Haifeng took the stage once again.
"The Jinwu chip differs from the Kunpeng chip, which emphasizes raw performance, and the Zhulong chip, which focuses on balanced processing power."
"Jinwu's strength lies in one thing: fluency."
That caught the audience's attention.
"You'd think performance equals fluency. Not quite."
"The Jinwu chip uses a unique design and algorithm to maintain a smooth operating experience even when pushed to its limits."
"Even if the system runs at full capacity, it avoids lag."
"And just like its namesake—the mythical Golden Crow that scorches the skies—this chip burns away system junk automatically."
The crowd buzzed again.
"It cleans up garbage files? You mean like a built-in memory cleaner?"
"That's huge. Every phone slows down over time."
"If this chip keeps things smooth long-term, it's a game changer."
Haifeng continued.
"Mid-to-low-end phones often suffer from lag after a few months of use. Even cleaning apps don't help much."
"But the Jinwu chip solves this at the root. It actively clears cache, redundant data, and junk files—without needing third-party software."
He smiled.
"So let me break down our chip strategy:
Kunpeng: Flagship tier
Zhulong: Mainstream tier
Jinwu: Mid-to-low-end / Entry-level tier"
Each chip was purpose-built. No filler. No overlap.
In the background, competing brands watching the live stream began to panic.
"Wait, he just rolled out a full chip ecosystem?"
"Every segment—from flagship to entry—has its own custom chip?"
Even high-level execs were shaken.
Meanwhile, Haifeng smiled and moved toward his closing remarks.
"It's time to wrap up."
"One year ago, China Star was on the brink of collapse. Today, we stand on stage with our chips, operating system, production lines, and retail network."
"This is thanks to all of you."
Applause thundered through the room.
Then someone shouted from the audience:
"President Lu, will there be a limited-time purchase like last year?"
"When does the X1 go on sale?"
Haifeng grinned.
"Good news. Starting last year, we built our production lines. They're now fully operational."
"While we may not match the world's largest manufacturers yet, we can meet our demands."
"And last year, we opened our flagship and specialty stores. Today, we have:
Over 100 flagship stores
Over 400 specialty stores nationwide."
"So this year, there's no limited-time purchase.
Starting tomorrow, you can buy the Hongmeng X1 directly."
The crowd went wild.
"For real?! I can walk in and get one tomorrow?"
"No more online lottery? No resellers?!"
"I'm camping outside tonight!"
Haifeng clarified:
"At launch, phones will only be available at flagship stores in provincial capitals. Specialty stores will begin selling three days later."
"Online purchases can only be made through our official app: China Star Home."
"We've received too many complaints about fake phones and unauthorized resellers."
"So this year, we will not sell through third-party platforms or online marketplaces. Only our flagship stores and our official app will carry authentic stock."
"Shipments will go out from local flagship stores, not headquarters."
The decision surprised some, but it made perfect sense: eliminate counterfeits, control supply, and protect the brand.
The live stream ended.
Across China, die-hard fans packed their bags and raced to their local flagship store entrances.
Some brought tents. Others camped out on cardboard. They didn't care about rain or wind.
"I'm staying here all night if I have to. I need that X1."
📍 Next Morning – Magic City (Shanghai)
Mao Mingyu had stayed up late watching the launch. When he finally woke up, something felt… off.
The noise outside was way too loud.
He got up, looked out the window—and his jaw dropped.
"No way… what the hell?!"
Right outside the building, a crowd had already gathered. Hundreds of people were standing in line, and more were arriving by the minute.
He looked down at the China Star flagship store.
He could see staff moving nonstop through the glass doors—unpacking, scanning, shipping. The entire store was a hive of activity.
And everyone leaving was carrying a Hongmeng X1.
"The Hongmeng X1 is already exploding," he whispered.
By the afternoon, the internet had detonated.
On Weibo, 9 of the top 10 trending topics were related to China Star:
Long lines outside China Star stores across the country
Hongmeng X1 smartphone sales are exploding
X1 sold out in hours
Flagship store entrances flooded nationwide
China Star dominates domestic smartphone market
…and more.
Online buzz. Offline madness.
The Hongmeng X1 was already a phenomenon.
But how big would this explosion become?
Even the industry couldn't predict it yet.