Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 1004 - 795: Organize a Charity Event

Chapter 1004: Chapter 795: Organize a Charity Event

After the business meeting, they hosted a simple lunch cocktail party.

Menon was indeed a remarkably enthusiastic and cheerful big entrepreneur. It didn’t take long before he cornered Xu Yang to share a drink and even proposed organizing a charity gala.

"Charity! Let’s do charity together, Commissioner Xu." He kept pouring drinks for Xu Yang.

Many of the wines were renowned vintages he had brought back from the West Coast, originating from the world’s best wine estate, Bien Fette Manor in the Etienne Valley.

The Etienne Valley is located in the Gaul Region of the Taixi Continent. In Farosa’s memories, Xu Yang had once taken her and her daughter to hide away there. It is now one of the world’s renowned wine regions.

Though reality and memory were barely connected, Xu Yang swirled his wine glass, his thoughts drifting to fragments of his time in the Etienne Valley.

If the grapevines he had planted back then with Madam Medusa had truly grown, they would be flourishing by now.

"Charity?" Xu Yang sipped his wine.

The rich red wine gradually seeped into his stomach, a sensation of pleasure rising from within, as if hundreds of people were simultaneously fanning flames and cheering wildly inside him.

"Exactly, high-end events are all the rage on the West Coast and Taixi Continent—charity fundraisers. Scores of wealthy people gather, bringing in charitable organizations, foundations, artists, singers, performers, and then auctioning off items. All good and kind-hearted people! Haven’t you seen events like this in Shangjing?" Menon asked.

Xu Yang’s wine glass emptied, and Menon filled it again, acting like a conscientious waiter pouring out the symbols of wealth.

Menon seemed quite satisfied with their current dynamic. It was a rare scene in the world—the two of them, immensely influential, lounging around with expensive wine, chatting freely.

"Since Nestor Corporation was established, we’ve never held such... ’charity galas’," Xu Yang admitted.

It wasn’t really his style, and Lila didn’t like such things either. Kanako was the only one who might have spearheaded such initiatives, but she had mainly been active over at Jialong Slope.

With Menon’s arrival, Xu Yang felt it might indeed be worth hosting one.

After all, he had a mountain of items that could be auctioned off. If he didn’t clear his inventory, his hallway would soon be packed full. Some items, bought impulsively, had left him full of regret—better to sell them off to some clueless buyer.

"Fantastic, fantastic. I’ll toast to that!" Menon cheered repeatedly, then poured another glass of wine for Xu Yang from his large glass jug.

"D2 Synthetics are selling really well on the West Coast..." Xu Yang leaned against the bar.

It had been many years since he last enjoyed casual drinks with someone. Menon was unexpectedly friendly and engaging.

"Selling well? Of course, they’re selling great! The West Coast has too many people—tens of millions with purchasing power, many of whom got filthy rich from dealing scraps from New Taixi State. Rolling in wealth... Think about it, New Taixi State only opened a small West Coast region to outsiders. The people in that tiny area almost seem blessed by fate. If someone dares venture inland to scavenge, even picking up a small fragment can turn them into a millionaire. A land of dreams! These lonely, sensitive, precarious new-world adventurers—what else would they need besides the companionship of the D2s?" Menon explained as he drank.

"Just like you, Mr. Menon? Have you bought a D2?" Xu Yang poured a drink for Menon.

"Me? I’m an upstanding person," Menon said with restraint. "I love everything that makes money. Ambition is what drives us to achieve great things, especially on the West Coast, where you have to keep a constant eye on opportunities. Of course, the Northern Archipelago isn’t bad either—there are plenty of ways to make money there. But we’re chasing profits in a chaotic metropolis, whereas you’re doing it in an orderly one."

"The Northern Archipelago and the West Coast are quite different, huh," Xu Yang remarked casually.

"Absolutely..." Menon sighed.

Though new to the area, Menon had already grasped the social dynamics of the Northern Archipelago.

The West Coast was rife with gunfire, constant slaughter, extreme cruelty, and danger, while Shangjing and its surrounding cities were hospitable and tranquil, with people living relaxed lives.

In the Northern Archipelago, a new phrase had emerged—"Two Billion Midstream," indicating that all two billion residents in the district considered themselves neither dirt-poor nor excessively wealthy, but comfortably middle-class.

After all, in a zero-pressure society, one could maintain a decent life by doing almost any minor thing, and the astonishingly good law enforcement reduced the need for crime since poverty didn’t push people into desperation.

There was less mutual discrimination, oppression, and disdain—everyone seemed to be doing alright. With societal winds changing for the better, pursuits like music, art, and physical fitness were on the rise, with an increased emphasis on personal improvement.

To Menon, transitioning from the "West Coast" to "Shangjing" felt like going from a fiery pit straight into heaven.

On one side of the Great Ocean lay a world of extreme brutality, where survival required total effort, filled with relentless scheming, killing, and clawing one’s way up—a moral abyss. On the other side, people lived like docile lambs in a pen, almost forgetting the taste of hardship, relaxed and carefree, seemingly a model for humanity.

Thinking of this, Menon asked, "How did you manage to transform this place? I previously heard it was full of skyscrapers, abandoned buildings, gangs, wanderers, assassin ninjas, thieves, hackers, mechanical warriors..."

