CHAPTER 78: CHAPTER 78: HER COUNTERATTACK—FIERCE AND UNYIELDING

"Why was it invalidated? This came from your organizers."

Summer Shaw was anxious.

"Did Evan Grant tell you to do this?"

The staff did not explain, instead pushing them aside, allowing other corporate representatives to enter the forum.

At that moment, a man stopped in front of them.

"Miss Jacobs?" Jared Langley tentatively asked.

Juliana Jacobs was wrapped up tightly; she met his gaze and nodded, "President Langley."

Jared Langley saw them standing outside and gave a slight smile, "Evan Grant made it clear he wants you blocked. Do you still intend to persist?"

"Does President Langley have a way to let us in?" Juliana asked.

Jared Langley raised his eyebrows without speaking.

Juliana knew the cost of asking for his help, "I will definitely repay your favor."

"Without the support of a husband and no social status as Mrs. Grant, what can you offer me?" Jared Langley asked.

Juliana knew he was refusing, so she averted her gaze, preparing to think of another way.

Just then, Jared Langley told the staff, "These two are my friends."

The staff immediately smiled politely, "Blackstar Technologies has four invitation slots; you’re welcome to enter with your friends."

Reality is indeed this pragmatic.

Juliana and Summer Shaw followed Jared Langley into the venue. Without the name tag for Aetherflame Dynamics, they didn’t even have a seat.

Fortunately, the summit wouldn’t officially start for another twenty minutes, so many corporate leaders were still outside viewing products at the display stands.

Jared Langley looked at Juliana with a smile, "Continue with me?"

But that would come with a price.

Juliana bowed her head slightly, "Thank you, President Langley, for getting us in. We won’t trouble you with what’s next."

"Then good luck to you."

Jared Langley smiled, walking away with a hint of arrogance with his entourage.

Juliana immediately split up with Summer Shaw.

Summer Shaw received a titanium alloy box from the company secretary at the side door, and the two hurried towards the core display area.

They needed to seize the ten minutes before the official start of the summit to unveil Aetherflame’s newly developed heavy-duty truck battery in the core exhibition area.

As they jogged through the service passage, Juliana staggered, and Summer Shaw quickly supported her.

"Can you still hold up? If not, I’ll go."

Juliana took a couple of breaths, "It’s nothing. I can do it."

Seeing her pushing herself to the last breath, Summer Shaw’s eyes turned a bit red.

As they turned a corner, two security guards approached them.

Summer Shaw cleverly stuffed the box into a nearby cleaning cart, then wobbled as if she were about to faint.

"Oh no, I seem to have heatstroke, I’m going to faint, going to faint."

The two security guards hurriedly helped her to the rest area, and Juliana was ignored.

Juliana picked up the heavy titanium alloy box, almost losing balance, gritting her teeth as she quickly ran into the core exhibition area.

Inside the exhibition area, Evan Grant and the summit host Dr. Gale were walking together.

Dr. Gale was a leading expert in the field of new energy batteries.

"Nowadays, the development of new energy heavy trucks is nearly complete, leaving battery technology as the decisive factor. If the power and temperature control challenges of special operation vehicles are conquered, it will surely ’bloom alone and kill all to awe’."

Evan Grant nodded, "Whoever can achieve a technological breakthrough will surely become the industry leader."

But Dr. Gale sighed, "However, as far as I know, there has been no progress globally in the relevant technologies."

As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed a familiar figure on the second floor, then said goodbye to Evan Grant and left.

Ethan Carter approached and whispered, "President Grant, the people from Aetherflame Dynamics still got in, couldn’t stop them."

Evan Grant’s expression turned grim for a moment; just as he was about to speak, a clear female voice came from the Titan Heavy Industries’ platform, "President Holt, can your company’s new energy heavy truck achieve 800 kilometers range with a 15-minute rapid charge?"

Stanley Holt looked over, unable to recognize Juliana as she was fully armed, but found the voice familiar.

The assistant stepped forward, "Are you here to cause trouble? Where are the security guards, where..."

Stanley Holt graciously stopped his assistant and looked at Juliana, "Then why don’t you show us?"

Juliana’s heart raced, knowing the medication was nearing its end.

