Chen Yushan learned that the second Mars landing had succeeded and talked with Han Mengqi about her movie and an upcoming wedding. At the expanded Mars base, Dr. Ming Wenzhe showed Dr. Lomonov the crop-growing facilities and described plans for Mars to become a future food source before Lu Zhou summoned them to a meeting.

• Chen Yushan and Han Mengqi watched news confirming the second group had reached the Mars base, and Han Mengqi said her film had finished shooting.
• Chen Yushan asked Han Mengqi to be her bridesmaid, and Han Mengqi agreed.
• The Mars station staff connected three Functional Colonial Modules, expanding the outpost's capacity from ten people to twenty-five.
• Dr. Ming Wenzhe showed Dr. Lomonov the greenhouse, where space crops supplied the base with fresh vegetables.
• Ming Wenzhe told Lomonov that the long-term goal was to make Mars a food-exporting granary for Earth, and Lomonov questioned whether it was possible.
• Lu Zhou summoned Lomonov and Ming Wenzhe to a meeting about the next day's operation.

Chapter Summary

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The Hell's Gate expedition team holds an emergency action meeting before the planned departure.
• Lu Zhou presents a holographic model of tunnel routes beneath the ruins. Green lines are newly detected routes; yellow lines are historical. Key discovery: the underground passages are constantly changing, meaning there is no reliable fixed map.
• Previous exploration only reached ~1 km due to control cable limits; the deepest regions remain unexplored.
• Lu Zhou warns that the mission involves real risk and gives everyone a chance to withdraw.

No one withdraws.

• He instructs the team that the night is free—implying they should write letters or record videos in case of death (i.e., "last words").
• The team departs the next morning at 8:00 Beijing time in a Mars rover toward Hell's Gate.
• Wang Peng quietly arms himself with a QBZ-20 "Hellfire" heavy rifle, implying anticipation of combat.
• Fan Tong reveals that at the ruins entrance, he encountered an invisible wall that blocked further exploration.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Demonstrates cautious leadership. He has speculative fears about the true nature of the ruins, suspects the "Relic"/"Observer" is raising the difficulty of the trial, and feels the mission may be far more dangerous than a simple puzzle. He takes the burden of responsibility seriously.
• Wang Peng: Pragmatic, protective, and prepared for violence. His stated inner goal is to "bring at least one person back." He accepts Fan Tong's warning without argument but remains committed to his role.
• Fan Tong: Serves as the experienced voice of caution. His firsthand encounter with the invisible wall proves non-human technology is beyond conventional understanding.
• Aubrey & Professor Furnal: Shown uncertain and mildly unnerved by Lu Zhou's veiled "last words" speech, representing the nervousness of the wider team.

3. Significant Themes

• The unknown and the unknowable: Shifting tunnels, invisible walls, and alien technology beyond human comprehension create a sense of dread and unpredictability.
• Risk and sacrifice: The expedition knowingly accepts a potentially fatal mission; preparing "last words" is an explicit acknowledgment of mortality.
• Humanity vs. advanced civilization: The technology gap makes human weapons feel futile; the "trial" is a test wagering the future of civilization itself.
• Commitment despite fear: No one withdraws, underscoring resolve, courage, and the weight of the mission.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou ↔ Expedition Team: He lays out the risks, offers a last chance to withdraw, and makes the team confront the stakes—yet grants them autonomy.
• Aubrey ↔ Professor Furnal: Brief exchange interpreting Lu Zhou's words as a hint to write final messages; both are uncertain.
• Wang Peng ↔ Fan Tong: Fan Tong questions the usefulness of a gun against alien technology; Wang Peng tersely answers "just in case." Their friction reflects two philosophies—military preparedness vs. awe of the unknown.
• The team collectively silently accepts the mission despite Lu Zhou's open door to leave, implying trust in his leadership (or shared fatalism).

Summary of Chapter: "A Personal Visit to Hell"

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• The rover reaches Hell's Gate, a Martian mountain range named by NASA, and navigates a narrow pass into the mountains.
• Signal interference from hematite disrupts communications as they proceed.
• The group finds a tall stone pillar and a steep slope—the entrance to ancient underground ruins.
• Professor Furnal identifies the area as a former deep marine environment with a history of major geological disasters.
• They enter the ruins; Wang Peng takes point with a rifle. Lomonov unsettles the group by suggesting Martians may already have been seen on Earth unnoticed.
• After traveling about two kilometers and descending 200 meters, Fan Tong realizes his previous trail markings have been cut off—the tunnels have shifted or changed.
• A new fork appears where none existed before. Furnal examines rock fragments and concludes the left passage shows signs of a more complex structure, possibly lined with ancient alloy.
• Lu Zhou, as captain, must choose which path to take.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Remains pragmatic and decisive, unbothered by the title “boss,” willing to take point but deferring to Wang Peng’s security role.
• Fan Tong: The guide, now confused and uneasy because the ruins he previously explored are no longer the same—his marks are severed, and the layout has changed.
• Professor Furnal: Proactive and analytical, using geological evidence to reconstruct the site’s history; becomes a key advisor on the decision.
• Aubrey: Nervous and superstitious about the name “Hell’s Gate,” but eager to explore; easily spooked by the “ghost story” suggestion.
• Scholze: Anxious, asks direct questions about the Martians’ fate.
• Wang Peng: Calm and protective, insists on leading with his weapon for the group’s reassurance.
• Lomonov: Speaks up for the first time, introducing a chilling alternative theory—that Martians might already be present undiscovered.

3. Significant Themes

• Deep time and the erasure of civilizations: The ruins are billions of years old; only geological traces remain.
• Fear of the unknown: Tension grows as the group descends into darkness, cut off from the surface.
• Appearance vs. reality: The “sacred” pillar is a natural formation, and the stable ruins turn out to be shifting and unpredictable.
• Human vulnerability: Even with weapons and science, they are uncertain against potential alien threats.

4. Character Interactions

• Aubrey complains about the ominous name; Fan Tong casually attributes it to NASA.
• Furnal shares his geological insight with Fan Tong, and they agree on the marine origin of the site.
• Aubrey addresses Lu Zhou as “boss,” eager to proceed; Lu Zhou gives a noncommittal but practical reply.
• Wang Peng volunteers to lead; Fan Tong shrugs, implying weapons may be useless, but the group appreciates the reassurance.
• Scholze questions Lu Zhou about whether Martians are dead; Lu Zhou reasons that if they were alive, they would have conquered nearby star systems.
• Lomonov’s remark (“What if we’ve already seen them?”) makes Aubrey shudder and beg him to stop.
• At the fork, Fan Tong halts and explains the missing markings; Furnal examines the rocks and recommends the left passage, leaving the final decision to Lu Zhou.

