227: Chapter 227 Is Lu Shen here for a meeting? Why is he sitting in the head seat?

On November 10th, the sky over Beining City was heavily overcast.

The snow wasn't heavy, but it hadn't stopped, falling finely and densely, wrapping the entire city in a pale silence.

Meanwhile, on the internet, things had already been bustling since early morning.

The reason was simple.

The official Beining City account had suddenly posted a livestream preview.

It wasn't an investment promotion meeting, a routine work briefing, or one of those regular annual meetings.

The title was very restrained.

[Announcement on the Phased Progress of Beining City's smart city Pilot and Related Policy Briefings]

The location was still the official conference hall.

Not a science and technology exhibition hall, not a corporate release hall, and not a commercial exhibition center.

This level of formality immediately whetted everyone's appetite.

“The official conference hall??”

“Wait, they're livestreaming from a place like that?”

“Could the smart city be officially going fully public?”

“I didn't get enough of that neighborhood livestream last time; it was totally just the tip of the iceberg!”

“I have a feeling this is no small matter...”

Just half an hour after the preview was posted, the number of livestream reservations skyrocketed.

By noon, almost the entire internet knew about it.

Many people secretly clicked to reserve while at work, and the bullet comments were filled with speculation.

Some guessed that Chengbei District would be fully opened for visits.

Some guessed that smart security was going to be rolled out nationwide.

Others thought it was probably some supporting policies for Robots.

But those with a truly sharp sense of smell had already begun to feel that something was off.

“—Why the official conference hall?”

“—Why did the title include 'policy briefings' in addition to 'smart city'?”

“—Why was even the Mayor's Office reposting it at the same time?”

This flavor didn't seem like a simple announcement of technical details.

It felt more like something much bigger was about to be unveiled.

At 2:50 PM, the livestream room opened early.

As the camera lit up, the background was still in that standard official conference hall style.

Solemn, clean, with steady and bright lighting, and no flashy elements in the tables, chairs, or decor.

But precisely because of this, it made people feel even more tense.

The number of viewers in the livestream room began to soar.

It jumped up by an order of magnitude almost every minute.

Meanwhile, the bullet comments had gone completely wild.

“Certain leaders are really moving up in the world today, actually managing to ride my Brother Lu's coattails.”

“The person above is totally turning things upside down.”

“There are more bullet comments in an official livestream than a celebrity movie premiere, LMAO.”

“I don't care, I'm just sitting here waiting for Brother Lu to stir things up.”

“Forget stirring things up, this venue clearly looks serious...”

The camera slowly zoomed in.

Seats appeared in the frame one by one.

Han Shaoting, the Mayor of Beining City, had arrived.

The Deputy Mayor had arrived.

Further ahead, several provincial leaders had also arrived, but the camera panned quickly, only catching them in a brief flash.

But it wasn't them who made the livestream room suddenly go silent for half a second.

It was the main seat.

Sitting in the main seat was Lu Li.

In a black suit, with a relaxed expression, his fingertips lightly resting on the tabletop, he sat there looking neither tense nor overly sharp.

Yet, it was precisely this calmness that felt exceptionally unreasonable in such a setting.

The bullet comments fell silent first.

The next second, they completely exploded.

“Holy crap?? The main seat?”

“Wait, hold on, why is Lu Li in the main seat?”

“I've got goosebumps, this is definitely no ordinary meeting!”

“They're not talking about technology today, they're about to drop a bombshell!”

“I suddenly feel like the winds of change are really blowing today.”

Some were still making jokes.

“Certain leaders are moving up too, finally getting to sit next to Brother Lu.”

“Hahaha stop, this isn't just riding coattails anymore, this is basking in godhood live on stage.”

But joking aside.

A few minutes later, the speed of the bullet comments noticeably slowed down.

Because everyone gradually realized one thing—

Lu Li sitting in the main seat today wasn't to talk about some Robot specifications.

Nor was he here to release a new product.

He sat there, more like he was waiting for an opportunity.

Waiting for the right moment to formally lay a certain matter out in front of everyone.

The conference hall was very quiet.

The host began reading the opening remarks.

The voice was steady, and the pace was steady.

First, introducing the progress of the smart city pilot, then reviewing the phased achievements of Chengbei District, and then mentioning 'the widespread public concern regarding technological development, job changes, and livelihood security.'

As soon as these words came out, some in the livestream room began to realize something.

“Wait.”

“Why do I feel like they're not here to hype up the smart city today?”

“No way... Could they really be addressing the recent wave of controversy?”

“Holy crap, is Brother Lu actually going to take up the challenge?”

The camera focused on Lu Li's face.

He sat there, his expression still unchanged.

But the more it was like this, the more it made people feel—

What he was going to say today would definitely be of immense weight.

At this moment, Su Qingxue, sitting in the second row below the stage, clenched her fingertips slightly.

She clearly knew what was going to happen today.

Yet, actually sitting here and looking at this room full of officials, media, cameras, and the skyrocketing viewership in the livestream room, she still felt a slight jolt in her chest.

It wasn't nervousness.

But rather a premonition of witnessing something of immense weight being openly laid on the table.

Chen Shuyu sat off to the side, looking completely calm on the surface, but in reality, her palms were almost sweating.

She had followed Lu Li and seen many grand scenes before.

Press conferences, negotiations, signing ceremonies, international conferences...

But this time was different.

Because she knew that what Lu Li was going to present today was not a product.

But an answer.

An answer to all the criticism, anxiety, doubt, and fear of the past few days.

And such an answer was often far more difficult than the technology itself.

The host finally finished the opening remarks, turned slightly, and gestured with his hand.

“Next, please welcome Mr. Lu Li.”

In an instant, all cameras were pointed at him.

The bullet comments in the livestream room fell silent along with them.

Lu Li reached out and adjusted the microphone on the table.

He didn't speak immediately.

He didn't even offer the usual pleasantries.

He just sat there, quietly looking at the audience, or perhaps looking through the screen at the people on the other side who were staring back at him.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

The venue was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

Even the people posting bullet comments in the livestream room seemed to have stopped subconsciously.

Finally, Lu Li raised his eyes. His first sentence, however, was not to announce a policy.

Instead, he very calmly asked a question.

“Over the last few days, what was the statement that caused the fiercest argument online?”

No one answered.

But everyone had the answer in their hearts.

“—Should the development of technology ultimately take away the jobs of ordinary people?”

Lu Li looked ahead, his tone not high, nor did he deliberately suppress his emotions.

“I know that many people aren't criticizing technology.”

“Nor are they criticizing Robots.”

“You are asking whether you will be left behind as the times move forward.”

As soon as these words came out, the livestream room fell completely silent.