Liu Hui was momentarily stunned, realizing that Zerg had come to him seeking aid. Since Liu Hui established the drug cultivation base in the magic plane’s great canyon, he had been able to harvest over three thousand metric tons of narcotics annually from Alexander. All of this supply was stored in the secret vaults of the 'City of Starlight,' intended for trade with Zerg.

Although the volume of trade between Liu Hui and Zerg had gradually increased over the past few years, they still couldn't complete the exchange of three thousand tons of drugs each year. As a result, over several years, the vaults in the 'City of Starlight' had accumulated an inventory exceeding five thousand tons of narcotics. The two million units of narcotics Zerg had just requested, when converted to Earth units, amounted to only two thousand tons—less than half of Liu Hui's current storage.

Zerg was an extremely important trading partner for Liu Hui, boasting excellent credibility, and their products were urgently needed by the 'City of Starlight.' Therefore, at this most difficult time for Zerg, Liu Hui felt he absolutely had to help them overcome this hurdle. Only by thoroughly defeating the Protoss could Zerg's Swarm focus entirely on developing new medicines for Liu Hui, comprehensively enhancing human physical fitness.

Liu Hui quickly grasped the underlying stakes of Zerg's request for credit on the drugs. He stated, "Honorable Lord Zerg, you are my best friend. You are currently facing the threat of the Protoss, and as a friend, I must assist you. However, I must apologize; I cannot agree to the quantity of miraculous powder you are requesting this time."

A chill ran through Zerg; he had taken a great risk by asking for two million units of the miraculous powder, fully expecting Liu Hui to refuse, which he now had.

Then, Zerg heard Liu Hui continue, "I believe two million units of miraculous powder will not fully augment your strength. Therefore, to truly help you, I intend to provide you with five million units this time. The corresponding trade items for these five million units can be deducted slowly over time in future dealings. What do you think?"

Zerg was overjoyed. When he first heard Liu Hui’s refusal, his heart sank. Yet, he understood that asking Liu Hui for credit on such a massive quantity of miraculous powder without proper cause was indeed audacious, given that the amount surpassed their entire yearly transaction volume. The crisis facing the Swarm, however, had forced him to make such an immodest request. But just as disappointment settled in, Liu Hui unexpectedly delivered a surprise, agreeing to extend credit for five million units—an addition of three million on top of the initial two million. This immense quantity of miraculous powder could rapidly bolster his strength, making his elation boundless.

With an addition of five million remotely controlled Zerg commanders, the Swarm could deploy its armies across a much wider area, enabling them to locate the Protoss's weak points and concentrate superior forces to shatter the formidable Protoss defense line in one decisive blow. If that materialized, the Swarm would have a much greater certainty of winning this epic war against the Protoss.

Zerg responded with profound gratitude, "Esteemed Lord Liu Hui, on behalf of the entire Swarm, I thank you for the immense assistance you are providing us. I assure you that the performance of our Swarm in the future will not disappoint you."

Liu Hui chuckled, "Respected Lord Zerg, this is nothing. You are my natural ally; if I don't help you, who would I help? Remember, when I was still very weak, you also offered me significant support! Speaking of which, there is something I urgently need your help with right now."

Zerg replied, "Please, ask away, as long as the Swarm can be of service."

Liu Hui explained, "Among humanity, we frequently generate useless domestic waste. This waste comes in an extraordinary variety of types, some of which are incredibly resistant to natural decomposition and pollute vast tracts of land, severely threatening our living space. So, I must ask: do your Zerg possess any method to help us process this garbage?"

Zerg offered his explanation, "In our world, discarded waste is broken down by minute microorganisms or consumed by scavenger animals. After consuming or decomposing this waste, they convert the harmful substances within into nutrients, feeding them back into the soil and forming a healthy cycle. Consequently, we virtually never face environmental pollution issues from waste here."

Liu Hui exclaimed, "There’s such a method? Can you help us genetically modify these microorganisms and animals?"

