Chapter 942 - 961: New Star Company Faces Tax Audit, A Storm Brews

The theoretical exam papers weren’t much to look at. The key was the practical assessment—inexhaustible spiritual power. Spinning like a top without needing any rest. That feeling of handling everything with effortless ease. They couldn’t learn it; they really just couldn’t learn it.

The news exploded. Well, now there was no need to complain in small group chats anymore; they could just go straight to the academy’s social forums and howl.

[I apologize for my ignorant comparison earlier; I can’t compete!]

[Too strong...]

[She’s going straight into her junior year next year. I suspect she can graduate in a single year.]

[Say no more, I’m off to work hard! Damn, I want to skip a grade too!]

[Actually, I’m not jealous, really. Just looking at her, you realize what it means to practice, practice, practice. I heard from her roommate that she trains her spiritual power every day from the moment she wakes up until she goes to sleep. You can also tell from the support videos—she has an iron-cast Spirit Sea. Soreness means nothing to her.]

[Someone smarter than me is working harder than me. I need to work hard too!]

Given how widely the news had spread, Qiuqiu—being the first pioneer to accomplish such a feat—once again found herself the center of attention, drawing countless stares whenever she walked around campus these days.

Her time at the Spirit Healing Department had come to an end for now; next, she had to focus on the Mecha Single Soldier System. Before getting busy, however, she needed to find some time to finalize the menu for the New Year’s Eve dinner.

However, just as they were discussing the menu, New Star Company was audited. The latest directive issued by the Federation Star Tax Bureau demanded an inspection of entities including, but not limited to, New Star Live Broadcast Company, Taobao Food, and the factories and breeding farms controlled by the company.

This sudden development threw Little President Qian off balance. Of course, it wasn’t because he was afraid they would find anything, but rather because a group of auditors would be stationed at the company during this period, which would affect business operations.

Fortunately, after a morning of internal adjustments, things gradually got back on track. External public opinion, however, was a different story; seeing that New Star was being investigated, the internet was filled with doom-mongering. Rumors of tax evasion flew, with netizens predicting they were bound for prison.

Little President Qian was speechless. "Is that really necessary? We even opened a charity branch; would we skimp on this bit of money?" Tax evasion meant going to prison. How could he possibly make such a mistake?

"Why did the tax bureau suddenly come to investigate this?" Meimei found it very strange. Given New Star Company’s tax contribution, even if they wanted to conduct an audit, it shouldn’t have been directed here.

"Who knows," Little President Qian said after a moment of thought. "I suspect it’s foul play from a competitor."

Mei Lin chimed in, "I heard from a few socialites that your brother—older or younger, whichever—has recently been in contact with that pig of a young master from the tax director’s family." He was a fat, ugly, and wretched pig-head.

"I knew it was them... But what’s the use? We have nothing to hide, so we have nothing to fear. He won’t be able to find any evidence." He sounded so confident and certain.

Mei Lin also wanted to be like that—to puff out her chest and proudly say she had done absolutely nothing wrong, that she could live a good life without relying on illicit industries.

"If that’s the case, I actually hope the news about my supposed tax evasion skyrockets! It would be best if all interstellar people knew about it, completely suppressing the hype of their grand finals! And then we can hit them with a plot twist!"

"That’s just wishful thinking," Wanxing said, glancing at the statistical chart. "There’s no way the other party would hire paid trolls to boost our engagement like that."

"Truly despicable." Qian Xingxing thought of Federation Live Broadcast Company, and his expression soured again. "He ruined the company grandfather left behind."

Qiuqiu, who was also present, teased, "Maybe the fake news will top the charts tomorrow. Or, if Federation Live Broadcast Company goes bankrupt in the future, you can just buy the company your grandfather left behind and run it yourself. That would count as inheriting your ancestor’s legacy."

"Yeah," he said seriously. "In another three to five years, there might just be a chance." After all, even on its last legs, a giant was still a giant.

At this moment, none of them knew that a storm of public opinion was about to rapidly sweep over them.

Everything was about to change in an instant.