Summary: “Past Events in the Void”

Key Plot Points and Events

• In a timeless, gravityless region outside the universe known as the Void, two ancient Void Observers operate Observation Station A-01722.
• They receive and analyze a copied sample from Civilization A-01722: a black rectangular communication device identified as an Honor 9X smartphone.
• Their research AI determines that the phone contains advanced silicon-based nanoscale circuitry and represents a communication-technology level of 0.74, exceeding the civilization’s previous baseline of 0.72–0.73.
• The Observers are surprised because they have never directly provided communication technology to Civilization A-01722. They conclude that the civilization has independently developed beyond their expectations.
• The phone’s technology is analyzed in detail, including its integrated circuits, NPU architecture, cloud-computing capabilities, and gaming-related hardware and software such as the Da Vinci architecture, Kirin 810, GPU Turbo 3.0, and Kirin Gaming+.
• As compensation for the civilization’s participation in the experiment—and possibly to encourage further development—the Observers approve sending it a Hall Thruster containing Carbon-Based Integrated Circuit technology.
• After submitting their report, they prepare to archive the smartphone’s information and return the borrowed physical matter to the Void.
• One Observer becomes curious about the device’s name. They reactivate it, discover the label “Honor 9X,” open its camera, and begin testing its photographic specifications. The chapter ends as the phone’s 48-megapixel camera and other technical details are being examined.

Character Developments

• The Void Observers are revealed to be immensely advanced, ancient entities who monitor and subtly influence developing civilizations.
• Despite their technological superiority, they have lost many basic emotions, including joy, envy, and curiosity, apparently as a consequence of their civilization’s long decline.
• The smartphone awakens faint traces of forgotten emotions in them. Their interest in games evokes envy and nostalgia, while examining the phone’s name rekindles curiosity.
• Their attitude toward Civilization A-01722 shifts from detached scientific observation toward admiration and cautious hope. They view it as a promising “seed” that may develop beyond expectations.

Significant Themes

• Observation and intervention: The chapter explores the ethical and practical relationship between advanced civilizations and the primitive societies they study, including the use of technological gifts as compensation or experimentation.
• Technological progress: Civilization A-01722’s independent advancement, particularly in communication and computing, challenges the Observers’ assumptions about its development.
• The loss and recovery of emotion: The ancient Observers possess extraordinary knowledge but have lost ordinary feelings. A mundane smartphone unexpectedly reconnects them with curiosity, envy, and perhaps nostalgia.
• Civilizational rise and decline: References to the withered Old Universe and the unborn New Universe suggest that the Observers belong to a dying or post-civilizational culture, contrasting with the youthful growth of Earth’s civilization.
• Meaning in insignificant objects: A common consumer device becomes a cultural artifact to beings who have outlived their own civilization, emphasizing how technology can preserve identity and history.

Character Interactions

• The two Observers communicate telepathically or through synchronized force fields, efficiently sharing information and debating the meaning of the phone’s technology.
• One Observer expresses surprise at the unexpected communication breakthrough, while the other offers a more cautious interpretation.
• They jointly discuss the phone’s gaming functions, briefly mourning their lost capacity for joy and envy.
• Both agree to reward Civilization A-01722 with advanced propulsion and computing technology.
• Their interaction becomes more personal when one asks whether the device has a name, prompting reflection on whether names still have meaning in the Void.
• They then examine the phone together, with one activating it and the other observing its camera and technical specifications.

Chapter Summary: "Shocking! A Job Paying 100,000 a Year Actually..."

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Setting: June 2014, Jinling City, Hua Nation. Lu Zhou, a math freshman at Jinling University, is working a summer job wearing a thick mascot costume outside a China Unicom service hall, earning 70 yuan/hour (60 base + 10 heat allowance).
• Motivation: Lu Zhou comes from a poor family (father is a steel mill laborer, mother is laid off and in poor health, younger sister in high school). He does menial part-time jobs to become financially independent and avoid burdening his family.
• Heatstroke Collapse: Despite the extreme heat, Lu Zhou refuses a break from his supervisor, Wu Dahai, to finish the shift. He suddenly collapses, seeing pedestrians "fly into the sky." Bystanders rush to help and take him to the hospital.
• System Awakening: Lu Zhou wakes in a vast white space and encounters the "Black Technology System" — a holographic interface dedicated to raising civilization levels.
• System Mechanics: The system contains Core Sciences (Mathematics, Physics, Biochemistry, Engineering, Materials Science, Energy Science, Information Science), Branch Technologies, Technical Blueprints, Points (earn/reroll missions, solve problems), and Missions (3 random, pick 1, reset after completion).
• Key Revelation: Mathematics is the foundation determining the max levels of all other sciences, making Lu Zhou's "useless" math major suddenly highly valuable.
• Reality Check: His attribute panel displays all zeros (LV0) across every science, which he finds insulting as a 985-university student. He is then shaken awake, returning to reality.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Pragmatic, hardworking, and self-reliant. He consciously rejects the "meaningless" path of manual labor but feels trapped by his family's financial situation. He is resigned about his reassigned math major, seeing no future in it—until the system reframes mathematics as the "father of all disciplines," foreshadowing a shift in his worldview. He's also stubborn (refuses to rest despite heat) and carries a dry, self-deprecating sense of humor.
• Wu Dahai: A junior/senior math student and the part-time job leader who recruited Lu Zhou. He's kind and genuinely worried about Lu Zhou's wellbeing, but hesitant to step in himself due to the heat. After the collapse, he is frantic with concern.

3. Significant Themes

• Economic Hardship / Class: Lu Zhou's financial struggles define his choices—he endures dangerous conditions for money, highlighting the pressures of working-class students.
• The Value of Knowledge: Mathematics, initially perceived as useless, is repositioned as the root of all technological advancement—an ironic twist validating his major.
• Self-Sacrifice vs. Self-Preservation: Lu Zhou pushes past his limits for a paycheck, nearly dying; a cautionary moment about overworking.
• Sci-Fi / System Tropes: Standard web-novel system framework (tech tree, missions, points) serving as the story's central hook and promise of upward mobility.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & Wu Dahai: Wu Dahai offers to find a replacement so Lu Zhou can rest; Lu Zhou stubbornly refuses twice, insisting he can last one more hour. Wu Dahai reluctantly accepts his refusal, revealing both his leadership role and Lu Zhou's stubborn work ethic.
• Collapse Scene: Unknown bystanders from the service hall respond quickly—removing his headpiece, getting water, and rushing him to the hospital in someone's car, with Wu Dahai's panicked voice in the background.
• Lu Zhou & the System: One-sided interaction via holographic text interface. Lu Zhou initially feels "wild joy" at being chosen, then frustration when he sees his all-zero stats, finally questioning the system's judgment ("must have made a mistake").

