Chapter Two Hundred and Forty-Six: The Guarantee Document

Seeing the detailed video evidence presented by Starry Sky Group, Chem only sneered.

He declared, "These videos are all fabricated by you, not real at all. Moreover, I suspect you abused our American soldiers, forcing them to create this false video for you. I now demand that you unconditionally release our soldiers immediately. Furthermore, we will file a lawsuit against Starry Sky Group for this incident of slander and defamation."

Liu Hui said to Wu Yuanjia, "Since our American friends don't believe these video recordings are real, then immediately upload these videos to all major platforms and vigorously promote them so that the whole world knows about this matter. I believe the eyes of the people of the world are sharp; they should be able to discern the truth when they scrutinize it. Hmm, the American President is currently busy rescuing disaster victims at home. If he were to suddenly receive such a grand 'gift,' it might cause a lot of trouble, wouldn't it? Perhaps he would be forced to step down immediately, leading to the collapse of the government. But if that happens, there won't be anyone within the US to take charge during this critical time, and I wonder how many more people might die in this great earthquake?"

Liu Qi, standing nearby, chuckled, "Perhaps the American people have discerning eyes and will realize these videos are fake, so they won't bother their President."

Chem became furious, slammed the table, and stood up, loudly proclaiming, "You dare?"

Liu Hui sneered, "Why wouldn't we dare? You must remember this is Hong Kong, not your America. Your reach, however long, doesn't extend here. Besides, since you believe these videos are fake anyway, even if these falsehoods spread, they shouldn't have any effect on your American government, right?"

Seeing the situation at the table return to a stalemate and instability, Mihawk, who had remained silent until then, stood up. He said, "Mr. Chem, please take your seat first!"

Chem was startled, immediately sat down, and angrily turned his head away from Liu Hui.

Mihawk then spoke, "Mr. Liu Hui, please forgive me for concealing my identity earlier. My real name is Joel Courtney, and I am the special envoy of the American President, specifically responsible for these negotiations with your company."

Liu Hui smiled, "What a surprise you've given me. I didn't expect you people to play at infiltration too!"

Joel Courtney said with a serious expression, "Mr. Liu Hui, the fundamental reason for the conflict between you and me is something both sides know clearly; there's no need for debate. But what I want to say is that our action this time did not genuinely harm your company, yet your company has dealt us a heavy blow. Therefore, both morally and legally, your Starry Sky Group owes us some compensation. Otherwise, even with the devastating earthquake hitting our country, we still have the capability to cause mutual destruction—a result neither of us wishes to see, don't you agree?"

Liu Hui replied, "Mr. Courtney, since you’ve been so candid, I will also speak my mind. Our Starry Sky Group has suffered an undeserved disaster this time. We provoked no one, harmed no one; on the contrary, we have contributed to the world by solving the global water shortage problem—a feat of immeasurable merit. Yet, you came knocking like bandits, not only trying to seize our assets but also attempting to kill our people. How would you feel if you were in our shoes? Moreover, if the robbed party fights back and injures the robber, and the robber then demands the victim pay for their medical expenses—don't you find that absurd? Therefore, it is absolutely impossible for us to satisfy the conditions you have put forth."

Courtney countered, "But this world is a place where the strong prey on the weak. Our fist is big, so naturally, we eat by the strength of our fist. Mr. Liu Hui wouldn't deny this fact, would you?"

Liu Hui responded, "Your fist is indeed large, but that was in the past. Not only have you suffered a super earthquake domestically, but you also lost two carrier strike groups and a large number of combat aircraft and personnel in the Gulf region."

Courtney was shocked, "Mr. Liu Hui, how did you get this news?" Courtney couldn't help but be astonished; the destruction of two carrier groups was highly classified and never announced publicly. He didn't know how Liu Hui found out.

Liu Hui said, "Mr. Courtney, don't ask how I obtained this information, because I have my own sources. Even if you ask, I won't tell you. The simplest point now is that America is already severely wounded. It's questionable whether you can maintain your superpower status, let alone eat by the strength of your fist. So, I advise you to be more realistic and discuss topics acceptable to both sides, otherwise, we are just wasting time."

Courtney inquired, "Then what terms do you believe Mr. Liu Hui consider acceptable to both sides?"

Liu Hui smiled, "That is for both sides to return home, as if this conflict never happened. I can also return all the video materials you just saw; we guarantee we will keep no copies. You can also take away the soldiers we captured; we guarantee we will keep silent and never leak a single whisper."