Zerg smiled, "That’s a trivial matter for us. How about this: you provide us with the genetic fragments of the microorganisms or animals your world currently uses to decompose waste, and then list out all the components present in your trash. We will devise a way to modify your existing animals and microorganisms to ensure they devour your waste completely and even convert it back into nourishing components for your soil."

Liu Hui was thrilled. "If that is the case, I will prepare everything immediately and contact you then."

After interrupting his communication with Zerg, Liu Hui immediately ordered personnel to begin collecting the non-recyclable components from domestic waste, as well as collecting the microorganisms and animals used for decomposition, extracting their genes, and labeling them clearly. Once these tasks were completed, Liu Hui reestablished contact with Zerg, first completing the transaction for the five thousand tons of narcotics, and then handing over all the trash-related materials to Zerg.

The reason Liu Hui began prioritizing waste management was due to a severe garbage crisis emerging in the 'City of Starlight.' Although the 'City of Starlight' strictly enforced waste sorting regulations and effectively recycled all reusable materials, the unrecyclable waste continued to pile up over time, posing a grave threat to the city’s environmental safety.

Unlike other continental nations that could choose to bury this intractable waste deep underground, trusting it to decompose naturally over eons, the 'City of Starlight' could not. This is why Liu Hui sought Zerg's assistance. If microorganisms could be employed to eliminate this garbage, it would alleviate the environmental pollution in the 'City of Starlight,' granting all Star Citizens a clean living environment. If this technology could be deployed globally, it would eradicate the ever-worsening problem of environmental contamination, returning a pristine living space to humanity.

Time flew like an arrow, and soon it was the end of 2020. Over these past few months, the 'City of Starlight' maintained its momentum of rapid development across all sectors.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire world, the main construction of the 'City of Starlight' was finally completed in December. Exactly as originally planned, the current 'City of Starlight' presented a perfect circular form, boasting a radius of 60 kilometers and a total area of 11,300 square kilometers. The platform height of the 'City of Starlight' below sea level stood at 150 meters, with an average height of 50 meters protruding above the water line.

After years of relentless effort, the 'City of Starlight' had finally leaped off the blueprints and stood solidly before Liu Hui. Gazing upon the magnificent, imposing 'City of Starlight,' Liu Hui was overcome with complex emotions. He had sacrificed so much for the 'City of Starlight,' but now that it was complete, he felt immense pride and satisfaction. Such a monumental undertaking had never before been achieved in history, yet it was realized under his guidance, and it promised to be even greater in the future.

To construct this 'City of Starlight,' Liu Hui had poured over twenty trillion Star Yuan into the project, not accounting for the massive quantities of various ores directly mined from the deep sea, nor the extensive application of materials and technology from other dimensions. If those resources not calculated as investment were included, the total capital Liu Hui invested in the 'City of Starlight' would be far greater, perhaps even incalculable.

It was no exaggeration to say that such a colossal financial investment would more than suffice to purchase a mid-sized nation anywhere in the world, yet Liu Hui had chosen not to do so. His ambition was to build an ideal society, and a purchased nation would inevitably carry various latent conflicts, failing to meet his requirements. This compelled him to start from scratch, constructing an entirely new 'City of Starlight,' designed precisely according to his will. Ultimately, his vision succeeded: a super-massive 'City of Starlight,' entirely his own, was revealed to the world.

While the main structure of the 'City of Starlight' was complete, the various supporting and ancillary facilities were not. The gradual completion of these complementary systems would take several more years; only when they were all finished would the 'City of Starlight' be the ideal city Liu Hui envisioned. Fortunately, with the main structure finished, the subsequent work on the supporting facilities would be considerably lighter.

Witnessing the entire process—the 'City of Starlight' rising from nothing, growing from small to large, and evolving from weak to strong—shocked the entire world. In the beginning, when they first heard Liu Hui planned to build such a city, they dismissed it as the ravings of a madman, as it seemed an impossible fantasy given the technical capabilities and economic power available at the time. Yet, mere years later, the 'City of Starlight' had genuinely been erected right before their eyes.

