The Rules

Moon sugar, a product abundant in the Gaotianyun Hive City, is derived from the industrial processing of arc-light flower extracts. Initially, it was more common to mix arc-light flower petals with crushed red-thread wood dust to use as incense for orc monks to meditate, providing a calming and soul-steadying effect.

Later, it was discovered that the extract from the petals had strong analgesic, euphoric, and stimulant effects.

Furthermore, it possessed certain alchemical value. Into the Night Dreams saw the potential value it held, and thus, health products named "moon sugar" began to circulate on a large scale within Gaotianyun.

Gaotianyun did not fall within the sphere of influence of Universal Heavy Industries' Hive Cities, but it was situated in the starry sky above Chichutian.

Due to its addictive nature, Universal Heavy Industries initially strictly forbade the circulation of moon sugar. However, because of the immense profits behind it, many smugglers risked their lives to bring it into Chichutian, quickly spreading it through various channels to other Hive Cities under Universal Heavy Industries' jurisdiction.

Subsequently, because most of the family seats within Universal Heavy Industries passed an import agreement with Gaotianyun—compromising for the sake of massive interests—the import of moon sugar was tacitly permitted. This led to a massive influx of such products into the market, which eventually spiraled out of control. In the city's shadows, "sugarheads" high on moon sugar could be seen everywhere, twitching and rolling on the ground like dogs.

"Sister Chen..." Lin Fan said numbly.

"Don't call me Sister Chen! Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused for the company?!" the woman roared.

This was likely the most depressing day of Chen Yan's life. Already mentally and physically exhausted by a mid-life crisis, today she was so worried her hair was falling out in clumps. The moment she learned that the artist she had poured everything into cultivating had been using moon sugar behind her back, her world collapsed.

Although the regulations in the Starry Movement did not explicitly forbid the circulation of products like moon sugar—and some artists even used it secretly for inspiration during creation—everyone knew the immense harm behind it. If a tuner were to personally witness a moon sugar transaction, the smugglers would likely be invited to the tuner's office for a chat. It was a semi-illegal substance that no one would dare mention in the light of day.

The new generation artist the company had exhausted resources to promote had been tainted by this stuff, and it had been exposed online. The negative impact this would have on the company's image was self-evident, and even she, as his manager, would be deeply implicated.

Now, the entire PR department of Rongsen Media was working frantically. The overwhelming public opinion on the curtains made the big investors at the top of the company restless. The entire society was pressuring them. This was the biggest PR crisis Rongsen Media had faced in its thirty years since founding.

"Do you know how much loss the company is going to suffer because of this? Do you know into what icy valley my career will fall because of you?"

"I'm sorry, Sister Chen, I didn't know what to do, I didn't know what to do..." Lin Fan covered his face in agony.

His life was supposed to be smooth sailing. Why did it turn out like this?

Ever since that night on the stage in the Queen's District when he was exposed for lip-syncing and insulting fans, his life had taken a sharp downturn like a roller coaster that had reached its peak. Everything was heading in the worst direction.

Fans on social platforms who used to adore him now treated him with cold words, the people around him were cynical, and the disappointed looks from the company's higher-ups were still vivid in his mind.

His once-massive following on social platforms was dropping every day. Every morning when he woke up to see he had lost hundreds of thousands of followers overnight, he felt a heart-pounding anxiety, as if everything he possessed at the summit was slipping through his fingers, and he could do nothing to change it.

He had nothing except for a handsome face. His singing talent was exceptionally poor, and his three-minute passion for anything made him give up in shame every time he thought about improving himself after seeing no results.

He had originally intended to risk everything to participate in the auditions despite the company's interference, but he didn't even make it past the first round before that damned redhead gave him a zero. Thinking of this, Lin Fan grit his teeth, his eyes malicious.

It was all that damned redhead's fault. It was that guy named Aivmey who ruined his life. Everything wasn't supposed to be like this!

If it wasn't for him, and that person named Tang Xin, he wouldn't have touched this stuff because of his depression.

Why should that contestant named Tang Xin get a perfect score? Why was she the Starry Daughter, watched by the starry sky, and held in the palms of countless people?

Clearly, she was just a piece of trash like himself. Thinking about how that Tang Xin person had also been exposed as a filthy underground idol and was currently being cursed by countless people because of that video online, he felt a strange sense of psychological comfort, his face twisting slightly.

Suddenly, as if collapsing, he crawled to the woman's side with tears and snot, grabbing her legs. Her legs, clad in nude stockings, were slippery; he couldn't grab hold at first and had to grab them several more times.

"Save me, Sister Chen, save me. You can definitely save me, right? Like before, help me calm the public opinion, and everything will go back to how it was yesterday, right?"

The woman, full of disgust, slapped Lin Fan across the face again, beating his fair face into a bruised, swollen mess like a pig's head before yanking her leg away.

Lin Fan fell to the ground crying as countless girls crowded around, trying to help him up.

"You're finished, Lin Fan. I'm telling you, you're finished! Just wait for the company's lawsuit. Your life is over, and no one can save you!"

Hearing this, Lin Fan lost all hope and slumped on the floor, despondent.

The girls crowded around to comfort him, but he shouted them away with crude and vulgar words. Finally, he was the only one left in the room.

Chen Yan, wearing high heels, quickened her pace as she left the room. Her sky-high heels struck the floor with a crisp rhythm, the sound echoing through the empty corridor.

An assistant chased after her, whispering in the woman's ear. Chen Yan frowned slightly, waved to indicate she understood, and walked toward the other side of the hallway, soon entering a room.

A man in the room seemed to be on a call through the curtain, naturally discussing the company's current situation.

Seeing the woman push the door open, the man hesitated and then scolded her loudly:

"Do you know how big of a disaster you've caused this time! The whole company is overwhelmed because of this matter."

Unexpectedly, the latter didn't speak. She simply took off her women's suit jacket and skillfully unfastened the tie of her white shirt, tossing it aside. Then, she slowly leaned forward, pinning the man against the edge of the desk without a word.

"Since you took my favors, you have to help me." The woman's red lips kissed the man, a bit of heat rising as she pushed the man's body down.

"Don't worry, it's not a big deal." The man cleared his throat, his voice gaining a bit of a magnetic quality. "With this attitude of yours, it can be resolved very quickly."

The expensive and vibrant suit, like peacock feathers, was draped over the sofa. The red high heels were scattered randomly, and the black bowtie lay quietly to the side. The green leaves of the potted plants in the office swayed under the pale light, while the curtain still connected to the call blinked with a red light.