Upon hearing Chen Changsheng’s concern about Starry Sky Group's finances, Liu Hui immediately laughed, "Dean Chen, you don't need to worry about funding at all. This book is from ⒗к.Яg. We currently have substantial surplus funds in our company accounts, and utilizing them will not cause any negative impact on Starry Sky Group's development." An Qi interjected from the side, "Liu Hui, as our scope of research expands, we require more scientific personnel.

The current staff is insufficient to meet our development needs. Moreover, the Science Academy’s current location is too cramped, limiting our research space, which also necessitates further expansion." Liu Hui chuckled, "An Qi, those two areas you mentioned are absolutely not a problem. If you need it, we can immediately launch a massive global recruitment drive for researchers to ensure we meet all your research demands.

As for the research space for your Science Academy, I have already decided: once the Chinese New Year passes, you will all relocate to the 'City of Stars.' A new Starry Sky Science Academy has already been built there for you. After your entire relocation, we can absolutely guarantee you ample research space." ～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～ Alexander from the magic plane contacted Liu Hui again a few days later. Alexander had finished dealing with the aftermath of the recent war and began detailing the entire process of their conflict with the Xiling Kingdom to Liu Hui.

In this war, the Church of Light achieved a brilliant victory, annihilating the Xiling Kingdom’s 300,000-strong army at the cost of 1,500 casualties. During the subsequent cleanup of the battlefield, they captured 8,000 Elven soldiers; however, 5,400 of these prisoners were severely wounded. After receiving treatment from the Church of Light’s corps of priests using their Holy Magic, their physical conditions had largely recovered.

After interrogating the captured Elven soldiers, Alexander gained a clearer understanding of the situation regarding the Elven nations beyond the mountains, enabling him to make targeted arrangements and preparations for dealing with Elven forces. Alexander also learned that the Xiling Kingdom was merely one of the weaker Elven vassal states, constantly surrounded by powerful enemies, making them hesitant to undertake any major military maneuvers lest they be attacked. The loss of 300,000 troops, including their elite 'Royal First Army,' had severely crippled the Xiling Kingdom, leaving their national defenses stretched thin.

Therefore, it would likely take a considerable amount of time before they could amass another large army to attack the Church of Light. Consequently, the Church of Light would remain secure for at least the next six months. The shadow of war that had perpetually loomed over humankind finally dissipated, allowing humanity a vital window for rapid development.

Liu Hui was equally pleased; the peace achieved by humans in the magic plane meant his interests would remain unharmed, allowing his Starry Sky Group to maintain its accelerated pace of growth. He highly praised Alexander for this monumental victory. As a reward, Liu Hui also traded a large quantity of daily luxury goods to Alexander, who could then use these exquisite items to reward the brave soldiers and officers of the Church of Light, further solidifying Alexander’s standing within the Church.

With the affairs of the magic plane temporarily settled, Liu Hui immediately redirected his focus back to the development of Starry Sky Group. Since the quiet, successful launch of three artificial satellites late one night, Starry Sky Group had gained the capability to monitor and observe any corner of the globe from these satellites. The Starry Sky Academy’s manufacturing workshops produced numerous Spirit Fluctuation Communicators, which were distributed to Starry Sky Group’s restaurants, specialty stores, desalination vessels, aircraft, and ships scattered worldwide.

The Starry Sky Group headquarters intensified its oversight of these locations, ensuring the timely issuance of directives and facilitating rapid feedback regarding various market emergencies, thereby enhancing the Group's ability to respond to unforeseen incidents. Furthermore, with these Spirit Fluctuation Communicators in place, internal communication within Starry Sky Group was secured against leakage due to conversations. Concurrently, Starry Sky Group's sea and sub-sea train projects officially entered production and assembly.

When Starry Sky Group placed another massive order with shipyards across the globe, these facilities were utterly astonished. The order was peculiar; it requested the construction of vessels that were essentially large sea freighters designed purely for cargo transport, largely devoid of propulsion or balancing systems. Yet, this simplistic design allowed for incredibly fast production—a ten-thousand-ton bare hull could be completed in roughly two months.