Chapter Summary: "A Top Student's Life Needs No Explanation"

1. Key Plot Points

• Lu Zhou wakes up in a hospital after suffering heatstroke outside a China Unicom service hall while doing part-time work.
• Wu Dahai, his senior, explains the situation, reassures him, pays his medical bills, and tells him not to rush back to work.
• After Wu leaves, Lu Zhou discovers that the "Black Technology System" he dreamed about is real — a holographic interface appears in his consciousness.
• The system presents three missions:
  1. Build a Strong Body (5 km jog within one hour; junk-tier reward)
  2. Develop Connections (raise Professor Lu Fangping's favorability to 30; significant reward with 3% black-technology draw chance)
  3. A Top Student's Life Needs No Explanation (spend 24 hours in the library; flexible experience reward, 1% blueprint draw chance)
• Lu Zhou chooses Mission 3, reasoning it is the easiest and best reward-per-effort. The system confirms his selection (cannot be changed).
• He returns to his dormitory, retrieves his library card, and heads to the brightly lit library, feeling nostalgic — it's been a long time since he last visited.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Initially disoriented and embarrassed by his collapse. After discovering the system is real, he becomes excited and pragmatic — weighing mission options like an online game, then committing decisively to the library mission. His internal monologue reveals a hardworking yet somewhat struggling student who feels indebted to others (e.g., Wu Dahai) and is unaccustomed to the library.
• Wu Dahai: Shown as a responsible, caring senior. He arranges the job, pays the medical bills, and insists it's his duty to look after his junior — demonstrating loyalty and integrity.

3. Significant Themes

• Self-improvement through structured effort — the system gamifies personal growth (exercise, social networking, studying).
• The importance of knowledge and academic life — the library mission is framed as the "top student's" path, suggesting education is a core value.
• Health vs. hustle — Wu Dahai warns against overworking; the first mission emphasizes physical fitness as a prerequisite for research.
• Gamified opportunity / risk-reward — the missions explicitly display drop rates and junk probabilities, encouraging strategic choice.

4. Character Interactions

• Wu Dahai ↔ Lu Zhou: Wu wakes him, explains his condition, scolds him for overworking, pays his bills, and leaves. Lu Zhou is grateful but too embarrassed to accept further help.
• Liu Rui ↔ Lu Zhou (brief): Dormmate Liu Rui shows concern upon Lu Zhou's return, asking about the heatstroke — a small but warm gesture.
• Lu Zhou ↔ System: Interactive holographic panel; Lu Zhou asks "System" out loud first (embarrassed when no response), then enters the system space via his mind, selects the mission, and exits successfully.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points / Events

• Lu Zhou activates Mission Three: spend 24 hours in the library reading math books; the timer pauses when he leaves.
• The system reveals value coefficients on books; lower-level math books (relative to his current knowledge) show higher values, while advanced texts (like Dieudonné's) score lower.
• Lu Zhou realizes he must actively study, not just idle, to maximize rewards—prompting the chapter's core idea: "A true top student is never idle."
• He reads New Lectures on Mathematical Analysis in the library and enters a state of deep, effortless concentration.
• The library closes; the librarian helps him check out the book despite the late hour.
• Back in the dorm, he tries to continue reading but cannot concentrate—the "magical focus" fades outside the library setting.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Discovers the system's mechanics and the importance of effort over AFK grinding. Shows growing motivation to study math seriously, though still somewhat driven by the system rather than pure interest.
• Roommates: Huang Guangming and Shi Shang are casual/gaming-focused students; Liu Rui (the dorm's top student) is quietly competitive and notices Lu Zhou's change in behavior.

3. Significant Themes

• The value of active effort vs. passive completion; the system rewards genuine learning, not just presence.
• Environment and focus: The library enables immersive concentration while the dorm's distractions break it—highlighting the role of setting in deep work.
• The gap between perceived and actual difficulty: Books prized by professors may be "worth less" to a beginner than accessible textbooks, reflecting that value depends on the learner's level.

4. Character Interactions

• Librarian: Kind and accommodating; notes he's the first student seen so absorbed in a math book, reinforcing Lu Zhou's unusual focus.
• Huang Guangming & Shi Shang: Invite Lu Zhou to play League of Legends; he declines, surprising them. Their banter about ranks/gaming contrasts with Lu Zhou's new academic seriousness.
• Liu Rui: Silently observes Lu Zhou reading, implying the dorm's "top student" dynamic is shifting.

Summary: "Others Drilled Problems, I Read Books"

Key Plot Points

• Lu Zhou wakes at 6 AM to go to the library, surprising his roommate Liu Rui (who assumes he's going to a part-time job).
• He finishes reading New Lectures on Mathematical Analysis entirely, reducing its "value coefficient" to 5, confirming the system evaluates books based on his own mastery rather than academic significance.
• The idle task timer drops to 18 hours; Lu Zhou reflects that he's learned more in 6 hours than in the past year.
• After lunch, he borrows Higher Algebra and C Language Explained, Fifth Edition (with the C Language exam upcoming).
• A girl asks him for help with a math problem; he solves it in under a minute.
• He flirts a little, but becomes embarrassed when he realizes she's a senior preparing for the postgraduate entrance exam (not a freshman).
• They get shushed by another library patron; the girl returns to her seat, and Lu Zhou misses his chance to apologize or get her contact info.
• He resolves to focus on studying, reasoning that raising Mathematics to LV1 will bring him "the whole world."

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Shows rapid academic improvement via the system; previously struggled, now solves problems instantly. Displays vanity (assumes the girl approached him due to his looks), social awkwardness, and an increasingly obsessive drive toward self-improvement.
• Liu Rui: Portrayed as anxious about studying, treating review like a battle; contrasts with Lu Zhou's calm confidence.
• Chen Yushan: A postgraduate exam candidate; proud, easily flustered, and annoyed when a younger student solves a problem instantly. Initially grateful, then offended by his casual attitude.

Significant Themes

• Self-improvement through concentrated effort (the "system" rewards dedicated reading).
• The social value of academic skill versus social grace.
• The isolating nature of intense study (library as refuges; interaction attempts go awkwardly).
• The gamification of learning (value coefficients, idle tasks, leveling up).

