The annual report data of Star Group, since it involved no sensitive information, was published by its subsidiary media company. Compared to other media outlets, the company under Star Group reported the data more quickly and in greater detail. Through this report, the media company belonging to Star Group began to make a name for itself in the journalism world, and people started to notice its existence.

The astonishing annual figures released by Star Group immediately sparked intense discussion among people worldwide, who were all extremely surprised and incredulous at the numbers. It was known that besides Star Group, no other company in the world had ever achieved annual revenues exceeding one trillion US dollars, let alone Star Group's total revenue reaching a staggering 2.65 trillion US dollars. This figure only accounted for the revenue of Star Group's wholly-owned subsidiaries; if the revenue of companies in which Star Group held indirect controlling stakes were included, the data would be even more terrifying.

One only needed to consider that Star Group held a 20% stake in the two mining giants, Rio Tinto and Vale, to grasp the magnitude of this uncounted income. Consequently, the achievements made by Star Group last year instantly transformed from a legend into a myth, one that no company was likely to surpass within a century.

Simultaneously, the world's populace began gossiping about the extent of Liu Hui’s personal fortune, though they lacked precise figures for any calculation. However, they shared a consensus: Liu Hui’s personal assets now surpassed those of the US government, and as Star Group continued to grow, his wealth would only increase, leaving the US government far behind. He could truly be called as rich as a nation.

In contrast to these exaggerated performance figures, very few people paid attention to Liu Hui’s announcement at the convention about relocating the entirety of Star Group to the "Star City." In the minds of most people, the so-called "Star City" was nothing more than a floating island at sea; no matter its size, it was merely equivalent to an oversized ship, a place where humans could not possibly live for long, let alone move an entire corporation there.

However, those with keen observation skills did note Liu Hui’s speech. Combining this with his past actions, they concluded that this was absolutely not an idle threat. Consequently, they immediately convened meetings to study the potential negative impacts such a scenario might bring upon them and to devise countermeasures.

Liu Hui, however, paid no mind to how the world viewed Star Group. Following the conclusion of this year-end summary meeting, Star Group officially began its extended Chinese New Year holiday. During this period, Liu Hui set aside all his work, desiring only to spend quality time with his family, to alleviate the guilt stemming from his frequent absence due to his demanding work schedule.

Liu Hui was particularly determined to use this Spring Festival break to spend significant time with Hu Xian’er. Since marrying him, Hu Xian’er had resigned from Star Group, setting aside everything to dedicate herself to being a full-time homemaker. She managed Liu Hui’s daily life flawlessly, allowing him to focus on his work without domestic concerns.

Yet, during his work, Liu Hui had developed an ambiguous relationship with An Qi, which filled him with deep remorse toward Hu Xian’er. This was precisely why he wanted to spend concentrated time with Hu Xian’er—to ease the burden of his conscience.

Maeda Atsuko was a core member of the famous Japanese girl group AKB48; with her sweet and charming looks, she was the dream goddess for otaku across Japan.

One day, after finishing a commercial shoot, Maeda Atsuko was stopped by Oshima Yuko, the leader of the AKB48 group.

“Acchan, have you finished testing that Sony three-dimensional head-mounted cinema yet?” Oshima Yuko inquired.

“Ah, if you hadn't mentioned it, I almost forgot. I haven't tested it yet. Have you gone, Yuko?” Maeda Atsuko replied sheepishly.

“Acchan, I haven’t either. Why don't we go together today?” Oshima Yuko said, taking Maeda Atsuko’s hand.

“Sounds great! Let’s go right now!”

The three-dimensional head-mounted cinema that Maeda Atsuko and Oshima Yuko were discussing was a cutting-edge, revolutionary new product recently launched by Sony. Once worn on the head, it allowed users to watch stereoscopic 3D films on the go, effectively meaning one carried a mobile 3D cinema everywhere.

However, it was rumored that Sony’s product was still undergoing user testing and had not yet entered mass production for market release. Sony had specifically manufactured many of these head-mounted 3D cinemas and placed them in the city centers of major metropolises, inviting people across the nation to test the product. This was to ensure continuous improvements so that the product could launch without any flaws, ready to sweep the global market.

The AKB48 team had also been invited to test the product's functionality and had received special invitation cards bearing their names. This was why Maeda Atsuko and Oshima Yuko were heading out together—to familiarize themselves with this groundbreaking new product and, simultaneously, to assist Sony in identifying any potential defects.