While global manufacturing languished, Starry Sky Group’s repeated large-scale shipbuilding orders single-handedly revitalized the shipbuilding industry, making it the fastest-growing sector in the world. It was no exaggeration to say that Starry Sky Group alone resurrected every shipyard globally; their owners ought to be thanking Liu Hui. It was now the end of the year.

Starry Sky Group had remained relatively quiet during this period, focusing on analyzing and compiling the year's economic data in preparation for the imminent Starry Sky Group Employee Congress. This year's employee summary conference was scheduled to take place at the "City of Stars," where an enormous Starry Sky Sports Center had already been constructed. This venue was immense, capable of accommodating 100,000 employees simultaneously for activities.

In terms of sheer exterior scale, the Sports Center was more than double the size of the world’s largest stadium, the Maracanã. The attendees were select representatives chosen from all Starry Sky Group employees worldwide. Upon boarding the "City of Stars," these employee delegates were visibly excited.

They had previously seen reports detailing the grandeur and beauty of the city, but witnessing it firsthand allowed them to truly grasp what "spectacular" and "beautiful" meant. It was no exaggeration: the "City of Stars" was currently an earthly paradise, possessing scenery unparalleled anywhere else in the world. The realization that their own company had created this paradise instantly filled the delegates with immense pride and a deepened sense of belonging to Starry Sky Group.

After more than a year of construction, the total surface area of the "City of Stars" floating on the sea had reached thirty square kilometers; by island standards, it qualified as a sizable landmass. The Starry Sky Sports Center was situated right by the sea edge of the "City of Stars." When the delegates first laid eyes on it, they were stunned by its sheer mass and imposing presence, making them feel like tiny ants. Liu Hui had decided early on to build such a Sports Center; as the number of Starry Sky Group employees continued to swell, the Group needed a vast space for large-scale events.

Although the center was currently seaside, once the "City of Stars" was fully completed, the floating platform hosting the Sports Center would be detached and repositioned to the Cultural and Entertainment Zone as per the city’s blueprints, rather than remaining by the sea. Major media outlets were well aware of Starry Sky Group’s year-end summation meeting. Given that the Group's influence now rivaled that of a major nation, public interest in any news related to Starry Sky Group was intense.

Thus, reporters had staked out the Group's headquarters early, hoping to secure exclusive insider scoops. However, these journalists had not received invitations from Liu Hui, barring them from live coverage and reporting on the massive year-end conference. They could only wait, hoping Starry Sky Group would release a press release after the meeting concluded, giving them something to present to their editors.

Conversely, Starry Sky Group’s newly established Starry Sky Television, Starry Sky Network Company, and Starry Sky Daily were officially approved to attend the meeting for coverage and video recording. After internal review, content not compromising Starry Sky Group's secrets could be broadcast on television and online. At a time when global media outlets were starved for reliable sources, providing accurate information from their own channels would help these internal media entities establish themselves in the market—a natural priority for Liu Hui, who always looked after his company’s growth.

By the afternoon... the employee delegates began entering the Starry Sky Sports Center and finding their seats. They immediately noticed several unusual features of the venue, prompting exclamations of amazement.

The center's internal space was vast, with the ceiling towering a full hundred meters above the ground. Furthermore, the construction material was entirely transparent, allowing occupants a view of the outside scenery, yet preventing outsiders from seeing in, creating the sensation of sitting among the clouds. The entire structure was seamless, seemingly carved from a single massive crystal, exuding a grand, integrated aura without any visible support columns.

Moreover, the retractable roof could be closed during rain to function as an indoor arena or opened on fine days to serve as an open-air stadium. At opposite ends of the stadium were two massive screens, each spanning four hundred square meters, designed to perfectly display the scene from the podium. These screens appeared as single, continuous surfaces with no visible seams.

