The sheer shock that hit Wallace of the US and Shaldin of Russia upon hearing the coordinates Liu Hui mentioned was immense, for they both knew those coordinates marked the location of their respective nations' dispatched support fleets.

Naturally, they refused to believe Liu Hui's assertion that pirates had sunk their warships; they were already certain that the "City of Starlight" was responsible, yet they were utterly helpless in responding. They had no idea how the "City of Starlight" had attacked them, nor what weaponry it had employed.

Under such circumstances, if the "City of Starlight" chose to target their support fleets, they possessed absolutely no means of defense against such an assault, leading to an overwhelming dread of the "City of Starlight."

Wallace snorted coldly and stated, "Mr. Liu Hui, I will relay your words directly to our President. I trust our President will demand an explanation from you. Be aware, sir, that our nation's nuclear deterrent is not merely for show."

Shaldin added with palpable resentment, "Mr. Liu Hui, I hope you maintain this same arrogance when our President speaks with you. In all these decades, not one Russian warship has been sunk by an outsider."

After issuing their final threats, the fleet commanders from the US and Russia terminated the communication with Liu Hui.

Hu Xian'er expressed her concern, "Shui Niu, by dealing with them so forcefully, won't you provoke an even stronger backlash?"

Liu Hui replied, "Xian'er, if we yield now, do you truly believe they will treat us kindly?"

Hu Xian'er conceded, "That is indeed unlikely."

Liu Hui chuckled, "Since they won't grant us an easy life, why should we show them courtesy? Moreover, our 'City of Starlight' now possesses the capability to dictate terms. If they truly dare to approach, I won't hesitate to sink them. I must make them understand our unwavering stance, for only then can the 'City of Starlight' secure its true sphere of existence."

The radar operator suddenly reported, "Boss, the remaining US and Russian warships have retreated beyond our two-hundred-kilometer perimeter."

Liu Hui inquired, "What about the submarines beneath the surface?"

The radar operator responded, "Their submarine contingent is also beginning to withdraw, but submarines are slow; it will take them over an hour to clear the two-hundred-kilometer zone."

Liu Hui smiled. "Xian'er, you see? They chose to back down. That’s how the world works: the one with the bigger fist speaks the loudest. America and Russia are nothing more than paper tigers. The moment we displayed our strength, they recoiled."

Hu Xian'er murmured, "But might they retaliate against us in other ways..."

Liu Hui laughed gently, "Xian'er, stop worrying. I have everything under control; this situation will be resolved perfectly."

Mei Peng asked, "Boss, since the warships from those four nations have been dealt with, what about the Huaxia fleet?"

Liu Hui instructed, "Director Wu, immediately contact the commander of the Huaxia fleet. Inform them that the mission to eradicate the pirates has been successfully concluded for the other four nations, and they have all departed. Also, instruct the Huaxia fleet to leave this area immediately."

Wu Yuanjia countered, "They might not necessarily leave just because we tell them to!"

Liu Hui smiled. "Trust my judgment. Huaxia is fundamentally pragmatic. Oh, and please send my regards to Old Master Luo back home."

Wu Yuanjia personally handled the communication with the Huaxia fleet. Ten minutes later, Wu Yuanjia returned, beaming, and announced, "Boss, once I told them exactly what you instructed, they decided to leave immediately."

Liu Hui explained, "Our dialogue with the homeland isn't conducted through these naval fleets; it happens at the highest levels. That’s why they chose to withdraw."

The radar operator suddenly interjected, "Boss, the Huaxia warships have begun their withdrawal, and the American and Russian support fleets have ceased their advance."

Liu Hui nodded, "Excellent. It seems our warning was effective."

The senior executives of the Starlight Group looked upon Liu Hui with undisguised admiration. With a few calculated maneuvers, Liu Hui had neutralized the five-nation fleet surrounding the City of Starlight, and his subsequent, unambiguous threats had forced their reinforcement fleets to halt.

Liu Hui looked at those beneath him and smiled. "Why are you all staring at me like that? I'm no immortal. The reason these national navies retreated is simply because our 'City of Starlight' has grown too powerful, and they prefer not to engage in a direct confrontation. And the strength of the 'City of Starlight' is the result of the collective effort of everyone in this room."

Jiang Lu exclaimed with excitement, "Boss, I feel like I'm dreaming..."

Liu Hui laughed. "You are not dreaming; all this is real. The might of our 'City of Starlight' has earned the respect of our adversaries. Speaking of dreams, haven't you all had a proper rest in a long time? Now that the situation is resolved perfectly, I thank you for your hard work during this period. Go home and rest well! I will handle everything remaining."

Seeing that the situation had stabilized, the high-ranking members of the Starlight Group finally allowed themselves to relax, and in that relaxation, they realized how utterly exhausted their bodies were; rest was indeed essential. With that, they excused themselves and headed home.

Liu Hui turned to Hu Xian'er and said, "Xian'er, you've worked hard during this time too. You should go back first. I'll return once the remaining affairs are settled."

Hu Xian'er obediently left, leaving only Wu Yuanjia, Desheng, Zhou Tengyun, and Lin Yuan remaining in the room.

