Manhattan Reborn 1978

new York.

Afternoon~

Manhattan, Wall Street.

Stanley fourth floor.

When David walked out of the office, he happened to see Bob Rockefeller, "Thick Glasses" Manfred, and Jos. Aaron walking out of the conference room.

He stepped forward and chatted with the three of them for a few words, then sent Manfred and José Aaron away, leaving Bob alone.

The two walked side by side to the window next to the elevator. David looked at the street scene outside from the window and whispered to Bob.

"This world has never lacked people who have the courage to change it."

"But courage alone is not enough!"

"Wisdom + courage + superb communication skills + unremitting efforts to learn + never give up are just the foundation for us to take the first solid step..."

David turned to look at Bob who was close in front of him, put his arms around his shoulders, and chuckled in a tone like that of an elder brother teaching his younger brother.

"You don't lack courage, and you don't know the taste of failure."

"Today, I asked Manfred to talk about part of his experience working at the FDA, and I also want to remind you in this way~"

"Competition is everywhere!"

"Even if you are very confident in the natural advantages of fructose syrup, you will inevitably encounter strong resistance from all sides."

"If we can't seize the opportunity to quickly enter the market with fructose syrup and capture enough market share, someone will definitely use a better plan or more powerful means to do this~"

"At that time, we can only leave sadly as losers."

"So, this is a cruel game where we can't predict who will be the ultimate winner."

"You have to be mentally prepared now for possible failure!"

"I understand." Bob nodded firmly.

After an in-depth conversation with Manfred today, he felt that he had a relatively full understanding of the difficult situation he would face in the future.

In short~

Even if he completes the merger and integration of the domestic fructose syrup industry chain according to his plan, it will only be a small step forward.

The FDA's audit and certification, the market's recognition and acceptance of fructose syrup, and the all-out attacks from sugar companies and sugar substitute companies will all be huge tests that cost him countless energy and time to solve.

David quietly looked at the "little flames of passion beating" in Bob's eyes and couldn't help but laugh.

"Any seemingly perfect plan will encounter unpredictable and unexpected changes~"

"In the far east, there is a wonderful book called "The Art of War" that is very helpful to you!"

"I asked Cui Yingying to go back to Xiangjiang this time and find someone to translate this book as close to the original text as possible and give it to you~"

"I hope it can give you some practical help."

""The Art of War"?"

"What is it about?" Bob asked curiously, having never heard of this strange book from David.

David smiled and patted his shoulder, pretending to be mysterious and said: "This is the most sought-after military strategy book in the ancient Eastern country of China for thousands of years."

"It is also an ancient technique that can help us understand the development laws of the world, and according to these laws, decide how we should act to defeat the current enemy!"

"If you can read some of the content of this book, understand its spirit, and make full use of it..."

"It's hard for me to imagine who else can be your opponent in this world!"

"Oh.."

"Hahaha~"

David couldn't help laughing when he saw the "unconscious" expression on Bob's face.

"While I'm a big advocate of reading more, I also know that many books don't help us at all and can even mislead us."

"So about which books you should be selective about reading?"

"What book deserves us to spend more time and energy to study it carefully and understand it..."

"We can communicate more in the future~"

"Okay!" Bob nodded happily and smiled.

"ok~"

David let go of Bob's shoulders, turned his head and glanced at the little secretary Maggie who was waiting quietly not far behind him, and then said.

"I have already told the company's financial officer to give you a bonus."

"The bonus is not that big, only three thousand yuan."

"But it is our affirmation and recognition of your hard work in recent months. I hope you don't dislike it~"

"Thank you! I won't..." Bob waved his hands quickly, trying to explain that he didn't have that idea.

David waved to his little secretary Maggie, and shook his head and smiled to Bob, who still wanted to explain a few words.

"I used to work as a bartender in a bar, and it took me more than two months to earn 3,000 yuan."

"After you get your bonus, shouldn't you invite your colleagues in the company who helped you to have a big meal?"

"Of course!" Bob grinned and smiled at Maggie, the little secretary who was walking towards him.

"Beautiful Miss Maggie Bianchi~"

"Can I invite you to dinner tonight?"

"Huh...?" Maggie was stunned as she didn't understand the situation, and she blinked quickly and looked at David.

"Hahaha~" David smiled, shook his head and waved his hands.

