional staff entered the room. Only a service robot had delivered tea earlier.
They'd even asked a nearby staff member once, but were told Zhao Min was still in a meeting. The robot gave the same answer—conference room, still in session, end time unknown.
Just as their patience was about to run out, the door to the reception room finally opened.
Zhao Min and Xiao Yu, led by the robot, entered.
"Mr. Gao, I apologize for the wait," Zhao Min said smoothly, stepping into the room. "The company's had a lot going on lately. I wasn't planning on receiving anyone today, but when I heard you had come personally, I made time. Unfortunately, I was in a meeting just now and couldn't come immediately."
Before Gao Zhendong's assistant could translate, the robot had already done it—flawlessly.
Xiao Yu quietly watched Zhao Min from the side, marveling at her poise. How can she lie so naturally? she thought. Is this what a seasoned businesswoman looks like?
In truth, Zhao Min had known the moment they entered the building. The robot had only been repeating her instructions.
She hadn't been in any meeting at all—just sitting in her office handling documents.
But of course, Xiao Yu had no intention of exposing her. She simply observed in silence.
As Zhao Min finished speaking, both Gao Zhendong and Jin Zhizhang visibly relaxed, exhaling softly.
In just a few sentences, Zhao Min had flipped the situation.
By framing it as a scheduling issue, she made it seem like they were the ones being granted special treatment. She was giving them face, not the other way around. And since she was busy with work, they couldn't blame her for the delay.
Impressive. No wonder she's the second-in-command of the Marching Ant Company.
"It's fine. Being busy is completely understandable. I'm often swamped myself. I'm lucky you were able to make time for me at all," Gao Zhendong replied with a forced smile.
"I'm glad to hear that," Zhao Min said with a polite nod. "So, Mr. Gao, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?"
Gao Zhendong chuckled. "I've come to clear up a misunderstanding between our companies."
"Oh?" Zhao Min raised an eyebrow. "What sort of misunderstanding?"
"The OLED screen issue," he replied. "We had production problems on our end that delayed delivery, which caused some inconvenience and unnecessary losses for your company. I've always meant to apologize personally, but things were hectic and it slipped my mind. Recently, I remembered that incident and thought it might've caused tension between us. So I came to explain in person."
Just as Jin Zhizhang had advised: start by lowering their stance.
"How thoughtful of you, Mr. Gao," Zhao Min said with a composed smile. "I understand the complications caused by… 'force majeure' situations."
Of course, she didn't believe a word of it.
Samsung had pulled this tactic before—deliberately restricting supplies to other manufacturers. They'd used the same excuse on numerous companies, including China Micro.
"Your understanding is greatly appreciated," Gao Zhendong said with barely concealed relief.
Inwardly, he was ecstatic. So it worked. Just humble yourself, and they'll soften.
Even Jin Zhizhang smirked faintly, though he kept his expression in check.
To him, the Chinese were all the same.
"We've reserved a table at the Binhai Hotel for dinner. Would you be willing to join us? It's our way of making amends."
"Oh, food and drinks are always welcome," Zhao Min replied, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Now that the misunderstanding's been cleared, is there anything else, Mr. Gao?"
"Ms. Zhao, you're as perceptive as always," he said with a bow of his head. "In fact, there is one more matter."
"Go ahead," Zhao Min replied with a knowing smile.
"It concerns the authorization of your intelligent assistant."
"You're looking for smart assistant authorization?" Zhao Min asked lightly. "That can be arranged. It's not impossible at all."