"What... what is this situation?"
Xia Ping's mouth fell open in disbelief, speechless for a long time. Even Zhao Guozhu, who had maintained a calm and composed demeanor all along, had a grim expression on his face.
"Director Xia, didn't you inform the PR department to contact reporters? Why are they all surrounding Wang Yu now?"
Hearing Zhao Guozhu's reprimand, Xia Ping's face turned stiff.
"Well... perhaps they are interested in someone like Wang Yu who is overestimating his abilities. Yes, that must be it. They're interviewing such an attention-seeking fellow first!"
Xia Ping forced himself to find an excuse, trying to justify the situation, unaware that Zhao Guozhu's expression was growing even more somber.
...
Time rewinds to an hour earlier.
At the entrance of the Jianghan City Exhibition Hall, Tom, a reporter from Sam Country, yawned listlessly, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
The East Continent Industrial Expo? What was there to see in a comparison between a bunch of backward countries?
Everyone knew that in terms of industrial level in the entire East Continent, only the Island Nation had anything worth looking at. In some areas, even their Sam Country had to admit that they possessed unique secrets.
As for the rest... hehe, it wasn't that he looked down on them... well, he really did look down on them.
What was there to see in a bunch of backward folks? Some of them even treasured equipment from thirty years ago as if it were a gem. What was there to see in that?
But as the largest newspaper in Sam Country – the Blue Star Daily – someone had to cover these international events, even if it was just a formality.
That's how he, unlucky Tom, ended up here. Damn Editor Jerry must have sent him out for fieldwork on this boring reporting assignment because he caught him with the female intern!
And he even used the excuse that he was the best at speaking Han language in the entire Blue Star Daily. Damn it, we took the Han language training class together, and I distinctly remember your fluency being better than mine, didn't I?
Tom gnashed his teeth in hatred but could do nothing. Who was he to argue with his superior?
Coming to this backward country, even eating was inconvenient, and there were no hamburgers. How could one eat with two little wooden sticks? Damn it!
As Tom grumbled, he noticed two young men who had appeared in front of him at some point.
Both young men had a slovenly appearance and dyed blond hair. Apparently, not realizing he could understand Han, they talked loudly and smoked without restraint right in front of him.
"Did you know? A mysterious big shot has come to this East Continent Industrial Expo!"
Youngster A said conspiratorially to Youngster B, looking around furtively as if afraid of being overheard, with an expression and demeanor that suggested he was hiding something.
"Oh? What mysterious big shot? Is it that exaggerated?" Youngster B's interest was piqued, and he asked cautiously.
Tom, overhearing this, perked up his ears subtly while maintaining an expression of bewilderment and ignorance, continuing to smoke as if he hadn't heard a thing.
"This is insider information. I don't usually tell others," Youngster A lowered his voice, speaking secretively.
Even Tom, standing nearby, became very curious. Pretending to flick ash from his cigarette, he subtly tilted his head to listen.
"Do you know Wang Yu, the new factory director of the Jiangyang County Automobile Factory?"
Youngster A's words were met with a series of nods from Youngster B. "Heard of him. Who doesn't know Director Wang Yu, that wise, divine, exceptionally intelligent, and reincarnated celestial being? He pointed out the fatal flaw in the production line designed by a Sam Country PhD returnee from the Qinglu Group. That was truly exhilarating!"
"Heh, that's ancient history. Don't you know about the earth-shattering thing Wang Yu did recently?"
Youngster A puffed out his chest proudly, boasting.
"Oh? Is it about his bet with the Qinglu Group, where he won ten million with just a fan?" Youngster B said with a hint of defiance. "I know about that too. Wang Yu truly held his head high. The expert team from Qinglu Group, composed of PhDs from all over the world, spent a lot of effort on their design blueprints but couldn't solve the problem. But Director Wang solved it with ease, like a doctor curing an illness. He finished it in no time, and the cost was just a large fan, completely overshadowing their million-dollar design!"
Youngster B's words startled Tom, who had been eavesdropping. Such a remarkable person? How had he never heard of him?
He had heard of the Qinglu Group; it was a well-known large multinational industrial group in the East Continent. To their Sam Country, it might only be considered decent, but in their backyard of the East Continent, it was an absolute behemoth.
Such an entity was repeatedly outmaneuvered by a young man? And what were they talking about? Pointing out flaws in a Sam Country PhD's design? A ten-million-dollar bet? Solving a problem that a million-dollar design couldn't, with just a fan?
Despite the string of questions in his mind, Tom continued to feign ignorance, smoking like an ordinary passerby who didn't understand a word of what the two young men were saying.
Then he heard Youngster A speak again, "That's nothing impressive. The truly amazing part is yet to come! A few days ago, Tiangyi Steel Company from the Island Nation was showing off on our territory, causing widespread suffering and discontent. Then Director Wang Yu couldn't stand it anymore, and... guess what happened?"
"What happened?"
Youngster B eagerly offered a cigarette, "Brother, please tell us!"
"Then, our Director Wang Yu, in a fit of rage, directly challenged the Island Nation. And it was specifically a competition of their strongest technology. And then..." Youngster A said slowly.
"And then what?"
Youngster B pressed on.
"And then, the guys from the Island Nation were defeated! In a best-of-three competition, they lost two matches in a row. They surrendered the third match and slunk back home in disgrace!"
Youngster A said with immense pride and arrogance, as if he were the one who had accomplished such a feat.
"Those senior experts from the Island Nation brought out their most prized and advanced products, including parts exclusively supplied to Sam Country's most advanced fighter jets. Yet, they couldn't compare to what our Director Wang Yu casually tinkered out!"
"No way? That's the Island Nation!" Youngster B exclaimed dramatically upon hearing Youngster A's words.
Then he saw Youngster A frantically motioning for him to quiet down.
"Yes, the Island Nation. They're number one in the world in steelmaking! And there's something even more astonishing later on!"
A mysterious smile suddenly appeared on Youngster A's face, and he lowered his voice once more.