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & Liu Rui: Brief morning dialogue highlighting their differing approaches to academic pressure.
• Lu Zhou & Chen Yushan: A problem-solving exchange that turns socially awkward—he solves it too quickly, misjudges her year status, and bragging backfires. She storms back to her seat, and he loses any chance to continue the interaction.
• Lu Zhou & the library crowd: Described en masse—the morning rush of exam candidates—establishing the competitive, studious atmosphere.

Summary: Chapter — “The Importance of Washing Your Face Before a Draw”

1. Key plot points and events

• Lu Zhou spends an intensive day in the library finishing four textbooks, including Higher Algebra, C Language Explained, Fifth Edition, and others.
• He notices that finishing books changes their “value coefficients” and even affects related books, increasing or decreasing their worth.
• His system task completes successfully: total value coefficient excavated = 357, rating B+. Rewards include 500 Mathematics EXP, 100 Informatics EXP, 100 points, and a draw opportunity.
• Checking his status panel, he sees Mathematics is still LV0 (500/1000), Informatics LV0 (100/1000), and two draws available.
• First draw: gets “junk” — a can of cola. It materializes in his hand, confirming the system’s physical influence on the real world. He drinks it and discards the can.
• He washes his face by a basketball court sink before the second draw.
• Second draw: he lands on a 5% chance “blueprint” — the Precise Formula for the Distribution Law of Mersenne Primes and Its Proof Method. The chapter ends with Lu Zhou shocked.

2. Character developments

• Lu Zhou is initially uneasy about what leveling up might do to his brain.
• He becomes increasingly invested in the system’s rewards, experiencing frustration at junk, awe at materialization, and sudden excitement at winning a blueprint.
• His superstitious act of washing his face shows a mix of hope and nervousness about his luck.

3. Significant themes

• Knowledge as a resource: Books are quantified, and reading directly feeds the system’s progression system.
• Uncertainty and reward: The gacha-like draw system highlights risk, luck, and the contrast between worthless junk and rare high-value tech.
• Blurring of reality: The cola’s materialization challenges real-world physics (conservation of mass) and proves the system is not imaginary.
• Superstition/ritual: Washing his face before the draw ties a mundane act to good luck, shaping the chapter’s title and tone.

4. Character interactions

• Almost entirely solo; Lu Zhou interacts only with the system and its notifications.
• No other named characters appear in this chapter. His inner monologue carries the narrative, reacting to system messages and rewards.

Chapter Summary: The Answer to a Proof Problem

Key Plot Points & Events

• Lu Zhou, a mathematics student, receives a "Proof Method for Zhou's Conjecture" as a lottery reward from a system-like interface.
• He reflects on Mersenne primes and Zhou's Conjecture—a famous unsolved problem in number theory, acknowledging its historical context and lack of monetary bounty.
• Disappointed by the lack of a cash reward, he consoles himself with the possibility of university rewards (citing a precedent where a student received one million RMB for proving another conjecture).
• He plans to spend the summer studying the proof thoroughly, intending to present himself as a genuine academic prodigy before revealing it.
• He observes that the mission list refreshes only after using lottery chances, and suspects that lottery rewards are tied to his "Subject Levels."
• He opens the new mission list and sees three missions: 1) "The Art of Fishing in Muddy Waters" (piggyback on a funded research project with minimal effort), 2) "Train the Basics Hard (Physics)" (solve 200 physics problems), and 3) "Academia Begins with Papers" (publish an SCI paper).
• He notices the paper mission rewards experience based on academic value, and realizes publishing the Zhou's Conjecture proof could yield huge rewards.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou is pragmatic and reward-driven, prioritizing survival and material benefits over abstract mathematical passion.
• He shows strategic thinking: memorizing the proof is not enough; he must understand it and craft a believable "prodigy" persona.
• He is self-aware and humorous about his own motivations ("He did not want poetry or distant horizons; all he wanted was to survive").
• Demonstrates ambition and long-term planning (committing to staying on campus over summer, improving subject levels).

Significant Themes

• The tension between pure mathematics and practical/economic reward.
• The importance of reputation and self-presentation in academia.
• Strategic resource management (system mechanics, missions, experience points).
• The "game-ification" of academic life (missions, loot, levels).

Character Interactions

• No direct dialogue; this chapter is entirely internal monologue.
• References to historical mathematicians (Shanks, Ramanujan, etc.) and Zhou's Conjecture.
• Mentions "Student Liu" as a precedent (proved the Sittapan Conjecture, rewarded by Nanjing University).
• The system interface itself acts as an interactive presence, providing missions and rewards.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Zhou decides against publishing his "Zhou's Conjecture Proof Method" in an SCI journal, fearing the consequences of its significance.
• He chooses the system's third task (publishing a paper) but plans to write a low-quality, padded paper instead, targeting journals like Applied Mathematics & Computation (AMC) which are known for accepting such work.
• His current math ability (Advanced Mathematics, Mathematical Analysis) is already at a graduate-student level.
• He dismisses the other two tasks: the first lacks connections, the second (General Physics) seems too elementary.
• Returning to the dorm, Liu Rui asks him to solve a difficult double-integral problem.
• Lu Zhou solves it quickly using a novel polar-coordinate conversion approach—simpler than the textbook's standard solution.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Demonstrates confidence and pragmatism. He is aware of the risks of publishing groundbreaking work, showing growth in both mathematical skill and strategic thinking. His internal monologue reveals a self-assured, borderline arrogant mindset ("In the eyes of a real genius, every ordinary person was trash... He was talking about himself.").
• Liu Rui: Portrayed as petty, competitive, and insecure. His attempt to "probe the enemy's strength" backfires when Lu Zhou solves the problem instantly. His worldview is shattered when an "underachiever" outshines him, and his doubt in himself grows.

3. Significant Themes

• Academic corruption and paper padding: Critique of journals like AMC that publish excessive, low-quality papers.
• Genius vs. mediocrity: Lu Zhou's belief that true genius makes everyone else "trash," and his self-identification as a genius.
• Underestimation and assumptions: Liu Rui assumes Lu Zhou is incapable, leading to an unexpected reversal.
• Knowledge as a competitive weapon: Academic collaboration is twisted into rivalry and testing.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou and Liu Rui: Liu Rui asks a "hard" question as a test, claiming he wants help but secretly expecting Lu Zhou to fail. Lu Zhou solves it effortlessly and generously offers the scratch paper. Liu Rui is left stunned, comparing Lu Zhou's elegant solution to the textbook's and questioning his own ability.

