Key Plot Points and Events

• The aerospace plane "Rosy Glow" (codename: Messenger), crewed by pilot Xu Zhenghong and co-pilot Liu Biao, approaches Mars after a long journey. Communication with Earth is delayed by over 100 seconds each way.
• The crew executes a critical orbital insertion maneuver into MOI3 Orbit, a precise operation requiring exact speed, angle, and distance. They succeed on the first attempt.
• After a brief period of rest and appreciating the view of Mars, they perform a secondary calibration and maneuver into the lowest parking orbit.
• They deploy the Z Particle Clock—a metal sphere with two black rings—into Mars orbit, completing "Phase One" of the mission. Liu Biao describes the act as "putting a ring on a bride."
• The crew receives acknowledgment from ground command and settles in to wait for further instructions, knowing they'll need to verify the clock's status before returning home.
• On Earth, Lu Zhou, the operation's leader, announces to the ground command center that it's "our turn" for the next stage.

Character Developments

• Xu Zhenghong (pilot): Demonstrates steady professionalism and composure under pressure. He remains focused during the tense orbital insertion and takes the mission seriously, but he also briefly shares a quiet, appreciative moment with Liu Biao when viewing Mars.
• Liu Biao (co-pilot): More relaxed and personable than his pilot—he jokes about wanting beer, takes an extra moment to admire the view, and offers the poetic metaphor of the mission being like "putting a ring on a bride." His casual demeanor contrasts with the precision of the mission.
• Lu Zhou: Shown minimally but decisively. He watches over the operation, uses the "ring" metaphor's reference to a wristwatch, and signals a transition from the crew's work to the ground team's role—implying he's the orchestrator of a broader plan.

Significant Themes

• Romance and distance in spaceflight: Liu Biao's comments—that spaceflight is "a romantic thing" and that deploying a satellite is like placing a ring—frame a technical mission in emotional, almost ceremonial terms. The loneliness and beauty of Mars are emphasized.
• Precision and patience: The chapter highlights the extreme importance of precise orbital mechanics, the challenge of communication delays, and the need for long, quiet patience between actions.
• Human expansion and imagination: The crew's exchange about "expanding the frontier" reflects humanity's drive toward deeper space exploration—even if they won't live to see it, "someone will see it for us."
• Transition of roles: The handover between the crew's physical tasks and ground command's analytical tasks shows how large-scale operations depend on distributed teams across vast distances.

Character Interactions

• Xu Zhenghong and Liu Biao: A seasoned, comfortable duo. Their dialogue is terse and functional during procedures but warm and conversational in downtime. They share moments of awe, humor, and mutual respect.
• Crew ↔ Ground Command: Purely formal and functional. Their transmissions are clipped and procedural ("Received," "Wish us luck"), emphasizing the impersonal nature of long-distance communication and the trust required between separated teams.
• Lu Zhou's role: His brief appearance—glancing at his watch and declaring "It's our turn"—ties the crew's effort to a larger scientific experiment. It implies a collaborative operation where each side knows its role, and it sets up the next phase of the mission involving the Z Particle Clock.

Lu Zhou and the researchers used two Z Particle Clocks to test his hyperspace theory, and the experiment showed that a photon traveled through a route that shortened its journey between Earth and Mars. The successful test confirmed Lu Zhou's theory and left the control room celebrating a historic breakthrough.

• Director Li and the control-room team calibrated the Z Particle Clocks orbiting Earth and Mars, aligning their transmission ports with a laser.
• Lu Zhou ordered the clocks' transmission ports opened and their cores ignited, producing a gravitational anomaly.
• Lu Zhou activated the photon source, sending entangled photons toward the receiver across space.
• Timer 1 stopped at 207.1 seconds, while Timer 2 continued to 270.7 seconds, revealing a 63.6-second difference in the photons' arrival times.
• The researchers celebrated as the measurements confirmed that the oscillating Z Particle had created a hyperspace route, proving Lu Zhou's theory.

Summary: Wreckage Recovery

Key Plot Points / Events

• The Hyperspace Channel experiment succeeds, completing a run 63.6 seconds faster than before, sparking cheers and celebration in the command center.
• Lu Zhou is hailed as having "written history for physics and spaceflight," but he quietly leaves the celebration, asking for two days to handle a personal research matter.
• In deep space, the Z Particle Clock—the experiment’s core device—is destroyed/self-destructs after completing its mission, glowing and scattering into fragments near Mars.
• Astronauts Liu Biao and Xu Zhenghong, aboard the ship Messenger (Rosy Glow), monitor the explosion and then carry out a sample recovery mission, retrieving five fragments of the clock’s wreckage using a maintenance robot.
• Their return request is approved, and they begin the journey back to Earth, with Xu Zhenghong reflecting on future missions to Mars.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Remains calm and focused despite the historic success; prioritizes his private research over public celebration.
• Luo Wenxuan: Overflowing with excitement and emotion; shows intense admiration for Lu Zhou.
• Xu Zhenghong: Professional and contemplative; senses he will return to Mars someday.
• Liu Biao: Pragmatic and grounded, musing on the huge costs of the experiment.

