It was evening in the Persian Gulf, but midnight already in Hong Kong.

Liu Hui was jolted awake by a phone call in the middle of his sleep. Upon waking, he learned that a major incident had occurred with the "Starry Sky Group's" desalination vessel in the Persian Gulf. Without even having time to change his clothes, he rushed anxiously to the Starry Sky Security Company.

Inside the command center of Starry Sky Security, more than a dozen security personnel were already on the phone, urgently trying to ascertain the situation unfolding in the Persian Gulf. Wu Yuanjia, Huang Huali, and Desheng stood to the side, visibly unsettled, murmuring amongst themselves. As soon as they saw Liu Hui arrive, they immediately stepped forward to greet him.

"What exactly happened?" Liu Hui demanded as soon as he met them.

"Boss, our desalination plant cluster in the Persian Gulf was just ambushed by the enemy," Wu Yuanjia replied.

"Did we sustain any casualties among our personnel in the Persian Gulf?" Liu Hui quickly inquired.

"Boss, we responded appropriately; there were no casualties," Huang Huali interjected.

Only then did Liu Hui breathe a sigh of relief and say, "No casualties is good. Now, tell me the specifics—what exactly is going on in the Persian Gulf!"

Major Karl and the American soldiers under his command glumly rowed their inflatable life rafts back to shore. Then, they heard the immense mechanical roar echoing from the sky. A CH-47 "Chinook" transport helicopter was landing, while two Longbow "Apache" attack helicopters hovered above, maintaining vigilance.

Major Karl and his team boarded the CH-47 transport helicopter. The transport lifted off, rapidly heading towards the U.S. military base located in the Middle Eastern country, protected by the two Longbow Apaches.

At the U.S. military base, as Major Karl disembarked from the transport helicopter, he was immediately escorted by guards dispatched by the base commander to a private room. In this room, besides the base commander, there were two middle-aged men dressed entirely in black.

"Major Karl, please take a seat," the base commander said.

Major Karl sat in the only empty chair, facing the commander and the two men in black.

"Major Karl, these two gentlemen are from the Department of Defense. They need to understand some of the issues you encountered during this mission, and they expect you to answer truthfully," the commander stated seriously. He did not introduce the names or specific ranks of the two men in black, only briefly mentioning their origin, suggesting their identities were rather mysterious.

Major Karl was taken aback, unsure why personnel from the DoD were already here, but he nodded nonetheless. "I will state everything exactly as it happened!"

The two men in black nodded. Then, one of them asked, "Major Karl, please recount the details of the situation you encountered during this operation." The other man in black activated a recording device, preparing to document Major Karl’s statement.

So, Major Karl narrated the events of the operation in great detail, striving to make his account seem impartial, neither exaggerating nor minimizing, and free of his own subjective emotions.

When Major Karl finished speaking, one of the men in black asked, "So, the mysterious weapons on the Starry Sky Group's desalination vessel fired only seven times—seven projectiles of unknown nature—which destroyed your CH-47 transport helicopter, four laser-guided munitions, and two 'Predator' unmanned hunter-killers, before finally launching an active sonar attack against our submarine. As a result, all three of our prepared operational plans—A, B, and C—failed. Is that the situation?"

Major Karl nodded. "Although I don't know what weapons they fired, that is precisely what happened at the time."

The other man in black asked, "You said the projectiles they fired were extremely fast; you couldn't even clearly see what they were, is that correct?"

Major Karl replied, "Yes, I only intuitively felt they were cannon shells, but because those things moved so rapidly, they were just a flash in the sky before vanishing. So I don't know what they specifically were. However, based on my personal estimate, the flight speed of those objects certainly exceeded Mach 10."

The two men in black exchanged a glance. The base commander then spoke, "Major Karl, you are free to go now. Get some rest when you return. And instruct your subordinates to refrain from discussing today's events casually."

Major Karl inquired, "Two of my subordinates were captured by the other side. When can they be safely returned?"

The commander said, "We will find a way to rescue your men; you don't need to worry about that."

Major Karl rose and left the room, yet a distinct premonition lingered in his mind: it might be a long time before his two subordinates returned.

Hong Kong, Starry Sky Group Headquarters.

"Are you saying that the U.S. military invaded our desalination plant cluster in the Persian Gulf?" Liu Hui asked.

