The music at the press conference faded, and Li Zhi first glanced at the assembled media reporters before speaking: "On behalf of Starry Sky Group, I welcome all our media friends. This is our first formal press conference in two years, and we are here to announce a very important piece of news."

The reporters instantly perked up upon hearing Li Zhi mention an important announcement. Wasn't this precisely why they had come to Starry Sky Group? As the conference was being broadcast live on television and online, audiences glued to their screens also felt a surge of anticipation, eager to know what crucial news necessitated a dedicated press conference from Starry Sky Group. After all, as Starry Sky Group’s products continued to embed themselves in the public consciousness, every move the company made was gradually attracting global attention.

Li Zhi said, "Now, please welcome the owner of Starry Sky Group, Mr. Liu Hui. Mr. Liu Hui will be the one to reveal this important announcement."

The reporters immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause. This wasn't entirely born of respect for Liu Hui; they knew the news he was about to drop would generate massive readership and viewership for their respective outlets. An announcement delivered by the boss of Starry Sky Group was guaranteed to be anything but ordinary.

Liu Hui smiled broadly and said, "It’s been a while since I’ve seen so many media friends. It almost makes me nostalgic for the old days."

The reporters exchanged knowing smiles. In the past, Liu Hui was famous for his sharp, witty speeches, and the media could sustain their sales simply by endlessly rehashing his pronouncements. However, Liu Hui had gradually withdrawn from the public eye, no longer appearing in the media, and the reporters had missed the sheer brilliance of his oratory.

Liu Hui continued, "Alright, I see everyone is quite eager, so I won't waste any more time with pleasantries. We have gathered you here at Starry Sky Group today to inform you that after several years of planning and construction, Starry Sky Group has finally established the 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital.' And tomorrow marks the official opening day of this 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital.'"

The reporters paused, then immediately processed the information. In fact, ever since they saw the physical structure of the 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' from the outside, they had harbored this realization: after expanding in so many directions, Starry Sky Group was returning to its roots—opening a hospital once again. Even though Liu Hui’s first hospital, "Han Tang Hospital," had closed down after he sold it, this history did nothing to diminish the public’s confidence in Starry Sky Group's formidable medical prowess.

What truly puzzled the reporters, and the audience watching on television and online, was the name: "Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital." Did this truly mean, as they had speculated, that this hospital could cure all of humanity's terminal illnesses? If that were true, the implications were staggering.

Unfortunately, this was not the Q&A segment, so despite their urgency, the reporters dared not shout out questions, remembering the precedent of a journalist being ejected from a previous Starry Sky Group press conference for causing a disturbance.

Liu Hui was pleased with their reaction. It indicated that after several years of massive growth, Starry Sky Group now commanded significant international status, and people understood the necessity of showing respect.

Liu Hui smiled. "Gentlemen and ladies, your expressions tell me exactly what you are thinking. That's right, you heard correctly. Our hospital is named the 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital.' Since it bears this name, it means that any terminal illness known to man can be cured within its walls."

The assembled media gasped in unison, and the audience watching on screens shared the shock. They hadn't expected the hospital to genuinely claim the ability to cure every terminal illness. Had Starry Sky Group’s medical capabilities truly ascended to such an unprecedented height? Not just the reporters, but the viewers felt a deep shock, yet not one person doubted Liu Hui’s declaration. The facts of the past few years had proven that Starry Sky Group never lied.

Liu Hui stated, "Very well. Next, I would like to introduce the Director of our 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital,' Mr. Mei Peng, who is seated next to me. If you are familiar with my history, you should recall that Mei Peng was the very first director of the first hospital I ever founded, 'Han Tang Hospital.' Later, due to certain circumstances, we transferred ownership of 'Han Tang Hospital.' However, Director Mei Peng possesses immense medical talent. After stepping back for three years, he meticulously planned and successfully constructed this brand-new 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital.' I now invite him to elaborate on the details of this institution."

The reporters immediately focused their cameras on Mei Peng. He accepted the baton from Liu Hui with an air of quiet confidence. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press, our boss, Mr. Liu Hui, has just stated that our 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' can cure every terminal illness in the world. If an illness has been discovered by humanity, it can be completely eradicated in our hospital."

Mei Peng’s statement immediately triggered murmurs among the reporters. If this claim were true, did it mean Starry Sky Group’s medical achievements had reached a pinnacle that the entire global medical community must look up to? Furthermore, considering the sheer multitude of terminal illnesses worldwide, could the 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' truly cure them one by one?

