The little star from the Gobi Desert, handed over to the state, is hailed as a national treasure.

"What did you say? A 15% price increase?"

Enlip sat on the sofa in the Westin Hall's reception area, his brows slightly furrowed.

Across from him were his assistant and translator, George Yang, and his family.

At this moment, George Yang was no longer the elite he once was. His expensive suit was full of wrinkles, his hair was messy, his bow tie was crooked, and he looked disheveled.

Several suitcases were piled up in front of the sofa. His wife, Mary, had red and swollen eyes, and her ankles were chafed raw by her high heels, making her wince in pain.

Seven-year-old Henry cried until his face was covered in tears, rubbing his stomach with one hand, sitting between his parents looking aggrieved.

On their way here, Henry was so hungry that he couldn't stand it anymore, and since he couldn't find anything delicious to eat, he could only buy a steamed bun for two cents from a roadside stall.

The child was so hungry that he grabbed the food and started biting into it without a second thought. Little did he know that the child's stomach was delicate, and the coarse cornmeal immediately caused him to have a stomachache.

But George and Mary couldn't care less about him. One was seething with anger, and the other was in so much pain that she couldn't even take care of herself. The three of them looked like defeated roosters, each more pathetic than the last.

But Enlip didn't want to ask about his personal matters; he just didn't understand why George Young suddenly proposed adjusting the contract price.

"Professor, I have just been humiliated here. They are hostile towards us, not only cursing our country, but even insulting our great president."

George Yang described his experience to Anlip in English, embellishing the details of his provocation and emphasizing that the Daxia people were barbaric, unreasonable, and even initiated the diplomatic conflict between the two sides.

"So, you're planning to change the amount in the terms and conditions so they have to pay more?" Enlip asked.

"Professor, we must make them understand that only we can help them in this world. Their treatment of the savior will come at a price; raising the price is teaching them respect!"

Enlip didn't reply. He crossed his legs and reached into his pocket for a cigar. But seeing the Great Xia guards patrolling in the distance, he put the cigarette away.

"Yang, you know we can't change the contract casually; all the contents have been personally confirmed by Hong Kong." The old professor looked at him.

"I understand. The rest can remain the same, but the amount can be increased. After all, the help we're giving them is so important that as long as they're thinking clearly, they won't refuse."

"When you say 'they won't refuse,' do you mean the Great Xia people will definitely buy our technology?" Anlip narrowed his gray-blue eyes.

"Of course, sir. We've all seen the international news. The people of Great Xia are eager to develop their own military industry and dream of building nuclear weapons. But with their limited resources, they're just building castles in the air without our technology! Unless they unconditionally submit to us."

"So you think," Enlip asked slowly, "that even if they raise prices, they have no other choice?"

"Unless they want to be nuclearly threatened by other countries forever!" George Yang sneered.

"But as you just said, this country is very underdeveloped. They might not be able to afford a 15% price increase."

"Professor, that's their problem. Don't worry, the people here especially like to emphasize dedication and sacrifice. For the benefit of the country, they would even go without food and drink and tighten their belts to raise money."

Anlip fell silent. He looked at George Yang, who had a smirk on his face, looking both ferocious and smug.

"It seems the Great Xia people really did something very wrong to you." Anlip said, as if stating a point of view, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

"That's not important," George Yang said hastily. "Even if they consider me a friend, I will stand on the side of the United States for the sake of national interests."

"Your wife doesn't look well, and the baby isn't doing too well either," Enlipe whispered, glancing at Mary and Henry.

"It's alright," Yang George said without even glancing at his wife and children. In his view, as long as he could persuade Anlip to amend the contract, nothing else mattered. As for his wife and children, as long as he found them a place to stay and gave them a good meal, the pain would pass.

Anlip stopped talking. His gaze swept across George Yang's face and then looked at the spacious and clean lobby of the Westin Hall. Although the staff here were simply dressed, they were polite and always maintained a proper smile.

The guards stood ramrod straight, their eyes constantly scanning the room. When they noticed Anlip looking around, they immediately signaled to their colleagues.

Soon a well-mannered and courteous staff member approached and asked Anlip in English, "Sir, is there anything I can help you with?"

Enlip looked at her and Yang Qiaozhi's similar Eastern faces, smiled and waved his hand, "It's nothing, thank you."

"You are a valued guest. Please let us know if you need anything. If you wish to return to your accommodation, I will arrange for a driver to wait for you outside."

"Okay." Enlip watched her leave, now that they were undisturbed.

"Yang," he suddenly spoke, "I'm curious, haven't you been back to Great Xia for many years?"

George Yang was taken aback. "Sir, why do you ask that?"

"Because you really don't understand the people of Great Xia at all." After a pause, Anlip added, "No, you don't even seem like a person of Great Xia."

"Mr. Enlip, have you forgotten? I am an American citizen!" George Yang immediately said, "I became an American citizen last year, and my wife and children are also American citizens."

He emphasized, "You and I share the same nationality!"

"You're wrong," Enlip shook his head, a faint hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. "Although I work in the United States, my country isn't there."

"What?" George Yang was stunned.

Since he met Enlip, the old professor had been working, studying and living in the United States. Although he had foreign blood, people around him believed that Enlip had already acquired American citizenship.

Only in this way could he gain access to the highest-level scientific research work of the military and government.

But now, Amlip claims he has never been a citizen?

How is that possible?

Seeing his stunned expression, Anlip gave a predictable sneer, "I'm really surprised to see you so shocked. Yang, it seems you still don't understand me."

He truly didn't understand, because Enlip was not George Yang's academic mentor. This world-renowned scientist had only taken on a handful of students in his lifetime, all of whom were leading figures in the scientific field.

With Yang Qiaozhi's level of expertise, he is simply not qualified to be Anlip's student.

That's why he was so excited and cherished the opportunity so much when he was chosen to be his assistant and translator on this trip to Daxia.

This is an honor that others can only dream of.

He had even begun to imagine how warmly his school would welcome him back to the United States, and how he would be given better treatment and a promotion.

But Enlip's words were like a blatant slap in the face, and George Yang instantly became embarrassed, stammering, "Professor, I'm sorry..."

"You don't need to apologize to me," Enlip said. "My trip to Great Xia is coming to an end. Tomorrow, we'll pack up and head home."

"What? So fast?" Yang Qiaozhi was even more surprised. "You haven't even met the highest leader of Great Xia yet!"

"There's no need for that anymore," Enlip said calmly. "Just now, all my proposals for this trip have been rejected."

"How could this be?" George Yang remembered that Anlip had only met an "old friend," and all the other negotiations hadn't even started yet. How could it have ended so quickly?

"Sir, you must have misunderstood. Your friend shouldn't have the right to reject the suggestion."

He could vaguely guess who Anlip was meeting, but he couldn't believe that the Great Xia people would refuse the enormous temptation brought by the Eagle Kingdom without hesitation.