Wu Yuanjia stated, "That's right. The force that attacked our desalination vessel claimed to be members of a U.S. military special operations unit. Furthermore, the two soldiers we captured admitted their American identity. We also found their U.S. military dog tags on them, but they refused to answer any other questions. Therefore, we can confirm they are U.S. soldiers. Ah Huo just transmitted the recording of his conversation with these Americans."

Liu Hui stroked his chin and mused, "So, these Americans, using mechanical failure and insufficient fuel as excuses, attempted to board our desalination vessel, only to be repelled by Ah Huo. To ensure the surprise of this operation, they even deployed an electromagnetic barrier around our vessel, preventing Ah Huo and the others from contacting us smoothly. Is that accurate?"

Wu Yuanjia nodded. "Yes, that's the situation. Based on our immediate analysis, the Americans' objective was certainly the desalination technology aboard our vessel; otherwise, they wouldn't have deployed the electromagnetic barrier there. After their forced landing failed, they even called in two 'Predator' unmanned hunter-killers, firing four laser-guided munitions at us, while their submarine simultaneously prepared to breach the surface to attack us."

Liu Hui chuckled. "It seems our desalination technology has driven the Americans mad. They actually tried to use brute force to extort this technology from us, creating such a massive spectacle—a comprehensive attack from sea, land, and air. Ah Huo did not disappoint my trust; not only did he repel these multi-pronged attacks, but he also captured two enemy soldiers. Excellent, excellent."

Wu Yuanjia was initially uncertain of Liu Hui's mood, fearing Liu Hui might blame Ah Huo for firing on the U.S. military without authorization, potentially bringing catastrophic trouble to the Starry Sky Group. After all, the U.S. military was the world's most powerful armed force, a fact that instilled caution in everyone, making proactive engagement unthinkable. Seeing Liu Hui greatly admire Ah Huo's actions, Wu Yuanjia finally relaxed. He spoke with lingering fear, "It is fortunate, Boss, that you installed laser weapons and electromagnetic cannons on our desalination vessels, giving us some means of self-defense. And Ah Huo remained fearless under pressure, repelling the Americans' comprehensive assault with just seven small projectiles fired from the electromagnetic cannon. Even the submarine lurking beneath the surface rapidly retreated after our active sonar attack."

Liu Hui laughed. "Naturally. If we lacked any means of self-preservation, how could we dare enter the conflict-ridden Persian Gulf? When the U.S. military's conventional weapons meet our energy weapons, they are naturally at a disadvantage."

Wu Yuanjia, Huang Huali, and Desheng had only recently learned that the Starry Sky Group had developed laser weapons and electromagnetic cannons, but at the time, they had no tangible sense of the power these weapons possessed. Now, witnessing the Starry Sky Group's desalination vessel repel the formidable American military solely relying on one electromagnetic cannon, they gained a vivid understanding of the power of these two weapon systems, simultaneously admiring Liu Hui's foresight. Liu Hui, in their eyes, appeared even more mysterious.

Liu Hui now clearly understood the entire sequence of events. The United States was currently in negotiations with China regarding the public listing of the "Starry Sky Desalination Company." The focal point of the multi-party talks was the equity ratio of this listed company and whether the U.S. would be permitted to participate in its management. The Chinese government insisted on the prerequisite Liu Hui had set for the listing, whereas the U.S. desired a larger equity stake and involvement in day-to-day management, aiming to acquire the Starry Sky Group's desalination technology and ultimately swallow the entire "Starry Sky Desalination Company."

Negotiations between the U.S. and China were at an impasse, with neither side willing to yield an inch. The U.S. government, perhaps believing that negotiations would not resolve their vested interests, resorted to using their immense military might to launch an assault on the Starry Sky Group's desalination vessels producing fresh water in the Persian Gulf, intending to seize the technology directly from the ships.

Once the U.S. government obtained the desalination technology, they could bypass China, the Starry Sky Group, and all other nations and organizations, monopolizing this desalination market crucial to humanity's future development. With the power of the U.S. military, no one doubted their ability to achieve this goal.

What the U.S. government never anticipated was that the Starry Sky Group's desalination vessels were not as defenseless as they imagined, but rather a deeply concealed, venomous serpent. This serpent thwarted all three of their meticulously planned operational strategies, resulting in significant equipment losses for them and the capture of two of their own soldiers. The situation had now evolved far beyond the U.S. government's initial calculations, and they were gradually losing control.

