Donate!

At around 4:45 p.m., Fukuda Kō left home after being reminded by his butler. He had brought plenty of money today, and the thought of fleecing so many people put him in an exceptionally good mood.

Zhonghua Grand Hotel was the first hotel established by the Kurama Clan, as well as the first five-star hotel in the Naruto World. In a luxurious suite on the top floor, Ming Jing carefully dressed himself. He chose a beige Daoist robe and added a light charcoal cloak over it. This concealed the slight childishness about him, making him look far more mature and layered.

"Have they arrived?" Ming Jing asked as he adjusted his collar in the mirror.

"They've all arrived," Yuexi replied.

"Alright." Ming Jing took a deep breath and turned toward the hall. As always, Yuexi and Qing Yan followed behind him.

Hall Number One was bustling with music and lively conversation. Fukuda Kō had arrived neither early nor late. From the moment he entered the hotel, he had been observing everything, showing great interest in the Kurama Clan's entirely new business model. Upon entering Hall Number One, the first thing that caught his attention was the wide variety of food. Every dish was laid out on long tables, and guests could simply take whatever they wanted. The entire venue had a relaxed, lively atmosphere.

When Koji Kurama saw Fukuda Kō arrive, he left the guests he had been chatting with and walked over to greet him. "Mr. Fukuda, it's been a long time. Welcome to this charity dinner."

"You're too kind, Mr. Kurama. Receiving an invitation was an honor," Fukuda Kō said with a slight bow. Koji Kurama's family business was far larger than Fukuda Kō's, and coupled with his strength as a jonin, Fukuda Kō held him in great respect.

"I'm glad to hear that. Then I hope Mr. Fukuda will be generous later," Koji Kurama said with a smile.

"Of course," Fukuda Kō nodded.

"Very well. I hope you enjoy yourself, Mr. Fukuda." Koji Kurama turned and left after saying that, finally giving Fukuda Kō time to observe who had come today. Hmm? Most of them were familiar faces! Oh, they had even invited reporters from the Royal Capital Daily!

After a while, an elderly man in a dark kimono entered, leaning on a cane. He swept his stern gaze over the venue, then found a quiet corner and sat down to wait in silence. This old man was Masao Kosaka.

Suddenly, the lights in the hall dimmed, and the music stopped. Then a beam of white light cut across the hall and landed on the stage at the front. Within that white light, a fresh and elegant figure slowly emerged. Only after their eyes adjusted to the glare did everyone see the person onstage. What a refined and graceful young man!

With a smile on his face, Ming Jing looked at the gathered guests and said, "Welcome, everyone, and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this dinner. I am Akira Kurama, Prime Minister of the Land of Fire. Before we begin, please watch a short video."

Without giving anyone a chance to refuse, Ming Jing snapped his fingers. Ripples spread out from him, and by the time everyone reacted, they discovered that they were no longer in the hall. They were standing amid a sea of flowers. The women present could not help crying out in amazement, while the men's expressions grew slightly solemn.

"This is a wonderful world. All things operate in order beneath the same sky. Flowers bloom in spring, and fruits ripen in autumn." As Ming Jing spoke, the scenery before them changed. Everyone felt as if they were in a dream. One moment, they were in a wild field filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers; the next, they had arrived in autumn, with trees heavy with fruit.

"Here, some people created wealth through their own hard work and wisdom. Others received Heaven's favor and became rich overnight." As he spoke, everyone felt the scene shift before their eyes, bringing them into a house filled with gold.

"And so, people began to enjoy life: fine food, beautiful scenery, beautiful people." With Ming Jing's words, dishes appeared one after another, along with beautiful young women and handsome young men, as well as scenery so breathtaking that no one wanted to leave.

"Life is short. What is wrong with spending your own money to enjoy it?" Most of those present nodded in agreement, but Ming Jing continued, "However, while enjoying life, shouldn't we also pay attention to those who are at the lowest point in theirs?"

