Chapter Two Hundred and Twenty-Seven: The Enormous Transaction

Upon hearing the boast that Anqi was a super-genius, Liu Hui immediately grew interested and slowly opened the intelligence file in his hand.

On the first page of that file were several snapshots of Anqi’s daily life. In those photos, Anqi looked remarkably serene, her clothes impeccably clean, several cute hair clips adorning her hair. She was often seen holding books, either engrossed in reading or on her way to do so—at first glance, she appeared the very picture of an earnest, studious scholar.

Below those photographs was Anqi’s brief introduction: "Anqi, female, US national, overseas Chinese, twenty years old. Entered Caltech at sixteen, graduated at nineteen. During her time there, she obtained five doctoral degrees across the departments of Biology, Chemistry and Planetary Sciences, Physics, and Mathematics and Astronomy."

Liu Hui chuckled, "This young lady is indeed impressive. To have earned five doctoral titles by the age of nineteen is far beyond what I managed."

De Sheng asked, astonished, "Boss, are you unaware of Caltech's standing in the world?"

Liu Hui shook his head. "Not clearly. I hear the name often on TV and in the news, so it must be quite famous!"

De Sheng immediately launched into an educational briefing for Liu Hui: "Boss, the California Institute of Technology was founded in 1891. The purpose of this private university is 'to educate and train creative scientists and engineers for the advancement of industry and the welfare of society.' To this day, due to its rigorous commitment to excellence, the school has only graduated just over twenty thousand students, yet among them are 22 Nobel laureates—an average of one Nobel laureate for every thousand graduates. Beyond that, a vast number of students have received various scientific and academic awards from the US government. Therefore, Caltech is hailed as the absolute top-tier science and technology institution in the US, and indeed, the world. It truly has no equal."

Liu Hui laughed awkwardly. "I had no idea this school was so formidable. The one I graduated from simply cannot compare. In that case, for this young woman to secure doctorates from five departments at such an elite institution must mean she is extraordinarily capable."

De Sheng smiled. "Boss, Caltech only enrolls about 800 undergraduates annually, but fewer than 600 ultimately earn their bachelor's degrees—an average elimination of around 200 underperforming students each year. Among those cut are outstanding scholars from all over the world. The graduate and doctoral programs maintain similarly stringent attrition rates. Calculated that way, earning even one doctorate is remarkable, yet she earned five in just three years. Keep in mind, the entire institute only has six departments. The only one she didn't get a doctorate from was Humanities and Social Sciences, and that was simply because she wasn't interested in pursuing it. Even so, Anqi has already been lauded by Caltech as the greatest genius in their entire history. You must remember, even Einstein spent time at that academy."

Hearing De Sheng's explanation, Liu Hui's interest in Anqi intensified. It wasn't just the strange sensation he felt when their bodies made contact, but also the girl's incredible academic genius.

Liu Hui flipped further through the documents in his hand. On the second page were photos of Anqi’s entire family. However, Liu Hui noticed something unusual and asked, "Isn't Anqi Chinese? Why are her parents Caucasian?"

De Sheng looked at the Caucasian couple in the photos. "Boss, according to our investigation, this couple are renowned professors at Caltech, holding great prestige among the students. However, they dedicated their lives entirely to scientific research and education, having no time for raising children. They later adopted Anqi from an orphanage, so she is not their biological daughter; they are merely her adoptive parents."

Liu Hui mused, "So she’s an orphan. A rather sad background. I just wonder if her adoptive parents treated her well."

De Sheng replied, "Anqi's adoptive parents are highly educated, so they treated her exceptionally well. Discovering her intellectual gifts at a very young age, they feared that conventional schooling would hinder the development of her talents. Consequently, they personally tutored Anqi at home until she turned sixteen."

De Sheng continued, a look of respect crossing his face. "At sixteen, Anqi entered Caltech based on her outstanding academic record. As soon as she started, she demonstrated a learning capacity far ahead of her peers, quickly securing her bachelor's degree, followed by graduate and doctoral studies. When she graduated last year with five doctorates, she was only nineteen. Classmates who started at the same time as her hadn't even earned a single bachelor's degree yet. This is unprecedented in Caltech's history, a record that may never be broken."