The chapter follows Lu Zhou as he uses the Black Technology System to generate a mathematical research paper, then interacts with a fellow student at the library.

Key plot points

• Lu Zhou spends the day in the library working on a paper titled Linear Operator and Linear Functional Optimal Inversion Theory, a topic he chose after hearing Professor Tang mention it and doing online research.
• Knowing he cannot solve it himself, he invokes the system. It spends 65 points and imbues his mind directly with an optimal solution, based on his current Mathematics LV0.
• He realizes the solution is “bare-boned” and needs to be expanded into a readable paper; he spends the day writing, taking notes, and marking knowledge points he doesn’t understand for further study.
• He plans to look up information, ask his teacher about unclear steps, simplify proofs using existing literature, and run a plagiarism check (which he deems unnecessary since he wrote it himself via the system).
• His evening plan: get dinner (grilled meat rice or curry rice) and then visit Professor Tang’s office during a senior-year graduate exam duty session.

Character developments

• Lu Zhou exhibits a disciplined, orderly lifestyle—systematically working from morning to evening in the library.
• He treats the system’s output as a starting point: he recognizes that true understanding requires learning the underlying knowledge, not just copying the solution.
• He remains socially awkward yet polite—he inadvertently lets Chen Yushan believe he is a graduate student, and plans to clarify later rather than embarrass her.

Character interactions

• Chen Yushan asks Lu Zhou for help on a second, harder math problem. He solves it quickly on scratch paper and encourages her to think through the reasoning herself.
• She initially remembers his previous “humiliation” of correcting her, but swallows her pride out of necessity.
• She admires his ability, mistakes him for a senior/graduate student, calls him “Senior,” and asks to add him on WeChat for future questions.
• He agrees, and she promises to treat him to a meal. The misunderstanding about his status is left unresolved for now.

Significant themes

• The relationship between intelligence augmentation and genuine learning: the system provides answers, but Lu Zhou insists on understanding them through note-taking, study, and consultation.
• The value of discipline and routine in academic work.
• Social dynamics in academic settings: respect for mathematical skill, the casual misperception of seniority, and the rebuilding of a relationship through helpfulness.
• The use of technology/cheating for career advancement, and Lu Zhou’s pragmatic but self-aware approach to it.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points

• Lu Zhou, a first-year undergraduate, asks Professor Tang Zhiwei (Jin University Mathematics department) for help with a Fourier analysis problem from his independent study
• Professor Tang is initially skeptical and annoyed, assuming Lu Zhou is a student pretending to study out-of-syllabus material to curry favor
• Tang writes a lengthy derivation on the blackboard, then deliberately stops short at the final steps to test whether Lu Zhou was actually paying attention
• Lu Zhou completes the remaining proof on the board, shocking Tang and the observing third-year students
• Tang's suspicion transforms into genuine approval; he praises Lu Zhou's reasoning and encourages his research direction
• Tang hints that Fourier transform applications could create opportunities for Lu Zhou in the Physics department in the future

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Reveals he has hidden mathematical talent (implied to be boosted by system points). He demonstrates genuine understanding, not just rote memorization, by solving the final steps with a slightly different but valid approach. Shows humility and proper deference to his professor.
• Professor Tang Zhiwei: Portrayed as a strict, no-nonsense academic who despises both grade-bribing students and those who "pretend" to be scholarly. His opinion of Lu Zhou undergoes a complete reversal—from contempt to sincere appreciation and fatherly mentorship. He becomes the first authority figure to recognize and nurture Lu Zhou's talents.

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & Professor Tang: The core interaction. Begins as a student seeking help, becomes a test of credibility, and ends with the professor informally taking Lu Zhou under his wing as a mentee.
• Chen Yushan (background): A first-year student who had been addressing Lu Zhou as "senior," believing he was an upperclassman. She realizes her mistake when he reveals his year, embarrassing her. She also serves as a foil—her inability to follow the math highlights the gap in ability.
• Third-year students: Briefly affected bystanders; their feelings of inadequacy underscore Lu Zhou's exceptional talent.

Significant Themes

1. The value of genuine understanding over superficial performance: Lu Zhou demonstrates that real knowledge is observable—it can be applied, extended, and ex-temporized, not just recited.
2. The mentorship relationship in academia: The chapter shows how a proper student-teacher bond forms through mutual respect built on demonstrated ability, not flattery.
3. Meritocracy and underestimation: Judging by appearances/status (a first-year student, no notes taken) proves unreliable; competence reveals itself through action.
4. The role of system-assisted learning: Lu Zhou's mathematical intuition is enhanced by his system experience, allowing him to grasp material beyond his nominal grade level—the chapter reinforces that his growth is real, not simulated.
5. Humor through absurdity: The recurring "I think I went to a fake university" sentiment reflects the comedic contrast between normal students' abilities and Lu Zhou's extraordinary performance.

Additional Notes

• The chapter establishes a key academic relationship that will likely recur (Lu Zhou and Professor Tang)
• The blackboard scene functions as a "proving ground" for Lu Zhou's abilities, validating his system-bought knowledge as integrated, not just memorized
• Chen Yushan's presence introduces a potential future social/interpersonal thread
• Tang's parting advice ("study more, read more, practice more, research deeper") defines Lu Zhou's ongoing academic path

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points & Events

• In Dorm 201, Lu Zhou's roommates (Liu Rui, Huang Guangming, Shi Shang) joke about his recent absence from gaming and late nights, concluding he might be dating. Lu Zhou arrives and claims he has "two girlfriends," which turns out to be his textbooks (Advanced Algebra II and Mathematical Analysis II).
• Next morning, Lu Zhou goes to the cafeteria but forgets his phone and has insufficient balance on his meal card. A girl, Chen Yushan, pays for his breakfast.
• Chen Yushan reveals she is a senior from the Business School and that they've already exchanged WeChat contact. She has changed her look (no glasses, lighter makeup, stylish outfit), which Lu Zhou initially fails to recognize.
• They study together in the library until noon. Chen Yushan invites Lu Zhou to lunch; he hesitates but agrees when she offers to treat him, saying he'll repay her next time.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Diligent and focused on his academic paper, working through it in the library. He is polite and grateful but somewhat oblivious to Chen Yushan's attempts to impress him. He shows a practical, grounded side (e.g., worried about her catching cold in the library).
• Chen Yushan: Takes extra effort to dress up (likely influenced by her roommate) and seems invested in interacting with Lu Zhou. She is playful, teasing him by calling him "junior," and generous to treat him to meals. Her confidence and charm are highlighted.
• Dorm roommates: Their banter reinforces the close-knit, humorous dynamic of the dorm. They mock the Mathematics department's reputation for single men, showing their own insecurities about relationships.

