Showcasing Technological Prowess

Gong Changheng wasn’t ignorant.

It was just that lately… he had been tormented, swinging between tension and exhaustion.

His mind was restless.

His spirit unsettled.

How could he spare the energy to consider leveraging influence?

Right now, all he wanted was to get the birthday banquet over with and complete the task at hand.

As the saying goes, the more you know, the less happy you become!

Old Master Gong, on the other hand,

spent his days thinking only of how to enjoy himself. Even after learning about the situation, though initially startled, he didn’t dwell on it too deeply—ignorance was bliss.

Almost immediately, he saw the opportunity for personal gain.

Leveraging influence.

Riding the momentum.

This was the family’s chance to step into the big leagues.

Of course Gong Changheng knew this—he just hadn’t considered it.

Now that Old Master Gong had voiced it, Gong Changheng fell silent for a moment before deciding to follow the old man’s lead and go all in.

……

Two weeks later.

Nearly all the invited guests had arrived in Hong Kong, waiting for the banquet to begin.

Some knew exactly what was happening.

Others had been swept in by the tide,

completely unaware, only noticing the unusual gathering of heirs and proxies from major families and conglomerates.

Each one held an extraordinarily high status.

But…

It didn’t make sense.

Old Master Gong’s 74th birthday—neither a milestone nor particularly auspicious—hardly warranted such extravagance.

And some of these people…

weren’t the type you could just invite on a whim.

They had to be willing to grant you the honor.

Yet here they were, some having flown in from across the globe, enduring nearly 24-hour journeys.

Were they really here to suffer?

Had the Gong family uncovered the secrets of the universe?

Something was definitely up.

Though many couldn’t pinpoint what, the sheer caliber of attendees and the subtle clues suggested something big was afoot.

Questions swirled.

Those in the dark probed for answers.

Those who knew kept their lips sealed.

The ‘Eternal Life Society’ was shrouded in mystery. Though rumors spread about recruiting new members, the intake would undoubtedly be limited.

Otherwise, the organization’s structure would risk instability.

Still,

this time, word had it they were recruiting Level Nine members—

the entry tier.

In the pyramid model, a bloated base wasn’t necessarily a problem.

In fact, the wider the foundation, the steadier the peak.

After all, everyone here belonged to multiple circles, each with their own encounters with the ‘extraordinary’ or the ‘sinister.’

They understood what the existence of such organizations implied.

And from the frameworks of those groups, they could glean hints about the ‘Eternal Life Society.’

……

The time had come.

An 800-capacity banquet hall.

With partners and entourages factored in, 800 seats wouldn’t suffice.

But it was enough.

Not everyone would enter the main hall.

The courtyard would do just fine.

When a conglomerate scion worth hundreds of billions—or trillions—showed up, where else would the mere billionaires go?

Would they even dare step inside?

And so,

small circles formed effortlessly.

Most quickly found their place among peers of similar stature—or among those equally clueless. The informed waited calmly.

Reporters milled about, documenting the scene.

Amid the birthday wishes, Old Master Gong began weaving through the crowd.

Gong Changheng introduced his father to the heirs and proxies he’d met earlier—

figures of global influence,

capable of swaying decisions at the highest levels.

Old Master Gong swelled with pride. He’d made it. He was somebody now.

Just look at these people,

their obsequious smiles as they greeted him.

It felt damn good.

……

At first, Old Master Gong had been uneasy.

But the more faces he met, the straighter his posture became, as if a newfound radiance now enveloped him.

Such was the transformative power of status—confidence manifesting in real time.

One moment, he might have been hesitant.

The next, he felt ready to throw his weight around.

Originally,

the Gong family had barely cracked the local top ten—

if that.

And ‘top ten’ didn’t mean much when countless unlisted powers lurked in the shadows.

Take Hong Kong’s wealthiest: all locals. But the true players—like the unnamed families behind giants such as Fenghui Bank—never appeared on any list.

Could you afford to cross them?

Of course not.

So in the grand scheme, the Gongs had been small fry.

Now? Old Master Gong carried himself like a titan.

Even when face-to-face with ‘Little Cucumber’—the local tycoon worth $30 billion, two decades his senior—

he could clap the man on the shoulder, tilt his chin up, and say, “You’ve done well. Let’s collaborate more.”

That was the power of influence.

Would ‘Cucumber’ dare protest?

Not a chance.

Not when the Johns in attendance were his own elders.

If even they fawned over Old Master Gong, what could he do?

One wrong move, and they’d snap his legs.

……

……

The banquet lasted hours.

Exhausted but unbowed, Old Master Gong maintained his poise until the end.

Guests departed—some leaving, others staying behind.

Midway through, Gong Changheng had discreetly extended invitations to a select few.

