Chapter 154: The Booming Moon Tourism

In a desert in Saudi Arabia, a convoy of luxury cars raced at breakneck speed across the sand dunes. The flying sand scratched faint lines into the car bodies, and the tires began to billow smoke.

To an ordinary person, such treatment would be heart-wrenching, especially since these were extravagant supercars starting at several million US dollars each. Yet, these wealthy tycoons felt not a shred of regret, enjoying the thrill to their heart's content.

Inside the speeding luxury vehicles, Middle Eastern magnates in traditional white robes rushed ahead, accompanied by their exotic pets—cheetahs, lions, tigers, and falcons—playing wildly and without restraint.

Trailing far behind all the other vehicles was a strange, slow-moving machine, forcing the faster cars to periodically double back and wait for it.

This odd vehicle possessed neither the sleek aerodynamic lines of a supercar nor any flashy colors. It resembled an industrial utility vehicle custom-built for heavy-duty tasks, complete with mechanical arms and various specialized attachments.

Inside the cabin, Prince Mohammed used a virtual reality interface to leisurely steer the vehicle along, occasionally manipulating the lunar utility rover—brought back directly from the Moon—to scoop up sand and cut through rocks, looking immensely proud of himself.

As the first Saudi to set foot on the Moon, he had received a hero's welcome upon returning home. His status skyrocketed, and he was promptly appointed as the head of the newly established Saudi Space Agency.

His absolute favorite pastime was driving his lunar rover everywhere to show it off. Although the lunar vehicle looked unassuming, it had cost him a staggering twenty million US dollars to acquire. Having actually been used on the lunar surface, it possessed immense collectible value and commemorative significance.

Moreover, the technology packed into the rover was remarkably advanced. Operating seamlessly in the airless environment of the Moon meant it incorporated a multitude of cutting-edge technological innovations. Combined with the fact that only a handful of people worldwide owned such a vehicle, it could practically be considered a strictly limited global edition.

Compared to the numerous limited-edition supercars filling his garage, Prince Mohammed now favored this slow-moving lunar rover above all else. Every time he drove it out, it drew immense attention, making it his favorite way to show off as he told everyone he met, "I brought this back straight from the Moon!"

Having taken a trip to outer space and returning to drive an actual lunar rover on Earth was a thoroughly impressive feat, even among a crowd of ultra-wealthy individuals. After all, merely making the journey to the Moon required immense courage. While countless billionaires now desired a lunar vacation, it was always the trailblazers who ate the crab first who earned the deepest respect.

"Mohammed, is there really no danger in traveling to the Moon?"

"What danger could there possibly be? Didn't you see Dennis in his seventies take a trip to the Moon and come back bouncing with energy? Rest assured, China's space technology is extraordinarily powerful."

"Is the Moon really paved with mountains of gold and silver?"

"Of course! Let me show you the Chinese lunar mine I visited. It's not even a particularly large mine, and they've only just begun extracting resources, yet it already yields thousands of tons of precious rare earth minerals a day. Would you say those mountains are made of gold and silver?"

"Do you have any guides or contacts for lunar tourism? I'm thinking of taking a trip up there myself."

"I've already sent you Zhang Xianzu's contact information. You can reach out to him directly."

Within the virtual world, Prince Mohammed was exceedingly busy. Friends constantly bombarded him with questions regarding lunar tourism. The complete live broadcasts of the entire lunar journey undertaken by the eleven billionaires had given countless people on Earth a glimpse into that wondrous voyage.

Upon returning, they naturally boasted extensively within their social circles. Of course, it wasn't merely about showing off wealth; as the vanguard of lunar travelers, they enjoyed immense popularity in high society. Wherever they went, fellow tycoons treated them with profound respect, inevitably inquiring about the sensations and intricate details of the lunar expedition.

***

Far away in the capital of China, Zhang Xianzu stood in his office, constantly occupied with work. Ever since his return from the Moon, he had become exceptionally busy. The lunar tourism service launched by "Future Star" was a massive success, inundated daily with calls and messages from wealthy clients across the globe seeking consultation.

"Ah, someone is reaching out to me."

In his mind, Zhang Xianzu maintained a constant connection to the virtual reality system. The virtual world linked by this system was globally networked, and the most popular chatting software within it was currently Chat World, launched by the Penguin Group.

"Prince Hamdan of Saudi Arabia wishes to initiate a call with you. Do you accept?"

"Accept!"

"A Middle Eastern prince? Ah, he must have been referred by Prince Mohammed. He's undoubtedly inquiring about lunar tourism."