Significant Themes

• Scientific triumph and ambition: The successful experiment represents a milestone for humanity.
• Cost of progress: The deliberate destruction of expensive equipment highlights the price of discovery.
• Focus vs. celebration: Lu Zhou’s quiet departure contrasts with the loud triumph around him.
• Future exploration: The recovery of wreckage and Xu Zhenghong’s thoughts hint at continued Mars missions.

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & Luo Wenxuan: Luo hugs and praises Lu Zhou; Lu Zhou remains composed and assigns him cleanup duties.
• Lu Zhou & Wang Peng: Lu Zhou asks Wang Peng to bring the car around.
• Lu Zhou & Edward Witten: Witten gives a thumbs-up; Lu Zhou smiles back, wordlessly acknowledging approval.
• Xu Zhenghong & Liu Biao: Work together aboard the ship, discussing the experiment’s cost and carrying out the recovery mission.

Chapter Summary: "Physics Level 10!"

Key Plot Points

• Lu Zhou completes the legendary quest "Distant Gaze" after the Rosy Glow probe successfully completes its orbital transfer and returns to the Moon Palace space station.
• He immediately returns home and instructs his bodyguard Wang Peng that he will be in seclusion for two days—no visitors, no calls, no matter what.
• In the System Space, Lu Zhou receives his mission rewards: Physics Level +1 (bringing him to Physics Level 10), Void Memory C, one golden lottery chance, and 10,000 points.
• The mission evaluation contains an unusually sober warning from the System: "remain reverent, remain vigilant"—hinting at hidden dangers in the Void.
• Lu Zhou wins the golden lottery, and the reward is so unexpected/significant that he freezes completely (content of the prize is not yet revealed).
• Meanwhile, news of the successful experiment spreads globally, shocking the physics community and the world—the light-speed barrier has been shattered.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Demonstrates disciplined restraint—despite intense curiosity about Void Memory C, he chooses to wait two days before accessing it, planning to record it via the Neural Interface Device and let players explore it safely. He's also superstitious about lottery luck and increasingly cautious about the System's cryptic warnings.
• Wang Peng: Shows genuine concern for Lu Zhou's well-being, offering to call Doctor Yan. He notices something subtly different about Lu Zhou's demeanor this time.

Significant Themes

• Scientific breakthrough: The light-speed barrier has been broken by a particle—a paradigm-shifting achievement for human civilization.
• Caution vs. curiosity: Lu Zhou's choice to delay accessing Void Memory C reflects his learned prudence from past dangerous memory experiences.
• The unknown and the Void: The System's evaluation hints at deeper cosmic dangers beyond what is known, adding an element of looming mystery.
• Strategic resourcefulness: Using "tens of millions of players" as proxies to explore dangerous memories showcases Lu Zhou's indirect problem-solving.

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou ↔ Wang Peng: A brief conversation where Wang Peng questions Lu Zhou's health and offers to summon Doctor Yan. Lu Zhou dismisses his concern, explains he needs to think through academic questions, and tells Wang Peng to take a vacation. Wang Peng asks about meals; Lu Zhou declines help.
• Lu Zhou ↔ System: Receives the mission report, evaluates the System's unusual commentary, and participates in the golden lottery—resulting in an unidentified but shocking reward.

Summary: A Lively Press Conference

1. Key Plot Points

• IMCRC holds a press conference in Shanghai to announce and explain its historic experiment, which demonstrated the possibility of surpassing the speed of light using Z Particles.
• Huge media crowds nearly cause chaos at the venue, forcing organizers to struggle with crowd control.
• Luo Wenxuan, IMCRC's secretary-general, hosts the conference because Lu Zhou is in "seclusion" after the experiment.
• Luo reads a prepared speech, then enters a Q&A session with reporters.
• He explains that the experiment created a Hyperspace Channel — a band-shaped region of low spacetime curvature that shortens physical distances, effectively allowing light to travel a shorter path between two points.
• He acknowledges that interstellar travel may eventually become possible, but emphasizes this is a centuries-long prospect and says he is "very pessimistic" about faster-than-light aerospace travel within this century.

2. Character Developments

• Luo Wenxuan: Initially frustrated and intimidated by the task, he comes to interpret Lu Zhou's absence as intentional training for him to become the next IMCRC chairman. This realization fills him with motivation and a sense of duty toward "the community with a shared future for mankind."
• Apton Olet (French physicist, Z Particle Laboratory head): Confirms Luo's impending promotion and offers wry, unsentimental advice, showing both his observational wit and recognition of Luo's abilities.

3. Significant Themes

• Scientific communication and public hype: The immense public and media frenzy around breakthrough discoveries, and the challenge of explaining complex science to laypeople.
• Realistic expectations vs. hype: Luo pushes back against over-optimism about interstellar travel, stressing that foundational theory is not the same as applied technology.
• Leadership and succession: The idea that mentorship and delegation are part of preparing future leaders — Luo sees the press conference as a test given to him by Lu Zhou.
• Historic moment: The chapter conveys the sense that a scientific milestone comparable to (or greater than) the Higgs boson discovery is unfolding in real time.

4. Character Interactions

• Luo Wenxuan & Apton Olet: Olet jokes about Luo's discomfort, compares the situation to CERN's OPERA neutrino episode, and openly states Luo will be the next chairman, which reshapes Luo's perspective. Olet leaves without offering practical help, laughing at Luo's plea for advice.
• Luo Wenxuan & reporters: He fields questions from CTV (asking for a layman-friendly explanation) and the Los Angeles Daily News (asking about interstellar travel), carefully clarifying that the Hyperspace Channel acts like a shortcut through folded space.

