Chapter 86 (1/2)

Chapter 86: The Great Depression (Part Five)

The Great Depression (Part Five)

Ford hardly used his own office, but today, he formally invited Huang Xuan into it. They were to meet two hours later. Huang Xuan himself suggested it.

While Ford was patrolling the workshop, Huang Xuan made use of the remaining 30 cents he had to buy 20 sheets of drawing paper and 2 pencils. He sat under an eave and spread them out. Rolin, while complaining, turned these blank pieces of paper into completed diagrams. The carbon powder seemed to be dancing in the air as they lined up in seemingly agreed upon positions, before landing on the paper according to Rolin's findings.

Carbon was easily absorbed. Rolin only had to ensure each particle landed in the right position on the paper. The diagrams were completed very quickly, akin to photocopying. However, this still consumed a significant amount of energy because it was a different plane.

Rolin concluded that this method consumed far less energy than if he were to control Huang Xuan's body. The difference in ma.s.s alone was extreme, not to mention the efficiency.

As expected, the complex design of the engine could not be captured in just ten diagrams. They definitely wouldn't suffice if they were meant to aid in manufacturing the engines.

However, they were only to be used for negotiation.

Huang Xuan rolled up the diagrams and lifted his head. He made his way to Ford's office.

Besides Edsel, many other high-ranking executives had gathered in the office. After old Ford had stepped down, they had spent loads of money to acquire shares in the company. Ford became a family business through and through. Despite this, Edsel only needed to consult his father when he made major decisions. In fact, he had to consult his father.

The office was 200 square meters huge. As he walked in, Huang Xuan kept silent. He laid out the diagrams which he had held in his hand onto the round table in the center of the office. The diagrams were mere outlines and were lacking in detail compared to the diagrams used in manufacturing.

There were seven people present in total. After Huang Xuan sat down, everyone else surrounded the round table. With grave expressions, they flipped through each diagram.

”This design is pretty good,” Kent, the creative director of Ford, said as he spread his arms. To Edsel, he said, ”But we already have similar designs. We don't have to spend money on these.”

Huang Xuan pursed his lips. Similar designs? Ford still had to spend a year and a half on those ”similar designs”. He laid back comfortably on the sofa and sipped on his coffee. Still, he didn't say a word.

Edsel too remained silent. He knew the circ.u.mstances of his factory better than anyone else. On the other hand, the rest of the people in the room broke into a discussion. Yet, everyone knew full well that old Ford was the real decision maker. When it came to the direction in which Ford was headed, Henry Ford remained in control. He had not pa.s.sed down sufficient authority to his son in that respect.

”Is this your design?' Edsel asked, mildly curious.

”Of course,” Huang Xuan answered. His gaze did not falter.

It was common for people to design industrial products in the 20th century. This was how Honda and Ford started out. It was very similar to how a programmer completed a software in the second half of the 20th century.

Edsel gave him a look of appreciation. As the saying went, great minds think alike. This held true even though the great minds belonged to different planes.

The V8 was probably going to be the last piece of inheritance that Edsel received in his lifetime.

Huang Xuan felt a surge of pity. However, this remarkable and wealthy young man was to perish in an accident. According to the guardian, this kind of fate was impossible to change because the buffer zone had ways to adjust itself to any altera

tions. If avoiding the accident caused too much of a change in the buffer zone' energy, he could well be struck by lighting.

The people sitting across from Huang Xuan began to discuss in hushed tones. On the other hand, Ford's sales manager, Steven, attempted to cozy up to him. He asked, ”Have you applied for a patent yet? Such a perfect design could very well be stolen.”

Huang Xuan smiled. Nonchalantly, he replied, ”As long as you are willing to pay, you can keep the designs. Then, whatever you want to apply for is up to you.”

This surprised him. Kent glanced at Ford and frowned, trying to signal to him with his eyes. These men were used to applying for patents for everything that they did. Huang Xuan's way of doing things confused them. Perhaps they didn't even have to spend money. Apart from Huang Xuan, everyone else was thinking this.

He had thought about this before, but he didn't know what else he could do. Besides his own ident.i.ty being a problem, the speed that the United States Patent and Trademark Office worked was an issue as well. The wait for a patent would give him time to travel back and forth between two planes umpteen times. Moreover, he hadn't expected to gain much money from Ford. This was 1931, a modern society. There were far too many ways to earn money — ways that were more effective and faster than selling patents.