Liu Hui returned to the residential community where he lived, only to find a number of men dressed like local thugs loitering around, seemingly searching for something. A shock ran through him; his intuition screamed that it was connected to the narcotics he had acquired last time.

He noticed a cluster of elderly residents—old men and women—gathered together, muttering and gossiping about the thugs. He casually slipped into the group, hoping to gather some specific details. These seniors were clearly angry. One old man grumbled, “Why didn’t the police arrest all these punks a few days ago? Now they dare to swagger around our neighborhood.”

Another voice chimed in, “These punks call themselves the 'Mad Dragon Gang,' acting incredibly arrogant. But it’s strange; I’ve never seen them before. Why are they hanging around here today? If they keep coming here, won’t our public safety deteriorate significantly? I’ll have to keep an eye on my grandson and tell him to stay out more.”

The first old man shot back, “In my opinion, we should just call the police and have them arrested; see how cocky they are then. They actually stopped me just now, asking if I saw any suspicious characters the night before last. It’s laughable—is there anyone more suspicious than them?”

“Exactly, they asked me too! Where I was at night, and they even wrote it down in a notebook, acting like they were the police,” someone else interjected.

“The police nowadays won’t bother arresting these lowlifes. If they catch them, it’s just more trouble with no credit; they’ll just let them go again. They wait until these thugs grow into genuine organized crime before making a big move for glory! I truly miss the old days when the security was impeccable,” a knowing voice remarked from the side.

Once the harsh reality of the current situation was broached, everyone wisely fell silent, ceasing discussion. They exchanged a few more worried glances about the deteriorating security of the neighborhood and then dispersed.

Liu Hui returned home and pondered in secret. Those thugs were questioning residents about the exact night he obtained the drugs. It was certain they were looking for the narcotics. The Mad Dragon Gang behind them must be the rightful owners of the stash.

Liu Hui analyzed the situation and deduced the most probable sequence of events: The Mad Dragon Gang was discovered by police during transportation or a transaction, forcing a hasty retreat. Because the briefcase was too large, they couldn't carry it away in the short time they had. In the chaos, they stashed the drugs in a deep pit at a construction site, crudely covering it with newspaper. He then accidentally stumbled into that pit and unintentionally acquired the drugs. The police who arrived later cordoned off the site to search, presumably for the drugs, though they surely came up empty-handed. Afterwards, the Mad Dragon Gang attempted to retrieve their buried stash, only to find it missing. Furthermore, an informant within the police department confirmed to the gang that the narcotics had not been found. This led them to search the surrounding area, hoping to find clues to recover the drugs. After all, three million in value—who wouldn't be tempted?

Liu Hui started to feel anxious. His career hadn't officially launched, his physical conditioning wasn't complete, and he possessed virtually no means of self-protection. Now, with the Mad Dragon Gang sniffing around—even if they hadn't found him yet—it put immense pressure on him. He certainly couldn't return the drugs. Setting aside Zerg’s need for them, returning them would likely result in his elimination to silence him. Liu Hui made an immediate resolution: he had to find a new place and move out as soon as possible to avoid exposing himself and attracting the attention of the Mad Dragon Gang.

With Mad Dragon Gang members patrolling the vicinity, Liu Hui dared not go to the riverbank to practice his martial arts. He could only train slowly inside his apartment; he must acquire a certain level of defensive capability. His augmented body was gradually adapting after several days of rigorous training. He had tested it privately: his strength had increased by more than fivefold, and his speed was ridiculously fast. Other attributes, like reaction time and jumping ability, had reached incredible levels. The only drawback was that he had only learned a few kicking techniques from Taekwondo, preventing him from fully unleashing his potential. Since he couldn't learn native martial arts for the time being, he decided to fully master the killing moves of Taekwondo first. Whoever came looking for trouble would certainly leave with a profound impression.

Liu Hui trained steadily. The modification fluid continued to work on his body, ensuring his physical condition would only improve. Exaggerated movements that previously seemed difficult were now executed perfectly. He practiced until midnight before showering and sleeping, the threat from the Mad Dragon Gang igniting a surge of training fervor within him.

After washing up, as he lay in bed, Liu Hui habitually activated the Planar Trade Device. At the planar coordinates input, he sequentially entered numbers following a specific pattern, hoping to discover a new Planar Trader. This had become routine. However, the planar coordinates spanned two full rows, with hundreds of digits in total; finding a new trader was no easy feat. Perhaps the other party’s trade device was still buried in the earth, or perhaps that plane had never even spawned intelligent life, or maybe the device had been acquired but not yet bound. The possibilities were endless, and he had no idea how much longer it would take to locate a new trader.

