Great, we're doomed now!

For example, Yoshioka, who loves both drinking and diving, joined the navy; Junpei, who is arrogant, capable, and destined for greatness, inherited the family business; and Sawai, who is ambitious and compassionate, went overseas to begin his own life journey.

Time flies like an arrow!

He glanced at the "NERvGear" that his assistant had put away and nodded slightly: This is a landmark product that can completely change an industry. Xiaoye Shou has once again created a business miracle.

But this will definitely attract the covetous eyes of many parties. Other forces are fine, but if it is the United States or the shadow government that controls it that wants a share of the pie, then even the Kuze Group will find it difficult to refuse.

In a sense, it's not necessarily a bad thing. These people have the ability to open up the European and American markets, and their political resources can make policies go smoothly, just like the status of the Kuze Group in Japan.

—The only thing to worry about when cooperating with them is being abandoned after they've served their purpose, or being stripped bare and exploited.

In fact, when Junpei was in the United States, he had been contacted by people before the release of "NERvGear" to discuss financing cooperation. His return this time was also meant to remind Ye Shou:

Of course, this is just a reminder and will not interfere with Ye Shou's decisions and actions.

Firstly, they trusted their son; secondly, this wasn't a matter of life and death. No matter how things developed, for people of their caliber, even the fiercest struggles would leave room for maneuver.

"Sometimes I'm quite envious of Indians..."

"What did you say?" Sawai turned around in surprise.

"It's nothing, just talking to myself." Junpei shook his head with amusement.

Although it sounds funny, it's actually true:

There are very few countries in this world that can completely disregard foreign capital, especially American capital. Some are simply less powerful than their foreign counterparts, like Japan, South Korea, and Europe; others have domestically underperforming companies. But there is one mysterious Eastern power that is completely fearless—

That's India!

There aren't many people who can completely subdue foreign investors, and Indians have a knack for it!

As they descended the gangway from the Gulfstream aircraft, people were already waiting outside. Upon meeting, both sides spontaneously revealed their joy.

"Father, Mother, welcome home."

"So serious, just call him Mom and Dad." Regardless of whether his son was already in high school, Jiu Shifeng reached out to pat his head.

Ye Shou readily agreed and bent down slightly—after all, he was already much taller than his mother.

"Master, Madam!"

The butler and servants all paid their respects, including Ruri. But as soon as she bowed, a gentle force lifted her head, and she saw Kuze Kaede's gentle smiling face.

"It's been a while since I last saw you, Ruri-chan has grown even more beautiful. You brought back gifts for everyone this time, Ruri-chan, so pick one out for yourself when you get home."

“Madam…” the maid lowered her head shyly.

Junpei then took Ye Shou's arm and introduced him to his old friend: "This is your Uncle Sawai. He and I have been good friends for many years."

"Hello, Uncle Sawai, nice to meet you." The boy greeted him. "Just call me Ye Shou."

"Okay, Ye Shou, I've heard a lot about you. Your father is very proud of you."

Sawai reached out and took Ye Shou's hand, giving the boy a reliable but not forceful grip.

"Nice to meet you. I might be bothering you for a while."

Chapter 32: Unless aliens fall from the sky!

Sawai moved into the Kuse family home. Out of curiosity about this "famous person from a previous life," Ye Shou secretly observed him for a long time, but he never gained anything. His most direct impression was that he was unremarkable.

Yes, nothing special.

Ye Shouyuan thought that a great man who could eventually create "TPC" and call on the world to put aside prejudices and unite would be a passionate and highly charismatic figure like Sheryl, the leader of the Republic of China in history books.

Otherwise, they are like Liu Bang or Liu Bei, possessing extraordinary magnanimity and personal charisma, capable of inspiring people to die for them.

—But in reality, Ye Shou didn’t see any of these things in Ze Jing.

He would visit powerful figures in Japanese politics or major business leaders almost every day, and then actively contact renowned academic authorities to discuss the establishment of a peace organization with them... Only at the Kuze Manor would he not bring up these matters.

He could meet the most powerful family heads in Japan every day and come into contact with a young genius like Ye Shou. He should have had plenty of opportunities, but he never introduced his ideas to Ye Shou, nor did he ever think about fighting for anything.

He only works in his study with his assistant, and once he leaves, he keeps quiet, just like an ordinary middle-aged man visiting a friend, occasionally playing chess with people and chatting about literature and news.

Oh, by the way, he really likes ALO, and he even asked Ye Shou for a deluxe version helmet.

As time went on, Ye Shou sometimes forgot what kind of achievements this man might have in the future, and just felt that it was quite comfortable and fun to be around this older man.

—He only realized that he had developed feelings for Sawai when he had a sudden realization.

It was like spring rain that nourishes all things; this person wasn't there to conquer people's hearts, but to earn their trust.

"Is it strange? That's just his style."

On this day, Ye Shou finally couldn't resist his curiosity and found his father, who was pruning potted plants, to ask the question that had been bothering him.

Junpei Kuze smiled slightly, unsurprised: "Sawai is a very humane man. During our student days, we thought he was 'unsuitable for politics' because he was too moral compared to those politicians."

Do you think he should make good use of his connections and try to gain the support of the Jiu family?

"Shouldn't we?" Ye Shou shrugged. "If we don't make use of readily available political resources, then it's not kindness, it's foolishness."

“You’re right. Sawai certainly wants to join forces with Kuze, but he won’t lobby us from his home.”

Work is work, and life is life. He moved in as a 'friend,' so he won't switch to a politician's persona to talk to us.

