The next morning, Liu Hui summoned Desheng of the Starry Sky Eye to his office to discuss the dream-theft incident from the previous night.

"Desheng, regarding those individuals who infiltrated my dream yesterday, have you found any leads on your end?" Liu Hui inquired.

Liu Hui was deeply wary of the dream-theft squad capable of entering his subconscious; their abilities were too bizarre and impossible to defend against. Although this recent ordeal had taught him a lesson ensuring he wouldn't be fooled by them again, his subordinates lacked such strong mental defenses. If any secrets of the Starry Sky Group were exposed in their dreams, the loss would be immeasurable.

"Boss, we analyzed the items they left behind in the room and copied the hotel surveillance footage for analysis. We've managed to gather some intelligence," Desheng reported. His Starry Sky Eye team had received these items from the security personnel still at the Shangri-La Hotel after rushing over upon receiving the news. They then held an all-night meeting with their professional intelligence analysts to dissect and synthesize the acquired data, finally yielding some useful intelligence.

"What intelligence?" Liu Hui asked.

"Boss, what you encountered yesterday were a rare type of psychic anomaly known as Dream Thieves. They usually operate in small teams, quietly infiltrating the dreams of others to steal secrets or alter thoughts. Because they operate while the victim sleeps, they are extremely difficult to guard against. However, due to the inherent nature of this profession, Dream Thieves are exceedingly rare in this world. There have only ever been five recorded Dream Thief combinations globally. They are all highly enigmatic, never meeting their clients or their victims. Stranger still, victims always forget what they look like upon waking. Based on these facts, we surmise that the group you encountered last night was likely one of those five teams," Desheng explained.

"There are actually professions like that in the world? I always thought such things were just fantasies from the movies," Liu Hui mused with emotion.

"To become a Dream Thief, the prerequisite is exceptionally strong mental power, combined with specific innate talents, further augmented by a very rare pharmaceutical agent, allowing them to enter another person's dreamscape. They must meticulously design the content and setting within the dream according to the mission parameters to successfully lure the victim into revealing secrets or changing their mindset," Desheng continued.

Liu Hui asked, "Do these Dream Thieves have any weaknesses?"

Desheng replied, "Every time a Dream Thief enters another person's dream, they require an extensive period of preparation. They must accumulate their mental energy, borrow the aid of a scarce drug, and critically, they must be within ten meters of the target to successfully breach the dream. Moreover, after one successful operation, their mental energy is completely depleted and requires at least half a year to fully recover. So, while Dream Thieves appear impossible to defend against, their innate limitations prevent them from acting too frivolously. Generally, they can only operate about once a year."

Only then did Liu Hui relax. The power of those Dream Thieves was extraordinarily bizarre and impossible to guard against. If they lacked this restriction and could casually enter anyone's dreams to steal secrets, they would be truly terrifying.

"Did you find out which Dream Thief squad infiltrated my dream?" Liu Hui asked.

Desheng spoke with shame, "Boss, we reviewed all the surveillance footage. The recordings only showed several figures wearing wide-brimmed hats entering that room. Their standing angles were calculated precisely, so the cameras never captured their faces. We could only deduce from the footage that there were five of them—four men and one woman—and roughly estimate their heights, though we must account for the possibility that they wore shoe lifts, rendering these figures unreliable."

Liu Hui stroked his chin and said, "Are you telling me we simply can't find them?"

Desheng said, "Because you exposed their ruse, Boss, they left in a great hurry, leaving behind numerous clues in that room. If you give me a little more time, I believe I can trace that Dream Thief squad through these clues."

Liu Hui considered this and instructed, "Then dedicate yourself fully to tracking this matter. From now on, whenever a key figure in our company travels, all rooms within a ten-meter radius of their accommodation must be cleared—we cannot afford to give those Dream Thieves any opening."

Desheng nodded. "Understood, Boss. This incident was my oversight, but I guarantee such an error will never occur again. I will contact Manager Wu at the security company immediately and ensure they prioritize this issue."

Liu Hui stated, "The enemy's cunning far exceeds our imagination, and their abilities are varied. Therefore, our work must evolve with the times, be meticulous in every detail, and consider all angles thoroughly, leaving no room for opportunity. After you leave, hire more specialized personnel and make the intelligence gathering in this area more detailed. Plug every security loophole you can find, or we will regret it deeply if something actually happens."

Desheng departed, deeply ashamed, but was called back by Liu Hui just as he reached the door.

"Boss, is there anything else?" Desheng inquired.

"Desheng, you have another long-term assignment from now on: keep a close watch on Chen Shaokang, Chairman of the American Aimi Group, and his son, Chen Lang. Record everything they do, without omission. I must see those records whenever I demand them," Liu Hui assigned a purely personal task.

Desheng was well-connected and already had a decent grasp of the awkward predicament Liu Hui was in. He accepted this investigative duty, which was clearly tied to his boss's happiness.

