Five days passed, and the day of the signing ceremony finally arrived. He Dong drove steadily, glancing at the Marina Theatre ahead as it came into view.
They had received word that the Marching Ant Company and the Academy of Sciences were set to sign a joint project agreement. As soon as Yang Dong heard the names involved, he brought his assistant along without hesitation.
When it came to Marching Ant, there was no such thing as small news. Either it was quiet, or it was earth-shaking. And this time, a partnership with the Academy of Sciences? This could only mean something monumental.
Needing two giants to join forces meant only one thing in their minds—artificial intelligence.
The signing ceremony was being held at the Binhai Grand Theatre. As they approached, the sheer scale of the security caught them off guard. Police cars and armed officers patrolled every corner, and SWAT teams were visibly stationed throughout the area.
"Dong-ge, just how big is this project between Marching Ant and the Academy? Look at all this security…" Yang Dong's assistant said in awe.
"I don't know yet. But with this much firepower, it's definitely not a small matter."
They parked in the open-air lot outside the theater, then made their way to the venue, passing through rigorous security checks before finally entering.
Inside, the venue was already bustling with reporters and guests. Intelligent robots from the Marching Ant Company were helping manage order, drawing curious crowds of onlookers who snapped photos and marveled at them.
On the stage's massive LCD screen, a popular science video on nuclear fusion was playing.
"Dong-ge, don't tell me this whole cooperation project is about nuclear fusion?" the assistant said, pointing at the screen, skeptical.
"Would Marching Ant even bother with that? It's probably about artificial intelligence," Yang Dong replied."Remember that recent AI conference? The one where Chen Mo demonstrated real-time dialogue with an AI?"
"Then why show a science video on fusion?"
"Maybe just for education? Who knows," Yang Dong said, but even he wasn't sure.
Just as they sat down, the video ended. A large headline appeared on the screen:
"Signing Ceremony for the High-Temperature Plasma Research Project – Academy of Sciences × Marching Ant Group"
"What's high-temperature plasma research?" someone in the crowd asked aloud.
"It's for nuclear fusion," someone nearby answered.
Hissss—!
Ohhh—!
A wave of gasps and murmurs swept across the venue. The reporters especially were visibly stunned.
This was big—very big.
High-temperature plasma research meant only one thing: nuclear fusion. The Marching Ant Company was partnering with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to develop nuclear fusion technology.
One sentence, and the impact was explosive.
No one had expected that after the "Artificial Intelligence+" initiative, Marching Ant's next move would be a fusion project with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"Dong-ge, the editor just called. They want us to start live streaming."
"Do it. Right now."
"Broadcast is live."
Reporters across the venue activated their livestreams.Major news platforms began breaking into scheduled programming to air the event, and countless online channels opened instant live feeds.
The Marching Ant Company was officially stepping into the nuclear fusion field. This made them the first private enterprise in China to ever be involved in a nuclear energy development project.
A historic moment.
Foreign media present at the event also began relaying footage to their headquarters, launching global livestreams in real time.
"Our correspondent in China reports that the Marching Ant Group and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are preparing to jointly develop nuclear fusion technology. The signing ceremony is about to begin. Here is a live feed from the venue…"
"Huaxia's state-backed Academy of Sciences and the private tech powerhouse Marching Ant are partnering to develop high-temperature plasma technology…"
"The Marching Ant Group, led by Chen Mo, is entering the nuclear fusion race…"
All of the world's top media were present. With a story this massive, there was no choice but to launch global broadcasts.
In minutes, images from the venue had spread across every major platform.
White House, United States.
An aide hurried into the Oval Office, holding out a tablet showing the livestream.
"Mr. President, news just came in from Huaxia. Marching Ant is preparing to collaborate with the government to study high-temperature plasma."
The President looked up, frowning."Don't use technical terms. Just tell me what it means."
"High-temperature plasma research… It's for controlled nuclear fusion."
"..."
It wasn't just the U.S. watching. Government officials in Europe, Russia, Japan, India, and beyond were all tuned in, their attention locked on the signing ceremony.
In just ten minutes, the event had drawn the eyes of the entire world.
Controlled nuclear fusion—humanity's ultimate energy solution. And now, the player stepping onto the field was none other than Marching Ant, the so-called miracle company. At its helm: Chen Mo, dubbed the "Giant of a New Era."
From seismic sensors to humanoid robots to real-time holographic systems, Chen Mo had taken technologies from the future and made them a reality. Every one of them had come from the Marching Ant Group.
Now they were targeting nuclear fusion.
Even skeptics had to admit—if anyone could accelerate the timeline of fusion R&D, it was Chen Mo.
Backstage at the venue.
"We've just received confirmation," Zhao Min reported, turning to Chen Mo."Major media have gone live. Foreign outlets are running simultaneous coverage across the globe."
Chen Mo was a little surprised."That fast?"
They had deliberately kept the press announcement quiet before the ceremony. They were concerned that too much publicity would result in chaos at the venue. Only a select few reporters had been invited.
But in this age of instant information, even that level of caution wasn't enough.
"Global attention like this… isn't it a bit too high-profile?" Chen Mo asked.
"You can't cover fire with paper," Zhao Min shrugged.**"We're working on nuclear fusion with the Academy of Sciences. It's not the kind of thing you can keep quiet for long.
"Besides, it was the Academy that organized this signing ceremony. I suspect they're using this to showcase the government–enterprise cooperation model and encourage scientific innovation."**
Chen Mo smiled."Alright then."
He turned to Yao Yi and Wang Nian."The time's about right. Let's get started."
"Let's go," Wang Nian said, giving Chen Mo a light pat on the back.
Under the eyes of the world, Chen Mo and his team stepped into the venue. The moment he appeared, every camera turned to follow him.
Once everyone was seated, a host in a sharp suit walked onstage with a microphone in hand, his face smiling—but unaware that the entire world was now watching his every word.
**"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome. I'm Hao Wenbin, your host for today's signing ceremony between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Marching Ant Group.
"We thank all of our guests and media friends for joining us. Today's event marks a historic collaboration.
"Please allow me to introduce the distinguished guests: Secretary Yao Yi of Binhai City; Academician Wang Nian, Director of the Institute of Plasma Physics; Mr. Chen Mo, Chairman of the Marching Ant Group; Mr. Shao Zhengyang, representing the National Nuclear Industry Group; and Ms. Zhao Min, President of Marching Ant…"**
Applause thundered through the venue. The atmosphere was electric.
Once the introductions concluded and the room settled, Hao Wenbin continued:
**"Today's project is a high-temperature plasma research initiative. While the term may sound technical, most of you are familiar with another name for it—the 'Artificial Sun'. The purpose of this project is to realize controlled nuclear fusion.
"With Marching Ant's unparalleled R&D capabilities and the Academy of Sciences' team of national experts, the partnership between these two powerhouses is sure to produce extraordinary results.
"The signing ceremony will now begin. Let us witness this historic moment together. I now invite Academician Wang Nian and Chairman Chen Mo to the stage…"**