Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lin Wei and Gao Wen leave to discuss further plans for Huaxia's semiconductor industry.
• Li Dong and Liu Ruochuan remain, discussing Li Dong's concerns about the offered position.
• Liu Ruochuan explains the collaborative nature of the project, assuring Li Dong that he won't be solely responsible for its success.
• Liu Ruochuan emphasizes the international recognition Li Dong has already gained, hinting at the upcoming domestic attention.

Character Developments

• Li Dong: Struggles with self-doubt and the pressure of his achievements, but gains confidence after understanding his role in the project.
• Liu Ruochuan: Demonstrates his wisdom and experience in guiding Li Dong, showing both understanding and high expectations.

Significant Themes

• The importance of teamwork and collaboration in scientific research.
• The weight of responsibility and the pressure of expectations.
• The recognition and validation of Li Dong's achievements in the international academic community.

Character Interactions

• Li Dong and Liu Ruochuan: A mentoring relationship develops, with Liu Ruochuan providing guidance and encouragement to Li Dong.
• Liu Ruochuan's words and actions reflect his appreciation for Li Dong's talent and potential, while also challenging him to grow.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dong returns to his dormitory and is ambushed by his roommates, who demand a celebration for his academic achievement.
• They go out for a barbecue dinner, and Li Dong sees Qi Yu, a senior from the School of Chemistry, at another table.
• The next morning, Li Dong wakes up to find his achievement has gone viral, with sensationalized headlines and comments from his high school alumni.

Character Developments

• Li Dong: Starts to understand the impact of his achievement and enjoys the recognition, but remains humble and uninterested in unnecessary socializing.
• Wang Hao, Liu Qiang, and Chen Nan: Show a mix of admiration, envy, and determination to catch up to Li Dong academically.
• Qin Fei: Struggles to cope with Li Dong's algorithm's impact on his research, leading to a dramatic outburst.

Significant Themes

• Academic rivalry and camaraderie among students.
• The impact of groundbreaking research on the scientific community.
• The media's sensationalization of academic achievements.

Character Interactions

• Li Dong's roommates express their feelings about his achievement through dramatic accusations and demands for a celebration.
• Li Dong and Qi Yu acknowledge each other briefly at the barbecue restaurant but do not interact further.
• Qin Fei's outburst reveals the stress and frustration caused by Li Dong's algorithm among his peers in the High-Performance Computing laboratory.

Chapter Summary: “Truth Makes Us All Equal”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dong discovers that his groundbreaking academic work has made him famous after seeing widespread news coverage praising his “Nontrivial-Zero Dimensionality-Reduction Algorithm.”
• He leaves his dorm for the cafeteria and mistakenly assumes that students are staring at him with admiration because of his newfound fame.
• A male student points out that Li Dong is wearing his T-shirt backward and inside out. Embarrassed, Li Dong realizes that many of the people staring at him earlier were actually reacting to his appearance.
• After changing his shirt and eating, Li Dong attends Fundamentals of Geometry and Topology.
• This time, the entire lecture hall genuinely recognizes him. His classmates whisper about his algorithm, which they have tested themselves and found to be highly effective.
• Professor Zhang teaches the class about the transition from computational mathematics to structural and abstract mathematical thinking.
• He presents the Fermat Point Problem and invites someone to solve it. Although many students likely know the solution, they hesitate because they feel intimidated by Li Dong’s reputation.
• Professor Zhang criticizes their reluctance, emphasizing that researchers must have the courage to challenge authority and demonstrate their own abilities.
• Wang Hao volunteers and gives a correct, elegant geometric solution using rotation and collinearity.
• Professor Zhang praises Wang Hao and declares that “before truth, everyone is equal,” encouraging the students not to be overwhelmed by Li Dong’s reputation.
• Wang Hao regains confidence, believing that although Li Dong may surpass him in algorithms, he can still compete with him in pure mathematics.
• However, Wang Hao then notices that Li Dong has independently solved the problem on his scratch paper—apparently by an even more impressive method—causing him to exclaim in shock.

Character Developments

• Li Dong: Adjusts awkwardly to his sudden fame. He initially becomes self-conscious and tries to project the image of a dignified academic celebrity, only to suffer comic embarrassment. Despite his modest and distracted demeanor, he demonstrates that his mathematical abilities extend beyond his published specialty.
• Wang Hao: Moves from intimidation to confidence. Encouraged by Professor Zhang, he overcomes his fear of competing with Li Dong and successfully solves the geometry problem, briefly asserting his own mathematical talent.
• Professor Zhang: Acts as both teacher and mentor. He recognizes that Li Dong’s success has unintentionally intimidated the class, so he deliberately creates an opportunity for students to regain their confidence and understand that truth and ability matter more than reputation.
• The Classmates: Initially treat Li Dong almost like a celebrity or authority figure. Their hesitation reveals how easily admiration can turn into insecurity, but Wang Hao’s example begins to restore their willingness to participate.

Significant Themes

• Fame versus reality: Li Dong’s first experience of being watched is misinterpreted because of his backward shirt, creating a contrast between imagined fame and genuine recognition.
• Truth and merit over reputation: The chapter’s central message is that correct reasoning remains valuable regardless of who presents it. A famous researcher should not make others afraid to offer their own solutions.
• Confidence in intellectual competition: Professor Zhang stresses that researchers must be willing to question, compete, and risk making mistakes instead of surrendering before an authority figure.
• Different forms of brilliance: Li Dong’s expertise in algorithms and number theory does not automatically invalidate Wang Hao’s strength in geometry. The chapter suggests that mathematical talent can appear in many specialized forms.
• Humility and equality before knowledge: Although Li Dong has achieved remarkable fame, the mathematical problem itself judges everyone equally. The final revelation that he solved the problem too complicates this lesson by showing that his abilities may be broader than expected.

