Chapter 160 The Press Conference

The next morning, under tight security, Gu Baisun arrived at the administrative building and first met with Li Mingsheng.

"Little Gu is here." Li Mingsheng stood up and nodded to Gu Baisun.

"Hello, leader." Gu Baisun stepped forward. The two shook hands and exchanged brief pleasantries.

"Come, sit down and talk."

Li Mingsheng invited Gu Baisun to sit on the sofa beside him, then said in a very serious tone: "I've been thinking about it for a long time. This time, you will represent the Dragon City administrative office at the foreign press conference. You will explain to the public in detail, as transparently as possible, what you have been doing recently, why you are doing it, and the reasons behind it."

Hearing Li Mingsheng's words, Gu Baisun was silent for a moment, but immediately replied with a smile, "No problem, thank you, leader, for relieving my pressure."

Li Mingsheng reached out and patted Gu Baisun's shoulder gently: "I know it's difficult for you… but it's difficult for everyone now. Let's get through this together."

Gu Baisun nodded: "Yes, leader."

Li Mingsheng then stood up again: "Let's go, let's go to the venue together."

"Okay."

The two got up and, accompanied by Li Yuan, left the office and walked towards the press conference venue, preparing to hold the press conference.

On the way, Gu Baisun was relatively silent, but his mind was very active. He knew that Lao Li was also under unprecedented pressure now. The reason for holding this press conference was that the municipal government could not withstand the public's doubts.

Perhaps, letting himself represent the administrative office was to push himself to the front to take the heat.

At this moment, Gu Baisun had many thoughts in his mind.

…

A few minutes later, the group arrived at the press conference site.

The entire press conference was held in the reception area of the administrative hall, and the site had been set up. Gu Baisun and his party walked to the main platform and sat down in turn.

Gu Baisun, as the main representative, sat in the center, facing the press. Li Yuan, as the secretary-general of the municipal party committee, sat beside him to accompany him.

Li Mingsheng sat in the audience and listened.

Many reporters had also arrived, setting up various professional equipment and aiming their long and short lenses at them, waiting to take first-hand news.

After waiting a few more minutes, everyone had arrived, and the reporters had turned on their cameras. The press conference officially began.

Li Yuan turned on the microphone and said with a serious expression: "Thank you all for coming today. First, we will have a speech session. Please welcome Gu Baisun, the deputy director of our Total Unification Bureau, to speak."

The audience was very quiet. No one applauded, and no one responded. The reporters simply turned their heads and looked at Gu Baisun quietly.

Gu Baisun adjusted his microphone, looked at the silent crowd below the stage, and did not get angry. Instead, he smiled and said, "I know that not only do people outside hate me, but many of the reporters present today also hate me. They feel that I have handled many things too aggressively and made Dragon City a mess. Regarding this, let me share my views…"

The audience remained unresponsive. Everyone was silent, with only the lights of the cameras flashing on and off.

Gu Baisun paused for a moment and continued: "I have three points… First, not all of the suspects arrested in Dragon City have participated in the planning of this reactionary group incident. However, the staff of the Total Unification Bureau are not gods. We also need to gradually identify the participants. That's why so many people have been arrested. The purpose is to stabilize the internal situation. Here, I want to say that only those with a guilty conscience will be afraid of the recent arrest operations!"

At this point, Gu Baisun even made a joke: "Moreover, the environment we have prepared for everyone is quite good. There are individual dormitories, customized meals, and a large number of guards to protect their safety 24 hours a day."

Hearing this, a few reporters smiled, but most remained unmoved.

Gu Baisun said calmly: "The second point is about everyone's doubts. I think many people are wondering what the internal situation in Dragon City is like now? Here, I can assure you that the main forces in Dragon City who have been turned against by the enemy have almost been eliminated. The situation in the city will stabilize as soon as possible. All production, business, and social order will be restored in an orderly manner. When the city is completely stable, our Total Unification Bureau will announce to the outside world, including the detailed testimony of each arrested person, and the process and details of how the reactionary incident was planned."

The reporters below finally couldn't sit still and burst into an uproar.

For the military and political system, it takes courage to publicize such things. Usually, these files are sealed and are often declassified only after decades or even centuries.

Gu Baisun pressed his hands down, and after everyone calmed down, he spoke again: "Third, why are we fighting this war? Regarding this, I don't know, after all, I'm not the decision-maker. But as a citizen of Dragon City, I want to share my views. In the past two decades, the situation in Dragon City has been one of stable development under prosperity… but behind this, what drives the entire social economy is you, me, and the thousands of overseas Chinese who are scattered abroad. We have to pay taxes and fill the bellies of the capital groups, such as the previous Inner Province mining development, etc. We also have to listen to the political orders of Area One and implement them unconditionally, without complaint, without asking why. Even so, the other party still set up a special department, the predecessor of the Qingyi Bureau – the Regulatory Bureau – to control and supervise us."

As Gu Baisun spoke, his tone suddenly changed, and he said forcefully: "Even so, it would be fine as long as we could live in peace. For ordinary people, food, clothing, housing, and transportation are enough. But let's look at what has happened in recent years! Labor incidents, miner incidents, and the War of Independence… Many of us have lost our families and been separated from our wives and children in this process! Whether fairness and freedom exist or not, the people of Dragon City have the most say. Seaport trade is the foundation of our survival, creating hundreds of billions of wealth every year, but after this money is handed over to the Area One tax department, only a mere tens of billions flow back to Dragon City each year, less than one-tenth. The municipal government wanted to improve the living environment for returning laborers and has been promoting it for five years, but only four relief agency communities have been built. These are what I have seen, what you have seen yourselves, and what you should recall yourselves. Finally, we must understand one thing! The key point of the war is not how obedient you are, but as long as your existence is a threat, it will definitely happen! We have tens of millions of overseas Chinese, and we need to make our voices heard and defend our rights! Therefore, today's situation is an inevitable result. Look back at the so-called peace negotiations that Area One has offered in recent years, from military and political appropriations to tax increases to the reorganization of the Qingyi Bureau, engaging rebel armies to pull us down… Our rights have been squeezed again and again. We have retreated many times, but now, we have nowhere to retreat. Even if all of us overseas Chinese kneel down, Area One will not withdraw its troops. I want to say that because we want to live here, and we will be buried here after we die! Therefore, we must resist! That's it!"

After speaking, Gu Baisun stood up and bowed deeply to the reporters below the stage.

The reporters below the stage were finally somewhat moved, and some couldn't help but applaud.

Li Yuan suddenly pulled on Gu Baisun, who was about to leave, and the latter couldn't help but be stunned.

Just then, Li Yuan stood up and said to the reporters below the stage: "Director Gu has finished speaking. There will be a question-and-answer session later. Now, I am here to announce a resolution on behalf of the Dragon City Administrative Office."

Saying that, Li Yuan took out a letter of appointment and handed it to Gu Baisun, while loudly announcing, "Effective immediately, Gu Baisun is officially appointed as the Deputy Mayor of Dragon City, and concurrently serves as the Deputy Director of the Total Unification Bureau."

At this point, everyone was stunned.

Gu Baisun also stayed in place, looking at Li Yuan in disbelief.