Reborn Rich: Prices Dropped, My Savings Didn't novel Chapter 176

Chapter 176: Chapter 174: A Sudden Enlightenment

He clearly had something on his mind but kept it to himself.

As the project team leader, his words certainly carried weight. His decision to remain silent at a time like this meant he definitely had his own reasons.

Perhaps he was worried his words would sway the vote and make the outcome less democratic, so he chose not to say anything at all.

Cecilia Sterling didn’t push him, just nodding lightly. As the investor, she naturally wouldn’t participate in the vote, but with eight people on the team, it was easy for a tie to occur.

"Alright, let’s have a show of hands. Since we’re all in this together, we don’t need to bother with a secret ballot. Raise your left hand if you agree to a one-time buyout, and your right hand for a licensing model."

"One, two, three, vote!"

The moment Cecilia Sterling finished speaking, some people raised their hands immediately. Others hesitated. And some didn’t raise their hands at all.

Timothy Rowe, Gavin Garrett, and Maverick voted for the licensing model, while the other four voted for a one-time buyout.

Paige didn’t raise her hand. All eyes fell on her.

She pursed her lips and said, "I haven’t decided yet. Or rather... I think either way is fine."

Everyone lowered their hands, their expressions complicated. In truth, no one was completely certain about their choice; they just had their leanings.

"Cecilia, you’re the investor. You have veto power. What we think doesn’t really matter. In the end, it’s up to you," Timothy Rowe said suddenly, looking at Cecilia.

Cecilia naturally hadn’t forgotten her rights as an investor. She just wanted to see what everyone truly thought.

Cecilia nodded. After a moment of thought, she spoke in a soft tone, "I’ll share some of my personal thoughts first. After you’ve heard me out, we can vote again."

Hearing this, the group nodded and looked at Cecilia seriously.

Cecilia said, "Personally, I don’t think a monopoly on anything in this world is ever a good thing."

"Our project might not have started with such a grand ambition, like making a huge contribution to artificial intelligence or leading the industry forever. Maybe at the beginning, everyone was just thinking about making money, because AI is the biggest trend right now and for the future."

"But since we’ve chosen this industry, we can’t ignore its future development. If this project is bought out by a single company, the next time we have a new product to offer them, we might lose our leverage. If we get bought out a second time, and then again and again, our team’s voice as developers will shrink until it’s gone completely."

"Think about it. What kind of impact have the major corporations that monopolize industries had on other companies? The government enacts antitrust laws precisely to encourage all industries to flourish, not for one to dominate."

"What I’m saying today might sound a bit grandiose, but this could very well be a dilemma we face in the future. Paige mentioned that everyone is worried this product’s cutting-edge nature might be surpassed by other systems in the next three to five years. If that’s the case, why can’t the product that replaces it be one we create ourselves?"

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