The two arrived at the testing center. They presented the invitation cards bearing their names to the staff and were subsequently issued a head-mounted device that resembled a cap with a protruding front section. As soon as they placed this strange apparatus onto their heads, the internal movie began to play, and they were instantly watching a completely realistic, three-dimensional film. The test film was brilliantly shot, and the intensely immersive 3D effect quickly drew Maeda Atsuko and Oshima Yuko deep into the exciting narrative.

What Maeda Atsuko and Oshima Yuko did not anticipate was that inside the lining of this head-mounted device, a special instrument was actively recording the frequency of their brainwave activity. This data was then transmitted via the network to a secret research institute located in the suburbs of Tokyo. Along with their brainwave data, the readings from product testers in other cities across Japan were also being sent to this institute.

A researcher was listlessly staring at the incoming data, clearly disappointed. Although they had the Prime Minister's support, using the guise of testing Sony's head-mounted 3D cinema to secretly collect the brainwave data of the entire Japanese populace, none of the collected brainwave patterns met the requirements of their research. He wondered how long this trial-and-error approach would have to continue.

Just then, an alarm suddenly blared throughout the room, and one person's brainwave data popped up on the computer screen, highlighted in vivid red.

The researcher froze, and upon clearly identifying the frequency of that brainwave, his heart leaped with exhilaration. He rushed out, accidentally knocking over a teacup in his haste, spilling tea onto himself, yet he paid it no mind and did not pause.

The researcher ran to an office door, charging in without knocking, and announced to an elderly man clad in a white lab coat, “Professor Kuno, we have found a suitable candidate!”

The old professor named Kuno started, quickly rising to his feet, forgetting to reprimand the young researcher for his rudeness. He exclaimed excitedly, “Matsuda-kun, you really found someone suitable? Are you certain you aren’t deceiving me?”

The researcher named Matsuda confirmed firmly, “Professor Kuno, I am not lying. A suitable candidate has truly appeared. Although her compatibility rating is only 81%, it doesn’t yet reach 100.”

Professor Kuno laughed heartily, “Matsuda-kun, an 81% compatibility is more than enough! Our ‘Yamata no Orochi’ can finally be resurrected. Oh yes, what is that person’s name?”

Matsuda replied, “Her name is Maeda Atsuko. She appears to be a very famous star.”

Professor Kuno commanded, “Immediately call the Prime Minister’s office and have them locate that celebrity at once. Our ‘Yamata no Orochi’ project has been delayed for too long; we cannot afford any more setbacks!”

“Yes!” Matsuda bowed deeply to Professor Kuno and immediately rushed out to contact the Prime Minister's office.

When Maeda Atsuko finished watching the incredibly captivating 3D film and removed the head-mounted cinema, she was surprised to find two men in black standing before her.

One of the men in black stated, “Miss Maeda, we are from the Prime Minister’s residence. Here are our credentials. The Prime Minister wishes to see you.”

Maeda Atsuko was startled, unsure why the Prime Minister would want to meet her, but she replied, “Very well. Shall we go now?”

The man in black said, “Miss Maeda, right now, please.”

Maeda Atsuko asked, “What about my companion…”

The other man in black assured her, “Miss Maeda, rest assured, your companion, Miss Oshima Yuko, has already returned home on her own.”

With that, Maeda Atsuko got into the car with the two men in black, and they drove toward the Prime Minister’s residence.

A week later, the Japanese news media released bombshell news: Maeda Atsuko, core member of the famous idol group AKB48, had died in a car accident while driving. The moment this news broke, it caused immense grief among the otaku devoted to her, and they spontaneously gathered to mourn their idol goddess.

Upon inspecting the accident scene, investigators found no traffic violations committed by the vehicle Maeda Atsuko was driving. The driver of another car was assigned full responsibility. The offending driver was subsequently taken to court, and the company owning the offending vehicle was a large multinational corporation. Following the court's verdict, the driver was sentenced to life imprisonment, and Maeda Atsuko’s family received substantial compensation of ten billion yen from the multinational corporation.

The beloved goddess of the otaku, Maeda Atsuko, was gone. However, not long after, she was forgotten by the Japanese otaku community; they began shifting their focus to find the next goddess. As time slowly elapsed, Maeda Atsuko gradually faded from the public eye in Japan.

During the Spring Festival holiday, Liu Hui spent his time entirely accompanying his family, leading a very comfortable and pleasant existence. Only when he heard that An Qi had also worked tirelessly through the entire holiday, engaged in those never-ending scientific experiments, did a slight unease creep into his heart.

An Qi had been somewhat avoiding Liu Hui since her drunken confession to him during their last meeting, and the way she looked at him had become increasingly mournful. The likely primary reason she chose not to rest during the Spring Festival was due to Liu Hui's rejection; she was likely trying to numb herself through work.

