Eloquence flowing like a river.

"I would love nothing more," Zhou Hongyi added to himself. He activated his "Eye of Insight," a faint, imperceptible glimmer flashing through his gaze.

Hasegawa was more nervous, suspicious, and angry today than he had been yesterday. His brows were slightly furrowed, and a look of vigilance flickered in his eyes from time to time. These fluctuating emotions allowed Zhou Hongyi to unearth even more secrets.

"This dog," Zhou thought, "the cargo he is transporting isn't just penicillin, weapons, and ammunition; he's also smuggling chemicals. Could these Japanese bastards be planning to conduct chemical weapon research near Shanghai? Damn them!"

Zhou Hongyi quickly uncovered a shocking piece of classified information, and a surge of anger rose in his heart.

Noticing the change in his expression, Hasegawa asked with concern, "Sasuke-kun, what is wrong? You don't look very well."

Zhou Hongyi bowed apologetically and said, "Oh, it is just my wound throbbing with pain, but it is nothing major."

Upon hearing this, Shimazu gestured for his prized student to sit down.

"Sasuke-kun, I called you here today to learn more about the details of that assassin. After all, you were the first to notice his suspicious behavior and the one who engaged him directly and killed him. However, we found no useful information on his body, and the pistol he used was something one could buy anywhere on the black market."

Shimazu's voice was low and grave. He stared intensely at Zhou Hongyi, as if trying to find an answer in his expression.

Zhou Hongyi sat up straight and replied with great formality, "Teacher, based on my deductions, this assassin likely belonged to the Kuomintang's Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. Furthermore, this assassination attempt was impulsive. I discovered that his original target was actually Miss Manyu of the Paramount Ballroom; he must have seen you and Mr. Hasegawa before acting and decided to change his target on the spot."

"The C.B.I.S.? Impulsive? So that's it."

Shimazu narrowed his small eyes, gritted his teeth, and snorted coldly, "Recently, the Special Higher Police's main focus has been on suppressing the guerrillas and the underground forces of the Red Party, so we have indeed relaxed our strike against the Kuomintang. I never expected them to be this bold. But why would they want to assassinate Miss Manyu?"

Zhou Hongyi spoke again, "Based on my observations and what he said before he died, I infer that the C.B.I.S. assassin could not stand how close Miss Manyu has become to you, Teacher. They wanted to kill one to warn a hundred, intimidating the political and business figures who have good relations with us, in an attempt to create an atmosphere of terror."

"Baka! These Kuomintang assassins are too arrogant! Do not worry, Hasegawa-kun, I will issue orders immediately for the Special Higher Police agents to step up their strikes against relevant organizations. I will not let them interfere with your work."

Hasegawa leaned forward and said, "Then everything is in your hands, Colonel Shimazu. Also, Sasuke-kun, I hear you are very interested in business. You bought a Western antique shop a few days ago, and your visits to the Paramount were apparently for the purpose of assessing it for a potential investment."

Zhou Hongyi's eyes narrowed, a smile remaining on his face, though he cursed inwardly. This damn Japanese devil was all smiles on the surface, but had investigated him thoroughly behind his back.

Fortunately, he had done all of this openly, hiding nothing from anyone. This was the persona he had deliberately crafted: a man who loved money. To the Japanese, a man who was both arrogant and greedy was someone they could manipulate. As the saying goes, the greater the desire, the easier the control. If one appeared to have no desires, the other party would only feel afraid.

"I am ashamed, teacher, Mr. Hasegawa, to have made you laugh. I do indeed intend to open a dance hall. After all, I visited many similar establishments while studying abroad and have many ideas of my own. I want to apply some advanced Western management concepts here, and I believe it will yield a good response. The two songs I wrote for Miss Manyu yesterday were a test, and the result proved that my ideas are correct."

As a procurement commissioner for the Ministry of Finance, Hasegawa was well-versed in business. He and Shimazu had heard the two new songs from their private box on the second floor yesterday and had seen Zhou Hongyi's twist dance. While they found it novel, they also truly perceived the significant business opportunity.