Significant Themes

• Campus Romance (Budding): The chapter subtly hints at growing interest between Lu Zhou and Chen Yushan, though Lu Zhou remains unaware of her signals.
• Academic Life and Ambition: Lu Zhou's dedication to his paper and the library study sessions reflect the importance of academic goals in his daily routine.
• Friendship and Camaraderie: The dormitory interactions show lighthearted teasing and mutual support, a staple of university life.
• Class/Social Differences: Lu Zhou's financial constraints (insufficient card balance, no cash) are subtly contrasted with Chen Yushan's casual generosity, hinting at class dynamics.

Character Interactions

• Dorm banter: Liu Rui and Huang Guangming physically joke around (shaking the bed), while Shi Shang’s observation about dating is met with awkward silence, highlighting the group's shared single status.
• Lu Zhou and Chen Yushan: Their interaction is warm and playful. She corrects his failure to recognize her, he accepts her help and agrees to let her treat him, establishing a friendly (potentially romantic) connection. She is clearly more forward, while he remains polite yet reserved.

Chapter Summary: "Even Top Students Have Things They're Not Good At"

Key Plot Points

• Lu Zhou finishes editing and translating his mathematics paper on recovering a function and its derivative from partial Fourier coefficients.
• He plans to submit it after his Advanced Mathematics exam, and Professor Tang has offered to help revise the paper and advise on journal selection.
• The immediate problem: he must cram for the closed-book "Outline of Modern History" exam, which he considers useless and cannot memorize effectively after a full morning of studying.
• He procrastinates by scrolling WeChat, where he helps senior Chen Yushan solve a calculus problem she sent him.
• Shi Shang returns from basketball practice, mentioning an upcoming interclass basketball match after their English exam.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Shows his disciplined routine (library/dorm loop for half a month) but also his limits—he is brilliantly quick at math yet completely unable to absorb history material. He is pragmatic about romance, viewing relationships through the lens of financial reality and not wanting to burden anyone, though he admits he might change if he met the right person.
• Shi Shang: The relaxed, sports-focused roommate who lives by "math isn't more important than basketball." He tries to teach Lu Zhou "life experience" about girls, with a vivid fantasy about heroic basketball plays earning cheers from cheerleaders.
• Professor Tang (mentioned): Trusted and respected mentor; his offer to revise Lu Zhou's paper shows genuine support. Lu Zhou explicitly trusts him, noting real professors don't covet undergrad research.

Significant Themes

• Academic pressure vs. personal life: Lu Zhou's GPA obsession vs. Shi Shang's "is your life nothing but GPA points" challenge.
• Strength and weakness: The chapter title is literal—Lu Zhou excels at math (easily solving the problem Chen Yushan struggled with) but fails at rote memorization for history. The tutor–tutee dynamic with Chen Yushan mirrors this.
• Pragmatism vs. idealism: Lu Zhou's practical (even cynical) view of romance and his "be kind to others" self-reminders contrast with Shi Shang's romanticized, cheerleader-laden vision of college life.
• Trust in academic mentorship: Highlighted by Lu Zhou's internal monologue about professors at prestigious universities vs. "academic scum" who exploit students.

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & Chen Yushan: Brief but illustrative—she asks for help via WeChat, he solves the problem in under two minutes. Shows his mathematical competence and her (implied) comparative weakness in math.
• Lu Zhou & Shi Shang: Extended comedic roommate banter. Shi Shang attempts to lecture Lu Zhou about girls and basketball; Lu Zhou deflates his fantasy by pointing out their class has no girls. The chapter ends with both sighing "nothing in common" with the other.

Notable Detail

Liu Rui's dramatic Moments post ("I'm going to fail again") gets a sarcastic like from Lu Zhou, who mutters about "promoting social harmony"—a dry comedic moment showing classmate dynamics.

Chapter Summary: Jealousy Made Me Undergo Plasmolysis

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• The chapter opens on the Advanced Mathematics 2 final exam at Jin University, proctored by an unfamiliar elderly professor (Professor Lu Fangping) and a graduate assistant.
• The exam is strict; students are required to turn off phones and place IDs on their desks, with warnings about cheating consequences.
• Lu Zhou finishes the exam remarkably quickly—in about half an hour—having found the paper easy, and submits it early.
• Professor Lu Fangping reviews Lu Zhou's completely filled exam paper and is visibly impressed, though he shows no outward emotion.
• Only one other student (unnamed) also submitted early, which Lu Zhou notes approvingly.
• Liu Rui, sitting behind Lu Zhou, sees his finished paper and becomes deeply frustrated that Lu Zhou solved problems he himself couldn't manage, causing his "mentality to explode."
• After the exam, Lu Zhou goes to his dorm to copy his paper (for a competition, likely the Challenge Cup) onto a USB drive, then visits Professor Tang's office.
• Professor Tang initially remains skeptical, assuming the paper might be copied, but after checking sections in Baidu and running a plagiarism-checking website, he finds no matches—his eyes widen in shock.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Demonstrates confidence and mastery of advanced mathematics. He remains calm, saves time through efficiency, and follows through on his plan to submit his competition paper to Professor Tang. He shows professionalism and polite ambition.
• Professor Tang Zhiwei: Starts as a mentor figure who is protective and slightly patronizing toward his talented student. He intends to gently redirect Lu Zhou's ambitions if the paper was subpar, but ends up genuinely astonished by the originality and quality of Lu Zhou's work, shifting from skepticism to recognition.
• Liu Rui: Experiences jealousy and psychological breakdown over Lu Zhou's performance. His internal monologue ("Jealousy made me undergo plasmolysis / factorize") reveals insecurity and a competitive mindset that harms his focus during the exam.
• Professor Lu Fangping: New minor character, an observant and rigorous examiner who immediately recognizes exceptional work when he sees it, thinking "Old Tang has taught a fine student."