Courtney shook his head, "Mr. Liu Hui, let's try thinking from the other's perspective. If you were me, would you agree to this condition?"

Liu Hui replied, "If I were you, I would agree to this condition immediately."

Courtney asked curiously, "Why?"

Liu Hui explained, "Because if you cannot meet this most fundamental demand of ours, we cannot guarantee that we won't escalate this matter. By then, America's reputation will be utterly ruined, a stench that cannot be washed away no matter how hard you try. Even if you don't care whether your reputation is black or white, if you truly push us to the brink, what do you think would happen if our laser weapon technology were accidentally leaked?"

Courtney was stunned, "You dare leak laser weapon technology? Aren't you afraid of our nuclear missile attacks?"

Liu Hui coldly laughed, "Facts have proven that neither your missiles nor your aircraft can enter our defensive airspace. I already said, even if you have nuclear bombs, how would you attack us? Would you detonate them on your own soil, triggering a nuclear winter for everyone to perish together?"

Courtney asked, "If we shake hands and make peace with you, can you share your laser weapon technology with us?"

Liu Hui shook his head, "That is absolutely impossible."

Courtney sighed, "Then, according to you, after suffering such heavy losses this time, America won't gain any benefits at all?"

Liu Hui also sighed, "That's right. Your American government truly gains nothing this time. However, if you stop early, you can suffer fewer losses. While Starry Sky Group won't give you any benefits, we can show some goodwill in another way."

Courtney's eyes lit up, and he asked, "What kind of goodwill?"

Liu Hui held up two fingers and said, "I propose that Starry Sky Charity, under Starry Sky Group, immediately dispatch to the Los Angeles area to carry out disaster relief. Starry Sky Group will invest twenty billion US dollars for your relief efforts. This is our sincerity. If you don't accept, we will take it back."

Courtney was somewhat disappointed, stating, "If it's only this, I doubt our government will agree."

Liu Hui laughed, "Whether your government agrees is not my concern; what I care about is if someone doesn't want Starry Sky Group to survive, then we don't mind taking them down with us. Think about it! Your America is currently facing domestic turmoil. If terrorists or those so-called rogue nations suddenly launch full-scale attacks on your national interests, and you find your weapons can no longer deal with them because they too possess laser weapons—what will you do then? To use a Chinese saying, we are now the poor without shoes, and you are the porcelain, the wealthy. Is mutual destruction truly worth it for you?"

Liu Hui unceremoniously began to intimidate Courtney. If the US government did not accept his terms, he would allow the laser weapon technology to leak. Once these laser weapons fell into the hands of terrorists or rogue nations, the US government would have headaches. Although Starry Sky Group was massive, America was far larger, possessing numerous points of interest. Liu Hui intended to seize this rare opportunity to pressure the US government into accepting this most basic condition, or face mutual destruction.

Courtney said, "Mr. Liu Hui, I need to contact our superiors domestically. I will inform you immediately once we have a response."

Liu Hui shrugged, "Then we will await your news. However, our patience is limited. If we receive no reply within three days, we will employ our own methods to safeguard our rights."

Courtney suddenly asked, "What methods are you prepared to use to safeguard your rights?"

Liu Hui smiled, "If you receive no reply, you will know in three days."

After Courtney and his entourage left Starry Sky Group, Wu Yuanjia beside him suddenly asked, "Boss, if the US government doesn't accept our condition, what method are we prepared to use against them?"

Liu Hui laughed, "What method? None... I was just intimidating them. How could our laser weapon technology possibly leak? I was just making them aware that if they push us, this extreme option exists. Even if we don't do it, the US government dares not risk it. They will surely anticipate the severe consequences of us doing so, so they should yield for the time being."

Wu Yuanjia asked again, "Are we really going to return all those video recordings to the Americans?"

Liu Hui said, "How could I be so foolish? We can give them the originals, but we will keep backup copies. These videos are leverage, a great weapon, and must remain in our hands."

Liu Qi asked, "Boss, aren't you afraid the US government will settle scores with us later?"

Liu Hui laughed, "As long as time passes, we won't know who the main character settling scores will be."

Indeed, the next morning, Courtney and his group returned to Starry Sky Group, requesting a meeting with Liu Hui.

"Mr. Liu Hui, after we relayed your opinion back home, the President has agreed to your proposal in principle," Courtney stated upon meeting.

"Heh, that's the best news I've heard in a while," Liu Hui replied with a smile.

