I'm reborn and I'm an international student again?

Inside the Black House office, the blond, overweight man was feeling smug when the press secretary, Sans, walked in.

She glanced at the president, who was drinking cola, and couldn't help but remind him, "Leader, please consult with me before releasing videos like this next time. The external situation is already quite tense; releasing such content will only add fuel to the fire."

"Really? I don't think so. What do you all think?" The fat man spread his hands and looked around at his advisors.

The office was completely silent; not a single person responded.

Seeing this, Sans frowned: "Is there still any way to salvage the situation?"

"Recover? That's not the right word. I only need to make a slight move, and those people outside will naturally crumble." The fat man laughed and clapped his hands.

Facing this confident leader, Sans's lips twitched slightly.

"Don't worry, everything is under control! In just a few days, this group will completely collapse."

The fat man smoothed his blond hair and examined himself in the small mirror on the table.

Being a leader is indeed much harder than being a businessman. In just a short time, the wrinkles on his face have become noticeably more numerous.

"My God! I was only gone for a short while, how did you cause such a commotion? Do you know how many Asians are among Tesla's shareholders..." At this moment, Musk stormed in and launched into a tirade against the fat man.

The fat man raised his eyelids slightly and waved for the others to leave the office.

"How dare you criticize me here? I support you building a factory in Shanghai to strengthen America's power. But look at what you've done over there! This time it's a battery collaboration, what will you do next? Are you planning to move all of America's technology over there? Let me tell you, Elon, I'm both a businessman and a leader. I know all the tricks of a businessman better than anyone else," the fat man said, pointing at the other man rudely.

Musk was instantly enraged, slamming his hands on the table: "What are you pretending for? We only supported you because you said you'd support Tesla and other conglomerates after you took office. Now it's just the two of us here. Do you expect me to chant 'Make America Great Again' for you?"

"The current international situation is not optimistic! The decline of the United States has already begun, and other countries are rising. Do you understand? If this continues, domestic enterprises will be hollowed out by foreign capital!" The fat man slammed his fist on the table.

"You're making things worse. Let's see how you clean this up! Look at those people on the street. If you weren't protected by guards, you'd probably be torn to shreds the moment you went out. And releasing those creative videos is just mocking them. If I were the leader, I would never have let things get like this," Musk said with a sneer.

He felt that the fat man in front of him was no longer mentally sound.

"Alright, you can choose next time!" The fat man slapped his thigh and laughed.

Hours later, as the sun rose in the east, the latest news from America had spread around the world.

Chen Xi sipped his cola while looking at his computer, laughing so hard he almost fell over: "Hahaha, is this an idea a normal person could come up with? Middle-earth? Orcs? Is this some kind of Lord of the Rings movie?"

This situation seems different from my previous life.

While it's not surprising that this guy does outrageous things, this one is just too absurd.

What on earth does he want to do?
After laughing, Chen Xi stroked his chin and began to analyze.

Based on the fat man's style in his previous life, he would usually change his mind a few days after making a decision, so Chen Xi didn't pay much attention to it.

After all, disaggregating Asian groups will only create internal divisions, and what fool would insist on pushing it indefinitely?
Just as Chen Xi was about to close his laptop, a message suddenly popped up on the chat software on the screen.

Seeing that the sender was Dark, he replied, "What?"

"Recently, several of my businesses have been shut down, and the situation is not good."

"Isn't it normal to get caught doing shady business? Why are you complaining to me?"

"Heh, it's not just that I'm being investigated; someone wants to recruit me."

"What about America?"

"That's it."

"Then what do you mean by coming to see me?"

"I just came to ask a question. I remember there's a book in your country called 'Water Margin,' which seems to record something about accepting amnesty..."

"My God, you've actually read 'Water Margin'. You should know that none of those bandits had a good ending after being granted amnesty." Chen Xi typed out a line quickly.

"I understand that, of course. Westerners view *Water Margin* from a different perspective than Easterners. Western literature has a romantic tradition of 'noble savages,' referring to those who remain uncorrupted by civilization and retain their true morality. The Liangshan bandits' rebellion against corrupt officials and their pursuit of acting on behalf of Heaven, to some extent, fit this image. In our view, accepting amnesty means that these 'noble savages' are assimilated by the corrupt system, ultimately losing their souls and original intentions—a classic tragic narrative. I cannot understand why they surrendered. From free bandits to being controlled by the court's lackeys, it is a betrayal and a regression."