Chunping said seriously, "He often says this—"

Politicians should not have private matters if they want to gain people's trust.

Therefore, when he started his pursuit of the Jiu family, he must have made an appointment in advance and set up his scheme openly and formally in the company's conference room... Do you understand?

Ye Shou frowned slightly and remained silent.

Chunping laughed: "Do you think it's old-fashioned?"

"A little bit."

"With his talent, he could have attained a very high position of power, if he hadn't stuck to his principles... But this kind of person isn't unlikeable, is he?"

"Having principles often means suffering losses in the pursuit of fame and fortune."

"He is very skillful; he is not the kind of person who only talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk."

How to conduct exchanges of benefits, how to see through the other party's bottom line, and when to do what yields the greatest benefit... these are all things he handles with ease.

Junpei shook his head: "Sai-senpai isn't naive, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to persevere until now."

Ye Shou glanced at the potted plant on the flat table and suddenly asked, "Dad must have talked to him a lot in America, right?"

"That's right, you're very interested in the World Peace Federation (TPC)?"

Junpei stopped what he was doing and looked at Ye Shou in surprise: "When did my son become so interested in public welfare?"

"Just out of curiosity."

"Um"

Junpei looked him up and down for a moment, then smiled nonchalantly.

“Sawai is not just a lobbyist. Over the past two decades, he has attracted a large number of people who share his vision, including politicians, scientists and social celebrities. They are not limited by nationality or ethnicity and are widely present in all sectors of society—it’s almost like a secret society.”

He explained to me the essential properties of TPC, which are…

The old man patiently introduced Ye Shou to the character of Ze Jing, and Ye Shou gradually pieced together the character's personality.

He was indeed a first-rate politician with both skill and ability, who never forgot his original aspirations and adhered to principles. However, he was clearly not an omnipotent superman, so the establishment of TPC was not very smooth.

External resistance is naturally varied and need not be elaborated upon, but the internal contradictions are what Sawai finds most troublesome.

Simply put, although he created the organization, he did not impose his personal will on everyone like a leader would. Instead, he encouraged them to take initiative, which resulted in different political views, the so-called radicals.

This faction believes that the first step in uniting humanity is to establish "military mutual trust" among major powers. Therefore, it advocates for the participation of all countries in forming a military force dedicated to "protecting human life and property and maintaining the balance of the Earth's ecological environment"—in simple terms, an enhanced peacekeeping force (Earth Defense Force).

Sawai, however, was more rational; he deeply understood just how difficult this was.

The only time it would be possible for major military powers to join forces without any reservations is when aliens fall from the sky.

Therefore, he is a conservative:

They believe that a neutral, transnational scientific research organization should be established to share technology, resources, and talent, and to dedicate itself to "promoting the overall progress of human civilization" and "building technological reserves for the development of space resources."

He believes that making the pie bigger can effectively reduce conflicts between countries, and that technological progress can make people cherish peaceful life more, thus showing more tolerance and understanding towards their fellow human beings.

This may not achieve true "unity of all mankind," it may only alleviate the conflicts, but like climbing a mountain—

To reach the summit, one must climb step by step, and each step will be worthwhile; quantitative changes will eventually lead to qualitative changes.

Currently, there is no fundamental conflict between the two factions, and both are led by Sawai. However, signs of a conflict between the civil and military factions have already emerged.

"TPC will definitely be established before the Earth Defense Force."

Junpei Kuze said confidently, "I have decided to provide Sawai with some connections and introduce him to several highly respected scholars."

His ideals may seem unattainable, but after twenty years of accumulation, he has amassed a considerable amount of hidden assets, and perhaps he really can succeed.

Junpei's tone implied excitement, because if the TPC could gain enough influence internationally, then the Hise family might be able to break free from the shackles of "Japan" and take advantage of the favorable winds to achieve a higher political status.

—During the economic bubble era, many conglomerates acquired American capital, which seemed to be a form of reverse economic colonization, attempting to break through the glass ceiling.

But in the end, it all turned into a mess. After the economic overheating subsided, Japan discovered that its fundamental base was riddled with holes and it was already mired in a quagmire. From then on, it could only walk with a limp!

The Jiu family is powerful in China, but if it wants to continue to expand, it needs a completely new platform, at least one that is not controlled by the US, otherwise there will still be a ceiling.

Junpei Kuze has been trying to solve this problem for the past few years. If he can do it, he will undoubtedly be the "founder" rather than an ordinary head of the family, and his achievements will be firmly above those of his own son.

TPC is the platform he's interested in, but it's not the only option.

Of course, he knows Sawai very well, so he thinks TPC is a more worthwhile investment, and it's worth taking a little risk.

"Earth Defense Force..." Ye Shou was still pondering this familiar name, his eyes thoughtful.

Junpei chuckled upon seeing this:

No matter how talented a child is, he is still a teenager. He is always particularly fascinated by military power. As a father, it is time to make him see reality clearly.

"That's just wishful thinking. I can't imagine major military powers fighting side by side. In reality, as long as they don't interfere with each other, the earth can maintain a general peace."

Junpei laughed confidently, "Of course, it's not impossible—unless there's an alien invasion, hahaha~"

Ye Shou hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Chapter 33: Great, we're doomed now! (4K)

On the second-to-last day of the system card refresh cycle, Ye Shou sat in his car, reflecting on the past month's experiences, and his heart couldn't help but stir with emotion.

So much has happened in this past month, some planned, some unexpected, and he even had a brush with death, gaining real "combat" experience. It has been an incredibly fulfilling month.