The moment Haifeng suggested a public-market retest, the CEOs fell silent.
They couldn't afford to call his bluff—and they knew it.
But they couldn't keep quiet either. If they stayed passive, it would look like guilt.
So they pivoted.
"Mr. Haifeng, you're overthinking this. Who would question the fairness of such a transparent test?"
"Exactly. With a public and neutral setup, there's nothing to doubt."
"Besides, Mr. Schopf hasn't said a word since. Doesn't that prove he fully respects the results?"
"Mr. Schopf, a statement would go a long way. After all, your earlier remarks were a little... abrupt."
"Right. Mr. Schopf, come on. Mr. Haifeng is generous—he won't take it personally."
None of them dared go after Haifeng directly. Instead, they turned on their own, and all eyes landed on Dieter Schopf.
He'd been their champion going in. But now? He was a liability.
"Better a scapegoat than a casualty," they thought. Let him take the fall. It was his idea anyway.
Haifeng might push the retest further if they didn't pin this on Schopf. And if that happened, they'd all be exposed.
So they buried him fast.
Schopf was furious.
They couldn't stand up to Haifeng themselves, so they shoved the blame onto him?
"So this is what allies look like? One whiff of risk and you all turn your backs?"
He looked at the people around him—silent, smug, and suddenly strangers. His chest tightened.
He hated every one of them.
But what could he do?
He couldn't get past Haifeng even if he got past the others.
And a retest?
Impossible.
Even with all the arrogance in the world, Schopf wouldn't dare.
The consequences would be catastrophic. If Audi's score held, and BMW's market units crumbled, he'd destroy his brand.
So he took a breath. Forced his voice to stay steady.
"Mr. Haifeng… you misunderstand."
"I have no objections to the fairness or objectivity of this Five-Star Crash Test."
"I take back what I said earlier. I hope you won't hold it against me."
Then he turned and walked out—head down, jaw tight.
He couldn't stay here, not after that.
And not with these so-called allies standing around, pretending none of it was their fault.
BMW's test had already wrapped. There was nothing left for him here but humiliation.
Haifeng, watching him go, didn't follow.
No need to twist the knife further. The crowd had already bowed their heads.
"Enough is enough," he thought. "No point in cornering them too far. If they all walk, the crash test loses meaning."
And this wasn't about revenge. It was about establishing authority.
Audi's goal was clear:
Use this crash test to make its Five-Star Standard the new global benchmark.
Anything that jeopardized that? It's not worth pushing further.
Meanwhile, testing continued.
The Audi A4 underwent side collisions, pole strikes, foreign-object impacts—every category.
And every time, the data came back glowing.
The dummy readings? Minimal trauma.
The cabin frame? Barely shifted.
Pedestrian collision metrics? Best-in-class.
It wasn't just passing—it was dominating.
Each result brought new cheers from the livestream audience.
It was like watching a guillotine drop slowly for the execs still onsite.
Finally, the scores were published:
Audi A4 Crash Test Results
Occupant Protection: 97
Child Protection: 97
Pedestrian Protection: 96
Overall Score: 95
Final Rating: ★★★★★ (Five-Star)
The livestream exploded.
"I KNEW the A4 was top-tier."
"Five stars and a 95? That's brutal. No one's catching up."
"Why even consider another brand at this point?"
"Wait, were all those other brands… just here to play second fiddle?"
"They came to bury Audi and ended up carrying its throne."
"BMW looked good… until this."
"If I buy a car this year, it's an Audi. Period."
The other brands? Forgotten.
No one cared how they'd performed anymore. The gap was too obvious.
Even if they offered discounts, what good was a cheaper car if it wasn't safe?
"You can afford to buy it," one comment read, "But can you afford to survive it?"
Audi didn't just outperform the field—it redefined it.
And in doing so, it triggered a new buying frenzy. Sales projections were already being updated behind the scenes. This crash test had been a gamble.
Now? It was the foundation of a new empire.