Dark continued, “But as you know, the underworld comes from all over the world. Some Asians think that being recruited is a good option so they can openly conduct some of their previously illegal transactions. Of course, this requires working for the government to gain asylum. I thought you would say that complying with the recruitment is the right thing to do, but I got a different answer.”

Chen Xi could understand. Westerners mostly admire individual freedom and the spirit of resistance, believing that submitting to the system is a betrayal of personal value, especially for people like Dark who live in the underworld. They probably read "Water Margin" like they read "Robin Hood," expecting Robin Hood to forever rob the rich and help the poor in Sherwood Forest, symbolizing an indomitable spirit of freedom, rather than being digested and destroyed by the system.

Chen Xi always thought that accepting amnesty was unreliable.

Once it loses its usefulness, it will inevitably be eliminated.

After all, the other party must maintain their image in the eyes of the public, so how could they let the public know that they have these shady subordinates?

"What will the United States do after they recruit you?" Chen Xi already had the answer in his heart, but he still wanted to confirm it.

"Of course, it's those transactions on the dark web—arms, intelligence, cryptocurrencies—these businesses span the globe. The United States has military bases and intelligence networks all over the world. If we're recruited, we'll have to cooperate with their operations, such as using cryptocurrencies to subvert a country's economy..." Dark said without any hesitation.

This is not a secret; many governments have shady organizations operating under their control.

This answer was in line with Chen Xi's expectations. He thought for a moment and replied, "Anyway, whether we are granted amnesty or not, we may eventually be eliminated. Rather than waiting to die slowly, it's better to die in style."

"What you said is really discouraging. I was originally hoping to try to fight back against them."

"Confrontation? If you ask me, it's better to quit while you're ahead and find a place to retire and enjoy life. Anyway, you've earned enough money to live on." "Retire? I'm the emperor of the underworld! I can't let this go. Just you wait and see, I'll teach that fat bastard a lesson!" Thinking of the losses he had suffered recently, Dark's temper flared up again.

"Ha, it's that fat guy again? He's been quite active lately." Chen Xi realized that this time it must be the new leader of America who caused Dark to suffer heavy losses.

The two chatted for a while longer before Chen Xi closed his laptop.

Before leaving, he made a special phone call to tease the staff member who had locked Hu Hao's account again, and then headed to the Overseas Returnees Association.

Every time Chen Xi came to the association, he would find that things had changed.

Sure enough, as soon as he entered the gate, he saw a scene different from before. A portrait of Xu Yun was hanging in the center of the most conspicuous wall in the association.

"What's going on here?" Chen Xi called Qian Jiajia over in the lounge and asked, pointing to the photo in the distance.

"The secretary-general now thinks she's incredibly capable and that the association's development to this point is all thanks to her. She's trying to create a personality cult. On the surface, she says she took some photos but has nowhere to put them, so she's temporarily displaying them here. I think she just wants to brainwash people." Qian Jiajia covered her mouth and chuckled.

"Haha, what's going on in this woman's head? She can even come up with such a lame excuse." Chen Xi laughed so hard that he almost spilled his coffee.

Remembering what Qian Jiajia had mentioned before, he asked again, "You said before that many accounts of people in the association who do foreign trade had been locked. Has that been resolved now?"

"The secretary-general said she had a solution, but I don't know the specifics."

"Oh?" Chen Xi was somewhat surprised. After finishing his coffee, he went straight to Xu Yun's office.

"Oh, what a rare guest! What brings you here today?" Xu Yun greeted Chen Xi with a smile.

"Nothing much, just came to take a look." Chen Xi sat down in the chair with a natural ease.

"The association is now on the right track and growing bigger and bigger. You just focus on your business, I'll take care of things here, don't worry!" Xu Yun crossed her legs and leisurely twirled a pen in her hand.

"Recently, several of my supplier accounts have been locked. I heard that other people in the association who do foreign trade have encountered similar problems?" Chen Xi asked casually.

