My whole family is involved in diplomacy, so you dare to flex your muscles?

The elder watched him quietly, taking in all the shock, bewilderment, and even the fleeting fear on his face.

"What? Are you scared?" The elder's voice was calm, yet it carried a power that penetrated to the core of one's being.

"You should be afraid. This responsibility is as heavy as Mount Tai; whoever shoulders it will be afraid."

"Media from all over the world will be pointing their cameras at you. Every expression and gesture of yours will be interpreted in countless ways."

Your opponents will use the most despicable means to set countless traps for you.

Every mistake you make will be used by them as ammunition to attack our entire country.

"This is a battlefield, not a stage."

Gu Yun slowly raised his head, his chest heaving violently, but his eyes, after the initial shock, gradually became firm and sharp.

He remembered his grandfather's words.

He was reminded of his compatriots cheering for him on the summit stage, and the representatives of the Third World countries who placed high hopes on him.

afraid?

Yes, he was afraid.

He feared he would betray that trust and tarnish that honor.

But it is precisely because we are afraid that we must go for it!

Because he knew that backing down in this position was more shameful than any failure!

Gu Yun took a deep breath, stood up, closed the folder, and handed it back to the elder with both hands.

His movements were steady, without the slightest tremor.

"Reporting to the commander."

His voice had returned to its usual calm, even carrying a hint of metallic resonance.

"I'm afraid. But I also know that some burdens must be borne by someone."

"I will resolutely obey the organization's arrangements and resolutely complete the task!"

A relieved smile finally appeared on the elder's face.

He didn't take the folder; instead, he waved his hand.

"Keep the document. From now on, you are Gu Yun, Deputy Director of the Information Department."

This book was first published on 2020s.com, providing you with a reading experience free of errors and disordered chapters.

"Tomorrow is your first appearance at the Blue Hall. The whole world is watching. Don't let us down, and more importantly, don't let the people down."

"Go, young people. Go and create an era of your own."

That evening, a news report of less than 100 words was released to the world through the national news agency.

[After deliberation, it has been decided to appoint Comrade Gu Yun as Deputy Director-General and Spokesperson of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.]

The news immediately ignited a global media frenzy.

The domestic internet was abuzz with excitement once again, following the airport frenzy.

[Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! Directly promoted to deputy director-general and spokesperson?! This couldn't have happened any faster than a rocket launch!]

[Youngest ever! Gu Shen is awesome (voice cracks)! This is true youthful talent!]

[So cool! Will I be able to see Gu Shen roasting people in the Blue Hall every day from now on? Just thinking about it is exciting! I've got my electronic pickled vegetables!]

[The national team has finally figured it out: to deal with thugs, you have to send someone who understands thugs! Support Gu Shen! Take down those Western journalists!]

In contrast to the domestic celebrations, Western media were filled with shock and astonishment.

Reuters: "China's appointment of its 'debate champion' as its new spokesperson may signal a more assertive diplomatic style."

The New York Times: "From Scholar to Mouthpiece: Gu Yun's Rapid Promotion is a Challenge from Beijing to the World."

The BBC went even further with a malicious headline: "Wolf Warrior" gains another tooth: Has China turned the diplomatic stage into a reality show?

Back in the United States, Scott, who had just been discharged from the hospital, was so angry when he saw this news on TV that he smashed the remote control in his hand against the screen.

"They're insane! They must be insane! Letting a mere kid be their spokesperson?!"

His eyes were filled with jealousy.

"Just wait, Gu Yun. The debate stage and the speaker's platform are two different worlds."

I'll show you what real political strangulation is!

......

The next day at 3 PM, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, South Building, Blue Hall.

There are still fifteen minutes until Gu Yun's first appearance.

The atmosphere in the backstage lounge was completely different from the hustle and bustle of the reporters' area outside; it was almost too quiet.

The staff members entered and exited, all subconsciously slowing their footsteps and even breathing with a degree of caution.

This is the Blue Hall, the face of the nation, and a battlefield without gunfire.

Any new spokesperson is bound to be nervous on their debut.

In the past, many experienced diplomats would take deep breaths and their palms would be sweating when they first stood on that podium.

However, today's "protagonist" is an anomaly.

Gu Yun was leaning back on the sofa, engrossed in his phone.

His assistant, Xiao Wang, a young man who had just graduated, paced nervously back and forth in the room, muttering to himself as if he were reciting some information.

He would steal glances at Gu Yun every now and then, and seeing how relaxed he was, he felt even more anxious, like an ant on a hot pan.

"Deputy Director Gu... Deputy Director Gu..." Xiao Wang finally couldn't hold back any longer, leaning closer and lowering his voice.

"Aren't you going to look at the information?"

I've compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions today, along with background analysis from mainstream media outlets around the world, especially Reuters and the Associated Press…”

Gu Yun didn't even look up, just swiped his finger across the screen, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Xiao Wang, relax."

"I...I can't relax!" Xiao Wang was almost in tears.

"At least two hundred media outlets are here, broadcasting live globally, billions of people are watching! What if..."

"What if what?" Gu Yun finally put down his phone. The screen was still displaying a funny GIF—a husky trying to catch a butterfly, only to fall headfirst into a mud puddle.

Gu Yun stretched and moved his neck, his joints making a series of soft "clicking" sounds.

"I already have everything I need to prepare in mind. Looking at more now will only add to my mental burden." He stood up, walked to the mirror, and straightened his dark blue suit tie.

"Besides, on a real battlefield, the enemy never plays by the rules of your prepared script."

He looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes calm and undisturbed.

That excessively young and handsome face was the reason why countless people questioned him.

But at this moment, his face was imbued with a composure and a sense of pressure that belied his age.

As Xiao Wang watched his retreating figure, for some reason, the burning tension in his heart miraculously subsided.

"It's time, Deputy Director Gu." The director of the Information Department personally came to remind him at the door.

He patted Gu Yun on the shoulder, his eyes filled with complex emotions—both expectation and worry.

"Go. Remember, you have the entire nation behind you."

"clear."

Gu Yun nodded and stepped outside.

Pushing open the door to the Blue Hall felt like stepping from a silent deep sea into a boiling cauldron of oil.

"Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap—"

A matrix of flashes from hundreds of cameras erupted in an instant, the light blinding.