Huayu: This director is pretty strong.

Chapter 189 Tearing Off the Seals, Awakening the Sleeping Heavy Armor Legion

Chen Yan pushed the official document in front of Wang Yuanchao.

The paper scraped against the rough iron table, making a soft, rustling sound.

"Read the words above carefully."

Chen Yan steadied his voice, speaking each word clearly.

Wang Yuanchao put down his toolbox and leaned closer to the iron table.

Using the flashlight that Su Wan handed him, the old engineer read word by word the bold black text at the top of the document.

"Guiding Opinions on Establishing a National-Level Film and Television Heavy Industry Manufacturing Base and Special Effects Joint Laboratory".

Further down, the seals of the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the National Development and Reform Commission are placed side by side in the lower right corner.

The document clearly states that China Film Group will take the lead, with Yanying Culture as the implementing entity, and will unite with large, qualified heavy industry enterprises in China to jointly build a world-class physical industrial manufacturing base.

The project comes with the highest level of tax exemption policy, green light for special land use approval, and priority access to idle production capacity of state-owned enterprises.

Wang Yuanchao's fingers began to tremble.

He had worked in engineering all his life and knew all too well what it meant for these official seals to be stacked together.

This document carries far more weight than a factory office notice.

"This...this is real."

Wang Yuanchao raised his head, his voice trembling with excitement.

"The approval document was personally obtained by President Han."

Chen Yan pulled out the second document, which was a proof of funds for a corporate account.

"Yan Haishan's initial 50 million yuan has been deposited into Yanying Culture's dedicated account, and the remaining 250 million yuan will be received in batches over the next three months. The core technology team of New Zealand Vita Digital will arrive in Beijing tomorrow."

Chen Yan placed his hands on the table, leaned forward, and looked at Wang Yuanchao's face.

"Chief Engineer Wang, as I just said, Zhou Ming and Li Jianguo are playing the same tricks that contractors use to fight over territory."

"They thought they could shut me down by bribing one of the factory officials."

"But from the very beginning, I never intended to treat this project as a freelance outsourcing job."

Chen Yan raised his hand and pointed to the ground beneath his feet.

"I want to buy the entire abandoned production line of the third branch factory, and you will take the lead in establishing Yanying Heavy Industry."

"I want you to bring back all those people who went to sell meat, those level-eight fitters who repair bicycles, those senior welders, and those hydraulic transmission experts."

"Their wages will be three times what they earned at the factory back then, and their social insurance and housing fund contributions will be in accordance with the standards for foreign companies."

Chen Yan spoke one sentence after another, so loudly that even breathing in the workshop seemed exceptionally clear.

"You are not industrial waste."

"You are the most valuable backbone of this country."

"Now, I'm going to use this money to reassemble you and build steel equipment that will be remembered in film history and even in the history of Chinese industry."

"Do you dare to accept it?"

No one spoke in the workshop.

Wang Yuanchao kept his head down.

The flashlight beam fell on his noticeably heaving chest.

A single, murky tear fell onto the iron table, mingling with the black grease.

Forty years.

The humiliation during the reform.

The helplessness of the apprentices when they were laid off.

The frustration of being pinned against the wall by the security guard just now.

All the emotions surged up at once.

Wang Yuanchao raised his head.

He didn't speak.

He turned and walked straight toward the closed doors of the workshop.

Walking up to the two intersecting seals, Wang Yuanchao stretched out his rough hands and grabbed the factory office seal affixed to the door.

"Sizzle."

The sound of paper tearing echoed through the empty workshop.

He tore the seal into pieces, and the scraps of paper fell onto the oil-stained ground.

Old Liu, the head of the security department who had been smoking outside the door, heard the noise and saw this scene through the crack in the door. The cigarette butt in his hand fell to the ground with a thud.

"Old Wang! You've gone mad."

Old Liu shouted through the iron chain.

"Tearing off the factory seal will result in detention."

"You don't want to collect your pension anymore."

Wang Yuanchao looked at him through the iron gate, his face no longer showing any of his previous concession.

"Screw retirement pensions."

Wang Yuanchao roared.

"I'm now the chief engineer of a key national project, open the door for me."

Old Liu held the walkie-talkie, his hand frozen in mid-air, not daring to call for help again.

Chen Yan took out the satellite phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

The call was connected.

"Mr. Han, I'm sorry to disturb your rest."

Chen Yan spoke very steadily.

"I have finalized the equipment and personnel for Shougang's Third Plant."

"But the factory management was instructed by Oriental Cinema Line to seal off the workshop and now they won't let us out."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Then, President Han's deep voice came over.

"understood."

"Wait where you are."

The phone hangs up.

