Meat Armor Cannonball

Before Lin Qi came into this world, he suffered a lot of losses.

There were too many, so many that he himself couldn't remember how many, but he felt that these losses were not really losses in the true sense, but more like experiences gained through pain.

With each loss he suffers, he grows a little and learns more, until he never suffers a loss again.

But after this point, he started to suffer losses again.

The first person who caused him harm is still in prison awaiting a long sentence, and he will surely repent for his past brutal behavior.

The second person was Mr. He Bosi, who made Lin Qi spend several times more money than he had anticipated in the initial stages of his business here, in order to acquire what he wanted. This caused Lynch's actual development speed to almost fall behind his plans.

Although banks also need to bear some responsibility for this.

What's even more infuriating is that the person who made him spend so much more money later told him that he wasn't losing out by spending that extra money; he could gain the gentleman's friendship because of it.

This argument is ridiculous and absurd. The gentleman named He Bosi put both sides in a completely unequal position and then offered Lin Qi some consolation as if it were charity.

Lin Qi even once thought that the other party was just playing around with him and bidding against him, and didn't really want anything. He thought that the other party was just trying to satisfy some kind of perverse pleasure and then pretending to be a savior to give the other party a little compensation.

It's pointless to suffer this kind of loss, because all you gain from it is pain; you don't learn anything new or grow from it! Just like the first gentleman who caused Lin Qi to suffer a loss, they weren't playing a game of confrontation within the effective social rules. The other party directly crossed the line by using his power. Lin Qi gained no valuable experience from the other party's transgression, only pain, so he wanted to retaliate, just like the second time.

That's what led to this surprise. Lin Qi can be very generous sometimes. He can buy the houses of Neil's former Coworker and then sell them to them in installments to prevent them from being evicted from their own homes by the bank.

But sometimes he can be very petty and hold grudges unreasonably.

The following day, after being seen off by local officials, the Federal delegation boarded a train bound for the center of Gefra's rule.

Everything here, from the culture and architecture, is very different from that in the Federal; even the trains are Federal.

The carriage was filled with a unique "ambiance" of the Gefra and an "arrogance" that made the Federal people feel uncomfortable. It was a strange feeling; you knew these things weren't there to make you uncomfortable or anything, but people would still think they were good or bad for some reason.

For example, seats.

Federal trains have seats that are like booths, with wooden frames and old leather upholstery. That's the standard seating. The better seats are just individual upholstered chairs with adjustable backs.

But here, every place exudes a sense of "imperial decay".

Exquisite little round tables and leather chairs surrounding them, comfortable sofas and low coffee tables, along with a bar and dance floor—taking the train here is definitely a treat, though some people don't like it.

They used the word "decadent" to describe this luxurious atmosphere in order to demonstrate their loyalty to the nation, the Federal, and a certain ideology.

They spent the entire day on the train. The trains in Gefra were a little slower than those in the Federal, and they didn't arrive in Gefra's capital until the next day. Actually, it wasn't that far from the Eastern Port City.

Upon disembarking, they saw the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Gefra and some accompanying officials. After a brief introduction, the group, accompanied by reporters, traveled by car to the "Imperial Hotel," the largest, most upscale, and highest-standard hotel in the capital.

The Imperial Hotel has always been a place where Gefra entertains important guests. For about seventy or eighty years, people would stay in the palace.

Regardless of where the delegation came from, the royal family would arrange for them to stay in the palace to demonstrate a certain grandeur and to showcase the magnificence of a great power.

In times when technology was not advanced enough, an imperial city or a palace could, to some extent, represent the strength of a country. Only a country that was thriving and powerful could afford to spend a lot of money to build a huge palace complex.

But the royal family later stopped doing that because they discovered that some Small Country would always visit the Gefra Imperial Family, and each time the royal family would lose something.

It was always a matter of missing a set of pure gold tableware or a few crystal glasses. Although these things weren't worth much money, every time something was missing, the whole set had to be replaced, which was a real headache for the royal family.

They couldn't very well name names and accuse visiting delegations from certain countries of being thieves who stole a lot of their things, so they simply used the excuse of palace renovations to arrange for everyone to stay at the Imperial Hotel.