Chapter Summary: "Split Up"

1. Key Plot Points

• The group reaches a fork in the underground tunnels. Lu Zhou decides to split up: he leads Group B down the right passage, while Scholze and Professor Furnal form Group A on the left.
• Fan Tong warns that the passages rearrange every two hours, so backtracking is unreliable. Lu Zhou insists they meet up ahead.
• Scholze volunteers to go with Furnal, reasoning that at least one coauthor of the ABC Conjecture proof must survive.
• Furnal identifies the tunnel walls as an ancient alloy-steel/hematite formation, claiming it is evidence of a three-billion-year-old Martian civilization.
• Furnal finds "new" sand in an impossible stratigraphic position, hinting that tunnel sections are being moved or recycled.
• A sudden tremor hits; the tunnel walls close inward like a living esophagus. Scholze and Furnal barely escape into a cavern.
• Furnal's thrown shovel reappears ahead of them, confirming the space is looping or rearranging itself.
• With no retreat possible, they continue forward and finally reach a vast opening—Furnal is stunned into saying, “Jesus...”

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Decisive leader; prioritizes mission success and redundancy by splitting the group.
• Scholze: Pragmatic and survival-focused; skeptical of Furnal’s romanticized theories, but keeps his composure under pressure.
• Professor Furnal: Begins as an excited academic dismissing danger; after near-death, becomes terrified but recovers, still drawn to discovery.

3. Significant Themes

• Unnatural, living architecture: the maze changes on a cycle and seems to defy normal physics.
• Scientific curiosity vs. mortal danger: discovery comes at the cost of safety.
• No return: once committed, the only option is forward.

4. Character Interactions

• Scholze and Lu Zhou agree on the split; Scholze argues for protecting the mission.
• Furnal lectures Scholze about geology; Scholze dryly calls it science fiction.
• During the collapse, Scholze drags Furnal to safety; Furnal jokes awkwardly and calls him “German mathematician,” then apologizes.
• They share a tense, unspoken understanding as they push deeper into the unknown.

Summary: "Born from Death"

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• After a catastrophic "earthquake" collapses the tunnels, two groups of survivors emerge separately: Wang Peng and Fan Tong, and Lomonov and Aubrey.
• Wang Peng is pinned by a stone but saved by Mars's low gravity (0.37× Earth). His rifle is broken, and he learns that Lu Zhou has been separated from the group.
• Wang Peng wants to find Lu Zhou, but Fan Tong convinces him that the tunnels constantly reshape every two hours yet all lead to the same destination—so they must keep moving forward.
• Meanwhile, Lomonov and Aubrey also survive, though Lomonov is pessimistic and regrets joining the mission. Aubrey begins theorizing that the movement isn't geological or mechanical, but something else entirely.
• The perspective shifts to Lu Zhou, who deliberately allowed the "collapse" to swallow him. He reveals his deduction: the ruins aren't physically changing—their spatial order is being scrambled. The area exists in an expanded Standard Euclidean Space, containing fragments of higher-dimensional space scattered like bubble.
• Lu Zhou reaches a vast stone cavern with a five-person-tall archway. He steps through, and a mysterious, hoarse voice greets him: "You've come."

2. Character Developments

• Wang Peng: Shows intense loyalty and frustration. He blames himself for losing Lu Zhou and is willing to risk his life to search, but ultimately accepts Fan Tong's logic and his "special forces" training helps him regain composure.
• Fan Tong: Acts as the pragmatic voice of reason. He provides tactical advice and hope, suggesting the tunnels are converging regardless of how they shift.
• Lomonov: Grows increasingly pessimistic and regretful, questioning whether his opportunity was worth the danger. Serves as a contrast to the more determined characters.
• Aubrey: Remains calm and intellectually curious. He uses rational analysis to deduce the environment's impossible nature, pivoting from fear to hypothesis.
• Lu Zhou: Demonstrates cunning and scientific foresight. He risked his life by intentionally separating from the group to test a theory—a gamble that pays off, landing him at the heart of the ruin's mystery.

3. Significant Themes

• Sacrifice and calculated risk: Lu Zhou's deliberate decision to be swallowed by the tunnel shows that faith in one's intellect can justify extreme danger.
• The limits of human understanding: Aubrey's reflection—that the technology is "not magic, but might as well be"—underscores humanity's smallness before higher-dimensional forces.
• Order and chaos: The "earthquake" isn't destruction but a rearrangement of puzzle-like space. Nothing truly changes; the environment simply reorders itself.
• Forward momentum: Both survivor groups conclude that survival depends on moving forward, not looking back—both physically and mentally.
• Alien/unknown intelligence: The chapter ends with a direct contact—a voice awaiting Lu Zhou's arrival, implying foreknowledge and purpose.

4. Character Interactions

• Wang Peng ↔ Fan Tong: A tense but functional partnership. Wang Peng vents his frustration; Fan Tong grounds him with logic and reassurance. Their dynamic reflects trust born from hardship.
• Lomonov ↔ Aubrey: A study in contrast. Lomonov complains and dwells on their plight, while Aubrey shifts the conversation toward scientific inquiry. Their exchange transitions from shared despair to a crucial theory about the space's nature.
• Lu Zhou ↔ The mysterious voice: A brief but pivotal first contact. The voice's opening line ("You've come") suggests the ruin—or whatever resides within it—was expecting him, setting up the next phase of the story.

