Survival Game: Call Me an Honest Businessman

When Li Zhi found Celia, she was sitting with her back to the door in front of the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the sea.

"teacher."

Celia did not turn around, nor did she respond to Li Zhi.

Li Zhi waited a few seconds, but seeing that she still didn't react, he remembered what Perth had said when they came in: "Celia won't see me, or anyone else. She's been like this ever since we came back from the air fortress. Nobody knows what she's doing. Do you really want to go in?"

Celia's office is open-plan and does not prevent others from entering.

But this floor was unusually quiet.

Whether it was because the reconstruction of Black Iron Port was nearing completion, or because of Celia's current low pressure, none of the Forging Clan and Scale Clan members who worked there remained.

The entire floor was empty except for Li Zhi and Celia.

Li Zhi circled around to stand in front of Celia.

"teacher?"

Celia seemed to be pondering something, her expression shifting, her eyes unreadable.

Li Zhi's voice startled her awake. When a pair of cloudy eyes looked over, a layer of white sweat broke out on Li Zhi's back.

"teacher?"

Celia opened her mouth, coughed twice (probably because she hadn't spoken in a long time), and her hoarse voice became a little smoother: "Why are you here?"

Li Zhi: "I've sent you so many messages."

"You haven't replied to me about the exchange's invitation letter format or who was invited."

Celia coughed softly: "All I see is that you want me to be your subservient."

Li Zhi rolled a stone over to himself, sat down, and said, "You're making it sound like I'm going against the Heavenly Gang. I'm inviting you to join the Unforgettable Danger group and become a member of it."

Celia: "I've already told you, don't take the territory rankings too seriously. Your goal is the wealth rankings. What's the price of Apocalypse Dust now?"

Li Zhi: "13.2 silver 0.1 unit".

Celia: "It hasn't reached the number you predicted yet."

Li Zhi: "Soon, it will arrive tomorrow."

Celia: "The exchange opens the day after tomorrow, so don't delay too long, or something might happen."

Li Zhi: "Teacher, you still haven't said who the Forging Clan is going to invite."

Celia: "Let's invite Master Odin and Riley, as well as the members of the merchant guild. You don't see them often, so seeing them more often will help you build rapport."

Li Zhi said jokingly, "Perth just told me that the Forging Clan is going to hold a second trial and won't let me be your successor."

Celia: "Even the royal family can't influence my decision, so don't worry, Perth... have Perth join the Vigilance and take her away."

Li Zhiwei was surprised, and her joking expression turned serious.

Why?

Celia: "Perth's profession is average, but her combat strength ranks among the top in the entire Forging Clan. The two of you should spend more time together. You can teach her business, and she can protect you."

Li Zhi looked at Celia's aged face and said, "Teacher, please come with me to 'Never Forget the Dangers'."

Celia was taken aback: "You want me to go with you to the 'Never Forget the Danger'?"

Li Zhi: "Yes, I plan to build a hotel and a few villas on the mountain to create a private resort. I'll reserve one for you. Come with me and remember the dangers ahead."

Celia scoffed, "What would I do with your villa? You and Perth get along well. I have a lot of things to do and don't have time for you two."

Li Zhi turned to the side, blocking her view of the sea, and looked at Celia: "Why did you recall everyone who was searching for the longevity item?"

A sharp glint flashed in Celia's cloudy eyes.

She suddenly stood up.

The mecha propelled her body, its immense energy activated, bringing with it an oppressive question:

"The first lesson I taught you was never to look directly into the eyes of races of a higher level than yourself. Have you become arrogant because of your continuous breakthroughs?"

Li Zhi was taken aback. Seeing the hidden anger in her expression, he realized that Celia was serious.

"Not even you?"

Li Zhi met her gaze without flinching.

Celia's mech descended with her.

Along with her voice, which grew even hoarser from exhaustion, she said, "I don't know from what moment on, but you stopped being afraid of me."

Li Zhi remained silent.

Celia jumped out of the mecha and walked to the window.

Even though the sea breeze couldn't penetrate the huge, inlaid glass, Li Zhi could see that Celia's white hair seemed to be swaying.

"...The strong should have fear."

"Fear teaches you to be vigilant, calculating, and cautious."

"The true strongman is one who forges ahead despite fear."

"Having only a fearless heart makes one a brute, not a strong person."

Li Zhi: "Teacher, is this the heart of a strong person?"

Celia turned around.

Li Zhi: "Or perhaps, you are no longer able to forge ahead."

She walked up to Celia and spoke the thought that she had pondered for a long time, the thought that had reached her lips several times but which she had never been able to utter:

"Life-extending items only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. Teacher, why don't you come with me to the Emerald Mountains and focus on comprehending the heart of a strong person? As long as you can break through the racial level cap, you can also break the shackles of lifespan and return to the peak of your power."

Celia looked at the sharpness and intensity in Li Zhi's eyes, and as her gaze flickered, the nasolabial folds at the corners of her mouth deepened: "Youth is truly wonderful. A little ignorance, occasional fear, unwavering courage, a healthy body, and a hopeful future."

"Do you know how many people with the heart of a true strongman have emerged in the business world over the past thousand years?"

Li Zhi remembers all the information about the 1224 portraits in the Time Corridor.

When Celia asked, she naturally recalled it.

Li Zhitong's pupils constricted slightly: "...One?"

This is the only one that is not among the 1224 portraits.

is her.

Celia: "Yes, there's only one, only you."

Li Zhi was startled.

Although she had reviewed the information on all the portraits, the information had been categorized in advance. While she had looked at the profession and talents of each portrait, for the less important portraits, she did more of a matching of names and portraits.

After all, she was only trying to make a good impression, not to do a job ratio analysis of "Awakening the Heart of the Strong", so she didn't compile the data.

Looking back now, she realizes that the professions of these people with the heart of a strong person are actually strongly related.

Warriors awakened the most, especially melee warriors.

Secondly, there are inventors and weapons masters who need to devote themselves to research, and chefs and growers who are primarily engaged in practical work.

Then there are niche professions like adventurers, which often require challenging oneself.

merchant……

She was indeed the only one.

Celia: "The more distracting thoughts you have, the harder it is to understand the heart of a strong person."

"But a successful businessman not only needs to be able to weigh the pros and cons and deal with customers of different races, statuses and professions, but also needs to constantly restrain his greed, calculate his gains and losses, and ensure that he can naturally switch between partners and competitors every time. To do all this, it is impossible not to have distracting thoughts."

"The profession of businessman has been in conflict with the mentality of a strongman from the very beginning."

"But you are an exception."