Upon receiving the attack command from Liu Hui, the personnel in the command and control center immediately contacted the aerial fortress hanging in the sky and relayed his order.

Soon enough, on the large screen, Liu Hui watched as four spheres of light descended from the heavens, striking the four reconnaissance aircraft currently in flight. The four American and Russian reconnaissance planes instantly exploded violently in mid-air. After a final, brilliant flash, they plummeted into the vast ocean below.

“Boss, the mission objectives have been eliminated,” the commander aboard the aerial fortress reported.

“Good work. However, remain highly vigilant going forward; anticipate a fierce counterattack from the enemy,” Liu Hui instructed.

At the US military base on Guam, five hundred kilometers from "Star City," they abruptly lost contact with the two forward aircraft. Their reconnaissance planes were nowhere to be found on the radar screens either.

The US base was stunned. While continuing to broadcast on their communicators to reach the forward aircraft, they simultaneously activated their radar systems, sweeping the airspace where the planes had vanished, attempting to locate their whereabouts.

Regrettably, even after these measures, the US base could not re-establish contact with the two reconnaissance planes that had already been shot down. Without delay, the base commander reported this anomaly to the Department of Defense, awaiting specific directives from the rear command.

Meanwhile, aboard a massive Russian guided-missile destroyer one thousand kilometers from "Star City," Russian command personnel also discovered the mysterious disappearance of their two reconnaissance aircraft near the structure. After failing to reach them, they too reported the unusual situation back to Russia.

Following "Star City’s" successful downing of the four reconnaissance aircraft, both the United States and Russia quickly received confirmation of their missing planes.

They immediately convened emergency meetings to discuss this sudden crisis, ordering continued search operations for the missing aircraft while simultaneously preparing to initiate contact with the "Star City" representatives to probe whether they possessed any knowledge of the disappearances.

While the US and Russia were deliberating this abnormality, an unexpected announcement arrived: "Star City," which had been silent for months, released word that they would hold a press conference in ten minutes to announce significant news.

Staff officers in both the US and Russia instantly suspected that the content of the "Star City" conference might be directly related to their missing reconnaissance planes. They immediately switched the television channels in their conference rooms to Starry Sky Television—the only network permitted to broadcast the "Star City" press conference live.

Starry Sky Television did not keep those watching the press conference waiting long. Following a series of novel commercials, the impromptu press conference for "Star City" finally began.

When Liu Hui, the boss of the Starry Sky Group who had not appeared in public for four months, suddenly materialized on screen, every nation and organization with ulterior motives toward "Star City" was profoundly shocked. They instantly realized that the contingency they had most feared—the possibility of internal upheaval—was not happening, and all deployments predicated on that assumption would now fail utterly.

On screen, after a brief introduction by the moderator, the microphone was handed to Liu Hui.

Liu Hui accepted the microphone and smiled. “Ladies and gentlemen, the purpose of this press conference by 'Star City' today is to publicly disclose two matters. I will address the first matter now: approximately two hours ago, four planes piloted by pirates suddenly appeared within two hundred kilometers of our 'Star City.' These pirates violated our territorial waters, gravely challenging the dignity of 'Star City.' They refused to repent, and therefore, they have now been destroyed by us. This action is entirely compliant with relevant international law.”

The staff officers from the US and Russia gasped, quickly followed by mounting fury. They knew the exact flight paths of their reconnaissance aircraft; those planes had been flying well outside the two-hundred-kilometer radius of "Star City." Even at their closest approach to the territorial waters, they were still a full five kilometers away, committing no violation of "Star City’s" territorial limits or airspace.

Yet, now, through the television, they received definitive confirmation that their missing reconnaissance planes were destroyed, specifically by "Star City." Worse, their aircraft had been branded with the ignominious label of piracy after being shot down, with the perpetrator claiming adherence to international law.

This entire sequence was unacceptable to these Americans and Russians. The unilateral downing of other nations' aircraft had long been the exclusive prerogative of their two countries, usually followed by declarations that the attacks were legal—a rhetorical script they commonly employed. Nations they attacked often dared not protest loudly or seek redress. But now, their own planes had been attacked by a mere "Star City," and that entity was using their own playbook against them. How could these arrogant Americans and Russians stomach this humiliation? What face did their nations, once the world’s two greatest military powers, have left?