Desheng inquired, "Boss, our intelligence operative in the American branch sent back a report stating that you were on the Antarctic continent these past few days. Is this true?"

Liu Hui sighed. "Yes, it is true. I was forcibly taken to the Antarctic continent by an American aircraft and nearly couldn't make it back."

Desheng admitted shamefully, "Boss, it was due to our failure in intelligence work. We never suspected that this Li Lian was actually a member of the Dragon Slaying Society, causing you such danger."

Liu Hui responded, "Desheng, just focus on strengthening that aspect of our work going forward. Frankly, I didn't anticipate Li Lian was a mole either. However, since she chose suicide, we'll consider that debt settled. Ensure her remains are buried with dignity."

Wu Yuanjia asked, "Boss, the current geopolitical situation is incredibly precarious. How do you plan to navigate all of this?"

Liu Hui stated, "Since we've already chosen the strategy of 'killing the chicken to scare the monkeys,' we must see this through to the end. I plan to make an example of the Philippines to intimidate other nations and organizations."

Wu Yuanjia pressed, "Huaxia suddenly and unilaterally suspended negotiations with us. How will you handle their response?"

Liu Hui replied, "I already have a clear plan for how to negotiate with Huaxia. Your sole responsibility is to ensure the security and defense of the 'City of Starlight.' I will take care of everything else."

Though they had no idea precisely how the Boss would manage everything, they chose to place their full faith in Liu Hui. Consequently, Wu Yuanjia, Desheng, and Lin Yuan promptly took their leave from the operations command center, leaving only Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun behind.

"Boss, what exactly happened that you ended up on the Antarctic continent, and why did you return so late?" Zhou Tengyun waited until the others were gone before asking.

Liu Hui sighed. "I was abducted by an American aircraft and taken to the Antarctic continent. Later, I encountered Advisor Pina and the 'Soul Chaser' from the 'N' assassin organization. I engaged in a life-or-death battle with Soul Chaser in the skies before finally managing to escape back here. The entire ordeal was extraordinarily perilous, but thankfully, I made it back in the end."

"You actually encountered Pina and Soul Chaser in Antarctica?" Zhou Tengyun was thunderstruck. He knew the terrifying power of those two god-level masters; even he would find encountering them a troublesome affair.

"Yes. I don't know how they ended up allied. But speaking of which, if those two top experts hadn't both been stranded on the Antarctic continent, perhaps we wouldn't have stood a chance against them here in the 'City of Starlight'?" Liu Hui mused. Having personally fought Soul Chaser, he understood the horror of that god-level master. If it hadn't been for the protection of his Radiant Armor, the outcome could have been entirely different.

"It seems we must enhance our vigilance going forward, preventing these two masters from joining forces, otherwise, the 'City of Starlight' will face extreme danger," Zhou Tengyun cautioned.

Liu Hui laughed. "Old Third, you don't need to worry about that. Soul Chaser plummeted straight down from ten thousand meters into the ocean; he is likely dead by now, and even if he survived, he'd be crippled, posing no threat to us."

Then Liu Hui recounted the minute details of his aerial combat with Soul Chaser. Zhou Tengyun listened, his heart pounding with fear, but upon hearing that Liu Hui had ultimately prevailed, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

After arranging all the necessary matters, Liu Hui finally left the operations command center. The moment he arrived home, Hu Xian'er threw herself into his arms.

"Shui Niu, do you know how worried I was? I was terrified I might never see you again," Hu Xian'er confessed, tears streaming down her face.

Liu Hui tenderly cupped her face and said, "My lady, am I not back safely? Actually, this time I went to..."

Hu Xian'er immediately pressed her lips against his mouth, saying, "Enough. I don't care where you went, because you are back now. But you are forbidden to leave me without notice ever again."

Liu Hui breathed a sigh of relief; Hu Xian'er's understanding spared him the need to fabricate an excuse for his absence. He smiled, "Yes, yes, yes. From now on, wherever I go, I will seek your instruction and report back, alright?"

Hu Xian'er’s tears turned to a smile. "Good. Not only must your physical movements be reported to me, but the movements of your heart must also be reported."

Liu Hui laughed, "Agreed. The movements of my heart will also be reported to you."

Hu Xian'er smiled sweetly. "Once I have a handle on where your heart is moving, I won't have to worry about you having other women."

Liu Hui paused, and in his mind, the frail silhouette waiting for him devotedly on the beach flashed instantly.

Hu Xian'er hesitated for a moment. "Shui Niu, I just felt your body tense up. Are you hiding something from me?"

Liu Hui startled, quickly regaining his composure. It was too soon to deal with the matter of An Qi; he needed to placate Hu Xian'er first. He forced a mysterious smile. "Xian'er, you know..."

Hu Xian'er asked quizzically, "Know what?"

Liu Hui grinned roguishly. "I've been away for so many days, I’ve started missing you terribly. Don't you think the time we have together is precious?"

Hu Xian'er’s face flushed, and she retorted, "You’ve just returned and you’re already thinking about that..."

Liu Hui instantly sealed Hu Xian'er’s lips with his own, swept her onto the bed, and then descended upon her with the fierce hunger of a wolf...

"Shui Niu..."

"En..."

"I want more..."

"This is already the third time..."

"I don't care..."

"Come then..."