Liu Hui felt a stirring in his heart. Setting aside the strange familiarity his body felt towards Anqi’s physical self, her sheer academic brilliance was profoundly attractive. His own scientific research institute was in desperate need of a super-genius. If Anqi could be recruited to conduct research there, the Starry Sky Group’s R&D capabilities could experience a qualitative leap, quickly closing the gap with the world's leading scientific standards.

"De Sheng, since Anqi is so capable, surely many major corporations and organizations are trying to recruit her? Where is she working now?" Liu Hui asked, beginning to harbor thoughts of poaching talent.

"Boss, before she even graduated, Anqi published several important scientific papers in numerous renowned scientific journals, receiving unanimous praise from experts in the field who regard her future development highly, viewing her as a potential second Einstein. Thus, she attracted attention from many enterprises and organizations early on. They extended invitations hoping she would join them after graduation, offering extremely generous and favorable terms. However, Anqi has temporarily declined them all. Her stated reason is that although she is of Chinese descent, she has never visited China and is unfamiliar with the country. Therefore, if she is to work, it will have to wait until she has finished her tour of China," De Sheng reported.

Liu Hui breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Anqi was not yet employed. Yet, he suddenly recalled seeing Wei Chao and Anqi together that day, and an uncomfortable feeling immediately surfaced. He asked, "Then why was Wei Chao with Anqi, and what is their relationship?"

De Sheng explained, "After the nuclear detonation in the Indian Ocean, Wei Chao suffered massive losses in one of his financial projects, prompting him to withdraw from the financial markets. Sometime after that, Wei Chao somehow found Anqi. Perhaps moved by her beauty or captivated by her intellect, he began a fervent pursuit of her. However, Anqi clearly isn't interested in Wei Chao, as she has heard stories about him and his many women, leading her to reject his advances multiple times. Wei Chao is persistent, though; he has even temporarily distanced himself from his other female companions, focusing solely on staying near Anqi in hopes of winning her heart with his sincerity, though it seems to be yielding little success. The previous occasion when you met Wei Chao and Anqi on Victoria Peak was because Anqi decided to return to China for a visit to understand the situation there, and Wei Chao volunteered to act as her escort and guide. Considering she is unfamiliar with the territory, she accepted his company for the time being."

Hearing that Wei Chao and Anqi were not intimately involved, Liu Hui relaxed. He wasn't entirely sure of his own feelings. Since that physical contact with Anqi, he occasionally recalled that strange sensation. Though he had only just met her, his body seemed to know hers intimately, a confusing feeling that left him conflicted.

"De Sheng, do you think there’s a chance of success if our Starry Sky Group invites Miss Anqi to work in our research institute?" Liu Hui inquired.

De Sheng smiled confidently. "As long as the Boss personally steps forward, I believe Miss Anqi will surely be tempted!"

Liu Hui laughed. "Very well, I understand Anqi's situation. You may leave now!"

De Sheng bowed to Liu Hui and exited the office, leaving Liu Hui to continue reviewing Anqi's file.

"Hmm, Anqi’s background is quite legendary. She grew up alongside her adoptive parents from childhood. Perhaps to protect her, or for some other reason, they never allowed Anqi any contact with the outside world. As a result, when she first entered university, she was extremely unaccustomed to social etiquette and interaction, leading to many embarrassing situations. Fortunately, her parents were professors at the institution, and through their efforts, they helped her overcome this difficulty, allowing her to quickly integrate into society," Liu Hui thought to himself as he read her profile.

"I saved Anqi's life on Victoria Peak last time. It could be considered a kindness bestowed upon her. If I invite her to work for our company, she probably won't refuse, right? Isn't there an old saying that a life-saving grace should be repaid with marriage? No, I don't need her to pledge herself to me; I just need her willingness to conduct research for the Starry Sky Group," Liu Hui let his mind wander.

Liu Hui had contacted Xiaoyaozi from the cultivation world several times, and each time, Xiaoyaozi appeared quite haggard. He informed Liu Hui that he had gathered all the artifact refining experts from their sect to collaborate on developing the mind-reading magical artifact for Liu Hui. However, because no one in the cultivation world had ever successfully forged such an item before, they were relying solely on scant records and intuition from previous generations. It would be impossible to create a physical prototype in a short time, meaning Liu Hui would have to wait longer for the artifact.