Having grasped the core of the issue, Liu Hui immediately formulated a strategy. "Have Ah Huo immediately strengthen defenses around the desalination vessels to guard against a U.S. counterattack. Simultaneously, contact King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and demand immediate assistance and security protection from the Saudi government. Also, warn Abdullah that if he cannot guarantee the safety of our desalination plant in the Persian Gulf, we will cease supplying fresh water to Saudi Arabia, and they will bear all resulting consequences."

Wu Yuanjia replied, "I will attend to it immediately, Boss. However, given this incident involving our desalination vessel in the Middle East, should we not contact the domestic side? Perhaps they could offer us protection."

Liu Hui paused to consider, then shook his head. "It's better not to inform them yet. We have already revealed the capabilities of our electromagnetic cannon this time. I fear that if the people back home learn about our electromagnetic cannon, they might make excessive demands, or even become wary of us, which would hinder our long-term development. Moreover, inviting trouble is easier than dismissing it; if they come, they might never leave, complicating our future operations."

Wu Yuanjia asked, "But if we don't notify the domestic authorities, how can we withstand the immense pressure from the U.S. military?"

Liu Hui suddenly smiled mysteriously. "You don't need to worry. I am confident in resolving the crisis facing the Starry Sky Group. The U.S. military is merely a paper tiger; no matter how powerful they are, they remain a paper tiger. We don't need to fear their threats this time."

Wu Yuanjia started to object, but Liu Hui waved his hand. "Enough, do as I say. I know what I am doing. I'm going to rest nearby for a while. Notify me immediately if there is any new intelligence."

After speaking, Liu Hui ignored the reactions of the people in the room and proceeded directly to the basement of the office building. He began calling for Xiao Hei. At that moment, Xiao Hei was deep on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, surveying the subsea topography and mineral resources. Upon receiving Liu Hui's summons and instructions, it immediately reversed course and sped west.

The straight-line distance between the Middle Eastern Persian Gulf region and Hong Kong is approximately 4,500 kilometers, meaning the entire Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea fall within Xiao Hei's 5,000-kilometer operational radius. Liu Hui could command Xiao Hei's movements in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea from Hong Kong.

The actual distance Xiao Hei needed to travel to reach the Persian Gulf, factoring in detours necessary for stealth, was around 8,000 kilometers. Traveling at its maximum submerged speed of Mach 1, Xiao Hei could reach the Persian Gulf in just over seven hours.

After more than a year of growth, Xiao Hei's overall capabilities had become increasingly formidable. Its current body length reached 230 meters, imbued with explosive power. It could maintain submerged travel at Mach 1 for extended periods; virtually no oceanic trench could impede its progress.

Since Xiao Hei had recently been engaged in surveying the seabed topography and mineral deposits in the Pacific, Liu Hui was now intimately familiar with the Pacific floor's features. Moreover, Xiao Hei had identified several large-scale undersea mineral veins. While their reserves were not as staggering as the previously discovered super iron ore deposit or the super undersea oil field, they were still extremely substantial; if located on land, they would rank among the top mineral resources globally.

Xiao Hei had become the absolute sovereign of the ocean; no force in the sea could stand against it. Once, Xiao Hei encountered several giant, thousand-year-old octopuses deep underwater. When these creatures united to attack Xiao Hei, they were swiftly eliminated in moments and converted into nutrients within Xiao Hei's digestive tract.

Thus, Xiao Hei was now the most potent force in Liu Hui’s arsenal and would be the primary means of resolving the current U.S. threat. Only once Xiao Hei reached the Persian Gulf would Liu Hui feel completely at ease. The Starry Sky Group had maintained a low profile for a long time; it was now time to display its strength to outsiders. Otherwise, everyone perceived the Starry Sky Group as a sheep ready to be preyed upon, and even if Liu Hui eliminated them all, it would still be troublesome and disgusting. Coupled with the recent provocation of being excluded from the critical negotiations concerning the Starry Sky Group's very survival, Liu Hui resolved not to yield to the U.S. military this time; he intended to leave them with a profound impression and crush the grasping hand they extended toward him.