After Desheng left, Liu Hui sat in his office, reflecting. His strength was vastly greater than before, yet why did he feel increasingly exhausted and less free? He wasn't as carefree and happy as he was back in Bashan.

Setting aside Liu Hui's idle, agonizing musings, time marched forward. Just over a month passed, and it was already May, with the weather turning warm.

Chen Shaokang, after leaving Liu Hui's residence, had returned to the United States and had not reappeared before Liu Hui's eyes. Chen Lang, however, had visited his mother several times. But Liu Hui and his father took these visits very seriously, insisting on being present every time, driving away any opportunity for Chen Lang to convey his father's affections.

Liu Hui and Hu Xian'er's wedding was only a month away. Hu Xian'er had become somewhat shy; she took an extended leave of absence and spent her days at home consulting with her father on the wedding details, looking forward to the ceremony with great anticipation.

Hu Qingyang had finally handed over his position as the leader of his society. In the presence of various elder martial arts figures, he performed the ritual of "Washing the Golden Basin," officially retiring. Naturally, at his retirement ceremony, old enemies he had made in the past showed up, ready to settle scores.

However, when the eight security personnel dispatched by Liu Hui from the Starry Sky Security Company stepped forward and effortlessly subdued those causing trouble, the enemies finally faced the frustrating reality of their situation and retreated, abandoning their pursuit of vengeance. Protected by these capable security guards, Hu Qingyang’s old enemies realized they would never get their revenge.

After retiring, Hu Qingyang moved into the Starry Sky Group dormitory, becoming Liu Hui's neighbor. This arrangement proved convenient for Hu Xian'er, allowing her to simultaneously care for both Liu Hui and her father.

Lately, Liu Hui had also been in high spirits. The Starry Sky Group's development was accelerating rapidly. The new drugs he launched before the new year were fiercely sought after by the market, bringing him enormous monthly revenue. Furthermore, the other new drugs Liu Hui recently acquired from Zerg were now undergoing clinical trials, and the trials were proceeding smoothly. If nothing unexpected happened, these products would hit the market in another six months.

With massive financial backing, Starry Sky Construction Company and Starry Sky Logistics Company continued their unconventional growth trajectory. Their scale was expanding, technology becoming more advanced, and personnel increasing, putting them on the verge of becoming industry leaders.

Starry Sky Agriculture Company purchased vast tracts of land and farms in Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa, and Canada. They recruited a large number of able-bodied farmers from China to cultivate these overseas lands. By this time, the personnel count at Starry Sky Agriculture had surpassed one hundred thousand.

Starry Sky Gourmet Company had also launched its operations globally with great fanfare. By synthesizing various culinary traditions from across China, they released exceptionally delicious food products. The headquarters maintained unified procurement of raw materials and standardized production processes to ensure flavor consistency across all locations. Their expansion was swift, and they quickly opened new outlets in nearly every country worldwide. However, because Chinese cuisine did not entirely suit the palates of Westerners, the Gourmet Company's business wasn't booming. Nevertheless, Liu Hui insisted on continued expansion, establishing three thousand various-sized outlets, employing over 150,000 staff—all recruited from within China as well.

These two companies alone from the Starry Sky Group solved significant domestic underemployment issues and generated substantial foreign exchange revenue, providing enormous political capital to the Luo family, who were personally responsible for managing the Starry Sky Group's domestic recruitment.

At the Starry Sky Scientific Research Institute, with ample True Essence and researchers, not only had new breakthroughs occurred in the study and application of formations, but research into Monster Beast Crystal Cores had also entered a new phase.

Thus, Liu Hui was overjoyed when Chen Changsheng invited him to tour the Science Institute.

Chen Changsheng led Liu Hui down to the third basement level laboratory, which was now a secret research center, heavily secured with strict protocols—entry was impossible without proper clearance.

As soon as Liu Hui stepped into the main laboratory hall, he noticed the vast space was divided into numerous smaller experimental zones, with many scientists in white coats working diligently. Chen Changsheng escorted Liu Hui to a massive computer and prompted him to view the displayed data.

Liu Hui asked, puzzled, "What is the significance of the data shown here?"

Chen Changsheng smiled, "Boss, this data is not simple numerical readings; it represents the strength of the formation energies." He then pointed toward several formations already set up nearby.

Liu Hui glanced at the formations and then at the computer screen, still not understanding.

So, Chen Changsheng explained, "This computer monitors the energy levels and operational status of the deployed formations. If any formation's energy drops below a warning threshold, the computer alerts the staff to inject energy immediately to maintain its operation. Staff can also monitor the formations' running status via this computer."

Liu Hui was bewildered. "But what is the point of doing this?"