Seeing that progress on Xiaoyaozi's end was stalled, Liu Hui resigned himself to waiting. He placed another order with Xiaoyaozi for a batch of meditation cushions specifically designed for cultivation in the magic plane, intending to install various magical beast cores inside them before trading them to Alexander for use.

Without the artifact capable of reading minds, Liu Hui had to further intensify internal security measures at the company. During a quiet but thorough internal purge, De Sheng and Wu Yuanjia had discovered over ten corporate spies planted by other organizations and companies. These spies had managed to evade their previous screening processes, leaving De Sheng and Wu Yuanjia extremely frustrated and angry.

Upon learning of this situation, Liu Hui seized an opportune moment and ensured these embedded commercial spies completely vanished from the face of the earth. He had no intention of keeping them under surveillance in the shadows—that method risked leaks and invited retaliation from their parent organizations. For Liu Hui, any discovered threat that he could handle decisively required immediate, ruthless eradication.

Liu Hui’s trade volume with the Zerg swarm had stabilized as well. Currently, the Zerg traded with Liu Hui for up to 300 million units of medicine or health supplements monthly. While the values of these goods varied, the average transaction meant Liu Hui was supplying the Zerg with over 30,000 kilograms of illicit substances monthly—exceeding thirty metric tons.

After gaining control of the drug cultivation bases in the magic plane, Liu Hui could harvest over 1,500 tons of illicit substances annually. Combined with his existing inventory, even the current monthly trade volume of thirty tons placed no significant pressure on him. Liu Hui remained concerned about unforeseen future complications, so he was accumulating massive stockpiles. These reserves, however, were currently stored with Alexander in the magic plane; the sheer quantity was enough to sustain the current trade rate with the Zerg for over five years.

Every thirty tons of illicit substances reaching the Zerg allowed them to create 30,000 Zerg commanders. According to intelligence gathered by their scouts, their enemy, the Protoss, was rapidly mobilizing troops, and their war materiel was converging on the front lines; relations between the Zerg and Protoss were growing increasingly tense. Zerg intelligence estimated that based on the current pace of Protoss military and resource buildup, the epochal war between the two races would erupt in eight years. If the trade relationship with Liu Hui continued at its current pace, the Zerg would be able to produce at least 2.5 million Zerg commanders by then.

In eight years, the Zerg would possess millions of commanders capable of coordinating operations over vast distances, leading to a significant boost in their overall strength. The gap between them and the Protoss would rapidly shrink. While the Zerg would likely still be the weaker faction, they would no longer face a dominant Protoss single-handedly. If Liu Hui were to increase the supply of illicit substances to the Zerg during this period, the Zerg might even gain the confidence to win this existential war between the races.

Liu Hui’s relationship with Alexander in the magic plane had also grown increasingly close, with mutual reliance deepening between them.

Liu Hui had scheduled his regular communication time with Alexander, and precisely when the window opened, Alexander initiated the call. Liu Hui immediately connected.

"Respected Teacher, greetings!" Alexander said joyfully, his demeanor noticeably different from usual.

"Oh, Alexander, has something changed with you? You seem different today?" Liu Hui asked, surprised.

Alexander chuckled proudly. "I knew I couldn't hide anything from Teacher's eyes. I have just broken through the rank of Level Eight Mage; I am now a Level Nine High Mage."

Liu Hui smiled. "No wonder you look different today; you’ve reached Level Nine! Congratulations, congratulations!"

Alexander’s smile faded, and he spoke with seriousness. "I must truly thank Teacher for providing me with that cultivation cushion. My training speed on that cushion has increased by over a hundredfold, which allowed me to advance to Level Nine in just over a month. Without the cushion's aid, it would have taken me over a hundred days to reach Level Nine."

Liu Hui’s interest piqued. "What about the progress of the other warriors and mages using the cultivation cushions?"

"Their training speeds have all seen rapid growth, though not as dramatically as mine. Among the warriors, the highest-ranked two have reached Level Eight. And in the mage contingent, which lagged behind previously, over a dozen have now reached Level Seven. I am confident that given enough time, they will all raise their ranks. Furthermore, the Behemoths, seeing our strength advancing so quickly, have now sincerely submitted to becoming our mounts, significantly speeding up the training of our Behemoth Knights," Alexander elaborated in detail.