"He is inviting you, and I will not participate."

"But if I received a sincere dinner invitation, I would definitely not refuse it stupidly~"

"...!" Maggie opened her mouth and looked at David and Bob with smiles on their lips, and nodded slowly.

"Okay~"

"OK!" David and Bob were like children, happily high-fiving in celebration.

Maggie very wisely swallowed back the second half of the sentence she didn't say.

After David chatted and laughed casually with Bob for a few more times, he walked to the elevator door and turned around to give him instructions.

"Don't forget to buy a small gift for your family."

"You don't have to buy very expensive gifts, your thoughts are the most important."

"Ok!"

Bob looked at David with a hint of gratitude in his eyes, and when Maggie was about to enter the elevator, he added.

"Maggie~ I will wait for you in the lobby downstairs when you get off work!"

"...Okay!" Maggie stood behind David, looking at Bob who was separated by the elevator door, smiling and nodding.

After the elevator door closes.

Bob stood there calming down, trying to recover slowly, frowning and murmuring.

"I seem...forgot something?"

"what is it?"

----

The wilderness in the easternmost part of Queens.

Police officer Far Pocchivino of the Auxiliary Police Office parked his car next to a forest, took the oversized travel bag he brought, and walked deep into the woods.

A cabin hidden in dense woods.

"Octopus" Wasim, who has been partnering with Far Boqvino recently to investigate the abduction and murder of his daughter, looked at Far who came in from the outside with a stern expression and asked.

"Did you bring it?"

"It's all here~" Farr gently placed the travel bag in front of Wasim and asked hesitantly.

"Isn't it too... for us to do this?"

"Huh?" Wasim stopped opening the travel bag, tilted his head and looked at Far, thought for a while, and whispered.

"You go and wait for me outside first, it will only take a quarter of an hour."

"Um...forget it." Farr felt his mouth was a little dry, and he walked to the side with a smile and sat down, minding his own business.

"We found this thing from a crime scene two months ago..."

"Later I heard from my colleagues that when the victim was sent to the forensic department for examination, his whole body was covered with purple spots left after being electrocuted."

Wasim said with a cold tone in his voice as he inspected the broken small AC motor brought by Farr.

“威廉·凯姆勒（WilliamKemmler，1860年5月19日－1890年8月6日），是纽约州水牛城人，也是历史上第一个被以电椅进行死刑处决的人。”

"However, due to insufficient current during the electrocution, William Kemmler was still breathing after the first electrocution."

"The second electric shock caused his subcutaneous blood vessels to rupture and bleed, and his body was on fire, but he still survived."

"He didn't die until after the third electric shock, but it was already 8 minutes after the execution."

"Later, a reporter who witnessed the whole process described it in the report~"

"It was an extremely horrific scene, far worse than hanging!"

"..." Farr couldn't help but swallowed his saliva while listening to Wasim's emotionless narration, and asked with dry lips.

"You want to kill him with electrocution?"

"No~"

Wasim slowly squatted down, carefully inspected the motor's wires and several damaged spots, and replied quietly.

"In the mines, I saw many people who tried to sneak gems but failed, and were tortured to death in the end."

"The methods they used were waterboarding and electrocution."

"No one can survive more than half a day, and no one can die within three days."

"Do you know why?"

"I don't know..." Farr licked his dry lips, the corners of his mouth twitched unnaturally a few times, and shook his head.

"Haha~"

Wasim held two wires in his hand, raised his head and looked at Farr blankly, and said.

"Because directly killing a hateful thief is a bit too merciful for them..."

"They want everyone to hear the screams and let everyone know that the final outcome of theft is not death~"

"But you will be subjected to chilling and cruel torture...!"

"hiss.."

Far breathed in the cold air and looked at Wasim with a frown: "I know I don't dare to do that..."

"But you especially want to know, how did you escape from there?"

"escape?"

"No~"

"I didn't escape, I belonged there!"

"You mean...?"

"Correct!"

"I worked for them there for four years and only had two holidays a year to go away."

Wasim carried the travel bag and said quietly while walking towards the basement of the wooden house.

"I've never killed anyone."

"But I have given them a taste of... what it's like to be tortured in hell!"

"So you should wait here~"

"Okay!" Farr took out the cigarette case from his pocket and nodded heavily.

. . .