3. Significant Themes

• Academic Excellence vs. Jealousy: The contrast between Lu Zhou's competence and Liu Rui's jealousy highlights how comparing oneself to others can destroy focus and mentality.
• Originality and Integrity in Academia: The plagiarism-checking moment underscores the theme of genuine intellectual work. The chapter emphasizes that true academic achievement cannot come from shortcuts.
• Mentorship and Recognition: Professor Tang's journey from skepticism to disbelief shows the importance of mentors genuinely evaluating students' work rather than underestimating talent.
• Wasted Talent vs. Applied Talent: Lu Zhou's comment that the exam was "too easy" suggests the theme that capable students need challenges beyond standard curricula to grow.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & Professor Lu Fangping: Minimal direct interaction, but Lu Fangping scrutinizes his paper intensely and mentally praises his work, recognizing quality immediately.
• Lu Zhou & Liu Rui: No direct conversation—only indirect observation. Liu Rui watches Lu Zhou finish early and is psychologically destabilized by it.
• Lu Zhou & Professor Tang Zhiwei: Lu Zhou arrives respectfully, hands over his paper, and jokes about grades ("Please go easy on me, Professor!") show a comfortable, good-humored mentor–student relationship. Tang's shift from patronizing intention to genuine shock demonstrates respect earned through work.
• Lu Zhou & unnamed early-submitting student: Brief shared moment of mutual recognition; Lu Zhou silently respects the student's speed as a kindred spirit.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Lu Zhou visits Professor Tang Zhiwei to submit his paper, which he obtained using system points (plagiarism rate: 0.3%). Tang initially doubts an undergraduate could have written it.
• After reading it carefully, Tang praises the mathematical arguments, noting only minor formatting and citation issues. He keeps the paper to revise it for Lu Zhou.
• Lu Zhou expresses interest in submitting to AMC (a journal). Professor Tang firmly rejects this idea, explaining that AMC doesn't count toward doctoral graduation evaluations in China, and recommends either the Journal of Symbolic Logic or Communications in Mathematics and Applications instead. He warns Lu Zhou not to submit to AMC or to never come see him again.
• Lu Zhou leaves; Tang then reveals to his graduate student that the author is a freshman, astonishing him.
• Meanwhile, the Advanced Mathematics 2 exam ends. Students complain bitterly about its difficulty; many expect to fail.
• Later, top student Liu Rui posts a falsely self-deprecating "I bombed the exam" status on social media while secretly having done well.
• Luo Rundong, a new character (a genuine math ace who scored 150 on the math section of the college entrance exam), approaches Liu Rui to discuss answers. Huang Guangming and Shi Shang feel excluded and wish Lu Zhou were present.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Outwardly modest and polite toward Tang, but internally justifies using system points to acquire the paper. He is pragmatic—prioritizing a fast review process over prestige—but is open to guidance and shows respect for his professor.
• Professor Tang Zhiwei: Strict, principled, and invested in his students' academic integrity. He positions himself as a mentor to Lu Zhou, taking responsibility for the paper's revisions and steering him away from questionable publication choices.
• Liu Rui: Continues his habit of false modesty, publicly downplaying his ability while actually being an excellent student. He is detailed and confident in his math reasoning when conversing with Luo Rundong.
• Huang Guangming & Shi Shang: Experience feelings of inadequacy next to top students; they become aware of the gap between themselves and high achievers.
• Luo Rundong (newly introduced): A naturally gifted mathematics student, strong in math but notably weak in English, serving as a foil to Liu Rui.

3. Significant Themes

• Academic integrity vs. shortcuts: Lu Zhou's paper was acquired via the system—the narrative raises questions about whether effort and legitimacy matter versus outcomes.
• Appearances vs. reality: Liu Rui posts fake failures on social media; Lu Zhou claims the paper is his "with a clear conscience." Both perform modesty that conceals their actual success.
• Mentorship and academic standards: Tang cares about Lu Zhou's long-term academic development, teaching him the difference between merely publishing and publishing somewhere meaningful.
• Academic hierarchy: The distinction between "top students" and "poor students" is a recurring social dynamic among the classmates.
• Prestige vs. speed in publication: Tang prioritizes high-quality venues; Lu Zhou wants quick review times—a practical tension many students face.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou ↔ Professor Tang: A classic mentor-student exchange—Tang interrogates Lu Zhou's authorship, moves from skepticism to admiration, and takes on the role of guiding Lu Zhou's academic future.
• Professor Tang ↔ Graduate students: Tang uses Lu Zhou as a motivational example, shaming his own graduate students for potentially falling behind a freshman.
• Liu Rui, Huang Guangming, Shi Shang: Discuss the exam; Liu Rui subtly reveals his competence through answer-sharing while acting casual.
• Liu Rui ↔ Luo Rundong: An academic exchange between equals, using advanced mathematical terms that shut out the others, reinforcing the social separation between top students and average ones.
• Huang Guangming ↔ Shi Shang: Shared, slightly helpless recognition that without Lu Zhou (as the other "average" student), they're now the weak links in their social group.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points

• While eating lunch, Lu Zhou sees Liu Rui’s frustrated post about a math exam. He comments with the correct answers and later sends a full proof when Liu Rui questions him.
• After finishing his noodles, Lu Zhou receives a call from Wu Dahai (the friend who took him to the hospital after his heatstroke). Wu Dahai offers him a night gig sorting packages at Shentong Express for ¥100.
• Lu Zhou agrees, but first calls his dorm leader Shi Shang to say he won’t be back that night. Shi Shang misunderstands, assuming Lu Zhou is doing something dangerous or shady, and panics until Lu Zhou clarifies it’s a package-sorting job.
• At the school gate, Lu Zhou joins ten other male students in a van headed to the sorting center. On the way, Wu Dahai explains the work: unload packages from trucks and guide them along a slippery floor to conveyor belts (mostly by kicking them). He dismisses fears of damage, saying items are well-packed and breakage isn’t the student’s responsibility.
• They arrive, and the factory’s middle-aged supervisor leads them into the workshop to begin work.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Skilled at math but socially blunt; he helps Liu Rui despite earlier irritation. He is financially strained (only ~¥3,000 left, worried about future SCI journal fees), yet reluctant to burden his family, so he takes manual part-time work.
• Wu Dahai: Pragmatic and resourceful, he organizes student work crews and gives practical, no-nonsense advice. His casual kindness contrasts with his rough tone.
• Shi Shang: Well-meaning but alarmist; his protective, gossip-prone attitude highlights the close-knit dorm dynamic.
• Liu Rui: Struggling academically, he reaches out (via reply) and appears to learn from Lu Zhou’s proof, though he’s too slow to respond immediately.

