In the car, Liang Jingyue insisted on taking the wheel from Liu Hui, worried that he had drunk too much and might cause an accident while driving.

"Jingyue, don't worry, I'm completely fine. If you don't believe me, smell this." Liu Hui laughed heartily and breathed out in front of Liang Jingyue.

Liang Jingyue sniffed carefully and said with a puzzled look, "There really isn't any trace of alcohol. What's going on? You drank so much, how could there be no smell? And someone who drank ten bottles shouldn't even need to use the restroom—that’s a bit abnormal!"

"Heh heh, I used an illusionary trick on them. I actually poured the alcohol under the table; none of them noticed." Liu Hui chuckled, though inwardly he chastised himself for wanting to show off like that, especially for lying to Liang Jingyue in the end.

"Oh, so that’s how it is. I thought you really drank it all. But how did you manage that? Was it like that magician on TV?" Liang Jingyue grew increasingly curious.

"Heh heh, we both have the surname Liu. This magic trick is a treasured skill of my Liu family. I'll teach you as soon as you marry into the family," Liu Hui quipped.

"That sounds wonderful. Then let’s discuss the marriage with my parents later. I’m quite eager, after all," Liang Jingyue replied with a smile.

"Okay, Jingyue, rest assured. Once this current business is sorted out, I’ll take you back to my hometown to meet my parents, and we'll pick a good day to marry next year," Liu Hui said, also excited at the mention of marriage.

"Then you’d better hurry, or someone else might snatch me away," Liang Jingyue teased confidently, but she quickly noticed a change in Liu Hui’s expression.

"Ah Hui, what’s wrong? I was just joking. Don't be angry. I apologize, okay? I won't mention it again if you don't like it," Liang Jingyue said, afraid her words had hurt him.

"Jingyue, why would I get angry over something like that? I noticed there's a car tailing us," Liu Hui said sternly, glancing at the rearview mirror.

"Ah, who is following us?" As a young woman, Liang Jingyue immediately grew worried upon hearing they were being followed.

"He started following us the moment we left the hotel. I don't know what they want," Liu Hui admitted, realizing the situation only after his sharp observational skills alerted him to something amiss.

"What should we do? Should we call the police?"

"No need to worry. We’re on a main street; it should be fine. Maybe it’s a coincidence, or maybe I’m seeing things," Liu Hui reassured Liang Jingyue, confident that with his skills, no trouble would arise.

Liu Hui continued driving toward Liang Jingyue's house while keeping an eye on the pursuing vehicle. Her home was located in the Bashan villa district, requiring a stretch of mountain road. As they approached a less busy bend, several police cars suddenly sped past, then cut sharply in front of Liu Hui’s car, blocking their path. Liu Hui stopped the vehicle.

Several officers emerged from the police cars. One tapped on Liu Hui’s window, signaling him to roll it down. An officer held up an alcohol testing device and said, "Sir, we currently suspect you of driving under the influence. Please blow into this device."

Liu Hui looked doubtfully at their uniforms. "I shouldn't be mistaken, but while you are wearing police uniforms, you aren't traffic police. On what grounds are you testing the driver's blood alcohol level?"

"Are traffic police not police? We all enforce the law equally—what's the difference? Stop wasting time and blow. Otherwise, we’ll charge you with obstructing official duty," the officer stated loudly.

Liu Hui blew into the breathalyzer. The officer checked the reading, rubbed his eyes, and then whispered a report to the leader standing nearby. After a brief consultation, the officer approached again and said, "You are severely intoxicated while driving. We are placing you under arrest. Please cooperate."

Liu Hui let out a cold laugh; his hearing was excellent, and he had fully understood their exchange.

"Officer, I haven't had any alcohol, so how can I be driving drunk? Furthermore, your alcohol test confirms I haven't consumed any. Don’t you think it’s rather farcical to treat a sober person as drunk?"

"Sir, our instrument confirms you are intoxicated. Please cooperate and do not force us to use physical restraint," the lead officer warned.

"Is that so? I thought I clearly heard this officer reporting to you that I had no alcohol content on me just now. Could I have misheard?" Liu Hui said, deliberately fiddling with his ear.

"Whether you are drunk or not is not for you to decide; it is for us to decide. If we say you are drunk, then you are drunk. If you refuse to cooperate, we will charge you with assaulting an officer," the leader said menacingly.

"Oh, I see. So, if I am charged with assaulting an officer, can you shoot me dead on the spot? I know you were sent here specifically to deal with me; otherwise, you wouldn't have stopped my car in such a secluded area. But have you bothered to find out who I am? Do you think you can afford to offend me?" Liu Hui sneered.

"This!" The officers exchanged worried glances. They didn't know Liu Hui's identity, and his composed demeanor made it impossible to gauge his true capabilities. They all looked toward their leader, who paused for a moment, then waved his hand and commanded, "Take him back first."

"Heh heh, in that case, please allow me to make a call first." Liu Hui took out his phone, and the surrounding officers dared not stop him.

Liu Hui dialed Duan Xinyue of the Security Section of the Bashan National Security Bureau. The phone rang a few times before it was answered.

"It’s Boss Liu! What made you think of calling me?" Duan Xinyue said cheerfully.

"Heh heh, Section Chief Duan. It's like this: I encountered something strange tonight. A group of police officers, pretending to be traffic police checking for drunk driving, tried to treat me, a sober man, as intoxicated and are now threatening to charge me with assaulting an officer. They are preparing to take me to the station right now!" Liu Hui calmly explained the situation.