As he said this, the scene before them changed again. This time, everyone arrived in a mountain village. It was peaceful and tranquil. Not a single household could be considered wealthy, but every family had enough to eat and wear.

"This is a small village on the border of the Land of Rain. Sixty-four households, two hundred and seventy-one people, live here. They once led ordinary, happy lives. They were not particularly rich, but they had homes and land, and their neighbors lived in harmony. The people here were content with their lives. But a disaster took away their peaceful and tranquil existence forever."

While everyone was still observing the villagers' lives, a rumbling sound suddenly came from behind them. When they turned around, they were scared out of their wits. The placid river upstream seemed to have unleashed some terrifying prehistoric beast, and a flood mixed with rocks and tree trunks surged toward them in an instant.

At that moment, the hall lights came fully back on, and the flood and mudslide that had terrified everyone into panic vanished. Everyone immediately let out a breath of relief, and the hall erupted into noise.

"Whew... That scared me to death..."

"Exactly! I'm already this old, and they still scare me like that. How mischievous!"

"Waaah... I thought I was going to die..."

Fukuda Kō was also covered in sweat. When the flood had come crashing down on him, he had thought he was dead for sure. Among the guests, the only one who remained calm was the decrepit Masao Kosaka. It was clear that this old man had experienced many harrowing events.

"Flood disasters like this erupt almost once every ten years in Muchuan County on the border of the Land of Rain. The local people have tried many methods, but none have produced satisfactory results. Therefore, I have an idea that can completely solve the flood problem! But this idea requires everyone's help. I hope you will extend a helping hand in the spirit of 'cherish compassion and follow goodness,' and aid those who need it. Of course, you will be rewarded as well. It will not be something as simple as a word of thanks." Ming Jing paused here, wanting to see whether anyone would voluntarily step forward and make a statement.

Unfortunately, Ming Jing had still underestimated the money-grubbing nature of capitalists. Everyone wore expressions of people still recovering from fright, their performances worthy of Oscar-winning actors. Ming Jing could only marvel at them.

Fortunately, he had already planted a chess piece among them.

Fukuda Kō knew it was time for him to step forward. He theatrically patted his chest and said, "To be honest, the scene the Prime Minister showed us just now gave me quite a fright. I still haven't recovered! Before this, I could never have imagined how helpless people could be in the face of a Natural Disaster, but now I understand. The Prime Minister is right. People should 'cherish compassion and follow goodness'! I have decided to donate five million ryo for disaster relief. Prime Minister, please accept it!"

As Fukuda Kō's voice fell, the hall immediately went quiet. Everyone stared at him in disbelief. Had this guy lost his mind? What did a disaster thousands of miles away have to do with them? Did he need to care this much? He had donated five million ryo in one go. The amount he gave away was only slightly less than some people's entire net worth!

Masao Kosaka also glanced at Fukuda Kō. Then, as if he had realized something, he turned to look at Ming Jing standing on the stage. After several thoughts flashed through his mind, the old man spoke. "My ancestors had countless ties to Muchuan County. It could be considered half of my old hometown. Seeing the people of my hometown suffer such a Natural Disaster pains me deeply. But my Kosaka Family is not as wealthy as the Fukuda Family. Sigh... I will donate three million ryo. I hope it can help the fathers and mothers of the disaster-stricken region!"

Holy shit!

The people present were truly shocked this time!

Even old Masao Kosaka was willing to cough up money? This was simply unbelievable! The reporters present were all wildly excited, surrounding Masao Kosaka and snapping pictures nonstop. Tomorrow's headline was secured.

Fukuda Kō also stared at Masao Kosaka in astonishment. Why wasn't this old man following the script? He had clearly donated less than Fukuda Kō, yet he had drawn everyone's attention. Fukuda Kō immediately became unhappy, feeling as though his five million ryo had been thrown into the water.

Masao Kosaka glanced at Fukuda Kō and smiled faintly to himself. This young man was still far too young!