The end of the world is approaching, I'm handing myself over to the country.

With no objections raised, the remaining procedures, though tedious, are only a matter of time.

For five whole hours, the atmosphere in the conference room went from tense and confrontational to eager and competitive, and finally to a peaceful conclusion.

One by one, everyone got up, dragging their tired bodies, ready to leave.

Smith straightened his suit and tie and walked up to Wang Tian.

His face held a kind of tolerance unique to those who have been through it all, as if he had completely forgotten the unpleasantness from before.

He reached out and patted Wang Tian on the shoulder.

"This young man is indeed quite good. He should follow you closely and learn from you as a senior."

"But young people shouldn't be too concerned about temporary gains and losses."

Smith spoke earnestly, as if a kind elder were instructing a younger generation.

"Only by experiencing more hardships can you grow quickly."

As he spoke, he glanced at the blonde, blue-eyed woman beside him, who immediately understood and smiled in agreement.

That was a condescending suggestion.

Wang Tian felt the force coming from his shoulder, and a standard, flawless smile appeared on his face.

He nodded slightly, his posture humble.

"Thank you for your guidance."

"But I will never thank suffering."

Wang Tian's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly interrupted Smith's words.

"Suffering is suffering; it is not worth pursuing, nor does it necessarily lead to success."

"We temper our will simply because hardship is unavoidable, not because it is anything good."

The air froze instantly upon hearing this.

Smith's smile froze.

The smile on the blonde woman's face next to him froze completely, and she stood there stunned, not knowing what to do.

These words were more cutting than any confrontation in the conference room.

It directly negates the "elder" or "stronger" identity that Smith attempted to construct, shattering his hypocritical set of values.

Ryōshū remained silent throughout, only standing quietly to the side with a simple, honest smile on his chubby face.

When the conversation ended, he stepped forward and naturally stood between the two.

"Mr. Smith, it was a pleasure doing business with you. I hope we'll have the opportunity to meet again."

Smith's cheek twitched, but he managed a stiff smile, shook hands with Yoshiyuki, and quickly left with his assistant.

Smith spoke only after their figures had completely disappeared at the end of the corridor.

"Another troublesome Chinese person..."

......

On the other side, they were walking back to the lounge.

Just then, the chubby figure walking in front suddenly stopped.

Liangce turned around, his chubby face still bearing that same kind and endearing smile.

"How does it feel to experience this kind of occasion for the first time?"

Wang Tian's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously straightened his back.

He opened his mouth, only to find his throat was dry.

He couldn't utter a single one of those prepared, standard, situational phrases.

He looked into Yoshiaki's eyes, which seemed to hold a clear, all-knowing insight.

Wang Tian remained silent for a few seconds, but ultimately decided to follow his heart.

He rubbed his hands nervously and stammered as he spoke.

"Senior, can I... tell the truth?"

Yoshiaki's smile deepened, and he nodded, gesturing for him to proceed.

"certainly."

Upon receiving a positive reply, Wang Tian breathed a sigh of relief.

He organized his thoughts and expressed his truest feelings.

"It's very different from what I imagined."

"It feels..." He carefully chose his words, as if searching for the most fitting description: "somewhat mercenary."

City hustlers...

After saying those two words, Wang Tian was stunned for a moment.

Using the term "market maneuver" to describe a top-level negotiation that concerns the lives of countless people and determines the future landscape sounds somewhat disrespectful.

However, this was his most direct feeling.

There was no intellectual exchange of sharp words, no grand pronouncements for the future of humanity.

There is only naked exchange of interests and a sudden change of stance in order to seize resources.

One second they were united in their hatred of the enemy, the next they were scrambling to get ahead.

Those faces, which could be considered elite, revealed their most primal desires in the face of the panacea.

"Market huh?"

Ryōsaku repeated the word, and then he suddenly burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

He laughed so hard that his whole body of fat trembled, and several wrinkles appeared on his honest face.

Wang Tian was somewhat taken aback by his laughter and could only stand there awkwardly.

After laughing for a while, Yoshiaki finally stopped, patted his large belly, and took a breath.

"So, what kind of image do you envision?"

The images he had seen in textbooks and movies flashed through Wang Tian's mind.

"Tall, solemn, dignified, quiet..."

He spoke softly, each word representing his past aspirations.

"The decision-makers sat on either side of the long table, scrutinizing every detail of each clause and arguing their case for the interests of their respective camps."

"Every statement he made was powerful and resounding; every compromise he made was full of wisdom."

"But none of these are there..."

Wang Tian's voice carried a hint of barely concealed embarrassment.

Reality shattered his illusions.

The smile on Ryōse's face gradually faded, replaced by a look of understanding.

He didn't directly comment on Wang Tian's words, but simply reached out and straightened the other man's slightly crooked tie.

"Hahaha."

"I think you'll adapt quickly."

"Young man, you're very good. I have high hopes for you."

Wang Tian was actually feeling a little uneasy.

Hearing Yoshisaku say that, he finally relaxed completely.

He secretly glanced at the composed Yura Saku beside him.

"Senior, was what I just said... too much?"

Looking back now, his words were practically pointing fingers at the other person, showing absolutely no respect.

You Liangce stopped and turned around, his chubby face beaming with an even wider smile.

He slowly shook his head.

"On the contrary, I think you've begun to grasp the essence."

"The essence?" Wang Tian was taken aback.

Ryōsaku continued walking slowly forward.

"Just don't treat them like human beings. I think you're adapting quite quickly."

These words made Wang Tian's heart skip a beat.

"There are some people you just can't give too much face to." Yoshiaki's words were slow, but each one carried immense weight.

"If you give them even the slightest bit of kindness, they'll immediately take advantage of you and think you're weak and easy to bully."

"To deal with them, either ignore them or beat them into submission and fear them once and for all."

"Make them respect you from the bottom of their hearts, instead of seeing you as a pushover they can bargain with."

Wang Tian seemed to understand something, and he kept these words in mind.

"Your reaction just now was quite good for your first time."