The Sea Queen of 1985

Chapter 360: Chapter 360: He Won’t Do Anything Stupid

Kuno Hiroo smiled. ”Judging by your expression, you don’t seem at all interested in the collaboration I’m about to propose.”

Ye Feng shook his head at his words. ”It’s not that I’m displeased. I just doubt you can offer me a collaboration that would actually surprise me anymore.”

Kuno Hiroo sighed wistfully. ”Mr. Ye, you’ve really changed. You have to remember, you used to want even our most outdated technology.”

”Now I have some fairly advanced technology, yet you don’t seem interested in the slightest.”

Ye Feng chuckled. ”You’re exaggerating! Come on in. We can talk things over properly. It’s almost dinnertime, so you can join us for a bite at the house.”

Kuno Hiroo took a gift out of the car: two pink children’s bicycles, complete with training wheels.

Ye Feng raised an eyebrow. ”Why so thoughtful this time? You actually brought two little bicycles?”

Kuno sighed. ”I’ve figured it out. When I bring gifts, I’m ’Uncle Kuno.’ When I don’t, Pingping and An’an just hide behind the adults.”

Ye Feng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ”My daughters are nothing like that. You must just be so scary-looking that you frightened them!”

Kuno Hiroo touched his own, rather handsome face. ”I might concede other points, but if you’re going to say I’m not good-looking, I can’t accept that.”

In his home country, his height, build, and looks were all considered top-tier.

He might fall just a tiny bit short of Ye Feng, but he was by no means unattractive here in Hua Country—certainly not enough to frighten a child.

Han Xiaorui started to get up to make tea, but Ye Feng stopped her. ”I’ll do it. You stay seated.”

”Thanks, dear,” Han Xiaoru said with a smile, then turned to Kuno Hiroo. ”Mr. Kuno, you’re in for a treat. I managed to catch a tuna today.”

Kuno Hiroo nodded. ”Thank you, Ms. Han.”

”So, what’s this business about?” Han Xiaorui asked. ”You made a special trip, so I assume you have a surprise for us.”

Kuno Hiroo took a sip of his tea. ”Have you two ever considered getting into the semiconductor industry?”

Han Xiaorui and Ye Feng exchanged a glance. ”The semiconductor industry is highly advanced. Can you get your hands on the necessary equipment and technology?”

Kuno Hiroo nodded. ”Yes, I can. Not from Japan, though. This is from the United States’ end of the global supply chain, which has offshored many related industries to Japan and South Korea, and even Taiwan. You’ve always been trying to catch up and surpass others, so I figured you’d be interested. If you are, I can privately supply you with some equipment.”

Ye Feng thought for a moment. ”We’ll take it. I’m in on this deal.”

”But the initial investment is huge. If your subsequent R&D can’t keep pace, you might have to keep buying foreign equipment indefinitely,” Kuno Hiroo replied. ”It’s a massive cash burn. For any number of reasons, you might not turn a profit, and the R&D costs could even drive you into insolvency.”

Ye Feng smiled. ”You don’t need to worry about that. Just make sure we can get the advanced equipment and technology.”

Kuno Hiroo shook his head. ”The cutting-edge stuff is impossible to export to you. If this gets exposed, I could go to prison. What I can offer is the next-best-tier of technology.”

Ye Feng nodded. ”Can you give me the relevant documentation?”

Kuno Hiroo pulled a manila envelope from his briefcase. ”It’s all in here. Please try to give me an answer within three days. The price is listed as well. It’s a bit steep, but I don’t think it’s a bad deal for you, starting out with next-best-tier chip technology.”

”After all, your country has a limited foundation in this area, both in terms of technology and personnel. This level of tech will be easier to digest, adapt into your own, and then use as a base to develop new technologies. That’s what your Hua Country excels at.”

You had to hand it to him, Kuno Hiroo understood Hua Country all too well.

Ye Feng glanced at the figure and was taken aback. ”Is this the final price? Are you sure?”

Kuno Hiroo nodded. ”I am. It’s lower than you expected, isn’t it?”

”It is,” Ye Feng confirmed with a nod. ”Why? I don’t believe our friendship merits a price like this. Tell me your real purpose.”

Han Xiaorui’s eyes also narrowed with suspicion. ”What does he mean? Does Kuno Hiroo have some other objective?”

Kuno Hiroo gave an awkward laugh. ”It’s not so much an objective as it is... guilt. You could even say I’m afraid your Hua Country will come to settle accounts with me later on.”

At these words, both Han Xiaorui and Ye Feng’s eyes sharpened. ”Have you done something to harm our country’s interests?”

With their eyes fixed on him, Kuno Hiroo spoke sheepishly, ”Before the year’s end, some Japanese corporations visited an automation company in your northeast region under the pretext of a ’friendly exchange.’ After the visit, they went back, and this year, they’ve had a major technological breakthrough. You understand what that implies, don’t you?”

”And I was the one who led that delegation. I only understand business, not technology, so I didn’t think much of it at the time. But this year, thanks to Japan’s existing technological foundation, plus the ’inspiration’ they received... you could say they’ve even incorporated some of Hua Country’s technology.”

”How should I put this...? It’s not a good look, but from their perspective, they did nothing wrong. It’s just like how you do everything you can to visit and learn from others. But you’re too naive about some things. The reality isn’t so friendly. You need to have better security measures in place.”

This revelation left Han Xiaorui and Ye Feng dumbfounded. ”Something like that actually happened?”

Kuno Hiroo nodded. ”Overall, Hua Country’s technology lags behind Japan’s, but in some areas, you’re more advanced. You should have kept those cards closer to your chest. Even during an ’exchange,’ there’s no need to be so transparent.”

Han Xiaorui smiled. ”Aren’t you harming your own country’s interests by telling us all this?”

Kuno Hiroo scratched his head. ”It does. So what? They didn’t tell my Kuno family when they decided to pull this stunt! I was the one responsible for the itinerary and the exchange. You can’t hide a fire with paper. When Hua Country finds out later, aren’t they going to pin the blame on me?”

”I didn’t get anything out of it, so why should I take the fall for them? If it weren’t for my many sources, I would have been completely duped—the kind of fool who gets sold out and still helps the other guy count his money. They say risk and reward go hand in hand. I’m not about to take on a job that brings all the risk to the Kuno family and none of the reward.”

This was a conclusion Kuno Hiroo had reached after careful deliberation. This whole affair was bound to come to light sooner or later.

He was in the import-export trade, buying and selling related technology and equipment, and he had always prided himself on his integrity.

When he first made contact with that corporation, he thought he’d stumbled upon a huge bargain. He even thought the ornamental fish he’d sent as a gift had worked, finally winning him the client.

But thinking about it now, they had switched from their regular partner (a relative’s company) to work with him. It was the equivalent of a free lunch falling from the sky.

And that free lunch was poisoned.

Now that he’d swallowed it, Kuno Hiroo was determined to spit it back out. Otherwise, he would be poisoned to death by it. If he ever wanted to do business in Hua Country again, he would surely be targeted and ostracized.

Ye Feng smiled. ”Thanks for the warning.”

Kuno Hiroo held up a hand. ”No thanks needed. I’m just protecting the Kuno family’s interests. Besides, I have a request of my own.”

”What is it?” Ye Feng asked. As long as it didn’t violate his principles, he was willing to help.

Kuno Hiroo laid out his terms. ”This matter we just discussed, about the lack of technology security... Ye Feng, you can’t be the one to report it. And neither can your father. Our close relationship will make people connect the dots back to me.”