NOVPUB"Hurry up, faster! Once this batch is delivered, there's another one waiting."
"Come on, someone bring a machine over here to lift this!"
A private factory buzzed with activity, a scene of bustling prosperity. Workers hurried back and forth amid the constant flow of vehicles when a private car pulled up at the entrance. A young man in glasses, dressed sharply like an office worker, jumped out and strode quickly toward a middle-aged man giving orders.
"Boss, the first two shipments arrived smoothly. Kala Island is very satisfied and has placed another large order."
The middle-aged boss took off his glasses, wiping the sweat from his face. His wrinkled expression was a mix of exhaustion and excitement.
Too thirsty to speak, he simply reached out, took the tablet from his subordinate, and carefully reviewed the new order quantities from Kala Island. Only then did he accept the bottle of water handed to him, gulping down several large mouthfuls.
"Ahhh, refreshing!"
Without even pausing to rest, he was already walking back toward the factory:
"Tell Old Zhang and the others to pause their work for a moment. Let’s have a quick meeting. And get Little Xu here—we still don’t have enough workers. We need to hire another batch."
A few months ago, this boss, who would have stayed up 24/7 to oversee shipments, could never have imagined his factory would end up collaborating with an entertainment company.
But life worked in mysterious ways. At a time when the factory was barely surviving, he had attended a high-profile business gathering on a whim.
That gathering was filled with industry stars, and without exception, they were all vying for the attention of one person—Sheng Quan, the chairwoman of Starlight Entertainment.
It made sense. Not only was she at the peak of her influence, but the gathering was also held at her residence—an estate so vast it was hard to believe it was built in the land-scarce metropolis of Shanghai.
Before going, the middle-aged man, still racking his brain over how to save his failing factory, had been puzzled.
Why had Sheng Quan invited him?
They were in completely different industries.
But he went anyway. In his situation, he would grasp at any straw, no matter how slim.
And grasp it he did.
—When Sheng Quan announced that she needed massive shipments of supplies sent to Kala Island to ensure a comfortable experience for an audience of ten million, he was the first to step forward while others were still calculating risks.
He secured a major order.
Then came the second, the third.
Now, every second counted in the factory’s operations.
Kala Island didn’t just need vast quantities of goods—they needed everything delivered as quickly as possible. Since Kala Island was a remote island, shipments could only go by sea or air.
Cargo planes, no matter how large, had limited space, so most supplies had to be sent by sea. Shipping took longer, which meant the factory had to compress every minute to meet deadlines.
Though everyone was stretched thin, no one complained.
After all, high-speed production lines and manual labor required equally high incentives—and the factory owner clearly understood that.
Starlight’s payment speed matched Chairwoman Sheng Quan’s reputation for rapid market expansion. Often, the moment an order was signed off, the final payment would hit their accounts.
That money was distributed as wages and bonuses to the factory workers.
It was hard to believe that just months ago, this factory had been on the brink of collapse. Now, it was thriving—all thanks to an entertainment company that, by all logic, should have had nothing to do with them.
After the meeting, everyone returned to their tasks. The factory owner took a quick shower in the break room before heading back to his office, where he turned on the TV to catch the news.
Who would have thought that a man who once never paid attention to entertainment news could now effortlessly flip through channels—many of them foreign broadcasts with subtitles?
—"Construction on Kala Island’s Hive Heart progresses at an astonishing pace. Reports confirm it operates around the clock, 24/7..."
—"Large-scale projects often face public backlash over noise and disruption, but Sheng Quan, owning an entire island, clearly doesn’t have that concern..."
—"Raymond has declared Starlight’s Hive Project the most audacious entertainment venture in two decades, stating that hosting ten million people on a single island is an impossible feat..."
—"Starlight has secured partnerships across industries and nations, including collaborations with cruise lines and airlines. The world’s top three cruise companies have pledged full support in transporting concertgoers to Kala Island. Though Starlight will cover all expenses for the estimated two-week voyage, experts predict few will sign up..."
Switching channels, a brunette host spoke excitedly:
—"A global survey reveals the most anticipated event worldwide—'Guoxinghai' takes first place, its already massive popularity skyrocketing further due to the Hive Project..."
Another channel:
—"Breaking news: Contrary to director Cady’s prediction that ten million tickets would go unsold, Hive Project concert tickets have sold out. Fans are flooding social media, demanding Starlight release more. Regrettably, Starlight insists Kala Island cannot accommodate more than ten million and will not increase capacity."
Everywhere, it seemed, the world was talking about Kala Island’s Hive Concert—even China’s state-run Central TV reported on its global impact.
And what an impact it was.
At first, everyone dismissed it as madness.
A normal concert might draw tens of thousands. But ten million? On a remote island? The immediate reaction was: Impossible.
Just the logistics alone—how would you transport that many people?
Once they arrived, how would they eat, sleep, use the bathroom?
Online, even casual passersby could rattle off a dozen problems:
"What if someone has a medical emergency?"
"Who would willingly travel that long just for a concert?"
"Ten million people—even one meal per person would require insane amounts of supplies. How would an island sustain that? Daily shipments?"
"LOL, no airport? How are they even getting there?"
"Let me just list ten reasons why this won’t work..."
Yet, amid the global skepticism, Starlight quietly, steadily, addressed every single concern.
This entertainment company, making its debut before the entire world and all industries, proved with facts just how determined they were.
At the same time, Sheng Quan, the chairman of Starlight Entertainment—who in recent years had been dubbed "the one who paves the way with money from the start"—also demonstrated with facts:
Life is full of hardships, unless you’re willing to throw money at them.