Chen Changsheng elaborated, "In our Starry Sky City plan, we will eventually deploy billions of formations. Moreover, no single formation exists in isolation; they complement each other. If one formation fails, it could very likely affect the function of numerous other related formations. Imagine if the Solidification Formation for the most crucial Dragon Bone of Starry Sky City fails and fractures—it would not only impact other formations but could cause the entire Starry Sky City to disintegrate. With this Formation Energy Monitoring System, we can constantly gauge the energy strength of our deployed formations. If any weaken or fail below a certain value, we can repair them instantly, ensuring the stability of Starry Sky City."

Liu Hui started, realizing the horrifying consequences of a formation failure. He was thankful Chen Changsheng had already anticipated this issue and developed the Formation Energy Monitoring System, thereby averting that terrifying outcome.

Chen Changsheng led Liu Hui further to another research area where a large submarine model was situated, with scientists actively studying it.

"Boss, this is the submarine technology we are currently developing," Chen Changsheng introduced.

Liu Hui questioned, "Isn't the technology at the submarine manufacturing plant already very advanced? They can build submarines capable of diving ten thousand meters deep; what more is there to research?"

Chen Changsheng chuckled, "Boss, their technology is indeed advanced, but it lacks practicality. Those submarines capable of diving to ten thousand meters are scientific exploration vessels, capable of carrying at most a few researchers and only a few tons of cargo."

Liu Hui asked in surprise, "Are you trying to turn deep-diving submarines into vessels capable of carrying large numbers of personnel and cargo?"

Chen Changsheng smiled, "Why not? The inability to achieve this goal previously was due to material constraints. But now, with the application of Solidification Formations, the material issue has been resolved. Imagine a submarine a hundred times tougher—what reason would there be for it not to descend into the deepest parts of the ocean? Moreover, the Grade Eight energy stones you gave me contain a terrifying electrical charge equivalent to ten billion degrees, which is one-eighth of the annual output of the Three Gorges Dam—enough to power a large submarine underwater for a decade. Combined with the existing technological foundation of the submarine factory, we can soon construct manned deep-sea submarines weighing ten thousand tons. If this research succeeds, manufacturing fifty-thousand or even million-ton deep-sea submarines won't be a challenge later on."

Liu Hui drew a sharp breath. Chen Changsheng truly lived up to his reputation as a researcher, showing remarkable insight into technological application. He was envisioning large-scale deep-sea submarines, and with the current technological level, achieving this research seemed entirely possible. Setting aside the strategic military implications of such deep-sea vessels, the mere fact that they could reach the ocean floor promised endless benefits for his Starry Sky Group.

If he possessed these deep-diving submarines, the security of his Starry Sky City beneath the water would be completely secure. After all, relying solely on Xiao Hei's protection for the city's safety meant putting all the eggs in one basket, which was risky.

Liu Hui immediately began contemplating other uses: these deep-sea submarines could be used for salvaging sunken ships. Countless vessels had sunk into the deep sea over thousands of years in this world, their hidden treasures being virtually inexhaustible. Currently, no other nations or companies possessed the capability for deep-sea salvage operations. If he could locate those deep-sea wrecks, all the vast treasures within would belong to him.

The more Liu Hui thought, the more excited he became, visualizing the immense wealth these submersibles could bring. However, upon deeper reflection, he realized these were not the greatest applications; the primary use lay in deep-sea mining. Liu Hui possessed a large map in his storage space, marked with numerous notations—these were records based on Xiao Hei’s sensory input regarding the seabed collected over time.

After learning of Xiao Hei's astonishing sensory abilities, Liu Hui had sourced various types of ores and trained Xiao Hei to recognize them. Now, Xiao Hei could sense virtually all mineral deposits on Earth. Recently, Xiao Hei had been engaged in mineral prospecting beneath the Pacific Ocean and had discovered countless deposits, including a super-massive iron ore field.

This colossal iron ore field spanned an enormous area, fifty kilometers in length and ten kilometers in width. The vein extended deep into the earth's crust; even Xiao Hei could not sense its ultimate depth. Considering Xiao Hei’s current sensing range of three kilometers, the fact that it couldn't reach the bottom suggested an absolutely staggering volume of iron ore. If one conservatively assumed the vein extended three kilometers deep, the total iron ore reserves would reach an astonishing 117,750 billion tons. The reserves in this single vein alone exceeded the sum of all known iron ore reserves worldwide, which currently stand at only 800 billion tons.

Upon learning of this super-massive iron field, Liu Hui was ecstatic. He was just about to commence construction on Starry Sky City, requiring vast quantities of iron ore, and now this massive deposit appeared—truly a blessing when he was most in need. However, this mine lay 9,000 meters beneath the sea surface, impossible to exploit extensively with existing technology. Liu Hui had previously sighed in frustration, but Chen Changsheng's inspiration sparked new possibilities in his mind. These ideas, however, could only be realized once the ten-thousand-ton deep-sea submarine was manufactured.