Important Character Interactions

• A male student’s blunt correction of Li Dong’s clothing causes Li Dong’s humorous embarrassment.
• Li Dong’s dormmates enthusiastically save him a seat and welcome him as a newly famous figure.
• Classmates discuss and praise his algorithm, reinforcing his celebrity status within the mathematics community.
• Professor Zhang acknowledges Li Dong’s achievements but deliberately challenges the class not to treat him as untouchable.
• Wang Hao responds to Professor Zhang’s encouragement by solving the Fermat Point Problem and reclaiming his confidence.
• Wang Hao then looks to Li Dong for validation, only to discover that Li Dong has also solved the problem, setting up renewed tension and competitive respect between them.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• During Professor Zhang’s geometry lecture on the Fermat Point Problem, Wang Hao presents the standard geometric solution using a 60-degree rotation and equilateral-triangle construction.
• Professor Zhang notices Li Dong’s scratch work and discovers that Li Dong has approached the problem through classical mechanics rather than pure geometry.
• At Professor Zhang’s request, Li Dong goes to the blackboard and explains his method:
  • He models the three points as holes in a frictionless tabletop.
  • Three equal weights hang from strings joined at a movable point (P).
  • The system’s gravitational potential energy depends on the sum (PA+PB+PC).
  • Stable equilibrium minimizes potential energy, so the sum of distances is minimized.
  • Equal tensions acting on (P) must balance, forcing the three angles around (P) to be (120^\circ).
• The class is deeply impressed by Li Dong’s interdisciplinary solution.
• Professor Zhang ends the lecture with a brief but sincere compliment—“You’re very good”—and privately reflects on Li Dong’s exceptional talent.
• While leaving, Zhang thinks about Dean Liu Ruochuan’s interest in recruiting Li Dong and jokes to himself that even Liu may not be able to handle such an unconventional student.
• The chapter ends with Zhang recalling Liu’s reputation as a likely future academician and sighing that younger people are increasingly more impressive.

Character Developments

• Li Dong demonstrates extraordinary mathematical intuition and unusual interdisciplinary thinking. He is able to recognize that a mechanics model provides a more intuitive and general solution than conventional geometric construction.
• Wang Hao moves from admiration and mild uncertainty to genuine acceptance of Li Dong’s superiority. He realizes Li Dong was not merely boasting when he claimed to enjoy physics.
• Professor Zhang is initially confident in the standard solution but is humbled and impressed by Li Dong’s approach. Despite being momentarily embarrassed, he recognizes the originality and research potential in Li Dong’s thinking.
• Professor Liu Ruochuan does not appear directly, but his desire to recruit Li Dong highlights the growing recognition of Li Dong’s value within the university.
• Professor Zhang also reveals pride in the role of experienced teachers, believing that unconventional geniuses still need guidance and discipline.

Significant Themes

• Interdisciplinary thinking: The chapter emphasizes that difficult problems can often be solved more effectively by combining different fields rather than remaining confined to one discipline.
• Research intuition and creativity: Li Dong’s solution illustrates that genuine insight may come from an unexpected perspective instead of established formulas or techniques.
• Practicality over convention: The physics-based method is praised because it is intuitive, broadly applicable, and easier to generalize to problems involving four or more points.
• Generational advancement: The title reflects Professor Zhang’s recognition that younger scholars may surpass older generations through boldness, flexibility, and unconventional ideas.
• Humility before genius: Both Professor Zhang and Wang Hao are forced to reassess their assumptions after witnessing Li Dong’s abilities.

Character Interactions

• Professor Zhang and Li Dong: Zhang notices Li Dong’s work, invites him to explain it publicly, and ultimately praises him despite feeling slightly embarrassed by being outdone.
• Li Dong and Wang Hao: Wang Hao sits beside Li Dong and reacts with helpless admiration, recognizing the gap between their problem-solving approaches.
• Li Dong and the class: Li Dong teaches his classmates a new way to understand the Fermat Point Problem, leaving them enlightened and inspired.
• Professor Zhang and Liu Ruochuan: Although they do not interact directly in the chapter, Zhang’s thoughts suggest friendly rivalry and concern that Liu may attempt to recruit Li Dong.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dong decides to attend chemistry classes to learn elemental identification, molecular orbital orientation, and quantum tunneling effects to challenge Mendeleev and inspire Madame Curie.
• A young, admiring student asks Li Dong to add him on WeChat, but Li Dong declines due to an incoming call from Professor Chen.
• Professor Chen informs Li Dong that his Math.Comp. paper has caused a stir, and his Fields Medal physics project has made it to the finals with a defense date set for December 7th.

Character Developments

• Li Dong shows determination to expand his knowledge into chemistry to achieve his goals.
• Professor Chen expresses jealousy of Li Dong's mathematics success but is reassured by Li Dong's commitment to the Fields Medal project.
• The admiring student is introduced, showing Li Dong's growing influence and popularity among younger students.

Significant Themes

• Ambition and determination: Li Dong's relentless pursuit of knowledge and success.
• Recognition and influence: Li Dong's growing fame and impact on others.
• Jealousy and competition: Professor Chen's envy of Li Dong's mathematics success and his desire for Li Dong to excel in physics.

Character Interactions

• Li Dong interacts with his roommates, who are confused by his sudden interest in chemistry.
• Li Dong politely declines the admiring student's WeChat request.
• Li Dong reassures Professor Chen about his commitment to the Fields Medal project.

