Das Jianghu von Feng Qingcheng und Mo Xibei

Kapitel 14

"Don't blame Saviel entirely; she did it for her father, and she has already returned the original copy of the Book of Changes."

"But why didn't she tell me the truth?"

How could Saviel tell him to steal something? Chu Xunfeng fell silent. How could Saviel tell him to steal the original copy of the Book of Changes?

“One of the biggest questions is about that child. His sudden appearance adds a lot of uncertainty. He was definitely not arranged by Saviel. I checked the hotel records and videos, and he seems to have some connection with the man in blue. It could also be a coincidence. This is a logical variable.” Jin Dun looked coldly at Chu Xunfeng. “Now you should understand. If you want Saviel to give you a lenient sentence, you can cooperate with me properly. Stealing national treasures is not a minor crime.”

"We don't even know where Xavier is now?" Chu Xunfeng looked like a wilted eggplant.

“I suspect that Saviel discovered some secrets while following the man in blue. Or perhaps the man in blue told Saviel some truths, so she went to the ‘possible world’ where the man in blue lived to find her father, Professor Nie.”

"But why didn't she let me know?"

“She was worried about the dangers of that world! That’s why she went alone. What girl wouldn’t want a man by her side to protect her?” Jin Dun couldn’t bear to hurt Chu Xunfeng too much. “She was worried about you, not trying to lie to you.”

Chu Xunfeng's eyes dimmed, and his legs felt weak.

"But what about Professor Kerr? How did the man in blue get into his room in such a short time?"

"Not necessarily. Entering his room, perhaps they were communicating telepathically..."

Chu Xunfeng sighed deeply, and it took him half an hour to adjust his mindset. He then recounted in detail how he met the child by chance under the moonlight on the edge of the yellow sand, how he brought him home, what strange and unusual behaviors the child exhibited, including his extraordinary computing ability in the game, and finally, how he formed a "four-fold cycle" with the computer.

Jin Dun's eyes shone brightly, his energy focused intensely, his consciousness flowing freely. Hellman, on the other hand, seemed to be listening to a fairy tale, only occasionally letting out sounds of surprise.

When Chu Xunfeng mentioned the man in blue who took the child away at the end of the video, Jin Dun interjected.

“This child and the man in blue are from the same world. They communicate their consciousness through calculation, so there is no need to knock on the door.”

"Communicating consciousness through computation? From the same world?" Hellman asked.

"Yes, or rather, they come from the same organization. This organization has its own beliefs and its own theories, and these theories are related to Leibniz and to calculation."

"It's related to Leibniz." Hermann heard that "devilish" name again.

“The surveillance cameras couldn’t clearly capture the man in blue,” Chu Xunfeng said.

"This is also the result of calculation. The other party used the random distribution of static matter. I deciphered Professor Nie's computer and found something in it. The random distribution of static matter is one of the problems. It is actually a development of probability theory and mathematical statistics, and also an application of the Josephus ring. A certain geographical location can avoid imaging when standing in a fixed position, which is the Chinese Five Elements and the art of concealment." Jin Dun rubbed his earlobe and said, "Leibniz elegantly described imaginary numbers in the 17th century: Imaginary numbers are the beautiful and wonderful source of extraordinary thought, almost an amphibious entity between existence and non-existence. It should be said that he already had a concept of the imaginary and scattered distribution of static matter."

"Leibniz was a pioneer in the study of virtual matter? Saviel had previously told me about the virtual dispersion of static matter, which is why she was able to track the man in blue."

"Yes, Professor Nie is also very knowledgeable in this area. He once combined probability theory with mathematical statistics when proving the Four Color Theorem. His theory may be exactly the same as that of the man in blue."

Jin Dun sighed: "They are all staunch followers of Leibniz."

"Wow, that man in blue is amazing." Herman exclaimed. In her mind, there were very few people on Earth who could reach the same level as Professor Nie.

"That's not all; the disruption of the Earth's magnetic field is also their doing," Jin Dun said.

"They can interfere with Earth's magnetic field? Isn't it said that life on Alpha G planet invaded? What does that have to do with the Blue-Clad People?" Hellman was a little confused. "This is one thing and that is another. You can't connect everything together. It will interfere with our vision and judgment."

"In fact, the Earth's magnetic field and the human brain's magnetic field are essentially the same and can be considered as a whole. The disturbance to the Earth's magnetic field may not be related to the life on Alpha Star G, but it is closely related to this man in blue."

