Chapter 25-26

Chapter 25: Journey to Europe

"It seems we've caught some unexpectedly big fish."

Bruce hung up the satellite phone, gently swirling the drink in his hand. The call from Ray Stein took him by surprise; he had thought they were dealing with a few low-level demons looking for prey, perfect to give Samuel Phillips a bit of a thrill. Unexpectedly, they were up against a foe like Modess, someone even Ray admitted he might not be able to defeat.

The rules of the demon world are simple, direct, and realistic—power is the only measure of status and the glue that holds territories together. A bunch of small fry, no matter how numerous, can hardly band together, always ending up as scattered sands. It takes a strong power core to organize them, perhaps a singularly powerful upper demon or a small team with common interests. Hence, there are so many lone wolves. But Modess and his crew didn't seem like mere stragglers; they appeared to be an organized force.

It looked like some plans needed to be expedited.

"Mr. Lee, are you satisfied with the Airbus A380?" John Lacy, the Chief Operating Officer in charge of customer business at Airbus, after giving a few instructions to his subordinates, came over with a glass of champagne and sat across from Bruce enthusiastically.

They were high above the North Atlantic, flying directly from New York to Toulouse, France—home base of Airbus SE. After dealing with a batch of company affairs, Bruce finally had some free time to engage in other activities. This visit, at the invitation of Airbus SE to tour their A380 model center and further specify the details for his customized private plane, was timely.

Airbus SE's service was impeccable, providing a blue and white A380 for direct transportation. Clearly, this was to let him experience the A380's advantages firsthand. This "airborne behemoth" stands over 24 meters tall, equivalent to 7 or 8 stories high, with a cabin space of 900 square meters, allowing for the addition of any conceivable entertainment and living facilities.

Bruce nodded, raising his glass to John Lacy: "There's just one thing I'm not too happy about, Mr. Lacy. That's the delivery time." Airbus SE had given a timeline of one year and eight months, which was less than satisfactory for him.

John Lacy managed a bitter smile: "That's actually quite fast. When we first completed the A380 private jet series, it generally took three to four years for delivery. It was only this year that the speed improved due to the completion of the retrofitting system. After all, it's a massive project. We must ensure the quality of the modifications to deliver a perfect behemoth."

Bruce remained noncommittal, finishing his whiskey in one gulp, looking at the COO with a half-smile: "I appreciate your pragmatism and honesty, Mr. Lacy. But, as with all other challenges in the world, there's always a solution. It's all about how much we value the issue, right?"

John Lacy felt somewhat uneasy under his calm gaze, managing only a sheepish laugh in response. Bruce was right; while these behemoths required time for retrofitting, some of the delay was due to the queue, which depended entirely on Airbus SE's scheduling.

Airbus SE's headquarters is located near Blagnac Airport in Toulouse, alongside the French national aerospace school and the civil aviation flight academy, with over 1,500 corporate staff and more than 10,000 production line workers.

The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, which wholly owns Airbus SE, is also nearby.

Entering from the park's entrance, one could see the enormous A380 final assembly line, measuring 490 meters in length, 43 meters in height, and 250 meters in width, capable of accommodating four A380s simultaneously. This area is generally not open to the public, but clients like Bruce are obviously exceptions.

What he saw here were the prototypes and planes ordered by other clients. After touring the plane's assembly and painting, a specialist provided detailed explanations, making modifications according to Bruce's requests. Although using an A380 as a private jet is the epitome of luxury travel, its massive weight and volume mean it can only land at large airports, potentially bringing about additional issues, such as protests from environmental groups.

Nonetheless, compared to the unparalleled comfort, these were undoubtedly worth it. Ultimately, at Bruce's insistence, John Lacy promised to expedite the retrofit of the new plane, aiming for delivery within a year.

Bruce was satisfied with the outcome, not dwelling on the details. After all, visiting Europe wasn't his primary purpose; it was merely a side trip.

After finishing with Airbus SE, Bruce immediately headed to his next destination. Airbus SE, knowing how to treat its clients, continued to transport him and his entourage to Dublin, Ireland, in the luxurious A380.

Ireland is a typical island country

, with a pleasant climate, dense forests, and picturesque scenery.

Mention Ireland, and many think of it as the "European software capital," "European Silicon Valley," or the "kingdom of software."

This is because, starting from the 1960s and especially after the 1990s, the Irish government continuously adjusted its economic policies and structure, vigorously trained high-quality technology talent, and developed high-tech industries, creating an unparalleled investment environment. Today, 7 of the world's leading 10 information and communication technology companies have established bases in Ireland, including the European headquarters of Google and Apple, highlighting the country's success in attracting investment.

However, beyond these star companies, there's a less conspicuous yet equally impressive sector—biotechnology. This industry is also prioritized by Ireland for national development, receiving significant support in strategic investment, talent development, and international cooperation. By 2016, 13 of the top 15 global pharmaceutical companies had established manufacturing bases or research centers in Ireland.

The combination of information technology, talent accumulation, policy support, collaborative research, low living and construction costs, has made Ireland an ideal location for biotech companies, not to mention the country's biggest draw for foreign investment: low tax rates.

Considering these factors, Bruce was naturally very interested, choosing Dublin as Solar Corona's first European base. Although he hadn't decided on the headquarters location yet, establishing a research and development center was definitely the first step. This visit was an opportunity to check on the preparation of the research center and office locations.

Chapter 26: Full Deployment

Due to historical, population, and geographical factors, Ireland seldom has high-rise buildings. Along the wide roads, buildings under seven or eight stories are the most common, giving Dublin its unique aesthetic appeal.