However, because "Star City’s" press conference was called so abruptly, no media reporters other than those from Starry Sky Television were present. Consequently, the moderator did not schedule a Q&A session. No matter how enraged the Americans and Russians were, they had no immediate avenue for appeal.

Liu Hui spoke lightly of destroying the four pirate planes, as if it were a trivial matter unworthy of his attention.

Liu Hui paused, then continued, “The second matter I wish to discuss today is that 'Star City' will establish a formal municipal government in one month. This newly formed government will oversee all specific affairs on 'Star City.' We welcome representatives from various nations and international organizations to visit 'Star City' to discuss matters of international cooperation with our new government. Furthermore, within six months, we will open the tourism market of 'Star City,' welcoming people from around the world to visit, sightsee, and shop here.”

The establishment of a formal municipal department to govern "Star City" had always been anticipated by global powers, and they were not surprised. Many were already prepared to engage with this new government, hoping to secure advantages through the process.

Travel enthusiasts deeply interested in "Star City" were overjoyed to hear that tourism would be permitted. They were fascinated by this unique marine structure, the only one of its kind globally. They had previously glimpsed the breathtaking scenery and singular charm of "Star City" through fragmented media reports, yet the inability to visit personally had always been a source of regret. Upon hearing Liu Hui’s announcement, their desire to travel surged; they immediately adjusted their schedules and began making preparations for a trip to "Star City."

After concisely delivering these two announcements, the moderator declared the small press conference concluded.

Watching Liu Hui exit the screen, the personnel from the US and Russia seethed with impotent rage. The pride of the world's two former greatest military powers could not tolerate being bullied by a minor entity like "Star City." Consequently, the hot-blooded junior staff officers quickly drafted extremely forceful retaliatory measures targeting "Star City’s" downing of their reconnaissance planes and submitted them to higher leadership tiers.

To the young officers’ profound disappointment, their proposals received no affirmative reply.

Eventually, their commanding officers ordered them to remain silent, to completely forget the incident, and never to discuss it in any forum. Though their anger remained intense, and they could not fathom their superiors' reasoning, as soldiers, they could only obey this strange directive.

These passionate young men did not fully grasp the formidable power of "Star City," which fueled their desire for strong retaliation. However, the upper echelons of the US and Russia were acutely aware of "Star City's" true strength.

They recalled the previous incident where five naval fleets had attempted to surround "Star City," only for the structure to seize the opportunity to destroy the warships of the Philippines and Japan, compelling the remaining three nations to withdraw voluntarily. Subsequently, "Star City" leveraged this incident to maintain a long-term blockade on the Philippines, assisting China in reclaiming the entire South China Sea. Throughout that entire process, "Star City" had demonstrated a mysterious, overwhelming power.

This mysterious, potent force remained something the US and Russia had yet to decipher. Despite dispatching numerous elite spies to "Star City," those agents invariably vanished without sending back a single message, completely thwarting US and Russian attempts to steal "Star City's" secret weaponry and instead filling them with profound apprehension regarding its military capabilities.

Unknown weapons are always the most terrifying. The US and Russia would not risk friction with "Star City" until they understood this critical advantage it possessed. Furthermore, their original objective for sending the reconnaissance planes was merely a probing action: to test whether "Star City" had undergone internal political shifts and to gauge its posture when challenged by external threats.

Now, with Liu Hui appearing publicly on television and brazenly announcing the destruction of "pirate" aircraft, they had their answer. "Star City" remained under Liu Hui’s command, and it demonstrated an exceptionally hardline stance against external provocation. Since this met their intelligence-gathering goals, after careful deliberation, they chose to yield for the moment, instructing their subordinates to erase the event completely. Before the geopolitical situation stabilized, initiating conflict with "Star City" was detrimental to the national interests of both the US and Russia.

Thus, upon his return to Earth, Liu Hui struck swiftly and decisively, forcefully countering the provocative actions initiated by the US and Russia against "Star City." He showcased "Star City's" immense strength and unyielding resolve, compelling both nations to retreat.