"Are you sure?" Chu Xunfeng pondered the other party's words, a little skeptical in his heart.

The golden shield proudly raised its head.

“Even if we believe you, others won’t,” Chu Xunfeng said.

"Nobody believes it. The entire Earth Federation is now focused on Planet X, and all the talk is about the invasion of life from Planet Alpha G. They consider the actions of this man in blue to be just a small case on Earth. Little do they know that behind this man in blue lies a colossal demon, perhaps from another, very secret world." Jin Dun's serious face grew even colder. "Let me tell you a secret: the Earth Federation has recalled its long-range fleet, assembled its military forces, and readjusted its nuclear and optical weapon systems. Military forces in Asia, Europe, and North America have entered a state of high alert. If any further anomalies occur on Earth, a devastating attack will be launched on Planet X. Planet X is the culmination of over a century of Earth's space program. If the man in blue makes another move, humanity will destroy its own Great Wall, and the space bridge we've painstakingly built over decades will be destroyed. Moreover, there are 23 astronauts on board, each a fighter who has dedicated their life to humanity's space program. These most outstanding astronauts will die unjustly at the hands of Mother Earth."

“SHIT!” Herman said. “We have to stop them.”

Chu Xunfeng was also trembling with fear upon hearing this.

"That's secondary. Four days later, the House of Representatives will reconsider Park Woo-seok's Bill 3099. If it passes, Project Matrix will be launched. If it fails, they will recruit volunteers to join the project. This resolution concerns the future of humanity. If it is launched, humanity will move towards another level of civilization, abandoning the theory of natural evolution and entering programmed evolution. Park Woo-seok only wants to become the father of the fourth-level civilization, using the Federation as his experiment. Professor Nie was the biggest opponent of this project before. And now, he's gone... Actually, there aren't many people in the Federation's upper echelons who oppose this bill anymore." After saying this, Jin Dun let out a long sigh, his worry evident in his expression. Even this resolute detective had things he feared.

Chu Xunfeng's expression hardened, and the tears hidden in his eyes gradually faded. He knew he had more important things to do; it wasn't just about clearing Xavier's name anymore.

He glanced at Hermann, his eyes shining with a warmth, calmness, and strength. He said to Golden Shield, "I know what you mean. You're telling us this so we can find out the truth together. We must find out who's behind this series of events within these four days."

Jin Dun didn't speak, but simply reached out and tightly grasped Chu Xunfeng's hand.

Hellman watched from the sidelines, almost bursting into tears. Men can understand each other in an instant; they can clearly distinguish between family matters, national affairs, and world affairs.

"There are many questions we need to face together. Why is the man in blue so interested in the original text of the Book of Changes? Why did he kidnap one WAR professor after another? Why did these professors laugh wildly as they left? Where did they eventually disappear to? Where did Saviel follow the man in blue, and is she in danger? What is the relationship between the man in blue and the child? Where on Earth are they hiding? What is the meaning of Newton's New Clothes? What methods do they use to interfere with the Earth's magnetic field?" Jin Dun asked.

"Yes," Chu Xunfeng said, "we should set off now."

"Where are we going?" Herman asked.

"Xianyang," Chu Xunfeng said.

"Xianyang?" Herman asked.

"After the professor disappeared, an ancient silver coin was found hanging on the window frame of his study. It was an ancient silver coin that Xavier found in Xianyang ten years ago! It was the coin that Professor Nie told his daughter about his whereabouts when he left." He took out the ancient silver coin.

“What if it’s another trap?” Herman asked.

“Even if it’s a trap, we have to go! Because it’s a trap, we have to go even more.” Chu Xunfeng suddenly remembered Saviel’s innocent face. “Saviel will leave us clues.”

Jin Dundao looked at Chu Xunfeng with a smile he rarely saw. He hadn't seen such an outstanding young man in a long time. "This ancient silver coin was made by Leibniz in the 17th century. Of course, it may be a replica, because Leibniz only made one in his lifetime, and it was lost 300 years ago."

“The child also has one,” Chu Xunfeng said. “It might be a totem from that world.”

Jin Dun was completely bewildered. Was this silver coin like the Euro? He shook his head. It seemed that only by finding the man in blue could these mysteries be solved: "The target is still Xianyang, China. I have already used the image sensing computer to determine the approximate location of the man in blue."