"But the President asked me to remind you of a few points," Courtney said.

"Please do," Liu Hui responded.

"First, you must immediately release all our captured personnel and return all interrogation videos to us. You must keep no copies," Courtney stipulated.

Liu Hui said, "That's not a problem. I will have the Persian Gulf side release the men immediately and return all the videos; we will keep no records here."

Courtney said hesitantly, "Mr. Liu Hui, I just mentioned releasing *all* captured personnel."

Liu Hui paused, "I was planning to release all the captured personnel!"

Courtney added, "Well... we still have some personnel near Guam waters who had a misunderstanding with your crew. They should also be in your custody."

Liu Hui paused and said meaningfully, "So the pirates were yours too. This really opened my eyes this time."

Courtney conceded, "Then I will take that as your agreement."

Liu Hui replied, "We'll give them back anyway; keeping them requires us to spend on food."

"Second, your Starry Sky Charity must depart for Los Angeles immediately for disaster relief, and the funding must not be less than twenty billion US dollars. We will send specialized accounting personnel to verify your fund usage," Courtney stated.

Liu Hui laughed, "No problem there; we are genuinely charitable. And we sympathize with the plight of your American people, unlike some people who do charity just to gain fame."

"Third, the conflict between you and us must be kept strictly confidential and must not be leaked to any party. Also, your laser weapons must be properly secured and must not fall into the hands of any other organization or country," Courtney concluded.

"That's not an issue; we can certainly manage that. It's your side, however, that I wonder about regarding confidentiality," Liu Hui remarked.

"You don't need to worry about that; we will maintain secrecy too. The last point is that this reconciliation will not be formalized by any written document," Courtney said.

Liu Hui was momentarily surprised, but he immediately understood the US government's thinking. The US government had caused such a massive stir over Starry Sky Group's water desalination technology, yet they gained nothing in the end and suffered heavy losses. Naturally, they preferred to resolve the matter quietly. If any agreement regarding this incident were signed with Starry Sky Group, Liu Hui would have leverage in the future, which would be highly disadvantageous to them. Furthermore, signing a formal document would hinder their ability to turn against the agreement later. Thus, signing nothing was the ideal scenario envisioned by the US government.

However, Liu Hui was not about to grant the Americans their wish. He stated, "Other agreements can be left unsigned, but we must sign a document guaranteeing the normal sales of Starry Sky Group's products in the American market. This guarantee document must stipulate that the US government will not employ any illegal means to suppress or blockade our company's products."

Courtney replied, "Mr. Liu Hui, the President did not authorize me to sign such an agreement with you."

Liu Hui smiled, "Mr. Courtney, this is a negotiation, even if the vast majority of people in the world are unaware of it. Since it is a negotiation, it cannot be decided solely by you. We must secure the safety of Starry Sky Group's products in the future American market, otherwise, this negotiation will be meaningless."

Courtney: "But..."

Liu Hui interrupted him, "No 'buts.' Mr. Liu, please give Mr. Courtney the agreement document drafted by us."

So, Liu Qi, the legal consultant, handed the document drafted by their legal department to Courtney, who reluctantly accepted it with a grimace.

Liu Hui smiled, "There you have it, Mr. Courtney. We have satisfied all your conditions. As long as you affix your seal to this guarantee document, our conflict will conclude successfully."

Courtney said, "In that case, I will send this document back to the United States immediately!"

The American President received the product guarantee document from Starry Sky Group precisely when he was overwhelmed with distress. The casualties in Los Angeles were catastrophic. Preliminary tallies showed over 180,000 recovered bodies of the deceased, not to mention the trapped citizens still awaiting rescue beneath the rubble. Such heavy losses left him little energy to focus on Starry Sky Group. After consulting relevant experts, he reluctantly authorized Courtney to sign this product guarantee document with Starry Sky Group.

Liu Hui truly breathed a sigh of relief after receiving the guarantee document stamped by the US government. The first large-scale military conflict between Starry Sky Group and the US government had finally concluded. In this sudden conflict, neither side gained much, but relatively speaking, Starry Sky Group held a significant advantage.

Both sides currently faced difficulties they needed to resolve, leaving neither capable of expanding the scale or scope of the conflict. Therefore, this conclusion marked only the end of the first phase of the confrontation. Once the US government recovered, they would inevitably attempt widespread suppression against Starry Sky Group, and once Starry Sky Group’s "Starry Sky City" construction was complete, Liu Hui would naturally seek justice from the US government.