It wasn't just the reporters speculating; viewers watching the live broadcast were asking the same question. Severely ill patients suffering from terminal conditions stared intently at their screens, desperate for a definitive answer from Mei Peng.

The host, Li Zhi, interjected, "Ladies and gentlemen, that is a brief introduction to the 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital.' We now move to the open Q&A session. If you have any questions regarding our 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital,' please feel free to ask. Director Mei Peng will answer them for you one by one."

As soon as Li Zhi finished speaking, reporters began raising their hands en masse, clamoring for the chance to speak.

Mei Peng stood confidently on the podium and pointed toward a strikingly beautiful young female reporter. An assistant in traditional Hanfu immediately handed a microphone to the elegant correspondent.

The reporter stood up and asked, "Esteemed Director Mei Peng, greetings. I am Kyoko Ikeda from the Asahi Shimbun in Japan. My question is this: your former 'Han Tang Hospital' could reportedly treat AIDS, yet after you sold it, 'Han Tang Hospital' lost that capability. Can you explain why? Furthermore, can your new 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' treat AIDS patients now? If so, is there any chance that, someday in the future, it might suddenly lose the ability to cure AIDS?"

Mei Peng smiled. "Miss Ikeda from Japan is indeed very sharp, asking me three questions at once. Let me address the first one first. The reason 'Han Tang Hospital' could treat AIDS patients initially but later couldn't is quite simple: when we managed 'Han Tang Hospital,' we maintained an extremely rigorous quality control system, especially regarding the selection of raw materials. This strictness ensured the resulting medication could cure AIDS. I am unaware of the management standards following the transfer of 'Han Tang Hospital.' If their material sourcing procedures became lax, the efficacy of the medicine would certainly waver, potentially leading to a loss of ability to treat AIDS."

The reporters rapidly scribbled down Mei Peng’s words. Although they felt his explanation was utterly preposterous and likely to cause controversy if reported, controversy translated directly into higher sales for their papers and soaring ratings for their broadcasts—something they welcomed wholeheartedly.

Meanwhile, in China, among those watching the press conference, hearing Mei Peng’s explanation caused some individuals to erupt in fury, sweeping everything off their desks and smashing the television sets before them.

Mei Peng’s statement effectively shifted the blame for the decline of "Han Tang Hospital" entirely onto the subsequent owners, turning them into scapegoats and ensuring he thoroughly alienated a segment of the mainland population. But given Starry Sky Group’s current immense power, Mei Peng clearly felt he had no need to care about what those people thought of him.

Mei Peng continued, "Our current 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' can treat all terminal illnesses in the world, which naturally includes AIDS. If any AIDS patients doubt this, they are welcome to come to our hospital and try for themselves. If we cannot cure you, we will refund double the cost of treatment. As for Miss Ikeda’s final question, I can state this: as long as this 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' remains under the management of Starry Sky Group, it will absolutely not experience a situation where it can cure diseases today but cannot tomorrow. If we are not the ones managing it, I cannot guarantee its curative capabilities."

Mei Peng’s wording was exceptionally astute. Because the 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' could treat every terminal illness, it immediately became a matter of vital personal interest to everyone globally. No one could guarantee they wouldn't one day contract a terminal illness, and the existence of this hospital represented a literal 'get-out-of-death-free' card, offering a second life. Therefore, the public would demand absolute assurance that the hospital’s capabilities remained intact, as their own survival depended on it.

Mei Peng had just guaranteed that as long as Starry Sky Group managed the facility, its efficacy would never be compromised. This effectively neutralized any desire from external parties or organizations to seize control of the 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital.' The implicit warning was clear: any attempt to interfere would jeopardize the facility’s healing powers, ultimately harming the interests of people worldwide.

For the sake of their own survival, the global populace would certainly prevent any group from acting on such designs, as they could not guarantee that a new management team could replicate the curative success. With Mei Peng's guarantee, anyone attempting to gain influence over the hospital in the future would face spontaneous resistance from people worldwide.

This was no baseless fear; it was a natural reaction stemming from the prior experience of "Han Tang Hospital." Mei Peng’s statement had, in essence, tied the entire world to Starry Sky Group’s chariot, making other entities hesitant to fully challenge the group for fear of repercussions that would damage global welfare.

Mei Peng had cleverly used a response to a Japanese reporter’s question to broadcast Starry Sky Group’s ironclad resolve while simultaneously warning potential adversaries.

The reporters began raising their hands again, vying for the next chance to question him.

Mei Peng pointed to a beautiful blonde woman, who stood up excitedly. "Esteemed Director Mei Peng, greetings. I am Katherine from the British Sun. My question is: how many beds does your 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' have, and can you guarantee sufficient treatment capacity? After all, terminal illness patients worldwide number in the tens of thousands!"

