The simplest and easiest way to verify stellar motion is to identify the North Star.
"The North Star, being the closest bright star to the celestial north pole, serves as the guiding star visible in the Northern Hemisphere. Currently, the North Star is Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris), also known as Gouchenyi."
To elaborate, this means the position of the North Star is not fixed.
In the past—or in the future—the title of "North Star" will shift to other stars.
And in the star map above them, the angle between the celestial pole and Gouchenyi was extremely wide, clearly indicating it was no longer aligned as the North Star.
This was proof of polar motion across the celestial sphere!
The "Xihe Astronomy Squad" was losing their minds.
They stared up at the dazzling crystal starry dome, swallowing hard.
Though the star map was reversed and a bit tricky to interpret,
for the Xihe team, this was no problem at all!
"Director, this star map is incomplete!"
"Village Barber Wang" felt his throat go dry.
Previously, their incomplete star maps were due to historical, geographical, and artistic limitations.
But this one was incomplete simply because the subway station's ceiling wasn't large enough to display the full map.
A completely different reason!
"I know."
"Jade Void Palace Boss" had stars in his eyes—literally.
Whoever possessed such a detailed star map must have the complete version!
If they could get their hands on the full medieval star chart... Hiss!
His limbs tingled, blood rushing as his heart pounded like a frantic deer.
The subway station bustled with people,
but the group stood frozen in the central hall, staring straight up, drawing curious glances from passersby.
Soon, dozens of people stopped to copy them, craning their necks.
By the time a subway employee noticed the human traffic jam,
he was met with the bizarre sight of dozens of people staring at the ceiling.
"Sir, may I help you with something?"
The employee rushed over, even radioing security, fearing a mass incident.
"No need, we're just admiring the ceiling," said Jade Void Palace Boss.
Admiring the ceiling?
The employee suddenly understood.
Chen Jianhai's aesthetic sense in hotel design was unmatched.
Many first-time visitors to Lion Castle Station were dazzled by its luxurious decor.
But most just glanced and moved on—few stood there obsessively.
As the next train approached, the employee said politely:
"Apologies, sir, but this is a key exit pathway. Your group is blocking passenger flow."
"We have a dedicated lounge ahead where you can admire the decor more comfortably."
It was already past 10 PM, and after 10 grueling hours of travel, the Xihe team needed rest.
"Sorry for the trouble! We'll leave now," Jade Void Palace Boss said quickly.
Exiting the station,
the Xihe squad marched toward Lion Castle Hotel, reuniting with Fan Hecha.
After a night's rest,
the next morning, with the front desk's help, Jade Void Palace Boss contacted Lin Suyang, the hotel's temporary manager.
Then, under the expectant gazes of his team,
he closed the office door for a private discussion.
My name is Liu Fuhou—meaning "abundant blessings."
My parents named me hoping I'd lead a life of fortune and luck.
And indeed, since childhood, my luck was unbelievably good.
Elementary school: Thanks to district zoning, I got into a top-tier middle school.
The next year, my elementary school shut down.
Middle school: Again, thanks to zoning (and some parental donations), I entered a prestigious high school.
The next year, my middle school relocated due to scandals.
High school: I studied hard, got into university.
The next year, my high school principal was exposed in a scandal, and the school collapsed in disgrace.
Career: I joined the Green Vine City Primary Hotel Association, working diligently until I became secretary-general.
Then the association went under...
But thanks to my stellar performance—and having once impressed a senior official at a national conference—
I was transferred to the Nanjiang Intermediate Hotel Association as secretary-general.
And not long after I started,
the association president stepped down, handing the position to a young newcomer.
"Sigh..."
"My entire life!"
Liu Fuhou adjusted his thick glasses, studying the young man in the president's office.
A look of pity crossed his face.
Poor new president...
Whatever misfortune awaits you,
just know—
it's not your fault.
It's the world's!
As if sensing Liu Fuhou's ominous gaze,
Chen Jianhai suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
Lately, an unsettling stare had been haunting him, making his hair stand on end.
"Why does this feel like when I drew that damn myna?"
He shuddered, then instinctively formed a hand sign—
thumb pressing middle finger, then "SNAP!"
"MISFORTUNE REBOUND!"
The moment he shouted it, the sinister aura seemed to scatter.
Chen Jianhai exhaled in relief.
"Wherever that myna flew off to, I hope it never comes back!"
He prayed fervently, hoping this wish would come true.
