Chapter 72: The Discussion Was a Great Success

It must be said that Xiao Kaitian's perspective was uniquely insightful. By appointing Guo Lei, a girl with little social experience or credentials but remarkable beauty, as host, he not only absorbed the pressure from the invited participants but also greatly eased the conflicts that might erupt during the discussion. After all, no one is willing to lose face and behave recklessly in front of a beautiful woman.

Chen Jingming and Ling Xuan exchanged glances, each reading complex emotions in the other's eyes.

A dozen minutes later, Guo Lei finished her explanation of the rules for the discussion. Not a single person objected, and the event proceeded smoothly into its official phase.

As Guo Lei announced the start, the venue fell into silence. Those attending for the first time glanced at one another, each reluctant to be the first to take the plunge.

Xiao Kaitian smiled and crossed his legs; this cautious attitude was precisely the effect he sought.

About twenty seconds later, someone finally pressed the button, and the seat number appeared on the big screen: 147. It was a male student from Jiaotong University.

"Uh," he seemed to regret it a little, but still stood up. Before he could speak, Guo Lei smiled and said, "Classmate, this isn't a classroom—you don't need to stand to answer questions."

The unexpected humor instantly eased the tense atmosphere, and laughter rippled through the hall. The young man scratched his head, smiled, and sat back down, his expression now more natural.

"I'm a student of the Department of Political Science and Law at Jiaotong University. As for the theme of this meeting—how to get rich quickly—before coming here, I discussed it with my friends. We all believe it's a pseudo-proposition."

"As long as a business activity is rational and legitimate, it can be deemed a project for wealth. But as society develops, companies mature, and information spreads, I believe examples of overnight riches will greatly decrease."

"Moreover, the capital market of Han and Tang is already mature; banks are controlled by the state, funds and venture capital are dominated by powerful families, noble houses, and financial groups. Enterprises are inseparable from their backing. For individuals to carve out territory through conventional means like project initiation and financing, I think it's a difficult task."

His words resonated with many, but dissent soon emerged as another participant pressed the button.

"Number 279."

It was a girl with a ponytail, her voice clear and crisp: "I hold a reserved opinion about the previous statement. If it were entirely correct, there'd be no need for us to convene and discuss here. The purpose of the meeting is to find ways to break through the conventional."

"In today's Han and Tang, our technology is globally competitive, and martial arts are second to none worldwide. If we analyze carefully, opportunities remain."

"Conventional economic projects, such as real estate or the entertainment industry, are rapid avenues for amassing wealth, but their capital markets are saturated and highly competitive. Heavy industry and resource sectors are tightly controlled by the state, making entry extremely difficult."

"But what we're considering is the result of our imagination, because personally, since the third scientific revolution—the emergence of hydrogen capsules, hydrogen crystals, and controllable nuclear fusion technology—the extendable space for technological products is vast."

This was a girl whose stance was rooted in technology, and Xiao Kaitian couldn't help but look at her more closely.

Her viewpoint quickly won support.

"I agree with this route," said a department manager from the IT industry. "The revolution in energy technology hasn't brought a substantial breakthrough. Planes are still planes, cars are still cars. The only change is that their power source has shifted from oil and electricity to more environmentally friendly hydrogen."

"The real transformation hasn't arrived. In the steam age, the steam engine replaced the horse-drawn carriage. Now, we haven't produced anything that replaces cars. One could say the development of extendable technological products lags behind the revolution in energy. The biggest outcome is simply the enhancement of our large-scale military equipment, nothing more."

The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly lively, and many were eager to speak. According to the principle of priority, the machine selected the next speaker.

On stage, Guo Lei maintained control over the rhythm of the proceedings; her blouse was already soaked with sweat.

"Take mechs for example—these are the state's key tool for balancing the martial artists," said a policeman, pushing up his glasses and speaking with seriousness. "Although there are strict boundaries between martial artists and us, those active daily are mainly below the Profound Realm, and our mechs can at best match that level."

"As for martial artists above the Profound Realm, unless we deploy large-scale regional weapons of mass destruction, we are simply no match. Recently, a certain protective glove was a hot seller in Japan, which shows ordinary people have a strong desire for safety."

Yet someone quickly argued back.

"We can't ignore the contributions of martial artists. From a stability perspective, their presence is invaluable. Martial arts is indeed a path for rapid wealth accumulation, but it's highly closed off, making outside participation difficult. However, from a medical perspective, if we can solve healthcare issues for martial artists, reduce mortality, and improve recovery rates, this path is also worth considering."

"I'm still inclined to favor heavy industry projects led by the state. The support of national power is an unignorable commercial opportunity. Military products derived from the energy revolution, once approved by the military, will naturally resolve funding issues."

"Production of pharmaceuticals for martial artists is also a promising direction. Currently, most resources are controlled by the martial arts world, making entry unlikely but not impossible. As that student mentioned earlier, the closure of the martial arts world leads to information asymmetry, and such asymmetry is precisely the root of business opportunities."

As the discussion progressed, participants became ever more animated. Almost as soon as one finished speaking, someone else would immediately follow.

These were all perspectives—some bordering on fantasy, whether achievable or not, no one could say. But this open-minded exchange won everyone's approval.

Everyone harbored their own dreams and opinions. Xiao Kaitian convened the discussion precisely to give voice to these ideas. Whether they could be realized was a matter for him to consider after compiling them.

"I think..."

"My view is..."

Whether due to the air conditioning or the excitement in the room, as the session neared its end, nearly everyone had flushed cheeks and wiped sweat from their foreheads.

The scheduled discussion was to begin at nine and end at eleven, but with delays, it started at nine-thirty, and by one in the afternoon, participants were still earnestly speaking.

Guo Lei's eyes sparkled, beads of sweat glistening on her nose. In that moment, she felt that all her efforts over the past period had been worthwhile.

The first session of the discussion was an overwhelming success.