Eight Million for a Scrap Battery

Capacity was 23.9 amp-hours, over four times that of commercial cells the same size. It reached eighty percent charge in ten minutes and sustained high-rate discharge without meaningful decay. Most important was the safety test: a steel spike pierced it without fire or explosion. Su looked through the blast glass at Lin. “This is not repair. You rebuilt the entire material system.” “Worth eight hundred sixty thousand?” “Add a zero and buyers would fight over it.” The laboratory door opened. Four security officers entered, followed by yesterday’s debt collector. Gu Tingshan came last, white-haired, ebony cane in hand, his eyes sharp as blades. “Mr. Lin. Gu Tingshan, Hanhai Heavy Industries.” “I know. You own my debt now?”