"It’s hard to say..." Xu Yang replied slowly while drinking. "I think our greatest feature is... delivering results. We first united a group of people, telling them to strive, to make an effort, and to head toward a fair society. Once we succeeded, we worked hard to keep our promise. Even at the cost of hurting our own interests, we pulled it off—we never lied to our own people."

"We wouldn’t do that." Menon shook his head. "Commissioner Xu, we would tell our employees to keep pushing for a bigger goal, or else they won’t work hard."

"True... There were proposals to avoid doing it this way, and at least half the people opposed it." Xu Yang sighed.

"If you truly achieve a perfect society, people will grow bored! They’ll feel empty! What you should tell them is: In a hundred years, the perfect society will arrive. For now, keep working hard," Menon said enthusiastically.

"That’s the problem," Xu Yang replied. "Our efforts aim to let people rest, not ’keep striving.’ Blood and sacrifice are merely means. We cannot let people struggle so long only to deceive them with: Just a bit more, the future will be better. No, that wouldn’t do; it’s too cruel. We should say: This generation has paid enough—it’s time for a break. We’ll pause, tidy up our gains, and distribute what we’ve earned to those who supported and believed in us along the way. We’ve studied too much about creating things but avoided addressing how to distribute them. No, we can’t keep dodging this!"

"That sounds exactly like what a Saint would say—I’ll drink to that!" Menon clinked glasses with Xu Yang, and both took a hearty sip.

Menon knew he couldn’t pull off such ideals.

"I couldn’t do it. For one, I lack the courage; for another, the West Coast isn’t under my control," he sighed.

"Indeed, the Lighthouse Core..." Xu Yang mused, "The Lighthouse Core exploits us."

"I need to step back before they bleed me dry," Menon said, swirling his glass. "I’m just a watchdog; when I grow old, they’ll cut me down. I plan... to retire as soon as possible—perhaps in three years. I’ll leave everything behind and gracefully retreat to the Taixi Continent. Maybe I’ll live on a small island and spend the rest of my days as an olive farmer. That at least beats dying."

"You know too much—Lighthouse Core’s secrets, New Taixi State’s secrets, Night Gate Technology’s..." Xu Yang suddenly realized the dangers lurking around Menon.

"Lighthouse Core Company has sent a supervisor, and ’that organization’ also has people watching me. It’s complicated." Menon raised his glass. "But that’s the way human spirit works. We’re capable of immense courage when the stakes are highest. I used to fear being silenced someday—yes, even though the world sees me as a billionaire, someone could eliminate me as easily as crushing an ant. But now... I’m not so scared anymore. Ha! After experiencing so many exciting things, even death doesn’t seem like a big deal."

"Here’s to humanity’s spirit," Xu Yang raised his glass, drinking to that with Menon.

...

Days later, at Menon’s charity gala, glasses clinked and champagne flowed freely.

A multitude of guests had arrived. The first half of the banquet featured dances, songs, and lively performances, with Shangjing’s famed girl groups, comedians, and singers taking turns to perform on stage.

The grandeur of the gala was documented and broadcast live, drawing many viewers—particularly the loyal fans of the performers, who were thrilled by the rare sight of their idols gathered for such an event.

Many high-level corporate managers were invited to the gala, with auction items primarily consisting of their collections of artwork, all of which were prestigious pieces, alongside the random items Xu Yang contributed.

Additionally, there was a special exhibition area where several frustrated artists displayed their paintings.

To resist the dominance of AI in the art world, most of the works were exceptionally bizarre, embracing either surrealism or absurd aesthetics that repelled viewers. These artists could only live relatively untenable lives.

Today, every commercial and academic art avenue had been conquered by AI-driven painters. Artificial intelligence had exhausted all of humanity’s routes in the field of painting. Even children could casually input a few words into programs to produce master-level creations, crushing the passion of hopeful young artists—comics and illustrations suffered most heavily.

The entire painting industry was left with no promising future, as rampant AI usage erased the confidence of painters. Any original creation would immediately be stolen by AI and replicated into countless lifeless imitations. At first, people marveled at AI-generated artwork, but after seeing millions of pieces, they grew tired, bored, and even terrified.

Moreover, the AIs themselves seemed to stagnate, having consumed all human artistic innovations. While they awaited new masters to emerge, they continued crushing small artists’ worth.

"My art is meaningless! Nobody will buy it!" lamented one pure artist, slumped beside his painting.

The meticulously crafted image depicted an absurd side profile that merged with a radish.

Xu Yang was immediately drawn to the painting—the face embedded in the radish radiated an indescribable melancholy and detachment, perfectly illustrating the isolation and emptiness of modern humanity. Such deeply personal and philosophical works were beyond an AI’s capacity to replicate.

"Let’s give it a try," Xu Yang offered. "I’m working as staff here. We’ll discreetly take this painting to the auction, claiming that I painted it, not you—it’ll be our little secret."

The artist hesitated.

He stared at his creation—a sorrowful human face in a purple radish, his labor and the quintessence of his artistic contemplation.

"It’s a great piece," Xu Yang praised. "This is true art—the last sanctuary for humanity."

The artist nodded, moved by Xu Yang’s words. He felt Xu Yang possessed an artistic sensitivity. After glancing around, he carefully wrapped the painting and handed it to Xu Yang.

"How much will it sell for?" he briskly followed, asking eagerly. "Thousands? Tens of thousands?"

"Billions, perhaps." Xu Yang carried the painting to the exhibition.