If the U.S. military proved so uncooperative as to continue their aggression, Liu Hui would certainly not hesitate to command Xiao Hei to annihilate the formidable U.S. naval forces. Without a strong navy, the U.S. military would lose its global power projection capability, making it extremely difficult for them to even maintain their global interests, let alone threaten the development of the Starry Sky Group.

However, engaging in open war with the U.S. was the worst-case scenario in Liu Hui’s mind, as it would severely impede the Starry Sky Group’s rate of expansion. Therefore, Liu Hui hoped to reach a settlement with the U.S. military regarding this conflict without compromising his core principles.

Liu Hui then initiated contact with the Zerg, Zerg, who quickly appeared on the screen of the dimensional exchange device.

"Esteemed Lord Liu Hui, greetings. How may I assist you?" Zerg inquired politely.

Liu Hui smiled. "Esteemed Lord Zerg, greetings. I am contacting you today to seek counsel on a matter."

Zerg replied, "Lord Liu Hui, please state your need."

Liu Hui asked, "I need to extract specific information from the mouth of an individual who has undergone rigorous secrecy training. Do you possess any substance that could assist me in this?"

Zerg responded, "I possess a substance that can aid you. Once a human ingests this item, they will answer any and all of your questions truthfully."

Liu Hui rejoiced. "Then I must trouble you to send me several doses of this product immediately! I have an urgent need."

Zerg shook his head. "Although this substance can help you extract the information you seek, it carries severe side effects. Are you certain you wish to use it?"

Liu Hui was momentarily stunned and asked, "What are the severe side effects of this substance?"

Zerg explained, "The principle behind this substance is to overdraft the user's future life force to break through their current mental defenses, thus ensuring they answer everything asked. However, it has a time limit: the substance's effect only lasts for two hours after administration. After two hours, it becomes useless, and no further information can be extracted. Moreover, within a maximum of two years, the person who used this substance will die due to rapid aging. In essence, anyone who has used this substance will certainly not live longer than two years."

Liu Hui was slightly disappointed. He had initially thought this substance could be implemented for internal corporate security, but he hadn't expected such drastic side effects. If he used it on his research personnel or high-level executives, they would have, at best, two years left to live; thus, the substance was completely impractical for internal use.

However, Liu Hui quickly became happy again. He intended to use this substance on the two captured American soldiers. Since they were not his people, he could use the product on them without reservation. Even if they were returned to the U.S. military later, their physical condition would still be sound. As for their death within two years, that would no longer concern him. In two years, Liu Hui would have ample time to completely distance himself from this affair.

"Lord Zerg, please provide me with one hundred doses of this substance!" Liu Hui began placing his order, reasoning that he would certainly need this substance in the future anyway, so he might as well order a hundred units now.

"However, the production time for this substance requires two hours; I cannot give it to you immediately," Zerg stated.

"Then I will contact you again in two hours. That should be acceptable, correct?" Liu Hui inquired.

Zerg confirmed, "Naturally, that will be no problem."

When Liu Hui had finalized the arrangements with Xiao Hei and Zerg and returned to the Starry Sky Security Company, he found the premises bustling with activity. Numerous security personnel were busy contacting the Persian Gulf command to ascertain the precise details of the ongoing situation.

Wu Yuanjia, Huang Huali, and Desheng accompanied Liu Hui into Wu Yuanjia’s office. Liu Hui settled comfortably onto the sofa, while the other three stood beside him.

"Boss, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has already called. I relayed your demands to him. He said he will immediately arrange forces to protect our Starry Sky Group desalination vessels and will issue a formal protest to the U.S. military stationed in Saudi Arabia. However, King Abdullah requested that you call him personally; he has some things he wishes to discuss with you." Wu Yuanjia reported.

"What is the status with Ah Huo? Has the U.S. military launched another attack?" Liu Hui asked.

"Ah Huo’s situation is temporarily stable; no sign of American forces has been detected nearby. I’ve instructed him to heighten vigilance," Wu Yuanjia reported.

"Mmm, I am aware of all these developments. You two may leave now; Desheng should stay," Liu Hui said.

Wu Yuanjia and Huang Huālí understood that Liu Hui had private matters to discuss with Desheng, so they withdrew, closing the office door behind them.

A note of thanks to the reader: Wū Chén, for your generous donation, subscription, and support votes. I apologize, however, as I only managed 6,000 characters today to ensure the quality of the writing; my apologies once more!