Liu Hai, still unfamiliar with the ways of interstellar civilization, had gotten so excited that he drank himself into a stupor. It wasn't until noon the next day that he woke up to an incoming communication call.
Igor watched with a strange expression as Liu Hai clumsily climbed into the command chair, unable to resist advising, "Liu, I know you made a good profit on this deal, but you should still take care of your health. Even with the enhanced recovery abilities of interstellar humans, there are limits. Things like sudden death can still happen."
His head still fuzzy, Liu Hai just chuckled at Igor's words before changing the subject. "Igor, is your spaceship repaired? Can you help me transport and sell those metal materials we discussed earlier?"
"Of course, my new boss! I came to work as soon as the repairs were done—couldn't wait!" Igor immediately perked up at the mention of making money. Nothing in this world satisfied him more than profit.
"Your identity has been registered in the Star Sea Group employee list. Now we'll see if your connections are really useful." Liu Hai drank a hangover remedy prepared by the domestic robot while dangling a carrot in front of Igor.
"Like I told you before, the company will cover all transportation costs, and you'll get a 1% commission on each shipment."
Igor immediately thumped his chest in assurance. "Don't worry, boss! I've already lined up buyers. With the current push for expansion by the parliament, all the military factories and related manufacturers are desperate for raw materials. Unlike in lord-controlled regions, resource extraction in Federation territory is restricted by federal decrees. The Federation's internal resources alone can't meet their booming demand."
Liu Hai had been monitoring StarNet for quite some time and had gathered considerable information on this topic, though not as in-depth as Igor, who had spent years navigating the Smuggling Port. Even a single percentage point fluctuation in material and equipment prices directly impacted their lives, making people like Igor more attuned to market changes than outsiders like Liu Hai.
"Good that you're prepared. The materials are still stored near the base. Also, next month we'll have over a hundred million worth of metal materials coming in. So you might want to recruit a few trustworthy spaceship captains to join the company. After we sell this batch, I plan to purchase several cargo spaceships from Quickcast Company. You'll be in charge of the company's freight operations from then on."
Liu Hai revealed part of his development plan to Igor. After all, Star Sea Group's growth was out in the open—anyone could look it up—so there was no point in hiding anything.
Currently, the Biological Factory inside the base was already cultivating spaceship pilots. The genetic material and related knowledge had been purchased from that Smuggling Port merchant for 500,000 energy blocks.
"Got it, boss! I'll start contacting spaceship captains right away." Thrilled at the prospect of an imminent promotion and raise, Igor immediately ended the call to reach out to his old classmates and friends.
After hanging up, Liu Hai checked the base's production status. Everything was proceeding smoothly under the Intelligent Nexus's control, requiring little input from him.
Turning his attention elsewhere, Liu Hai logged into StarNet and began browsing products from various spaceship manufacturers. After a brief look, he logged off.
"Damn, I completely forgot about the impact of this expansion plan. Production orders from various manufacturers are backlogged for the next ten years. Where the hell am I supposed to buy battleships on the market when even they don't have enough for themselves?"
Gently tapping his forehead, Liu Hai began pondering how to legitimately acquire battleships. Small cargo spaceships were so abundant they couldn't even be sold off, but when it came to equipment needed for expansion, there wasn't a single piece available. It was beyond ridiculous—like absurdity opening the door for absurdity, taking it to the extreme.
"Do I really have to register patent technology and build my own shipyard to produce battleships?" The thought made Liu Hai quickly shake his head and dismiss it.
The interstellar civilization technology within the Pyramid Core and the existing tech of the Star River Federation weren't even on the same conceptual framework. Although the Intelligent Nexus had localized adjustments for lower-tier technologies after gathering publicly available Federation data, it couldn't adapt anything fundamental like spaceships or battleships. After all, those core technologies were the lifeblood of various corporations and lords—where would he even find them at this stage?
Frustrated, Liu Hai paced endlessly around the Control Room until, after a while, an idea struck him: why not ask the smugglers? If he couldn't buy openly, maybe the smugglers had something.
After all, when it came to smuggling, military equipment from various arms manufacturers always seemed to mysteriously multiply in the hands of smugglers. And the best part? They were ready to use with no strings attached—well, except for pirates.
"Still, I can't ask under my own identity. I'm an arms producer myself—if I go around asking to buy battleships, I'm just asking for trouble."
After some thought, Liu Hai decided it'd be best to let the Star Sea Group handle it. Splitting off his identity as an arms dealer was worth the extra cost. Money wasn't an issue now—it was easy to earn, just a matter of time.
With a plan in mind, Liu Hai turned his attention to the Star Sea Group on Kono Administrative Star. Since joining the Federation, his personal income had remained zero, and the company he'd registered had only one employee—himself. As a result, the Kono Administrative Star's administration had been providing him with a monthly living allowance of 1,000 Credit Points.
They'd even given him a 100-square-meter apartment—though as an interest-free loan. If he ever started making money, the cost would be deducted proportionally from his account.
Having ignored his own status for months, Liu Hai was stunned by the flood of notifications when he checked the Star Sea Group's information.
He never imagined that someone like him—with annual earnings in the hundreds of billions—would be classified as a welfare recipient on Kono Administrative Star, receiving both money and housing.
What's more, the administrative staff on Kono had been trying to contact him, offering work projects to the Star Sea Group so Liu Hai could "resolve his living situation independently."
"This is… an incredible administrative system. Every project expenditure is clearly listed on public financial statements for everyone to see. Has the Federation's governance really reached this level of integrity?"
Liu Hai reviewed the Star River Federation's administrative framework and the living conditions of its officials. He had to admit—the Federation was wealthy, and so were its officials. But the selection process for administrative roles wasn't exactly friendly to the wealthy.
In the Federation, mid-to-lower-level administrative personnel are selected from among ordinary citizens. Any adult citizen can run for any administrative position except for parliamentary seats and military roles. As long as you can win public approval during questioning, you can hold that position for five years.
If no major mistakes occur, officials can also advance through merit-based promotions. It can be said that the entire Federation's administrative system is built upon its wealth and the stable authority of the parliament.
Moreover, with the widespread adoption of StarNet, various assessments, elections, and administrative measures become highly efficient. Any erroneous decisions can be promptly identified and corrected.
"Did I travel to the future? What a pity—this isn't the future of my homeland."