The operators of the Imperial Hotel were not as concerned with appearances as the royal family. After they announced that they had hosted a delegation from a certain country with fewer utensils, the situation was completely resolved.

This has become the new standard for hospitality; no matter who it is, they will no longer stay in the palace, but will be arranged to stay directly at the Imperial Hotel.

To welcome the arrival of the Federal delegation, the local nobles spontaneously held a party and invited the delegation members to attend, which served as a warm-up and probe before the actual negotiations.

"... I suggest that both sides should deepen exchanges in science and technology!"

Upon arriving at the reception hall, Lin Qi saw the Vice Minister standing beside several Imperial Noble, listening to them share their views.

The reason we knew these people were nobles was because their behavior was so obvious.

In this monarchical country, what each class can do is predetermined.

For example, only nobles could wear Flower Collar, which may sound unbelievable, but that is the system of this country. Especially in such important social occasions, it is clear at a glance who is a noble and who is a commoner.

The speaker was the deputy Director of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Gefra, who was holding a wine glass and talking about these matters with the Vice Minister and people from the field of education.

The Federal possesses the world's most advanced science and technology, and this is not a joke or boast; it is a fact, as evidenced by the outcome of this naval battle.

Submarines are something that all developed countries around the world have, including Gefra. They are sometimes needed to lay submarine cables and to clean up inland canals.

Perhaps some have envisioned using submarines as offensive weapons on the battlefield, but they all failed. Science and technology limited the use of submarines in warfare. It wasn't until the Federal's submarines played an unparalleled role in this war that people began to recognize the Federal as a technologically advanced nation and the value of technology in national competition.

A new form of technological competition, less intensely confrontational, is emerging among these developed countries. Some of the publicly available technological achievements of the Federal are being researched and coveted by Gefra, who see this as a good opportunity.

If both sides can do it, why not go a little deeper? Lin Qi didn't interrupt or interfere. He believed these people knew how to deal with the Gefra. He had taught them quite a bit in the past two days, in terms of diplomacy.

Just as he was about to find a quiet place to stay, a gentle female voice sounded behind him, "Mr. Lin Qi..."

She is very gentle; just hearing her voice evokes the image of a woman's gentle and virtuous beauty.

Lin Qi turned around and saw a beautiful woman who looked to be about thirty-one or thirty-two years old. She had a very good and unique temperament, and her appearance and figure were both top-notch.

"Who are you..."

Lin Qi didn't know her, but it was clear that she had done her homework.

"I'm sorry to presume, but you can call me Jenia," she said, extending her hand. Lin Qi smiled and shook her hand in return.

As things stand, this woman named Jenia fits Lin Qi's aesthetic perfectly in every way, and he wouldn't mind chatting with her at this boring party.

"You already know me, Lin Qi!" he said.

"Yes, I know you, Mr. Lin Qi. I've read your book, ' The Lin Qi's Adventures,' and seen the two movies adapted from it. Every time I think about the thrilling things you experienced in Nagaril, I feel like I can't breathe!" She held her hands to her chest, and Lin Qi unconsciously glanced at her broad chest.

He is not ashamed of this. Appreciating beauty is his nature. He will look at others and appreciate their beauty, just as others will look at him and appreciate his handsomeness. This is normal.

He subtly acknowledged the lady's compliment with some gestures.

Then Jenia continued talking about the related matters, and it was then that Lin Qi learned that she was actually a member of the royal family, but she had never used her royal status to do anything. Instead, she rebelliously became an actress.

It's important to understand that while acting might be seen as a very prestigious profession by the general public, it's definitely not considered a desirable profession by royalty.

Just as the two were having a pleasant conversation, some people who were secretly observing the situation breathed a sigh of relief.

To gain a clearer understanding of the Federal's true intentions and their bottom line, the Gefra made numerous arrangements.

The Royal Academy of Sciences is just one of them, and so is Jenia.

They even studied Lin Qi's aesthetic preferences for women and eventually found a woman who matched Lin Qi's tastes to approach him.

Be more mature, well-mannered, tactful, witty, and show appropriate admiration for him...