Time passes little by little.

About an hour after Wasim entered the basement, Farr heard a series of low, inhuman roars coming from beneath his feet. .

It makes people feel hoarse, depressed, angry, unwilling, painful, heartbreaking and deep despair. .

Farr stood up suddenly, opened the door and quickly walked out of the cabin and into the woods. The faint roar behind him gradually became blurred, and the sound of stepping on the snow under his feet became clear and real. .

He stopped at the edge of a sparse clearing in the woods, looked up at a flight flying slowly from JFK Airport in the distant sky, exhaled a long breath, and said to himself.

"Did I release a devil from hell?"

----

Manhattan.

It's approaching evening.

42nd Street, above Wildfire Bar.

In the bedroom.

David felt exhausted and put on his clothes. Looking at Polly who had just walked out of the bathroom, he couldn't help but joke.

"Behind every woman's radiant look, there's always a wounded man...right?"

"Haha~"

Feeling very satisfied, Polly walked up to David with a smile, raised his "stubborn" chin with her fingers, and said with an "electric" smile in her voice.

"I'll tell you when I get back~"

"Tsk!"

David didn't want to keep himself at a "disadvantage", so he immediately cheered up and pretended to be "I'm okay" and said with a bared smile.

"Okay ~ I'll wait!"

"Huh, huh!"

Polly showed a winner's smile that said "I've seen through you already", moved closer to David, let the tips of their noses touch, and hummed softly.

"I can make Isadore Sharp wait another hour~!"

"You don't agree?"

"We can come again!"

"...You think beautifully!"

"Hahahaha~"

. . .

Polly, the final winner of this "fierce confrontation", walked away with a proud face.

David lay on the window sill of the living room, watching Polly's car go away quickly, pouting and muttering to himself.

"Sure enough, you shouldn't mess with...a juicer with little emotions!"

"You must not play reckless teasing games!"

"Hey~"

"How are we going to spend our days in the future!!"

"..."

Just when David held his forehead and sighed, the maid Chasida appeared silently at the door of the restaurant, holding back a smile and asked.

"Are you coming back for dinner tonight?"

"Huh?" When David heard Chasida's question, he turned back to look at her, shrugged a little awkwardly and smiled.

"No, I'm going to have dinner with my mentor tonight."

"Go ask Susan~"

"Okay." Chasida nodded slightly to David and saluted. When she turned and walked to the door, she suddenly turned back and said with a playful smile.

"If you feel like your body is struggling..."

"I can sleep with Susan at night..."

"Forehead.."

"Haha~"

Chasida opened the door and left without waiting for David to explain, leaving only a string of chuckles.

David covered his forehead with his hands, closed his eyes, and was completely speechless. .

----

The other side of the Pacific.

Hong Kong.

Early morning~

Mid-level villa area.

Cui Yingying knocked on the door very "on time" as agreed last night.

Bill Guseland, who got up early today, invited Cui Yingying into the living room and smiled apologetically.

"Kanes hasn't gotten up yet, please wait for him."

"Ok."

"You haven't had breakfast yet?"

"I've got people ready."

"Please come with me~"

"Well..." Cui Yingying followed Bill into the restaurant, smiled and thanked him for his hospitality, and sat down steadily.

About half an hour later.

Karnes was wearing a nightgown and yawning as he walked into the restaurant and waved to Cui Yingying.

"Hi~morning!"

"Good morning!" Cui Yingying put down the coffee cup in her hand, took out a bulging yellow envelope from her small bag and placed it on the table, smiling.

"It was too late yesterday, and there were some gifts that David asked me to bring you, but I didn't give them to you."

"Um...?" Kanes rubbed his sleepy eyes, walked to sit down next to Cui Yingying, picked up the envelope and asked in confusion.

"What's in here?"

"A cassette tape."

"David gave it to me?"

"Yes."

"Um...Bill, help me find a tape recorder~"

"Oh..." Bill glanced at Cui Yingying very curiously, stood up and walked out of the restaurant.

About ten minutes later.

Cui Yingying, Bill and Kanes sat in the living room and started playing the tape.

"Hi~Kanes."

"Is Bill with you?"

"I guess he must be here!"

"Because if he was not here, you would definitely not receive the gift I asked Yingying to bring."

"As for why, please be patient and listen to me~"

"Speaking of this gift, I originally prepared it for myself..."