Mei Peng smiled. "I trust you noticed the sheer scale of our 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' when you arrived. Our tallest residential tower stands thirty stories high, so our treatment capacity will be extremely robust. The hospital currently has a total of ten thousand beds, meaning we can simultaneously treat up to ten thousand terminal patients at any given time."

The reporters immediately began raising their hands again, and Mei Peng casually selected another well-figured female correspondent.

Liu Hui, seated nearby, shook his head subtly. Mei Peng had shown some restraint since getting married and having children, avoiding his old habit of flowery, provocative language. But now, having waited so long for his moment in the spotlight, his true nature was re-emerging. In selecting who would speak, Mei Peng had pointed exclusively at attractive women with good figures. Perhaps Mei Peng hadn't noticed this pattern, but his wife, Liu Lin, certainly would, and he was likely in for trouble when he got home.

"Esteemed Director Mei Peng, greetings. I am Mosiah from the Los Angeles Times, and my question is: is your 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' a non-profit institution? The world’s terminal patients have suffered enough; do you truly have the heart to take their money?"

Mei Peng paused, surprised that his habit of selecting attractive reporters had landed him on a journalist from the Los Angeles Times, a long-standing nemesis of Starry Sky Group. Los Angeles was gone—hadn't that city been wiped out? Why was this reporter still alive and energetic enough to deliberately cause trouble?

"Miss Mosiah," Mei Peng quipped, "If you could persuade your American government to freely cede one hundred thousand square kilometers of land to Starry Sky Group for our development, entirely free from U.S. governmental jurisdiction, I believe my boss, Mr. Liu Hui, might consider treating the 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' as a charitable endeavor. Based on your logic, Starry Sky Group has never owned land; we are already quite pitiable, so your U.S. government should simply give us a piece of territory. Next!" With a few sharp sentences, Mei Peng diffused the aggressive line of questioning from the Los Angeles Times reporter.

The assembled reporters erupted in laughter, finding Mosiah's question genuinely foolish. However, the shrewder reporters recalled the Los Angeles Times's historical stance, consistently opposing Starry Sky Group with ridicule and mockery. They recognized this as the culmination of years of mutual antagonism. This heated exchange, however, thrilled the journalists; such pointed dialogue delighted readers and viewers, pleased their bosses, and guaranteed their own bonuses.

"Esteemed Director Mei Peng, greetings. I am Samuel from Germany’s Der Spiegel. Since your 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' is not a charity, what is your proposed fee structure for curing terminal illnesses?" asked another shapely blonde female reporter.

Mei Peng held up a single finger. "The treatment standard at our 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' is one million US dollars per person. If an individual possesses that one million dollars, Starry Sky Group can grant them a second life."

The reporters gasped in shock; the treatment cost for the 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' was astonishingly high. Yet, some reporters had a premonition: after all, when "Han Tang Hospital" treated AIDS patients, the cost was also one million dollars per person.

It wasn't just the reporters present who were stunned by the price; viewers watching the live stream on television found the cost almost shockingly high.

Patients suffering from terminal illnesses felt a chill. Those with the financial means to afford the exorbitant fee immediately began arranging their travel plans to seek treatment from Starry Sky Group. Those without the required funds were already desperately brainstorming ways to raise the massive sum. After all, if one million dollars could buy a second life, many people would find a way to meet that standard, because life is priceless; once dead, all else is lost.

"Esteemed Director Mei Peng, greetings. I am Avril from the Singapore Daily. Why is the treatment cost for your 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' so high? If your prices are this steep, won't terminal patients without the financial means simply be left to die? Also, you mentioned one million dollars buys a second life—what is the calculation if a patient suffers from two or more terminal illnesses?" asked a tall, attractive female reporter.

Mei Peng chuckled. "This reporter friend is very formidable, asking me three questions this time. But I will forgive you on this occasion; please don't do it again next time."

Mei Peng glanced pointedly at the tall reporter, his eyes lingering noticeably on her prominent bust before he began to answer. Unbeknownst to him, the television cameraman had captured this lecherous move and zoomed in for a close-up of his facial expression.

"Firstly, let me address the high cost. This is due to the extraordinarily high costs associated with manufacturing our medicine. The raw materials utilized are almost exclusively rare species nearing extinction, and the cost of cultivating these materials is immense. It is precisely because we use these rare, near-extinct ingredients that our medicine can treat various terminal illnesses. Therefore, the one-million-dollar price per patient is far from high. In fact, based on this pricing, the Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital is merely breaking even, not earning substantial profit. Moreover, as you can see, this hospital is built upon a massive floating island with breathtaking scenery. If we factored in the construction costs of this island, we would be facing severe losses. My boss, Mr. Liu Hui, established the 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' primarily to give back to society and alleviate human suffering; profit is secondary. Therefore, I hope you can understand Starry Sky Group's predicament regarding the pricing."