Summary of the Chapter

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens immediately after IMCRC's press conference announcing the successful creation of the Z Particle and the opening of a Hyperspace Channel (reducing light travel time from Earth to Mars from 270.7 to 207.1 seconds).
• Worldwide media erupts in sensational coverage, touting faster-than-light travel and a new era for humanity.
• On an aerospace enthusiast forum, users debate the technology’s real-world applications (faster-than-light communication, astronomical observation) versus its enormous cost and technical limitations.
• In Shangjing, the Grand Elder (a senior leader) reads Director Li’s report and asks for a layman’s explanation of where the missing 63.6 seconds went. Director Li explains the physics in simple analogies (gravity as “bonds,” vibrating in higher dimensions).
• The Grand Elder asks about the feasibility of warp travel. Director Li relays Secretary Luo Wenxuan’s pessimistic assessment (cost, instability). The Grand Elder insists on hearing Academician Lu’s opinion.
• Director Li reveals that Lu is unreachable because he went into seclusion immediately after the experiment—much like after the fusion ignition.

2. Character Developments

• Director Li: Acts as the bridge between the scientific community and the political leadership. He is earnest, conveys information accurately (if simply), and shows deep respect for Lu.
• The Grand Elder: Highly intelligent and strategic, quickly grasps the core physics analogy. He sees the geopolitical and civilizational stakes, imagining Hua Nation becoming a space civilization. He favors Lu’s judgment over that of Luo Wenxuan.
• Academician Lu (Xu Lu): Not physically present but central to the narrative. His seclusion after the breakthrough reinforces his established pattern of retreating from the spotlight after major achievements.
• Secretary-General Luo Wenxuan: Indirectly characterized as cautious/pessimistic about warp travel; his credibility is questioned by the Grand Elder.

3. Significant Themes

• Media and public reaction to paradigm-shifting science: Hype and imagination often outrun actual technical limits.
• Feasibility vs. aspiration: The gap between a scientific breakthrough and its practical application (cost, stability, optimization).
• Politics and cutting-edge science: Government leaders immediately consider national/strategic implications, seeking the top expert’s word over a bureaucrat’s.
• Secrecy and the scientist’s solitude: Lu’s seclusion underscores his role as a reclusive genius who works beyond institutional control.

4. Character Interactions

• Forum users / public: Engage in heated but knowledgeable discussion—some optimistic about communication and observation, others skeptical about costs.
• Director Li and Grand Elder: A direct, respectful exchange. Li translates complex physics into digestible terms; the Grand Elder presses for deeper understanding and ultimately wants Lu’s opinion, not Luo’s.
• Director Li’s internal conflict: He must report Luo’s pessimistic view while knowing Lu might disagree, and he feels awkward conveying that Lu is unreachable.

After humanity celebrated the IMCRC’s breakthrough, Lu Zhou avoided visitors while adapting to physics level 10 and studying newly obtained space station blueprints. He decided how he would use the blueprints, though their construction remained far beyond current technology.

• The Elder Council and leaders from more than fifty nations sent congratulations to the IMCRC and Lu Zhou, while the United States president asked how long humanity was from achieving faster-than-light travel.
• Director Li tried to visit Lu Zhou at his villa, but Wang Peng refused him entry under orders to keep visitors away.
• After Director Li left, Lu Zhou confirmed he would not see anyone and returned to adapting to physics level 10.
• Lu Zhou examined blueprints for a vast space station he had drawn from the System, recognizing that building it would take decades even with suitable technology.
• Lu Zhou smiled at his drawing and decided how to use the blueprints.

Lu Zhou urged Director Li to pursue a long-term Mars program and a medium-term space station at a Lagrange Point to drive advances in space technology. He presented a detailed Stanford torus orbital habitat blueprint, leaving Director Li stunned.

• Director Li asked Lu Zhou about the prospects and timeline for hyperspace travel, and Lu Zhou said hyperspace communication was a more realistic goal within a century.
• Lu Zhou recommended launching a concrete Mars Program, arguing that expansion into distant worlds would create the need for advanced travel and communication technologies.
• Lu Zhou proposed building a permanent station at L4 or L5 to support supply transfers, mineral processing, and spacecraft repair and manufacture.
• Director Li agreed to take Lu Zhou’s recommendations to Chang'an Street for discussion and asked for a written proposal.
• Lu Zhou gave Director Li a rigorously calculated blueprint for a Stanford torus orbital habitat.

