Rebirth

At the Nobel Prize award ceremony in Germany, the specially invited host, Professor Fermor, was announcing the winners of this year's Nobel Prize in Physics.

"The winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics is Dr. Chen Cheng from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Huaxia.

His new mountain-shaped controllable nuclear fusion model, created using a brand-new mathematical model, has brought a new direction to controllable nuclear fusion for all of humanity, allowing us to take a significant step towards an era of endless energy. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, humanity will no longer have to worry about energy problems."

"What's more, it's worth mentioning that this new mountain-shaped controllable nuclear fusion can be miniaturized, and the energy it releases is no less than that of traditional large-scale nuclear power plants.

Previously, the energy released by one kilogram of natural uranium was equivalent to the energy released by 3,000 tons of coal, and our utilization and conversion rate was only 30%, not exceeding 50%. However, the new controllable nuclear fusion can achieve an energy conversion rate of over 80%.

Furthermore, this conversion ratio can be improved through more rational experimental designs.

Of course, these percentages might seem dry to you, but to put it more concretely, compared to the atomic bomb that fell on Japan back then, the energy release power of an equivalent yield from his technology is 220,000 times greater.

And the efficient mass-energy conversion can be done without any nuclear radiation damage to the human body."

As he said this, Professor Fermor wore a meaningful smile, then chuckled:

"Of course, these are considerations for the military. Now is a celebration for the physics community.

Let's invite Dr. Chen Cheng to the stage to accept his award and deliver his acceptance speech."

Sitting in the guest section, Chen Cheng straightened his attire, greeted the guests and camera lenses, and then walked towards the podium.

After receiving the medal from the committee chairman, Chen Cheng smiled and bowed to the guests and cameras:

"Before I proceed, I need to make a statement. My Huaxia has always been a nation of peace, actively participating in international affairs and strictly adhering to the signed 'Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.' Therefore, I believe, and I ask all of you to believe, that my technology will only be used for the benefit of humanity."

Then Chen Cheng smiled slightly:

"Of course, this is a bit serious. As Professor Fermor said, this is a celebration for the physics community.

I am very grateful to my motherland..."

"Hey, look at this, Academician Chen Cheng has brought so much honor to our Huaxia. He's so young, not even thirty yet, right? I remember he's also the youngest Nobel laureate in history.

Speaking of which, my younger brother, you just came out of the Chinese Academy of Sciences too. You don't look very old either, so you must be a genius like Academician Chen. Then, my younger brother, you must know the scholar Chen Cheng, right? Can you get me an autograph? I want to take it back to motivate my son, hoping he can also bring glory to the country like you and Academician Chen.

If you can get me an autograph, I'll cover your car expenses for a month, how about that?"

Chen Cheng sat in the back, watching the bustling traffic outside the car. He then turned to the driver in front and smiled:

"No need for that. My car broke down today and is at the 4S shop. But if you want an autograph, I'll sign it for you when I get out later."

The uncle was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed:

"Oh my goodness! No wonder I felt you looked familiar from the moment you got in the car. You're the scholar Chen Cheng who was on CCTV!

I watched your speech that day, and it was so satisfying. Our Huaxia isn't like they think, always thinking about making weapons when they create something.

I'm so lucky today to have picked up such a scholar. You have to sign one for me later, my son really admires you."

Chen Cheng just smiled without saying anything else. His mind couldn't help but recall the scene when he reported the entire material to his superiors.

As his seniors said, having a sword in hand and not having a sword in hand are two different concepts.

In fact, Fermor's estimate wasn't entirely accurate. The actual destructive multiplier was far beyond the 220,000 times he mentioned, but under the immense destructive power of atomic energy, there wasn't much difference.

One with 220,000 times the power could destroy a city, and one with 300,000 times could also destroy a city.

Meanwhile, the driver uncle couldn't calm his excitement and kept talking.

He didn't interrupt the driver uncle's continuous chatter.

As he continued to ponder these thoughts and turned his head to look out the car window, he saw a large truck loaded with goods run a red light and crash directly into his car.

The truck was moving too fast!

At this moment, a series of mathematical formulas, theorems, and graphic analyses flashed through Chen Cheng's mind, and he concluded that his death was certain.

This process took less than 0.01 seconds.

Death did not give his intelligent brain much time to react. Before he could conclude he was going to die, before he could even warn the driver, he knew nothing more.

"Major car accident on Huaxin Road, major car accident on Huaxin Road. Preliminary judgment indicates Academician Chen Cheng is among the vehicles involved..."