Most impressively, the images displayed were breathtakingly clear, rendering the original view with near-perfect fidelity, completely free of flicker or blur. Oddly, no matter where one sat in the center, viewing the screens felt exactly as if one were seated directly in the center—a truly magical optical effect. The acoustics inside the Sports Center were superb.

Voices from the microphone could be heard clearly in every corner of the stadium, with such pristine clarity it sounded as if the speaker were whispering right next to one's ear. The delegates also discovered another marvel: the air inside the center was exceptionally fresh, with no sensation of stuffiness. Furthermore, for reasons unknown, despite housing 100,000 people, the venue did not appear visually crowded.

Amidst the ongoing discussions among the Starry Sky Group delegates, an uplifting song suddenly filled the center—it was the Group's anthem, "Humanity's Future Lies in the Stars." Amidst the powerful music, Liu Hui, leading the executive team of Starry Sky Group, filed in and took their places on the podium. As the music faded, the largest Starry Sky Group Employee Congress in history officially commenced. In line with previous years, the content of this year-end summary meeting was remarkably concise, immediately diving into substantive matters without preamble.

First, Jiang Lu, the General Manager of Starry Sky Group, presented the year's work summary and next year's plans. "...The past year has been one of soaring brilliance for Starry Sky Group, a year where we continued to forge greater miracles... Over the last year, Starry Sky Group achieved tremendous development.

The total number of employees in our wholly-owned enterprises has exceeded 1.3 million. If we include their dependents, over five million people now rely on Starry Sky Group for their livelihood... Last year, the Group’s total revenue from all business segments reached a record high of an astounding 265 billion USD, an increase of 132.45 billion USD over last year’s 132.55 billion USD—nearly doubling our earnings.

Naturally, this figure only accounts for the sales revenue of our wholly controlled subsidiaries; earnings from enterprises in which Starry Sky Group holds only partial stakes have not been included. If we were ranked according to last year’s international GDP standings, Starry Sky Group’s GDP figure would place us fifth among the world's nations, positioned just behind Germany and ahead of France..." The Starry Sky Group delegates had anticipated significant growth this year, but they had not expected the scale to reach 265 billion USD. The GDP generated by a single company surpassing that of the vast majority of nations and regions worldwide, ranking fifth globally and overshadowing the established power of France, prompted an immediate, thunderous ovation.

The applause of ten thousand people sounded like a clap of thunder echoing across the plains. Jiang Lu smiled, clapping along with the employees. Internally, she was profoundly moved.

Not long ago, she had felt indignant about being laid off by her former company. Yet, here she was, working for Starry Sky Group and having scaled a small firm to a stature comparable to major global powers in just three years. The entire experience felt unreal, like a dream, but her rationality confirmed its concrete reality.

Once the applause subsided, Jiang Lu collected her thoughts and resumed her report. "...Among all enterprises under Starry Sky Group, Starry Sky Pharmaceutical achieved a total revenue of 600 billion USD this year, Starry Sky Cuisine reached 600 billion USD, Starry Sky Apparel hit 1 trillion USD, Starry Sky Health Products brought in 330 billion USD, Starry Sky Desalination earned 5 billion USD, Starry Sky Cosmetics contributed 52 billion USD, Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital generated 45 billion USD, Starry Sky Logistics made 12 billion USD, Starry Sky Construction recorded 2 billion USD, Starry Sky Security brought in 1 billion USD, and Starry Sky Agriculture totaled 500 million USD..." Upon hearing the sales figures for these subsidiaries, the Starry Sky Group employees erupted into another round of fervent applause. Starry Sky Pharmaceutical’s sales had significantly declined this year, dropping from last year's 1.1 trillion USD to 600 billion USD, yet it remained Starry Sky Group's unshakable core division and a crucial source of profit.

The breakout stars of Starry Sky Group this year were Starry Sky Apparel and Starry Sky Cuisine. After cultivating their core flagship products throughout the latter half of last year, both instantly became undisputed super-hegemons in their respective markets, with no rivals to challenge their standing. Starry Sky Apparel’s total revenue reached an astonishing 1 trillion USD, while Starry Sky Cuisine managed 600 billion USD.