Significant Themes

• Financial pressure in college: Lu Zhou’s need for money drives his decisions, reflecting the reality of students from low-income families.
• Unofficial student networks: Friendships and mutual aid (Wu Dahai arranging jobs, Shi Shang’s concern) shape daily life outside academics.
• Kindness masked by impatience: Lu Zhou helps Liu Rui and accepts the job, but interacts with gruffness, showing that helpfulness doesn’t require warmth.
• Pragmatism over worry: Wu Dahai’s casual attitude toward possible damage (“just kick them”) underlines the rough, practical nature of temporary labor.

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou ↔ Liu Rui: Lu Zhou corrects Liu Rui’s answers, then sends a photo of the proof when challenged. Liu Rui goes silent, indicating he’s processing the solution.
• Lu Zhou ↔ Wu Dahai: A brief but friendly call where Wu Dahai checks on Lu Zhou’s health and offers work; Lu Zhou feels embarrassed for not having formally thanked him.
• Lu Zhou ↔ Shi Shang: A comedic misunderstanding—Shi Shang worries Lu Zhou is “going down the wrong path,” and Lu Zhou bluntly tells him to “fuck off” before hanging up.
• Wu Dahai ↔ Students: He briefs them on the job, cracks jokes, and dismisses concerns about package breakage, establishing himself as an experienced crew leader. - Wu Dahai ↔ Supervisor: He greets the middle-aged foreman with familiarity, offering a cigarette and skipping roll call, showing trust and rapport.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Lu Zhou and his friends help Fatty Wu sort cargo at a logistics center.
• They use a soccer-like technique to move packages quickly, despite the risk of damage.
• Lu Zhou estimates that they could sort around 30,000 to 40,000 packages in a night, potentially earning Fatty Wu thousands of yuan.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou observes Fatty Wu's business acumen and realizes he lacks the skills to replicate Fatty Wu's success.
• Lu Zhou reflects on the inefficiencies of the sorting center and ponders potential improvements.

Significant Themes

• Capitalism and its effects on labor and technology.
• The potential for improvement and innovation in existing systems.

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou interacts with his friends and Fatty Wu's team, observing their work dynamics and division of labor.
• Lu Zhou has an internal dialogue, reflecting on his observations and ideas.

Notable Details

• Lu Zhou discovers that the system can provide solutions to real-world problems, consuming points based on the problem's complexity and his skill level.
• He realizes that breaking down problems into smaller, manageable parts can make better use of the system's capabilities.

Key plot points and events

• Professor Tang Zhiwei reviews a mathematically rigorous paper and finds almost nothing to correct beyond its wording.
• His old friend, Lu Fangping, the mathematics department head, asks him to recommend talented students for Jinling University’s team in the September National Mathematical Modeling Contest.
• Tang initially recommends first-year student Lu Zhou, but Fangping doubts that a freshman has enough breadth of knowledge to help a serious competition team.
• Tang shows Fangping the paper. Fangping is impressed, assuming it was written by a graduate student.
• Tang reveals that Lu Zhou wrote it independently and argues that, despite the student’s youth and some personal flaws, his talent is exceptional. Fangping agrees to recruit him and leaves Tang to persuade him.
• Tang calls Lu Zhou, but the call fails because Lu Zhou’s phone is off. Tang promises to provide an answer by the next day.

Character developments

• Tang Zhiwei is proud of Lu Zhou’s rare ability and acts as his advocate, while acknowledging that Lu Zhou can be hasty and overly focused on personal gain.
• Lu Fangping begins skeptical because Lu Zhou is only a first-year, but the paper changes his mind. He becomes eager to secure Lu Zhou for the official team.
• Lu Zhou, though absent, is established as an unusually capable undergraduate: he has produced advanced original work in functional analysis, though he may have been about to submit it to an unsuitable journal.

Significant themes

• Exceptional talent can defy expectations: Lu Zhou’s work challenges assumptions about what a first-year student can accomplish.
• Ability versus breadth of experience: Fangping worries that mathematical modeling requires broad, practical knowledge, not just deep mathematical skill.
• Mentorship and opportunity: Tang’s support helps place Lu Zhou in contention for a prestigious competition and its potential rewards.
• Recognition and institutional ambition: The university wants awards both to honor students and to strengthen the department’s standing.

Character interactions

• Tang and Fangping’s friendly teasing reflects their long-standing friendship, but their conversation turns serious when the competition is discussed.
• Tang uses Lu Zhou’s paper to answer Fangping’s doubts, letting the work demonstrate the student’s ability.
• Fangping accepts Tang’s judgment and entrusts him with recruiting Lu Zhou, confident that the student will be an asset to the team.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points

1. Morning after all-nighter: Lu Zhou wakes up in the afternoon after staying up all night, finds his phone dead and discovers over a dozen missed calls from Professor Tang Zhiwei on the office landline. He rushes to the experimental building.
2. Paper accepted — Tang refuses co-authorship: Professor Tang returns Lu Zhou's paper with few revisions needed. He firmly declines Lu Zhou's offer to add him as co-author, stating he won't perpetuate the "bad practice" of professors attaching their names to student work they didn't substantially contribute to.
3. Mathematical modeling contest recruitment: Tang informs Lu Zhou he has been selected (along with the Software Institute) to represent the institute in the National Mathematical Modeling Contest in September — leaving only three months to prepare. Lu Zhou initially hesitates out of concern for his part-time work schedule and system grind time.
4. The turning point — prize money: When Professor Tang mentions that national first prize winners receive ¥10,000 in prize money plus priority for scholarship evaluations, Lu Zhou immediately commits. (The national scholarship is ¥8,000 — a combined total of over ¥10,000, which is enormous to someone with only ¥3,000 in his bank account.)
5. Paper submission: That night, Lu Zhou submits his paper to Communications in Mathematics and Applications (NYU Courant Institute's journal), deliberately choosing it to save on page fees.
6. Miraculous submission speed: Within minutes of uploading, he receives a copyright authorization agreement from across the Pacific — indicating his manuscript bypassed the queue entirely. He signs and returns it, and his paper's status updates to "Under-Review" (external peer review).
7. Lu Zhou's reflections on the system: He realizes the system can somehow manipulate the submission process (queue-jumping), but notes the "UR" stage didn't change immediately afterward — suggesting the system cannot directly control human behavior and has certain limitations. He feels relieved, as he doesn't want to become a puppet of the system.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Continues to demonstrate extreme frugality and financial motivation (choosing a cheaper journal, being swayed by prize money). Shows academic sincerity in wanting to credit his professor. His understanding of the system evolves — he's learning its boundaries and limits rather than blindly trusting it.
• Tang Zhiwei: Revealed as a principled, ethical academic who refuses to abuse co-authorship norms. Also shown to be perceptive (seeing through Lu Zhou's money-motivated shift in attitude) and playfully coercive (holding the flash drive hostage). He mentors Lu Zhou pragmatically, not just academically.

