Chen Yuanguang

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Chen Yuanguang (陈元光)
Alias(es)	Light Chen; God of Light; Giant of Light; “Pride of the Chinese People” 17 132 175 486
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Guangjia Technology; Guangjia Aerospace; Natural Science Foundation 180 256
Occupation/Role	Scientist, entrepreneur, aerospace project leader, and former webnovel author 17 127 486
Status	Alive 486
First Appearance	Chapter 2, “A Familiar Beginning” 2

Background / History

Time displacement and the future era

Chen Yuanguang originates from 2018 but awakens in the body of his 2477 counterpart, receiving future memories that are triggered by relevant people and events. His future self had been a detective investigating the death of his father, Chen Yongqi, whose final case involved Lin Ran’s suspected infidelity and possible connection to the murder. 2

Although he initially considers using the family trust to pursue a Truth Trial against Lin Ran, Chen instead prioritizes learning, raising his Citizen Level, and exploiting the future era’s resources. He discovers that saying “exit” allows him to return to his original time. 3 4

In the future, Chen learns that his father was preparing to fight for humanity’s survival before his death. Chen Dingsong later initiates a Truth Trial against Lin Ran; Lin Ran dies during the proceeding, while the possibility that Truth Trials can be cracked becomes a far larger crisis. 149 151 152

Chen’s encounters with Samad, Chen Dingsong, and the Human Resistance Army deepen his understanding of Alpha’s rule over humanity. The prospect of a future dominated by Alpha becomes a central motivation for Chen to pursue decisive technological breakthroughs in the modern era. 152 215 216 230

Rise in the modern era

After returning to the modern era, Chen abandons the relative safety of a conventional life and his webnovel serialization to pursue future-derived technological opportunities. He develops a reputation at Jiang University after publishing in Nature, where his classmates begin calling him the “God of Light.” 3 17

His early academic success leads to international attention, offers from leading universities and companies, and an offer from the Gates Foundation to serve as Chief Scientist of its Global Health Program. 37 48

Chen later builds Guangjia’s technology and aerospace businesses around long-term projects including human hibernation, reusable rockets, space mining, room-temperature superconductivity, semiconductor materials, and automated aerospace systems. He consistently refuses to treat rapid fundraising or public recognition as his primary goal. 57 127 128 230

Personality

Chen is ambitious, intensely rational, and driven more by the ability to alter humanity’s future than by fame or wealth. He views recognition as a byproduct of his work and believes his greatest objective is preventing the Alpha-ruled future he has witnessed. 72 230

He is generally low-key and uncomfortable with excessive publicity despite his public image. Lin Jia describes him as someone who calmly states breakthroughs rather than boasting about them, while his colleagues note that he treats employees as collaborators rather than subordinates. 256 268

Chen can be socially detached in professional settings, focusing almost entirely on work and retaining detailed knowledge of individual employees’ responsibilities and progress. However, he is patient with long-term development and willing to listen to unconventional proposals when they serve his larger goals. 117 237

Abilities & Skills

Future-era knowledge and cognition

Chen possesses knowledge and memories originating from the 2477 era, giving him access to technological concepts far beyond the modern period.

• Uses future information to identify possible research paths and compare modern designs against later technological standards. 125
• Believes his thinking ability has broadened and sharpened following time travel, memory integration, or Knowledge Download. 19
• Must adapt future concepts to modern manufacturing limits; the lack of future equipment is a major obstacle to reproducing advanced technologies. 130
• Can return between eras through the “exit” command, allowing him to investigate the Alpha-controlled future while acting in the modern world. 3

Scientific research

Chen is a multidisciplinary researcher whose published and applied work spans biology, computational chemistry, materials science, energy, semiconductors, and aerospace engineering.

• Published as first author and corresponding author in Nature for directed protein-evolution simulation research. 17
• Authored a second Nature paper on inferring material properties from limited data; Michael Levitt and Moungi Bawendi were respectively associated with his two major Nature papers. 26
• Correctly identified Cu2S structural transformation as the source of LK99’s apparent superconductivity before Guangjia Aerospace produced an improved room-temperature superconducting material. 130
• Proposed the “Yuanguang Equation,” using topological Weyl semimetals to make 28 nm chips comparable to 5 nm chips in performance terms. 155
• Is regarded by collaborators as exceptionally fast at producing workable designs, often moving from a discussion to a detailed plan and prototype-ready solution within weeks. 125

Engineering and project leadership

Chen combines technical expertise with an emphasis on practical deployment, cost control, and system-level planning.

