At the Altice Group headquarters, Kang Bomin sat in silence, a dark cloud over his mood.
The cooperation with the Marching Ant Company had been nearly finalized. He'd personally tested the second-generation Butterfly Eye smartphone—and was impressed. The intelligent assistant software was revolutionary, marking a departure from traditional touchscreen controls. Coupled with its sleek, elegant design, the Butterfly Eye made even Apple's phones look outdated.
If the deal had gone through, Altice Group could've seized massive market share across the European telecom sector.
But at the last minute, the board vetoed everything. They demanded equity—shares in the Marching Ant Company—rather than just partnership.
They had underestimated their target.
Marching Ant rejected the demand without hesitation. They didn't even stay to discuss it. Zhao Min and her team returned to China overnight, without so much as a formal goodbye.
Kang Bomin sighed, pulling out his phone to make a call.
He had a bad feeling—one that whispered that he'd just lost a powerful potential ally.
News of the failed cooperation between Marching Ant and Altice spread rapidly back in China.
The Marching Ant Company had been developing at a blazing pace. In the domestic high-end smartphone market, their presence had expanded like wildfire. Their attempt to break into the global market had been highly anticipated.
Now, their first international setback had arrived—and it was headline material.
"Marching Ant's International Expansion Hits a Wall" – Global News
"Europe Fears Eastern Tech Invasion: Marching Ant Stopped at the Gates" – Financial Times
"Reuters: Deal Between Altice and Marching Ant Falls Through" – Phoenix Network
Online forums and news sites exploded with commentary. Analysts, tech bloggers, and financial pundits all weighed in.
For the first time, the Marching Ant Company had hit resistance.
In recent years, China's domestic tech landscape had been locked in by entrenched players. Newcomers rarely made it far. But Marching Ant had bulldozed through the stagnation like a swarm of fire ants—aggressive, coordinated, and unrelenting.
Among young entrepreneurs, the Marching Ant Company had become a symbol of success.
This sudden stumble in Europe? It was big news.
Still, most analysts concluded the delay would only affect international plans. Their dominance in China remained untouched.
Outside Marching Ant HQ, a cluster of reporters waited, swarming like bees the moment Zhao Min's car pulled in.
"President Zhao, why did Altice refuse to cooperate?"
"How will Marching Ant move forward after this setback?"
"Will you seek deals with other telecom operators?"
"When are you going public? And how do you respond to rumors about this failed deal?"
Questions flew from every direction.
Zhao Min remained calm as she looked out the window, the security team holding the reporters at bay.
She hadn't expected their return to be leaked so fast—much less become headline news.
But it didn't matter.
Marching Ant wasn't a publicly listed company. They weren't subject to stock market shocks or shareholder panic. Public opinion had little power over their decisions. This failed deal was merely a temporary obstacle.
As the car rolled through the gates, Zhao Min exhaled.
Chen Mo's office.
"Brother Mo, I've found the information you asked for," Ink Girl reported.
On the desk in front of Chen Mo were files detailing the internal structures and ownership of European telecom giants:
Vodafone, France Telecom, Orange, Deutsche Telekom, Altice…
All five had been directly involved in the blackout of Marching Ant's market entry. They effectively controlled the entire European telecom industry.
And behind them?
A network of powerful financial groups and industrial families. Old money. Ancient monopolies.
The moment Marching Ant tried to enter Europe, these oligarchs had reacted like white blood cells attacking a virus.
Chen Mo tapped the documents lightly.
Just as expected. Europe wasn't a free market. It was a fortress.
Their plans to go global would have to wait.
"Brother Mo, Zhao Min's arrived. She's just outside the experimental zone," Ink Girl said.
A moment later, Zhao Min stepped into his office. Chen Mo was already seated on the sofa, gesturing for her to sit across from him.
"You should've taken another day to rest," he said.
"One day's enough. There's a lot to handle here," she replied, sipping the tea brought by a service robot and leaning back.
"I can't lie—I'm annoyed. We were one step from signing, and they pulled out. Now the media's having a field day. I'm certain the leak was intentional."
Chen Mo gave a faint smile. "Good thing we didn't sign anything. If they'd turned around and created trouble afterward, it'd be worse. For now, let's focus on growing domestically. The global market can wait."
The three biggest markets for premium smartphones were China, North America, and Europe.
Europe was now blocked.
And North America?
Even more impenetrable.
Those markets were controlled by capital giants—conglomerates that manipulated policy, markets, and influence. If you threatened their interests, they'd shut the door in your face.
Zhao Min nodded. "Unless you feed them enough meat, they'll never let you in. And even then, they'll find a way to own you."
She had seen it all before.
Over the years, promising new companies were either bought out, absorbed, or buried. Even successful startups ended up dancing in the hands of monopolies.
In China, things were slightly better due to regulatory protection. Even then, dominant giants ensured no competitor rose too high. Just look at how food delivery apps and bike-sharing startups all ended up under the same umbrellas.
"Outside," Zhao Min said, "it's even worse. The capital structure is old and ossified. If you pose even a minor threat, they'll cut you down without hesitation."
"Either surrender… or die."
Chen Mo nodded.
If the Marching Ant Company hadn't been private and fiercely independent, they'd have been consumed already.
And now? Foreign and domestic giants were watching them like wolves—waiting for the slightest opening.
Zhao Min glanced at the sleek service robot behind him and asked, "So… when are you launching that beauty?"
Chen Mo turned to look at the robot. "It's not ready. The software is there—thanks to Ink Girl—but the hardware still needs refinement. The battery tech, chips, and structure all need more time. It's not market-ready."
"Shame," Zhao Min said. "It'd blow the world's mind."
Chen Mo chuckled and started explaining its tech details. After their brief discussion, Zhao Min rose and left the office.
Time passed quietly.
The Marching Ant Company's failed negotiations with Altice slowly faded from the headlines.
But just as the buzz was dying down…
A new storm was about to begin.