Chapter 66: A Half-Day Tour of the Moon

The space shuttle accelerated rapidly, the tremendous roar of turbulent air perfectly insulated from those inside. Throughout this process, Ma Jun felt no discomfort; the flight was so smooth it was even more stable than any airplane he’d ever been on.

However, once they entered space, the sensation of weightlessness gave him a peculiar feeling. Fortunately, the seat’s safety restraints held him firmly, preventing him from floating away.

This was Ma Jun’s first time in space, his first time gazing upon Mother Earth with his own eyes from the distant stars.

Sadly, by this time, Earth had already lost her beautiful colors, transformed into a wan, haggard old woman, stricken with grave illness.

Her frail body was still supporting the last vestiges of human survival.

“She will recover! She must!” In Dawson Carl’s eyes, the image of Earth was reflected as well. “We need to find a new home as soon as possible, so she can catch her breath.”

“Yes!” Ma Jun nodded earnestly.

The journey was far from dull. Dawson Carl explained to Ma Jun various matters concerning the moon, and regaled him with stories of high society’s amusements.

The moon had undergone many changes. From afar, one could see dense clusters of buildings in certain areas. Even from the shuttle’s vantage, those structures appeared no larger than the tip of a finger.

The moon’s gravity was much weaker than Earth’s, so docking the shuttle seemed effortless.

After donning a specially designed spacesuit, Ma Jun hurried off the shuttle under Dawson’s guidance.

They arrived at a port where dozens of shuttles were docked or preparing for launch. Workers in spacesuits bustled about.

Without pausing to observe, Ma Jun gripped the handrail to avoid losing his orientation in the low gravity, swiftly passing through the corridor.

After passing through two airlocks, they were finally able to remove their suits, and the reassuring sensation of solid ground returned.

They stood in a vast space—not very tall, but brilliantly lit—where cars, long absent from their lives, drove along crisscrossing roads.

It was like a miniature human city. Aside from the abundance of high-tech products, it resembled Earth of old.

A stretch limousine pulled up, and Dawson Carl invited Ma Jun to board.

As they toured this small city, Ma Jun could not help but exclaim in wonder.

Soon, the car entered a tunnel that led to another enclosed space.

Halfway through, inspectors stopped them for a check, a clear indication that this area was not open to the public.

A few minutes later, a new space appeared before them.

It resembled an entertainment district, with dazzling lights everywhere. The cars on the roads here were all of different designs.

They arrived at a sparsely populated area and, after getting out, the driver went to park the car.

Dawson led Ma Jun and the others inside what appeared to be a luxurious hotel.

Entering, they found a bar counter, but Dawson did not approach it. Instead, a server came over from afar. “Honorable Mr. Carl, and distinguished guests, welcome. Would you like to go to your P suite?”

“Of course!” Dawson replied, then frowned and asked, “Is someone there?”

“It’s your sister, Miss Lisa Carl,” the server replied.

“No problem, let’s go!” Dawson glanced at Ma Jun. Seeing no objection, he proceeded.

They walked down a corridor where doors lined both sides. The server stopped at one, opened it, and revealed a hall of about a hundred square meters, furnished with all manner of items.

Yet where a wall should have been across the room, there was instead a floor-to-ceiling window, revealing the scene outside.

A massive golf course, the size of two or three soccer fields, stretched out like a series of hills. Overhead, a giant glass dome bathed the course in light as bright as day, though the sun did not shine here.

“This is incredible!” Ma Jun said with a sincere smile.

The server withdrew while Dawson Carl invited Ma Jun and Qian Moduo to sit, personally pouring two glasses of red wine. He excused himself briefly.

He walked to the window, tapped a few times on the glass, and a door slid open. “Hey, Lisa, come over! I have two friends to introduce to you!”

On the golf course, a young woman was swinging her club. She wore a pleated skirt and a form-fitting white short-sleeved top, showing off her graceful figure, with a cap atop her head. Her features were lovely, suggesting she was just past twenty.

After her swing, Lisa turned, glanced curiously at the room, then stepped onto a cart and sped over.

“Hey, Dawson, bringing friends to play?” she called.

“This is my territory!” Dawson chuckled. “Come, let me introduce you—this is Ma Jun, a genius, and this is Mr. Qian Moduo, his assistant.”

“Wow!” Lisa’s expression grew animated. She took Ma Jun’s hand. “You’re the legendary developer of the Miracle Elixir? The savior of humanity?”