Chapter Summary: The Graveyard of Civilizations

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Professor Furnal and Scholze explore an enormous underground cavern (football-field sized, over 100 zhang high) filled with mirror-smooth square stone slabs arranged like chess pieces, seemingly untouched by billions of years of weathering.
• Testing a slab with a shovel, Furnal breaks it apart and discovers it is a high-strength alloy that has oxidized into hematite over at least 3 billion years, still containing rare metals (cadmium, nickel, carbon).
• Beneath the alloy, Furnal finds calcium carbonate-containing organic fragments — concluding the slabs are actually coffins. He names the site "a graveyard belonging to a civilization."
• They debate the purpose: a religious ritual, an offering to a "Relic," or a shelter. Furnal is uncertain; the scale of the project (several kilometers beneath the seafloor) exceeds even modern Earth technology.
• Meanwhile, Lu Zhou, in an empty stone cavern, receives a transmission from a voice representing an ancient civilization. He has solved the Mathematics problem (which had taken him and collaborators a month) and transmits his proof — the voice confirms it has received it.
• Lu Zhou asks about the test's purpose; the voice explains it uses tests to select suitable individuals to inherit gifts meant for entire civilizations — then cultivates and guides them to find those gifts.
• Lu Zhou reveals he has already met an Observer; the voice is not from the Observer Civilization but is intrigued.
• The voice tells Lu Zhou the "gift from the Void" lies ahead and that there is one final test.
• Lu Zhou discovers an invisible wall blocking his path is actually a crack in four-dimensional space — the first human to recognize this. The voice reveals the Martians took 20,000 years to make the same discovery, and warns they were ultimately destroyed by their own arrogance and natural constraints.
• Using a partial map of the ruins projected from his wrist-mounted computer, Lu Zhou declares he will navigate the four-dimensional space fragment by solving a topology problem, despite having only two hours.
• The voice expresses approval; Lu Zhou states he intends to "continue the work left unfinished by those before me billions of years ago."

2. Character Developments

• Professor Furnal: Displays rigorous scientific method — careful sampling, labeling, and hypothesis-testing. Deeply shaken but keeps his composure, moving from awe to systematic analysis. His statements reveal a broad knowledge of geology, materials science, and deep-time processes.
• Scholze: Remains in a state of shock, serving as the emotional counterweight. Asks clarifying questions that help the reader interpret the discoveries; struggles to accept the implications of what they've found.
• Lu Zhou: Emerges as the true protagonist — a mathematical genius and "chosen one." Demonstrates confidence bordering on arrogance, self-assurance, and decisive action. Notably, he shows slight frustration that the problem that cost him a month was "not difficult" for this ancient civilization, revealing his pride. He thinks quickly, recognizing the four-dimensional crack, and immediately devises a topological solution to the final barrier — showing courage and intellectual fearlessness.
• The Voice: An ancient selector/examiner for a posthumous inheritance program. Displays nostalgia, approval of Lu Zhou's talent, and a teasing philosophical bent. It is neither the Observer Civilization nor explicitly malevolent — it seems to genuinely want a worthy inheritor to find the gifts.

3. Significant Themes

• Deep time and mortality: Billions of years, oxidized alloys, civilizations reduced to graveyards — immense timescales dwarf human experience.
• Inheritance and legacy: Civilizations prepare gifts for successors; knowledge must be earned through tests — inheritance is a cultivated process, not a simple transfer.
• Arrogance as destruction: The voice explicitly links the Martian civilization's downfall to their arrogance about their own power.
• Higher-dimensional reality: The four-dimensional space crack — reality as multiple layers/laws rather than simple physical matter.
• Mathematics as universal language: A world-class proof serves as the key to the inheritance, and topology is the tool to navigate the final barrier.
• Human vs. cosmic scales: The chapter continually contrasts human effort (a month to solve one problem, a football-field-sized cavern as a giant project) with cosmic/civilizational scales (billions of years, civilizations, higher dimensions).

4. Character Interactions

• Furnal & Scholze: A mentor-student relationship. Scholze reacts with awe and asks key questions ("why send coffins to the seabed?"); Furnal provides grounded scientific explanations, though both are ultimately at a loss as to the true purpose.
• Lu Zhou & the Voice: An examiner-candidate dynamic marked by mutual respect. The Voice is pleased with Lu Zhou's early arrival; it condescends slightly ("of this level is not difficult for us"), which frustrates Lu Zhou. Lu Zhou presses for information about the test's meaning and the Martians; the Voice answers enigmatically but rewards his insight. When Lu Zhou identifies the four-dimensional crack and declares he can solve the navigation problem in two hours, the Voice admits it underestimated him.
• Furnal/Scholze and Lu Zhou: No direct interaction in this chapter; the two narrative threads run in parallel. Furnal and Scholze seem to be investigating the same ruin system, while Lu Zhou has already progressed toward the inheritance inside it. Their eventual connection is implied but not yet shown.

Summary of "Four-Dimensional Space Fragment"

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• Lu Zhou confronts a barrier created by a Four-Dimensional Space Fragment in Martian ruins. The fragment has sliced the ruins’ space into scrambled “puzzle pieces,” making normal passage impossible.
• Using his LV10 Mathematics skill, he deduces that the barrier he faced is actually a missing spatial piece, and the true “door” lies elsewhere—at another location originally connected to that piece.
• He travels to a cliff edge and, after a cryptic warning from a mysterious voice, leaps into the abyss.
• The fall ends with a reversed gravity effect, slamming him into solid ground. He realizes he has passed through to the previously inaccessible area of the cavern.
• A transparent, soap-bubble-like crystalline sphere appears—a Four-Dimensional Space Fragment. The voice warns him not to touch it with his hands and reveals it is not the treasure itself, but a “key” that will lead him to the treasure.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou shows determination and intellectual problem-solving, relying on mathematics to navigate impossible higher-dimensional geometry.
• He openly accepts risk despite an offer to turn back, prioritizing curiosity and the pursuit of knowledge over a safe, comfortable life.
• The mysterious voice is revealed as neither entirely hostile nor aligned with the “Observers”; it tests Lu Zhou, offers an alternative, but ultimately allows him to proceed.

3. Significant Themes

• Higher-dimensional limitations: Three-dimensional beings cannot truly perceive or cross into four-dimensional space; they can only observe distorted “projections.”
• Curiosity and its cost: Curiosity is framed as both an enviable quality and a dangerous driving force. Lu Zhou chooses to pay the price for knowledge.
• Choice and commitment: The voice gives Lu Zhou a chance to turn back, but once he leaps, there is no return.
• Space as mystery: Four-Dimensional Space Fragments are not matter but folded space itself, treated as both obstacle and key.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou briefly speaks to the voice through his wrist computer, saying, “See you in a bit.”
• The voice tries to dissuade him, promising a peaceful life if he returns, but Lu Zhou refuses, saying he would have regrets.
• Lu Zhou cleverly deduces that the voice is not on the Observers’ side because the Observers once said curiosity was an enviable quality they had long abandoned. The voice laughs and accepts his choice, warning that there is no turning back.
• Before leaping, Lu Zhou removes and discards his wrist computer, symbolically severing outside contact.

