The existence of the Eternal Club.
To this day, it remains an incredibly enigmatic entity.
Though Cao Cheng has extended invitations to numerous old-money families from several major nations...
Not all families are the same.
Even conglomerates have their internal struggles.
The club does not involve itself in the internal affairs of any family or consortium, nor can it simply bring everyone into its fold.
Thus,
even though the matter is highly confidential, high-ranking officials across nations are aware of its existence.
They are even more aware that the club has declared its intent to heavily invest in the Eastern Bloc for the next century.
This statement almost explicitly signals the abandonment of development outside the East.
This explains the massive financial shifts in the Eastern Bloc—there must be backing from powerful forces behind the scenes.
Especially Young Master Cao.
This man, bearing the surname Cao, is undoubtedly a high-ranking member of the club, privy to many of its internal technologies.
Otherwise, how could he have founded such groundbreaking companies?
At this moment,
Cao Cheng's words are circulating relentlessly among nations, organizations, think tanks, and even within family circles.
Everyone is speculating—what exactly has Young Master Cao developed?
His tone suggests something monumental.
It almost seems as though he has already secured the key to cosmic exploration.
Soon, Young Master Cao will effortlessly venture into space.
If tourism is possible, so is industrial exploitation.
And according to the old "Cosmic Laws," discovery alone doesn’t grant ownership.
But such matters lack effective oversight.
If you truly possess the capability to mine extraterrestrial resources or even build bases in outer space, the protests of others will remain just that—protests.
Let’s be blunt.
In any era, any nation, or for any individual...
Might makes right.
That’s why even a casual interview from Young Master Cao has everyone on edge.
Because no one has a countermove.
The concept of "space colonization" is contentious, but if you lack the capability, even if someone carves out a vast territory and hands it to you, you’d still be powerless to reach it.
That’s the true terror.
What’s worse,
no one knows what Young Master Cao is actually researching.
It appears to be related to space travel,
but the specifics remain a mystery.
Security around Cao Cheng is exceptionally tight.
Countless intelligence operatives—no fewer than a thousand—have vanished without a trace.
Not a single whisper of information has leaked.
Compared to these nations,
online fans aren’t overthinking it.
To them, Young Master Cao is just plain badass.
Now he’s even dabbling in space tourism tech.
Of course,
you can’t blame the fans for their lack of excitement.
They simply don’t grasp the deeper implications.
Plus, they’ve been desensitized by years of grandiose claims from abroad.
After all, how many loudmouths have declared, "We’re going to Mars!" or even "We’ll colonize Mars!"?
People have built up immunity.
And let’s face it—lunar tourism or Mars vacations pale in comparison to the audacity of Martian colonization.
Now that’s next-level.
This is why Young Master Cao’s interview didn’t stir much fanfare among his followers, but it sent shockwaves through global powers.
Especially since those familiar with him know that while he may occasionally sound arrogant, his words are rarely empty.
And context matters.
If this came from the CEO of a publicly traded company, it’d be dismissed as stock hype or a fundraising stunt.
But when Young Master Cao speaks, it’s different.
He has no listed companies, no need for financing—his cash reserves are beyond measure.
So,
if Young Master Cao says it, it’s either true,
or it’s a strategic move to bolster the Eastern Bloc.
Either way, it’s never just talk.
...
The reason Young Master Cao hasn’t revealed his plans?
Because spelling it out would make it sound trivial.
After all, science fiction novels and films have already explored it—
the space elevator!
For modern humanity, this isn’t an insurmountable challenge. A few breakthroughs in materials science would make it feasible.
And materials are the least of Young Master Cao’s concerns.
He already has them.
His carbon nanotubes surpass anything on the market, far more advanced than any existing polymer.
More heat-resistant, more durable.
Capable of withstanding meteor impacts.
These innovations are already deep in development, with over half ready for mass production.
So,
barring unforeseen setbacks,
within a decade—by 2035—lunar commuting will become a reality.
And within the moon’s vast subterranean lava tubes, sprawling bases will rise.
Additionally,
reusable rocket technology is nearing maturity.
With these advancements, a trip to Mars in ten years could cost just a few million per month.
That may sound steep,
but with a few more "tech treasure chests" unlocked—just one or two material breakthroughs—costs could plummet exponentially.
So Cao Cheng wasn’t worried at all.
That was why he dared to say those words.
...
Besides.
Even if progress stalled, with the research Young Master Cao was currently working on, sticking to the plan would take just forty years.
Only forty years.
By the 2060s.
The construction of the Martian sector base could be completed, achieving the first wave of Martian immigration.
Based on current technological research, even if there were delays, it could still be done by 2070.
...
But how could Cao Cheng possibly stand still?
So.
Barring any surprises, the first humans born on the moon would likely appear by 2050.
Of course, the pressing issue now was energy—power supply.
Materials weren’t a concern; Cao Cheng had already extracted plenty.
It was just the energy that was still slightly lacking.
But not by much.
It was only a matter of time.
...
Naturally.
After the interview, Young Master Cao didn’t say much more.
He went back to lying low.
Occasionally trying his luck with draws, fishing, or traveling for leisure…
Then waiting for the next big thing to shock the world.
But before that, there was still plenty of collaboration with higher-ups.
First, they had to confirm their partners.
While Cao Cheng could technically support the project with his own technology and keep all the profits, that would be suicidal.
So.
Partners were a must.
And location was critical.
This wasn’t something that could be built just anywhere—it had to be precisely at the surface projection point directly above the equator.
This task was left to the experts and scholars.
It wasn’t that Young Master Cao was lazy.
There was just no need to micromanage.
This was only the beginning…
To put it bluntly, a "space elevator" sounded impressive.
But in reality, it wasn’t too far out of reach for many nations.
So.
Even if Young Master Cao were to pursue it now, it would only be because of minor breakthroughs in technology and materials.
In a few years—or with a bit of luck, a few months—
He might just draw something even more groundbreaking.
By then, a space elevator might seem like an unnecessary burden.
Right?
Given that, there was no need for Young Master Cao to worry about it.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
ose... to cooperate with the protagonist! Shen Yuan: I have a system! Protagonist: What? System: Holy crap, you're just spilling it out like that? Shen Yuan: Let's team up, we'll split the system rewards! Protagonist: Fifty-fifty split? Shen Yuan: No way! Protagonist: What!? I'm the one getting beaten up, and I don't get half? Shen Yuan: Forty-sixty split, I get forty, you get sixty! Protagonist: Deal! Big brother, come on, hit me! As long as it doesn't kill me, beat me like you mean it! Shen Yuan: Don't worry... I will definitely protect all of you! No one but me can lay a finger on you! Guard our Heaven's Chosen Ones! I'm the only one allowed to bully them!
world slacker. But a genius female disciple just had to get clingy, insisting that he take her as a disciple. Not only that, she was always making advances on him, thoroughly disrupting his peaceful slacker life...