Chapter Summary: “Jiang Yubai”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Beijing Normal University, renowned mathematician Jiang Yubai reviews Mathematics of Computation while his assistant, Xiao Zhou, reports that their supercomputing project has calculated Nontrivial Zeros on the quadrillion scale.
• Jiang considers this progress insufficient, explaining that his research requires even higher-order data. He also reflects on a talented student from Jiangcheng No. 6 High School whose algorithm appears to conceal additional potential.
• At Peking University, Li Dong attends Professor Zhang Lifang’s Structural Chemistry lecture. The class covers scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), quantum tunneling, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and atomic orbitals.
• After class, Li Dong remains behind to question Professor Zhang about combining synchrotron X-rays with STM to detect chemical information and orbital orientation at the single-atom scale.
• His proposed approach could enable elemental and chemical-state analysis at unprecedented resolution and clarify the complex internal structure and changing states of atoms.
• Professor Zhang is surprised by the sophistication of his questions, noting that they exceed ordinary undergraduate material. Before Li Dong can elaborate, a girl wearing black-rimmed glasses knocks and begins entering the office.

Character Developments

• Jiang Yubai is portrayed as a highly accomplished but ambitious mathematician. Despite his calm exterior and prestigious reputation, he remains intensely focused on advancing his research and securing the data needed for his major project.
• He also demonstrates strong analytical insight by recognizing that the algorithm developed by the young student from Jiangcheng No. 6 High School is deliberately incomplete or restrained.
• Li Dong is revealed to be exceptionally curious, self-motivated, and intellectually advanced. Though only a first-year student in Yuanpei College, he independently studies advanced chemistry and physics and attempts to connect multiple experimental techniques.
• Professor Zhang Lifang is depicted as respected, experienced, and authoritative. Her initial suspicion toward Li Dong quickly turns into interest and approval once she learns he is auditing the class and sees the depth of his understanding.

Significant Themes

• Exceptional talent and hidden potential: Both Jiang Yubai’s comments about the high-school student and Li Dong’s advanced questions suggest the emergence of extraordinary young researchers.
• Interdisciplinary science: Li Dong’s ideas merge structural chemistry, quantum mechanics, synchrotron radiation, microscopy, and materials characterization.
• The limits of current knowledge and technology: Jiang’s demand for higher-order mathematical data and Li Dong’s pursuit of single-atom detection both emphasize the drive to push beyond established boundaries.
• Mentorship and academic hierarchy: Professor Zhang’s interaction with Li Dong reflects the importance of experienced scholars recognizing and guiding younger talent.
• Scientific ambition: The chapter presents research as a pursuit of deeper truths—whether in the distribution of mathematical zeros or the internal structure and chemical behavior of atoms.

Character Interactions

• Jiang Yubai and Xiao Zhou: Xiao Zhou reports the computational progress, while Jiang responds with measured expectations and instructs him to continue monitoring the project.
• Jiang Yubai and the unnamed young algorithm developer: Though they do not meet directly, Jiang evaluates the student’s work and senses that its creator is withholding or concealing part of its capability.
• Professor Zhang and Li Dong: Zhang first questions Li Dong’s presence in class, then agrees to discuss his ideas privately. Their conversation establishes Li Dong’s unusual abilities and Zhang’s growing interest in his work.
• The unnamed girl and Professor Zhang: The girl’s arrival at the end of the chapter interrupts the discussion and introduces a new character whose connection to Zhang and Li Dong remains to be revealed.

Chapter Summary: “Is Your Energy Unlimited?”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dong visits Professor Zhang to ask about SX-STM, a cutting-edge technique combining synchrotron X-rays with scanning tunneling microscopy to detect chemical information at the single-atom level.
• Professor Zhang explains that chemistry cannot be mastered through theory alone. Unlike mathematics, it requires direct laboratory experience, such as adjusting nanoscale probe distances and observing signals in ultra-high-vacuum and ultra-low-temperature conditions.
• Before Li Dong leaves, Professor Zhang asks her student Qi Yu to explain the method’s theoretical foundation.
• Qi Yu describes how X-rays excite core electrons in specific elements, while an STM probe collects the resulting electrons through quantum tunneling. This combines X-ray spectroscopy’s elemental and chemical sensitivity with STM’s atomic-scale spatial resolution.
• Li Dong rapidly understands the concept, aided by his special “Chemical Intuition,” which allows him to visualize electron tunneling at the microscopic level.
• Qi Yu offers to answer his future chemistry questions, and the two exchange WeChat contacts.
• After Li Dong leaves, Professor Zhang learns from Qi Yu that he is famous throughout Peking University for publishing a groundbreaking mathematical paper and being considered a likely future Salem Prize winner.

2. Character Developments

• Li Dong demonstrates his unusual interdisciplinary ability. Although already acclaimed in mathematics, he seriously pursues advanced chemistry and quickly grasps a difficult experimental concept.
• Professor Zhang is established as an experienced, practical chemist who values experimental knowledge over purely theoretical reasoning. She also recognizes Li Dong’s mathematical importance and encourages Qi Yu to learn from him.
• Qi Yu initially views Li Dong with surprise and skepticism, wondering why a mathematical prodigy would choose chemistry. Her admiration grows when he understands her explanation immediately. She also reveals a playful, competitive side after he leaves.

3. Significant Themes

• Theory versus practice: The chapter emphasizes that chemistry requires hands-on experimentation and sensory understanding, not merely abstract reasoning.
• Interdisciplinary knowledge: Mathematics, physics, and chemistry are shown to support one another, especially in quantum-scale research.
• Exceptional talent and limitless ability: Li Dong’s success across unrelated fields raises the question of whether his energy and intelligence are effectively unlimited.
• Mentorship and mutual learning: Although Li Dong seeks guidance from Qi Yu, Professor Zhang suggests that Qi Yu may also benefit from his mathematical expertise.
• Public reputation versus private personality: Li Dong is widely celebrated as a mathematical genius, while Qi Yu’s teasing attitude reveals that she does not simply treat him as an untouchable celebrity.