A patrolling traffic police officer urgently called out on his walkie-talkie.

Then, a voice came from the other end of the walkie-talkie.

"Sixth and Seventh Detachments, respond immediately. You, control the scene and see if you can rescue Academician Chen first. Xiehe Hospital's ambulance and the fire department's rescue vehicles are already on their way."

The entire street was quickly cordoned off. When the ambulance arrived, Chen Cheng had already been rescued from the severely deformed taxi.

The attending doctors immediately had people lift Chen Cheng onto the ambulance with a stretcher.

Chen Cheng's torn clothes were quickly removed, and his superficial wounds were disinfected and bandaged.

Then, the emergency doctor attached a monitor to Chen Cheng.

Looking at the monitor, which showed his blood pressure, body temperature, respiration, and pulse all at zero.

The emergency doctor knew the situation was extremely critical.

"Xiao Liu, immediately notify the hospital to prepare the latest cell and molecular repair chamber."

While doing his best to use all the first aid methods he knew, the emergency doctor, sweating on his forehead, said to his assistant beside him.

The ambulance, with traffic police clearing the way, sped back into the hospital grounds very quickly. Chen Cheng was immediately placed inside a repair pod.

The repair pod was activated, and powerful cellular repair energy rapidly mended Chen Cheng's body. His body, which had medically been declared lifeless, suddenly regained a sliver of consciousness.

Chen Cheng's consciousness suddenly awoke. His brain quickly recovered, and he remembered that he had sentenced himself to death using physics and mathematics. But why did he have thoughts again?

Chen Cheng didn't doubt his own mathematical calculations or the physics laws provided by the scientific sages. Just as he was about to take a deep breath, he suddenly realized he couldn't breathe.

What was going on!

Chen Cheng didn't panic, nor did he think he had arrived in the underworld.

Judging by the tactile sensation on his skin, he seemed to be inside a liquid container. Could this be Professor Ke's latest medical treatment?

At this moment, outside the pod, leaders who had been closely monitoring the situation saw the fluctuating life signs that appeared and then quickly receded. One of them sternly declared:

"Save him with all our might. No matter the cost, Academician Chen must be revived. His importance to the nation is unimaginable."

As Chen Cheng was speculating, a sense of panic rising within him, his brain was overcome by a wave of dizziness.

Then, he felt the liquid around his body being drawn away. Afterward, his body began to move with the receding liquid, but the process was far from gentle; he was propelled by a powerful force.

Then he felt himself getting stuck in a small opening. He could feel his body being tightly squeezed, but he didn't feel suffocated. He was just wedged in, and the slowed blood flow throughout his body made his consciousness grow dim again.

Just before he lost consciousness, he was thinking that once he recovered, he would definitely give Professor Ke some suggestions.

Why was he feeling this dizziness for the second time?

However, before he could fully succumb to unconsciousness, another powerful force pushed against his body. Then, he felt a stinging sensation as his skin left the liquid and came into contact with the air.

Following that, a breath of fresh air rushed into his nasal cavity, and he could also feel the pulse of his own breathing and his heart beating strongly.

Then, he tried moving his limbs again.

This was unscientific!

How was this possible?

Even if Professor Ke's technology was incredibly advanced, he knew it couldn't regenerate severed limbs.

Given his previous injuries, which physics and mathematics had deemed fatal, even if Professor Ke's biological repair technology was miraculous, it couldn't possibly restore severed nerves, could it?

However, he didn't ponder this for long before his eyes began to open.

First, a beam of light entered his optic nerves. After a few blinks, he adapted to the light, though the surrounding scenery remained very blurry.

Before he could get a clear look at his surroundings, a man with a sickly complexion but an exceptionally handsome face appeared before him, growing larger and clearer. This handsome man, with a gentle yet kind demeanor, smiled upon seeing him.

At this moment, Chen Cheng wanted to ask what was happening, but he found that his vocal cords seemed unrepaired, only capable of emitting infant-like cries of "Ah, ah, ah."

At this point, the man with the somewhat sickly complexion carried him to the bedside.

It was only then that Chen Cheng's eyes fully adjusted to the light source. He then realized that his surroundings were not right. This was not the hospital room or research lab he had imagined; it was just a dilapidated wooden house.

There was no liquid container or high-tech equipment in the room as he had expected. The entire room was very simple, even somewhat ruined. He could already feel how many severe bacterial infections he would contract if he, injured as he was, were placed here.

