Chance Encounter

The ancient Mysterious Factor so mysterious that even though Wang Xuan was riding away in the hovercar, he kept looking back for a long time, feeling really... reluctant to leave.

But he knew that he should just wait and see for now. A fair number of people had already been released, and if he continued to cause trouble, things would get out of hand!

The moon has no atmosphere, which means there is no scattering or refraction of light, so the sky is always black, whether it is day or night.

This place is very close to space, so it can be said to be completely free of impurities, but you will never be able to see the azure sky.

The pitch-black sky, cold and profound, is the true nature of deep space. You can see stars here, but they don't twinkle, a completely different feeling from looking up at deep space from the Old Earth or New Star.

"Is that New Star?" Wang Xuan looked up and saw a very large planet in the dark sky, at least from the moon, giving a very imposing impression.

"Yes, that's New Star." The hovercar driver nodded.

He has driven many people, and each person is awestruck when they stand on the moon for the first time and look into the deep space and see that planet inhabited by life.

When viewed from Earth, the moon appears larger than any other celestial body except the sun.

The New Star appears even more magnificent from the moon, as its radius is three to four times that of New Star moon, making it seem exceptionally large from this vantage point.

Like the Old Earth, the New Star stood on the moon, gazing into the distance; it was the only blue speck against the pitch-black night sky.

Wang Xuan had a strange feeling, as if he were seeing Old Earth rather than New Star, because the two looked so similar in space.

The hovercar driver had transported people from the Old Earth before, so he understood their mindset and said directly, "The continental plates of New Star may be different from those of the Old Earth, but they also have abundant water resources. In addition, their diameter and mass are similar to those of the Old Earth."

Wang Xuan nodded. This was crucial, and it should be done this way.

Compared to celestial bodies in the universe, humans are so insignificant that they are less than dust, and life is therefore extremely fragile and highly dependent on the environment.

If the mass and gravity of the New Star differ greatly from those of the Old Earth, humans will have no way to live and establish themselves there. The most ideal new home is one where the overall environment is similar.

However, to Wang Xuan's surprise, the parameters of the two places were extremely similar, making them practically sister planets!

He figured out something: in the vast universe, finding such a similar planet is extremely difficult, and there must be more complex underlying reasons.

He naturally thought of some things: how was the New Star discovered?

In the past, a hot war broke out on the Old Earth, and some people fled to the moon. Soon, advanced technology broke out, and they soon realized interstellar exploration, found New Star, and then immigrated there.

Many people have speculated that humanity discovered and inherited something on the moon, which led to everything we have today.

Even many at New Star believe that the latest research results are still reaping the benefits of the moon's past and are still in the process of restoration.

The emergence of some cutting-edge technologies today is not necessarily original!

As the "lunar heritage" is gradually revealed, humanity is becoming increasingly confident. With technology being upgraded step by step, one day we will be able to travel to deeper space.

However, at present, most of the New Star stars seem to be imitations, and some problems cannot be analyzed in their essence, making it difficult to make in-depth use of them.

Of course, some people are filled with fear and awe, wondering who left behind the technological legacy on the moon, where they are now, and what has become of them!

Therefore, the New Star's leadership is still very cautious. The stargate they built can be closed and self-destructed at any time, completely severing their connection with the outside world.

However, in recent years, a small number of people have become increasingly confident and have taken increasingly larger steps.

Qin Cheng works for a company called Dingwu, which is actually a large organization that mainly provides security services. The company on the New Moon is just a branch of the Dingwu Organization.

This organization has considerable influence in New Star, and there are even rumors that it has its own mercenary group, which is kept on the desolate planet and can explore the "secret lands" when needed.

The defense of the New Moon was naturally the responsibility of the regular army, with organizations like Dingwu supplementing it to fill any gaps.

Dingwu's branch in New Moon wasn't far from the ancient architectural complex shrouded in mist and fragrant with osmanthus blossoms, so Wang Xuan got off the bus early, intending to take a look around before walking to find Qin Cheng.

Guanghan Palace, the most luxurious resort on the moon, is like a fairyland, with all kinds of dreamlike scenes and ultimate service.

The driver of the hovercar was incredibly envious when he saw him get off here, thinking he was going to stay here.

Wang Xuan shook his head; he was only looking around nearby. Qin Cheng had written to him, clearly telling him that the expenses here were terrifying. Qin Cheng's family was quite wealthy, but he insisted on being "frugal" and wouldn't waste money at the Guanghan Palace.

On the New Moon, one side always faces the New Star, but the moon also rotates, albeit slowly, taking almost a month to complete one rotation, making the alternation of day and night very long.

The situation here in Guanghan is a bit different. The protective shield above has undergone special light-sensing treatment, and the day-night cycle is similar to that of New Star, with white mist swirling inside.

"See that? Do you know what that mist is? It's diluted Moonlight Silver, mixed with other beneficial substances in a certain proportion, and it permeates the Guanghan Palace year-round," someone said, quite moved.

Wang Xuan was immediately taken aback. When Old Chen told him about the Earth Immortal Grass, he also mentioned some strange things, such as Mountain Snail and Golden Mushroom, and he also mentioned Moonlight Silver.

It's a rare mineral, found inside special rocks. Once broken, it must be consumed immediately, otherwise it will quickly evaporate, escaping like the bright moonlight. It can revitalize flesh and blood, prolong life, and improve physical constitution; it's an incredibly precious tonic.

