Chapter Summaries

Lu Zhou tried to discourage Luo Wenxuan from chasing women by quoting Edward Witten, then learned that Dean Qin was organizing an autumn outing on Purple Mountain. Lu Zhou agreed to go if he was free, and Han Mengqi and Luo Wenxuan also signed up, though Luo remained discouraged by Kong Jie’s lack of interest.

• Lu Zhou told Luo Wenxuan that Edward Witten thought he would have become a physicist’s lover if he had devoted half as much energy to Physics as to women.
• Dean Qin invited Lu Zhou to an October outing and mixer for young faculty and staff from the Schools of Mathematics and Foreign Languages.
• After Dean Qin and Lin Yuxiang encouraged him, Lu Zhou agreed to attend if he was not busy.
• Han Mengqi signed up after Dean Qin said graduate students could join, while Lin Yuxiang also registered.
• Luo Wenxuan signed up despite Kong Jie showing no interest, then left to clear his head.

Lu Zhou joined Jinling University colleagues on an autumn outing to Purple Mountain, where a young fan embarrassed him by revealing the odd comment she had left on his Weibo. After lunch, he decided to join the afternoon climb when he learned the group would have grilled fish at the summit.

• Lu Zhou walked to the hotel with the School of Mathematics group, joking with Luo Wenxuan about his long PhD and listening to his stories about CERN and Brookhaven National Laboratory.
• At the hotel, Manager Song recognized Lu Zhou because his eighth-grade daughter admired him and followed his Weibo.
• When Lu Zhou asked what she had commented, the girl admitted she had posted “Peh,” prompting laughter from Luo Wenxuan and Han Mengqi.
• Manager Song apologized for his daughter's remark, and the teachers later enjoyed baskets of steamed brown sugar chili crabs at lunch.
• After learning that the afternoon climb would end with grilled fish at the summit, Lu Zhou agreed to go.

Lu Zhou joined the faculty hike on Purple Mountain, where Han Mengqi struggled with her feelings for him and Lin Yuxiang teased her about them. After the group returned to the hotel, Han Mengqi asked Lu Zhou how he felt about her sister, Chen Yushan, and he called her a close friend.

• Lu Zhou hiked with Wang Peng, Luo Wenxuan, Han Mengqi, Lin Yuxiang, and two women from the School of Foreign Languages, while one of the women posed for photos with him.
• Lin Yuxiang asked Han Mengqi whether she liked Lu Zhou, teased her about her feelings, and offered to help if she became more honest.
• The groups gathered on a peak to grill food before cleaning up and returning to the hotel.
• After soaking in the hot spring, Lu Zhou found Han Mengqi sitting outside with wet hair, brought her hot milk, and stayed when she asked him to sit with her.
• Han Mengqi asked Lu Zhou what he thought of her sister, Chen Yushan, and Lu Zhou said she was a close friend who was easy to get along with.

Lu Zhou spent the final day of the autumn outing playing cards, signing a young girl’s textbook, and catching up with Liu Wanshan, who invited him to a new-energy vehicle summit in Jinling. After Lu Zhou sensed someone following him, Wang Peng explained that security teams were guarding the area, leaving Lu Zhou to wonder briefly about making Xiao Ai a bodyguard.

• Lu Zhou beat Dean Qin and Luo Wenxuan at Fight the Landlord, then left the recreation room after winning another hand.
• A girl apologized to Lu Zhou for criticizing him online, and he signed her mathematics textbook and encouraged her to study hard.
• Lu Zhou met Liu Wanshan, who described Zhongshan New Materials’ growth and offered him an invitation to a battery-standards summit in Jinling.
• Lu Zhou sensed someone following him on the way back to the hotel and told Wang Peng, who explained that the General Staff and Ministry of State Security were involved in his security.
• Lu Zhou considered making Xiao Ai a Terminator bodyguard but dismissed the idea because he did not want to put it in danger.

After returning from the faculty outing, Lu Zhou arranged an invitation to a new-energy vehicle summit and told Luo Wenxuan that the Eastern Ring Project had passed its preliminary review and entered the design stage. The chapter left Luo Wenxuan wondering whether the project was meant to pursue the elusive 750 GeV goal, and Lu Zhou reaffirmed that he had not given up on it.