At this moment, Chen Cheng's mind suddenly snapped back to reality. He then raised his small hand and waved it in front of him. Chen Cheng was internally devastated.

How had he become a baby!

He hadn't heard Professor Ke or anyone else mention such technology. Could it be that he had been reborn?

As Chen Cheng was bewildered by his sudden rebirth, Hughes, holding Chen Cheng, spoke to the beautiful woman on the bed with a smile:

"Sophia, look, this little one is our son. He will be the future of the Thornflower Kingdom."

Hughes carefully placed Chen Cheng beside Sophia, making it easier for her to see her child.

Just then, an urgent male voice called out from outside the house.

"Your Majesties the King and Queen, the Kolmo rebel Hisslaj has led his First Legion in pursuit. They are less than a hundred miles away. Our Royal Guards have also been completely lost. We must depart immediately."

Hughes opened the door, and the man outside immediately knelt on one knee upon seeing the door open.

Hughes helped the man outside to his feet, then drew a long sword made entirely of Secret Gold, inscribed with runes, from his waist.

He held the sword upright in front of him and said majestically to Samlet:

"Samlet, in the name of the fifteenth Emperor of the Thornflower Kingdom, I decree that you shall become the personal bodyguard of the little prince, to protect the sixteenth Emperor of the Thornflower Kingdom as he leaves this place."

Samlet knelt down, looking at the King before him with wide eyes. He wanted to protest the King's order, but thinking of Hisslaj's approaching army, he knew that even with his strength, it was impossible to ensure the safe escape of the King, Queen, and Prince together.

When the Sword of Kings, symbolizing authority, was placed on his shoulder, he could only obey the King's command.

Sophia laboriously picked up Chen Cheng and kissed him on the forehead.

This kiss was a farewell.

"My dear child, forgive your father. I pray to the moon goddess for your safe growth."

Thinking that he and Hughes would not be able to accompany Chen Cheng and watch him grow up safely, Sophia couldn't help but shed tears.

Then, Sophia took a purple crystal pendant from her neck and hung it on Chen Cheng.

"May this crystal pendant protect you and keep you safe throughout your life."

Sophia couldn't bear to look at him at this moment and turned her head away. However, with trembling hands, she finally picked Chen Cheng up and reluctantly handed him over to Samlet.

Samlet bowed to Sophia and took the infant Chen Cheng from her arms.

Samlet secured Chen Cheng to his chest and said to Sophia, "Your Majesty, I will surely protect the prince's safety throughout his life."

Hughes then waved his hand, presenting the Sword of Kings to Samlet.

"From now on, the next Emperor will be entrusted to you."

Just as Samlet was preparing to leave, Sophia called out to him, "My dear, you haven't given our child a name yet."

"Brown Hopps. His name shall be Brown Hopps. He is the future light of hope for the Thornflower Kingdom."

Samlet then carried the young Chen Cheng away from the solitary wooden cabin nestled deep in the mountains.

At this moment, Chen Cheng made no sound, merely watching everything quietly. He could see the tears in Samlet's eyes as they left the cabin, and he could also hear the sound of many footsteps approaching from not far away.

Inside the wooden cabin, Hughes Hopps sat quietly by the bed, holding Sophia.

"Sophia, don't worry. Our child will survive under Samlet's protection, and we can finally end this endless cycle of pursuit and hiding."

"Yes, my dearest husband."

Sophia nestled gently into Hughes's embrace, and the two of them soon fell asleep.

Before long, pursuers surrounded the entire wooden cabin. A general with a stern face, clad in red armor, arrived at the cabin door and knelt on one knee to salute.

"Xisilaijie, Commander of the First Legion of the Kolmo Kingdom, greets His Majesty."

All the tens of thousands of legion soldiers who had surrounded the wooden cabin also knelt in unison, shouting their greetings to His Majesty.

Xisilaijie waited for a long time but saw no one open the door. A general behind him, somewhat annoyed, cursed under his breath, drew his sword, and prepared to kick the door open.

However, before he could act, Xisilaijie struck first, decapitating him with a single sword stroke. He then turned and coldly looked at the many generals behind him.

"Anyone who dares to draw their sword before His Majesty shall die."

His actions scared away many generals who had been seeking political capital.

After several tens of minutes, the door was opened from the inside. Hughes, now clad in armor and wearing a crown, exuded an aura that had completely shed its previous sorrow. His face was devoid of any expression as he looked at the kneeling crowd outside.

Hughes silently observed everyone, then couldn't help but let out a scoff.