Laniakea Supercluster, central Great Attractor.
Solar System, Mars.
Mars was no longer the barren wasteland it had once been.
Faint greenery and teardrop-like specks of blue spread evenly across Mars-thanks to the Human Federation's terraforming, it was now a proper habitable planet.
Cosmic Central University had also been established there.
A small Shuttlecraft hurtled through space from nearby Earth, tracing an elegant arc before plunging into Mars's atmosphere.
"Yongchang, you're finally here."
Cao Liangcai watched Lü Yongchang slowly step out of the Shuttlecraft and burst into laughter. "I was just making a bet with the Empire's emperor."
"About what?"
As Lü Yongchang questioned Cao Liangcai, he nodded in greeting to the towering emperor standing beside him. "On behalf of the Human Federation, I extend our greetings to the Empire."
"Chief Scientist Lü, on behalf of everyone in the Tenth Empire, I extend our greetings to you."
The emperor waved his tentacles in greeting to Lü Yongchang.
"We were betting on when you'd arrive today," Cao Liangcai said cheerfully.
The corner of Lü Yongchang's mouth twitched, and he rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Well? You must have lost this time, right?"
"Hahaha!" Cao Liangcai waved a hand awkwardly. "I lost, I lost. Ever since I met you, I haven't won a single bet."
"Speaking of which..."
Lü Yongchang looked thoughtfully at Cao Liangcai. "Don't you still owe me something?"
Cao Liangcai fell silent for a moment, then beckoned to Lü Yongchang and Su Yutong with a perfectly straight face. "Hahaha, funny you should mention it. That's actually why I came this time."
"Cosmic Central University has just been established, and I hear the chicken drumstick rice at the Carbon-Based No. 1 Cafeteria is delicious."
"Shall we... go check it out together?"
Seeing Cao Liangcai's slightly stiff expression, the corner of