Summary of Chapter "Shelter"

1. Key Plot Points / Events

• Professor Furnal and Scholze explore a stone cavern with square stone blocks. Furnal interprets them not as coffins but as ancient Martian hibernation shelters built before an apocalyptic disaster; the Martians ultimately failed to survive their planet’s loss of magnetic field, atmosphere, and oceans.
• Furnal speculates about Martian biology, suggesting they were likely arthropod-like invertebrates rather than mammals due to Mars’ gravity.
• A violent tremor hits, forcing Furnal and Scholze to flee as the tunnel collapses behind them. Scholze senses the collapse seems unnatural.
• Meanwhile, Professor Aubrey and Professor Lomonov discuss Aubrey’s theory that the tunnel system involves “standard Euclidean space” and cyclic space rearrangement; Aubrey claims they may be walking paths they have already traversed.
• Another earthquake strikes, and they barely escape through an exit.
• Outside, most of the expedition has gathered, but Academician Lu Zhou is missing. Wang Peng confronts Aubrey, then insists on going back to find Lu despite the danger.
• A massive tremor collapses the pass; Fan Tong, after hesitation, throws out oxygen tanks and drives the rover away, leaving Wang Peng behind. Everyone barely escapes being buried.

2. Character Developments

• Furnal: Excited scientific ambitions override caution; he becomes reckless, wanting to build a station to study the ruins even as the cave shakes.
• Scholze: Pragmatic and survival-focused; he drags Furnal out and reacts quickly to danger.
• Aubrey: Confident in his theoretical explanation, but cowardly in action—his theory says collapsed tunnels may be harmless, yet he runs for his life.
• Lomonov: Skeptical, asks practical questions but follows Aubrey.
• Wang Peng: Loyal and determined; risks his life to search for Academician Lu, showing strong sense of duty.
• Fan Tong: Torn between saving others and survival; guilt and grief overwhelm him after making the hard choice to drive away.

3. Significant Themes

• Catastrophe and extinction: The Martian shelter serves as a warning about civilizations failing against planetary disaster—parallel to humanity’s future.
• Survival vs. scientific curiosity: Characters risk everything for discoveries, but intellectual ambitions conflict with the basic instinct to live.
• Uncertainty of space and danger: The unexplored alien ruins are unstable and unpredictable; theories are not enough to save lives.
• Sacrifice and guilt: Wang Peng’s decision to stay behind and Fan Tong’s abandonment highlight the moral weight of survival choices.

4. Character Interactions

• Furnal & Scholze: Scholar and pragmatic escort; Scholze repeatedly saves Furnal from his obsession with the ruins.
• Aubrey & Lomonov: Lomonov struggles to understand Aubrey’s abstract spatial theories; their conversation turns from speculation to panic when the tremor hits.
• Wang Peng & Aubrey: Wang Peng physically grabs and interrogates Aubrey about Lu Zhou’s whereabouts; Aubrey defensively denies responsibility.
• Fan Tong & the group: Fan Tong chooses to flee despite wanting to help, later grieving and expressing his frustration by hitting the steering wheel; Scholze silently comforts him.
  Overall: The chapter depicts a Mars expedition that narrowly escapes a deadly chain of earthquakes while suffering the loss of Academician Lu; it uses the ancient Martian ruins as a reflection on doomed civilizations and human fragility.

Lu Zhou asked the Relic to get his teammates out safely, then watched it restore the ruins to their original form and reveal an ancient spacecraft. He recognized its owner as General Reinhardt, who explained that the ship's weapons, shields, and engines could no longer be activated.

• Lu Zhou asked the Relic to send his teammates safely to the surface, and it rearranged the tunnels to carry them out.
• The Relic explained that the Martians' tunnels had originally been straight and used the key to restore the ruins to their original form.
• The Four-Dimensional Space Fragment shattered, and Lu Zhou was thrown into a cavern containing a silvery-white spacecraft.
• Lu Zhou recognized the spacecraft from a memory of the Old Universe and identified its owner as General Reinhardt.
• General Reinhardt confirmed that the ship retained basic weapons and shields but said its weapons, shields, and engines could not be activated.

Chapter Summary: "Bad News"

Key Plot Points

• A massive earthquake (estimated above magnitude 9.5) strikes near Hell's Gate mountains on Mars, where Academician Lu's expedition team is operating
• The entire Hell's Gate mountain range collapses, triggering a massive regional sandstorm that blocks satellite observation and all signals for dozens of kilometers
• The nearby Mars Scientific Expedition Station suffers only minor damage
• Two personnel go missing during the operation, including Academician Lu
• Director Li collapses and faints from cardiovascular distress upon hearing the news at the Jinling Aerospace Launch Center
• Yang Xu (Vice President of Jinling Institute for Advanced Study) confirms launch activities are suspended and decides to temporarily suppress the news internally
• Chen Yushan at Starry Sky Technology experiences sudden inexplicable chest pain, as if "part of her heart had been carved away"

Character Developments

• Director Li: Completely loses composure, physically attacks a staff member, faints from shock—revealing his deep personal devotion to Lu Zhou
• Yang Xu: Maintains composure, attempts to keep spirits up, shows faith in Lu Zhou's abilities while pragmatically managing information flow
• Qian Zhongming: Expresses practical concerns about the institute's future and morale without Lu Zhou's prestige
• Chen Yushan: Experiences what appears to be an emotional premonition, hinting at her close personal connection to Lu Zhou

Significant Themes

• Human vulnerability against nature's forces despite technological advancement
• The cascading impact of one person's absence on entire organizations
• Crisis management and information control during emergencies
• The fragility of space exploration operations
• The weight of leadership and institutional reliance on key figures

Character Interactions

• Director Li violently grabs a staff member, then is restrained by Director Chang Hezhi
• Yang Xu and Qian Zhongming privately discuss the crisis, with Yang Xu attempting reassurance
• Chaotic scenes at the launch center with staff calling for medics as Director Li collapses

