The next morning, after breakfast, Chen Mo headed to the venue of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference alongside Lanxi and the rest of his team. As a special guest, there was no room for lateness or absence—especially not at the opening ceremony.
The conference was being held at the Capital International Conference Center. When Chen Mo and his entourage arrived, the entrance was bustling with people pouring into the venue from all sides.
This was the pinnacle of global artificial intelligence events. As the highest-level AI conference in the world, it showcased cutting-edge breakthroughs and innovations, naturally drawing the attention of top experts, engineers, and media outlets from around the globe.
As Chen Mo arrived, a man in a tailored suit approached with a courteous smile. His demeanor was polite and a bit flattering.
"Mr. Chen Mo, welcome. I'm in charge of your reception today—please, this way," said Tao Ji warmly.
Chen Mo gave a small nod and followed him toward the VIP entrance.
On both sides of the VIP passage, a sea of reporters had already gathered. With so many influential figures attending this year, each appearance was headline material.
The moment Chen Mo stepped into view, the press surged toward him like a wave.
After all, Chen Mo was a media magnet—one of the most authoritative figures in AI today. His decision to attend had already drawn intense speculation and buzz across all major outlets.
This also marked his first public appearance since the recent attack, which had stirred considerable controversy. At the time, rumors had claimed Chen Mo was seriously injured, but internal leaks from Marching Ant staff later refuted those claims, confirming his recovery.
Now, seeing him in person again only heightened the media frenzy.
"Mr. Chen Mo, can you comment on who was behind the recent attack?"
"Mr. Chen Mo, what's your take on rumors that AI could one day control humanity?"
"What's the next product from Marching Ant Company?"
Countless questions were hurled his way.
Chen Mo, smiling calmly, chose not to answer. Now was not the time for interviews.
Soon, they reached the sign-in area.
Unlike traditional events, this conference embraced AI fully—even the check-in process was automated. Guests simply passed through facial and biometric recognition checkpoints, skipping all the usual procedures.
Robots from the Marching Ant Company were also visible among the staff—marching ant tech was everywhere. As a co-organizer, the company had supplied many intelligent robots for various tasks at the venue. Holographic projectors scattered across the building subtly doubled as free advertising for the brand.
After checking in and clearing security, Chen Mo made his way into the Summit Forum hall.
Though the forum hadn't officially started, the hall was already packed.
Executives, CEOs, professors, and innovators chatted in small clusters. Deals were being discussed. Ideas exchanged. Opportunities spotted.
These summits weren't just about presentations—they were rare gatherings where the titans of the industry could meet, mingle, and sometimes even forge partnerships.
Chen Mo had long grown used to this kind of atmosphere.
But the moment he entered, a ripple ran through the room. Heads turned. Conversations paused.
"That's Chen Mo. He rarely shows up in person—Zhao Min usually attends in his place."
"Zhao Min's not a technical expert. This kind of event needs someone like Chen Mo. And wow... he's even younger than he looks in the photos. Confident too."
"My daughter's single. Maybe I'll ask her to try and catch this golden turtle."
Laughter broke out, but the remarks kept coming.
Though Marching Ant had risen meteorically, some companies still felt threatened. After all, wherever the company set its sights, it became a dominant force. Yet others in the room were eager for cooperation, especially since Marching Ant didn't compete across all verticals and maintained relatively clear boundaries.
As Chen Mo approached the center of the hall, a bespectacled elder with a kind smile stepped up to greet him.
"Chen Mo, you're finally here!" the man exclaimed with delight, extending both hands.
Lanxi quickly whispered beside him, "This is Academician Sun Deyi of the Engineering Academy and chairman of the conference's AI Society."
Chen Mo immediately returned the greeting with respect. "Hello, Academician Sun."
Though he himself held the title of academician, his appointment was mostly honorary—a result of national recognition, not traditional peer nomination. His certificate still lay untouched at home, and few ever addressed him by the title.
But Academician Sun was a real heavyweight, a respected figure in Chinese science and engineering. Naturally, he knew Chen Mo had been inducted, even if the public paid little attention to the announcement at the time.
Nearby guests overheard the greeting and reacted in surprise.
"Chen Mo's an academician? When did that happen?"
"It was announced during the last selection round. But I think it got buried under some celebrity scandal, so barely anyone noticed."
"He's that young?"
"Age doesn't matter. His achievements speak for themselves. Just the invention of the seismograph is enough to cement his legacy."
Sun Deyi held Chen Mo's hand like he'd just found a national treasure. "I've wanted to meet you in person for so long. Incredible work, truly."
"You flatter me," Chen Mo said humbly.
"Not at all. You deserve every word. The Summit Forum is about to begin, so we'll save the deep conversations for later. I hope we'll get a chance to exchange ideas on AI."
Chen Mo nodded with a smile. "It would be an honor."
Sun Deyi's excitement was evident, as if meeting Chen Mo was the highlight of his day.
After chatting briefly, Chen Mo made his way toward the front of the venue, greeting a few more notable attendees as he passed.
The front rows of the forum were a who's-who of tech giants and AI legends:
Wang Jian, CTO of Alibaba
Deng Li, Chief Scientist at Microsoft
Li Yingming, Professor at Tsinghua University and head of the National AI Lab
Demis, designer of Alpha Dog from Umbrella Corp
Musk, founder of Tesla and America's own "Iron Man"
Zach, CEO of Facebook
This year's AI conference had truly assembled the elite of the tech world.
In the past two years, thanks to Marching Ant's launch of smart assistants and intelligent robots, the AI industry had entered a golden age of explosive growth. This made the 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference even more significant.
After exchanging brief greetings with a few leaders, Chen Mo took his seat.
As more industry leaders filed in, the hall gradually quieted. All eyes turned toward the stage.
The World Artificial Intelligence Conference Summit Forum—the most anticipated gathering of AI minds—was about to begin.