The eyes of the world were drawn to Kara Island because it delivered new headlines every day.
[Kara Island Constructs 35 Large Hospitals, Inviting Medical Professionals from Around the World to Join]
[Kara Island Equips Each District with Fire Stations]
[Kara Island’s Commercial Zones Officially Divided]
[Starlight Entertainment Assures Audiences Not to Worry About Travel Logistics]
[Two Airports on Kara Island Now Completed]
Those so-called "impossibilities" gradually turned into possibilities.
Even media from Country J questioned on television: "Is Starlight Entertainment building an entire city?"
Of course, those with a political lens shifted their focus to China’s new construction materials. The buildings rising on Kara Island under the world’s watchful eyes were the best advertisement for them.
The astute could sense the frequent international maneuvers lately, most of which revolved around China.
An entertainment company influencing global affairs—it sounded absurd, yet the facts were undeniable. Starlight had even fostered friendly relations between China and two small nations.
These two small countries, located near Kara Island, naturally reaped benefits from the massive flow of goods. If nothing else, the orders Starlight placed with them were enough to revive their economies.
After all, their combined populations didn’t even reach ten million.
They had no qualms about becoming the "middle ground" between Kara Island and China. In fact, the mutual benefits had them celebrating, with their citizens going all out.
Previously, they’d been isolated, with no viable commercial exports. Now that they’d seized this golden opportunity, only fools would let it slip away!
This was a country capable of drawing ten million spectators willing to travel thousands of miles just for a concert!
Tune into their national TV channels now, and you’d mostly find effusive praise for China, extolling bilateral friendship—clearly a strategy to ensure continued mutual benefits through relentless flattery.
The factory owner watching the news didn’t dwell on this. He simply noted the two nations’ friendliness toward the Chinese and felt a surge of satisfaction, musing about visiting someday.
Of course, the ultimate destination was Kara Island. By now, no one was mocking it as a barren island lacking amenities.
Starlight was developing it on the scale of a city—no, even better. With everything commercialized, life there promised to be more luxurious than in an ordinary city.
At least, judging by the prices announced so far, it seemed remarkably affordable.
Though, there were also exorbitantly priced options.
But Sheng Quan made it clear to everyone: on this island, there were budget-friendly ways to enjoy yourself, and there were lavish ways too.
Netizens who’d watched the island flourish step by step had one response: Fair enough!
Honestly, everyone thought Starlight was taking a loss on this venture. Concert tickets were pricier than usual, but considering their investments, even sky-high prices wouldn’t cover the costs.
—Of course, while people clucked their tongues about Starlight’s "unfair losses," they wasted no time adding Kara Island to their travel wish lists.
If not for Starlight’s current restriction to concertgoers only, tourist groups would’ve flooded in already.
"Starlight isn’t losing money," someone in a luxurious villa somewhere in the world muttered, rubbing his temples in frustration.
The elderly man’s eyes darkened, his sparse, wealthy-man’s hairline looking even more pronounced under the light:
"She’s building an entertainment island for the world. Once it’s done, no one will deny its global dominance. Everything she’s pouring into it now will come back a hundredfold."
Across from him, a blonde woman of equal status scowled. "What’s the point of saying this now? We can’t stop her."
Starlight was too relentless.
Sheng Quan had thrown money around the globe like a madwoman, turning countless companies across industries into her partners. Now, everyone’s interests were tied to Kara Island.
If they—the few who didn’t want Starlight to rise—dared make a move now, they’d have to pay a steeper price than Starlight itself.
But who was as reckless as Sheng Quan?
Even the world’s top entertainment giants could only watch helplessly as Starlight charged ahead.
"I don’t get it. China isn’t some small nation—why are they backing Sheng Quan so fiercely? The terms I offered didn’t even tempt them."
Someone gritted their teeth, unable to hide the envy lacing their words.
Not everyone in this room played by the rules.
When faced with enormous profits, some were bound to consider underhanded tactics.
But before they could act, China deployed a garrison to Kara Island.
Officially, it was framed as Sheng Quan—a Chinese citizen—submitting a request that went through rigorous approval. 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝑐𝘰𝑚
But everyone saw it for what it was: a nation declaring to the world—
Sheng Quan is a Chinese citizen, under China’s protection.
Taking on an entertainment company’s chairman was one thing; taking on a nation, especially one as formidable as China, was another.
They didn’t have an entire country backing them.
"Enough. Instead of fixating on Starlight, we should focus on keeping our own stakes in this reshuffle."
"If we can’t stop it, we might as well embrace it. At least we’ll get to enjoy the full experience in the future."
Someone stood, set down their glass, and strode out.
One by one, the others followed.
These were figures who commanded global recognition, always shining brightly in newspapers and on TV.
Yet now, each retreating figure carried a trace of resignation and weariness.
Finally, the villa’s owner rose.
Stepping outside, he turned back to gaze at the opulent structure standing firm against the sound of crashing waves.
Once, this villa had hosted world-shaking decisions. Within its walls, they’d casually discussed and dictated the turbulence and evolution of entire industries.
Few knew of the meetings held on this island, but those who did fought tooth and nail for an invitation.
Now, a rising island city had taken its place.
The man sighed softly and ordered his subordinate:
"Tear it down."
His subordinate of ten years hesitated. "Are you sure?"
The man strode onto the private jet without a single glance back. "I won't need this anymore," he murmured.
"Our era is gone."
Inside the cabin, the television played an interview with Sheng Quan. His face, etched with the marks of time, seemed to flicker with a bitter smile—or perhaps anticipation.
In the end, the silver-haired old man let out a quiet, resigned laugh.
"Now," he said, "it's her time."