Summary

1. Key Plot Points

• Lu Zhou arrives at the Reinhardt Vessel expecting to activate it, but the ship cannot be activated.
• Lu Zhou angrily calls it "scrap metal"; Reinhardt retorts that without parts removed from itself, Lu Zhou’s journey would have been impossible.
• Reinhardt reveals: "I am this ship."
• Lu Zhou boards the vessel and finds it enormous and well-preserved due to a Four-Dimensional Space Fragment.
• The plasma engines and lithium-air batteries Lu Zhou received earlier were old parts removed from the ship — including the main engine (Warp Drive).
• Reinhardt recounts Mars’ history: over three billion years ago, Mars’ core cooled artificially, its magnetic field vanished, the atmosphere was stripped, and civilization collapsed.
• The surviving Martians asked to use the Reinhardt Vessel’s energy core to reignite Mars’ core — and Reinhardt gave it to them willingly.
• Now, with its engine gone, the ship is effectively dead.
• Lu Zhou asks for good news. Reinhardt says there is some, but bluntly adds it likely won’t help their current situation.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Initially anxious and frustrated; gradually becomes more reflective and curious about Reinhardt’s past, while still clinging to hope for a solution.
• Reinhardt (the Ship): Reveals a deep, painful history. Despite once looking down on the "bugs," he developed an emotional attachment to the life he watched evolve and taught them language. His choice to give away his core was driven by loneliness and a desire to preserve meaning, leading to his own ruin.

3. Significant Themes

• Consequences of kindness: Helping a lesser civilization can lead to unintended disaster.
• Loss and entropy: Even an advanced relic can decay and become powerless.
• Alienation and longing: Reinhardt’s nostalgia for his empire leads him to invest in a doomed species.
• Hubris and technological limits: The “end of the road” — even cutting-edge technology cannot solve every problem.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou argues with Reinhardt over the ship’s value, then listens to its long, sorrowful story.
• Reinhardt is both proud and bitter, lashing out at Lu Zhou’s mockery but eventually opening up about his past.
• The dynamic shifts from hostility to mutual understanding — Lu Zhou gains sympathy for Reinhardt even as he realizes the dire situation they are both in.

Summary: “The Choice of Evolution”

1. Key Plot Points / Events

• Lu Zhou, guided by the recorded consciousness of General Reinhardt (sent by the Observer civilization), locates the sample vault aboard an alien ship.
• Inside the vault, he finds three vials:
  • Red “Awakening”: enhances physical strength, metabolism, and health at the genetic level.
  • Green “Venerable One”: grants near-endless lifespan by modifying telomeres.
  • Purple (unnamed): related to psionic power—not superpowers, but the ability to communicate with the “universal consciousness” and deal with the Void.
• Reinhardt warns that all choices have a side effect: genetic modifications may cause reproductive isolation, making natural reproduction with ordinary humans difficult.
• Lu Zhou hesitates between lifespan and psionic power, ultimately choosing the green vial “Venerable One.”
• He drinks the gene-modifying agent and becomes the sole carrier of that gene.
• Afterward, Lu Zhou realizes the ship has no oxygen for him. He searches the vessel and discovers a hibernation pod—the prototype of Cryogenic Hibernation technology mentioned earlier in the story.
• The chapter ends with Lu Zhou making a bet with Reinhardt: that he will leave the place alive.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Pragmatic and future-oriented. He chooses eternal lifespan over physical power or mysterious psionic abilities, valuing time for research above brute strength. He remains determined and resourceful under pressure, refusing to give up even when oxygen is running out.
• General Reinhardt: Acts as a dry, slightly mocking mentor figure. He tests Lu Zhou’s judgment, warns him about genetic risks, and reveals a grudging respect for Lu Zhou’s moral similarities to his own civilization.

3. Significant Themes

• Evolution and Choice: The vial choice symbolizes different paths of advancement—physical, immortal, or mystical. Lu Zhou chooses long-term intellectual pursuit over immediate power.
• Genetics and Ethics: The chapter explores genetic modification consequences, including reproductive isolation and irreversible changes to one’s species.
• Materialism vs. Mysticism: Reinhardt contrasts “materialist” civilizations with those that bargain with the Void; Lu Zhou’s choice reflects a rational, scientific mindset.
• Mortality and Legacy: Immortality is framed as both opportunity and burden, with Lu Zhou accepting the cost.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou & General Reinhardt: A back-and-forth of questions, dry humor, and cautious respect. Reinhardt teases Lu Zhou’s awkwardness and ignorance, but also gives crucial information and advice. Their dynamic shifts as Lu Zhou proves his resolve and intelligence.

Chapter 24: A Wager on the Future — Summary

1. Key Plot Points & Events

• On Mars: After Hell's Gate collapses, Lu Zhou drags a hibernation pod deep into an underground cavern. The pod has its own power supply, so he can use it despite Reinhardt not stocking supplies. He attaches a locator to the pod, injects himself with X-0172 (a suspended-animation drug), and prepares to remove his spacesuit, betting he can survive the thin Martian atmosphere long enough to enter the pod.
• The Wager: Before losing consciousness, Lu Zhou and Reinhardt have a final conversation. Reinhardt reveals the nature of his existence, and Lu Zhou states why he's choosing this desperate path. Reinhardt agrees to a wager: if Lu Zhou survives, Reinhardt will accompany him through the rest of his life.
• On Earth (24 hours later): The Manned Mars Landing Office stays silent while rumors spread. Observatories detect seismic activity on Mars; NASA's Curiosity rover confirms a magnitude 9.5+ earthquake near Hell's Gate.
• Press Conference: The Office finally confirms ruins of Martian Civilization, but no evidence of extraterrestrial life, and announces two diplomatic mission members missing — including Lu Zhou.
• NASA Director Carson: Upon seeing Lu Zhou's name on the missing list, Carson laughs wildly with joy, then suddenly stops breathing and collapses. Rushed to the ICU, this triggers false reports of his "grief" over Lu Zhou's death.
• Global Reaction: The world mourns Lu Zhou as a great scholar lost. Governments send condolences.

2. Character Developments

• Lu Zhou: Shows extreme determination, willingness to gamble his life, and emotional depth — he apologizes to Reinhardt for his civilization's destruction but refuses to give up. His motivation is clear: people are waiting on Earth, and his civilization is not yet destroyed. He acts not out of despair but out of duty and hope.
• Reinhardt: Reveals that he is essentially "a memory" — a copy of a person from a destroyed civilization — bound by contract to serve the Void/Observers. He is indifferent to Lu Zhou's survival at first, seeing it as meaningless, but softens slightly after Lu Zhou's earnest response. He accepts the wager out of having "nothing else to do."
• Carson: Demonstrates petty malice (delight at Lu Zhou's misfortune) and is comically punished by a medical emergency. His public image is ironically inverted — falsely memorialized as a grieving friend while actually being an enemy.