4. Character Interactions

• Professor Zhang gently challenges Li Dong’s assumption that theoretical study alone can master chemistry, then helps him indirectly by assigning Qi Yu to explain the concept.
• Qi Yu gives Li Dong a clear technical explanation and offers herself as a future source of guidance, creating a new academic connection between them.
• Li Dong responds respectfully and efficiently, accepting her help and adding her on WeChat.
• Afterward, Professor Zhang teases Qi Yu for pretending to be especially composed and humble around Li Dong. Qi Yu insists that, as his senior in chemistry, she should be the one teaching him, highlighting their emerging competitive dynamic.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dong has been attending advanced chemistry classes and seeking help from Qi Yu for concepts he doesn't understand.
• Gao Wen informs Li Dong about the approval of high-performance computing nodes and an upcoming meeting with Huaxuan Technology.
• Li Dong realizes a crucial oversight in his algorithm and plans to fix it using a topological isomorphism technique.
• Wang Hao shows Li Dong a video of Professor Jiang Yubai praising Li Dong's algorithm and inviting him to join a project.

Character Developments

• Li Dong demonstrates dedication to his studies, seeking help when needed, and shows excitement about improving his algorithm.
• Wang Hao shows enthusiasm and support for Li Dong's achievements, hoping to benefit from his success.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of knowledge and continuous learning.
• Recognition and validation of one's work and potential (Li Dong's algorithm being praised by Professor Jiang Yubai).
• Humility and self-awareness (Li Dong's response to Professor Jiang Yubai's invitation).

Character Interactions

• Li Dong interacts with Qi Yu, seeking help with chemistry concepts, and with Gao Wen, discussing the supercomputing nodes and an upcoming meeting.
• Wang Hao interacts with Li Dong, showing excitement and support for Li Dong's achievements and hoping to be involved in future opportunities.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The author acknowledges an error in posting a duplicate chapter and apologizes, offering a free chapter as compensation.
• The author explains their writing schedule and limitations, clarifying that they cannot post multiple chapters at once and have a daily word limit of ten thousand words.
• The author defends the accuracy of the knowledge points in the novel, stating they are based on real exam questions and papers.
• The author expresses their desire to provide enjoyable content and earn a living through writing, asking readers not to involve their family in criticism.
• The author thanks readers who provided monthly tickets and announces a new Alliance Leader.

Character Developments

• The author, as the narrator, shows humility and accountability in addressing the chapter error.
• The author demonstrates commitment to accuracy in their research for the novel's knowledge points.
• The author reveals their dedication to their craft and their readers' enjoyment.

Significant Themes

• Accountability and honesty in addressing mistakes.
• The balance between art and commerce in writing.
• The importance of reader satisfaction and feedback.

Character Interactions

• The author interacts with their readers through their apology, explanation, and gratitude for their support.
• The author acknowledges and thanks specific readers who provided monthly tickets and became an Alliance Leader.

Chapter Summary: “Does It Have No Meaning?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dong travels to Peking University’s Science Building 1 using Gao Wen’s authorization to activate his access to the university’s supercomputer.
• He receives login credentials and an OTP security token, then returns to his dormitory to remotely access the system.
• Li Dong uploads and runs Riemann_Dimensionality_Reduction_v2, an improved version of his algorithm incorporating techniques from the Riemann Manuscript.
• The algorithm performs extraordinarily well, verifying hundreds of millions of nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function in under a minute and continuing to accelerate toward vastly larger numbers.
• Liu Ruochuan calls Li Dong to inform him that he has been invited to give a forty-five-minute talk at the upcoming ICCM Congress in Shanghai, a prestigious international mathematics conference.
• Liu reveals that Professor Jiang’s team has already used the algorithm to verify zeros up to (10^{17}), suggesting that the algorithm could transform computational number theory.
• He angrily reports that foreign mathematicians and commentators have dismissed Li Dong’s work as only a minor modification of Xavier Gourdon’s framework, claiming that its several-orders-of-magnitude improvement lacks fundamental mathematical meaning.
• Li Dong remains calm and indifferent to the criticism, agreeing to attend ICCM and prepare for the talk.
• After the call, Li Dong reflects on the meaning of increasingly large efficiency improvements as the algorithm’s verification count surpasses the hundred-billion and trillion levels.

Character Developments

• Li Dong continues to display extraordinary confidence and emotional detachment. Praise from prestigious scholars barely affects him, and he does not allow hostile criticism to disturb him.
• His ambitions remain focused on pushing the algorithm further rather than seeking recognition. He begins questioning whether improvements of five, six, or seven orders of magnitude would finally be considered meaningful.
• Liu Ruochuan emerges as fiercely protective of Li Dong and deeply invested in defending the importance of his work. His anger reflects both personal loyalty and resentment toward perceived Western academic bias.
• Professor Jiang’s research team validates the algorithm’s practical power by using it to reach (10^{17}), strengthening the case for its revolutionary significance.

Significant Themes

• Recognition versus substance: The chapter contrasts Li Dong’s indifference to reputation with the academic world’s obsession over status, authorship, and theoretical prestige.
• Academic nationalism and bias: Liu believes foreign scholars are deliberately minimizing the work because it was produced by a Chinese undergraduate.
• The meaning of progress: The chapter questions whether enormous computational gains can be dismissed as “meaningless” simply because they do not immediately alter established theory.
• Humility and composure: Li Dong’s calm response to both praise and criticism embodies the ideal of remaining unmoved by external judgment.
• Technological transcendence: The algorithm’s rapidly escalating performance suggests that Li Dong’s work may exceed current mathematical and computational expectations.

