Chapter 2194 - 2197: Your Enemy Always Knows You Best

Looking seriously at the old man, Gong Ziyi's eyes were filled with suspicion as he said, "If it's just to divert Shen Qiang's attention, we have countless ways to do it. There's no need to use such a method, and I don't see any real significance in these three episodes of the show."

"Whether it's to harm someone or to succeed, every detail must be carefully considered," the old man smiled and said, "Young master, Shen Qiang is a meticulous and ruthless person. He's not the type of hero who sacrifices without expecting anything in return, but a formidable figure who believes that if he doesn't fail the world, the world shouldn't fail him."

Hearing this, Gong Ziyi furrowed his brow slightly, remained silent for a moment, and said, "What you said is true. Your description of him is accurate, but I still don't see where the significance lies."

"Shen Qiang won't just stand idly by and watch you act as you wish in front of the girl he likes. Today, he publicly mocked you, and tomorrow, the show will be immediately reorganized. With Shen Qiang's intelligence, he will immediately think that it's you who did this."

Gong Ziyi frowned and, after a moment of silence, said, "Shen Qiang is very smart, a classic high IQ, a cunning bastard. If it's really like you said, and he immediately thinks I did it, then what? Do you think he won't suspect me? Won't he think I have other motives?"

Hearing this, the old man laughed, "The highest level of lying is nine truths and one falsehood. That way, not only can you withstand scrutiny, but you can also verify, so that one falsehood naturally becomes the truth."

"Tricks are the same." The old man looked seriously at Gong Ziyi and said, "Shen Qiang's weaknesses are very inconspicuous, not because he's perfect, but because he uses his biggest weakness—his liking for beautiful women—to cover up his other weaknesses, resulting in the situation where what's under the lamp is hidden."

Gong Ziyi frowned, then, after a moment of silence, poured tea himself, saying while pouring, "Makes sense, as Shen Qiang's weaknesses are too obvious, too clear, it's actually hard for people to notice his other aspects."

"This is what's hidden under the lamp. Because this weakness is too bright, other weaknesses are hidden," the old man said in a deep voice, "There are two possibilities for this situation. One is that Shen Qiang is indeed acting on impulse, this being his nature."

Gong Ziyi slightly furrowed his brow, handed the tea he poured to the old man, and said, "That's unlikely. For a wealthy person like Shen Qiang, if he really couldn't control himself, he would have long wasted his career by indulging in night-long revelries."

Hearing this, the old man laughed, "Then it's the second reason. Shen Qiang is purposefully interacting with those women, while deliberately creating the illusion of obviously apparent weaknesses, to concentrate his enemies' schemes on this aspect."

Gong Ziyi frowned and said, "If that's the case, then by targeting Jinli Qianning, are we not playing right into Shen Qiang's scheme?"

The old man smiled and said, "You worry too much, young master. Whether Shen Qiang is naturally like this, or he is deliberately displaying his pretend weaknesses for others to see, doesn't matter. What's important is that now, Shen Qiang, who holds a high position and is thriving in the Cultivation World, cannot afford to lose."

"What do you mean?" Gong Ziyi was surprised.

The old man smiled and said, "He built his empire from scratch, from an unknown grassroots Loose Cultivator, becoming the revered Medicine King. He's already the idol of young cultivators in the Cultivation World. Brother Qiang, Lord Qiang, Your Majesty—these are all praises given to Shen Qiang by those in the Cultivation World."

"These accolades were earned through one victory after another. So, in the Cultivation World, he's akin to a top superstar. Every move he makes is closely watched. Under these circumstances, whether for his reputation or to maintain his obvious weaknesses, he will do everything possible to compete with you."

Gong Ziyi nodded and said, "I understand your point. You're saying that after realizing my meddling, Shen Qiang won't back down."

The old man laughed, "This is Shen Qiang using his huge weakness of loving beauties to hide other personality flaws. I've seriously studied everything he has experienced since he appeared in the Cultivation World, and I discovered that no matter who the opponent is, Shen Qiang has never shown weakness or evaded confrontation. This kind of personality can easily break."

"Not slick enough." Gong Ziyi's eyes brightened, sipping his tea, excitedly said, "I get it now. As long as Shen Qiang knows I interfered with the production team and was behind the reorganization, and then used original songs to target Qianning, he will try everything to not let me succeed. This way, he won't notice our plans on the other side."

The old man nodded with a smile and said, "Very good, but he is a clever person."

Gong Ziyi frowned, surprised, and questioned, "Clever? I think this Shen Qiang is frighteningly smart."

The old man laughed and, sipping his tea, said, "Looking at the long history of the world, truly super-intelligent people often end up in poverty, with only a few barely above subsistence, because truly smart people know how to enjoy life. They don't get themselves embroiled in endless troubles and disputes, so usually, their careers aren't very successful."

Gong Ziyi was silent for a moment, then laughed and said, "Maybe it's just different pursuits."

"Time is fair. Poor people and wealthy people all have the same twenty-four hours a day. Some people use that time to make money and struggle, while others use it to enjoy life. So, who is more intelligent is obvious."

Looking at the old man, Gong Ziyi frowned and, after a long silence, said, "What do you mean by saying Shen Qiang is clever?"

"He won't believe that you simply want to compete in this matter. He'll wonder if you have other motives," the old man said with a smile.

Gong Ziyi frowned and said, "That's what I'm most worried about, that if I push too hard, it'll alert Shen Qiang. After all, the power of Heshenghe is not to be underestimated now, and once they are prepared, I'm afraid our plan on that side will be irreversible."

The old man smiled and said, "In this world, there is nothing that is 100% without accident; it's up to people to do what they can. The plan over there is being carried out meticulously, and you are clearly a part of the plan."

"Tell me the specific details. I want to know how our plan can make Shen Qiang spin in circles," Gong Ziyi said.

Hearing this, the old man laughed, "Jinli Qianning is a woman with character flaws. This is something that, when it comes to purely singing, is hard for people outside the TV screen to notice. So even if Jinli Qianning successfully becomes the dominator of the talent show, in the next Star Team singing session, she's doomed."

"Because she's not a celebrity in the entertainment circle, her connections are very limited, and no one will lend a hand. Not only that, among big-name stars who sing and are readily available, Shen Qiang only knows one person, and that's the unparalleled movie queen, Song Weiyin."