Chapter 540: Honored in the Imperial Ancestral Temple

If 2023 were to leave a mark on the annals of human civilization, it would undoubtedly be marked by two blood-red words—"harvest failure!"
Human civilization, having progressed to this point, has once again been strangled by the most primal form of hunger; it's practically a cosmic joke.
The global food shortage of 2021 is still fresh in the minds of countless people, who thought it was the bottom.
However, reality has delivered an even more resounding slap, telling everyone that there's no worst, only worse!
"...The latest report shows that the number of people suffering from hunger globally has surged by 100 million compared to the previous year;
Total food production has plummeted by one-third, a truly avalanche-like decline.
From wheat to corn, everything that can grow in the ground has essentially gone on strike as if by prior agreement.
The consequence is that prices for everything are now skyrocketing.
Currently, many low-income countries are facing food shortages, and this year, over 345 million people worldwide face a food crisis..."
Su Hao listened quietly to the report, his heart filled with countless emotions.
He finally understood why, long ago, that intuition had been like a whip, relentlessly lashing at his nerves day and night.
It urged him to hoard food, hoard food, and hoard more food!
At all costs!
It was that almost divine intuition that had led Fang Huan to pile up granaries across the land like mountains.
It also allowed Fang Huan not only to emerge unscathed from this catastrophe but also to hold the power to reshape the world order.
However, Su Hao's heart felt heavy. This immense wealth… it left him with a heavy feeling.
He knew very well that even if Fang Huan's granaries were piled high like mountains, they could not possibly feed every hungry mouth on Earth.
In the dark corners beyond his sight, countless lives were silently withering away, becoming a cold string of numbers in the annals of this year of disaster.
"The crux of the problem is that nature seems to be playing an extreme game.
Some places are suffering from severe drought, while others are flooded. Some areas are parched, barren and unable to grow anything;
while other places are experiencing torrential rains and devastating floods, threatening to submerge the entire continent!"
This extreme uneven distribution of rainfall has completely shattered the already fragile ecological balance, exacerbating the situation.
"Global warming seems to have truly reached a critical point," Liu Bo sighed.
"What's even more tragic is that almost all countries are pretending not to see it, feigning ignorance, and no one wants to be the first to threaten their own interests."
"Hasn't Fanghuan been investing in environmental protection?" Su Hao said calmly.
“Yes, Chairman Su. The Fanghuan Foundation is continuously funding projects to mitigate global warming through global channels.
But to be pessimistic, the results…
are like pouring a cup of water into a volcano—not even a sound.
The only hope now is the ESG Association; they're so strict with carbon emissions as a KPI, maybe they can still have some effect.”
However, Su Hao's mind echoed the pessimistic pronouncements of another group—countless top scientists had already declared: it's too late.
Humanity has missed its best window of opportunity to save itself.
Now, all they can do is kneel and pray like the most devout believers, praying for the technological "singularity" to arrive soon.
They pray that the legendary technological breakthroughs of the future will pull humanity out of the abyss of self-destruction.
"Currently, the only glimmer of hope is GPT, incubated by our 'Close AI' lab."
A light rekindled in Liu Bo's eyes.
"Medicine, media, architecture, programming… GPT is learning and evolving like crazy in every field!
Once this thing breaks through the singularity, 'superhuman intelligence' will be born…"
"At that time, all the ultimate problems plaguing humanity will be solved?" Su Hao continued.
"Yes, Chairman Su!
Whether it's reversing global warming or higher-dimensional technologies that we can't even imagine now, they will all become possible!"
This is also where Su Hao's hope lies.
The spark of human civilization, from the moment electricity was discovered, has spread like wildfire.
And now, the speed of technological iteration is soaring at a terrifying exponential rate.
If, in the future, we have the super-catalyst of the super-intelligent GPT, humanity's technological explosion would likely be on the level of nuclear fusion.
“Increase public awareness campaigns on climate change,” Su Hao ordered.
“Through our media channels, break down the seriousness of the issue, disseminate it thoroughly, and instill it into everyone's minds.
Every one more person we can awaken is a contribution.”
“Yes, Chairman Su!”
“Also, immediately begin allocating food. Prioritize supplying those areas on the verge of starvation.
“How high have food prices skyrocketed?”
“…Five times! Chairman Su, a full five times! It's set a new record in recent years!
All countries that can't be self-sufficient are crying out in despair; it's practically hell on earth!”
“Then open our granaries and release the food,” Su Hao ordered.
“The price…at the current market price?” Liu Bo asked tentatively.
A sane businessman would definitely be selling at the highest possible price right now, taking the opportunity to drain the world's wealth.
But Su Hao merely raised his eyelids and glanced indifferently at Liu Bo.
In his view, these disaster relief supplies were tied to human lives.
Trading human lives for money was a sin against heaven!
“No,” he said firmly,
“The price doesn’t need to be so high. Sell it at the most reasonable price!
Also, I want to emphasize again that priority must be given to those areas that are about to run out of food.”
“Understood. Then… about Africa…”
“Africa, sell it at cost price!
For areas that are truly in dire need, treat it as charity and give it away for free!
Just say it’s humanitarian aid!”
“Yes, Chairman Su, are we… giving away all the food we’ve stockpiled for free?”
“Isn’t saving more lives more important than a string of bank figures?” Su Hao retorted,
“Money is a bastard, we can earn it back.
But if lives are lost, they’re truly lost.
Our initial intention in stockpiling food was to save lives, never to profit from this disaster!”
Liu Bo trembled, his face instantly filled with guilt and admiration:
“Ah… yes! I was confused, I almost forgot this most important point!”
"Chairman Su, sometimes I really feel that you are a saint walking in this era!"
Li Huilin, standing beside her, nodded vigorously, her face filled with righteous indignation:
"Exactly! There are always some conspiracy theories online, constantly imagining you as the mastermind, the super BOSS!
Saying that Fang Huan is the mastermind behind all the disasters, it makes me furious!
Chairman Su, you are so kind and compassionate, with the heart of a bodhisattva. If the world knew, wouldn't they erect a shrine in your honor and enshrine you in the Imperial Ancestral Temple?"