Chairman Li Zhenyu stood up and grabbed my hand. "You rascal, running off for half a year without so much as a word—you’ve truly angered me."

I replied, "I was tied up with a major project and just returned. I was planning to pay you a formal visit, but I didn't expect you to seek me out first, sir."

The Chairman asked, "Oh? What major project was it? Tell me about it."

I chuckled, "Heh heh, I was off building the moon."

The Chairman’s mouth hung open, momentarily speechless. He had always believed everything I said without question, so such a statement was difficult for him to process immediately.

"Are you joking with me, Little Zhao? I needed to see you urgently about something related to the moon, too. Last night, the Red Dragon issued a warning to R-land, demanding they cease operations of their lunar exploration satellite. Simultaneously, they reminded all other nations that no lunar exploration plans are permitted during this period. You couldn't possibly be unaware of this, could you?"

I responded, "I know, because I was the one who issued the order."

The Chairman frowned, unable to discern my thoughts, so he remained silent for a moment. The atmosphere grew somewhat awkward until the orderly brought in tea. The two of us settled onto the sofa and began to drink.

"Last time, you stole my Da Hong Pao, didn't you? I can tell if even a single leaf is missing," the Chairman remarked while sipping his tea.

"So, sir, this time you've swapped out the tea leaves?"

The Chairman waved a hand dismissively. "I'm not that petty. If you finished it, what’s wrong with inviting you for another round?"

"You don't believe I went to build the moon, do you?"

"That is utterly preposterous. How could I easily believe such a thing? Unless you built a miniature moon, just storing it on Earth would be a problem."

I said, "I didn't keep it on Earth; I sent it directly into the heavens."

The Chairman held his teacup, reflecting. "Oh? We haven't heard reports of a double moon recently. Is it invisible? It seems impossible to make something that massive without other nations noticing."

"I never said it was a double moon. Everyone sees the one I built every day."

The Chairman could no longer speak, his teacup frozen midway. Only after draining the cup did he turn to me and say, "Stop speaking in riddles. Tell me the truth."

"In these six months, I returned to six thousand years in the past. Back then, there was no moon. Considering the future impact of the moon on Earth, I engineered a shoddy construction project and launched the moon into the sky."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

The Chairman asked gravely, "Then first, tell me how you managed to return six thousand years into the past."

"We built a time machine, but now it refuses to work. It’s frustrating me immensely."

"It is widely known that lunar rock is older than Earth rock. How could you achieve that?"

I explained, "The moon is not an artifact of Earth at all. My claim of 'building the moon' is slightly exaggerated; I merely assembled several massive, floating stones."

The Chairman’s face was one of sheer astonishment. "Little Zhao, I have always believed you implicitly, but this time…"

"Believe me this time too, sir. Although the moon today is somewhat different from the one we constructed six thousand years ago, she has had plenty of time over these millennia to reshape it. Perhaps the recent lunar explosion incident was her way of signaling her existence to me."

The Chairman paused. "Although I find this hard to comprehend, I believe you. Earlier, you mentioned 'she'…?"

"She is a friend from six thousand years ago. Using modern terminology, perhaps she should be addressed as the Great Goddess Nüwa. Of course, I mean no disrespect to ancient deities; I personally believe she is the prototype for the legendary Nüwa. As for how others view it, I don't concern myself with that."

The Chairman remained silent for a long time before finally speaking. "My trust in you has reached a near-blind state. If you feel you also trust me, can you tell me everything that lies behind this?"

Naturally, I held the Chairman in high regard as well. Thus, I recounted in detail the story of traveling six thousand years into the past while searching for Elena. The Chairman sighed after listening. "So you aren't even certain if she is alive or not now, and to think the moon has such an origin—a prehistoric super-civilization truly existed…"

"Prehistoric super-civilizations haven't occurred just once, but many times. Think of the sunken Atlantis; that was a civilization that existed before the 'Water' planet beings returned to Earth. After all, epochs of Earth time have nurtured countless life forms, and our current archaeological excavation capabilities remain limited. Furthermore, many traces of civilization have vanished forever into the cosmos, leaving no path to follow."

The Chairman agreed, "You are correct, but this doesn't affect our current lives. Compared to the universe, human life is extremely brief. Precisely because of this, we must cherish the present even more."

"Heh heh, then let’s discuss business, Chairman. I know you’ve been holding back for quite some time."

"You little imp, don't make me sound so impatient. Are you stopping R-land's lunar exploration now because they might disturb the Dragon Maiden's peace?"