A Hundred-Year Roadmap

More than enough...
It was downright incredible, okay?!
After flipping through several pages in a row, Director Li could no longer find words to describe the shock in his heart.
From the specifications and dimensions of every rivet, the standards the materials had to meet, and how many were needed, to the equipment required for every functional module and the personnel needed to operate them, nearly everything had been categorized and listed on this blueprint.
Of course, many of these things were beyond the current capabilities of Hua Nation's aerospace industry, such as cables with "a Young's modulus of 2.07 TPa and breaking strength of 79 Nm..." and titanium alloy materials with "density ρ ≤ 3.7 g/cm³, Young's modulus ≥ 1333 MPa, hardness ≥ HB400..."
But judging from current development trends, as long as enough funding was invested into these research areas, there was still a considerable possibility that materials meeting those standards could be manufactured someday in the future.
Therefore, rather than calling it some wildly imaginative concept, it would be more accurate to call it a rigorously prepared instruction manual!
A master roadmap outlining the direction of aerospace industry development for the next hundred years!
"How on earth did you come up with this thing...?"
Director Li dearly wanted to ask that question, but ultimately held himself back.
Because he suddenly realized that even if he asked, and Lu Zhou told him, it would probably be no different from playing music to a cow.
"I'll keep these drawings here for now. I'll head back to Shangjing tonight!"
He stuffed the blueprints back into the document bag, wrapped it with cotton string and sealed it. Looking at Lu Zhou, Director Li said seriously, "If it's convenient, I'd like to show them to the experts at Aerospace Science first, then take them to Chang'an Street. Would that be all right?"
"No problem," Lu Zhou said with a smile. "I recommend Academician Yuan Huanmin. He should be able to understand them."
Although the old academician could be somewhat stubborn at times, his skills were unquestionably solid. Lu Zhou believed that after seeing these drawings, Yuan Huanmin should be able to recognize what lay behind them.
"That was exactly what I had in mind," Director Li continued. "If Old Academician Yuan thinks there are no issues, it will also be more persuasive when we discuss it at the meeting. Then it's settled. I still need to catch a train later, so I won't stay for dinner."
Lu Zhou asked, "You're not waiting until tomorrow? I think there's a celebration banquet tomorrow night."
"No!"
As he spoke, Director Li had already risen from the sofa. "A celebration banquet can be held anytime. Taking care of business comes first!"
Watching Director Li head toward the entrance, Lu Zhou also rose from the sofa and saw him to the door.
Although he wanted to say there would be plenty of opportunities to take care of business too, seeing how seriously Director Li regarded the blueprints in his hands, he did not try to persuade him otherwise.
Thus, carrying the blueprints for the "Stanford Torus Configuration Orbital Habitat," along with plans for the Lagrange Point Space Base and a Mars outpost, Director Li boarded the maglev that very evening. It had only been in service for two months, and he used it to return from Jinling to Shangjing as quickly as possible.
As for everything else, Lu Zhou did not want to worry about it for the time being.
Before activating the third fragment of Void Memory and beginning the next system mission, all he wanted was to get some proper rest.
On one hand, he wanted to spend time with his girlfriend. On the other, he wanted to relax his overworked mind and carefully consider which discipline he should choose as his next breakthrough...
The following morning.
After obtaining permission from Lu Zhou for an interview, CTV's broadcast van arrived downstairs from his apartment.
Because he disliked trouble, Lu Zhou had requested that the original feature program be changed into a one-on-one interview.
Before coming here, the program director repeatedly instructed the host responsible for the interview, Wu Xinran, that she absolutely had to keep it within thirty minutes and could not disturb Academician Lu's rest.
For that reason, Wu Xinran had been somewhat uneasy before arriving. She had prepared for a long time in advance, afraid that she might offend this scholar rumored to have "strange habits."
Yet contrary to her expectations, Lu Zhou, who opened the door and invited her inside, did not seem nearly as difficult to get along with as she had imagined.
After sitting on the sofa, Wu Xinran looked at the coffee delivered by the household robot, then at Lu Zhou, who had seated himself on the sofa opposite her. She smiled somewhat sheepishly.
"You're even younger than I imagined. You look like you're only in your early twenties."
Accepting the compliment, Lu Zhou nodded.
"Thank you."
"Do you have any secrets for staying young?"
"Secrets for staying young? I haven't paid any special attention to that," Lu Zhou said with a smile. "Maybe it's because the environment in a laboratory is relatively pure. Quite a few scholars I know look very young before they turn forty."
For example, a certain Professor Tao.
When he was nearly fifty, he looked barely over thirty. When he was thirty, he looked barely over twenty. He had clearly married his own student after she graduated, yet they looked more like an older woman dating a younger man.
"That's truly enviable," Wu Xinran said with a slight curl of her lips. "So as not to take up too much of your time, may we begin now? I had a hard time getting these thirty minutes for the interview."
"Calling it hard-won is a bit exaggerated. I'm not that busy," Lu Zhou said with a laugh. "If thirty minutes isn't enough, we can extend it a little, as long as it doesn't run into the evening. I have a banquet to attend tonight."
"Please rest assured, it definitely won't go past noon. I'll also do my best to keep the interview within thirty minutes."
Smiling warmly at Lu Zhou, the young host then looked toward the cameraman adjusting the camera beside her and nodded, signaling that he could begin filming.
Once all the preparations were complete, the interview officially began.
"First, a question everyone is very concerned about... What kind of impact do you think Z Particles will have on our Future?"
After hearing the question, Lu Zhou considered it for a moment before saying, "Future is a very broad concept. What kind of impact it will have on our Future depends on how far into the Future we mean. If we're talking about five or ten years from now, Hyperspace Theory will still be something very distant from ordinary people. It may influence the future trajectory of Physics, but its impact on everyday people will be fairly small."
After a brief pause, he continued.
"However, if we're talking about fifty years, or even a hundred years, its impact may be impossible to describe with simple words. My suggestion is to let your imagination run wild."
Wu Xinran asked curiously, "Let our imagination run wild?"
"Yes." Lu Zhou nodded and continued with a smile. "Think about it carefully. It took only thirty short years for us to go from being inseparable from the land to being accustomed to living in nearly hundred-meter-tall reinforced concrete structures. If human civilization is treated as a whole, our ability to adapt to change is actually much stronger than we imagine."
"A century ago, people living in that era probably never even imagined that someday, people would sleep in huge houses like birdcages, with unfamiliar neighbors beneath them instead of yellow earth, separated only by one floor after another."
"By the same logic, things that seem unimaginable now may be nothing more than ordinary daily life a hundred years from now. Just as we cannot imagine it now, perhaps in that era, more people will live aboard space stations, mine asteroids, draw energy from stars, and use the universe's inexhaustible resources and space to solve all kinds of problems faced by our society's development."
Wu Xinran asked curiously, "Do these things have anything to do with Z Particles and Hyperspace Theory?"
"Everything I mentioned has something to do with Z Particles." Leaning back against the sofa, Lu Zhou interlaced his fingers over his knees and smiled in a cheerful tone. "Space used to be a very distant concept, but now it has been brought close to us."
"Because of the birth of Hyperspace Theory, we have found a shortcut from Low Earth Orbit to the distant universe. And precisely because of that, all the things I mentioned will become reality in the not-too-distant Future."
"Perhaps it's too early to say these things now."
"But time will prove that I'm not joking."

