Pakpoom spoke in a smooth, resonant baritone as he gestured toward his magnificent estate. Yongchang scanned the surroundings before offering a thin smile. "A beautiful place. Fitting for the head of Thailand’s largest construction empire."
"Please, have a seat," Pakpoom invited, motioning toward a teak chair. Yongchang sat and placed a brown envelope on the table. "I have arranged everything exactly as you requested."
Pakpoom pulled the documents out, his eyes skimming the venture capital agreement with Aurora Quantum.
"Back then... you made it sound like you wanted to invest in raw ore," Yongchang asked suspiciously. "Why has it turned into Gallium extraction technology?"
Pakpoom looked up, arching an eyebrow with a smirk designed to provoke. "It’s an investment in minerals either way, isn't it? Raw ore or extraction tech it all boils down to Gallium in the end."
Yongchang’s eye twitched at the man's nonchalance. "But the price you paid... it wasn't small."
"Not as high as you’d think," Pakpoom shrugged dismissively. "The company was on the brink of bankruptcy, wasn't it? Buying at this price is a steal better than letting it go to waste."
Yongchang glared at Pakpoom’s arrogance. "These people are unreliable. Their research isn't even finished. Investing now is riskier than a game of high-stakes dice."
"So be it," Pakpoom replied, flipping through the pages half-heartedly. "If it fails, I’ll just pull my capital out. It’s never too late."
Yongchang sneered inwardly, mocking the "small-brained" Thai businessman for throwing money at a start-up that Chinese investors had already abandoned. But since Pakpoom insisted only on the Gallium industry, Aurora Quantum was the only choice.
"Don’t blame me later. I offered you other minerals," Yongchang warned. He had tried to steer the investment elsewhere, but Pakpoom remained stubborn acting like a fool who thought he was a genius.
"Then it's a deal. I’ll grant you the gold in the vault as promised," Pakpoom said flatly. Yongchang nodded with a mocking smile. "Thank you for keeping your word."
"On one condition," Pakpoom interjected. "You get it only after the negotiations are finalized and the Aurora Quantum patents are officially in my hands."
Yongchang’s smile vanished. "You! You said I’d get it as soon as I found the company!"
"Take it or leave it," Pakpoom played his hand. "I can handle the rest myself from here. It’s not that hard." Yongchang shook with suppressed rage, forced to swallow his pride.
He was a cornered dog. If he returned to CK Group, he faced the fraud charges Mingzhi had framed him with. Worse, men in black were tailing his every move. His only choice was to remain the pawn of this cunning Thai businessman.
"Fine... I agree," Yongchang hissed.
Pakpoom smirked coldly. "Good. Tomorrow, I fly to China."
"And what about me?" Yongchang asked, panicked.
Pakpoom looked him up and down. "What about you? I hired you for information, not to be my shadow."
Yongchang’s mouth hung open. "Can't I... tag along?"
Pakpoom shrugged. "For what? I don't need the extra baggage."
Yongchang took a deep breath, cursing the man in his mind. "I can get you access to the heavy hitters there. My connections will give you privileges no other investor can touch."
Pakpoom narrowed his eyes, weighing the offer. "Your words, not mine..."
"I stand by them," Yongchang insisted.
"Fine. I’ll have my secretary book a last-minute ticket. But be warned it’s Economy Class," Pakpoom said before walking away.
Yongchang forced a grateful smile. "Thank you." But as soon as Pakpoom’s back was turned, his eyes hardened with pure hatred. "You arrogant Thai bastard! You puffed-up toad! Once I survive this... I’ll make sure you’re the one on your knees begging for your life!"
The final briefing for the Thailand Hydrogen Sandbox began. The board members took their seats, including Gawin, Tum, and Zhang Wei. Meiling and Rongru entered, met by the challenging glare of Wenjie. Chatchawin followed, greeting the senior directors.
Then, a stranger entered a young man in his early twenties, wearing a t-shirt under a navy blazer. He shook hands with Zhang Wei before everyone settled in. Gawin opened the meeting immediately.
"Today, we conclude the setup of the Thai Sandbox," Gawin announced. "I’d like to introduce a key player: Yu Luofan from the start-up Hydra-Flux. He is the mind behind the Ni-P innovation, which will slash hydrogen energy costs to a commercially viable level."
The board murmured in surprise. Meiling narrowed her eyes at the newcomer.
A few days prior, Zhang Wei and Gawin had met in secret. "If we don't present this innovation, the sandbox will be delayed," Zhang Wei had warned. "But if we show it without a plan, the CK board will find a way to seize it."
Gawin had looked out the window, arching an eyebrow. "There is a way."
"How?"
"We need a buffer to protect the tech from being copied while ensuring Hydra-Flux keeps its interests... No, make that three parties with shared interests," Gawin had said with a cunning glint in his eye.
Back in the present, Gawin glanced at Chatchawin. He knew Chatchawin was a man who prioritized his own gain above all else. He would never allow this technology to fall solely into the hands of the CK Group.