• Lu Zhou returned to Jin University and called Chen Yushan to ask her to register him for an upcoming new-energy vehicle summit in Jinling.
• Lu Zhou interrupted Luo Wenxuan's conversation with Kong Jie and handed him documents showing that the Eastern Ring Project had entered its design stage.
• Lu Zhou assigned Luo Wenxuan to spend time in Shangjing coordinating with the organizations involved in the Eastern Ring Project.
• Lu Zhou offered to let Luo Wenxuan report new developments directly to Assistant Kong, and Luo Wenxuan gladly accepted the assignment.
• Luo Wenxuan asked whether Lu Zhou still pursued the 750 GeV goal, and Lu Zhou said he had never given up on anything.

Lu Zhou attended the New Energy Vehicle Industry Summit, where Yang Zhongyuan emphasized smart cities and electrification, prompting Lu Zhou to consider researching gas-exchange membranes for Lithium-Air Batteries. He met Jack Ma, who offered to help fund future projects.

• Lu Zhou arrived at the summit and was directed to the invited experts' section.
• Yang Zhongyuan opened the summit and highlighted smart cities, information infrastructure, and electrification as priorities for the next five years.
• Lu Zhou considered developing Lithium-Air Battery technology, then changed his immediate research focus to gas-exchange membranes.
• Jack Ma spoke with Lu Zhou about future industries and offered to connect him with investors for promising projects.

Yang Xu received Lu Zhou’s proposed research plan for a high-flux oxygen molecular separation membrane and organized the institute’s researchers to begin work. The chapter ended with the team launching a lithium-air battery project.

• During lunch, Liu Bo, Yang Xu, and Qian Zhongming joked about the hair loss and aging of researchers in materials science.
• After returning to his office, Yang Xu opened an email from Lu Zhou about a high-flux oxygen molecular separation membrane for lithium-air batteries.
• Yang Xu read Lu Zhou’s detailed research plan and was astonished by its clear technical approaches.
• Yang Xu sent the document to the researchers and announced that the membrane was their next assignment.
• Yang Xu confirmed that the new project was the lithium-air battery.

Lu Zhou explored the promise of Lithium-Air Batteries and received Witten’s email about CERN’s planned search for the M Particle, then tried Witten’s unusual bacon-sandwich recommendation. CERN later reported tentative signs of the particle, and the story left Lu Zhou preparing for the manned lunar landing bid in Harbin.

• Lu Zhou outlined technical challenges for Lithium-Air Batteries and sent promising research routes to the Computational Materials Research Institute.
• Witten emailed Lu Zhou about CERN’s planned M Particle experiment and asked him to send tofu that looked like cheese.
• Lu Zhou asked Wu Shuimu to bring fermented tofu and a bacon sandwich, tried the combination, and rejected it as unbearably salty.
• CERN reported 2.5-sigma and 2.7-sigma signs of the M Particle in its ATLAS and CMS detectors, prompting excitement and replication plans at Brookhaven and other laboratories.
• Lu Zhou prepared for the manned lunar landing bidding conference, which began in Harbin on the first Friday of November.

Lu Zhou attended a secret lunar landing project bidding conference in Harbin, where major aerospace companies presented their technologies before Starry Sky Technology revealed its electric propulsion system. The auditorium fell silent as soon as Lu Zhou reached the second slide of his presentation.

• Lu Zhou arrived in Harbin with Wang Peng and met Director Li and Academician Zou Yu, who invited him to visit a laboratory researching bionic artificial skeletons.
• Lu Zhou attended the confidential Lunar Landing Project bidding conference at Harbin Institute of Technology after surrendering his communication devices and passing security checks.
• Aerospace Group presented its 500-ton-class liquid oxygen-kerosene engine and reported that key components and test samples were in development.
• Aerospace Science Group presented a high-temperature-resistant ceramic coating for dynamic seals in rocket engines.
• Lu Zhou presented Starry Sky Technology's electric propulsion system, and the auditorium fell silent when he reached the second slide.

Lu Zhou presented an Electric Propulsion System capable of kilonewton-range thrust and argued it could carry a fifty-ton payload to Low Earth Orbit, but aerospace officials doubted its readiness and the Science and Industry Bureau favored chemical rockets. Facing reluctance to fund his proposal, Lu Zhou challenged Academician Yuan to a bet.