Less than three minutes later, Old Liu's cell phone on his waist outside the door started vibrating wildly.

Old Liu glanced at the caller ID and his face turned pale.

That was the private number of the head of Shougang Group.

Old Liu answered the phone with trembling hands.

"Liu Dajun, how dare you go after a national key cultural project spearheaded by Feng Zhongying?"

The factory manager's furious roar came through the phone.

"Remove the seals immediately and open the chains."

"If you delay the experts inside for even a second, you'll be packing your bags and going to work as a boiler operator tomorrow."

Old Liu's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down.

He responded repeatedly and hurriedly reached for his keys.

Click.

The brass padlock was opened.

The thick iron chain crashed to the ground with a clang.

Old Liu pushed open the heavy iron gate, forced a smile, and stood aside nodding repeatedly.

"Director Chen, Chief Engineer Wang, it's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding."

"There was a lack of communication from above."

Sweat poured from Lao Liu's forehead in layers.

Chen Yan didn't even glance at him.

He stepped out of the workshop, the cold air outside hitting his face and suppressing the restlessness in his chest.

Wang Yuanchao followed him out.

He glanced at the open door, then at Chen Yan, before turning and running back to his workstation.

The old engineer pulled out a worn-out kraft paper telephone book from the bottom of that old toolbox.

That address book contained the contact information for all his old friends and apprentices.

"Zhang Yuan."

Chen Yan gave the instructions.

"You stay and help Chief Engineer Wang."

"Before dawn tomorrow, I want to see the first batch of fifty core technicians assembled in this workshop."

"For funding approval, go directly to Su Wan and use the green channel."

"If you're missing any equipment, just buy new ones."

"clear."

Zhang Yuan responded excitedly and loudly.

He had been holding back his anger for a long time, and now it was finally their turn to retaliate.

Wang Yuanchao walked up to Chen Yan with the phone book in his hand.

He didn't offer any further thanks.

The promises of the older generation of industrial workers were never just words.

"Director Chen, please leave me a copy of the blueprints."

Wang Yuanchao stared at the blueprint as if he were looking at a rare object.

"Half a month."

"Within half a month, I will build out the prototype of the power chassis for that transport vehicle for you."

"If it doesn't meet your precision requirements, I, Wang Yuanchao, will cut off my head and let you kick it around like a ball."

Chen Yan nodded.

He handed one of the blueprint tubes to Wang Yuanchao.

"I'm waiting for your good news."

The dormant heavy infantry was completely awakened at this moment.

The steel barriers that the five major cinema chains attempted to block were directly crushed by Chen Yan using power and capital from a higher dimension.

Chen Yan turned and walked towards the Mercedes-Benz.

Su Wan followed behind him.

Just as the two were about to get into the car, Su Wan's phone suddenly rang urgently in her pocket.

Su Wan answered the phone.

The casting assistant director's anxious voice came through the receiver, his throat trembling.

"President Su, something has happened."

Su Wan frowned.

"Slow down, what happened at the audition?"

Tomorrow morning is the audition for the other important supporting roles in "The Wandering Earth," excluding the female lead Han Duoduo.

The venue was set in the studio of the Yanying Culture headquarters building.

"People from Oriental Cinemas brought a group of people and blocked the audition site."

The assistant director's voice was strained.

"They brought three A-list actresses with them. The producer leading the team directly stated that if we didn't give the roles of the first, second, and third female leads to their people, the five major cinema chains would not only cut off our future screenings, but also unite with the entire Beijing entertainment circle to blacklist our crew."

"The area outside is swarming with entertainment reporters they've attracted, and the security guards are about to be overwhelmed."

Su Wan's face darkened, she covered the microphone and quickly reported the situation to Chen Yan.

After Chen Yan broke through the industrial sector, the five major cinema chains immediately turned their guns on the entertainment industry, using their absolute dominance to launch a coup regarding the cast.

They wanted to use a cramming approach to turn this hard science fiction film into a showcase for their popular celebrities.

Chen Yan stopped in his tracks as he was about to open the car door.

He turned to look in the direction of the brightly lit city of Beijing, his eyes devoid of any warmth.

"Tell the assistant director to open the door and let all the reporters and celebrities in."

Chen Yan sat in the back seat, his voice steady and without any inflection.

"Director Chen, if we let them in, they will completely control public opinion."

Su Wan sat in the passenger seat, her voice filled with worry.

Chen Yan leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

"Lin Qingqiu's plane will land in Beijing at 9 a.m. tomorrow."

Chen Yan gave the instructions.

"Send a car to pick her up from the airport and take her directly to the audition."

Chen Yan opened his eyes and looked ahead.

"Since they want to play the game of celebrities forcing their way out."

"Then let them see what a real massacre is."