Significant Themes

• Academic integrity: The chapter explicitly addresses the ethics of academic co-authorship and calls out systemic corruption in academic publishing practices.
• Mentorship: Tang Zhiwei embodies the ideal professor — demanding, supportive, and protective of his students' independent achievements.
• Class/financial pressure: Lu Zhou's decisions are consistently shaped by his financial circumstances; the scholarship/prize money is what ultimately seals his commitment to the competition.
• The system's limits: A key turning point in the meta-narrative — the system has power to influence processes but likely not to control human free will, offering a degree of comfort to Lu Zhou (and the reader).

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & Tang Zhiwei: The core dynamic of the chapter. Tang scolds Lu Zhou for unreachability, then transitions to genuine respect by declining co-authorship — establishing a purely merit-based mentor-student relationship. Their negotiation over the competition (with Lu Zhou's transparent reluctance and Tang's playful bullying) shows a warm, teasing rapport beneath the formal academic hierarchy.
• Lu Zhou & (off-screen) Chen Yushan: A brief mention; Lu Zhou initially thinks the email is from the senior student asking more math questions, showing his growing reputation as a tutor/helper.
  Overall: A chapter focused on professional advancement — Lu Zhou's first published paper is in motion, and he gains a new opportunity (modeling contest) with tangible financial incentives, all while the story deepens its commentary on academic ethics and the limits of the system's power.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points

• Lu Zhou receives the paper acceptance email (status: Completed-accept) — the editor accepted it without any revision stage, skipping directly to publication.
• He enters the system space to claim task rewards.
• Task evaluation comes back as S rank, granting: +400 Mathematics XP, +100 Physics XP, +200 Points, and one lottery draw.
• He is left exactly 100 Math XP short of leveling up, which drives him crazy.
• Lottery draw: against odds, he wins the 5% "sample" drop — a Nanobody Enhancement Injection (2-hour duration, boosts muscle mobility, coordination, and reflexes by 50%, no side effects).
• He dismisses the injection as useless and potentially dangerous trouble (sports betting, national security, unwanted attention).
• He begrudgingly moves on to check the new task list.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou is grateful to Professor Tang for steering him away from the low-tier journal AMC — he realizes the S-rating likely depended on journal influence.
• His perfectionist tendencies are emphasized: he is deeply irritated that XP went into Physics instead of Mathematics, calling it designed to torture him.
• He shows pragmatic, cautious thinking about the injection — instead of excitement, he immediately considers the risks of it becoming known.
• He maintains his superstition (recites a luck mantra) and dry sense of humor (jokes about eating the system screen).

Significant Themes

• Perfectionism and frustration: arbitrary system decisions bother Lu Zhou disproportionately.
• Reward vs. practical value: the "rare" item he drew is worthless to him as an academic, mocking the rarity system.
• Consequence of choices: the journal choice (Professor Tang's advice vs. AMC) materially affected the task score.
• Caution regarding power: Lu Zhou recognizes that "black tech" carries risk far beyond his ability to handle.

Character Interactions

• Mostly internal/system interaction: he tries to argue with the system about reassigning XP, but it ignores him completely.
• Roommates are briefly visible studying beneath his bunk — unfocused scene-setting.
• Professor Tang is referenced indirectly (his past advice and paper-checking are credited in Lu Zhou's thoughts).

Note: The chapter is largely a solo, system-focused progression chapter — little external plot movement beyond the paper acceptance being confirmed and the rewards being claimed.

Chapter Summary: Three Tasks to Screw Over the Host

Key Plot Points/Events

1. Three New Missions Appear: The Black Technology System offers Lu Zhou three distinctly problematic missions:
   • Mission 1: Blow up a municipal-level research institute (high rewards, but ethically/criminally impossible).
   • Mission 2: Expose corruption of a professor and end their academic career (Lu Zhou rejects it, fearing personal blowback and a desire to graduate peacefully).
   • Mission 3: Publish 10 SCI papers within 2 months (the only viable option).
2. Lu Zhou Accepts Mission 3: Left with no real choice, he selects the "paper mill" mission. He calculates he can strategically assign experience points to level up both Mathematics and Information Science simultaneously.
3. Trip to the Library: Lu Zhou leaves the dorm to research paper topics, making up an excuse about signing up for a Mathematical Modeling Contest (to hide his paper publishing from roommate Liu Rui).
4. Introducing the Conflict: The chapter establishes the academic pressure (the "paper mill" trope) and seeds the competitive tension between Lu Zhou and his jealous roommate, Liu Rui.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: More pragmatic and strategic than idealistic. He rejects the "righteous" corruption mission not for lack of morality, but for lack of practical benefit. He shows cunning in planning the experience allocation for his papers and actively works to hide his success from his envious roommate.
• Liu Rui: Reveals his fragile mentality initially, but hardens into fierce competition. Upon realizing Lu Zhou might gain an edge, he silently vows to sign up for the same contest to measure himself against him.
• Huang Guangming: Acts as comic relief and a supportive friend, hyping Lu Zhou up immediately.

Significant Themes

• Academic Darwinism: The satirization of "publish or perish" culture and the pressure to mass-produce papers.
• Idealism vs. Pragmatism: Lu Zhou consciously avoids being the "pure stream" or martyr; he wants to survive and gain skills without destroying his career.
• Hidden Rivalry: The tenuous peace in the dormitory, where jealousy can quietly morph into silent competition.

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & Liu Rui: The "fake concern" dynamic. Liu Rui indirectly probes Lu Zhou's study plans. Lu Zhou deflects with a fabricated excuse, remaining wary of Liu Rui's mentality.
• Lu Zhou & Huang Guangming: A comedic, friendly exchange. Huang's excitement over the contest forces Lu Zhou into a playful "call me Brother Lu" retort before escaping the room.