Character Interactions

• Li Dong and the Peking University system: His successful login, upload, and batch submission demonstrate his growing access to elite academic infrastructure.
• Li Dong and Liu Ruochuan: Their phone conversation reveals a mentor-student relationship. Liu is emotionally passionate and protective, while Li Dong is measured and reassuring.
• Li Dong and the international mathematical community: Though he does not interact with critics directly, their dismissive evaluation becomes a source of conflict surrounding his work.
• Li Dong and Professor Jiang’s team: Their independent use of his algorithm provides powerful external confirmation of its effectiveness and increases the significance of his upcoming ICCM invitation.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Zhou Shenzhi and his team at Beijing Normal University's supercomputing center successfully calculate 2*10^17 nontrivial zeros of the Riemann Zeta Function, surpassing the previous world record by four orders of magnitude.
• The calculation reaches the physical limit of their supercomputing cluster, halting further progress due to hardware and algorithmic limitations.
• Jiang Yubai, Zhou Shenzhi's teacher, aims to use this data to advance the Langlands Program, a Theory of Everything in mathematics.
• Li Dong, who open-sourced the dimensionality-reduction algorithm used in the calculation, is criticized by Zhou Shenzhi for leaving a "computing-power black hole" in the algorithm.

Character Developments

• Zhou Shenzhi: Realizes the limitations of their current algorithm and hardware, leading to frustration and helplessness.
• Jiang Yubai: His ambitions are revealed; he hopes to use the calculated nontrivial zeros to advance the Langlands Program.
• Li Dong: Struggles with social interactions, particularly with his senior student Qi Yu, leading to an awkward dinner.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of mathematical breakthroughs and their limitations, both in hardware and algorithmic capabilities.
• The tension between mathematical ambition and the reality of computational constraints.
• The social awkwardness and inexperience of Li Dong in navigating relationships outside of academia.

Character Interactions

• Zhou Shenzhi interacts with the supercomputing cluster's interface, expressing his frustration and helplessness.
• Li Dong interacts with Qi Yu, leading to an awkward dinner due to Li Dong's lack of social finesse and Qi Yu's reserved demeanor.
• Zhou Shenzhi thinks about Li Dong's algorithm and the potential limitations he may have hidden, expressing his frustration and criticism.

Li Dong reunited with his former teacher, Old Chen, and Qin Yan in Beijing before visiting Tsinghua University. He assured Old Chen he was prepared for the next day’s physics defense, though his roommates would have exposed that claim as a lie.

• Li Dong teased Qin Yan at the airport about his research and academic progress.
• Li Dong greeted Old Chen, who had arrived in Beijing, and mentioned that he would give an invited talk at the ICCM Congress next month.
• Li Dong, Old Chen, and Qin Yan left the airport for Tsinghua University and walked around campus.
• Old Chen asked Li Dong whether he had prepared for the defense of their physics paper on hysteresis loops and spontaneous symmetry breaking.
• Li Dong claimed he had studied the physics project thoroughly, though his roommates would have said he had been reading Atiyah’s paper instead.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Yau High School Science Award (Physics Division) Global Finals begin at Tsinghua University.
• Li Dong submits a leave request to attend the competition, surprising Professor Zhou Qifeng due to its timing and Li Dong's academic achievements.
• Li Dong and Old Chen arrive early at the defense venue. The judges, including Mr. Yau, Su Qiwang, Gao Yunfeng, Gao Yuanlin, and Lars Andersson, discuss Li Dong's mathematical prowess and express interest in meeting him.
• The judges review the finalists' projects, praising Qiao Fan's work. They are then taken aback when they see Li Dong's name on the list.

Character Developments

• Li Dong demonstrates his commitment to physics, despite his mathematical achievements.
• Professor Zhou Qifeng shows understanding and support for Li Dong's decision to compete in the physics division.
• The judges, particularly Mr. Yau and Lars Andersson, express admiration for Li Dong's work in Analytic Number Theory.

Significant Themes

• The chapter explores the theme of interdisciplinary academic pursuits, with Li Dong excelling in both mathematics and physics.
• It also touches on the competitive nature of academia, with Tsinghua and Peking University's schools of physics and mathematics being compared.

Character Interactions

• Li Dong interacts with Professor Zhou Qifeng, who approves his leave request and ponders Li Dong's potential in physics.
• The judges discuss Li Dong's achievements and express interest in meeting him, highlighting the respect and admiration they have for his work.
• Gao Yunfeng and Gao Yuanlin engage in friendly banter, representing the rivalry between Tsinghua and Peking University.

Chapter Summary: “I’m Not That Confident”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dong waits calmly in the holding area before defending his physics project, “Rotation-Induced Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking.” His mentor, Old Chen, is extremely nervous and repeatedly advises him to slow down, explain the Lagrangian Dissipation Equation clearly, and avoid being drawn too deeply into abstract mathematics.
• Li Dong reassures Old Chen that he understands his project completely because he constructed the entire model himself.
• They notice a distinctive-looking team from Korea Science Academy (KSA) whose project claims to simulate room-temperature superconductivity using non-Hermitian quantum systems and verify topological boundary states on a macroscopic tabletop.
• Li Dong is astonished by the project’s grand claims, while Old Chen explains that such a project may have advanced theoretical support from a university laboratory. He suspects the team reached the finals by presenting mathematically polished but potentially unverified simulations.
• The Korean team emerges from the defense room looking defeated. A volunteer translates their complaints: they accuse the judges, including Professor Yau and other international scholars, of being overly conservative and focusing too much on experimental error rather than theoretical innovation.
• Li Dong is then approached by Qiao Fan, a younger rival from Chengdu No. 7 High School. Qiao Fan remembers losing to Li Dong in a previous competition and has since trained himself to surpass him.
• Qiao Fan’s project, “Research on Droplet Bouncing Based on Faraday Waves and the Nonlinear Dynamics of Pilot Waves,” uses macroscopic fluid experiments to explore ideas related to quantum mechanics. He confidently announces that he will give Li Dong a serious challenge.
• Qiao Fan’s coach, Su Wan, recognizes Li Dong’s enormous achievements in mathematics, including his influential work in numerical computation and his publication in a leading journal. She privately realizes that Qiao Fan is unaware of how far Li Dong has advanced academically, though she retains some hope that Li Dong may be less dominant in physics.
• Qiao Fan enters the defense room, determined to win the global gold award. Old Chen becomes increasingly anxious, believing Qiao Fan’s project is exceptionally strong and may threaten Li Dong’s chances.
• When Old Chen asks how confident he is in their model, Li Dong pretends to be uncertain, saying Qiao Fan’s project is deeper. He then reveals that he is actually more than ninety percent confident, turning his apparent humility into a humorous understatement.

