Inside Zhao Laosi's villa.

His three wives, each with a large pregnant belly, were comfortably leaning back on the leather sofa, eating snacks they had bought from the department store while discussing the recording of the latest stage play "The Great Wall of Iron and Blood" produced by the Kingdom Drama Troupe that they had watched the previous night.

They were wearing maternity clothes made from locally grown "Yunnan cotton," which were soft, comfortable, and stylish. On the table were fresh milk, fruit, and high-protein meals delivered daily by the Logistics Department's "Happy Family" project team.

"Honey, look! The news says the benefits for 'heroic mothers' are going to be increased again!" a wife shouted excitedly, pointing at the TV.

"Of course!" Zhao Laosi patted his chest proudly. "We're adding to the kingdom's population, how could the leader mistreat us? After these three little brats are born, I'll apply for an even bigger house!"

His words elicited giggles from the women.

In today's kingdom, under Lin Feng's almost insane policy of rewarding childbirth, children are regarded as the most precious asset.

From the moment a woman becomes pregnant, she enjoys the best possible treatment. After the child is born, the kingdom takes care of almost everything, from formula and education to medical care.

A "heroic father" like Zhao Laosi, who can get three wives pregnant at the same time, can not only receive a huge reward of money, but also gain extremely high honor and status in society.

Looking around, the entire shelter is changing rapidly.

Towering cranes rotate above the newly built residential area, and wide, flat asphalt roads stretch into the distance.

What was once a wasteland is now a well-planned park, school, hospital, and stadium. The enormous domed greenhouse complex, like a green crystal palace, cultivates various crops brought from Earth and edible plants discovered from other planets, providing the kingdom with a continuous supply of food under the care of automated systems.

Electricity is no longer a luxury. Heating has become standard. Clean drinking water is delivered to every household through purification systems.

A safe, prosperous, convenient, and hopeful modern city is miraculously rising on this barren alien land.

The numbness and fear of the struggle for survival in the apocalypse have long since disappeared from the faces of the people. Instead, they are filled with a sense of pride, belonging, and an almost fanatical worship of their leader.

Night, like the finest black silk, gently enveloped the entire shelter.

Looking down from the highest point of Chengtian Hall, the lights of thousands of homes converge into dazzling rivers of light, flowing quietly through the canyons of the steel city.

This prosperity and tranquility is a miracle created by Lin Feng.

In a corner of the city, far from the hustle and bustle of the working class and isolated from the roar of the industrial zone, lies a top-tier place called "Tranquil Garden".

There are no towering buildings here, only independent courtyards surrounded by meticulously manicured gardens.

Each courtyard perfectly replicates the architectural style of a certain region in the Blue Star era, from classical gardens in the East to manors and castles in the West, it has everything.

Those who can afford to spend money here are none other than the most powerful and wealthy people in the kingdom.

Tonight, a secret gathering is taking place in the "Jiangnan Spring" courtyard, a gathering that could stir up a storm among the kingdom's top brass.

Inside the courtyard, there is a small bridge over a flowing stream, winding paths leading to secluded spots, and several stalks of green bamboo casting dappled shadows under the artificial moonlight.

The air is filled with the rich aroma of evening primrose, a rare alien spice, mixed with the finest ingredients.

On the table are delicacies that ordinary people only see on television: steak made from the finest ribeye of the "Snowflake Bull" and served with "Black Pearl" mushrooms carefully cultivated in underground greenhouses.

The "lava shrimp," caught by special underwater vehicles from hot springs, is crystal clear and has a sweet and delicious flavor.

There are also expensive fruit wines, served in crystal glasses and displaying a dreamy purple hue, made from "starlight berries," a unique variety from another planet.

Only three women were sitting at the dining table.

Minister of People's Livelihood, Tang Bao.

Ruan Mengtian is the creator of "Dream City," the kingdom's largest chain of department stores and luxury goods group.

Shen Jiaqi is a business tycoon who controls the kingdom's emerging entertainment, real estate, and financial sectors.

The three of them were undoubtedly the most eye-catching women in this kingdom, apart from Lin Feng's harem.

Sugar Baby holds immense power over people's livelihoods, managing everything from housing and food rations to newborn welfare. He is considered a "living bodhisattva" by countless ordinary people.

With Lin Feng's help, Ruan Mengtian and Shen Jiaqi built a vast business empire.

At this moment, they are dressed in luxurious clothes, with exquisite makeup, and exude the confidence and elegance of someone who has long held a high position.

However, beneath this luxurious facade lies an anxious heart.

"Tangbao, try this."

Shen Jiaqi used a silver fork to elegantly cut off a small piece of steak and gestured to the waitress standing nearby to take it to Tang Bao.

Tang Bao absentmindedly picked up the steak with her fork, but didn't put it in her mouth.

She looked out the window at the three huge, bright moons and sighed softly, "Jiaqi, Mengtian, how long has it been since we sat together like this and had a quiet meal?"

Ruan Mengtian swirled the purple liquid in her glass, which refracted starlight-like sparkles under the light.

She smiled wryly and said, "Yes, it's been too long. Every day when I open my eyes, all I see are endless reports and meetings. I feel like a tightrope walker with an abyss below and the gold ingot I'm holding could fall off at any moment."