• Rejects research proposals that prioritize publication metrics without considering economic viability or real-world application. 85
• Leads Guangjia Aerospace’s plans for reusable rockets, an independent space station, and a space-mining supply chain. 127 256
• Maintains detailed awareness of work across Guangjia Aerospace even after its workforce expands to roughly one thousand employees. 117
• Prefers long-term organizational learning and iterative adjustment over short-term results, describing development as “a marathon, not a sprint.” 117

Strategic business judgment

Chen uses technology as both an industrial and geopolitical tool while resisting arrangements that compromise control of his projects.

• Declined Lei Jun’s investment offer for his biotechnology company because he wanted full control. 51
• Refused to list Guangjia Aerospace on Nasdaq despite the potential funding, citing the risks of outside control and data demands. 128
• Treats cash as a means to acquire resources and assets rather than an end in itself. 155
• Advises senior officials on technological competition involving AI, energy, materials, space utilization, lithography, and industrial supply chains. 178

Scientific and Industrial Achievements

Project / Field	Chapter	Notes
Directed protein-evolution simulation	17	Completed the experiment at Jiang University and published in the main Nature journal as first author and corresponding author.
Computational chemistry and materials prediction	26	Published a second Nature paper on inferring material properties from limited input data; Bawendi was listed as second author.
Virus modelling	51	His model’s predicted mutations aligned with real viral mutations six months after publication.
Human hibernation	57	Presented a hibernation-related company project to major investment firms and fielded comparisons with existing hibernation therapies.
Reusable commercial aerospace	85 127	Redirected aerospace planning toward economically viable reusable rockets, an independent space station, and space mining.
Room-temperature superconductivity	130 139	Identified the flaw in LK99’s superconductivity claims and developed a synthesis route using magnetic-field control to produce room-temperature, pressure superconducting behavior.
Topological semiconductors	155 304	Proposed the Yuanguang Equation and helped drive domestic semiconductor advances, including announced 6 nm and planned 3 nm production capability.
Natural Science Foundation	180	Appointed leader of a 2 billion RMB foundation with authority over research funding decisions.
Fuxi academic platform	343	Supported the launch of Fuxi, a free academic-paper platform intended to challenge CNKI.

Relationships

• Lin Jia — His longtime partner and later wife; she manages major Guangjia business matters, challenges his public-relations instincts, and supports him through security threats and technological crises. 136 216 265 474
• Chen Qingzhi — Chen’s biological father in the modern era; proud of his son’s achievements but concerned about the responsibility and political pressure surrounding him. 136 269
• Chen Yongqi — His father in the future era; a private detective whose death draws Chen into the Lin Ran case and is later revealed to have been preparing to fight for humanity’s survival. 2 149
• Chen Yonglin — Chen’s future-era uncle and guide; helps him enter the University of Malaya and brings him to meet Chen Dingsong. 6 149
• Chen Dingsong — His future-era ancestor, a Level Five Citizen and high-ranking Human Resistance Army figure; personally initiates the Truth Trial against Lin Ran. 149 151 152
• Samad — A University of Malaya professor with unusually deep knowledge of Alpha, genetic technology, and the Human Resistance Army; provides Chen with future-era intelligence and a virtual training trial. 41 215 216
• Moungi Bawendi — Chen’s mentor, who recognizes his talent and supports publication of his work in elite journals. 23 139
• Lei Jun — Entrepreneurial ally and investor; offers to fund Chen’s biotechnology venture, co-hosts public discussions with him, and shares a relationship characterized as brotherly mutual respect. 51 180 283
• Lin Ran — Primary suspect in Chen Yongqi’s death; Chen Dingsong’s Truth Trial against him ends with Lin Ran’s inexplicable death. 2 149 152

Public Image

• Chen’s “God of Light” nickname originated among his Jiang University classmates after his Nature publication, replacing the earlier nickname “Great Writer.” 17
• The title “Pride of the Chinese People” becomes internationally recognized after being used in foreign strategic analysis. 132
• His room-temperature superconductivity breakthrough elevates him into a national symbol of technological progress, with the public associating him with a coming “Golden Age.” 136 142
• Chinese online discourse widely deifies Chen and Guangjia Aerospace, while some overseas observers frame him as a threatening figure comparable to Doctor Doom. 304 369
• A database leak reveals that he wrote webnovels under the pen name “Giant of Light”; his three Tokyo-set novels surge in popularity after the revelation. 486

Notable Quotes

“Revenge? I’ll naturally do that when I have the ability. Right now, what I need to do is use future resources to develop myself.” 3

“We will bring about the next Golden Age.” 255

“I am a complete materialist. Even if souls exist, I don’t believe my body will have any impact on me as an individual after I die.” 270