Qin Ye hadn't told the 12 envoys what was happening. He had only requested their presence without any forewarning, and this was a test in itself, one that would examine whether the 12 envoys were capable of adapting with the changing times.

He gently stroked the Harken, which was wagging its tail with a pleased expression, and after several seconds of silence, he said, "As I'm sure you're all aware, the new energy resource has already emerged. In the wake of the imminent industrial revolution, the world is about to undergo a massive change. However, the times are always advancing, and we can only maintain a temporary lead with the new energy resource. In order to continue to lead the rest of the world, we must always maintain a technological advantage. Hence, I have a question for all of you: given the current state of the world, where should we turn to? The sky or the sea?"

He leaned back in his chair, then picked up his teacup as he prompted, "Please feel free to give your opinions, everyone."

His declaration was met by complete silence.

After the silence had worn on for close to 20 seconds, Zhou Yu finally sensed that something was wrong. He cast a furtive glance toward the other envoys, only to find that they were also communicating with one another in silence with their eyes.

He lowered his head as he twiddled his thumbs in an absentminded manner. This was a habitual gesture of his whenever he was in deep thought.

The test had already begun!

Under normal circumstances, there was no place for...