“Seems news travels fast,” Ma Jun shrugged.

“Yes! That foolish Chairman R tried to keep it quiet, but the whole upper echelon already knows. I heard some people have gotten the finished product and are conducting clinical trials—it’s perfect!” Lisa chattered on. “Some are still skeptical, but more have begun to act. Some want to cooperate with R Company. Even the company’s shareholders are discussing it!”

Ma Jun listened carefully, knowing Dawson was using Lisa to convey information to him.

“It’s hard to imagine the savior is such a young, handsome man!” Lisa laughed. “I hear you’re always busy working.”

“Scientific research is captivating!” Dawson interjected. “All right, Lisa, I brought Ma Jun here to have fun, not to meet a rabid fan.”

After a short rest, Dawson took Ma Jun to the changing room to pick out suitable attire.

Clad in the tailored outfit, Ma Jun’s tall, well-formed figure was fully displayed, earning another round of praise from Lisa.

After selecting their clubs, the three of them took a cart onto the course, while Old Qian remained on the sofa, observing from afar.

Looking out through the transparent walls, one could see countless sealed compartments surrounding the area—a mere glimpse of the whole.

It was hard to imagine the manpower and resources required to build such a vast facility on the moon.

Yet, recalling the massive, skyscraper-sized engineering vehicles of Pandora, perhaps these lunar constructions were not quite so astonishing by comparison.

Ma Jun had never played golf before. In his previous life, he saw it as a pretentious sport, utterly unrelated to himself.

Still, he had seen a program explaining the rules and techniques of golf, so he understood the basic stance and swing.

The grip, in particular, was quite interesting—both hands together on the club, with the pinky of one hand entwined with the index finger of the other.

After a few practice swings, Ma Jun’s movements became smooth and assured. Without the help of a tuxedo, yet with the abilities of a special forces soldier and his inner skill, Ma Jun’s control over his body far exceeded that of ordinary people.

“Wow!” After Ma Jun sent the ball flying directly into the hole from a great distance, Lisa clung to his arm and exclaimed in delight, “I can’t believe you’re so good at golf too! Few people can drive the ball so far, let alone score a hole-in-one.”

Ma Jun looked calmly at the enamored Lisa. “How about a match? You two against me alone.”

“What’s the wager?” Dawson asked cheerfully.

“How about a kiss?” Lisa suggested.

“Oh, I’d rather not kiss Dawson!” Ma Jun replied hastily. “How about a lifetime membership here instead? I really like this sport, and playing under the stars is a marvelous experience. I love it here!”

“Deal!” Dawson agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

The result was obvious—Ma Jun’s strength and control were extraordinary, and even if that weren’t the case, Dawson would have ensured his victory.

“I’m already drenched in sweat, let’s go back and recharge!” Lisa said, pulling a tissue from her bag to wipe her brow. “Look, Jun, I’ve neglected your assistant for ages. He’s probably thinking about asking you for a raise!”

Golf may seem effortless, but in reality, it engages the whole body. Those lacking stamina can’t keep up for long.

For Ma Jun, though, this was merely a warm-up. Nevertheless, he did not refuse Lisa’s suggestion.

Back in the suite, Lisa took the initiative to fetch wine glasses and some sweets.

They sat together, chatting and snacking.

After a while, Lisa took a call and, sounding disappointed, said, “What a pity, I have to go back to school to handle something. Jun, can I have your contact information?”

“Of course!” Ma Jun agreed readily.

After Lisa departed, Dawson gradually shifted the conversation to Ma Jun’s research.

He began with effusive praise.

Then, with a serious expression, he said, “Ma Jun, this may sound abrupt, but I already consider you a good friend, so I must warn you. Your research is truly great, but it is also an exceptionally tempting cake. You need to treat it with utmost caution.”

“Yes,” Ma Jun sighed. “I’m well aware. That’s why, after careful consideration, I chose to work with R Company.”

“A wise choice,” Dawson said. “Still, you must remain vigilant. A small company working with such a giant is at a disadvantage. I’ve seen many such cases—they might seek to take control, then strip you of your value, leaving you with no options.”

Dawson left it at that, not pressing further. Though he was a bit forward, Ma Jun didn’t mind in the least.

They enjoyed a lavish meal at a lunar restaurant, then boarded the shuttle to return to Earth.