"Hahahaha, Shimazu-kun, your student is truly one of the Ten Braves of Sanada. Not only can he fight, but he is also cultured, can write songs and lyrics, and possesses a unique business sense and vision. I think he is the most suitable candidate for our commercial spokesperson," Hasegawa said with a laugh, a glint of calculation in his eyes.

"Commercial spokesperson?"

Zhou Hongyi arched a brow. As he looked at this round-headed, lecherous fat man, a new tag appeared above his head: [Sakura Chamber of Commerce].

This was the other purpose of his mission: to build a commercial organization here that could compete with local chambers of commerce. Shanghai had many local powers—large gangs, foreigners in the concessions, and local gentry and warlords all participated, and almost all entertainment venues were controlled and carved up by these forces.

Although the Japanese controlled the puppet government in the shadows, these forces officially submitted to them, and he could not snatch their assets openly, as that would contradict the persona he had built.

The solution these guys had come up with was to create a new chamber of commerce that leaned entirely in their favor. This chamber needed a non-Japanese agent in Shanghai, and they had now set their sights on Zhou Hongyi.

"Sasuke-kun, if—and I mean if—you now owned a dance hall similar to the Paramount, what changes would you make to make it stand out and become an overnight sensation among the competition?"

Hearing Hasegawa's question, Zhou Hongyi knew this was a test. The thoughts in the man's mind were displayed clearly before him. As long as he followed the other party's train of thought, the position of board member or even president of the chamber would be his.

"Mr. Hasegawa, if I truly owned a dance hall similar to the Paramount, I would approach it through several avenues of change. First is innovation in performance form and content. In addition to traditional singing and dancing, I would introduce magic, acrobatics, and other forms to create a comprehensive stage performance."

"Secondly, I would plan themed performance shows based on different holidays, seasons, or pop culture elements. For example, launching a couples-themed performance for Western Valentine's Day or an ocean-themed show in the summer to enhance the interest and novelty of the performances."

"I would regularly maintain and update the facilities to ensure safety and comfort. I would establish a membership system, providing members with points, discounts, and priority booking to attract customers and increase consumption frequency. I would regularly launch promotional activities, such as birthday specials, holiday packages, and group discounts, to attract more customers."

"Finally, I think the most important thing is the 'star effect' and social responsibility. The star effect is easier to manage; we can host star concerts and meet-and-greets from time to time, promoting them through newspapers, magazines, posters, and other channels to increase our profile. But as for social responsibility..."

Zhou Hongyi paused, looking at the two Japanese men who were now listening intently.

"Continue, Sasuke-kun," Hasegawa urged impatiently.

"So-called social responsibility means actively participating in public welfare activities to enhance our social image and brand value. For example, holding charity performances to raise funds for children and disabled people in impoverished areas, or providing free food to disaster-stricken citizens. Only in this way can we establish a good reputation and image among the people of Shanghai, which is more conducive to the governance of our Imperial Army."

Zhou Hongyi spoke eloquently, throwing out various fresh, ahead-of-their-time terms. He overwhelmed Hasegawa, who prided himself on being a business talent, to the point where the man felt like an inexperienced apprentice in front of him.

"This... incredible! Truly incredible! You are worthy of being Shimazu-kun's prized student, a high-achieving graduate of West Point! The business concepts you have proposed are completely ahead of this era. Excellent, I am very satisfied!"

Hasegawa nodded at Shimazu, seemingly having made a decision.

Shimazu did not respond immediately, instead laughing and saying, "How is it? I didn't lie to you, did I? Sasuke-kun is definitely capable of handling this position, but he still has a gunshot wound, and the details of the chamber still need to be perfected. Sasuke-kun, you go back and rest for these few days. Once Mr. Hasegawa and I are ready, we will notify you."

From the tag above Shimazu's head, Zhou Hongyi judged that the old man still had a trick up his sleeve. Even though he was his direct student, he was still being scrutinized because of his bloodline.

But it didn't matter. Even without this business opportunity from the Japanese, he was confident he could amass a large amount of capital in a short time. After all, Shanghai in this era was paved with gold; it all depended on whether you had the ability to pick it up.