The items Liu Hui currently possessed that he could trade with Zerg were severely limited, currently only the narcotics. Perhaps in the future, he might have access to various Earth genes. But the scarcity and difficulty in obtaining the drugs made him deeply pessimistic about the prospects of trade. He needed to develop new trading partners to mitigate risk. Unfortunately, several days of random inputs had yielded no response. No matter how desperate he felt, there was nothing he could do. Zerg had spent a hundred years searching to find him, and he expected to find a new trader in just a few days—it was asking too much.

Since his body had been augmented, Liu Hui’s need for sleep had decreased. Basic five hours of sleep per day was enough to maintain full energy throughout the day, leaving him more time for more meaningful pursuits.

The next morning, Liu Lin called him. Arrangements had been finalized with the Beauty Specialty Hospital for negotiations that morning. Liu Hui met up with Mei Peng and Liu Lin, and they took a taxi toward the outskirts. The taxi went further and further into the remote areas until it stopped at a large community near the urban-rural fringe.

The Bashan Beauty Hospital was situated next to this large community. It wasn't tall, only three stories, but the building appeared quite large. However, there weren't many customers; only a scattered few patients were registering for appointments.

The's (Director's) office was on the third floor. Liu Lin led Liu Hui and Mei Peng up there. The Director was a middle-aged man surnamed Chai, looking unwell and visibly haggard. Liu Lin made the introductions.

When Liu Hui stated their purpose, the Director was blunt. “You can see the situation of my hospital. It’s a three-story building with a total floor area of 3,000 square meters, plus a basement of 150 square meters. All the medical equipment inside is practically new, eighty percent condition, and the hospital’s medical qualification is fully intact. I personally own all of this. If you are serious about buying, I won’t waste time with pleasantries: my final price is thirty million.”

Liu Hui and Mei Peng gasped. Treating Johnson had only yielded two million USD, which, at the current exchange rate, was just over thirteen million RMB.

Liu Hui spoke up, “Director Chai, are you joking? Your hospital isn't worth thirty million. Please name a more realistic price!”

Director Chai retorted indignantly, “My hospital is this large, and all the medical facilities are relatively new—that alone is worth a considerable sum, not to mention the medical qualification. If I weren't so short on funds, I wouldn't be selling.”

Mei Peng sneered from the side, “Director Chai, let’s not mince words. We investigated your hospital before coming. It’s simply not worth thirty million. We had professionals appraise the building and equipment, and the value is less than eight million. And your medical qualification isn't worth much either. Considering the several malpractice incidents you had recently, your reputation is ruined. Hardly anyone comes for treatment now. Your hospital is on the verge of collapse. You probably can’t even afford to pay salaries anymore, can you?”

Director Chai looked slightly embarrassed and explained, “If it weren’t for that damned procurement manager buying us shoddy products, we wouldn’t have had medical accidents. Our reputation used to be excellent! Moreover, property values in Bashan City are constantly rising. Don’t you think your assessment of the real estate value is too low?”

Liu Hui smiled, “Director Chai, surely you know Bashan City’s master plan? For the next decade, the city will only expand northward. This location of your hospital has no chance for future development. Do you really think property values will skyrocket here? Are you planning to wait until the prices soar before selling?”

Mei Peng jumped in, “Director Chai, we aren't trying to take advantage of your hardship; we are trying to help you. You’re heavily in debt outside, right? I heard that debt is coming due soon. Your hospital is notorious now, with virtually no patients. Crucially, no other buyer is interested in your facility. You need to think clearly; we are currently the only ones who can assist you.”

Director Chai broke into a sweat, realizing his entire situation had been laid bare. He sighed deeply, suddenly looking ten years older. He murmured quietly, “Ten million. I need ten million, in cash only. With that, the hospital is yours.”

Liu Hui exchanged a glance with Mei Peng. That figure was very close to their own estimate. Director Chai must have been pushed to the absolute limit. The price could probably be negotiated further, but it would require more energy, and given Liu Hui’s current plans, time was the paramount concern. He immediately agreed to Director Chai’s price.

Then, Mei Peng, being the industry insider, handled the communication with Director Chai regarding the handover details of the hospital. By the time they ironed out the specifics and signed the agreement, the afternoon had arrived.

After having a meal, Liu Hui and Mei Peng parted ways. Johnson and his group had not yet left Bashan, so Liu Hui located them and transferred 1.9 million USD into his account. Acquiring the Beauty Hospital required cash, plus funds for renovations and working capital for its operation, which would consume a significant amount. Thus, he changed his mind about depositing all the money into the Swiss bank.

Liu Hui handed his identification documents to York for setting up the Swiss bank account, transferring the remaining one hundred thousand USD to this account. Johnson’s party planned to return to the United States the next day, with flights booked for early morning. Liu Hui confirmed the details of the press conference with Johnson once more.

Meanwhile, Mei Peng continued negotiating the hospital handover details with Director Chai. The acquisition of a hospital involved numerous intricate issues that couldn't be resolved quickly. Mei Peng estimated that completing all procedures would take another three to four days.

