Liu Yun didn't look at her already neurotic boss in the office; she sighed, feeling that her job was coming to an end.
Having graduated from a top ten university in the world and with both parents as employees of the company, she had landed this enviable job. However, Liu Yun felt that was all there was to it; the salary wasn't high, and under the exaggerated housing prices in the Imperial Capital, even considering benefits like housing funds, buying a home was still very difficult.
Moreover, the job was simple and boring, and she couldn't utilize the various skills she had learned at the company.
Her bosses only cherished her educational background and her pleasant appearance. The company didn't need a strong woman; they wanted a decorative vase.
Although the company was failing, Liu Yun still felt a secret delight seeing Sui Rong defeated.
She looked at her smartphone's news feed and saw a picture of Bai Zhongqi, dressed in a white Chancellor's uniform, looking vibrant and commanding. She had also studied in San Francisco, but she attended Berkeley, which was much better than Bai Zhongqi's university. Liu Yun even thought that she might have seen the current Chancellor of Iridium Star somewhere before returning to her country.
However, currently, she was just a secretary in a troubled company, while he was a person who could stir up significant events worldwide.
While the major telecommunications providers faced mergers, the layoffs turned out to be not as severe as expected. Liu Yun just read a report that the state was planning to merge the major operators into the CNCS — C country Network Communication Service Group.
The new company would monopolize all telecommunications and internet services, though the internet service would be a non-profit business subsidized by the government. The company would focus on customer service and promote its businesses extensively.
Some paid services would still exist, such as providing videos, audios, news, and literary works, but the core services of the company would be entirely free.
Thus, the company was set to leverage the Sky Net platform to expand into more diverse business areas, including investing in various internet service peripherals and even ventures completely unrelated to telecommunications, to subsidize the inexhaustible need for free Sky Net access.
Liu Yun knew the magnitude of the challenges, but she was even more astonished by the nation's bold initiative this time.
The staff of major telecommunications providers would be reallocated to various new ventures. Similarly, at a recent press conference, the Star Alliance also announced several new investment projects.
These ranged from the production of high-energy-density batteries used in various electronics, vehicles, and devices, a vast number of industrial and service robots, new software industries based on Iridium Star technology, new-generation transport including flying cars and maglev light rails, spacecraft manufacturing, near-Earth aviation production, smart electronics industry, and even sustainable agriculture.
These new industries would absorb labor from those being phased out.
Even more astonishingly, the Star Alliance had announced their space colonization plan; once C country joined the Alliance, its citizens would have opportunities to settle on other planets. Initially, relocation was mainly to Lunar Palace City and Ruyi City, but if new habitable planets were discovered, then potentially millions could embark on journeys across the stars into space.
Liu Yun felt very excited thinking about all this, and she slightly regretted not signing up for the first batch of a thousand workers program offered by Iridium Star.
The company would likely arrange something for her, but Liu Yun didn't want to stay in such an environment anymore. It was a stirring age filled with opportunities everywhere, and she decided not to bend to family and circumstances but to pursue her own value.
In Lingxiao Palace in Ruyi City, Bai Zhongqi was also satisfied with his achievements. The interest groups he targeted were not limited to a few people within the telecommunications system.
Many interest groups felt the intense pressure from Iridium Star, realizing that they were not opposing any previous high-level authorities but an entity comprising unimaginable technological prowess and power — the United Empire of Iridium Star.
Xiang Fei, as a representative of the pro-Alliance faction, had directly introduced Iridium Star's power, dealing a fatal blow to the vested interest groups, and an earthquake had begun that would spread to every corner of this country.
Xiang Fei deeply understood this, even feeling intimidated by the power of Iridium Star himself. A mere order from Bai Zhongqi had been enough to paralyze all telecommunications operators, leaving them helpless.
"Actually, this is the natural order of things," Dr. Ye Qing said to Xiang Fei.
The two were once again traveling by spaceship to Ruyi City, though each on different missions. The flights between Ruyi City and Imperial Capital were now as frequent as once a day, primarily carrying government officials.
Xiang Fei remarked, "The old saying goes, 'asking a tiger for its skin.' Although I personally trust the Chancellor of Iridium Star somewhat, we are too weak in front of Iridium Star, with no room for resistance."
Ye Qing naturally replied, "Do other countries have an option? The Star Alliance is the best alternative we have. Iridium Star is not without ambitions for Earth, they just chose this method. I do support the Star Alliance approach. Sure, the Iridium people gained tremendous power through Star Alliance, but if they had chosen to conquer by force, they could have easily done so.
With the Star Alliance method, our nation continues to exist, our culture continues to exist. Not only for us, but Iridium Star is also undergoing significant changes. What ultimately emerges is not purely Iridium Star or Earth, but a merged entity. I think this is a good thing."
Xiang Fei, looking at the calm Ye Qing, asked, "Do you think we and Iridium Star will eventually become one country?"
Ye Qing replied, "Star Alliance itself is already a type of nation, somewhat similar to a federation. As member states, we still retain some sovereignty.
Perhaps in thirty years, when we have mastered most of the technology transferred to us by Iridium Star and achieved a higher social order, we can safely say that at that time Iridium Star is Earth and Earth is Iridium Star and Star Alliance represents Earth."
Xiang Fei chuckled, "It seems you're more radical than us pro-Alliance faction members; you'd be considered part of the integration faction. Do you really believe Iridium people can integrate with us Chinese?"
Ye Qing's eyes twinkled slightly, but her expression remained the same. "They definitely will because there are no barriers. We are similar ethnic groups with similar languages and values. Once genetic optimization is liberated after biological enhancements, we'll be even more alike.
After having met many Iridium people, you've seen that they do not discriminate against us, they accept us well, and they are completely loyal to the Chancellor, who is actually a citizen of C country. And for some unknown reason, it's only the population in this fleet from Iridium Star, so they'll use their advanced technology to assimilate us, and we will use our volume to assimilate them.
It will definitely be a process of integration in the end."
Xiang Fei nodded and smiled, "We'll see in thirty years. Anyway, after joining the Alliance, we will have over a hundred years more life expectancy, so that day might not be so far away for us."