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points & Events

• Lu Zhou's half-hour interview on CCTV-1 airs during prime time, where he publicly discusses Z Particle and Hyperspace Theory in his capacity as IMCRC chairman. He reiterates essentially what Luo Wenxuan said at the press conference, but with far more credibility.
• The interview causes international concern: the White House watches an English-subtitled version, and the president's advisor warns that Hua Nation has "completely left us behind in space technology," speculating that the Mars experiment site was chosen to send a probing signal.
• The celebration banquet for the successful experiment is finally held at Purple Mountain Restaurant after a three-day delay, awaiting Lu Zhou's return.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Demonstrates humility, deflecting contributions from himself and praising others' work. Shows his diplomatic role as a public figure in science.
• Wei Hong: Displays genuine humility about his gravitational fluctuation formula, refusing to overstate his contribution and acknowledging his limitations compared to Lu Zhou.
• Daivik: Shows a respectful, admiring attitude toward Lu Zhou's genius, especially after initially having doubts about Wei Hong's conjecture.

Significant Themes

• Geopolitical rivalry in science: The US interprets Hua Nation's space achievements as strategic signaling, revealing how scientific breakthroughs carry political and military weight.
• Collective credit vs. individual genius: Lu Zhou actively distributes credit to teammates, emphasizing that "every footprint on the path to the summit is crucial."
• Recognition and legacy: Scholars care about being remembered in history, as shown by Luo Wenxuan's eagerness to be praised and Daivik's satisfaction at being acknowledged.

Character Interactions

• White House: The president and his advisor discuss the interview's implications, leading the president to summon NASA's Deep Space Gate project head for an urgent meeting.
• Banquet: Lu Zhou personally toasts Wei Hong and Daivik, thanking them for their specific contributions — Wei Hong's formula and Daivik's sensitivity to the gravitational map anomaly.
• Lu Zhou & Luo Wenxuan: Due to their close friendship, Lu Zhou playfully says he has "nothing to say" for Luo Wenxuan, jokingly offering only a wish for a happy life, then worries that a journalist might have overheard.

Summary: “I’m Not Interested in the Nobel Prize”

1. Key Plot Points

• At a banquet celebrating IMCRC and Hyperspace Theory, Lu Zhou delivers a speech thanking all contributors, saying any future monument should include every name involved.
• Academician Lu (his former mentor) is moved; Professor Li Rongen asks if he ever imagined Lu Zhou reaching such heights.
• The narration notes that Lu Zhou had already won a Nobel in Physics less than half a year earlier, and his new Hyperspace Theory is another Nobel-level breakthrough—putting the Nobel Committee in an awkward position over whether to award him again.
• In a BBC interview, Lu Zhou declares he does not want another Nobel Prize, saying the prize money and medal should go to someone who needs them more.
• He also says he may establish his own award to support outstanding young researchers.
• Because Lu Zhou effectively withdraws from consideration, Wei Hong and Professor Daivik—who derived the gravitational fluctuation formula of the Z particle—become leading candidates for the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics.
• Luo Wenxuan, Lu Zhou’s senior brother, is noted as unfortunate: he joined the project too late to share in the major research results.
• The news spreads worldwide and quickly becomes distorted.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Shows humility and confidence; no longer needs external honors, prioritizes the scientific community and young researchers over personal awards.
• Academician Lu: Feels deep pride and satisfaction in his student’s achievements; reflects on how Lu Zhou exceeded all expectations.
• Luo Wenxuan: Worried about teasing but ultimately respected; his early lack of involvement means he misses out on Nobel-level recognition.
• Nobel Committee (implied): Relieved by Lu Zhou’s announcement, as it resolves their dilemma.

