Polycarbonate was a practical material—cheap, durable, easy to mold and dye, and didn't block signals.
But at the end of the day... plastic was plastic.
It felt cheap, and the phone didn't look good either. Haifeng understood the R&D team was following orders. He had pushed for cost efficiency from the start, not high profit.
These two new models were designed for volume—built to conquer the low- and mid-range market. Performance couldn't be garbage, but aesthetics had been sacrificed.
Looking at the clunky design, Haifeng let out a sigh. It was ugly—but it would sell.
"Old Zhang, come here. This is the new machine design. These low-to-mid-end phones won't be part of the Hongmeng series anymore."
"Instead, we're setting up a subsidiary under China Star called Xingchen Technology. These two models will be named Hongmeng Xingchen M1 and Hongmeng Xingchen Q1. Once debugging is done, move them into production."
Zhang Yu frowned. "How many units are we talking about?"
"How many Hongmeng series phones have been produced so far?"
"Ten million of the flagship X1, and five million of the S1R."
"Then we'll put these on hold. Before the next launch event, another 20 million units of the flagship X1 and 10 million of the S1R will be produced. Fit the Xingchen series into the schedule when there's room."
The "Xingchen series" (星辰, meaning "Stars") was Haifeng's code name for the low-to-mid-end phone lineup.
"Hongmeng diverges, and stars fill the sky."
"Stars are the most numerous celestial bodies—just like the low-end market."
Each star emits a tiny light, but they illuminate the universe together. Haifeng believed that every consumer, regardless of budget, was vital to this era.
The name "Xingchen" was perfect.
"Got it. I'll go make arrangements, President Lu," Zhang Yu replied.
Haifeng noticed that Zhang had looked down on the new models. They were ugly—too embarrassing to carry the "Hongmeng" brand name.
It was clear now: the company needed more than coders. It needed industrial designers, composite materials experts, and genuine creative professionals. He couldn't keep relying on system-assigned NPCs to do everything.
An honest company needs real people.
Not just engineers but artists, material scientists, and designers.
Haifeng made a mental list:
Phone appearance
Material research
Thermal design
Aesthetic UI design
Wallpaper themes
UI beautification
All of it needed a human touch.
The future of smartphones wasn't just performance—it was presentation. Users will compare camera sensors, screens, and charging speeds in a few years. But right now? The market was still in its early growth phase.
At this stage, buyers cared about simple things:
Is it smooth?
Does it lag?
Is the build quality good?
Is it cheap?
Can I buy it in a local store?
Specs barely mattered.
That's why brands like Ou and Wei were thriving. They had their production plants and nationwide retail networks. Their phones were:
Durable
Affordable
Widely available
Backed by strong after-sales service
Aesthetically appealing
The only domestic rival that could match them was Lan Zu. Even Hammer, a future player, was still years away.
But China Star?
They had everything now—tech, cost efficiency, and national store coverage. Only design was holding them back.
The company produced phones at full speed, shipping them to direct-sale and franchise stores across China.
Then—without warning—China Star dropped a bomb:
A flagship launch event is scheduled for September 26.
There had been no rumors. No leaks.
The internet was stunned.
"Where did this come from? Is it legit?"
"They didn't announce anything online before… It just appeared on the website?"
"A new flagship? What does that even mean?"
And then curiosity took over.
China Star was already the most talked-about tech brand in the country. A new phone announcement from them sent waves through every online platform.
"I get what 'flagship' means. I get what 'phone' means. But what the hell is a 'flagship phone'?!"
"It sounds like a phone that commands other phones... like a battleship for mobile?"
"Okay, but jokes aside, what is even a flagship phone? Is it better than the S1?"
"I was planning to buy the Hongmeng S1, but now I'm stuck. Should I wait for the flagship? I'm dying to know the specs."
"Look, if you were going to buy the S1, your budget is probably tight. Just go for it if you can find one. It's been sold out for about 3–4 weeks anyway."
The hype had begun.
China Star was about to unveil the next evolution of smartphones.
And this time, it wasn't just about performance or affordability…
It was about dominance.