Character Developments

• Li Dong: Remains calm, relaxed, and highly self-assured beneath a deliberately modest exterior. His casual attitude contrasts sharply with the seriousness of the competition, and his final statement reveals that his confidence is much greater than he initially admits.
• Old Chen: Becomes increasingly nervous as he worries about Li Dong’s defense and the strength of rival projects. His anxious coaching emphasizes how high the stakes are for Jiangcheng No. 6 High School.
• Qiao Fan: Develops from a former defeated competitor into an ambitious challenger. He is sincere, passionate, and convinced that his Faraday-wave project can surpass Li Dong.
• Su Wan: Shows greater awareness than Qiao Fan of Li Dong’s international mathematical achievements. She understands the enormous gap between them but chooses not to discourage her student.
• The Korean team: Their confidence collapses after the judges challenge their project’s experimental credibility. Their reaction highlights the conflict between impressive theory and rigorous verification.

Significant Themes

• Confidence versus humility: Li Dong’s claim that he is “not that confident” is comic understatement; his true confidence is extremely high.
• Theory versus experiment: The Korean project illustrates how elegant mathematics and ambitious claims cannot replace convincing experimental evidence.
• Academic rigor: The judges value testable results, error analysis, and physical validation rather than merely self-consistent formulas or attractive simulations.
• Rivalry and unequal awareness: Qiao Fan views the encounter as a major showdown, while Li Dong treats it almost casually. Their unequal understanding of Li Dong’s abilities creates humor and dramatic tension.
• Appearance versus reality: The Korean team appears confident but fails under questioning, while Li Dong appears relaxed and modest despite being overwhelmingly prepared.

Character Interactions

• Li Dong and Old Chen: Their exchange contrasts Li Dong’s composure with Old Chen’s anxiety. Old Chen gives detailed defensive advice, while Li Dong lightly reassures and distracts him.
• Li Dong and the Korean team: Li Dong is impressed by the ambition of their project but remains skeptical of its plausibility. Their failed defense confirms his doubts.
• Li Dong and Qiao Fan: Qiao Fan treats Li Dong as a fated rival, whereas Li Dong barely remembers their previous encounter and does not consider the competition as evenly matched.
• Su Wan and Qiao Fan: Su Wan encourages Qiao Fan while privately recognizing that he underestimates Li Dong.
• Old Chen and Su Wan: Their brief interaction allows Su Wan to share her assessment of Qiao Fan’s strong project, which heightens Old Chen’s concern about the upcoming defense.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter discusses the criteria for winning the Fields Medal, using past winners as examples.
• Li Dong realizes the practical applications of his project and contacts Isaac Newton for feedback.
• Li Dong's group is called for their project defense.

Character Developments

• Li Dong gains confidence in his project's practical applications and seeks validation from Newton.
• Qiao Fan shows support for Li Dong before his defense.

Significant Themes

• The importance of practical applications in scientific research.
• The balance between theoretical depth and practicality in winning recognition.
• The influence of historical figures like Newton on modern science.

Character Interactions

• Li Dong interacts with Newton via the "Azure Dragon Study Group" chat, seeking feedback on his project.
• Qiao Fan cheers for Li Dong before his defense, showing sportsmanship despite being competitors.
• Li Dong and Old Chen work together to carry their experimental equipment into the defense room.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dong presents his project, 'Phase Transitions in Mechanical Systems', at the Yau High School Science Award global finals.
• He demonstrates a rotating-loop-and-ball system that exhibits mechanical hysteresis loops, isomorphic to microscopic thermodynamic phase transitions.
• Li Dong explains how this system can be used to create highly sensitive rotational-speed and vibration sensors, answering Professor Gao's question.

Character Developments

• Li Dong shows maturity and confidence in his presentation, handling questions from judges with ease.
• Li Dong reveals his genuine curiosity and passion for mathematics when asked by Mr. Yau about his motivation for studying the Riemann Zeta Function.

Significant Themes

• Pursuit of Knowledge: Li Dong's genuine curiosity and passion for understanding physical principles drive his work.
• Originality and Ingenuity: Li Dong's mechanical isomorphic model is praised for its ingenuity and potential practical applications.
• Integrity: Li Dong's honest response to Dean Gao's question about patenting his design demonstrates his integrity and disinterest in personal gain.

Character Interactions

• Li Dong interacts with the judges, answering their questions confidently and respectfully.
• Mr. Yau shows interest in Li Dong's work and asks him about his motivation for studying the Riemann Zeta Function.
• Dean Gao initially glares at Li Dong but softens his gaze after Li Dong's honest response about not pursuing fame or profit.

Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Li Dong wins the gold medal in the physics division and the top interdisciplinary award at the Yau High School Science Award ceremony, making Jiangcheng No. 6 High School famous.
• Li Dong discovers that his Nontrivial-Zero Verification Program has reached ten to the nineteenth power in just five days.
• The Azure Dragon Study Group's permissions upgrade, and two mysterious group join requests appear.
• Li Dong enters a state of intense focus, trying to understand a mathematical pattern in the Nontrivial Zeros.

Character Developments

• Li Dong shows no excitement about his awards, focusing instead on his mathematical discoveries.
• Qiao Fan, Li Dong's rival, is demoralized after losing to Li Dong but vows to study Li Dong's project to understand his defeat.
• Old Chen, Li Dong's guardian, is proud of Li Dong's achievements and encourages him to study hard at Peking University.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of mathematical truth and the single-minded focus it requires.
• The intense competition and rivalry among top students in elite high schools.
• The recognition and rewards that come with academic excellence.

