"People can't be generalized."
When the twelve-year-old Tanaka Masakazu first lost to the just-turned-ten Koizumi Katsuko in the children's art competition judging, he was unconvinced.
Until he saw the winning piece published in the newspaper.
He realized that either someone ghostwrote it, or—there really are some geniuses in this world.
[Tokyo Metropolitan Museum Child Artist Finals]
Failure.
[All Japan Junior High Sketch Grand Prize]
Failure.
[New Century Youth Illustration Competition]
Crushing defeat.
...
For Tanaka Masakazu, every time he saw that calm, porcelain-doll-like face of the other party, it meant the beginning of his crushing defeat.
If an ordinary person encountered such a situation, they might lose confidence and develop self-doubt.
Or they would've given up the idea of competing with the other party long ago.
But Tanaka Masakazu was never someone who would just stubbornly bang his head against a wall.
Winning fair and square is also winning.
Winning with cunning and deceit is also winning.
His old man practiced this mantra all his life, evolving from an ugly and poor delinquent, shunned even by dogs, who spoke with a baseball bat on the streets, into an ugly, but powerful, third-generation Yakuza head of three seafood markets, selling hundreds of millions of yen's worth of fish every day.
He could even sit and drink with district councilmen who came to his house for votes, laughing and talking.
After realizing he couldn't use underhanded tactics to unseat the so-called once-in-a-century super-genius Koizumi Katsuko in legitimate competitions, who was lauded in the Japanese painting world,
Tanaka Masakazu made up his mind — he would organize a competition himself.
Don't laugh; there are many people with dark thoughts in this world, but very few who conceive ideas, act on them, and truly have the ability to carry them out.
By relying on the championship of the "Hyogo Prefecture — Beauty of Seafood Art Competition," Tanaka Masakazu, with some maneuvering by his father and the local councilman, easily outmatched a batch of talented high school students and town artists who could only draw aimlessly, and was admitted to the notoriously strict-for-admission Tama Art University without an entrance exam.
This time, Tama Art University was one of the partners in the collaborative mural project; it was also an important gilding opportunity.
The total number of people involved in the restoration project was limited; originally, only upperclassmen in their third or fourth year about to graduate would have the chance to participate based on their school qualifications.
But Tanaka Masakazu had already learned to handle this kind of problem with "adult experience."
After hosting the male student council president of the school, and several enjoyable outings in Kabukicho, his name temporarily appeared on the project's big list —
As a visiting exchange participant, not counted as an official capacity.
Nevertheless, if nothing unexpected happened, by managing it well or performing outstandingly, transitioning to becoming an official painter was not difficult.
Having mastered the means not covered by the rules, Tanaka Masakazu felt like he was Zhuge Kongming from 'Records of the Three Kingdoms' or the famous strategist Takehara Hanzo from the Warring States period.
He was practically omnipotent.
But unfortunately, plans couldn't keep up with change. He had already followed the professors to Yangon.
Only to find out that the local Myanmar artists had temporarily added a spot for a young artist to the project.
The number of people in the project was already not many.
Tanaka Masakazu himself was a last-minute addition. Suddenly being told he might not be able to operate within the project, he could only continue as a "visiting exchange" for now.
The senior mentioned he could still be involved in the specific painting work, so it wasn't a big problem.
Not a big problem?
Ridiculous.
Listen to what he's saying.
He wasn't here for mural restoration.
Whether it was as an official project painter or just a passing intern.
The value of it was entirely different.
Upon completion of such projects, the Myanmar government would issue a special letter of thanks or specially find a place to engrave a stone tablet, where every participating official painter could have their name engraved in gold.
It's quite commemorative.
That's also why there's a fixed number of participants required.
In the art world, being listed alongside masters like Cao Xuan and other international name figures, even at the last position, was quite a credential.
It's like how a small-time actor can become slightly more known after acting alongside a big celebrity.
This is also why the slots for official painters are always predetermined, and adding one needs quite an effort.
Although staff could mention it in their resume, it's like having your name in the author's section or in the special acknowledgment section of a paper; they are entirely different matters.
What was supposed to be a gilding turned into an ordinary internship upon arrival, an internship with very little gold.
When Tanaka, who was always best at manipulating from the shadows, learned his slot had been snatched, he was incredulous, and his heart felt mixed emotions.
"Excuse me? Who are you?"
Gu Weijing had no idea he had long since deeply offended this person.
He felt utterly bewildered, staring at the suddenly appearing guy who looked remarkably like the popular male star Xiao Lizun as if he was looking at an idiot.
The Sakai siblings by his side were also utterly perplexed.
Miss Sakai shook her head at Gu Weijing.
He indicated that he didn't recognize this unfamiliar face at all.
"Miss Sakai, finally... we meet again."
Tanaka Masakazu didn't even glance at Gu Weijing.
He lowered his head, looking down at Koizumi Katsuko, his tone deep.
Although Tanaka Masakazu harbored jealous malice towards Gu Weijing, he preferred to concentrate all his energy on others.
He stared at the young woman with short hair.
Straightened his posture vigorously.
His thoracic spine emitted a light creak, like the crackling sound of flames devouring wood.