The 'City of Starlight' now possessed such overwhelming strength, ranking among the world leaders in comprehensive power. This massive shift in perception caused those initially dismissive of the project to rapidly change their views, growing eager to join the 'City of Starlight' and viewing it as their most ideal environment for life and work.

Liu Hui paid little mind to how the world viewed the 'City of Starlight'; he was currently grappling with a significant internal issue. Now that the main construction phase was complete, the construction team, which had numbered one million workers, was suddenly oversized for the remaining ancillary work. This massive labor force was now facing the problem of resettlement.

While in the past, Liu Hui might have struggled with how to accommodate such a vast number of workers, now it was hardly an issue. This was because the terraforming of Mars had begun to yield tangible results, signaling the start of Martian construction. This enormous pool of construction workers would soon transfer to Mars to continue their careers in building.

After two consecutive years of intensive environmental modification efforts by the 'City of Starlight,' Mars's natural environment had been completely transformed. Since the Martian core had solidified, a powerful geomagnetic field had established itself on the planet. Under the influence of these fields, the Martian atmosphere was contained, preventing gases from escaping into outer space, ultimately forming a relatively sealed Martian atmospheric environment.

The ozone layer in the Martian atmosphere had largely formed through artificial induction. Protected by this ozone layer, the intense ultraviolet radiation from the sun was absorbed, allowing life forms on Mars a chance to survive without direct, harsh UV exposure.

The compositional ratios of gases in the Martian atmosphere had also changed drastically. Toxic gases released by past volcanic activity were gradually being broken down, and their concentration was steadily decreasing, scheduled to vanish entirely. Meanwhile, gases beneficial to life, such as oxygen, nitrogen, and water vapor, were rapidly increasing, now accounting for 20% of the total atmospheric volume. The atmospheric pressure on Mars had been adjusted to 80% of Earth's and would continue to be adjusted toward parity with Earth's in the future.

On the Martian surface, excluding the polar caps, the average temperature had reached 15 degrees Celsius. Driven by this temperature, the permafrost beneath the surface continuously thawed, causing water to surge upward. These sources converged, establishing a nascent, vast hydrological system of streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans on Mars. With the constant replenishment of water, the area covered by Martian oceans continued to expand, now occupying 70% of the planet's surface area.

Within these Martian oceans, increasing amounts of algal life appeared. Their prolific reproduction not only consumed vast quantities of carbon dioxide and released massive amounts of oxygen but also began to create a surplus of nutrients in the water, giving the oceans a profoundly azure appearance visible from space.

On the Martian landmasses, particularly near the two hundred strategic strongholds, large patches of green and brown began to emerge. These spots represented successfully cultivated fungi and moss species. Driven by the combined effects of these pioneering plants and atmospheric precipitation, the Martian surface environment started to stabilize. The frequency of dust storms continuously declined, and the Martian regolith was slowly transforming into true soil.

The Martian environment had been fundamentally altered; it was no longer the desolate, fiery red planet of before, but one beginning to exhibit robust vitality. Although it still did not meet the standard for full human migration, limited-scale planting of various vegetation was now possible.

Calculations from the supercomputer, the "Solar System Simulator," indicated that Mars's natural environment was trending toward a positive, self-sustaining cycle. Continued artificial modification meant that, before long, Mars's natural environment would become highly similar to Earth's. At that point, humans could not only migrate to Mars but move freely across its surface, rather than being confined to heavy environmental suits outside the Martian bases, as required currently.

Thus, in Liu Hui’s plans, the construction workers surplus from the 'City of Starlight's' massive build would depart for Mars. They would first receive injections of the body evolution fluid. Once the fluid took full effect and after systematic training, they would board interstellar transport vessels bound for Mars. There, they would construct large-scale human settlements and major engineering projects, paving the way for future human colonization. However, this was slated for 2031; currently, it remained only a concept.

The virtual reality network game that Liu Hui had anticipated so eagerly was also finally complete. Driven by a dedicated development team of five thousand people, the game had been designed to perfection.