"Who can argue with that?"

Shen Jiaqi put down her knife and fork, leaning back in her expensive mahogany chair. "My 'Brilliant Galaxy' real estate project was halted with a single phone call from General Qin Lan just because a small, potentially valuable mineral vein was discovered in the planning area. The tens of millions of dollars I've invested, and the salaries of hundreds of workers, are all hanging there. I went to the military headquarters to inquire, and they only said it was a 'supreme order,' telling me to wait for further notice. What can I do? Do I dare question General Qin?"

Her words were like a needle, instantly piercing the false peace in the room.

Yes, Qin Lan.

That iron-blooded female general who commanded the "Ice Wolf" heavy armored division and controlled the "Thor" self-propelled artillery brigade.

With just one sentence from her, a business tycoon like Shen Jiaqi could lose everything.

Why? Because she is Lin Feng's woman, and Lin Feng's most trusted sword.

Tang Bao fell silent. As the Minister of People's Livelihood, her position seemed much higher than Shen Jiaqi and Ruan Mengtian, but the fear in her heart was no less intense.

Just last week, at a cabinet meeting, her draft proposal regarding adjustments to the welfare details for "heroic mothers" was rejected on the spot by Su Wanqing because it differed slightly from the cultural propaganda line led by Su Wanqing.

Throughout the process, Su Wanqing's tone was gentle and polite, full of quotations and clear in her reasoning, but her unquestionable authority made Tang Bao feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

She clearly saw that the other ministers present subconsciously echoed Su Wanqing's opinion.

It was then that she was horrified to realize that, without her noticing, this "First Lady" had wielded actual power far exceeding her title, almost equivalent to that of a "Regent Queen."

"Have you seen the news?" Ruan Mengtian suddenly spoke, her voice a little hoarse: "The exclusive interview with the Kingdom TV station, Qian Xiaoxiao... is now respectfully called the 'Chief of Internal Affairs'."

Qian Xiaoxiao.

The name made Shen Jiaqi and Tang Bao's expressions even more complicated.

For a moment, the courtyard fell into a deathly silence.

Only the man-made stream was making a gurgling sound.

They once thought that, with their wisdom, ability, and wealth, they had reached the top of this kingdom.

They were ministers, tycoons, and trendsetters of the times. But only today have they awakened from a false dream.

Everything they possessed—power, wealth, status—was built on quicksand.

The name of this stretch of quicksand is "Lin Feng's Gift".

"What...are we?" Shen Jiaqi murmured to herself, her voice filled with confusion and fear. "We are not his sword, not his shield, and certainly not the pillow he can lean on when he is tired. We are just a few craftsmen responsible for adding bricks to his grand blueprint. Craftsmen...can be replaced at any time, right?"

Ruan Mengtian's body trembled slightly: "All my businesses, every branch, are built on the leader's approval. With just one word from him, I could lose everything tomorrow, going from a so-called 'business queen' back to an ordinary woman."

Tang Bao's face was the palest. She thought of the subordinates she had personally promoted, those who had been so respectful to her.

She used to enjoy the feeling of wielding power. But now she understands that this respect is not for her, but for the official robes of the "Minister of People's Livelihood."

Tang Bao's lips moved, uttering a sentence that sent chills down their spines: "With just one word from Lin Feng, we'll be gone. Perhaps exiled to some godforsaken town, perhaps... vanished without a trace. Who will speak up for us? Who dares?"

Fear, like an invisible vine, gripped their throats tightly.

They saw that Su Wanqing, Qin Lan, and Qian Xiaoxiao, these three women, each in their own way, had formed the most solid bond with Lin Feng.

One represented law and legitimacy, one represented violence and loyalty, and one represented desire and solace. They formed an unbreakable triangle, while the three of them were excluded from this inner circle.

"I don't want to... go back to the past." Ruan Mengtian's voice trembled with tears. "I don't want to live that kind of precarious life anymore! I love my life now, I love my 'Dream City'!"

"Who would want that?" Shen Jiaqi slammed her hand on the table, splashing the wine in her glass. "We've worked so hard to get to where we are today, why should we live in such fear!"

Their gazes eventually focused on Tang Bao.

Of the three of them, only Tang Bao is the rightful owner.

She was qualified to have an audience with Lin Feng under the pretext of "handling government affairs".

Tangbao's breathing became rapid.

Seeing the mixture of hope, madness, and determination in her two companions' eyes, she instantly understood their thoughts. That was also the only way out that had just begun to emerge in her own heart.

A path that requires abandoning all dignity and restraint.

"We can't go on like this any longer." Shen Jiaqi lowered her voice and said, word by word, "What Su Wanqing can do, what Qin Lan can do, what Qian Xiaoxiao can do... we must be able to do too!"

"You mean..." Ruan Mengtian's eyes flickered uncertainly.

"We have no other choice!" Shen Jiaqi stood up and paced back and forth in the room, her tone resolute: "Power and wealth, these are all illusions! Only by becoming his people, becoming an indispensable part of his private life, can we truly be safe! Only then can we keep everything we have now!"