"Oh, something like that? Tell me their badge numbers, and I’ll contact them immediately." Duan Xinyue did not dare to delay; Liu Hui was a person of interest even to the Central Government, and she couldn't afford any trouble happening on her watch.

Liu Hui’s eyesight was excellent now. He clearly read the badge numbers of the officers and relayed them to Duan Xinyue. Duan Xinyue asked him to hold on, stabilize the situation with the officers, and that she would contact people right away.

Liu Hui hung up and smiled at the officers. "I don't know who directed you to deal with me, but I suggest you thoroughly investigate someone’s background before moving against them next time. Otherwise, you might try to curry favor only to burn yourselves."

The officers looked at their leader. That officer gritted his teeth and declared, "You were driving under the influence; the evidence is conclusive. You must come with us to the station. You all, take him away."

Liang Jingyue, watching the standoff from inside the car, was very nervous and considered calling her father, Liang Bo, but Liu Hui stopped her, urging her to remain calm.

After a moment of hesitation, several officers stepped forward, opened Liu Hui’s car door, and were just about to pull him out when the lead officer's phone rang. The officer glanced at the caller ID, answered immediately, and his demeanor instantly became very respectful. The other officers paused, looking at their leader.

"Director Yang, this is Little Huang. Yes, we are out on a mission now. Oh, it’s a DUI case, and he assaulted an officer; we got hurt. No, the driver himself is fine. Yes, yes, yes, we shouldn't have interfered with traffic police matters. What? Director Yang, I am not shouting at you. Understood. I will release him immediately and apologize profusely. Don't worry! I will write a thorough self-criticism report when I return."

The lead officer hung up, his expression shifting rapidly. He looked over at Liu Hui and suddenly shouted, "What are you doing? Huh? Why are you standing in front of this gentleman's car? Hurry up and close this gentleman’s door! Are you blind?"

The officers awkwardly closed Liu Hui’s car door. The lead officer then approached the car window, bent over slightly, a strained, unpleasant smile plastered on his face, and profusely apologized, "I am so sorry, sir. It was a mix-up today—like a family fight where no one recognizes the other. I was blind and offended you, sir. I beg your forgiveness."

Liu Hui gave a cold laugh. "If it weren't for that call, I would have been dragged into the police station, right? Would I have played hide-and-seek in there? Or perhaps I’d have had nightmares even if I didn't play hide-and-seek?"

Hearing this, the lead officer trembled violently and fell to his knees before Liu Hui. "Please forgive me, please forgive me, sir. I was forced into this; I have a wife and children at home. Please spare me for the sake of my family."

"Hmph, hmph. In the future, when you are acting as a police officer, think more about who you truly represent!" Liu Hui didn't waste any more words. He started the engine and drove away from the scene.

As he pulled away, Liu Hui’s eyes swept past a very discreetly parked car near the bend—the one that had been trailing him since they left the restaurant. His gaze pierced through the tinted glass and caught Lin Dao’s look of stunned shock.

"Ah Hui, what was all that about?" Liang Jingyue found the officers' sudden shift in behavior quite peculiar.

"Heh heh, nothing, just a misunderstanding. By the way, we’re at your place. Go inside soon," Liu Hui changed the subject.

"Okay, I’ll go in now. You be safe on your way back," Liang Jingyue kissed Liu Hui on the cheek.

"Alright, Jingyue, you rest well too. See you at the hospital tomorrow," Liu Hui bid her farewell with a smile.

After watching Liang Jingyue enter her house, Liu Hui drove away from her residence, found a secluded spot, pulled over, and sat in the dark car, deep in thought.

Liu Hui used to believe his hospital venture had been spectacularly successful, accumulating astonishing wealth and establishing connections across various sectors. He was even valued by the central authorities, making him think he had no further worries. However, tonight’s encounter showed him that in Huaxia, he was merely a grasshopper—hopping vigorously, yes, but if someone wished it, a seemingly insignificant person could easily crush him. His hospital currently appeared flourishing, but what if the state decided to confiscate it one day? How would he respond?

The words spoken by that officer that night had deeply stung Liu Hui. If someone powerful wanted to undermine him, the process would be simple; they wouldn't even need evidence, perhaps just framing him with "assaulting an officer and being shot on the spot." In truth, Liu Hui had always felt a sense of suffocation in Huaxia, constantly forced to tell lies to conceal his secrets, unable to fully utilize his capabilities. Especially tonight, he finally recognized what he lacked most: power. And acquiring enough power in Huaxia to truly protect himself was currently impossible.

Liu Hui could procure limitless biological preparations from the Zerg race. If he could maximize market penetration, he could achieve unbelievable success. But now, he dared not deploy them fully because he lacked the necessary leverage; he was just a fat sheep, burdened by too many considerations. Was there perhaps a place in this world where he could fully unleash his potential?

Liu Hui pondered for a long time, and a plan slowly began to form in his mind. He began refining this plan internally until it became a colossal blueprint that astonished even him—it could be called the Earth-Shattering Grand Plan. This plan was immense, requiring involvement across every sector, demanding astronomical capital investment, and potentially spanning several decades. However, if completed, he would be able to act entirely as he wished, free from any external constraints, achieving true liberty while simultaneously realizing his grand ideals.

Qianyu thanks readers Benbeng and DD_Yinxing for their rewards. The book is about to receive a major promotion in the Sci-Fi Channel, and Qianyu promises to write a work that will satisfy everyone with dedication.

As always: Readers with the ability are encouraged to recommend and collect frequently.