Liu Hui listened from the side, stifling a laugh. It had been a long time since Mei Peng had engaged in such grand posturing, and his ability to spin a tale had only improved. Still, Liu Hui was quite satisfied with Mei Peng's explanation.

Meanwhile, the reporters inwardly scorned Mei Peng. Regardless of how precious those so-called endangered materials might be, charging one million USD per terminally ill patient was surely a colossal profit, not the bare-bones break-even Mei Peng claimed. As for this massive floating island, it couldn't possibly be intended for just this single hospital; Starry Sky Group surely had other plans, and calculating the island's cost into the treatment fee seemed rather specious.

Mei Peng continued, "Regarding what should be done for those terminally ill patients without the financial means, as mentioned by this beautiful young lady, I believe they should approach their governments. Their governments should help them solve this difficulty of unaffordable healthcare, because they pay taxes to their governments, so their governments have the obligation to assist them. After all, we at Starry Sky Group are merely a corporation; we cannot interfere in the internal affairs of these nations. As for your final question, I have already stated it: for one million USD, we will completely cure all terminal illnesses in the patient, no matter how many different terminal conditions they might have. So, if a patient has dozens of terminal diseases, they've truly hit the jackpot. However, I must specifically emphasize that the minimum fee at our 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital' is one million USD. Therefore, please do not come to us for common colds or minor ailments; it simply wouldn't be cost-effective."

Mei Peng concluded with a touch of humor, eliciting knowing smiles from the assembled reporters. Who exactly would be afflicted with dozens of terminal diseases? And given the exorbitant fee of the "Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital," who would be foolish enough to seek treatment there for a mere sniffle?

"Respected Director Mei Peng, I am Angela from The Washington Post. Besides the financial aspect, are there any other conditions or restrictions for seeking treatment at your 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital'?" a Black woman inquired.

Mei Peng smiled. "Miss Angela asks an excellent question. Patients seeking treatment at our 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital,' besides their own financial capabilities, must also have their home country sign a Medical Cooperation Agreement with Starry Sky Group. Only citizens of nations that have signed this Medical Cooperation Agreement with us will be eligible for treatment in our 'Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital.' As for citizens of countries that have not signed this agreement, they will be barred from receiving treatment here."

Every reporter present was sharp as a tack and immediately grasped the profound implication of Starry Sky Group's stipulation.

Starry Sky Group was opening the "Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital" to the world, using its extraordinary ability to save the lives of the terminally ill to secure an equal footing in dialogue with every nation worldwide. Only countries and regions willing to engage in equal dialogue would allow their citizens access to Starry Sky Group's treatments. Conversely, nations unwilling to have an equal dialogue, or those making unreasonable demands, would see their citizens denied care at the "Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital."

Terminally ill patients lacking wealth and influence typically hold little sway within their own nations. However, the crucial point was that among those suffering from terminal illnesses were many wealthy and powerful individuals. Even if these influential figures were not currently afflicted, they lived in constant fear of contracting a terminal disease, knowing they would face certain death without treatment from the "Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital." Therefore, as a precaution, this segment of the powerful would inevitably pressure their governments to sign this so-called Medical Cooperation Agreement with Starry Sky Group. Furthermore, this agreement from Starry Sky Group would certainly not be limited to matters of medical cooperation alone; it would undoubtedly include other conditions for partnership. In this manner, Starry Sky Group was effectively leveraging the "Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital" to gain its own leverage, thereby establishing equitable relations with the nations of the world.

Once these reporters understood this logic, they were utterly impressed by Starry Sky Group's brilliant strategy. Simply disseminating this prerequisite would cause the citizens of nations worldwide to automatically rise up and compel their governments toward deep cooperation with Starry Sky Group, allowing the corporation to achieve its strategic goals without firing a single shot.

Thanks to readers for their tips: Ye Ming (300 coins), Xingyuan Zhi Meng (100 coins).

Thanks to reader Xingyuan Zhi Meng for the rating ticket.

Thanks to reader Ye Ming for 7 tickets representing 9000 words of updates, but after much effort today, I can only manage 7000 words—I apologize for the disappointment. Furthermore, it will be impossible to update over 9000 words daily going forward, so those wishing to cast 9000-word update tickets, I am sorry.

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