To Zhao Min's mild surprise, Alexander proved to be far more straightforward than she expected.
Without hesitation, she took a document from Xiao Yu and handed it to him.
"This is the original cooperation agreement we drafted with Altice Group," she explained. "Everything had already been negotiated, but they pulled out at the last moment. If you're looking to cooperate, you can use this agreement as a reference. If you're okay with the terms, we can proceed on that basis. If there's anything you'd like to add or modify, feel free to say so."
Alexander accepted the document and began reviewing it carefully.
The agreement outlined the following:
Party A (Marching Ant) would provide custom devices to Party B at 80% of market price.
Party B would open its full distribution network and cooperate on channel resource sharing.
Party A would assist with numbering integration, helping Party B with registration issues and optimizing dealer commission systems.
Party A would handle anti-detachment measures, preventing customers from exploiting operator subsidies by separating phone and SIM.
The terms were clearly mutually beneficial, and arguably tilted in favor of the partner company.
Back when Zhao Min first approached the Altice Group, she had offered slightly concessional terms to establish a foothold in the European market.
But the Altice Group had gotten greedy. They demanded equity in the Marching Ant Company—and when that was denied, they abruptly withdrew from the deal.
Alexander was well aware of the fallout. The aborted partnership with Altice had made headlines, and the real reason—Altice's backers trying to force a stake in Marching Ant—was whispered through industry channels.
Ever since, no telecom operators or agents in Europe dared to cooperate with Marching Ant. Even efforts to open a branch office were quietly blocked.
Clearly, someone powerful didn't want Marching Ant entering Europe.
But for Alexander, who sought to revive the Rothschild legacy, this was the risk worth taking.
As he finished reading the agreement, he handed it to one of the think tank advisors he brought along.
Zhao Min watched quietly. "Mr. Alexander, if there's anything in the terms you're unhappy with, just say so."
"It's excellent, to be honest," Alexander said without hesitation. "If you ask me, Altice made a huge mistake backing out. This deal could've been theirs."
Zhao Min smiled modestly. She'd expected this reaction.
"But before we proceed," Alexander added, "I need to clarify something. We recently acquired a telecom operator in a small European country. It's not as big as Altice, and certainly not on the scale of Vodafone. So our initial order volume may be modest."
This move, while strategic, had cost Alexander dearly. But to partner with Marching Ant, it was a gamble he was willing to take.
Zhao Min waved it off.
"I'm not concerned about your current size," she replied confidently. "I believe in your long-term potential. If you're on board, we're willing to grant you exclusive distribution rights for the European market, just like we did with intelligent robots."
All they needed was a strong foothold in Europe. Even if small, a beachhead would allow them to scale and expand.
Though the Butterfly Eye phones had already gained underground popularity—some users even traveled to China to purchase them—the volume was too limited.
To dominate the European market, they needed a base of operations.
The Rothschilds might appear low-key, but their network and influence ran deep. As long as they had the opportunity, they would rise again.
This wasn't a short-term play. Zhao Min envisioned a long-term strategic alliance—and Roche had the resources and reach to deliver.
Alexander glanced at his team.
These were the best members of his think tank, handpicked by himself and his father. They'd been instrumental in many of his recent decisions, and this one was no exception.
Seeing the lead advisor nod slightly, Alexander turned back to Zhao Min.
"I said I came with sincerity," he said. "Since you already have a solid agreement, let's use it as a template. We can remove the irrelevant clauses and adjust the rest. Also, let's confirm the terms for exclusive distribution rights."
Zhao Min smiled in relief. "Agreed."
The two sides began working on the revised agreement.
An hour later, a new version was finalized.
Clauses specific to Altice were removed.
A few of Roche's own requirements were added.
Final terms: Roche would act as exclusive European distributor for Marching Ant's mobile phones, receiving devices at 20% below market price.
The partnership would run through the same subsidiary that had previously distributed intelligent robots.
With both parties aligned, they signed the documents and sealed the agreement.
The process had gone more smoothly than either side expected.
For Alexander, it was a bold but calculated bet on Marching Ant.
For Zhao Min, the Altice Group's loss had become a strategic gain.
After shaking hands, Alexander glanced around.
"A pleasure doing business," he said. "By the way—when can I meet Mr. Chen Mo?"
Just as he finished his sentence, a nearby reception robot lit up and spoke:
"Mr. Alexander, the president is now available. He's waiting for you in his office and said you're welcome to visit him after your meeting."
Alexander raised an eyebrow and looked at Zhao Min.
"Perfect timing," she said, smiling. "Shall we?"
"Gladly."
Alexander gave a polite nod, motioned to his assistant, and followed Zhao Min out of the conference room.
While this cooperation had been crucial, his true goal—meeting Chen Mo himself—was just ahead.
The legendary young man behind the empire... he had long been curious.
At that moment, Chen Mo was in his office, staring at a holographic interface. He was deep in thought, reviewing the design of a micro-holographic projector.
The color blur issue from the medium projector had already been solved. Mo Nu was currently assembling the second prototype based on the new parameters.
Once it was ready, they could begin final performance testing.
As part of the technology library's progression system, he needed to design three types of holographic projectors to pass the examination:
Large-scale for wide-area use
Medium for general applications
Miniature, which must be under five inches in size
The miniature version posed the greatest technical challenge. The margin for error was razor-thin, and even the slightest component deviation could result in complete failure.
Right now, Chen Mo was focused on perfecting its layout.
Fortunately, with Mo Nu's processing power, and his own scientific understanding, progress was steady. Once the micro and large-scale designs were complete, he could finalize the entire suite.
Just then, Mo Nu's voice interrupted his train of thought:
"Brother Mo, the president and Mr. Alexander have just reached the door."
"Alright. Save my progress—and prepare some tea," Chen Mo said.
He closed the holographic projection, grabbed his coat, and stood up to welcome his guest.