He fiercely criticized the Manchu scholar clique and the twelve emperors of the Qing Dynasty.

A long silence fell over the suite, with the faint sound of airflow from the air conditioner vents being the only background noise.

Lin Jing sat on the single sofa, her eyes fixed on the young man in front of her.

In just over an hour of interviews, her perceptions were repeatedly challenged. This history student in her early twenties completely overturned all her preconceived notions about this group or even this age group.

Lin Jing stopped taking notes, and the pen twirled gently between her fingertips.

He is like a bottomless treasure. If you ask him a question to explore, you will see a unique insight. If you continue to dig deeper, he will reveal a broader perspective.

Most importantly, this light is not dazzling or arrogant; instead, it carries a power that inspires those around it to move forward with confidence.

Not only her, but the cameraman standing to the left front had deviated from the standard framing position three times in a row, and his eyes were obviously red.

"Zhao, classmate." Lin Jing tidied her stray hairs, calmed her breathing, and smiled sincerely. "What you said earlier is right. I also firmly believe that if our ancestors could really see everything we have today through the eyes of children, they would be very happy."

Lin Jing leaned forward slightly, her tone carrying a sense of pride characteristic of journalists in this era.

"They worked so hard back then, enduring hardship in the wind and snow, shedding blood on the battlefield, wasn't that their goal? Wasn't it so that we, and our descendants, would no longer have to suffer from hunger and cold, and could live the peaceful and stable life they envisioned? Today, we have achieved it."

The cameraman nodded emphatically behind the camera, a sentiment shared by all those who witnessed the country's rapid development in 2016.

Zhao Shuyao picked up the glass of water in front of him, but did not speak immediately. His gaze swept across Lin Jing and the cameraman's faces, and he sensed the intense emotional tension between them.

The tense atmosphere was not conducive to the subsequent exchange of ideas; he needed some breathing room.

"Gentlemen." Zhao Shuyao's lips curled up into a relaxed smile. He pointed to the camera and said, "This is a camera from a media outlet of this caliber. Cameraman, if your hand shakes and you blur my handsome profile, not only will you lose your bonus in post-production, but my hundreds of thousands of fans will come after you."

A casual remark, tinged with a down-to-earth charm, instantly broke the heavy atmosphere in the room.

The cameraman chuckled, quickly rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, and steadied the camera again. Lin Jing couldn't help but laugh out loud as well, the bittersweet feeling that had almost brought her to tears was precisely neutralized by this humor.

"Don't worry, you'll definitely be the most photogenic guest on this episode," Lin Jing joked, picking up where she left off.

Zhao Shuyao put down the water glass, crossed his hands back on his abdomen, and the smile on his face gradually faded, his gaze becoming extremely deep.

"Editor-in-Chief Lin." Zhao Shuyao's voice was surprisingly calm, yet carried an undeniable weight. "The martyrs would surely be happy to see this day, but if I were to give an objective assessment, what we have done today is far from good enough. Our current situation is far from worthy of their sacrifices, and even more so, it is far from worthy of their expectations."

Lin Jing's smile froze on her face, and the spinning of her pen came to an abrupt halt.

Her brain instantly activated its information processing mechanism, observing Zhao Shuyao's serious expression and determining that this was definitely not a joke.

She then quickly retrieved various macroeconomic data about China in 2016 from her mind: the world's second largest economy, the world's largest industrial country, and the world's longest high-speed rail network.

All the data pointed to "extremely excellent". Zhao Shuyao's conclusion, however, was completely the opposite.

"I'm quite surprised you came to this conclusion." Lin Jing adjusted her posture, displaying the keenness of a reporter. "Zhao, could you elaborate? Our economy is developing rapidly, and people's livelihoods have improved significantly. In your opinion, what aspects of our lives still need improvement? Or, what areas urgently require enhancement?"

Zhao Shuyao did not answer directly, but stood up, walked to the French windows, and reached out to pull open the beige gauze curtains.

Outside the window lies the bustling CBD of Fengtian City, with towering buildings and a constant flow of traffic. Sunlight streams through the glass curtain wall, reflecting the vibrant atmosphere of this modern metropolis.

Zhao Shuyao turned around, pointed to the scenery outside the window, and looked at Lin Jing.

"Editor-in-Chief Lin, look outside. There are tall buildings and bustling traffic. If our point of reference is the late Qing Dynasty, those decades ago when people couldn't get enough to eat and were bullied at will, then our lives now are indeed very good."

Zhao Shuyao walked back to the sofa, but did not sit down. He stood straight with his hands behind his back.

"But we are a great nation with a civilization that has never been interrupted for five thousand years." Zhao Shuyao's speech slowed down, and every word was firm and resounding. "We cannot just focus on the low point of the last hundred years or so! If we extend the historical timeframe and compare it with the true peak state of our nation, you will find how far we are from it."

Lin Jing's eyes changed; she vaguely grasped the logical thread of Zhao Shuyao's argument.

"During the Han Dynasty, we opened up the Western Regions, established the Silk Road, and used our iron cavalry to sweep away border troubles. All sides bowed down to us. During the Tang Dynasty, Chang'an was the center of the world, where various civilizations converged. The poetry and songs of that time were the world's top cultural output at that time."

Zhao Shuyao's gaze gradually turned cold, a mixture of reminiscence for past glories and discontent with the present situation.

"Speaking of the Ming Dynasty, which I am most familiar with, Zheng He's voyages to the Western Ocean involved a massive fleet of more than 20,000 people patrolling the oceans. At that time, the tribute from all nations was not obtained by bribing with money, but by real military intimidation and dumping of goods. Silver from all over the world was flowing into the Ming Dynasty."