• Lu Zhou explained that experiments had confirmed the Electric Propulsion System's kilonewton-range thrust and claimed it could save at least ninety percent of fuel weight compared with a chemical rocket.
• Lu Zhou presented the Hall Propulsion Unit's experimental parameters, prompting the audience to question its design and feasibility.
• Academician Yuan acknowledged electric propulsion's promise but argued it was too risky and immature for the current lunar landing effort.
• Lu Zhou offered to prove the system could deliver a fifty-ton payload to Low Earth Orbit, and Academician Yuan joked that he would eat his thermos if Lu Zhou succeeded.
• Director Li explained that the tender proposals would be evaluated by the relevant agencies, while Lu Zhou realized funding for his system was unlikely.
• Lu Zhou proposed making a bet with Academician Yuan.

After the bidding conference, Lu Zhou told Chen Yushan that Starry Sky Technology would compete against the Aerospace Group to deliver a 50-ton payload to Low Earth Orbit. Chen Yushan worried about the risks and financing, but Lu Zhou revealed that Ali Group would invest, and she agreed to support the project.

• After the conference, Lu Zhou called Chen Yushan and explained the agreement to compete for the 50-ton Low Earth Orbit delivery contract.
• Chen Yushan criticized Lu Zhou for making the commitment without consulting her and warned that the Aerospace Group had far greater aerospace experience and resources.
• Lu Zhou argued that competing with a finished product gave Starry Sky Technology a better chance than a conventional bid, and he said the company had already secured funding.
• Lu Zhou told Chen Yushan that Ali Group would provide part of the investment, surprising her.
• Chen Yushan accepted Lu Zhou's decision and promised to control costs while supporting the project through to completion.

After giving a lecture at Harbin Institute of Technology, Lu Zhou toured Academician Zou’s laboratory and tried its experimental neural-controlled mechanical arm. Impressed by the technology, he asked whether Zou’s project was still recruiting.

• Lu Zhou delivered an extended lecture on Computational Materials Science to a packed auditorium at Harbin Institute of Technology.
• At lunch, Lu Zhou asked Academician Zou to show him the laboratory, and Zou agreed.
• Lu Zhou visited the bionic prosthetics laboratory and used a device that converted his neural signals into movements by a distant mechanical arm.
• Lu Zhou discussed the technology’s potential and limitations with Academician Zou and the researchers.
• As the tour ended, Lu Zhou asked Academician Zou whether his project was still looking for people.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology decided to let experts debate the lunar project’s propulsion choice while giving Lu Zhou’s team support. Lu Zhou returned to Jinling, pushed the space shuttle prototype toward an early completion, and realized he would need help finding astronauts to test it.

• The minister rejected canceling the propulsion wager and decided to offer Professor Lu support by contacting the Air Force Equipment Department.
• Academician Zou welcomed Lu Zhou’s joint research proposal, and Lu Zhou signed an agreement with Harbin Institute of Technology before flying back to Jinling.
• Lu Zhou assigned the Neural Interface project to two Jinling Institute for Advanced Study institutes and arranged for the Computational Materials Research Institute to coordinate the Bionic Skeletons project with Harbin Institute of Technology.
• Lu Zhou went straight to the Space Shuttle Assembly Center and asked Hou Guang to complete a prototype before January next year.
• Hou Guang told Lu Zhou that the prototype would need one or two astronauts for testing, and Lu Zhou decided to seek help from the relevant departments.

Lu Zhou demonstrated the Hall Thruster to Minister Qin Zhuangyan and Air Force experts, whose reaction confirmed the system’s military potential. Minister Qin agreed to provide two pilots, and Lu Zhou named the shuttle the Auspicious Omen.

• Minister Qin Zhuangyan asked Lu Zhou whether the Electric Propulsion System could steadily produce 200 kN of thrust, and Lu Zhou said it could get a shuttle into Low Earth Orbit.
• Lu Zhou led Minister Qin and Wu Kang’s team to the test stand and demonstrated the Hall Thruster, which reached 198.68 kN and produced a stable plasma plume.
• Minister Qin offered support for the project, and Lu Zhou asked him to arrange two pilots for the shuttle.
• Minister Qin promised to provide the pilots, and Lu Zhou named the shuttle the Auspicious Omen.

Nie Yun was transferred from the Test Flight Squadron to the Astronaut Corps to test the Auspicious space shuttle alongside his sister, Nie Han. Lu Zhou began their three-month training, explaining that they would learn the shuttle and how to survive emergencies.

• Nie Yun completed a fighter exercise and returned to base, where Minister Qin offered him a critical assignment.
• Minister Qin transferred Nie Yun from the Test Flight Squadron to the Astronaut Corps, disappointing him because he expected to keep flying J-20s.
• Nie Yun met Lu Zhou and his sister, Nie Han, who had also been selected as a pilot for the Auspicious test program.
• Lu Zhou asked Nie Yun and Nie Han about their knowledge of space shuttles and told them to prepare for three months of training.