After taking a deep breath, she quickly took out a battery module from the box.

Everyone was astonished.

This set of non-lithium solid-state battery systems had a smaller volume than the various brands of heavy-duty truck lithium battery modules currently on the market but boasted a higher density of functionality.

Juliana swiftly assembled the equipment and was about to demonstrate when Jared Langley’s voice came from the audience.

"If it’s a breakthrough product, why not show us the entire test results?"

Juliana looked at him; Jared Langley smiled nonchalantly, as if watching a show, yet also seemed to be giving her a chance to demonstrate.

But that would require using a professional transparent test chamber.

Dr. Gale turned to the man next to him, "Mr. Langley, do you think such a product exists?"

Elias Langley showed no facial expression, "The purpose of the summit is to acquire breakthrough products. If it’s false advertising, just throw it out."

Immediately, Dr. Gale took out a wireless microphone, "Then let’s use the transparent display chamber."

This implied that the upcoming summit would be delayed for her.

Juliana was startled for a moment, seeing Elias Langley, and her eyes welled up with gratitude.

"President Grant, is the person on the platform your wife?" Ethan Carter thought the voice sounded like her.

Evan Grant pressed his lips together, remaining silent.

"Hey, even with a mask on, why would Mrs. Grant come here to make a fool of herself?" Ethan Carter sighed.

Both he and Evan Grant believed that a full-time housewife of four years could not possibly develop a successful product in a short time that professional teams had failed to achieve over the years.

After the battery module entered the display chamber, Jared Langley quietly instructed his assistant, "Set the temperature range to -50 degrees to 70 degrees."

The assistant’s heart jolted.

This would simulate extreme conditions from polar regions to deserts, a test no existing battery could withstand.

He couldn’t understand if the boss wanted to boost Juliana’s reputation or embarrass her, but he immediately agreed, "I’ll get on it."

Juliana noticed the temperature being reset, but it was too late.

Summer Shaw squeezed her arm, "Damn! We’ve never done this extreme test before..."

Juliana wiped away the cold sweat on her forehead and pressed her trembling wrist.

"Don’t panic; we’ll just get test data now?"

She focused on the blinking indicator lights inside the chamber as the light in front of her flickered back and forth.

Just as her legs started to go weak, the temperature curve finally stabilized within a safe threshold, and the chamber indicator light turned a stable green.

Summer Shaw widened her eyes, "It... it succeeded?!"

A confident smile bloomed on Juliana’s lips.

On the data screen, performance parameters were even 5% higher than at normal temperatures.

Jared Langley stared at the report on the display, his gaze gradually deepening, "Interesting..."

Dr. Gale couldn’t hide his excitement, "This is... a groundbreaking new technology astounding the world."

Meanwhile, Elias Langley observed the woman on the platform, devoid of desire or hostility, calmly deconstructing her unexpected variable presence.

Leaning on Summer Shaw for support, Juliana turned towards the crowd, her slightly hoarse voice carrying an edge.

"Thank you to the summit organizers for allowing us to demonstrate. Aetherflame Dynamics fully owns the entire chain of independent intellectual property for this technology. We are now seeking an exclusive strategic partner globally. But I must emphasize, we will not collaborate with the Cortexa Group under any circumstances!"

The words fell, causing a stir in the crowd.

This final statement undoubtedly put an end to Evan Grant’s heavily invested core project.

Juliana’s retaliation was ruthless and resolute.

She began to breathe heavily, and Summer Shaw quickly supported her through the service passage.

"I informed my brother; he should be at the entrance soon. Do you want to..."

Summer Shaw hadn’t finished her sentence when someone grabbed Juliana’s shoulder.

"Four years pretending to be an unworldly housewife, was it all just an act for me?"

Evan Grant pulled her forcefully back.

Juliana seemed to lose weight, falling back from Summer Shaw’s support.

However, Evan Grant didn’t catch her but grabbed her wrist, yanking off her glove.

"This skill of yours..."

The glove slipped off, revealing net-like bruises on the back of her hand from being struck.

Juliana hit the wall, her mask slipping, revealing her pale face with a purple bruise.

Evan Grant’s reprimand was abruptly silenced...