That said, the Coconut Umbrella Association's president's office was far nicer than Shellfish's.
And thanks to Su Jie's years as secretary-general, everything was meticulously organized, saving Chen Jianhai a ton of work.
"Coconut Umbrella's hotels are mostly resorts."
"Shellfish's are business hotels."
"To compete for 'Advanced Association' status, their development paths differ entirely—I can't use the same approach for both."
Frowning, Chen Jianhai compared the files on his desk.
In his view:
Business hotels cater to work trips and meetings, prioritizing efficiency over leisure.
Resort hotels focus on dining, lodging, entertainment, and relaxation—often becoming destinations themselves.
Having started with beach resorts, and with Langai Hotel now Platinum Five-Star, he could share proven strategies with Coconut Umbrella.
With his own hotel as a testing ground, Coconut Umbrella had a strong advantage.
But Shellfish wasn't hopeless.
For business hotels, their strength lay in standardization:
Executive lounges
Year-round heated pools
Fully equipped gyms
Streamlined operations
Once these were codified into standards, Shellfish's hotels could quickly elevate service quality.
While resorts have no ceiling (better services, environments, and views always exist),
business hotels' high baseline standards are equally compelling.
With both sides evenly matched, choosing one for "Advanced Association" status was tough.
Chen Jianhai was torn.
The bigger issue?
Standardization is easy; customization is hard.
For Shellfish, he could set clear benchmarks and have hotels upgrade accordingly.
But Coconut Umbrella's resorts each had unique themes.
Tailoring general standards to fit all would take serious effort.
"Ironically, Shellfish might be easier to handle..."
Rubbing his temples, Chen Jianhai flipped through the files, headache growing.
His own hotels had piles of unfinished work—he had no energy to micromanage others.
After some thought,
he picked up the office phone and made a call.
Three minutes later, Liu Fuhou knocked and entered.
"President, you wanted me?"
Chen Jianhai hesitated, studying the middle-aged man.
Liu Fuhou was short, stern-faced, with a buzz cut, glasses, and always wore black shirts and slacks.
He looked more like a bodyguard than a secretary.
"Secretary Liu, how long have you been with the association?"
"Over half a year."
"How familiar are you with our hotels? Have you reviewed their files?"
Liu Fuhou nodded. "I've read all 54 hotels' materials."
"Good!" Chen Jianhai said. "Then compile an analysis report summarizing each hotel's unique traits."
Liu Fuhou: "Should I include a comparison table for clarity?"
Chen Jianhai's eyebrows rose. This guy's efficient!
"A table would be perfect."
"It's Monday now—no rush. Get it to me by next Monday."
"If I'm not in Nanjiang, email it."
Liu Fuhou: "Understood."
Though analyzing 54 hotels was a massive task, a week was plenty of time.
With some hustle, he could finish by Friday.
Leaving the office,
Liu Fuhou already had a framework in mind.
But as he pondered which hotels shared themes—
"SLIP!"
"CRASH!"
His left hand shot out to break his fall—
"SNAP!"
White-hot pain shot through his wrist.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Secretary Liu! Are you okay?!"
Staff rushed to help him up, rushing him to the hospital.
Nearby, a janitor stared at her mop, baffled.
"How unlucky..."
"This was the only wet spot in the hallway."
Back in his office,
Chen Jianhai also assigned Su Jie a similar report—
but with extra tasks:
Shellfish Association analysis
Coconut Umbrella Association overview
It wasn't that he distrusted Liu Fuhou,
but Su Jie had a decade of Nanjiang experience—he knew these hotels inside out.
No one better for the job!
Just as he finished delegating, his phone rang.
"Boss, do you have a moment?" Lin Suyang's voice came through.
Chen Jianhai: "Go ahead."
Lin Suyang: "The Xihe Astronomical Research Institute's director approached me today. They want to study the star map in our subway station."
Chen Jianhai paused. "Why ask me?"
"It's on the ceiling. No one's stopping them from looking."
Lin Suyang: "Not just that, Boss. They're asking if we have the complete star map."
Chen Jianhai: "What 'complete' map?"
Lin Suyang: "From what I gathered, the subway's version is partial. They want access to the full original."
Chen Jianhai flatly refused: "Tell them NO!"
Are you kidding?
The full star map costs 30,000 system points!
Every point was precious blood sweat—
Even if the South Heavenly Gate Astronomical Institute asked,
not a single point would leave his hands!