Survival Game: Call Me an Honest Businessman

Area 788, above the Emerald Mountains, storm layer

The Forging Clan's aerial fortress is like a solitary metal island in the sky, traversing layers of cloud vortexes that resemble mountain ranges.

The slowly rolling, dark gray clouds pushed, bulged, and collapsed, occasionally spewing out a column of cumulus clouds like a volcano, forming a visible column of airflow.

The entire storm layer was a hazy gray, with only flashes of lightning illuminating the entire cloud field, the blue and white light clearly outlining the contours of the clouds and flocks of thunderbirds.

It also illuminated the top floor of this isolated island, the conference hall surrounded by 187 glass panels.

On the four sides of the long metal table sat members of the court, the royal family, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Chamber of Commerce.

As Celia faced the royal family, her eyes reflected the jet streams of air erupting outside the window and the clouds and thunderbirds illuminated by lightning.

The presiding judge, representing the court, struck the gavel: "Celia, you have abused your power for personal gain, neglected your duties, and misappropriated resources from your tribe to train outsiders. Do you plead guilty?"

Another bolt of lightning.

The shadows were clearly defined on every wrinkle of Celia's aged face.

She spoke in a hoarse voice, "I don't admit it."

Minister of Commerce: "You don't admit it? Red Rock is one of the most important strategic resources of the Forging Clan. Every piece is of great significance. You actually used it to build mechs for your so-called foreign students. You still won't admit that you misappropriated clan resources to train foreigners?"

"That red rock originally belonged to Li Zhi. I have already explained how I obtained it. When I received it, I reported it to the Ministry of Commerce. The red rock is recorded and belongs to me privately. It is not a case of using public resources for private gain, nor is it a case of using clan resources to cultivate outsiders."

Minister of Commerce: "Who would believe you? Can't records be falsified? You reported it on the second day after the newborn race arrived in this world! You say she has the Red Rock? Who would believe that?"

Celia: "My reporting process was legal and compliant, and was personally approved by the previous Minister of Commerce. I do not acknowledge any false accusations without evidence."

Presiding Judge: "So, you chose to have the new race inherit the resources of the previous Chamber of Commerce presidents, instead of selecting students from within the Forging Clan. What's your explanation for that?"

Celia: "Your Honor, what is the purpose of the Chamber of Commerce's election of a president?"

Presiding Judge: "I'm asking you a question now, don't try to answer back."

Celia: "The purpose of the Chamber of Commerce is to facilitate market exchanges between the Forging Clan and other races, to allow the Forging Clan's inventions, equipment, and weapons to circulate among various races, and to acquire the latest inventions, equipment, and weapons from other races."

"My student, Li Zhi, has already demonstrated an astonishing business acumen and interpersonal skills since arriving on the Tianqi Continent. The exchange she plans to establish in three days will become a major bridge for the Melting Forging Clan's external exchanges. Her becoming my student will not only bring new opportunities to the Melting Forging Clan but also elevate the Melting Forging Clan's Chamber of Commerce to new heights. Li Zhi inheriting the Melting Forging Clan's Chamber of Commerce is the most advantageous choice for the Melting Forging Clan!"

Highness Auri: "The purpose of establishing the Forging Clan Merchant Guild is naturally to help the Forging Clan develop better, but the Forging Clan's resources can only belong to the Forging Clan. Li Zhi is just a newly emerging race. Even if her trading skills, her vision, and her interpersonal skills are all quite good, she is only at the C-level now. The gap between her and the S-level is something that cannot be bridged no matter how much time passes. Do you really think she can repeatedly comprehend the heart of a strong person and reach the S-level from the C-level?"

Celia: "Why not?"

Riley: "Yeah, why not? I think Li Zhixing is the best."

High Princess Ollie: "In the past thousand years, no one has ever made such a breakthrough. Your claim that she can is just sophistry without any evidence. Moreover, Celia, you still haven't answered your question about giving up on selecting students within the Forging Clan."

Celia scoffed, "Who should we choose?"

She looked at the courtroom, the royal family members, and the Minister of Commerce seated above her: "In the past hundred years, how many people in the clan have become merchants? How many resources has the clan provided to merchants? Even the Minister of Commerce is not a merchant. Why can't my students be outsiders? All the resources of the Chamber of Commerce now were accumulated by my teacher. Before her, everyone knew the status of merchants in the Forging Clan."

"I grew up amidst discrimination and oppression. From a young age, I always asked myself why I was different from others. I hated that I could always understand the unspoken meaning. I hated that I was too good at math but not good at solving problems in forging mechanics and heat flow. I hated that I was too smooth and not rigorous enough. I hated that I wasn't a true forging expert, unable to focus on research, and instead preferred to run around and interact with others."

"It was my teacher Lilia who took me in and saved me, a smelter who had changed my profession to become a merchant, from being in an awkward position. It was my teacher who built the merchant guild step by step and then passed it on to me."

"I swear to make the Forging Clan better and better. My guild members travel every day across four different continents to acquire and supply the Forging Clan with the latest technologies and inventions. Everything we do is for the sake of making our people better and better."

"But what about the children who changed their profession to become merchants? They still face discrimination. They dare not show any personality other than their seriousness and become timid, cowardly, and insecure. Even Perth, whom you have the highest hopes for, is proud of his high strength attribute, not his identity as a merchant. But this is not my fault; it is the environment of the entire Forging Clan."

"My teacher has shaped me into who I am today, and I am grateful to her, but I no longer have the time to cultivate a new me."

"I don't have time."

Celia let out a deep sigh, her body leaning back in the chair, withered and thin, her prosthetic limbs hanging obediently like exhausted tentacles.

The meeting room fell silent.

Then an even older voice rang out: "Your student knows Lingqiu; she's a level 12 doctor. I heard you met yesterday. Can't she slow down your aging process either?"

Celia and all the Forging Clan stood up to greet the King.

The queen stood at the hatch, the mech supporting her body, but unable to support her aged, sagging skin.

Celia looked directly at the King: "Your Majesty, we escaped from the Edge Layer together back then. Lifespan was the smallest price we paid. Aging does not stem from disease, and how can a doctor who treats disease treat us who were punished for offending the Apocalypse Clan?"

Another bolt of lightning struck.

Cumulus clouds surged forth, and thunderbirds flapped their wings.

It clearly outlines the light and shadow of everyone in the conference room.

The king leaned against the mecha, let out a sigh, and slowly closed his eyes.

"His Majesty!!!"

Exclamations rang out.

The king opened his eyes: "He's not dead yet."

"I acknowledge Celia as a student, and the Forging Clan also acknowledges her. I will issue an unchangeable decree that no member of the Forging Clan may use this matter to judge Celia again, nor may they use it to exclude the next president of the Chamber of Commerce."

The king's mech carried her around.

The metal door opens and closes silently.

All that remained was a soft sigh: "I truly miss the days when we traveled the Tianqi Continent together."