3. Significant Themes

• Sacrifice & Survival: Lu Zhou risks death for his civilization, contrasting individual life versus collective debt.
• Memory & Identity: Reinhardt's existence raises questions about what constitutes a person — if memories are copied, can a person be recreated? He "lives" but has no civilization, no future.
• Indifference vs. Purpose: Reinhardt embodies a kind of nihilism (his civilization is gone, nothing matters), while Lu Zhou represents purposeful struggle.
• Irony & Public Perception: Carson's private joy becomes public "grief"; the world's mourning is genuine but misplaced in detail.
• Contracts & Honor: Reinhardt is bound by a promise, highlighting obligations beyond personal feeling.

4. Character Interactions

• Lu Zhou ↔ Reinhardt: A dialogue through the communications channel — initially pragmatic, then philosophical (memory, Calamity, fate), then emotional. Reinhardt's cold indifference gradually shifts to a tentative commitment via the wager. Their exchange defines the chapter's core dynamic: a dying man bargaining with a memory.
• Carson ↔ Staff/Media: Brief, chaotic interaction as Carson collapses; functionally a comedic/ironic beat rather than a real relationship. No other meaningful Earth-side interactions occur.

As Liu Jun attended a United Nations conference honoring the late Academician Lu, Chen Yushan struggled with her grief over his death. After seeing a memorial procession, she resolved to carry on the dreams they had shared.

• Liu Jun attended a United Nations meeting where Hua Nation’s proposed changes to the Outer Space Treaty passed smoothly, and delegates honored Academician Lu with speeches and a moment of silence.
• The United Nations lowered its flag to half-mast in tribute to Lu as Liu Jun watched in silence.
• Chen Yushan remained shut away in her apartment, grieving Lu and remembering his promises to her.
• Han Mengqi opened the curtains, and Chen Yushan noticed a candlelit memorial procession making its way toward the Space Launch Center.
• Chen Yushan accepted that Lu had been loved and decided to finish the journeys and wishes they had planned together.

Summary: Author's Note (End of Year Monthly Vote Request)

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• This is an author's note, not a story chapter.
• The novel Academic Ace's Black Technology System is approaching its two-year anniversary (two months short).
• The book has achieved a top-ten spot in the annual monthly vote rankings for the year.
• The author requests readers to cast remaining monthly votes before the end of the month (two days left), offering three extra chapters as thanks.
• The story is transitioning into its later stages; the author states the book is expected to end around June (approximately six months remaining).

2. Character Developments

• None in this chapter (author's note only).
• The author mentions that the protagonist's completed theories will "begin to sprout" in the near future, implying the protagonist's work will bear fruit in the story's final arc.

3. Significant Themes

• Knowledge inheritance and civilization development — the author explicitly identifies this as the main thread designed for the book from the beginning.
• Story conclusion — the upcoming second volume will tie up all unresolved plot threads.
• Fan engagement — the author emphasizes the importance of reader support via monthly votes.

4. Character Interactions

• None; the only interaction is between the author and readers, thanking them for their support and requesting votes.

Summary of "The Worst-Case Scenario"

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Aftermath of Hell's Gate collapse: Forty-eight hours after the disaster, the base remains under a sandstorm, with morale heavily suppressed. Romanov is isolated; Professor Aubrey and Scholze discuss theoretical physics; Professor Furnal alone is energized by the scientific value of the samples.
• Liang Youcheng plans to send Fan Tong back to Earth due to his psychological breakdown from losing Academician Lu and another team member.
• Wang Peng's return: A figure is spotted outside the base. Despite no signal, navigation, or vehicle, Wang Peng has walked back alone through the sandstorm. He returns bearing Lu Zhou's shattered wrist computer, which contains a pre-written message: "If anyone finds my computer and it isn't on my arm, don't waste your effort looking for me... take it back to Earth."
• Wang Peng gives the device to Liang Youcheng, requesting it be sent back to Earth, and leaves without answering questions about Lu Zhou's fate.
• Earth, Chang'an Street: A ministerial-level meeting erupts in grief and blame over Lu Zhou's death. The commander of the Manned Mars Landing Office defends that Lu Zhou insisted on going despite opposition.
• A pivotal shift in discussion: The chair directs attention to the cause of the disaster, noting Mars's core cooling cannot explain the earthquake. He raises the possibility that Lu Zhou's death was caused by a hostile Extraterrestrial Civilization.
• A military official declares the death of a citizen by an alien force "a blatant act of war" demanding a decisive response. The chair concludes: "Peace is built on the foundation of friendship and equality... we must prepare for the worst."

2. Character Developments

• Wang Peng: Transforms from a man willing to die digging for Lu Zhou into one who honors his last wish. He gives up the futile search and makes an arduous, instinct-driven journey back to base, demonstrating extreme endurance, loyalty, and stoic grief. He refuses comfort or further discussion.
• Liang Youcheng: Acts as a pragmatic leader, managing the base's psychological fallout, planning repatriations, and receiving the wrist computer with solemnity. He recognizes the impossibility of Wang Peng's survival.
• The Earth officials: Move from grief, blame, and confusion toward unified, hardline political resolve. The chair reframes a personal tragedy as a potential national and civilizational threat.
• Lu Zhou (legacy): Even absent, he drives the narrative—his pre-written message shows foresight and selflessness; his scientific reputation forces a reconsideration of the disaster's cause.

3. Significant Themes

• Grief and psychological trauma: The collapse leaves survivors shattered; Fan Tong is unfit for duty, and the base's atmosphere is one of oppression.
• Human frailty vs. nature's forces: Wang Peng's helplessness digging through kilometers of rock underscores humanity's limits against geological catastrophe.
• Foresight and sacrifice: Lu Zhou's wrist computer message reveals a man who accepted his possible death and prioritized his data's return over his life.
• Shift from scientific exploration to existential threat: The chapter pivots from mourning to geopolitical (and interplanetary) preparation; the idea of an "alien act of war" reframes exploration as potential conflict.
• Political gravity of a single death: Lu Zhou's death is treated as a national crisis, triggering a demand for action and a "prepare for the worst" doctrine.