Hermann stared at him wide-eyed: "What kind of Graphics-based computer?"

“We’ll talk about it when we have time,” Jin Dun said. “There’s no time to lose; we must find the answer within four days.”

Chu Xunfeng suddenly remembered something, his brows furrowing as he pressed his right middle and index fingers against his brow: "There's a madman in Xianyang City who keeps saying he's seen another world. Maybe he really is the only one who has seen it." He recalled the day the madman pointed behind him, saying he'd seen that world, then turned and ran away with a horrified expression. "It's very likely because he knows the secret of that world. The other party used a magnetic field to destroy his brain and control his consciousness. If we can find him and use his subconscious, maybe we can find that secret world."

Note:

① One of the three great unsolved mathematical problems of modern times. The Four Color Theorem originated in England. It states that every map can be colored with four colors such that countries sharing a common border are colored with different colors. A rigorous mathematical proof for this conclusion has yet to be found.

Galaxy Secrets (Part 1)

On the way to Leipzig Airport, the atmosphere was suffocatingly tense, as if a storm was brewing. Every citizen of the federal government already knew that the world was about to face a great catastrophe.

But there was no panic, only oppression, a sense of helplessness akin to being at the mercy of others. Everyone understood that if attacked by a civilization far superior to Earth's, would resistance truly be of any use?

Faced with the apocalypse, the major powers of the Earth Federation began to unite. The politicians holding power understood perfectly well that after losing Earth, there would be no longer any distinctions of racial superiority, moral character, or social status. Blood is red; no one's blood is blue.

Only when faced with a life-or-death situation can humanity abandon its sectarian prejudices and unite its elites. Yet, when there are no external threats, it cannot coexist peacefully and instead slaughters each other, ultimately leaving the Earth in a state of chaos and pervasive desertification. Is this the kind of worthless humanity that was driven out of "Eden"?

The flight from Leipzig to Xianyang departs at 3:00 AM the next day, just three days before the Matrix project is scheduled to begin.

Chu Xunfeng and his companions found no clues left by Xavier. The dark city of Xianyang remained unchanged, with occasional screams echoing from the yellow sand at night. Since the original copy of the *I Ching* was returned, the city had returned to its former tranquility. Chu Xunfeng sighed inwardly; this was a city that truly understood life, its ease untouched by the gloom of the world. So many people were busy, their hurried footsteps seemingly heading nowhere. Only this city remained so leisurely and peaceful.

After circling around several times, the three of them found nothing. Chu Xunfeng and Herman, though anxious, remained calm, while Jin Dun's expression grew increasingly grim, as if he sensed some terrible danger was about to occur.

“We must find that madman immediately!” said Golden Shield.

Chu Xunfeng had an exceptional sense of direction and quickly found the corner where he was meeting the madman.

The tattered cotton-padded jacket was still in the corner, along with a straw mat scattered on the ground; it seemed he had made this his home.

But the den was empty; the madman had vanished.

Hermann, with his sharp eyes, pointed to the corner and said someone was lying there. At that moment, Golden Shield smelled blood.

The madman was hiding around the corner, nearly 15 meters from his den. Blood dripped down the path, indicating he had made a final, desperate struggle after being severely injured. Jin Dun stepped forward, checked his breathing, and examined him carefully. "He's beyond saving. Blood is flowing from all seven orifices, and his brain is destroyed. His body is still warm; he just died."

Jin Dun stood up and looked at the heavy sky, which seemed to hold endless darkness.

All three felt a weight on their hearts, as the other side had already taken action before them.

The three stayed at the same hotel they had visited before. Business was even slower than before; they didn't even see any staff this time. It seemed that the "Qingying" incident had still affected the hotel. The owner got up in the middle of the night and saw Chu Xunfeng again. Although he felt a little annoyed, he didn't turn away the "international friend."

Herman absolutely refused to live alone: "I always feel like there's something following us. I'll live with you. You can sleep in the bed and I'll sleep on the sofa, it's fine."

“I’m actually waiting for the man in blue to come knocking on my door. I’ll use you as bait.” Chu Xunfeng said, glancing at Jin Dun.

Jin Dun ignored his sarcasm; his deep eyes were unfathomable.

"They're not perverts, so using me as bait won't work!"

"Asimov's fourth law is that one is interested in slender women."

"A woman's intuition is sometimes very accurate!"