Even Starry Sky Health Products, centered around a single offering, 'Starry Sky Weight Loss Elixir,' saw sales reach 330 billion USD. Therefore, despite the substantial drop in Starry Sky Pharmaceutical’s performance, the addition of revenue streams from numerous other successful divisions propelled Starry Sky Group's overall sales to a new peak. Moreover, this diversified strategy greatly enhanced Starry Sky Group's resilience against risks, preventing an overall downturn should any single flagship product face issues.

Starry Sky Cosmetics, which only began its full-scale effort in the latter half of this year, managed to contribute 52 billion USD in sales revenue within just a few months, signaling enormous future potential as a major future profit center for the Group. As for Starry Sky Desalination and Starry Sky Terminal Illness Hospital, these two companies held critical significance for Starry Sky Group. They not only generated substantial direct revenue but also came bundled with substantial political leverage.

Through their strategic deployment, Starry Sky Group could secure assets unobtainable with mere money—these were the two most vital trump cards the Group held. Compared to previous years, the revenues for Starry Sky Logistics and Starry Sky Construction also saw sharp decreases. However, this was because these two divisions shifted their primary focus to the construction of the "City of Stars," effectively abandoning their external markets, leading to the revenue drop.

Since Liu Hui’s original objective for establishing these companies was precisely the construction of the "City of Stars," he paid no mind to the decline in their operational income. Even Starry Sky Security achieved a total revenue of 1 billion USD this year, establishing itself as the undisputed leader in the security industry. Starry Sky Agriculture also posted 500 million USD, representing an enormous scale that supported many people.

Any single company under Starry Sky Group, when compared to the Fortune 500 companies worldwide, would rank among the absolute elite in its respective industry—entities others could only look up to. Yet, all these entities were now Starry Sky Group subsidiaries. This reality filled the employees with immense pride and further solidified their sense of corporate belonging.

Liu Hui sat on the podium, quietly listening to Jiang Lu summarize the achievements of Starry Sky Group over the past year, his heart filled with reflection. Too many events had transpired over the last year; without mentioning others, the military clash with the US forces in August alone represented a massive trial for Starry Sky Group. Had the Group failed to weather that storm, perhaps today’s achievements would be someone else's bragging rights.

Jiang Lu continued her report, followed by brief addresses from other Starry Sky Group departments. Their presentations also garnered massive rounds of applause, deeply gratifying their respective leaders, proving their year of hard work was worthwhile.

Once the relevant departments and subsidiary companies of Starry Sky Group concluded their presentations, it was time for the grand finale: a concluding address by Liu Hui, the boss of Starry Sky Group. Liu Hui first swept his gaze over the employee representatives filling the sports center before beginning his speech.

“To all the employees of Starry Sky Group, as you have just heard, over the past year, our Starry Sky Group has achieved exceptionally brilliant results. These results are unprecedented; nobody has ever achieved such glory before, yet it has been accomplished by us, the people of Starry Sky. Here, I must thank every one of you. It is through your diligent efforts that we have attained this magnificent success.”

The employee representatives below immediately erupted into thunderous applause. They deeply admired their boss. Under his leadership, not only had the Starry Sky Group achieved extraordinary success, but they themselves had also benefited immensely from the company's growth. Such a benevolent leader naturally commanded their unwavering support.

Liu Hui smiled, applauding along with them, then continued: “Starry Sky Group has seen tremendous development this year, but that is not what I want to discuss today. What I must tell you is that this massive offshore floating island beneath your feet—its name is the ‘City of Starry Sky.’ People have been speculating endlessly about the true purpose of this ‘City of Starry Sky,’ and I have deliberately kept silent about it until now. Today, I reveal that our ‘City of Starry Sky’ is not for my personal indulgence. It belongs to the entire Starry Sky Group, and it belongs to every one of you present here. The future of Starry Sky Group rests upon this very ‘City of Starry Sky’ beneath your feet.”

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