Liu Hui had agreed on the broad direction for the hospital acquisition and provided sufficient funding. However, he wasn't entirely clear on the acquisition mechanics or subsequent management. Following the principle of "don't interfere where you don't understand," he entrusted all of it to Mei Peng. To ensure the acquisition was free of legal pitfalls, he also hired a law firm in Bashan City to handle all legal matters pertaining to the purchase.

Liu Hui scouted properties in the neighborhood near the hospital. He intended to buy a house nearby, or rent if necessary, to move out of his previous residence early and avoid exposure risks. After checking several locations, none were particularly satisfactory. Since the hospital formalities weren't complete yet, there was no rush to buy a house, and moving too soon might actually increase the risk of exposure.

That evening, after his customary martial arts practice, the Planar Trade Device began to vibrate. Liu Hui opened it, and Zerg’s avatar appeared on the screen. Zerg looked unusually grave today.

“Esteemed Excellency Liu Hui, our research on your white powder has reached a conclusion. It can extend our command range by a factor of five times the original distance. If we process this powder and implant it into the brains of our commanders, we can survey and engage in combat over much greater distances, minimizing the chance of surprise attacks from the enemy and increasing warning time. This represents a significant boost to our strength. We genuinely require this white powder. After obtaining it, we also studied its genetic composition, hoping to synthesize it artificially, but we failed. Therefore, esteemed Excellency Liu Hui, we need you to provide a substantial quantity of this white powder so we can enhance the strength of our race.”

Liu Hui had initially been startled by Zerg’s solemnity, fearing some kind of mishap. Relieved to find Zerg only required more drugs, he relaxed.

“Esteemed Excellency Zerg, may I ask how much of this miraculous powder you require?”

“Currently, we need to modify 1.13 billion commanders. The package unit you provided last time can modify one commander. My total requirement is 1.13 billion units,” Zerg stated, clearly possessing precise data on his race.

“What, so much?” Liu Hui calculated internally and was shocked. He had secretly weighed the previous packaging unit, which was a standard one-kilogram pack. The total demand for the Swarm, translated, equaled 1.13 million tons. What did that mean? If it were grain, it could sustain three million people for a year. To transport it all using twenty-ton trucks would require 56,500 vehicles; lined up, they would form an impressive convoy stretching five hundred kilometers. Earth's entire annual drug production is only about five thousand tons. The amount of narcotics ever produced on Earth, from antiquity to the present, probably doesn’t even approach this quantity.

“Esteemed Excellency Zerg, my Human Race also has a great need for the medicines your race researches, and perhaps other medicines in the future. I wish to know how you propose to exchange if we trade medicine for the miraculous powder?” Liu Hui asked cautiously.

“Esteemed Excellency Liu Hui, you are beginning to act like a genuine Planar Trader. As I mentioned before, your race’s genes are very simple. Any disease that appears within your species’ genome, or any medicine related to physical evolution, I can guarantee to produce, though it requires a very precious substance of our Zerg race. While your miraculous powder is immensely beneficial to us, the cost of producing our medicines is also extremely high. Let us trade based on the preciousness of the items. For every unit of miraculous powder you provide, I will give you ten doses of medicine,” Zerg proposed the exchange rate after some thought.

“I am very satisfied with Excellency Zerg’s pricing. However, there is a small issue right now: the miraculous powder is extremely precious among our Human Race, and its output is very low. The annual production is only about one million units,” Liu Hui deliberately understated the output to emphasize the powder’s rarity.

“Is that so? Only that little? Then what about the massive number of commanders our Zerg race needs to modify?” Zerg sounded disappointed.

“Esteemed Excellency Zerg, my personal status in my world is currently very weak; I am a nobody. Therefore, the quantity I can supply you will be even smaller, not exceeding one thousand units annually in the initial phase,” Liu Hui really didn't want to rub salt in Zerg’s wound.

“This…” Zerg was repeatedly disappointed, but then he quickly reconciled himself. “Very well. The Zerg race isn't involved in any major wars for the moment; I can proceed with modifications slowly.”

“Esteemed Excellency Zerg, with the medicine you provide, my standing among the Humans will rise quickly. I will then increase the production of the miraculous powder to meet your needs as soon as possible. This period will not exceed ten years,” Liu Hui stated earnestly to Zerg. In truth, he had no certainty, but to make Zerg value him as a trading partner, he intentionally painted a grand vision for him—he had to give him some hope, after all.

Zerg departed filled with hope, only to return disappointed. However, he managed to compose himself. In his view, the miraculous powder, which could significantly improve Zerg strength, was indeed an extraordinary treasure, and evidently very precious among the Humans too. Furthermore, hadn't Liu Hui promised to meet the entire Zerg demand within ten years? He only needed to wait ten years to realize his dream of a powerful Zerg race. At that time, he would eliminate all those annoying enemies and allow the Zerg race to dominate the entire universe.

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