I explained, "It's not just that. The fact that the moon is hollow has been repeatedly verified by M and R. Once they possess the capability to probe beneath the surface, the matter of the spacecraft will eventually be discovered by them. If the Dragon Maiden is no longer there, what do you think would happen if the spacecraft fell into the hands of M, R, or other nations? And if the Dragon Maiden and her people are still living inside, they will inevitably oppose us, their descendants, peering into their home. I fear a misunderstanding could easily trigger a planetary war."

The Chairman mused, "We didn't consider the existence of prehistoric super-civilizations before, so no one looked into these issues. For now, I have no immediate solution, but the Moon Goddess has cooperation projects with both our Shanghai Observatory and the Urumqi Observatory, and both sides intend to launch 'Chang'e-1' for observational cooperation in the latter half of the year. If we follow the Red Dragon’s demands, the 'Chang'e-1' launch plan might have to be canceled too."

I considered this for a moment. "Chairman, 'Chang'e-1' should proceed exactly as planned for its operations. My current concern is only the safety of the Dragon Maiden. I might lift this ban after I confirm news about her in a few days. Furthermore, Japan’s involvement in the space race carries elements of militarism; restricting them now is not a bad thing."

"That’s true," the Chairman affirmed. "Although R-land suffered defeat, they refuse to admit it was at the hands of our Great Dragon Nation. So, although the conflict in the East Sea has eased, as long as the Red Dragon is not involved, they will continue to quarrel with us."

I stated, "I believe suppressing a nation should not only be done militarily. Whether in politics, economics, or technology, we need to ensure they cannot hold their heads up. I am currently conducting large-scale acquisitions of M and R companies. While gaining control of their economic lifelines, striking at their technology is also crucial. After destroying their armies and economies, what temper will they have left?"

"Heh heh, going to university truly taught you a lot, Little Zhao. Regarding the Red Dragon, it’s inconvenient for me to interfere too much. Although I suggested you establish the Tri-Service Legion and provided the manpower, the people who truly obey are now you. Moreover, the state has never been able to grant you official status or military funding. Therefore, I will no longer interfere with the lunar exploration matter. But the Japanese are insidious and cunning; you must guard against them."

"Thank you for your concern, Chairman. What we truly need to guard against now is that man in black. Such an ancient figure is likely far more difficult to deal with than the Japanese. You must also heighten your vigilance, sir. Who knows if he might turn against his own descendants?"

"My personal safety is not a major issue. It’s your family that is large; you need to be careful. We’ve talked for so long without realizing it. Stay for dinner."

I stood up. "No, I promised friends I would visit them. If I have any new developments regarding the moon, I will notify you immediately, sir, to save you from worrying."

The Chairman’s tone shifted suddenly. "Ah, what truly worries me now is my granddaughter. Do you know, I forbade her from entering politics, yet she insisted, and now the commotion is growing. She is scheduled to return to a central post in a few days. I know many people down there indulge her because of my reputation. If you have time, please persuade her for me; I know she still listens to what you say."

This situation, I fear, is beyond my ability to counsel Li Qi. Once she makes up her mind, nothing can pull her back. Besides, haven't I been meddling in her political career too? "Chairman, please don't worry about it. Are you concerned about Qi Qi's safety? Rest assured, with me here, no one dares touch her. Her safety is the responsibility of dedicated personnel. I believe whether one enters politics or commerce depends on personal interest. Since Qi Qi has the talent and passion for it, you should wholeheartedly nurture her talent, not stifle it."

"Women should stay far away from politics and struggle, at least the women of the Li family should be," the Chairman insisted. "Those are matters for men. It is too easy for young women to be hurt by engaging in such things. Little Zhao, considering the future, don’t you think it’s time for you to move from underground work to the surface? Although you dislike politics, it is an art form very much worth studying. Once you truly step into that circle, you might grow to like it."

It seems my plan to take the civil service exam has not yet reached the Chairman’s ears, otherwise, he wouldn't have asked that question. "Chairman, let’s discuss this matter later. At the very least, I need to resolve the current handful of issues before I can feel at ease."

"Good. As long as you have that sentiment, that is enough. Don't worry, with your current capabilities, a temporary assignment elsewhere will be followed by a recall to the capital for a post. Then, gradually, all your various statuses will be legitimized, and you can join everyone in managing central affairs."

That was the exact thing I least desired to do, but I nonetheless agreed with the Chairman and bid him farewell. I didn't want to show up empty-handed at their dormitory for dinner. I stopped by a mall and supermarket, buying a large load of bags for them—whether they would be useful, I wasn't entirely sure, but the sentiment was what mattered.

With the care of someone who had an 'insider,' I entered the girls' dormitory unimpeded, not even needing to announce myself. Upon opening the door, I realized Zhou Ni was also there—perhaps Ouyang Qian had notified her.