Chapter 54: The Lunar Cannon

“Lunar cannon…” Shang Luo’s first reaction was disbelief. He doubted whether the people at Lan Fang Corporation were overly optimistic, because this clearly seemed like a misguided notion.

But on second thought, this seemingly absurd plan was not entirely impossible.

The abilities of Qi cultivators had limitless potential for development. Even piloting a single piston fighter plane could dominate a nation’s airspace. Clearly, they could achieve far more—perhaps even unlock the true “celestial ladder” leading to the stars and seas.

Yet, could using a cannon to launch humans into space really be reliable?

[Well... from the perspective of psychohistory, humanity indeed went through a period of optimism. For example, in 1865, Jules Verne’s “From the Earth to the Moon” described a cannon capable of shooting humans from Earth to the Moon.]

“Wait, I’ve always wondered—how do you know about what’s happening on my side? Did you also travel through time?”

[Of course not. I know because your knowledge has been projected into the Akashic Records. That ‘library’ holds a place for you as well. This is limited to ‘knowledge’ though—I cannot access what you consider personal privacy; only the parts you regard as ‘public domain’ knowledge are accessible to me. For example, you seem to know how to manipulate AI through a series of tags to generate some strange and risqué…]

“Stop! So the previous ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ was also in there?”

[That’s a movie you really like, and obviously it’s not part of your ‘personal privacy,’ so I found it. I’ve also been wondering who uploaded the recipe for the Foundation Pill, because it clearly isn’t from your ‘knowledge.’ It’s hard to say if it’s the ‘elixir’ you think of, but it does seem to help with foundation establishment.]

“What’s your view on this lunar cannon plan? Can you find information on it?”

[I can’t. Although it’s a semi-public secret, it remains classified. The Akashic Records denied my access; I can’t retrieve highly classified information. Unless someone leaks it to the press or publishes it in public media, then I could find it. But I can provide you with some publicly available information.]

“Hmm… tell me, is it related to those lunar cannons?”

[At the highest peak in central Borneo—Mount Kinabalu—there have been sightings of large engineering teams from Lan Fang Corporation. They have constructed high-standard roads through the mountains and transported massive tubular metal structures to the summit multiple times. Observers from the air have also spotted enormous artificial structures among the central Borneo ranges, with vast areas of mountain covered in concrete and metal. Lan Fang’s tax enforcement troops maintain a tight perimeter around the area; no one who approaches has ever returned.]

“How can I verify the information you provided?”

[Publications have their own registration numbers. You can check these at the library. You can trust me on this—as long as the information falls within the public domain, I can gather it for you and provide verifiable sources. Don’t underestimate this ability; during World War II, the hardcore operative Garcia could track the movements of the entire British army through limited open intelligence, even faster than Prime Minister Churchill. However… for non-public intelligence, you can only ask specific people.]

“Then… Captain Lin, may I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead, ask anything.” Although he didn’t look back, Captain Lin was in a good mood. Having witnessed Shang Luo’s abilities firsthand, he felt he had found a treasure. The man behind him could likely be a great asset to Lan Fang’s grand plan.

“Since you have a plan to build a lunar cannon, what currently hinders you from officially starting space exploration?”

“There are two major obstacles… but before explaining, I need to clarify the definition of a Qi cultivator. I mean cultivators at the Qi refinement stage, not all cultivators. Because this stage’s practitioners are the backbone of the cultivation world. Achieving the Foundation Establishment ‘Celestial Realm’ is extremely rare—only one or two per generation.”

“I know that. So, what are the reasons?”

“The first reason: calculations show that even Qi cultivators cannot withstand the impact force of the lunar cannon. For example, I myself could not. Even I would be shattered by the explosion, probably reduced to a state similar to the jelly in your hand. So, a Foundation Establishment stage Celestial Realm practitioner is needed as a volunteer. We have searched far and wide for such talents but found nothing—not even a trace. Only General Bai Feng is often seen wandering around, sometimes encountered in the streets. That’s why we extended an invitation to him.”

“Ah, so when General Bai Feng was at Lan Fang earlier, he was inspecting your operations?”

“You guessed right. We had a hard time convincing him to come for inspection, but halfway through, an urgent order came. I guess he knew trouble was coming and gave us face by leaving halfway.”

“Do you definitely need a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator to succeed?”

“Maybe not in the future. For instance, with a longer orbit, this might not be necessary. But we need to verify feasibility with a prototype cannon before proceeding with the next phase. The Guoxingye family isn’t a money tree, right? We can’t just pour endless funds into the ‘lunar cannon’ project. So at least, we need to verify feasibility before increasing investment.”

“Sounds quite scientific.” Though Shang Luo wasn’t sure if “stuffing a Foundation Establishment powerhouse into a cannon and firing them to the moon” counted as scientific, the approach was bold hypothesis and careful verification. This way of thinking was rather scientific. As for how the Foundation Establishment powerhouse would return, that seemed a far tougher problem.

“And the second obstacle?”

“The second is the method of launch. Traditional propellants obviously can’t reach the moon. We’re seeking a more powerful, limitless explosive. I can’t reveal much about this highly classified plan, but we’re making progress. Before that, we’ll conduct experiments by lengthening the cannon barrel and using multiple detonations—a huge fixed artillery piece is needed.”

“Is it the one on Mount Kinabalu?”

Captain Lin glanced back at him. “You know quite a bit, huh? But it’s all analyzable from public intelligence. That’s our testing ground. We use Borneo’s highest peak as the cannon mount, taking advantage of the equator’s favorable conditions to project mass eastward. The experiments will start soon—we’ll first try launching solid iron blocks into Earth’s orbit. Wait for our good news; it will be reported. If you’re confident, you can increase your holdings in Lan Fang’s stock at the Anyuan Stock Exchange. I myself am fully invested.”