Chapter 156: This Is a Traditional Virtue
Chapter 156: This Is a Traditional Virtue
Zhao Min put down the phone, a slight smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
The Island Nation people had finally come around, knowing to take the initiative to return the Seismograph. They must have guessed their intention. However, the other side requested a low-key transaction, surely unable to swallow their pride.
This was interesting—break their Seismograph, then just return it quietly and pretend nothing ever happened?
She wouldn’t do such a losing business.
“Big Boss, the Island Nation said they made a mistake and mistakenly fished up our company’s instrument, thinking it was a monitoring device. They plan to return it to us in two days.”
Zhao Min went straight to Chen Mo.
“The Island Nation people are quite quick-witted. They just refused, then remembered this matter.”
Chen Mo chuckled softly without much surprise. It was to be expected—the Island Nation had to compromise; otherwise, there was no way they could have the Seismograph.
“The Seismograph will be delivered to Binhai Port. They’ve asked us to go there to receive it.”
“They want to return the Seismograph privately? They don’t want to make a scene?”
Chen Mo immediately understood the key point—there was no mention of compensation or an apology.
“You guessed it. A country compromising with a company—no matter how you look at it, it’s embarrassing for them. But now the initiative isn’t in their hands. If they don’t want it public, we’ll make it public ourselves. Let’s call some reporters, put up a banner, and hold a simple return ceremony. Even if they don’t want it public, it’ll have to be.” Zhao Min laughed.
“That’s doable. Back when they fished up the Seismograph, they slandered us in the process. Now that they’re returning it, why not strike back? Not returning a favor is impolite—this is a Huaxia traditional virtue.” Chen Mo grinned slyly.
“What are you thinking now?” Zhao Min looked at Chen Mo oddly.
“You’ll know when the time comes.”
Two days later, at Binhai Port.
Inada Tsunami stood in front of a container; inside was the returned Seismograph.
Beside him were Heng Jingyu and an interpreter.
Although coming personally to return the Seismograph to Legion Ant Company made him very unhappy, he had to brace himself and come, all for the sake of being able to purchase the Seismograph.
Seeing Li Lingfeng get out of the car, Inada Tsunami frowned slightly, then forced a smile, as if greeting an old friend he hadn’t seen in years. He had met Li Lingfeng before—he was the Legion Ant Company executive who had negotiated with him about the Seismograph last time, not Chen Mo.
“Hello, Ambassador Inada. The Boss has sensed your sincerity and sent me to pick you up; he’s waiting for you at the company.” Li Lingfeng said graciously.
“Okay.” Inada Tsunami immediately nodded with a smile.
“Go check the instrument.”
After greeting the staff, Li Lingfeng led Inada Tsunami and the others into the car and headed back to Legion Ant Company.
On the way, Inada Tsunami wore a forced smile. These Huaxia people were all the same—showing a little kindness, and they treat you like a VIP. How foolish.
Soon, the group arrived at Legion Ant Company.
As soon as he got out of the car, Inada Tsunami’s smile froze. He saw dozens of reporters aiming their cameras at him; the flashes were almost blinding.
A feeling of being deceived washed over him.
He had intended to return the Seismograph to Legion Ant Company privately, never expecting the other side to call reporters. What was even more infuriating was that Legion Ant Company had set up a stage and hung a banner.
‘Island Nation Government Seismograph Return Ceremony’
Seeing the banner, Inada Tsunami burned with suppressed anger, nearly cursing out loud. Returning your item, and you make such a fuss with a ceremony? Even Heng Jingyu beside him didn’t look too pleased. Legion Ant Company must be afraid people wouldn’t know about this.
“Ambassador Inada, welcome.” Chen Mo greeted with a smile, shaking Inada Tsunami’s hand.
“Mr. Chen, we apologize for mistakenly salvaging your company’s experimental equipment. We have confirmed it belongs to your company, so we personally brought it back.”
Things had reached this point; even if he was furious, he had to swallow it and act dignified. Leaving now would only complicate any future cooperation with Legion Ant Company.
“Heh, let’s skip the pleasantries.” Chen Mo gestured with his right hand, leading Inada Tsunami toward the small stage. “I sensed your sincerity, so I specially set up a temporary stage to let the public witness this moment and show the world what this epoch-making Seismograph looks like.”
At that moment, a dump truck pulled a container into Legion Ant Company.
As soon as it stopped, over a dozen staff members rushed forward, opened the container, lifted out the Seismograph, and carried it toward the stage.
The reporters grew excited—this was the Seismograph that had caused such a stir recently.
They had seen it in the public salvage photos from the Island Nation, but this was the first time they could film it so closely and directly.
After the Seismograph was placed on the stage, Chen Mo and Inada Tsunami also stepped onto the platform.
“Let’s take a photo together.” Chen Mo said with a laugh.
Inada Tsunami reached out and shook Chen Mo’s hand, forcing a smile for the reporters’ cameras while gritting his teeth inside.
“Ambassador Inada, do you have anything you’d like to say?” Chen Mo asked.
After hearing the interpreter’s translation, Inada quickly shook his head. “I’ll pass. This is too sudden—I’m not prepared.”
“Then I’ll say a few words.”
Inada Tsunami’s eyelids twitched. He didn’t know what Chen Mo was up to now, but he still followed the staff off the stage.
Chen Mo, smiling, adjusted the microphone, and the crowd instantly quieted down.
“Today, the Island Nation government took the initiative to return the Seismograph and apologize to Legion Ant Company. I am very happy.”
Happy my foot. Inada Tsunami below nearly spat blood. He finally understood: Chen Mo inviting him to the company was a trap.
“This is the first deep-sea Seismograph to appear before the public—it holds historical significance. Legion Ant Company will donate it to the Binhai City museum for collection. However, I have one regret.”
Chen Mo’s regret?
Hearing “regret,” everyone perked up their ears.
“My regret is that this super earthquake’s exact location couldn’t be predicted.” Chen Mo sighed. “Many people online asked why we didn’t disclose the specific location of the major earthquake. It’s not that we didn’t want to—we couldn’t. Originally, we could have warned of the precise location of this super earthquake.”
This time, everyone stirred. Inada Tsunami’s eyelids twitched again; he had a very bad feeling.
“In the West Pacific Ocean, in the waters northeast of the Island Nation, we deployed a total of six Seismographs. This area, located at the junction of the Eurasian and Pacific Plates, is one of the most earthquake-prone sea regions, making it the best place to test our Seismographs.”
As soon as Chen Mo finished speaking, a projection of the sea area appeared on the white screen behind him, marked with six clear red dots and the epicenter of the major earthquake.
“Of the six Seismographs, two were closest to the sea area of this major earthquake. The first one is this salvaged Seismograph. It had just been deployed and started operating when it was fished up—it died young, so it’s a pity it couldn’t warn of this major earthquake.”
Hearing Chen Mo’s words, Inada Tsunami’s heart tightened, his body stiffening. What was Chen Mo trying to do? Publicly cause trouble for them?
The reporters were already ecstatic—this was huge news.
“The first one died young—that’s very unfortunate. The second one is the biggest regret—it could have also warned of this major earthquake’s location. The first warning signal came from the second Seismograph, also located in this sea area.
But shortly after it sent the first signal, the signal was cut off. It might have been detected and also fished up by someone. I don’t know exactly who.”
“Both Seismographs closest to this sea area were taken, making it impossible to predict the location of this major earthquake. That is my greatest regret.” Chen Mo sighed.