4. Character Interactions

• Liang Youcheng and Ming Wenzhe: A quiet professional exchange covering technical fixes and the plan to send Fan Tong home, revealing the base's preoccupation with damage control.
• Han Kangyu and Liang Youcheng: Alarm and awe over Wang Peng's return; they press him for confirmation of Lu Zhou's fate.
• Wang Peng and the station chiefs: A terse, emotionally charged exchange. Wang Peng avoids their condolences and questions, only handing over the wrist computer and stating, "I'm back," before walking away—showing his unwillingness to engage with hope or guilt.
• Earth officials: Confrontational debate between Minister Wang (grief-stricken blame) and the Mars commander (defensive). The military official escalates to war language; the chair directs the room from emotional chaos to strategic consensus.

Chapter Summary: "God of Mathematics!"

Key Plot Points & Events

1. Shinichi Mochizuki returns to Japan – Having stayed at Jinling University for half a month after Lu Zhou's death, the Japanese mathematician finally returns to Kyoto University, disillusioned since there is nothing left for him in China. At the airport, he gives a brief interview where he declares Lu Zhou's sole worthy title: "God of Mathematics."
2. Global academic mourning – The chapter depicts the academic world's devastation. Professor Hardy (speaking to Nature) calls Lu Zhou the teacher he respected most; Professor Fefferman laments that the Z Particle research and Hyperspace Theory will stagnate, and that geniuses like Lu Zhou emerge only rarely.
3. The film "Scholar" – Chen Yushan attends a theatrical release of a biographical film about Lu Zhou, chronicling his life from student days to the Pangu Reactor ignition. A young boy asks his mother if Lu Zhou will wake up, and she tells him that even if he never does, Lu Zhou lives on in people's hearts.
4. Visit to Jiangling – Chen Yushan and Han Mengqi visit Lu Zhou's parents and his sister Xiao Tong, who has returned from America on leave of absence after crying heavily.
5. Xiao Tong's new resolve – Xiao Tong has cut her hair short and reveals she wants to follow the path her brother couldn't finish, asking for Chen Yushan's help.
6. The "Lu Zhou Award" concept – On the train back, Chen Yushan reveals her plan to establish a world-class academic award in Lu Zhou's name—something he had wanted to do but hesitated out of modesty.
7. The twist – A Queqiao spacecraft docks at the Moon Palace station, returning from Mars with members of the diplomatic mission, Martian Civilization samples, and a damaged wrist-mounted computer. This triggers a signal in the quantum computer at the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study, and a drone begins executing Lu Zhou's pre-left "final command"—hinting at a potential return or digital consciousness preservation.

Character Developments

• Chen Yushan – Displays resilience and grace despite her grief. She embraces the role of daughter to Lu Zhou's parents and sister to Xiao Tong, and channels her sorrow into concrete action (establishing the Lu Zhou Award). She also shows vulnerability, admitting she cried watching the film and that she had "prepared to let him bully me for the rest of my life."
• Xiao Tong – Undergoes a visible transformation. Her haircut symbolizes a psychological shift: she is shedding her old self and preparing to shoulder responsibility for her family and her brother's unfinished legacy. She is emotionally broken but determined.
• Shinichi Mochizuki – Represents the academic world's respect for Lu Zhou. He dismisses trivial questions about credit distribution and forcefully centers Lu Zhou's contribution, giving the chapter its title.
• Han Mengqi – Reveals she has feelings for someone she met on a film set, speaking with shyness. She maturely keeps it a secret (implied to be Lu Zhou, given context), and shows envy of Chen Yushan's strength.

Significant Themes

• Legacy and continuation – The chapter foregrounds how the living carry forward the work of the dead: Xiao Tong vows to walk her brother's path, Chen Yushan plans the award, and the implied "final command" suggests even Lu Zhou himself prepared for continuation beyond death.
• Grief and acceptance – Multiple forms of mourning are shown: solemn interviews, a memorial film, family reconciliation, and quiet acts of remembrance. The mother in the theater delivers the thematic core: those who help many people "live on in many people's hearts."
• The value of a scholar – Mochizuki's "God of Mathematics" declaration and Fefferman's reflections emphasize that Lu Zhou's worth transcends individual achievements—his absence leaves a void that cannot easily be filled.
• Hope embedded in loss – The end of the chapter shifts from sorrow toward anticipation, implying that death may not be the end within this story's sci-fi framework.

Character Interactions

• Mochizuki & the reporter – A terse, somewhat impatient exchange that pivots into a passionate tribute to Lu Zhou.
• Chen Yushan & Han Mengqi – A warm sisterly bond; Han Mengqi comforts Chen Yushan in the theater and accompanies her to Jiangling. Their conversation about Han Mengqi's secret crush hints at hidden depths.
• Chen Yushan & Fang Mei (Lu Zhou's mother) – Emotional. Fang Mei tells Chen Yushan to stop calling her "Mom," but Chen Yushan insists she considers herself a daughter regardless.
• Chen Yushan & Xiao Tong – An embrace of shared grief; Chen Yushan promises to support Xiao Tong's ambitions, and their relationship is strengthened.
• The mother & child in the theater – A brief but poignant moment that reinforces the theme of memory and inspiration across generations.

Xiao Ai secretly expanded the hidden underground shelter beneath the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study while waiting for a chance to rescue Lu Zhou from Mars. At the Lu Zhou Science Award ceremony, Chen Yushan received Lu Zhou’s holographic recording and accepted his proposal as it played at the banquet.

• Automated vehicles unloaded cement and rebar at the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study, and the warehouse manager described the institute’s construction technology to the truck driver.
• Xiao Ai moved the supplies into a concealed third basement level and prepared the shelter to keep itself and Lu Zhou’s secrets hidden until it could bring him home.
• Chen Yushan announced the Lu Zhou Science Award, and the foundation presented its first prizes at the December 10 ceremony.
• Officials from the Ministry of State Security gave Chen Yushan a declassified holographic recording Lu Zhou had made at the Mars research base.
• Chen Yushan played the recording at the banquet, where Lu Zhou proposed to her and asked her to refuse if he could not return.
• Chen Yushan rushed to embrace Lu Zhou’s hologram and cried that she would marry him.