Character Interactions

• Li Dong and Qiao Fan interact briefly at the awards ceremony, with Qiao Fan expressing his determination to study Li Dong's project.
• Old Chen interacts with Li Dong, expressing his pride and encouraging Li Dong to study hard.
• Li Dong's roommates, Wang Hao, Liu Qiang, and Chen Nan, show concern for Li Dong's intense focus but respect his process.
• Professor Liu Ruochuan, the dean of the School of Mathematics, recognizes Li Dong's state of inspiration and supports his process without interrupting him.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Liu Ruochuan recognizes the formula on Li Dong’s scratch paper as the core density function of the Montgomery Pair Correlation Conjecture, which connects the statistical distribution of Riemann zeta-function zeros with eigenvalue patterns from quantum chaos.
• He realizes Li Dong may be attempting to extend the conjecture beyond its current theoretical limit, a task nearly as difficult as proving the Riemann Hypothesis.
• The scale of Li Dong’s computation shocks Liu: the workstation is verifying nearly (10^{20}) nontrivial zeros, far beyond the (10^{17}) level previously achieved by Beijing Normal University’s supercomputer cluster.
• Liu concludes that Li Dong must either have developed an entirely new breakthrough algorithm or secretly withheld a major part of his earlier algorithm’s convergence-acceleration method.
• Rather than interrupt Li Dong, Liu orders that he be given complete privacy and an open-ended leave of absence.
• Li Dong’s roommates are temporarily moved to another dorm, while Professor Zhou is instructed to handle administrative matters.
• Liu contacts Gao Wen, who agrees to postpone an upcoming meeting with Li Dong and begin coordinating hardware and interdepartmental preparations to support the massive computation.

Character Developments

• Liu Ruochuan shifts from astonishment to wholehearted support. Although uncertain whether Li Dong’s research will succeed, he recognizes its historic importance and assumes the role of protector and facilitator.
• Li Dong is revealed to be working at a level far beyond what his published research suggested. His apparent “academic seclusion” resembles a cultivation breakthrough, though he is unaware that others believe he deliberately concealed part of his algorithm.
• Wang Hao becomes intimidated and doubts whether he can keep up with Li Dong, highlighting the widening gap between them.
• Liu Qiang and Chen Nan respond with humorous disbelief, comparing Li Dong’s intense research session in a dormitory to a cultivator forming a Nascent Soul.
• Professor Zhou accepts the leave arrangement without resistance, recognizing the dean’s confidence in Li Dong.
• Gao Wen immediately understands the significance of the (10^{20})-zero computation and moves to support Li Dong institutionally.

Significant Themes

• Scholarship as exploration into the unknown: Academic research is portrayed as a search through darkness, where even brilliant researchers cannot know whether their deductions will succeed.
• Ambition and intellectual frontiers: Li Dong is pushing beyond established mathematical boundaries, emphasizing the risks and scale of groundbreaking research.
• Support for exceptional talent: Liu’s decision to protect Li Dong’s working environment shows that great discoveries require institutional trust, resources, and freedom.
• The fusion of mathematics and physics: The conjecture’s connection to quantum chaos reinforces the chapter’s theme of disciplines converging in pursuit of deep mathematical truth.
• Humility before discovery: Despite Li Dong’s apparent genius, the characters acknowledge that massive computation and bold theory do not guarantee proof.

Character Interactions

• Liu explains the conjecture’s significance to the dorm residents while privately analyzing Li Dong’s calculations.
• He silently observes Li Dong rather than disturbing him, demonstrating respect and concern.
• Liu reassures Professor Zhou through direct administrative support and orders the roommates to vacate the dorm.
• Wang Hao and the other roommates react with awe, anxiety, and humor as they confront the magnitude of Li Dong’s work.
• Liu’s conversation with Gao Wen expands Li Dong’s breakthrough from a private academic effort into a project requiring institutional and technological coordination.

Chapter Summary: “The Shift in Public Opinion”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Peking University, chemistry professor Zhang Lifang lectures on molecular orbital theory, ligand-field theory, and the use of Group Theory to analyze transition-metal complexes.
• Qi Yu, Zhang’s top disciple and intended doctoral student, attends attentively and helps her mentor after class.
• At the cafeteria, Qi Yu overhears Li Dong’s roommates discussing his condition. They reveal that Li Dong has recovered enough to stand, walk, and even kick Wang Hao.
• The roommates also discuss Li Dong’s attempt to advance the Montgomery Pair Correlation Conjecture, surprising Qi Yu, who had not known he was working on such a major mathematical problem.
• Qi Yu searches the conjecture online and realizes that Li Dong is pursuing a problem connected to the distribution of Riemann zeta zeros and random matrix theory.
• The conversation shifts to a growing wave of negative online commentary about Li Dong’s Dimensionality-Reduction Algorithm. While official media initially praised it as revolutionary, newer articles question why it has not yet been applied to practical fields such as high-frequency trading or encryption.
• Wang Hao identifies this as “killing him with praise”: the media exaggerates expectations and then uses the lack of immediate engineering applications to discredit Li Dong’s foundational mathematical work.
• Qi Yu investigates the online material herself. She notices repeated keywords, nearly identical wording, and coordinated promotion across numerous accounts.
• Using her familiarity with social-media trends, she traces the campaign through layers of reposting accounts and identifies the apparent source: an overseas science-popularity account called “Old Yao and Xiao Wei,” which has tens of millions of followers.

