397: Introducing the Planet

Chairman Zhang nodded, a hint of business pride in his tone.

“Yes. Some top-tier billionaires aren’t very interested in individual planets; instead, they’re fascinated by the grandeur of an entire star system. So, we catered to their preferences and created this simulated universe.”

He paused, tapping his finger lightly on the edge of the display stand. The tiny points of light suddenly became clearer, revealing the subtle atmospheric fluctuations on the surface of some “planets.”

“Although we’ve implanted the seeds of several nascent civilizations within it, they will evolve step-by-step, from primitive tribes to technological civilizations. However, if one wishes to observe the universe, the view is always restricted to the half of the Empire we’ve defined. Furthermore, we’ve long since implemented resource limitations, so even if they develop for billions of years, it’s absolutely impossible for them to break through first-level civilization and reach second-level civilization.”

Li Yang remained silent, his fingertips almost touching the flowing light and shadow.

The civilizations slowly evolving in that microscopic cosmos now seemed like exquisite pets in his eyes—their “universe,” which they explored with all their might, was merely a plaything in someone else’s palm. Their proud progress could never escape the pre-set cage.

Was this the dimension-reducing suppression of higher civilizations over lower civilizations?

Like raising ornamental fish, defining their water area, controlling their feed, watching them multiply and thrive in a glass tank, yet they would never know there was an ocean outside the tank.

He withdrew his gaze, sighing inwardly.

Only those who could afford such “toys” were truly top-tier billionaires.

After all, in this seemingly tiny display stand, every twinkling point of light was a genuine planet—as long as the restoration program was activated, they could instantly return to their original state, becoming real celestial bodies existing in the universe.

Of course, there were very few planets with genuine habitable value or resource reserves; most were desolate, discarded celestial bodies with harsh environments, or useless planets with only deserts and magma.

But the sheer quantity was immense! Its actual size was one-tenth of This Galaxy Cluster. Even if most were “junk,” their accumulated value was enough to make ordinary billionaires unreachable.

Li Yang looked at the “planets” slowly rotating in the light and shadow, and suddenly felt that this brilliant simulated universe exuded a cold luxury.

“This thing, I can’t afford it.”

Li Yang shook his head, a hint of self-mockery in his tone, then changed the subject.

“Please take me to see individual planets.”

Chairman Zhang quickly responded upon hearing this.

“Alright, alright, Secretary Li, this way please.”

With that, he led Li Yang to another section of display cabinets. Regarding Li Yang’s comment about “not being able to afford it,” he could only give an awkward smile, but in his heart, it was clear—such words were only for show.

If calculated by the standard salary and subsidies of an Imperial Official, the price of such a simulated universe was indeed astronomical. Let alone Li Yang, even higher-ranking officials might not be able to easily afford it.

However, if one considered the power inherent in his positions, the “gold content” of the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee and the supervision director had long exceeded the scope measurable by ordinary salaries.

Not to mention the continuous income from Blue Star and Mars under Li Yang’s name, just his current influence and resource mobilization capability in This Galaxy Cluster meant that if he truly wanted to buy such a simulated universe, it would likely be no difficult task, and he might even have more than enough to buy several.

Chairman Zhang knew well that Li Yang’s comment was just a casual remark.

Thinking this, Chairman Zhang became even more respectful, stepping aside to lead the way and bringing Li Yang to the display cabinets showcasing individual planets. He lightly tapped his finger, activating the holographic projection at the very front.

“Secretary Li, please see, these are all newly arrived habitable planets, with stable ecosystems and relatively abundant resources…”

Chairman Zhang picked up a “glass sphere” that was smooth and lustrous. Inside the sphere, a cerulean planet floated, with clouds swirling across its surface, and faint glimpses of vast green vegetation and winding river systems.

He raised his hand and lightly tapped beside the sphere, and a string of data was holographically projected into the air.

“Secretary Li, this planet is from the Watt III Galaxy, with an average radius of 13,000 kilometers. As you can see, the atmosphere thickness is suitable, oxygen content is 22%, and the land-to-ocean ratio is balanced, perfectly meeting the conditions for intelligent life. What’s more convenient is that there are still a small number of architectural ruins of a low-level civilization remaining on it, which can be used with minor repairs, saving the trouble of building from scratch.”

Li Yang leaned in for a closer look. The planet inside the glass sphere slowly rotated, and light and shadow flowed across its surface, indeed exuding a vibrant aura.

Its size was just about twice that of Blue Star, making it perfect for population redistribution. He couldn’t help but nod in satisfaction, gently tapping the surface of the sphere with his fingertip.

“It’s truly good.”

He paused, then looked up and asked.

“Are there any creatures on it?”

Chairman Zhang’s smile faded slightly, and he replied with a hint of hesitation.

“There are many natural creatures, with vegetation coverage exceeding 60%, and various native animals. But you’re probably asking about intelligent creatures, right? There are some of those too, numbering in the hundreds of millions, they are the local indigenous civilization, still at a first-level civilization.”

“I see.”

Li Yang gently shook his head, placing the glass sphere back on the display stand.

His original intention for purchasing a planet was very clear: to alleviate the increasingly overflowing population pressure on Blue Star. If there were already intelligent beings on it, migration would inevitably lead to conflict, which would go against his original purpose.

“Are there any ‘cleaner’ ones?”

He added.

“Meaning… without intelligent creatures.”

Seeing Li Yang shake his head, Chairman Zhang’s smile didn’t diminish at all; instead, it gained a hint of understanding.

He quickly took another “glass sphere” from the display stand, holding it in both hands as he offered it, his tone filled with just the right amount of enthusiasm.

“Secretary Li, rest assured, this one absolutely meets your requirements.”

He lightly tapped his fingertip on the sphere’s surface, and the sphere immediately lit up with a soft glow, illuminating the details of the internal planet even more clearly.

“This one also comes from the Watt III Galaxy, with a radius of a full 15,000 kilometers. Don’t let its current appearance, full of azure oceans and emerald forests, fool you—it wasn’t like this initially. The primitive environment was extremely harsh, with high temperatures and strong acid fog. Forget about habitation, even ordinary creatures struggled to survive.”

Chairman Zhang paused, his fingertip tracing a green-covered mountain range on the sphere’s surface.

“We carried out a transformation project on it, eliminating all unstable dangers. Now, as you can see, the environment is beautiful, oxygen content is stably at 22%, and even the rainfall distribution has been precisely calculated. It’s absolutely a good place to live.”