Lu Zhou skipped the Nobel Prize banquet as the Xihe Fusion Reactor neared operation and preparations for the Auspicious continued. He imagined Wang Peng parachuting from space, while Wang Peng dismissed the idea as an impossible unit mistake.

• Lu Zhou declined invitations to the Nobel Prize banquet and diplomatic events, while David Osullivan and Arthur C. Gossard received the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on Semiconductor Spintronics.
• East Asia Power reported that the Xihe Fusion Reactor had been completed and was expected to begin supplying electricity on New Year's Day as other fusion projects advanced.
• Lu Zhou noted that ITER member states had become more eager to negotiate as Hua Nation widened its lead in fusion energy.
• Lu Zhou watched Wang Peng and two pilots at the training facility and told Wang Peng that parachuting from one thousand kilometers might become routine.
• Wang Peng assumed Lu Zhou had confused the units and thought such a jump would leave a person frozen.

Lu Zhou’s team completed the Auspicious shuttle after months of preparation and three days of exhaustive inspections. With the aircraft ready for its maiden launch, Lu Zhou contacted Commander Dai to arrange its transport to the launch base.

• Nie Yun and Nie Han visited the assembly center and were astonished that Lu Zhou’s team had built the shuttle so quickly.
• Lu Zhou explained that production preparations had begun half a year earlier and said the project felt easier than solving the Yang–Mills Equations.
• Hou Guang ordered technicians to inspect every part of the shuttle, then made them recheck its critical systems.
• After three days, Hou Guang delivered a completed inspection report and said the shuttle was ready to be moved to the launch base.
• Lu Zhou called Commander Dai to ask for help transporting the shuttle.

Elon Musk celebrated the positive market response to his BFR announcement before CIA agents questioned him about parts sold to Starry Sky Technology. Musk dismissed their report that the Auspicious Omen used electric propulsion, but Aiden remained uneasy because Lu Zhou was involved.

• Elon Musk presented SpaceX’s BFR plans, including a crewed launch in 2024 and future missions to the Moon and Mars.
• Musk checked SpaceX’s rising stock price and reflected that the company still needed to deliver on its promises to investors.
• Aiden and another CIA agent arrived at Musk’s office and asked about the parts Starry Sky Technology had bought from SpaceX.
• Aiden showed Musk a photograph of the Auspicious Omen and said investigators believed it used an electric propulsion system.
• Musk insisted electric propulsion could not launch a spacecraft from Earth, while Aiden wondered whether the CIA had overestimated the situation and remained troubled by Lu Zhou’s involvement.

Yuan Huanmin learned that Starry Sky Technology planned a New Year's Day test flight with two pilots aboard and rushed to Jinling to stop it. At the launch center, Lu Zhou encouraged the pilots and left the ignition countdown to Hou Guang.

• Secretary Yu told Yuan Huanmin about the planned test flight, and Yuan angrily decided to go to Jinling to prevent the pilots from being endangered.
• Yuan ordered his secretary to buy a train ticket, while Secretary Yu decided that trying to stop the launch was worthwhile.
• Commander Dai met Lu Zhou at the Jinling Aerospace Launch Center and assigned troops to secure the area.
• Lu Zhou wished Nie Yun and Nie Han good luck before they boarded the spacecraft, then gave them an inspiring send-off.
• Lu Zhou told Hou Guang to take charge of the ignition countdown, and Hou Guang eagerly agreed.

The Auspicious space shuttle launched successfully, but Professor Lu went missing from the launch center. Hou Guang realized that Lu Zhou might be aboard the shuttle, where Nie Yun and Nie Han discovered him in the cockpit.

• Hou Guang completed the ignition countdown as the shuttle lifted off, and Commander Dai saluted its departure.
• Yuan Huanmin and Secretary Yu were stopped at the launch center entrance because their authorization did not permit entry onto Starry Sky Technology’s property.
• Commander Dai announced that Professor Lu was missing, and Hou Guang suggested he might have boarded the shuttle.
• Above the clouds, Lu Zhou calmly drank coffee while Nie Yun and Nie Han questioned why he had come aboard.
• Lu Zhou ordered Nie Yun and Nie Han to continue the mission, and Nie Yun reluctantly gave up on turning back.