Liu Hui considered this. "You might also consider teaching the Holy Divine Energy to those Behemoths who are more compliant and faithful to the Church of Light. Without any formal training, they reached Level Seven or even Level Eight strength. I suspect that if they practiced the Holy Divine Energy, their power could surpass Level Ten. They would then become your most formidable combat force."

Alexander smiled. "I was already having the same thought as Teacher but hadn't finalized the decision. Now that Teacher has affirmed it, I will proceed with that matter immediately."

Liu Hui inquired, "How far does the influence of your Church of Light extend now, and what is the population under your governance?"

Alexander replied, "The area within a two-hundred-kilometer radius centered on this great canyon is now under the jurisdiction of the Church of Light. However, as this region is entirely mountainous, the human population we actually rule is just over one million, including about ten thousand individuals from enslaved races."

Liu Hui quickly calculated. "What about the lands beyond two hundred kilometers? Have you not sent people out there?"

"We dispatched a large number of vetted clergy members long ago. They have already reached other human settlements beyond the two-hundred-kilometer mark to spread the faith. According to their feedback, they have easily established authority in those settlements through their own formidable individual strength and are beginning to spread the glory of the God of Light. If our warrior army were to advance upon those locations, the inhabitants would immediately submit to us. Calculating potential yields, those areas could hold over two million people."

Liu Hui inwardly praised Alexander's strategy. Even if he couldn't actively attack yet, sending clerical personnel first to secure the ideological ground meant that when the armies arrived, those settlements could be absorbed in one fell swoop.

Liu Hui finally remembered the primary purpose of this call. "My dear Alexander, I have prepared a large quantity of supplies for you this time. I have categorized and packed them; you must safeguard and distribute them carefully upon receipt."

Alexander exclaimed happily, "Thank you, Teacher, for your assistance."

And so, Liu Hui began the transaction with Alexander.

"Here are fifty crates of large iron nails, for constructing various structures and crafting furniture."

"One hundred crates of tools like hoes, sickles, and shovels, for crop production."

"One hundred tons of wheat and rice seeds, primarily for the upcoming planting season."

"Fifty thousand sets of iron armor. These will provide protection for your soldiers, shielding them from enemy harm."

"Fifty thousand two-handed greatswords, fifty thousand powerful longbows, one million arrows, and fifty thousand sets of standard warrior uniforms—these are the standardized equipment for your troops."

"This is a set of components for a small-scale steel refining facility, packed in several crates. It includes a video recorder, which will instruct you on assembling the refining equipment and forging steel."

"Here is ten tons of salt, ten tons of MSG, ten tons of various seasonings—enough to cover your needs for a month."

"And here are one hundred thousand sets of iron cooking pots, complete with ladles, spatulas, and all necessary accompanying utensils. These are for preparing meals for the newly expanded population."

"This amounts to fifty tons of assorted papers, usable for every facet of your daily life."

...Slowly, Liu Hui transferred the massive stockpile of resources from his warehouse to Alexander. This colossal depot belonged to the Starry Sky Logistics Corporation. Liu Hui had been operating in the shadows, managing to amass such an immense quantity of materials within this single warehouse without raising any suspicion. Furthermore, only he possessed the access codes, meaning outsiders had no inkling of the sheer volume of assets stored within.

Once Liu Hui finalized the exchange with Alexander, Alexander began trading the resources he had accumulated over the past month back to Liu Hui.

"Teacher, these are one hundred and twenty Level Eight Magical Beast Cores, three thousand Level Seven Cores, and one hundred and fifty thousand Level Six Cores."

As per Liu Hui’s instructions, any beast cores from magical beasts below Level Six were being stored securely in Alexander’s own massive warehouse, ready for transfer only when Liu Hui required them. The current trade consisted entirely of high-grade cores, though the highest tier presented was still Level Eight; no Divine-level cores had reappeared yet.

"This is eight thousand tons of sap from the Stinkwood tree, ten thousand trunks from the Bitterchill Stripper, and another ten thousand trunks from the Blazeflame Stripper..."