Although Liu Hui was aware of An Qi’s feelings, and knew that physical contact between their bodies evoked that mysterious sense of familiarity, he found himself unable to allow their relationship to progress further. After all, Liu Hui was married, and his bond with Hu Xian’er was very strong. Unlike ancient times, no woman today would willingly share her beloved.

Therefore, Liu Hui could only pretend not to notice An Qi’s unusual behavior, as he did not want to condemn An Qi to a lifetime of suffering. Even if An Qi were willing to follow him regardless of her status, Liu Hui would never agree. Because a woman as excellent as An Qi deserved to experience genuine love, not a life attached to a married, second-hand man like himself. Liu Hui understood this deeply, which was why he intentionally ignored An Qi's affection. It was better to suffer a short pain now than to prolong the hurt, as the longer it dragged on, the greater the damage would be to An Qi.

The Spring Festival holiday slowly passed. However, on the very last day of this long break, Elder Luo Tianmin of the Luo family, accompanied by Luo Yufeng, arrived at Star Group to pay New Year's respects to Liu Hui’s family.

Seeing Luo Tianmin arrive in person, Liu Hui immediately understood that the visit was prompted by the speech he had given at the convention shortly before the holiday. Indeed, after some customary greetings, Luo Yufeng was sent out by Luo Tianmin, leaving only Liu Hui and Luo Tianmin alone in the room.

Luo Tianmin chuckled, “Xiao Hui, I’ve come mainly to ask you about one specific matter.”

Liu Hui returned the smile, “Elder Luo, please ask away. I will tell you everything I know without reservation.”

Luo Tianmin continued with a smile, “Since you are being so candid, I will be direct. Before the New Year, during your company's employee representative conference, you announced plans to relocate certain divisions of Star Group to your ‘Star City,’ and you even stated that within six months, you would move all Star Group departments there. Is this true?”

Liu Hui nodded, “It is true. I did say that. At the latest, within six months, all departments of Star Group will be relocated to ‘Star City.’”

Luo Tianmin inquired, “Xiao Hui, why do you intend to move the entire Star Group to a floating island at sea? Wouldn’t remaining on land be better? Moreover, the sea is subject to rough weather, making it insecure, and supply lines are inconvenient—won't this hinder your development? What would you do if an emergency arose?”

Liu Hui explained, “The reason I intend to move the entirety of Star Group to ‘Star City’ is that I want Star Group to achieve better developmental space. The current location in Hong Kong is no longer suitable for our continued growth.”

Luo Tianmin asked, surprised, “Aren't the policies in Hong Kong quite favorable? Why would they become unsuitable for your development?”

Liu Hui shook his head, “Elder Luo, to be honest with you, we have not been happy here in Hong Kong. Because we haven't been able to secure sufficient land, our company lacks adequate room for expansion. Many factories we intended to build cannot proceed, and this has severely obstructed the normal development of Star Group. I have negotiated with the Hong Kong government multiple times, but over the past three years, they have only granted us less than two square kilometers of land. Furthermore, they prohibited us from cutting down the forest on that two-square-kilometer plot. After deductions, in three years, Star Group has acquired less than one square kilometer of usable land.”

Luo Tianmin frowned slightly and said, “Xiao Hui, surely the land issue could be negotiated? To move the entire Star Group to ‘Star City’ solely because of this seems somewhat drastic, doesn't it?”

Liu Hui gave a cold laugh, “Is this land issue truly negotiable? We offered to purchase the surrounding land at twice the market rate, but the owners consistently refused to sell. Their asking price was more than ten times the market land value. When we assumed they were just minor obstacles and prepared to use firmer measures, we discovered that the land surrounding Star Group was already entirely owned by the princelings and princess corps from the capital. This means that for Star Group to expand, we would have to buy the land held by these heirs and heiresses, and accept their extortion demands of over ten times the market price. Star Group naturally refuses to comply with such unfair conditions. As a result, they are hoarding the land, preventing our factories from expanding for years. Do you still think this land issue is easily negotiable?”

Luo Tianmin laughed awkwardly, “Xiao Hui, you really should have informed me of this situation earlier. If we had known, we would certainly have helped you resolve the matter.”

Liu Hui sneered, “Does this matter even need to be reported to you people? With the intelligence systems you control, it’s impossible you didn’t know about Star Group being extorted by this group of princelings and princess corps. The reason you did nothing is that the interests of your own powerful families are deeply involved here.”

Luo Tianmin forced a smile, “This has nothing to do with our Luo family; we were not involved in any way. If all that land belonged to the Luo family, we would have transferred it to you long ago.”