With a flick of a thought in his mind, Zhang Xianzu's perspective shifted instantly, plunging him into a brand-new chat environment. This realm was filled with dazzling starlight, spanned by a majestic galaxy stretching across the sky. It was "Starlight," one of the most expensive chat spaces offered by the Penguin Group, priced at a staggering one million Chinese yuan.

"As expected of a Middle Eastern tycoon—they buy everything simply based on how expensive it is, regardless of anything else."

That was the immediate thought that crossed Zhang Xianzu's mind. Although he was himself a wealthy second-generation heir who had worked hard and earned billions through his own efforts, compared to such extravagant spenders, he still couldn't bring himself to shell out millions just for a virtual chat room.

"Your Royal Highness Prince Hamdan, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Stepping into the virtual chat space, Zhang Xianzu instantly spotted Prince Hamdan, whose avatar was a classic cartoonish depiction of a Middle Eastern man—one that Zhang Xianzu could immediately tell was a custom-tailored private design.

"Mr. Zhang, a pleasure to meet you as well. I apologize for intruding upon you today."

Prince Hamdan smiled warmly as he greeted Zhang Xianzu.

"I am reaching out to Mr. Zhang today to learn more about lunar travel. I would like to take a trip to the Moon, and I was wondering if Mr. Zhang could help arrange it."

Cutting straight to the point, Prince Hamdan bypassed any polite fluff.

"That is certainly not a problem at all. However, so many people currently wish to travel to the Moon that the roster for the next flight is already full. You may have to wait for the third batch."

Anticipating this, Zhang Xianzu felt no surprise. Over the past few days, unfamiliar global tycoons who contacted him almost universally shared the same goal: traveling to the Moon.

The tremendous, unmitigated success of the inaugural lunar tourist group had garnered stellar reviews, making space tourism immensely popular within the global elite circles.

True to form, Zhang Xianzu had immediately coordinated with the China National Space Administration to regularly organize lunar tour groups. The capacity for the second batch had been expanded to fifty people, scheduled for departure in a week, with ticket prices soaring to two hundred million US dollars each.

Yet, this exorbitant price failed to dampen the unyielding enthusiasm of the world's billionaires for lunar exploration. Within a mere two days, all fifty slots sold out, and a staggering ten billion US dollars was wired directly into his company's accounts.

During the first mission, Zhang Xianzu's "Future Star" company had barely turned a profit, as the company's shareholders had had to leverage every connection at their disposal just to secure clearance from the space administration.

However, starting from the second batch, "Future Star" would begin turning a massive profit. With a ticket price of two hundred million US dollars per person, the lion's share naturally went to the National Space Administration, but "Future Star" still retained a profit of fifty million US dollars per ticket—translating to a staggering two and a half billion US dollars for a group of fifty.

Achieving two and a half billion US dollars in revenue within a mere two days demonstrated a terrifying profit-generating capability, sending waves of intense excitement through the entire shareholder board of "Future Star."

Running just a few such trips a month would effortlessly yield tens of billions of US dollars. Even after accounting for taxes and final deductions, the net profit margins remained breathtakingly high.

Naturally, the greatest beneficiary remained the state. Not only did the space administration secure a vast influx of funds that greatly alleviated its financial pressures, but more importantly, the industrialization of space played an incomparably vital role in propelling China's aerospace technology forward.

Transporting wealthy tourists to the Moon for a sightseeing trip posed zero technical challenges for the space administration. The immense capital acquired could be reinvested into building more aerospace planes and further expanding Chang'e City, tremendously accelerating China's technological and economic development. It was an arrangement yielding countless benefits, which explained why the Chinese government attached such immense importance and gave its full support to the venture.

"What? I heard your second batch has fifty slots—how could it already be sold out?"

Hearing this, Prince Hamdan frowned deeply. He had intended to visit the Moon as soon as possible. Having missed the first batch, he was determined not to miss the second under any circumstances.

"Yes, although the second batch had significantly more slots, they were completely booked out within just two days. Moreover, of the one hundred slots allocated for the third batch, only fourteen remain. If Your Highness does not book them now, you may have to wait until the fourth batch."

Zhang Xianzu nodded slightly. Countless technology tycoons and affluent individuals in Western countries possessed a strong adventurous spirit, making lunar tourism exceptionally hot. With daily inquiries flooding in, the third batch of slots was poised to sell out instantly.

"This is moving too fast. Reserve five slots for me immediately. How much is each ticket?"

Though initially hesitant, Prince Hamdan rushed to secure five slots upon learning that only fourteen remained.

"Certainly. The cost is two hundred million US dollars per ticket, bringing the total for five slots to one billion US dollars."

Hearing this, a wave of elation washed over Zhang Xianzu. With the third batch practically sold out, it was high time to begin planning the fourth lunar tourist expedition.

*(Author's Note: Votes requested! All kinds of votes!)*