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.

pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"

lities. One day, Qi Yuan was buying groceries when he unfortunately came face-to-face with a monster. Just when he thought he was going to die on the spot, he suddenly heard the monster's thoughts... "This aura, he's definitely not an ordinary master!" "So terrifying, so terrifying." "A fight with my back against the wall, I can't take it anymore." Qi Yuan: Ah, no one told me that my awakened ability isn't telepathy, but rather the stronger my enemies imagine me to be, the stronger I truly become. PS: Zhou Hai in the first chapter is not the protagonist.

iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.

transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”