"Overestimating yourself!"
"Shame brought to our shores."
"What kind of confidence do they have, to believe they will win?"
"Perhaps ignorance breeds fearlessness?"
...
The crowd buzzed with various discussions.
Initially just whispers, the murmurs grew bolder as people realized everyone shared the same sentiment, becoming louder and more unrestrained.
Almost everyone pointed fingers at Wang Yu, even those from the local Jiangguan province!
Despite Wang Yu representing their own local interests, while the Qinglu Group was merely an outsider.
There were those who tried to defend Wang Yu, arguing he was bringing honor to the nation and deserved support.
However, these faint voices were drowned out by the overwhelming tide of mockery and condemnation.
To the vast majority, Wang Yu's act of overreaching was seen as a disgrace to their country, a sentiment they keenly felt.
Slanders and curses rained down as if they were free, as if this would somehow distance them from Wang Yu!
The entire hall became a din, transforming into a noisy marketplace.
Wang Jin, especially, squeezed among the crowd, seemed invigorated and hopped around like a stimulated chicken.
He bad-mouthed Wang Yu to everyone he met, specifically mentioning their shared origin from Jiangyang County and recounting Wang Yu's various past "misdeeds." This garnered much agreement and interjections from the "upper echelons," making him ecstatic about his own rise in status!
Wu Manman, acting as the host, watched the scene with a serene smile. Holding the microphone, she remained silent, clearly pleased with the situation orchestrated by her and the Qinglu Group.
The more Wang Yu was belittled, the more their objectives would be achieved! It was a shame Wang Yu hadn't fallen for the trap and resisted Hong Jianjun's offer to concede yesterday. If he had accepted, revealing it now would have utterly ruined his reputation and brought prestige to the Qinglu Group!
Wu Manman observed Wang Yu with keen interest, hoping to see disappointment, shame, helplessness, and panic on his face.
But she was disappointed. Under her gaze and the spotlight, Wang Yu remained impassive. Facing the relentless sarcasm and insults from everyone, he merely bowed slightly to the crowd and then sat down without a word, his face devoid of any discernible emotion.
It was terrifyingly calm!
He was like a vast ocean, seemingly tranquil on the surface, no matter how turbulent the currents below, as if no storm could stir him!
This sent a sudden shiver down Wu Manman's spine.
"Damn it, why does it feel like I'm looking at an old man?"
She muttered, instinctively taking a step back. Then she noticed Wu Lingling, sitting next to Wang Yu.
She saw that her elder sister also looked at her with a calm gaze, filled with a hint of depth and composure.
Had her elder sister also changed after being away for a while? She seemed even more formidable than her elder brother.
Don't be afraid, they are just pretending to be calm.
Yes, it must be like that!
They might use clever tricks and schemes in other matters, but when it comes to a true test of skill, there's no room for pretense; a sure victory needs no worry!
Wu Manman reassured herself, then secretly encouraged herself.
Taking a deep breath, her ample cleavage rose and fell, stabilizing her nerves before she picked up the microphone and spoke.
"Alright, now that everyone has been introduced, I declare – the competition officially begins!"
Wu Manman wasted no more words and swiftly exited the stage.
This elicited groans from some of the lecherous individuals in the crowd, lamenting the departure of the beautiful host.
Following this, staff members brought in a large projector and unfurled a screen. The other lights in the hall dimmed, and the previously noisy crowd, eager to witness the spectacle and mockery, quieted down.
All eyes turned to the projection screen.
As the projector whirred to life, the subject of the competition – the problem of achieving 100% zero-error packaging on the candy production line – was displayed before everyone.
100% zero error?
This stunned all the onlookers. While they didn't understand the technicalities, they knew that zero error was practically impossible, like a perpetual motion machine. Theoretically sound, but absolutely unachievable in reality!
How was this even possible? It wasn't surprising that the Qinglu Group offered a ten-million reward!
While murmuring about the ten-million reward, Qinglu Group staff brought forward the prize.
Yes, brought.
On a table, stacks of cash were neatly arranged, all in hundred-yuan bills, piled and bundled in neat rows, forming a miniature pyramid.
So much money!
The audience gasped. The Qinglu Group had actually brought ten million in cash!
Extravagantly wealthy!
Most people present had never seen so much money in their lives. Initially, ten million was just a vague numerical concept in their minds.
But seeing the actual thing now, the visual impact was terrifyingly powerful!
Many in the crowd found their breathing quicken, some even gazing greedily, wishing it were theirs!
However, the presence of heavily armed security personnel quickly sobered up those whose blood had begun to boil.
No excessive actions were taken, but everyone's eyes remained fixated on the stacks of cash!
"This is the prize for this competition. Let's see who has the ability to take it home."
Wu Manman interjected at the opportune moment, reigniting the heated gazes.
"Ten million, that's quite a lot."
Wang Yu leaned back slightly, adjusting himself into a comfortable sitting position on the stool.
"Carrying all this cash home must be very tiring, right? It must weigh at least two to three hundred pounds. I wonder what it feels like for those novel protagonists who just pull out ten million in cash to smash people with. They probably can't even stand up, can they?"
Wang Yu muttered. Wu Lingling, though not hearing his words clearly, saw Wang Yu's relaxed demeanor. She leaned close to his ear and whispered,
"What time is it? You're still in the mood for jokes. Don't end up falling flat on your face. Don't you see all these people here, eager to witness your downfall? They all wish you would fail miserably!"
"Don't worry, as long as you believe in me, that's all that matters. As for the others... I don't care about them."
Wang Yu smiled faintly at Wu Lingling and gently took her hand.
Wu Lingling nodded and softly murmured, then clasped Wang Yu's hand.
Although she didn't understand Wang Yu's specific plan, she chose to trust him unconditionally!
...
"Now, please, Dr. Tojo Ryukawa, the first participant, step forward to present your design proposal!"
Wu Manman's voice rang out. Tojo Ryukawa, from the island nation, immediately stood up, walked to the front, and bowed slightly.