3. Significant Themes

• Scientific achievement vs. personal recognition: Lu Zhou separates true contribution from institutional awards.
• Generosity and legacy: He wants to support future scientists rather than accumulate honors.
• Collaboration and gratitude: The speech emphasizes that major breakthroughs rely on collective effort.
• The awkward relationship between groundbreaking science and traditional prize structures.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou with banquet guests: Gives a humble, appreciative speech that brings the atmosphere to its peak.
• Academician Lu with Professor Li Rongen: A quiet, emotional conversation about Lu Zhou’s rise and the mentor’s satisfaction.
• Lu Zhou with BBC reporter: Fielded questions about the Nobel; his blunt refusal surprises everyone and sparks global news coverage.

Lu Zhou took Chen Yushan to the Jinling University Observatory for a Valentine’s Day date and showed her a star through the telescope. He ended by telling her that he wanted to give her the star as her gift.

• Lu Zhou and Chen Yushan walked to the observatory while discussing news coverage of Lu Zhou’s comments about establishing awards in his name.
• Lu Zhou unlocked the observatory and set up its 650-millimeter reflecting telescope for Chen Yushan.
• Chen Yushan admired the stars through the telescope as Lu Zhou adjusted its magnification and reminded her that it was Valentine’s Day.
• Lu Zhou showed Chen Yushan Zeta Ceti and said they could inscribe their own legend on the ordinary star.
• Lu Zhou told Chen Yushan that his Valentine’s Day gift was a star.

Here is a concise summary of the chapter:

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens on Wall Street, where the morning is disrupted by a major news story.
• Professor Lu (Lu Zhou), a Nobel Prize-winning physicist and creator of Hyperspace Theory, has registered the "Tau Ceti Extrastellar Colonization Fund" in Shanghai with 10 billion RMB in capital.
• The fund's goal is to colonize the Tau Ceti system within 200 years, focusing investments on the aerospace industry chain, with a redemption date set a century in the future.
• The news sparks public discussion about the feasibility, legality, and seriousness of the project.
• A local office worker, Frien, overhears the conversation and sees a massive business opportunity: he predicts the news will drive huge capital flows into aerospace.
• He rushes to buy the Wall Street Journal, confirms the story, and immediately takes leave from work to act on this insight before others beat him to it.

2. Character Developments

• Frien: A minor character who has struggled for ten years on Wall Street. He is portrayed as sharp, observant, and opportunistic. Upon hearing the news, he instantly grasps the financial implications and shifts from passive bystander to decisive action, prioritizing speed to get ahead of the market.

3. Significant Themes

• Speculation and Opportunism: The chapter highlights how scientific breakthroughs intersect with capitalist fever, as ordinary people see the news as a chance to get rich.
• Visionary Ambition vs. Skepticism: The public debates whether Professor Lu is a genius or a madman, reflecting on the legitimacy of long-term, unconventional investments.
• Science and Mass Media: The role of the press in amplifying a scientific idea into a global financial phenomenon.

4. Character Interactions

• Two white-collar workers discuss the news over breakfast, debating the fund's legitimacy and whether Professor Lu is joking (exposition for the reader).
• Frien eavesdrops on their conversation, prompting his realization.
• A brief exchange with a newsstand vendor establishes that the paper is selling out, underscoring the news's viral impact.
• A one-sided phone call with his supervisor shows Frien's urgent desire to take immediate action.

After Lu Zhou’s Tian Cang Five Extrasolar System Colonization Fund inspired a wave of similar public offerings, investors and ordinary people bought tickets and land certificates for distant colonies. The chapter leaves the future of these speculative investments uncertain, while Texas rancher Joseph confidently gives his grandson Proxima Centauri land as a family heirloom.

• Frien planned to establish a public extrasolar colonization fund and found investors already lining up at Wall Street banks.
• Paul Krugman described the funds as long-term investments that could support space exploration and suggested combining them with cryogenic hibernation.
• Several U.S. commercial banks launched competing funds, selling nonrefundable colony tickets and land certificates for destinations such as Proxima Centauri and Alpha Centauri.
• The funds proved popular with buyers who valued their certificates as conversation pieces or seriously investigated the issuers’ plans.
• Texas rancher Joseph spent $1 million on ten thousand square kilometers of Proxima Centauri land for his six-year-old grandson and said his descendants could farm it someday.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points

• Wall Street investment banks copy Lu Zhou's Valentine's Day gift idea (star/land ownership certificates), sparking a speculative frenzy where all 68 K-type main-sequence stars within 20 light-years are "claimed," with some banks even selling red dwarfs and blue giants.
• A person spends $1 million on land near Proxima Centauri, receiving a certificate, a commemorative medal, and a promise of a statue from the "Proxima Centauri Colonization Foundation."
• Xiao Tong returns to Jinling to report on her management of the Tian Cang Five Extrasolar System Colonization Fund before heading back to Princeton.
• She pitches Lu Zhou on creating more publicly issued funds to profit from the trend; he refuses, calling it a scam.
• Xiao Tong reveals she plans to write her graduation thesis on the extrasolar colonization fund, aiming to graduate early.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Continues to display indifference toward money, valuing knowledge above wealth. He doubts his own longevity ("whether I'll even still be around" in 100 years) but remains pragmatic and protective of Xiao Tong. He plans to eventually assign a professional manager to oversee the fund.
• Xiao Tong: Ambitious and enthusiastic about proving herself, she promises to grow the fund to one billion yuan within five years. She is mischievous, affectionate toward Lu Zhou, and eager to contribute meaningfully. Her advisor is revealed to be Nobel laureate Paul Krugman.