The Guanghan Palace actually used this incredibly valuable mineral as "celestial mist" for decoration. Even though it was diluted, you could still feel their extravagance.

Although there is a protective shield here to prevent the Moonlight Silver from escaping, there will still be some loss every day, which is very costly.

"This is a replica of the Immortal Mist," Wang Xuan exclaimed. He finally understood why Qin Cheng didn't dare to spend money here; the Moonlight Silver was just the tip of the iceberg—it was far too luxurious.

The entire ancient building complex exudes a distinct celestial aura, shrouded in white mist, resembling magnificent palaces and pavilions. Even the osmanthus tree at the entrance requires several people to encircle it.

Wang Xuan suspected that this was a fake tree. How could such a large osmanthus tree be planted on the New Moon? He had never seen such a large osmanthus tree in the Old Earth.

Sure enough, someone nearby questioned, "Is it fake?"

Many people come and go from the New Moon every day, and as a famous tourist attraction, it's natural that there are many people lingering around.

"The real tree was dug up from the Wangyue Cliff of New Star. It is said that there are many osmanthus trees in the Guanghan Palace that are older than the one at the entrance."

Wang Xuan looked around, but since he couldn't get in anyway, he felt it was pointless and prepared to leave.

But just then, a man emerged from the swirling "immortal mist," his face glowing red, as if he had just undergone a major tonic. He was a middle-aged man who immediately spotted Wang Xuan, his gaze changing instantly, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure.

"It's you!" He recognized Wang Xuan and quickly walked over.

"Old Ling!" Wang Xuan blurted out. He wasn't being disrespectful on purpose; he was genuinely surprised to encounter Ling Wei's father, Ling Qiming, here.

In Wang Xuan's memory, Ling Qiming had a powerful aura. When they first met, he knew this person's personality: decisive and tough.

Ling Qiming was taken aback, then his eyes became incredibly sharp. Two years ago, he had been politely calling him Uncle Ling, but when they met again, he was demoted to Old Ling!

"How did you get here?" Ling Qiming asked, just like before, even when asking people questions he was full of imposing manner. His eyes were bright and his face was scrutinizing.

Wang Xuan originally wanted to explain to him that he didn't mean to call him Old Ling, but when he heard him ask that question, he immediately remembered that Old Ling had spoken to someone and told him not to come to New Star, so he didn't want to correct that form of address anymore, and instead asked, "Why can't I come?"

Ling Qiming was extremely serious, his gaze intense, and he didn't say a word, just silently looking at him with a powerful aura.

Two years ago, Wang Xuan could reason with him calmly without being intimidated, so now he is naturally more composed.

In particular, Old Wu used to hang around him a lot recently, trying to build a relationship, which made him feel that Old Ling's aura was a bit weaker now, as if he was just so-so.

So when he saw Ling Qiming glare at him, he ignored him and instead looked at a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy who had followed behind him.

He had shoulder-length, smooth, and shiny hair, large and bright eyes, long eyelashes, and an oval face. He was quite handsome and could be described as exceptionally beautiful.

"This little boy is really handsome!" Wang Xuan ignored Old Ling and instead praised the boy beside him.

Ling Qiming's lips twitched slightly, but he didn't say anything.

But the boy beside him wouldn't have it. He walked over, looked up at him, and said in a clear, girlish voice, "Who are you calling a little boy?"

Wang Xuan was indeed somewhat surprised. The little girl had short hair that reached her ears and dressed in a neutral style. He hadn't recognized her as a girl at first.

He touched her head, which made the little girl angry, and she ran back to Old Ling's side.

Wang Xuan didn't want to get entangled with a child, so he quickly said, "My mistake. The little girl is so pretty and cute."

Then, to ease the tension, he didn't forget to flatter Old Ling, saying, "You look a bit like you."

The little girl glared at him, her puffs up in anger.

When Old Ling heard this, his eyebrows rose. He felt that this kid was much more audacious than before, daring to hit his little daughter so casually, and then praising her as cute and saying she looked like him.

"I mean your family has strong genes, you're all very handsome, just like you!" Wang Xuan added.

Old Ling's face darkened, and he remained silent.

Seeing this, Wang Xuan didn't bother to say anything more. He simply waved his hand, turned around, and left to find Qin Cheng.

"Go, block your sister and try to stall her for a while. Don't let her out yet." After Wang Xuan disappeared, Ling Qiming instructed his youngest daughter, "Do you know who that man was? Don't let your sister see him."

The little girl nodded immediately, like a chick pecking at rice, then turned and ran into the Guanghan Palace.

"Even on vacation, he can't stop causing trouble. What's this kid doing here?" Ling Qiming muttered to himself.

Wang Xuan arrived at Dingwu Organization's branch office on the moon. Standing outside the office building, still wondering how to find someone, he saw him directly.

Qin Cheng walked leisurely, with a young woman following behind him as they returned from a walk.

"Qin Cheng!"

Hearing the shout, Qin Cheng looked up abruptly and was immediately shocked. How could Old Wang possibly be in New Moon? Was it a hallucination?!

Someone mentioned warp drive. To clarify, I wrote about Warp Drive, which is a science fiction concept and there's nothing wrong with it. However, describing it in detail in the book would take up too much space, so I won't go into too much detail. Interested readers can search for it themselves.

There is a real Proxima Centauri, which is a red dwarf star, and there is also Proxima Centauri b, which is a planet. There is no error in this.