Character Developments

• Qi Yu is shown as academically accomplished, disciplined, polite, and deeply devoted to chemistry. However, she also remains emotionally invested in Li Dong. Her irritation that he has shifted his attention from chemistry to mathematics reveals lingering feelings and possessiveness.
• Qi Yu’s view of Li Dong changes. She realizes that his work is not trivial or detached from reality, but connected to a world-class mathematical conjecture. She also begins to understand that public criticism of him may be deliberately manufactured.
• Her analytical and investigative abilities become prominent. Beyond being a gifted chemist, she demonstrates sharp instincts in tracking online narratives and identifying coordinated manipulation.
• Li Dong does not appear directly, but his recovery and extraordinary mathematical progress establish him as the central figure around whom both admiration and controversy are growing.
• Wang Hao emerges as perceptive and protective of Li Dong. He understands the difference between foundational research and practical engineering and recognizes the unfairness of the media campaign.
• Liu Qiang and Chen Nan function as curious, supportive friends who help reveal Li Dong’s physical recovery and ongoing mathematical work.
• Professor Zhang Lifang is presented as Qi Yu’s respected mentor and academic authority, reinforcing Qi Yu’s strong position within chemistry.

Significant Themes

• The conflict between foundational research and practical application: The chapter challenges the assumption that theoretical mathematics has no value unless it immediately produces consumer or industrial benefits.
• Manipulation of public opinion: Praise can be weaponized when inflated expectations are followed by criticism. The chapter exposes how coordinated media campaigns can distort public understanding.
• Academic specialization: Li Dong’s algorithm may require engineers and industry specialists for implementation; expecting one mathematician to handle the entire transition from theory to engineering is portrayed as unreasonable.
• Jealousy and changing priorities: Qi Yu’s resentment toward Li Dong’s focus on mathematics reflects both personal attachment and the tension between chemistry and mathematics as competing intellectual worlds.
• The gap between public image and reality: Li Dong is first celebrated as a national scientific miracle, then subtly attacked when reality fails to match exaggerated media narratives.

Character Interactions

• Zhang Lifang teaches and guides Qi Yu, while Qi Yu respectfully assists her after class.
• Qi Yu indirectly interacts with Li Dong through her memories of his former interest in chemistry and her reaction to his current mathematical pursuits.
• Wang Hao, Liu Qiang, and Chen Nan discuss Li Dong’s recovery and research, providing Qi Yu—and the reader—with new information about him.
• Wang Hao argues with the implied media narrative, defending Li Dong’s achievement and explaining the practical limits of applying a theoretical algorithm.
• Qi Yu initially listens secretly but becomes actively involved once she recognizes the possibility of an organized campaign against Li Dong. She independently verifies Wang Hao’s claims and traces the campaign to its apparent origin.

Chapter Summary: “Rich Second-Generation Li Dong”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The overseas Chinese popular-science account run by Old Yao and Xiao Wei gains popularity by presenting urban legends, fabricated histories, and distorted information as scientific fact.
• Their previous video about Li Dong’s Riemann Nontrivial-Zero Dimensionality-Reduction Algorithm went viral after they misleadingly argued that the algorithm had no practical value unless major corporations adopted it.
• Encouraged by the success, Old Yao plans a second video designed to destroy Li Dong’s reputation and portray his achievement as overhyped.
• He deliberately misinterprets a Princeton professor’s statement: the professor said calculating nontrivial zeros had little practical significance, but Old Yao twists this into an attack on Li Dong’s algorithm itself.
• Old Yao also investigates Li Dong’s background and discovers that his uncle owns a factory supplying components to Guowei Group, while his mother is the factory’s financial director.
• Without evidence, Old Yao implies that Li Dong entered Peking University through family connections. He relies on viewers to draw the accusation themselves, demonstrating his willingness to spread insinuations for traffic.
• Meanwhile, Li Dong is working intensely in his dormitory. He has computed nontrivial-zero data up to (10^{23}), finding an almost perfect match with the Gaussian Unitary Ensemble predictions.
• Despite the impressive numerical evidence, Li Dong recognizes that computation alone cannot establish a mathematical theorem. He struggles to rigorously control error terms and extend Montgomery’s Pair Correlation result beyond (|\alpha|<1), potentially toward a full proof.

Character Developments

• Old Yao is shown as cynical, manipulative, and commercially motivated. He knowingly removes statements from context, treats rumors as evidence, and assumes viewers will convert suggestion into accusation.
• Xiao Wei is more credulous and initially accepts Old Yao’s distorted reasoning. Her willingness to follow his lead highlights how easily misinformation can be produced and disseminated.
• Li Dong is contrasted sharply with his public portrayal. Rather than an incompetent beneficiary of wealth and connections, he is a highly capable mathematician engaged in difficult, original research. His perfectionism and frustration reveal both his dedication and the enormous intellectual challenge he faces.
• Li Dong’s family connections are presented as real, but the chapter makes clear that no evidence links them to his admission or achievements.

Significant Themes

• Misinformation and sensationalism: The chapter criticizes media figures who prioritize views over truth and exploit public ignorance.
• Context distortion: Old Yao’s misuse of the professor’s remarks shows how accurate information can be weaponized through selective quotation.
• Public image versus reality: Li Dong is framed online as a privileged fraud, while the reader sees him undertaking legitimate and exceptionally difficult research.
• Numerical evidence versus mathematical proof: The chapter emphasizes the distinction between experimental confirmation and rigorous theoretical demonstration.
• Class prejudice and resentment: Old Yao’s narrative assumes that a wealthy student’s accomplishments must result from nepotism, exposing a tendency to dismiss achievement based on background.

Character Interactions

• Old Yao directs Xiao Wei’s understanding of the story, confidently presenting speculation as fact while she asks questions and gradually accepts his interpretation.
• Their shared laughter at the end of the recording setup underscores their moral detachment from the damage their insinuations may cause.
• The media duo’s portrayal of Li Dong is indirectly contrasted with Li Dong’s solitary struggle. While they exploit his reputation for attention, he remains unaware of—or at least disconnected from—their campaign and focuses entirely on solving his mathematical problem.