Significant Themes

• Money vs. Knowledge: Lu Zhou explicitly states that money depreciates constantly while knowledge is permanent, underscoring the novel's core value system.
• Speculation and Absurdity: The chapter satirizes market manias—people paying real money for meaningless "off-world property" with no legal recognition.
• Trust and Family: Lu Zhou trusts Xiao Tong despite his reservations, framing the fund as an educational opportunity rather than a pure investment.

Character Interactions

• The chapter is built around a warm, teasing dinner conversation between Lu Zhou and Xiao Tong.
• Xiao Tong playfully suggests Lu Zhou "work harder" with his girlfriend so "little Zhou Zhou" can inherit his legacy—earning a light knock on the head.
• Their dynamic shows mutual affection: Xiao Tong flatters, negotiates, and pouts; Lu Zhou is patient but firm, redirecting her focus toward genuine study rather than moneymaking.
• Xiao Tong's parting comment—that the fund has sparked academic debate—hints at broader consequences of Lu Zhou's actions beyond the financial world.

Paul Krugman and Professor Albert discussed how hyperspace travel could overturn economic models and their attempts to predict civilization's future. They learned that Krugman's student Xiao Tong managed the Tian Cang Five Extrasolar System Colonization Fund, giving her a rare opportunity to study the new economy and perhaps win a Nobel Prize.

• Krugman explained to Professor Albert how relativity affected interstellar trade and outlined his two theorems about trade between planets.
• Krugman and Professor Albert agreed that hyperspace technology and influential individuals could disrupt models predicting civilization's future.
• Dr. Milson told Krugman that Xiao Tong was managing the Tian Cang Five Extrasolar System Colonization Fund.
• Krugman reflected on Xiao Tong's ability and diligence, and said the fund could help her combine theoretical and applied economics.
• Krugman told Professor Albert that Xiao Tong might discover new patterns in the economy shaped by hyperspace and could win a Nobel Prize.

Lu Zhou reassured Chen Yushan that Xiao Tong was safe because Hua Nation’s strength protected its citizens abroad, then remembered he had delayed the Century Physics academic conference. As he went to work in his study, a tiny drone delivered his coffee and impressed Chen Yushan with its apparent intelligence.

• Chen Yushan worried that Xiao Tong’s commercial involvement could put her at risk while studying at Princeton.
• Lu Zhou said Hua Nation’s influence over the Los Angeles fusion power station made the United States unlikely to threaten Xiao Tong.
• Luo Wenxuan reminded Lu Zhou that the postponed Century Physics academic conference needed to be arranged after the Lantern Festival.
• Lu Zhou agreed to go to Shanghai the next day, while Luo Wenxuan offered to write the invitations for Lu Zhou to sign.
• Chen Yushan watched a tiny drone carry coffee upstairs to Lu Zhou and marveled at its apparent intelligence.

Here is a concise summary of the chapter:

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Academician Yuan Huanmin finishes verifying a complex blueprint drawn by Lu Zhou, finding it mathematically flawless and logically airtight.
• He remarks that the design seems like the work of a large, multidisciplinary design team rather than one person.
• Director Li visits and explains the blueprint is only preliminary; Lu Zhou left out many details because current materials technology cannot meet the required specifications.
• A specific unmet need is identified: a cable material with Young’s modulus of 2.07 TPa and breaking strength of 79 Nm.
• Yuan suggests that Lu Zhou should first develop this cable material, as it could save 5–10 years of detours in aerospace and other industries.
• Director Li excitedly decides to go to Jinling to ask Lu Zhou directly, despite Yuan's caution that materials development is slow and uncertain.

2. Character Developments

• Yuan Huanmin: Shows deep expertise and humility, acknowledging Lu Zhou’s genius while feeling envy at his ability to integrate talent. He acts cautiously, warning against unrealistic expectations about materials.
• Director Li: Pragmatic and action-oriented, initially patient but grows eager and “blindly faithful” in Lu Zhou’s abilities, willing to travel immediately to seek a solution.

3. Significant Themes

• The gap between theoretical design and real-world manufacturing/material limitations.
• The power and necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration (hinted at by Yuan’s comparison to Jinling’s talent system).
• The extraordinary scale of Lu Zhou’s genius, which exceeds conventional human limits.

4. Character Interactions

• Director Li waits silently for half an hour while Yuan works, then eagerly asks about feasibility.
• Yuan praises the blueprint, and Li reveals that Lu Zhou completed it in just two days, deeply surprising Yuan.
• Yuan writes an opinion letter as requested and warns Li not to be overoptimistic, but Li remains determination-driven.
• The chapter ends with Yuan reluctantly accepting Li’s stubbornness, letting him “do as you please.”

