Chapter 263: Sorry, Was I Too Blunt Just Now?
Chapter 263: Chapter 263: Sorry, Was I Too Blunt Just Now?
"What’s the issue between Huaxia civilization and Ancient Egypt? These so-called points of overlap aren’t something to be summed up in a single sentence. You’re the ones who need to explain them, aren’t you, representative from Misi Country?"
"It’s a very bad habit to come here and accuse others with nothing but empty words."
Until now, everyone had only been trading subtle, sarcastic jabs. Gu Shengsheng, however, brought the conflict right out into the open.
The representative from Misi Country, naturally, felt he had lost face.
His face flushed and he roared, "What? Are there so many things that we need to list them one by one? Fine! If that’s how it is, we don’t mind wasting the time."
"Let’s talk about the artifacts recently unearthed at Sanxingdui. That golden scepter—isn’t it just like our Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs, depicted with a horsetail whisk in the left hand and a golden scepter in the right? The origin is our Ancient Egyptian murals. What do you have to say about that, Miss Gu?"
"Furthermore, the bronze statues of people from your Sanxingdui Culture look quite similar to the people from our Ancient Egyptian history. In their hair, their actions, or even their posture. In this regard, none of you from Huaxia look anything like them."
Gu Shengsheng found this amusing. She said evenly, "Go on. What else?"
"Just spit it all out at once. Don’t be constipated about it, dragging it on and on."
The man from Misi Country couldn’t understand Gu Shengsheng’s words directly, but he felt that the simultaneous interpretation coming through his earpiece was very strange.
He continued, "And another thing—your Huaxia custom of placing Stone Lions at entrances. That also originated in Misi Country."
"So many things... they’re all recorded in our Ancient Egyptian civilization. These facts can’t be faked. But it’s you, Huaxia, who have been using them all this time."
"Therefore, this is a matter our Misi Country cannot continue to ignore. Now that we have the chance to expose you, Huaxia, we will certainly not pass up this opportunity for the global online community to grant us justice."
As he spoke, the old man from Misi Country looked as if he was on the verge of tears.
Netizens around the world grew impassioned:
"If this cultural fraud is real, then we will all see that you get justice! Don’t worry!"
"My God, so many things are actually from Ancient Egypt? That’s incredible. I feel so guilty for my ignorance. I always thought those people were the good guys."
"So whose five-thousand-year culture is it, really?"
"Does the five-thousand-year culture not matter anymore? Does it just belong to whoever argues best? Whatever. I’ll always believe in Huaxia."
Although the people of Huaxia felt uncertain and worried, they still came out in droves to support Gu Shengsheng, to support Huaxia’s artifacts and civilization.
However, some were already growing restless and agitated.
Gu Shengsheng, on the other hand, wanted to see what other tricks they had up their sleeves. ’I’ll wait for him to say his piece, then I can refute it all at once.’
’Otherwise, if I try to refute him now, they’ll just keep repeating the same tired arguments.’
’Gu Shengsheng had long understood the character—or lack thereof—of people like this. It was best to let them say their fill now. That way, they wouldn’t have a complete meltdown when she refuted them later.’
Gu Shengsheng nodded, taking note of everything he said.
She asked, "Is that everything?"
The representative from Tianlan Country chuckled. "You’ve just discussed Ancient Egypt. What about Ancient India?"
"Perhaps what the rest of us say carries little weight. But what do you have to say when your own Huaxia people are expressing doubts?"
He then played a slideshow and a series of videos. They all featured various people who had recorded themselves expressing their indecision and siding with the foreign nations.
Gu Shengsheng was composed at first, but after seeing these videos, it wasn’t just the domestic netizens on the live comment feed who were cursing up a storm.
Gu Shengsheng herself smashed a small, delicate instrument she had been holding, shattering it on the floor.
It made a jarring "CRASH-CLATTER!" sound. The other three people on the call looked at her with disdain.
"Miss Gu, is that any way to act? Do you have any respect for the rest of us?"
Gu Shengsheng said, "My hand slipped. But it seems to have conveniently woken up your drowsy minds, has it not?"
Her voice rose. "Because your claims are utterly absurd."
"Cultural confidence is not something everyone possesses. Take you, for example, trying to loot a house while it’s on fire. You think you can just walk away with five thousand years of civilization? Do you really think you have what it takes?"
Gu Shengsheng had stood up. She stared at the screen, her gaze fixing on each one of them in turn.
’I don’t get it. She’s just a slip of a girl, so how can she have such an imposing presence?’
’The more I think about it, the more I realize she’s not to be trifled with, and it’s frankly infuriating.’
Gu Shengsheng said, "Let’s get back on topic. I don’t like pointless verbal sparring; I prefer to stick to the facts."
"I will now address each of the points you just made."
"First, regarding the Human-faced Bronze Statues. You claim these statues look like the people of Misi Country?"
"To me, they look more like aliens. Frankly, claiming they’re aliens would be more plausible than what you’re suggesting."
"I have sent 248 sets of comparison images to your email inboxes; everyone should have received them. I had them prepared today. These analyses show that the figures depicted are primitive humans. Some of the facial reconstructions aren’t even human, possessing bestial bodies. A significant number were even identified as having simian or ape-like features."
"So... if you’re claiming that the people of Misi look like this—not yet fully evolved—then I have nothing more to say. I respect that. And I wish you all the best."
Gu Shengsheng offered a faint smile.
The man from Misi Country flushed a deep red. "Absurd! I’ve seen that famous image from your Chuan City! The hair is exactly like ours!"
Gu Shengsheng spread her hands. "You see? Empty claims with no proof. And you’re using a single Human-faced Bronze Statue to represent the entirety. What, in Misi Country have you not heard of conducting experiments? Don’t you know how to control your variables? Are you unaware of ion analysis?"
She fired off the questions one after another, then added, "As I’ve said, we’re here to explain our own civilization, not to get tangled up in arguments about every civilization in the world. If it makes you happy, you can go around claiming the whole planet belongs to you. We won’t say a thing."
"After all, who’s going to argue with you about that, right?"
The more nonchalant Gu Shengsheng acted, the angrier they became.
Then, as if he’d lost his mind, the man began pointing at himself.
The representative from Misi Country was already bellowing.
’Sure enough,’ she thought. ’When you remain stable, your opponent will always be the one to lose their cool.’
"You! Look at me! Take a good look! Tell me where I don’t look like the figure on that bronze artifact!"
"Look at my face! All of you, look at me!"
Gu Shengsheng feigned shock. "Such a request... well then, I won’t hold back."
She stared at him for a long moment before shaking her head.
With a resigned air, she began her critique. "Uh, are you sure you want me to say it?"
"My honest thoughts?"
Zhang Zhengyi’s eyebrow twitched. He knew this was not going to be simple.
He had a feeling Gu Shengsheng was about to lay a trap.
But the man from Misi Country hadn’t realized a thing. He declared with utmost confidence, "Compare them! My face is a dead ringer for that statue."
"It’s a difficult comparison. Purely in terms of appearance, someone like you... if we were to place you in my country..."
"... even the cavemen of ancient times might not have accepted you. They’d probably see you and think you were some kind of beast. A dinosaur, maybe? Or a platypus? And if you’ll forgive my bluntness, you’ve got enough zits on your face to make a pot of lumpy oatmeal."