Did you graduate with a degree in astronomy?

Bitterness filled Lü Yongchang's eyes as he slowly shook his head. "Professor Ye, I've read the data in the paper."

"I'm... not very optimistic about the sun's future."

"In my view, we need to give some serious thought to... the survival of human civilization."

Ye Nangeng, who had been walking ahead, stopped abruptly.

He turned around and frowned at Lü Yongchang. "Professor Lü... isn't that a little too..."

Ye Nangeng did not finish his sentence.

But Lü Yongchang understood what he meant.

It was the usual talk of needless worry and exaggeration.

He was not angry.

On the contrary, he even felt a little sad and helpless.

Humanity's level of technology was simply too low!

But Lü Yongchang did not argue with Professor Ye at that moment.

Without conclusive evidence, no one would believe anything he said.

So he said evenly, "Professor Ye, let's wait until I've obtained the observational data and run the calculations before deciding whether I'm right."

"I also hope my calculations were wrong."

Ye Nangeng's brows knitted tightly as he gave Lü Yongchang a meaningful look. "All right. I'll take you to the observation station right now!"

The observation station at the Xia Country Astronomical Observatory.

An enormous astronomical telescope stood in the center.

"Hello, Professor Ye!"

As soon as they entered the observation station, a researcher greeted Ye Nangeng respectfully.

Professor Ye smiled and nodded. "Wang, point the telescope at the sun."

"And show Professor Lü the observational data from the past few days."

The researcher called Wang froze briefly, then turned to look at Lü Yongchang.

His eyes gradually grew wider and wider!

"You... you're Professor Lü Yongchang?!"

"Professor Lü, I'm your idol!"

"No, no, you're my fan... ugh! I'm your fan!"

Wang looked at Lü Yongchang excitedly and stumbled over his words. "Professor Lü, could, could you give me an autograph?!"

Lü Yongchang: "???"

Ye Nangeng: "???"

Clearly, Professor Ye had not expected this either. Looking embarrassed, he glared at the researcher. "Ahem! Wang! The autograph can wait. Finish the research task first!"

A trace of hurt flashed across Wang's face, and he headed toward the control console with a miserable expression.

Lü Yongchang could not help laughing at the sight. "Don't worry, I won't forget about the autograph!"

At those words, excitement flashed in Wang's eyes, and even his steps became lighter.

Professor Ye looked at the smiling Lü Yongchang beside him with undisguised envy. "Professor Lü, you really are popular!"

"Look at Wang. He acts as though he's one of your researchers!"

"I almost suspect he'd quit and join you if you just said the word!"

Faced with Professor Ye's jealousy, Lü Yongchang could only smile and spread his hands helplessly.

Before long, Wang returned to Lü Yongchang with a stack of documents.

"Professor Lü, these are the solar observation records for the past month!"

"Would you... need any more?"

"Retrieving data older than a month might take some time, but..."

Wang's enthusiasm exceeded Lü Yongchang's expectations. He waved his hands with a wry smile. "Ahem... no, no need."

"A month's worth of data is enough."

A clear trace of disappointment flashed in Wang's eyes. "All right."

"Then just call me if you need anything, Professor Lü!"

Lü Yongchang nodded with a wry smile.

He had never imagined he would get to enjoy being treated like a "celebrity."

Once Wang left, Lü Yongchang took a deep breath and looked gravely at the documents before him.

Professor Ye raised an eyebrow slightly at the sight.

He was somewhat doubtful that Lü Yongchang could actually understand such highly specialized data!

"There's something wrong... with these data."

Lü Yongchang spoke quietly, his expression serious.

"Oh? What's wrong?" Professor Ye asked, moving beside Lü Yongchang without betraying his thoughts.

"Look at the magnetic field strength. Starting half a month ago, the sun's magnetic field became noticeably stronger!"

"And these other readings also show problems!"

As he spoke, Lü Yongchang pointed at the documents before him. "If I'm not mistaken, solar flare activity should have become more frequent during this period, right?"

A flash of shock crossed Professor Ye's eyes.

In just a few minutes, amid such an enormous volume of data, Lü Yongchang had not only identified the problematic readings but even accurately assessed the sun's current condition!

That level of expertise...

"Professor Lü, did you... graduate with a degree in astronomy?"

Ye Nangeng stared at Lü Yongchang in disbelief and blurted out the question.

Lü Yongchang paused briefly, then smiled and shook his head. "Professor Ye, I'm in the physics department at Sandao Kou University. At the moment... I suppose I haven't officially graduated yet. I haven't received my diploma!"

That was true enough.

He had been so busy with Pangu One recently that he had not had any time to collect his diploma from Sandao Kou University.

Professor Ye swallowed, staring at Lü Yongchang incredulously. "Then how did you..."

"Self-taught. It's all self-taught!"

Lü Yongchang laughed it off and glossed over the matter.

"Unbelievable!" Ye Nangeng's eyes went as wide as saucers as he murmured to himself, "I've never met anyone like you!"

"Ahem!"

To keep Professor Ye from continuing to marvel, Lü Yongchang cleared his throat softly. "Professor Ye, is there any scratch paper here?"

"I need to check some calculations."

Still looking amazed, Professor Ye nodded and fetched several blank sheets of A4 paper from nearby. "Will these be enough?"

Lü Yongchang took the paper and pulled his fountain pen from his pocket, nodding as he did so. "Yes, that's plenty!"

With that, he sat down and rapidly wrote a line of equations on the paper.

Ye Nangeng hurriedly leaned closer, watching Lü Yongchang's writing intently.

At first, Ye Nangeng could still follow Lü Yongchang's reasoning.

But a few minutes later.

Ye Nangeng raised his head in bewilderment and looked uncertainly at Lü Yongchang, who sat there writing furiously.

Was he simply not good enough?

That couldn't be right!

He had some confidence in his mathematical abilities.

Although he could not tackle the great unsolved problems in the history of mathematics, solving problems in astronomy was still easy enough for him.

But now...

He simply could not follow the transformations in Lü Yongchang's string of equations!

At that moment, he could not help recalling his university days.

That terror of being at the mercy of advanced mathematics!

Half an hour later.

Lü Yongchang let out a deep sigh and set down his fountain pen, his expression grave.

"How did it go?"

Without realizing it, Professor Ye's attitude toward Lü Yongchang had changed dramatically. "Did you get any results?"