Regardless, the conflict that had kept everyone at Starry Sky Group on edge was over. Liu Hui shifted his focus from military conflict to other matters. The future remained uncertain, but he had secured the time he desperately needed this time around.

Starry Sky Charity was fully prepared. Now that Starry Sky Group and the US government had reached a settlement, Starry Sky Charity, led by Liu Hui's father, immediately boarded ten large transport planes belonging to Starry Sky Logistics and headed to the US with vast amounts of relief supplies. Even more supplies were loaded onto four 200,000-ton freighters, which proceeded towards the US via sea routes.

Since severe aftershocks were still occurring in the Los Angeles area, Liu Hui’s father was worried about his wife’s safety. Thus, he arranged for Liu Hui’s mother to remain in Hong Kong to coordinate the dispatch of relief supplies from the rear. Delighted by her husband's thoughtfulness, Liu Hui's mother happily agreed.

In reality, only Liu Hui fully understood his father's scheme. By preventing Liu Hui’s mother from going to the US, his father avoided the possibility of her meeting Chen Shaokang there. His father feared that if they spent too much time together, they would recall their past intimacy. With Liu Hui’s mother staying in Hong Kong, Chen Shaokang was powerless. Liu Hui supported his father’s selfish act, believing that sometimes, a little selfishness is permissible for the sake of love.

Chen Shaokang’s Amy Charity, based in the US, did indeed contact Starry Sky Charity early on, expressing their desire to join the relief efforts in Los Angeles. However, upon learning that Liu Hui’s mother would not be going to the US, Chen Shaokang, though disappointed, understood the extreme danger in Los Angeles and expressed his comprehension.

Over the past year or so, Chen Shaokang had brought Chen Lang to visit Liu Hui’s mother at Starry Sky Group several times. But on every occasion, Liu Hui’s father accompanied them throughout, making it impossible for Chen Shaokang to share any private words with Liu Hui’s mother.

When Chen Shaokang realized this tactic was ineffective, he ordered his son, Chen Lang, to find a girlfriend quickly and marry immediately. Only a major event like Chen Lang’s marriage offered a chance for Liu Hui’s mother to possibly travel to the US, giving him a small window to communicate and mend their past relationship.

However, Chen Lang was clearly still infatuated with the Hong Kong actress Ouyang Shafei and defied his father's order. His progress on finding a girlfriend was dragging, with no clear commitment to marriage. This made Chen Shaokang extremely anxious. Watching Liu Hui’s parents being affectionate day in and day out nearly set Chen Shaokang’s heart ablaze with jealousy.

Chen Shaokang had also noticed that Liu Hui’s parents were growing progressively younger. Although Liu Hui’s mother tried to dress in an old-fashioned manner, projecting a much greater age, the increasingly fair and delicate complexion of her face was something she simply could not conceal. By contrast, Chen Shaokang found himself appearing increasingly aged, motivating him to do whatever it took to win back the heart of Liu Hui’s mother while he still possessed some measure of manly vigor.

However, Liu Hui’s father was no pushover. He remained constantly by his wife’s side, keeping a hawk-like watch on any man who dared to approach her, leaving Chen Shaokang momentarily helpless.

Liu Hui watched the emotional tug-of-war between the three of them with a growing headache, unsure how to resolve this unsolvable dilemma. At the same time, he gained a profound understanding of the consequences that come with an overabundance of affection.

The impact of this Los Angeles earthquake was immense, and its destructive power severe. Even cities a hundred kilometers away suffered catastrophic damage, leaving behind scenes of earth shattered and mountains collapsed—a true human catastrophe everywhere one looked.

Angie’s alma mater, Caltech, also sustained massive damage in the quake. Angie’s parents had already rushed back to the States; they needed to confirm whether any of their friends or relatives had been harmed. But as Angie’s parents departed Hong Kong, they urged Angie to remain behind, forbidding her from returning with them, claiming they feared the intense aftershocks there might cause injury.

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～ Special thanks to our readers: Dà Hàn Guó Xìng lu mí zōng mèng huàn lán fēng zhī sǐ shén fēng zhī bā tè for their monthly ticket support! With your attention and encouragement, this book will only become more thrilling. Thank you! (.Yuunɡé.ō) Still craving more? Then check out the latest chapter updates for other trending novels! ┊┊ ┊┊ ┊┊ ┊┊ ┊┊ ┊┊ ┊┊U

For more novels, visit storyread.net.