Under the halo of being an outstanding student at Tama Art University, he felt like the protagonist of a Wang Dao Manhua comic, standing high after repeated defeats, once again facing the Great Demon King... if there were an accompanying rousing theme song like from 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' in the air at this moment, it would be even more perfect.
"Who are you?"
Yakai Gangchang flipped his dead fish eyes, "Does my sister know you?"
"Doesn't recognize me anymore? I... am the winner of the Beauty of Seafood Grand Prize, a student at Tama Art University where your father, Professor Yajima, is teaching, Tanaka Masakazu!"
The Sakai siblings couldn't recognize themselves; Tanaka didn't find this strange at all.
He realized early on that the art circle was all about appearances.
He looked at his old man, Mr. Tanaka, with his pockmarked face and a smell of fish, more like disfigurement than plastic surgery, and knew that he wouldn't inherit any handsome genes.
He was a decisive person. After determining that looking like Fire Cloud Evil God wouldn't get him anywhere as an unknown young painter, he went for cosmetic surgery right after high school.
No wonder Gu Weijing thought he looked a little like Xiao Lizun, as being the most popular man among women in all of Japan, he was an important template for plastic surgery choices.
"Tanaka… Masakazu." Koizumi Katsuko repeated the name.
Remember now, Demon King!
Remember the name of your defeated opponent?
You would never have thought that, after so many years, I am now a student at the most famous art university in Japan, right?
Tanaka Masakazu lightly bit his tongue as he watched her face, waiting for the surprise and admiration to show on her expression.
"Hm, I have to say, this Demon King really is quite cute."
Tanaka Masakazu tilted his head slightly, letting the sunlight fall on his profile, fully showcasing the nose bridge lifted by fillers and the charming stubble
"Sorry... Mr. Tanaka, I don't know you. Seafood Festival, is that some kind of cooking competition?"
Koizumi Katsuko shook her head in confusion, her brows furrowing slightly. "And I'm talking to someone else right now, what you just did was really rude."
Tanaka Masakazu's expression immediately turned cold.
"Hmph, is this the arrogance of a once-in-a-century art genius?"
He glowered.
Tanaka didn't dare to vent his anger on her directly and turned to look at Gu Weijing.
It's really infuriating.
Tanaka Masakazu had investigated this "replacement" for his position, Gu Weijing, and his grandfather Gu Tongxiang.
Just a no-name artist internationally, pulling rank among dwarfs in Yangon.
If not for the Great Golden Pagoda being in Myanmar, even small-time artists like his grandfather wouldn't have participated in such an international project.
He didn't know what kind of tricks the other side had played that even his once unsurpassable Great Demon King praised him highly.
"After all, it's easy for young girls to be deceived."
He thought to himself.
"Gu, right."
He called out Gu Weijing's surname in his not-so-fluent Chinese, "I know you, sorry, I'm an artist; my respect is only for predecessors with real skills. As for you—"
"—this Yangon native. Do you really think you're a painter?"
Tanaka Masakazu turned his head, arrogantly looking at Gu Weijing, emphasizing the words "Yangon native."
"What's wrong with your head? Whether I'm a painter or not is none of your business."
This guy must be crazy.
Gu Weijing was utterly shocked!
Tanaka's self-perceived mighty statement appeared to Gu Weijing as if he was looking at a lunatic in a mental asylum.
Gu Weijing had no idea how he had provoked him. He was irritated but didn't want to waste time with someone like this; some people just won't listen to reason.
You can't reason with him.
Gu Weijing scoffed at engaging with the ridiculous ignorance of such a person.
It's either stupidity or arrogance.
Or maybe both.
He wanted to end this meaningless conversation with some controlled pity.
Many things had been bothering Gu Weijing recently, so he stood up to leave.
"He's really guilty then."
Tanaka Masakazu nodded quietly to himself.
He saw an opportunity and made up his mind.
"Hey, buddy, you and your grandfather Gu Tongxiang are not cut out for this."
In a close pass, he whispered lightly as his lips moved slightly.
Gu Weijing stopped.
He turned around, gazing at Tanaka, as if scrutinizing him intently.
"If it were me, I wouldn't tolerate such an insult. Seems like you don't have any fighting spirit left." Tanaka pretended to want to shake Gu Weijing's hand in a friendly manner.
He blocked the other's path with his body but continued to speak lightly with a faint smile.
Tanaka was like a provocateur, a rogue samurai, or a full-fledged scoundrel.
Coward.
His eyes said it.
If it were me, I would fight back.
Gu Weijing nodded calmly.
He said "Alright" in English.
Then punched him in the gut.
"There's a fight! There's a fight! A punk is hitting a foreign student! Police! Police!..."
Tanaka fell to the ground clutching his stomach, rolling and screaming.
There was a bit of genuine pain in his eyes, but even more hidden delight, as Gu Weijing had indeed punched him in the gut.
Tanaka Masakazu originally planned to provoke him, afraid he wouldn't retaliate.
No matter how chaotic Myanmar was, assaulting a government-invited foreign scholar couldn't be easily dismissed.
Looks like he hasn't even entered college yet?
Just with this punch,
He's confident he can mar his record, ruining his future. A good art university wouldn't accept students with assault records or violent tendencies.
At worst, Tanaka felt, the opponent would be thrown out of the project altogether.
This is called strategy.
You still have a lot to learn, kid.