Liu Hui nodded, “That’s right, your Luo family was indeed not involved in this incident; otherwise, you wouldn’t be sitting here chatting with me. Let’s return to the original topic: Star Group faces more than just land problems; the supporting infrastructure here also has serious issues. The supply of water, electricity, and gas cannot guarantee our normal needs. If we hadn't solved these impending challenges ourselves, Star Group would never have achieved the brilliance it has today.”

Luo Tianmin countered, “You should have brought up these infrastructure issues earlier too, then we could have helped you solve them.”

Liu Hui smiled cryptically, “Do you truly believe you could solve those problems? I dispatched our personnel to negotiate with the water, electricity, and gas departments, only to discover that someone within those departments was deliberately strangling us. Only after we paid a hefty price would they supply us with adequate resources for production. Furthermore, this price is time-sensitive; they may be satisfied now, but that satisfaction is not permanent. So, when they become displeased, they can cut off our resources at any time, forcing us to continue paying to secure the resources needed for development. In such an environment, how can Star Group possibly advance?”

Luo Tianmin became furious, “There’s such a thing? Tell me who the opposing party is, and I will help you vent this anger! This is Hong Kong, a place governed by law; they will surely be punished.”

Liu Hui laughed, “Elder Luo, I believe Hong Kong law doesn't reach their level.”

Luo Tianmin asked strangely, “Xiao Hui, what you are saying is peculiar. This is Hong Kong; how could Hong Kong law not reach them?”

Liu Hui explained, “Because the people I am referring to are the very princelings and princess corps from the capital I mentioned earlier. Somehow, they managed to place their own people within the water, electricity, and gas supply departments, becoming the direct personnel responsible for managing our resources. They immediately grasped the throat of our development. When we reported the situation of them arbitrarily extorting us to the Hong Kong government, the Chief Executive clearly told me that these individuals were backed by the princelings and princesses from the capital, and he dared not offend them, so he could not help me. With the background of the capital's heirs and heiresses, do you truly believe Hong Kong law can govern them? Can even your Luo family alone stand up for us?”

Elder Luo’s face flushed slightly as he admitted, “Because of these occurrences, you decided to move the entire Star Group to ‘Star City’?”

Liu Hui stated, “Exactly. Since we cannot receive fair treatment on someone else’s turf, I have no choice but to build a place where fairness can be achieved.”

Luo Tianmin paused for a moment before asking, "If we ensure the stable development of your Starry Sky Group right now, will you remain in Hong Kong?"

Liu Hui shook his head. "It's impossible for Starry Sky Group to stay in Hong Kong, because if we continue to remain here, there will be absolutely no guarantee for our future. I have a good relationship with this current administration, which is why you're willing to help us resolve these troublesome matters. But what if you're no longer in power? If the new administration doesn't have a good relationship with us, and they stop assisting us, or worse, intentionally extort us—what then?"

Luo Tianmin sighed; he understood Liu Hui's meaning. In contemporary China, there was no visible sign of governance by law; it was entirely run by the personal rule that had persisted for millennia. Simply put, it was one emperor, one court; one leader, one set of policies. Once the leader who supported him was gone, the successor might completely overturn the previous leader's ideas and policies to start anew. This was precisely what Liu Hui feared most, something that even Luo Tianmin's distinguished background could not alter.

So, Luo Tianmin asked, "Xiao Hui, where will your 'City of Stars' be stationed then? Can it perhaps still anchor within Hong Kong waters?"

Liu Hui chuckled. "If we're still moored in Hong Kong waters, are we supposed to just wait for you to keep levying taxes on us?"

～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～ A special thanks to the reader, Yuepiao Dashi (Monthly Ticket Ambassador), for their tremendous support of this book. Over the past two days, Yuepiao Dashi has given the book: two separate rewards of 588 Qidian coins, cast one monthly ticket, and gifted sixty chapters. Furthermore, they cast an update ticket for 28 chapters amounting to 9000 characters, instantly becoming the book's number one Duozhu (helmsman/leading supporter). I must express my gratitude to you once more.

However, I need to clarify that I write with a plan, and after writing, I revise repeatedly; the revision time is no less than the writing time. Thus, five to six thousand characters per day is my limit. If I exceed this, I can only resort to padding the text with filler material, which defeats the purpose of the update ticket for 9000 characters. Therefore, I cannot meet the request for 9000-character updates from the reader Yuepiao Dashi. I hope you can understand.

Simultaneously, thanks are also due to the reader: Wo Shi Baichi Ah Ah Ah Ah for their support via monthly tickets. . More chapters are available at address RH