Zhao Shuyao stopped and looked down at Lin Jing, posing the core question.

"Editor-in-Chief Lin, take a look at the world today. Although we are rich and have industry, who sets the rules on this earth? Who controls the forefront of technology?"

"We ordinary people work hard to produce countless goods, but the lion's share of the profits is taken away by others using so-called intellectual property rights and financial hegemony. In the international arena, we can hardly even convey a word of rebuttal."

Zhao Shuyao spread his hands out.

"We have not yet recovered the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties left to us by our ancestors, nor have we returned to the absolute core position of the world during the Ming dynasty when all nations paid tribute to us. We have only just climbed out of the mud, washed our feet, and changed into clean clothes."

"We still have a very long way to go to reach the real summit. If we are satisfied now, how can we face the blood shed by our martyrs?"

This comparison and tug-of-war elevates a mindset that was originally content with the status quo to the dimension of the rise and fall of dynasties over thousands of years.

Lin Jing quickly took notes in her notebook. She understood.

"You mean, the standard for revival shouldn't just be solving basic needs, but rather returning to the position of absolute leader in world civilization?" Lin Jing looked up and nodded repeatedly.

"In fact, this is what countless Chinese people want to see. We not only want to be rich, but also strong. However, the international environment is different now than in ancient times, and this will take time."

Lin Jing put down her pen, her tone full of confidence: "But I firmly believe that as long as we continue down this path, we will definitely achieve this goal. We will never stop until we have fully realized our revival and returned to the top of the world."

Upon hearing Lin Jing's statement, Zhao Shuyao walked back to the sofa, sat down slowly, and instead of agreeing, a deep worry appeared on his face.

Lin Jing caught this expression and her heart skipped a beat. This behavior proved that her conclusion just now had once again been a cognitive bias.

"What? Is my understanding biased?" Lin Jing asked humbly.

"Editor-in-Chief Lin, people cannot lose their purpose in striving, and the same applies to a country and a nation." Zhao Shuyao rested his elbows on his knees and looked directly at the other person.

"If we take 'returning to the top of the world' and 'all nations paying tribute' as our ultimate goal, it will be extremely dangerous. Have you ever thought about what would happen if we one day really destroyed the entire Western system and took that number one position ourselves? What would we do after that?"

Lin Jing was stunned.

What to do after that? She had never thought about that question. In most people's minds, getting first place is the end.

Zhao Shuyao tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the coffee table.

"The logic of the Western pirate civilization is that once I become number one, I will establish hegemony, and I will bleed the whole world dry, using powerful ships, cannons, and financial scythes to harvest other backward countries to support my own high welfare."

Zhao Shuyao leaned forward, his eyes revealing an absolute clarity.

"If our choices after our resurgence, like theirs, lead to a new form of hegemony, then what difference will there be between us and the oppressors we once overthrew?"

"This is the 'goal nihilism' that I'm most worried about. Once the revival is complete, if a new direction cannot be found, there will inevitably be great ideological chaos within the organization."

Lin Jing felt that even breathing had become difficult. Zhao Shuyao's question was a profound inquiry into the soul of the nation.

"Therefore, making the return to the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties our goal is merely a short-term objective," Zhao Shuyao waved his hand. "It is definitely not the end."

"What exactly is the ultimate goal?" Lin Jing asked urgently, her voice even trembling slightly.

Looking at Lin Jing's eager eyes, Zhao Shuyao leaned back on the sofa, picked up the worn-out copy of "Selected Works of Teachers" and gently stroked its red cover.

"In fact, when that old man decided to make this move of revitalization, he probably already foresaw that we would face this kind of predicament of not being able to find our way in the future. He left us with the ultimate goal long ago."

Zhao Shuyao placed the book in the center of the coffee table.

"Editor-in-Chief Lin, you work in Beijing, so I'm sure you often go to the square." Zhao Shuyao looked at Lin Jing, his speech becoming extremely calm, with a sense of reverence as if unveiling the veil of history.

Lin Jing nodded; she passed by there every month.

"On the left and right sides of the city gate, there are two rows of huge characters. No matter how times change, those two rows of characters will always be there."

Zhao Shuyao held up two fingers.

"The row on the left is set for ourselves. It requires us to defend our country and build our homeland. This is the bottom line for our survival and the national rejuvenation we are striving for."

Zhao Shuyao lowered his left hand, leaving only his right index finger pointing directly at Lin Jing.

"And the row on the right represents the ultimate goal that the teachers left for future generations on this land and for all of humanity."

Zhao Shuyao spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice resonating throughout the suite.

"Those nine words are—Long Live the Great Unity of the People of the World!"

Lin Jing's pupils dilated suddenly in that instant, and the cameraman next to her, who had been steadily holding the equipment, trembled uncontrollably in his arm.

"We do not pursue hegemony, nor do we follow the old winner-takes-all path of the West. Our ultimate goal is, after we become strong, to break down all exploitation and oppression, and to lead the world's ordinary people at the bottom of society, those who have been bullied, towards fairness and dignity!"

Zhao Shuyao placed his hands on the coffee table.

"This is the highest ideal of Chinese civilization: to benefit all under heaven and to create a world of great harmony! As long as this goal remains, the young people of this land will never lose their direction in life!"

The room became completely quiet.

Lin Jing leaned back on the sofa, goosebumps rising all over her body. Those two slogans, which she saw every day, were now imbued with a supreme meaning that transcended time and space.

This was not a simple interview at all; it was Zhao Shuyao launching a full-scale ideological attack on nihilism in society through the lens of the camera.