Summary: “The Third Memory”

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Lu Zhou, working in his underground laboratory, sneezes and is checked on by his drone AI, Xiao Ai.
• He puts on an advanced VR helmet and activates his neural interface to experience another “memory.”
• The memory begins on an alien prairie: blue grass, fiery red sky, and a giant gas planet overhead.
• Lu Zhou inhabits the body of a Parker warrior named Nuwa. He receives fragmented memories of Nuwa’s past: winning a fatal duel in an arena, being proclaimed “God’s Chosen,” and undergoing a “Psionic Ritual” where a prophet touched his forehead with a glowing stone.
• An elderly prophet appears, descending via a mysterious light beam, and delivers a prophecy: a catastrophic “Calamity” is approaching and will consume everything from frontier to Holy Land.
• Nuwa is tasked to travel to the center of the galaxy and find a way out for his civilization. The elder tells him the spacecraft is prepared and warns the journey will be long, dangerous, and full of other travelers—not all of them friendly.
• The elder gives a farewell speech, saying Nuwa carries the proof of their existence even if their civilization falls.
• At the end, Lu Zhou realizes with a shock: the old prophet is not looking at Nuwa—he is looking directly at Lu Zhou himself.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Remains curious and analytical; he actively pieces together the alien civilization’s history and lore. His realization that the prophet sees him suggests his memories may be more connected to him than expected.
• Nuwa: A newly appointed “Chosen One” of the Parker Civilization—brave, respectful, devoted, and willing to accept a dangerous mission. His memories show a sense of duty and loyalty.
• The Elder Prophet: Wise, cryptic, and mysterious. He appears kind and reassuring, but his final sharp gaze reveals hidden knowledge and suggests he knows more than he says—possibly even about Lu Zhou.

3. Significant Themes

• Memory and identity: Lu Zhou experiences someone else’s memories, blurring the line between observer and participant.
• Prophecy and fate: The Parker Civilization relies on prophetic rituals and “best arrangements,” despite their questionable reliability.
• Endings and legacy: The elder’s speech emphasizes survival through memory, culture, and existence—even if physical civilization is destroyed.
• Isolation and duty: Nuwa embarks on a lonely, enormous journey; the weight of an entire civilization rests on his shoulders.
• The unknown / cosmic threat: The Calamity looms as a galaxy-wide disaster, hinting at larger events beyond a single civilization.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & Xiao Ai: Brief warm interaction; Xiao Ai worries about his sneeze, showing a caring AI dynamic.
• Lu Zhou & the memory: He experiences everything as a passive observer inside Nuwa’s body, but eventually feels targeted directly by the prophet.
• Nuwa & the Elder Prophet: A solemn, respectful exchange. The elder congratulates Nuwa, explains his mission, comforts him about possible failure, and blesses his journey. Their interaction is formal yet emotional—marked by mutual respect and an unspoken farewell.
• Final twist: The elder’s sharp gaze breaks immersion, creating a direct connection between the ancient prophet and Lu Zhou—suggesting the memory may not be purely historical.

Chapter Summary: "The Chosen One"

Key Plot Points

• Lu Zhou experiences "Void Memory C" through Nuwa's perspective, which depicts the Parker Civilization's history and Nuwa's journey as their "chosen one."
• Within the memory, Lu Zhou realizes the elderly prophet may have sensed him—a future observer outside the timeline—through a "Psionic Ritual," making the prophet's cryptic final words ("You are the one chosen by God") directed at Lu Zhou himself, not Nuwa.
• The memory shows Nuwa boarding a spaceship toward the galaxy's center to discover a way to save the Parker Civilization from an impending "Calamity," guided only by blind faith from the prophet.
• After waking, Lu Zhou archives the memory data rather than turning it into a game stage, noting it lacked difficult gameplay elements.
• Lu Zhou writes extensive notes in his study, wrestling with unanswered questions: the nature of the Calamity, whether it connects to the Jialan Civilization's crisis, the Spirit of the Universe, and the Psionic Ritual's credibility.
• He considers studying Professor Milo's notes on Cosmic Animism and remembers he missed a planned visit to IMCRC for the Century Physics Conference, deferring it to tomorrow.

Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Achieves 100% synchronization with a Void Memory for the first time without using save/load functions; grows increasingly (and academically uneasily) consumed by metaphysical questions that stretch beyond even his LV10 Physics expertise; exhibits a more reflective, unsettled state than his usual analytical calm.
• Xiao Ai (AI assistant): Shows genuine concern for Lu Zhou's well-being after his memory session, offering water and airflow comfort.

Significant Themes

• Observation across time: The possibility that beings in the Old Universe could perceive observers from the future, blurring the boundaries between memory, reality, and causality.
• Idealism versus practicality: The Parker Civilization's plan—sending Nuwa to the galaxy's core with no concrete instructions—reads more like a pilgrimage than a scientific mission, contrasting with the more technologically advanced Jialan Civilization.
• Recurring "Calamity" motif: Both civilizations apparently face some existential crisis, raising questions about whether they share a common cause.
• The limits of science: Lu Zhou explicitly acknowledges the inquiry has drifted beyond Physics into territory bordering "mysticism and philosophy."

Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & Xiao Ai: Brief but warm exchange, with Xiao Ai's emoticon-laden concern (QAQ) offering a lighter note amid heavy revelations.
• Prophet & Nuwa (within memory): The prophet's final, layered monologue serves as the chapter's emotional climax—ostensibly a farewell to Nuwa, but in truth a message intended for Lu Zhou across time.
• Lu Zhou & Institute staff: Minor but notable—he responds absentmindedly to greetings, reflecting his distracted, troubled state.