Chapter 113: Humans and Ants

Everyone’s eyes were on Chen Mo now. Some news media had even started live broadcasts online.

This was the first time he was exposed to the spotlight. In the past, he would have been nervous, but now his perspective had changed, and he saw things differently.

Though he started by reluctantly stepping onto the small podium, Chen Mo actually relaxed once he was up there. He looked naturally at the students and reporters below.

“Hello everyone, I’m Chen Mo. You’ve come today probably to listen to someone like me give a little speech,” Chen Mo said jokingly.

As soon as he finished speaking, the audience burst into laughter, followed by enthusiastic applause. He was clearly joking at the principal’s expense.

“Before today, I was just like many of you—I had never been on a podium, nor had I spoken in front of such a large audience. I used to dream of giving an impassioned speech on stage. But after coming up here today, I realized I’ve lost my first time.”

Another wave of soft laughter spread through the audience.

Chen Mo raised his hand to quiet the crowd. His gesture was composed, not at all like someone giving their first speech.

Once Chen Mo got to the main point, the audience fell silent. Everyone watched the stage attentively, and students in the front rows pulled out their phones, all aiming their cameras at Chen Mo.

“I heard the principal say earlier that he hopes you’ll become the next Chen Mo. But I, Chen Mo, advise you: never become the next Chen Mo. You are yourselves, each one unique and different from everyone else.”

“Actually, the principal has a motive in wanting you to become the next Chen Mo. He hopes you’ll donate money to the school, just like I did.”

As soon as Chen Mo said this, the audience burst into laughter again, accompanied by thunderous applause. This remark poked fun at both himself and the principal. Even Qiu Guofeng, who had stepped down earlier, grinned and applauded.

“Take that last line as a joke; don’t take it seriously. But it’s also a reminder: be your own unique self,” Chen Mo continued. “I won’t lecture you on big life lessons—many of you probably understand them better than I do.”

“In college, you only need to do one thing—just one—and that’s whatever you love doing. It doesn’t necessarily have to be your dream. If your dream is to become a ‘loser,’ then you should aim to surpass even Zhang Yida. If Zhang Yida wants to win one lawsuit, why can’t you win two?”

At the mention of Zhang Yida, laughter erupted once more from the audience.

“No matter your major or what you’re studying, in college, choose something you love and stick with it, always moving forward. The word ‘persistence’ sounds simple and easy to say, but it’s hard to practice.”

“There’s no fundamental difference between humans and ants—both are living, trying to survive. What sets us apart from ants is that our lives are more colorful…”

“Good.”

Chen Mo had only spoken a few sentences when applause interrupted him. The idea that humans and ants aren’t fundamentally different resonated with many; all their efforts were aimed at living better, simply surviving.

After the applause died down, Chen Mo spoke again.

“College students about to enter society are like ants just leaving the nest. The good food near the anthill has already been taken by other ants. These days, the world is dominated by giant corporations. Those giants are the ant colonies that have claimed the food near the anthill.”

“Paths that could be easily walked have already been cleared by those before us, and the remaining uncharted territories are shrinking. If you want to have a share of success, you have to go further afield to find it. That requires us to be lone heroes, persisting steadily in the fields we love.”

“During your time in college, focusing on one thing is enough to make you an expert in your chosen area. When you step into society, you’ll find that in many opportunities, only a few ‘ants’ hold large shares. You can easily join them and get the success you want.”

“I founded Legion Ant Company because once, I too was just an ant leaving the nest. But I was lucky—I was an ‘Army Ant’ with an advantage, and I met another ant who could help me manage the team.”

“As you can see, Army Ant Company has advanced to the top of the food chain as if it had an edge. All giants were once just ants…”

Chen Mo’s speech wasn’t long—less than five minutes. He used a simple analogy to get his point across, because in a speech, empty talk isn’t enough; you need some factual basis.

Only when Chen Mo stopped speaking did the audience realize he was finished, and then explosive applause broke out.

Chen Mo’s analogy was fitting. Ordinary people are like ants—small and seemingly insignificant. In this era where opportunities seem scarce yet are everywhere, taking that first step requires you to be truly exceptional.

“Sorry, I might have exaggerated a bit just now,” Chen Mo said with a laugh.

This remark stirred loud laughter from the audience, and the applause that had just subsided erupted again.

“Students, this is a rare opportunity. If you have any questions, feel free to ask Senior Chen Mo now,” the host said, seizing the moment.

As soon as the host finished speaking, a forest of hands shot up from the audience.

A moment later, a girl ran from the crowd to the front of the stage with her hand raised. She had her hair in a ponytail, a somewhat youthful face with a hint of baby fat, and looked quite cute.

“This story shows us that taking action is more practical than waiting,” Chen Mo said, looking at the girl who had stepped forward. “The first question goes to this junior.”

The girl took the microphone and said a bit shyly, “Senior, how can I become a better version of myself?”

“Just like you did right now—you were the first to get the microphone. In this moment, you were better than your peers. When you want to achieve something and you strive for it, the process of taking action will make you better.”

“Thank you, Senior,” the girl said, seeming to understand a little. She thanked him and went back to her seat.

“Next student.”

As soon as he said this, over twenty students rushed to the front of the stage, with a few more joining in afterward.

“This story shows us that we should be the first to try something new. Now I’ll pick one of you; the rest have lost this round of competition.”

Chen Mo answered each question carefully until he had finished.

The Q&A session lasted about an hour, and he answered many students’ questions. Most were trivial concerns, and many students felt lost about their futures—something Chen Mo couldn’t help with directly.

After the speech ended, Chen Mo stepped down from the stage amid enthusiastic applause.

As the event dispersed, reporters who had been waiting below immediately surrounded him. Getting a chance to interview Chen Mo wasn’t easy, and landing one would make for a great story.

“Mr. Chen, what are your future plans for Legion Ant Company?”

“Why did Legion Ant’s expansion into Europe fail?”

“What will Legion Ant’s next product be?”

…

The group of reporters shouted questions at Chen Mo, holding up their cameras, but security blocked them from getting close.

“Sorry, everyone, I can’t answer these questions right now. Someday in the future, I’ll give you the answers,” Chen Mo replied politely before leaving, surrounded by his entourage.

Once he had shaken off all the reporters and gotten back into his car, Chen Mo finally relaxed. Now he understood that being in the spotlight could be exhausting.

The video of Chen Mo’s speech quickly spread online. As a legend in the business world, his identity had always drawn attention.

“First Public Speech by Legion Ant Company’s Leader”

“A Generation’s Legend? Chen Mo”

“The Power Behind Legion Ant Company”

The internet was flooded with articles about Chen Mo. The incredibly young Chen Mo became a hot topic of discussion. His appearance in public fully satisfied everyone’s curiosity. With just one open speech, he had become an online celebrity.