This large-scale virtual network game would be controlled by the upgraded "Solar System Simulator." All players would utilize specialized game helmets, entering the massive illusion array through the spiritual energy fluctuation arrays embedded in the helmets, following the established game rules.

The "Solar System Simulator" would manage the entire virtual game, ensuring smooth operation and handling any unforeseen circumstances that arose during gameplay to prevent bugs.

Upon the game’s completion, Liu Hui immediately logged into this game, titled *Gods and Demons*. Upon entering, he found that the previously barren world had undergone a dramatic transformation, now perfectly realizing the designed setting—a world, as its name suggested, teeming with gods and demons.

Liu Hui test-played the game for a while and found the experience incredibly real, almost indistinguishable from the real world. The only difference was that this realm operated under the rules of gods and demons, entirely unlike the outside world. After playing for a period and choosing to exit, he felt a surprising sense of reluctance, which testified to its quality as an exceptional game.

Consequently, the 'City of Starlight' once again announced to the outside world that, following intensive efforts, they were launching a completely realistic virtual game. People would be able to enter this virtual world and personally experience a game boasting extraordinary fidelity, where the sensation of playing was identical to being in reality.

Entering this virtual game would be simple: players only needed to purchase a game helmet produced by the 'City of Starlight' and activate an account. Much like the previously utilized spiritual energy cellphones, this helmet required no physical network cables and could access the *Gods and Demons* game from anywhere globally, offering seamless, high-speed, realistic online gaming. In this virtual world, everyone would operate within a single massive server cluster. The game supported one billion concurrent players, allowing them to pursue their vendettas and glories in this second existence.

The 'City of Starlight' finally announced that the official open beta for this virtual game would commence in January 2021, welcoming everyone to experience it then.

The launch of this virtual network game by the 'City of Starlight' immediately generated immense anticipation among gamers worldwide. For years, global gamers had been accustomed to flat-screen PC games, which they dubbed 3D realistic games, yet these failed to provide any genuine sensory immersion. Hearing that the 'City of Starlight’s' virtual game was imminent filled them with eager expectation.

These gaming enthusiasts harbored no doubt regarding the veracity of the 'City of Starlight’s' marketing claims, as the city had cultivated an exceptionally strong reputation over the years. One could criticize the 'City of Starlight' for its domineering actions, or its exorbitant fees, or simply dislike the organization itself, but absolutely no one doubted the quality of the products manufactured by the 'City of Starlight' or questioned whether they matched their promotional descriptions.

Behind the scenes, the 'City of Starlight' and various national governments were concluding final negotiations regarding the profit sharing associated with the *Gods and Demons* game. Within *Gods and Demons*, issues concerning the exchange rate between in-game currency and real-world fiat money would arise, as would in-game instances of real-world online commerce, substantial opportunities for advertising revenue, and item auctions—a series of commercial operations involving astronomical sums of money.

If the 'City of Starlight' had chosen to bypass these nations entirely, they could indeed operate the *Gods and Demons* game using the wireless spiritual energy wave connection, as these governments held no control over the propagation of spiritual energy waves. However, doing so would certainly breed resentment among those nations, thereby damaging their relationship with the 'City of Starlight.' This consideration prompted Liu Hui to enter negotiations, aiming for a win-win outcome by conceding a certain percentage of the profits.

These nations were also quick to grasp the impact this brand-new virtual network game would have on the world, and recognizing the immense commercial opportunities it presented, they accorded significant weight to the issue of this game. Following intense negotiations among them, "Starlight City," after conceding certain concessions, finally reached a consensus with these nations regarding the worldwide operation of the game Shen Mo, which included the division of the commercial benefits pie and the definition of administrative responsibilities and authority. Once these agreements were finalized, the Shen Mo game announced its official open beta, and the initial ten million game helmets sold exclusively at Starlight specialty stores were completely sold out.

By the close of 2020, "Starlight City," with a true-to-life virtual game that pioneered a new era in human history, continued to weave its commercial miracle. This game was poised not only to revolutionize the gaming habits of every player but also to bring staggering economic benefits to "Starlight City."