"It allows me to re-experience those things that I have lost..."

"But we are good friends, and I thought I should share it with you."

"So... please listen carefully!"

"Anyone who has received first aid training knows that if a person's body suffers a penetrating injury, they must not recklessly pull out foreign objects in the body, causing secondary damage to the body."

"Kanes, I want to play a game with you!"

"I must reiterate it again~"

"You can only continue listening if you accept this game!"

"If you think I'm boring and think this game I designed for myself is childish..."

"Please turn off the recorder immediately and forget about this~"

"Now!"

"You have one minute to think about it."

"How to choose?"

"Please start thinking~"

"..."

Kanes looked at Cui Yingying with a puzzled face, pointed at the recorder and asked.

"What... does he mean?"

Cui Yingying was stunned for a few seconds, and shook her head with a slightly embarrassed smile: "Sorry, I don't know the content of this tape..."

"David specifically told me not to listen or ask..."

"Hi~"

Karnes took a deep breath, looked at Bill, the "melon-eating crowd" with a smile on his face, and asked.

"David made it so weird on purpose, don't you have a problem with it?"

"Haha~"

Bill smiled and reached out to turn off the recorder, looked at Karnes and shrugged, "What's so weird about this~"

"Didn't he make it very clear?"

"He originally designed a game for himself, and now he wants to share it with you, so he asked you if you want to play it."

"If you want to play, we'll keep listening."

"If you don't want to play, let's just pretend that nothing happened."

"That's all~"

"That's not hard to understand, is it?"

"..." Kanes was speechless.

He scratched his head with his hand, looked at the recorder, Cui Yingying and Bill a few times, smacked his lips and nodded.

"Playing games, right?"

"Okay!"

"Let me hear what that bastard wants to do!"

"Haha~" Bill also felt very curious and smiled, glanced at Cui Yingying, and pressed the play button.

After a while.

David's voice sounded from the tape recorder again~

"Wow~"

"Man, I have to say thank you for your courage and trust~"

"Now, let me briefly talk about this game."

"First of all, I divided it into five difficulty levels, namely practice, easy, normal, hard, and nightmare."

"On top of these five levels, I also divided a difficulty level for myself: Hell!"

"Since this is your first time playing this game, you don't have a clear understanding or concept of the rules and difficulty of the game."

"So I suggest you start with the lowest difficulty level."

"As for the specific content and rules of the game, you can only know it after you make the difficulty choice."

"Bill!"

"I left a letter at the Gold Coin Hotel."

"If Karnes has chosen the difficulty of the game, please call Mr. Gardener. He will introduce you to the game content and rules in detail based on that letter."

"Okay~ Time is limited!"

"I hope you can find the greatest fun in my heart from the game!"

"Oh, right!"

"One last thing I want to remind you, Karnes."

"The only participant in this game is yourself."

"So you are not allowed to ask Bill, Cui Yingying, or anyone for any help during the game!"

"Because that's foul play!"

"Okay~ That's it, my friend."

"I sincerely wish you can get an unprecedented novel experience from the game~"

"When we meet, you will be more than happy to share it with me."

"Bye~Goodlucy!"

"..." The tape has finished playing.

Karnes pointed at the tape recorder and complained to Bill in a state of laughter and tears.

"Is this bastard kidding me?"

"Hahahaha~" Bill laughed, picked up the phone next to him, winked at Karnes, and asked.

"Let's make a phone call and ask, and we'll know the answer!"

"How about it?"

"Have you decided which game difficulty to choose?"

"Uh..." Kanes tilted his head and looked at Cui Yingying, scratching his chin and murmured.

"That bastard shouldn't lie to me..."

"The difficulty level of the exercises he recommended is the easiest..."

"I choose...normal difficulty!"

"ordinary?"

"you sure?"

"Of course ~ it's just a game, why should I choose the lowest difficulty which is unchallenging?"

"A waste of time?"

"Hmm~" Bill held the microphone and dialed the number, while smiling affirmatively at Karnes.

"It makes sense~"

"Is this your final decision?"

"It's settled!" Kanes waved his hand very proudly and nodded.

Cui Yingying had been watching silently, and she was keenly aware of the corners of Bill's mouth. . Bad smile!

Emm. .

David, what are you going to do? !