The convoy arrived directly at Barrow Avenue, and the accompanying staff disembarked. Trista Joyce, barely concealing her striking figure in a professional suit, seemed unfazed by her more than four-inch heels, quickly catching up to Bruce to update him on the office area:

"Liam Building has a total of twelve floors, developed by the renowned real estate company REO. We're renting the 11th and 12th floors, a total area of fifty-six thousand square feet. Following your instructions, the office area's renovation is more than halfway done. However, since many operations are not yet fully underway, it's estimated that most areas will remain vacant for a considerable period."

The elevator went directly to the 12th floor. Upon opening the door, you could see the newly installed giant name and logo of Solar Corona. Inside, construction workers were busily at work, and a tall young man greeted them at the entrance with a few of his subordinates; that was Yan Xiuqun. This Chinese elite, after an unsuccessful venture post-Wall Street, began to gravitate towards Bruce upon learning of Cai Chengping's unusual regard for him.

Yan Xiuqun's capabilities and intelligence were top-notch. After getting to know him for a while, Bruce simply brought him into the company to oversee operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, becoming the president of Solar Corona International Operations—not just Solar Corona (Ireland) Biotech. This was mainly for tax evasion purposes.

Under Irish policy, subsidiaries of multinational corporations do not have to pay local taxes to Ireland. Meanwhile, U.S. policy states that only companies with addresses in the U.S. are subject to taxation. Therefore, Solar Corona established an international operations company, registered in Dublin, Ireland, but headquartered in the tax haven of the British Virgin Islands.

As a subsidiary of the American Solar Corona, the Irish "headquarters" of Solar Corona enjoys Ireland's corporate income tax rate of 12.5% and is considered a subsidiary of a multinational corporation by the Irish tax system. Since it is a foreign company, it can transfer income to its headquarters without paying taxes in Ireland, almost at zero cost.

And because the company's formation is not in the U.S., it is also not under the control of U.S. tax laws. Then, including Solar Corona European Operations and Solar Corona International Marketing, a series of global subsidiaries were established. Through complex transfer methods, they nearly achieved maximum tax evasion.

In fact, most of the world's multinational corporations use similar tax evasion strategies. Microsoft, Yahoo, Amazon, Dell, Starbucks, Facebook, Pfizer, General Motors, Ford, American Airlines, and Citibank Group, among other international companies, have all used various means to avoid astronomical amounts of taxes. Solar Corona's model also drew inspiration from Apple and Google—transferring revenues to tax havens.

"Boss, 80% of the internal renovation is complete," Yan Xiuqun had quickly adapted to his role and was fully accustomed to his relationship with Bruce.

The interior of the office building featured an open design. The 11th floor included not only office areas but also a self-service dining area, a relaxation zone, and even transplanted trees. The 12th floor was designated for offices, with a spacious environment and a well-organized, functional meeting room layout. The corridors were designed with full glass walls, offering broad views and bright lighting.

The floors were covered with exquisite sound-absorbing carpets, providing a soft, comfortable, and relaxed atmosphere. The highlight was the external floor-to-ceiling windows, making the entire floor appear spacious and minimalist, while offices, meeting rooms, relaxation, and dining areas all featured different floor materials.

After the tour, Bruce nodded in satisfaction, gave a few reminders, and then asked, "Has the design for the European headquarters building started?"

He had already planned to start construction on three office buildings within the year, including the European headquarters in Ireland, the Asia-Pacific region headquarters in Shanghai, and the company headquarters in New York. This aggressive move had invigorated those in the know, clearly preparing for a significant effort.

However, the headquarters in the Asia-Pacific region and New York were still in the site selection phase, only the European headquarters had been confirmed to be built in Dublin's Docklands area, even progressing faster than the company headquarters.

"According to the design plan, the entire European headquarters will consist of four buildings, primarily housing sales, marketing, and finance staff.

These buildings are designed by the Swiss architecture firm Camenzind Evolution, in collaboration with the local Henry J Lyons architecture firm," Yan Xiuqun was clearly well-prepared, explaining the overview succinctly and thoroughly.

Bruce, having delegated the construction in Europe to him, wouldn't

interfere too much, focusing more on the talent situation: "Have you encountered any difficulties in recruiting staff? Can we smoothly set up the framework?"

"It's been smoother than expected. With the financial crisis affecting Europe's economy, many biotech companies have shut down, leaving a plethora of hungry professionals, especially researchers. We've received so many resumes that our interview team's inbox is nearly bursting."

Yan Xiuqun's smile was one of utter satisfaction; having the power to shape the destiny of many was what he loved most. Moreover, after learning about Solar Corona's operations, his admiration for Bruce had turned into a fervent desire for expansion.

"Great, with that, we have a wider selection. You understand the company's uniqueness, so in terms of confidentiality and adaptability, try to filter for the most suitable candidates," Bruce reminded. With his guidance, Yan Xiuqun had access to a lot of internal information and understood the importance of their research.

"Don't worry, I've got it under control. The security department has already coordinated with Marcus's Fortress company. They will start arranging security installation within the week," Yan Xiuqun quickly responded.

Fortress was a new security company established by Marcus, offering services including security, armed escort, and armed training, using quasi-military standards.

Yan Xiuqun was indeed a rare talent. If it weren't for his own plans being unexpectedly thwarted and the superlative research at Solar Corona being too astonishing, it would have been difficult to bring him on board.