Account locking is no secret; with the rapid spread of information, this situation has been exposed in various places.

“That’s right, but it’s not a big deal. I’ve already thought of a solution.” Xu Yun nodded confidently.

"Oh? What good ideas do you have?" Chen Xi didn't believe Xu Yun could come up with any solutions, and knowing she wouldn't reveal them easily, he simply crossed his arms, put on a disdainful expression, and used reverse psychology.

Sure enough, Xu Yun was immediately enraged and slammed her hand on the table: "What, can't I have a better idea? Let me tell you, it's not complicated at all. Isn't foreign trade settled in fiat currency? Since it's difficult to deposit money into banks, why not just use cryptocurrency?"

"Oh, you even know how to use cryptocurrency for foreign trade?" Chen Xi was genuinely taken aback.

He might have believed the proposal if someone else had suggested it, but coming from Xu Yun, it just didn't seem very believable to him.

In my previous life, the accounts of foreign trade companies along the coast were locked every few days, and then locked again shortly after being unlocked. Many bosses were driven to desperation and actually started using cryptocurrencies to trade with foreign businesses.

However, while this was not a secret at the time, it would be difficult to implement on a large scale today.

Currently, cryptocurrency prices are fluctuating wildly. In foreign trade, even slight fluctuations in exchange rates can result in significant losses, let alone settlements in cryptocurrency. If the price of cryptocurrency were to plummet, the entire company could be dragged down.

"So what? The Turtle Coins used in the association before could be traded globally, so why can't foreign trade? I can still apply what I've learned to other situations." Xu Yun's lips curled up, like a victorious queen.

Chen Xi had initially suspected that someone was pulling strings behind the scenes, but after hearing her explanation, half of her doubts disappeared.

“That sounds reasonable. But with such high volatility in cryptocurrencies, wouldn’t it be too risky to use them for foreign trade?” Chen Xi countered.

“You don’t need to worry about that. The specific operations are handled by professionals. I’m the manager, and if there are losses, I will naturally stop the project.” Xu Yun proudly raised her head.

Thomas actually taught her these words.

Now Xu Yun only needs to sit in the office and give orders, which feels wonderful!

"Where's Linxi? Is she still in Shanghai?" Chen Xi changed the subject.

"Otherwise what? You two are getting rich without me! The money I invested in you hasn't yielded any returns yet. Turns out you've been helping other people make big money. Are you gay? You don't help a beautiful woman like me, but you insist on helping a man get rich!" Xu Yun was furious whenever this was mentioned.

Although a portion of the money earned from swiping cards goes into the association, and all participants can receive dividends, even those who don't participate can also get some through the association, Xu Yun's share is nowhere near the level of Lin Xi's.

She was the one who invested in Chen Xi first, but she earned less than others, which made her feel cheated.

“I originally thought this project wouldn’t make money, which is why I didn’t get you involved. Who knew it would actually make money later? I didn’t want you to lose money, sigh…” Chen Xi sighed.

"So, should I thank you?" Xu Yun sneered.

“Swiping cards isn’t so easy. Recently, the relevant departments have been causing trouble. A pretty girl like you would be terrified if they questioned you. Besides, women who worry too much age easily. I’m doing this for your own good and don’t want you to suffer. Don’t worry, next time there’s a money-making project, I’ll ask you first.” Chen Xi said sincerely, walking over and gently touching Xu Yun’s face.

"..." Xu Yun's mind went blank at his sudden action.

Seeing that her mind was momentarily blank, Chen Xi seized the opportunity to ask, "The association is developing so fast now, and there are so many projects. You must be too busy to handle everything by yourself. Have you recently hired some think tank?"

"Strategist? Of course there is..." Xu Yun said softly as his touch made her cheeks burn.

"Who is it?"

"Who is it? It's...it's...it's the elites in the association! The association is full of top students from around the world, so coming up with these ideas is no problem for them. We hold meetings every few days, and everyone shares their opinions..." Halfway through her sentence, just as Chen Xi was about to hear the crucial answer, Xu Yun suddenly realized her mistake and quickly changed her words. (End of Chapter)