In the viewing lounge, designers from rival companies had gathered to watch Audi's presentation unfold.
What they saw left them speechless.
From the moment the covers came off, they were stunned by the sharp, aggressive styling of the Audi A4L and the fiery presence of the TT coupe. But it wasn't until the matrix LED headlights lit up that disbelief turned into admiration.
"Oh my god, who designed this?"
"These headlights are insane. They scream technology!"
"I've designed for over a decade, and I never even thought headlights could be used like this."
"This completely rewrites the rules..."
The chatter grew reverent.
For a moment, the group just stood there, staring at the screens, their competitive instincts quieted. Every eye drifted back to Haifeng, this time not with doubt but admiration.
Whether they liked it or not, he had broken new ground. Not with gimmicks. With vision.
The designs they'd mocked earlier? Now they realized how shallow those judgments were.
Before today, many of them had laughed off the idea of a Chinese company producing original automotive design. They'd claimed Audi was copying others. That's "innovation" was just imitation wrapped in glossy paint.
But now?
They were eating their words.
Even Walter, Volkswagen Group's design director—who had just spent the morning strutting like a peacock—was silent. His face had gone completely red. He stared at the A4L and TT on screen, lips slightly parted, unable to speak.
Just hours earlier, he'd ridiculed Audi's design philosophy, bragged about the so-called superiority of Volkswagen's aesthetics, and accused Haifeng of plagiarizing other manufacturers.
Now, that arrogance was curdling into humiliation.
The other designers began glancing at him, eyes filled with barely concealed amusement.
The silence was deafening.
Walter tried to salvage his pride.
"Hmph… even if the design looks flashy, it won't matter if customers don't like it. The final score will speak for itself."
"The aesthetics of Volkswagen vehicles have always aligned with universal human beauty. That won't change."
He crossed his arms and looked away.
But nobody responded.
Not because they agreed.
Because they didn't want to laugh in his face.
Just then, one of Walter's colleagues tugged his sleeve.
"Mr. Walter… look at the screen."
"What now?"
Walter turned and froze.
His jaw dropped.
There, on the massive scoreboard feed:
#1 – Audi A4L
#2 – Audi TT
Audi wasn't just competing.
They were dominating.
The highest entries—Kia K5, Benma S320, Hyundai Sonata, Lexus ES, Baolai E515, Auto B515, Peugeot 508, and Volkswagen's new CC—weren't even close.
To Walter's dismay, Volkswagen had clinched last place among the winners.
He blinked in disbelief.
"This... this isn't real…"
His voice cracked.
He had just finished saying scores were what mattered, only for the scores to slap him in the face a second later.
It wasn't just a blow to the ego.
It was a direct hit to the brand he represented.
Interior results followed quickly.
To everyone's surprise, the Audi TT took first again.
Second, went to Benma.
Third? Audi A4L.
Auto, Baolai, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Kia, and Nissan rounded out the remaining top ten.
Volkswagen didn't even make the list.
Walter's hands clenched into fists. His lips curled.
He muttered bitterly.
"These judges have no taste. Can't even recognize design heritage…"
He turned away, scowling.
His only hope now was redemption through performance.
"We'll see who laughs once the engines are tested. Powertrain is what matters."
"Our new generation engine is proven, refined, and tested by real-world consumers. It'll bury these toys."
He gritted his teeth.
"Let's see how your so-called innovation holds up when the rally drivers take over."
Haifeng didn't respond. He glanced at Walter, then turned away without a word.
There was nothing more to say.
The scoreboard said it all.
And the real test—the engine performance challenge—was still to come.
1:00 p.m.
That's when the battlefield would shift from aesthetics to power.
And Haifeng was ready.
He believed in the HX8888, tuned by Tang San.
And soon, the rest of the world would believe in it too.