"It's good to live together." Chu Xunfeng was also afraid when he thought of Xavier's disappearance.

“In extraordinary times, we shouldn’t be bound by worldly conventions,” Golden Shield said, quickly closing the door behind him. “Didn’t you find any clues left by Saviel?”

"No!"

“I think something’s watching us!” Hellman said, glancing behind him.

“Yes, they’ve already figured out we’re coming and are trying to shake us off.” Jin Dun looked around. “They’re monitoring us.”

Hermann got goosebumps all over, as if he could see eyes staring at his back!

It was the darkest hour before dawn, and the lights in the room seemed to be swallowed by the darkness, as if an invisible net was enveloping the three of them.

Jin Dun magically produced a small, transparent box from his person, its chassis controller covered with various chips. A feather floated in the transparent container. He flicked open the back cover of the machine with his fingertip, and the folded LCD screen unfolded like a peacock's tail. A computer graph with time T as the horizontal axis and speed V as the vertical axis was displayed horizontally in front of the three people. The speed V jumped rapidly and irregularly, occasionally reaching a maximum or minimum value.

He carefully placed the small box on the table, looking as if facing a formidable enemy. Chu Xunfeng and Hermann exchanged glances, wondering what he was up to this time. But his deep, unusually serious eyes made them both a little afraid.

"This is the Turing computer. It determines the existence of the man in blue based on changes in his speed V."

A computer graph with time T as the horizontal axis and speed V as the vertical axis! The two didn't understand what he meant. Advertisements for various computer brands were everywhere, but they'd never heard of a Turing-inspired computer.

"Is this what you call 'Graphic Inspiration'?" Hellman asked.

Jin Dun frowned deeply. "I can no longer sense the movement of the man in blue. He has been interfered with. You can see that velocity V is now disordered." His face was ashen. "This is the most unbelievable thing I have ever encountered in my life. It seems that we all have to be careful."

"Sensing the movement of the man in blue? Interference?" Hermann was completely baffled.

The vertical axis velocity V of the computer graph on the screen suddenly spikes and dips, sometimes pointing to extreme values.

“The reason I was so sure the person in blue was in Xianyang is because, in addition to checking the flight schedule at the time and the evidence you provided me with, we were able to determine the other party’s location based on the calculations of the Turing computer. The Turing computer calculated that the other party’s destination was Xianyang, China.” He paused here, “but now we have lost track of the other party’s movement.”

Seeing the two's puzzled expressions, Jin Dun realized he had been too hasty: "First, explain what a Turing-inspired computer is." He then touched his nose. "Do you know about the conservation of momentum?"

"I know, it's in the high school physics textbook."

"The sensing mode of the Turing computer is based on the principle of conservation of momentum: mv = m1v1 + m2v2. The conservation of momentum states that the mass of a substance multiplied by its velocity is equal to the mass of the two substances that split from the original substance multiplied by their respective velocities. As long as there is no external force acting on it, momentum is conserved. When I confronted the man in blue on the plane, I took a piece of cloth from him. The man in blue, originally defined as mv, was transformed into the remaining man in blue (m1v1) and the cloth (m2v2)," he pointed to a feather floating in a transparent container, "This is what I took from that man in blue."

The fibrous material of the feather was immersed in the vacuum, soft and adrift. It resembled the description in the Eastern verse, "Ten years of fallen leaves turn into the Weak Water, which cannot carry a goose feather." This feather seemed to float freely on the Weak Water, its physical state quite peculiar.

"When I leaned against the man in blue, the Turing computer sensed his mass and velocity mv. After I obtained the cloth, I kept it undisturbed by external forces, meaning m2v2 remained unchanged. mv was also recorded, and m1 could be calculated from m-m2. By working backward from the conservation of momentum, the sensor could record the man in blue's velocity at every moment. Based on Turing's calculations, other properties of the other party could be calculated from these different velocities."

"Wow!" Hellman was utterly astonished by the Golden Shield. "Turing computation?"

"It's Turing's computability. It consists of a set of well-defined and mechanically executable rule statements and instructions. Simply put, Turing's argument is that any process can be concretely represented in an algorithm; that is, I can calculate the other party's state by inputting a series of different rates. Because Turing computation only needs to look up the information read at each moment and the current internal state to determine its next internal state and output action," Jin Dun said. "Obtaining the other party's state according to these rates is the working principle of the sensing Turing computer."