Although the outside world was unaware of why Liu Hui had been absent from public view for four months, his reappearance forced the postponement or cancellation of various plots and conspiracies targeting him and "Star City," perfectly illustrating the critical importance of Liu Hui to the structure.

Having resolved the immediate crisis facing "Star City," Liu Hui returned home to enjoy a private couple of days with Hu Xian'er, compensating her for the four months of separation.

On the third day, Liu Hui invited his parents and close friends over for a reunion.

That evening, after dinner, Liu Hui, Mei Peng, and Yue Wang ascended to the rooftop, where they drank and engaged in casual conversation.

“Fourth Brother, are you prepared?” Liu Hui inquired.

“Boss, I am ready. I also have a few things I need to discuss with you today,” Yue Wang responded.

During the preparatory work for the "Star City" municipal government, Yue Wang had displayed significant acumen in administrative matters, frequently offering excellent solutions to practical challenges. His performance demonstrated strong capabilities; it seemed his years studying in the United States were not spent idly.

Yue Wang had recently married Pingping. After tying the knot, Yue Wang underwent a complete transformation, shedding his former image as a carefree, dissolute playboy to become a devoted, family-oriented husband, almost to the point where no moral fault could be found in him.

Therefore, before Liu Hui could identify a more capable administrative leader, he decided to entrust the burden of "Star City’s" municipal management to Yue Wang. Liu Hui would serve as the Sovereign of "Star City," holding the supreme authority, while Yue Wang would be his special aide, responsible for the day-to-day management. This arrangement would stand until Yue Wang proved his competence or Liu Hui found an administrator superior to him.

Thus, when Liu Hui asked if Yue Wang was prepared, Yue Wang immediately shifted into a professional mode, ready to discuss issues with Liu Hui.

Liu Hui laughed. “Fourth Brother, tell me what you need to discuss.”

Yue Wang began, “Regarding the broad strokes of municipal governance, we can largely adopt the mature experiences of many established cities; that isn't our primary concern. However, since 'Star City' is an independent jurisdiction with unique characteristics, you will need to make the final decisions on certain matters.”

Liu Hui asked, “What kind of matters?”

Yue Wang clarified, “First and foremost, issues concerning marital relations—specifically, how many wives a man may have and how many children he may father.”

Liu Hui blinked in surprise. “Does this issue even require discussion?”

Yue Wang replied with seriousness, “I believe it warrants significant discussion. Your ideal is to establish a utopian society. In handling certain matters, it is best if we allow the people themselves to resolve and manage their own affairs. If our administration is merely heavy-handed and restrictive in every aspect, how will 'Star City' differ from any other city?”

Liu Hui stroked his chin. “So, under your proposal, men would be allowed multiple wives?”

Mei Peng interjected, “That seems inappropriate. The monogamous system is deeply ingrained. A sudden change could lead to major problems.”

Yue Wang continued, “On the issue of childbearing, there is no need for discussion—as many children as they wish to have, they may have. In fact, to expand our population base, we should implement policies that actively encourage fertility.”

Liu Hui nodded. “Agreed. We will not interfere with how many children people choose to have; in fact, we should encourage larger families. In the future, as we prepare to colonize Mars, we will require a massive population to develop the vast cosmos.”

Yue Wang proceeded, “Next is the question of how many wives a man may take. Domestically, we also practice monogamy, yet why does the reality include so many mistresses? Those women, the 'second wives,' often meet tragic ends. While they may disrupt other families, society failed to account for their existence—that is an administrative oversight. If 'second wives' appear on our 'Star City,' how can we claim to be a utopian society?”

Liu Hui inquired, “Fourth Brother, since you raise this point, you must already have a sound recommendation!”

Yue Wang nodded. “In Huaxia, we have always promoted the principle that guiding is better than blocking. The more you prohibit something, the more people will defy it. The more you guide it, the fewer major problems will arise, because society possesses a strong self-regulating capacity; people will naturally adjust toward the optimal state. Therefore, we should simply lift the restriction on the number of wives a man may take. As long as they are willing to commit the necessary financial resources, they can marry as many women as they wish. Of course, one woman may only marry one man, otherwise, it will descend into chaos.”

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