Once the festivities concluded, he arranged for his father’s escort home. The old man would likely collapse into bed, drained.

Gong Changheng himself was weary, but he knew the real work lay ahead.

After all this preparation,

today was the moment of truth.

Though he didn’t know what Young Master Cao had planned, the arrangements were set. His role was simply to deliver the guests.

So after the banquet,

once the uninvolved had left, Gong Changheng led the remaining hundred or so to their next destination.

A convoy of over a hundred cars—his at the front, followed by guests and security—

quickly drew official attention.

The banquet had been pre-approved, but post-event, guests were supposed to disperse. A motorcade of this size was unheard of.

Authorities set up checkpoints.

Gong Changheng flashed his credentials, explaining this was the second round of hospitality for their ‘international friends.’

The traffic police inspected the convoy—indeed filled with foreign dignitaries—and, after reporting in, let them pass.

Their destination: a pre-booked conference center.

After parking,

Gong Changheng ushered everyone inside.

Security swept the hall before stationing themselves at every exit, ensuring no outsiders slipped in.

Then, seating.

Gong Changheng’s phone rang. As he answered, every eye turned to him.

He nodded, responding with vague affirmatives before hanging up.

With a smile, he addressed the room:

“Welcome, everyone, to the Eternal Life Society.”

This was it.

The air tensed.

The conference room was spartan—each seat equipped with a bottle of water and a small box.

No one dared open theirs.

Everyone remained composed and calm.

Gong Changheng pointed to the box in front of each person: "Please put on your devices. Of course, if anyone has concerns or second thoughts, you may leave. The Eternal Life Society values voluntary participation—we never force anyone to do anything."

After speaking,

Gong Changheng walked to the front, opened his box, and demonstrated for the group.

Inside was a VR headset!

To be honest, this wasn’t unfamiliar to many in the room.

The concept had existed fifty years ago.

But after decades of development—from early applications to technological breakthroughs, commercial attempts, failures, and then revolutionary advancements—

it wasn’t until the 21st century, with the rise of smartphones and tablets, that commercialization became feasible.

And then, just last year,

a consumer-grade VR headset finally emerged, marking its entry into the market.

But…

the results were underwhelming.

Especially since, at this point, wireless VR headsets didn’t even exist, and the craftsmanship paled in comparison to the sleek device before them.

After all, this was something extracted from the future.

Even if the network lagged a bit, a little tweaking wouldn’t affect the experience.

This wasn’t current technology—it surpassed even what would exist twenty years from now.

And yet,

what they were about to experience was just a so-called "metaverse meeting."

A futuristic mode of conferencing.

For the present, it was downright impressive.

The meeting environment could be generated at will.

After exchanging hesitant glances, one by one, everyone put on their headsets.

And entered the meeting room.

They were stunned.

Was this…

technology that belonged in the modern era?

Some of them had tried VR before!

Back then, it felt novel, but not mind-blowing.

But this…

Who would’ve thought the Eastern District already had such cutting-edge tech?

Was this the power of the Eternal Life Society?

Of course.

An organization capable of producing "elixirs of immortality" had to be extraordinary, at least in terms of medical prowess.

……

……

Entering the metaverse.

A massive conference hall.

The ceiling stretched thousands of meters high, making them feel as if they’d stepped into a celestial realm.

The sensation was similar—

they felt minuscule.

A rotating emblem floated in the air: the symbol of the Eternal Life Society.

Circular in shape!

At its center was a mysterious hourglass, its golden sand seemingly endless, flowing and reversing with movement, symbolizing the cyclical, unending nature of time and life.

A metaphor for immortality.

Above the hourglass, a white dove clutched an olive branch in its beak.

Its meaning was unclear.

But the dove was eerily lifelike.

Its eyes fixed on the newcomers.

The group was bewildered—even Gong Changheng was taken aback. This was his first time here too.

Fortunately,

the wait wasn’t long.

A woman appeared instantly. Her features were indistinct—neither distinctly Eastern nor Western—but she was stunning.

Almost unnervingly perfect.

Then again,

she wasn’t real.

The woman spoke: "Welcome to the Eternal Life Society’s metaverse! I am your guide, an artificial intelligence. You may call me Little Zhi."

"Gong Changheng, please take your seat at the Eighth-Level position."

"The rest of you, temporarily occupy the empty seats."

"Next, I will show you around our metaverse headquarters."

Gong Changheng quickly located his Eighth-Level seat.

After ascending a few steps,

he looked down at the others—

powerful figures in reality, now beneath him here.

The feeling…

was rather satisfying.

Seated, Gong Changheng watched them, eyes gleaming.

This sensation was truly extraordinary.

He thought to himself: I need to climb higher. Eighth-Level is still too low.