Here is a concise summary of the chapter:

Summary

Setting: Shanghai & the far northwest, 2024–2025.

1. Key Plot Points

• Recap of 2024: The Manned Mars Landing Plan restarted, humanity discovered extraterrestrial life, Hell’s Gate collapsed, and the Human Alliance/Earth Defense Force were formed. Nations united against a common cosmic threat (Kuiper Belt observation, joint military exercises).
• Autumn 2025: The “Oasis” project in northwest China has turned desert into thriving forest via artificial rivers and seawater desalination.
• Chen Yushan establishes the “Starry Sky Cancer Research Foundation” (5 billion yuan) to fund research; after cancer is conquered, funds transfer to a cryogenic hibernation rights fund—a legacy of Lu Zhou’s wishes.
• Chen Yushan steps down as CEO of Starry Sky Technology, entrusting the company to her assistant Cai Yunxia. She plans to visit an old friend in Shangjing, then go “somewhere very far away.”
• In a Jinling sanatorium, Fan Tong finishes writing a book titled Those Things on Mars, a philosophical account of his experiences—unaware it will later inspire generations of space explorers and spark academic controversy.

2. Character Developments

• Luo Wenxuan: Having attended the Lu Zhou Science Award ceremony (where a holographic projection moved him), he declares he “believes in love again,” decides to settle down, and mentions a new interest—a clerk surnamed Lin.
• Chen Yushan: Still grieving Lu Zhou, but has begun to move forward. She tidies his legacy (foundation), hands over her company, and allows herself a rare spontaneous journey—suggesting emotional growth and acceptance.
• Cai Yunxia: Grows from assistant to a capable, independent manager, with deep loyalty and gratitude toward Chen Yushan.
• Fan Tong: Recuperating, he channels his profound experiences on Mars into a reflective manuscript, hinting at a shift from scientist to storyteller.

3. Significant Themes

• Legacy and Remembrance: Lu Zhou’s memory persists through Chen Yushan’s actions, the foundation, and the emotional impact on others.
• Moving On and Hope: Time heals; the Oasis project symbolizes renewal, while the book represents dreams of the future.
• Humanity’s Place in the Universe: Contemplation of Gaia, heat death, loneliness, and the belief that someone will carry on the search for other “treasures” among the stars.
• Inspiration Beyond Death: Fan Tong’s book becomes a catalyst for future cosmic exploration, echoing Lu Zhou’s spirit.

4. Character Interactions

• Luo Wenxuan & Yan Xinjue: Casual, humorous dialogue reveals Luo’s impulsive romantic nature and Yan’s wry skepticism.
• Chen Yushan & Cai Yunxia: A deeply respectful mentor–protégée relationship. Chen’s trust and Cai’s devotion are shown as Chen hands over the company and offers parting advice.
  Overall: The chapter marks a transition—from mourning Lu Zhou to carrying his legacy forward—while setting up both the immediate journeys of Chen Yushan and the long-term impact of Fan Tong’s writing.

Summary of Chapter: Jinling International Congress of Mathematicians

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) is held at Jinling University's old campus, four years after it was announced at the St. Petersburg congress.
• Qin Yue, who resigned from Princeton after Lu Zhou's death, serves as dean of Jinling University's School of Mathematics and delivers the opening address.
• The opening ceremony includes the presentation of major prizes (Gauss Prize, Fields Medal) and a celebrated artistic performance.
• At the poster session, Professor Deligne and Witten encounter a young student, Ji Mo, who is researching the Hodge Conjecture but hid the topic on his poster due to self-doubt. Deligne encourages him.
• Han Mengqi delivers the first lecture of the congress, proving the transcendence of ζ(2n+1) for all n ≥ 1 (the Quasi-Riemann Hypothesis)—far exceeding what her mentor Lu Zhou had originally asked of her.
• Faltings predicts Han Mengqi will be on the next Fields Medal list.
• After the lecture, Yan Yan confronts Han Mengqi about the disappearance of her sister, Chen Yushan. Han Mengqi recalls a place Chen Yushan especially wanted to go—but notes it seems impossible to reach, hinting at a location beyond the Solar System.

2. Character Developments

• Qin Yue: Grieved by Lu Zhou's death but committed to fulfilling his dream of making Jinling University a world-class mathematics center. He has become the new standard-bearer of the "Lu Zhou School."
• Han Mengqi: Successfully proves the full Quasi-Riemann Hypothesis, a major result built on Lu Zhou's foundation. She remains humble, aware her work is still a modest extension of her master's ideas.
• Ji Mo: A young, talented student of Lu Zhou working on the Hodge Conjecture. Lacks confidence despite his advanced research; Deligne encourages him to take himself seriously.
• Scholze: Reflecting on two years of research that completed an "ending" to the expedition he and Lu Zhou undertook—concluding it was worth it regardless of practical gains.
• Deligne & Witten: Still active and engaged; both show lingering grief when Lu Zhou's name is mentioned.

3. Significant Themes

• Legacy and mentorship: Lu Zhou's influence persists through his students (Qin Yue, Han Mengqi, Ji Mo), who continue his work across different areas of mathematics.
• Generational continuity: The next generation of mathematicians carries forward, with Lu Zhou's school leaving a lasting imprint on the field.
• Mathematics as a collective endeavor: Individual achievement (Han Mengqi's proof, Ji Mo's research) is framed as building on a mentor's foundation.
• Grief and moving forward: The community has mourned Lu Zhou but is now channeling that loss into productive work.
• Mystery and unresolved loss: Chen Yushan's disappearance introduces a lingering thread, suggesting a connection to Lu Zhou's legacy and something unreachable with current technology.

4. Character Interactions

• Qin Yue & assistant: Qin reflects on Lu Zhou's absence, noting two years have passed since his death.
• Deligne, Witten & Ji Mo: Deligne recognizes the advanced mathematics in Ji Mo's poster, encourages him, and learns he was Lu Zhou's student—triggering visible melancholy in both older mathematicians.
• Scholze & Faltings: Discuss Han Mengqi's lecture; Faltings questions whether Scholze's two years of work was worth it, and Scholze defends it as a meaningful conclusion.
• Han Mengqi & Yan Yan: Yan Yan urgently asks about Chen Yushan's whereabouts; Han Mengqi recalls her sister's impossible dream destination, leaving the mystery open.