Qingmu recounted Liu Huaian's story, and then looked at Xia Xiaoxiao.
Xia Xiaoxiao said, "The list of participants in this project is highly confidential, and four generations of chips have been developed over the past few decades. I can't remember everyone. I don't recall Liu Huaian at all, but his symptoms do match our experimental results. But if that's the case, how has he survived until now?"
Qingmu said, " Liu Huaian has consistently emphasized that he is a double agent."
Xia Xiaoxiao pondered for a moment and said, "The feedback from chip malfunctions or poor contact will attract the project team's attention, unless..." She thought for a long time but still shook her head, "Let's not speculate, let's get the chip first."
Mei Ziqing said, "The chip is with the State Security Bureau; it probably won't be easy to get it."
Qingmu said, "Why don't we let our police friend give it a try?"
Mei Yiqiu his hand and said, "The chip won't stay with the State Security. They don't have the technology to research human-computer interfaces. I estimate it's already been transferred to some secret laboratory. This is a serious matter, so I'll go myself. You don't need to worry about it. I'm an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and also hold a nominal advisory position at the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. They won't suspect anything if I ask them."
Xia Xiaoxiao said, "This chip is extremely complex and cannot be disassembled and replicated in an ordinary laboratory. It would be a pity if it were destroyed by them. Even inside Laboratory No. 19, very few people know the principles of the chip, and the inventor is a mysterious person. Although I participated in the experiment, I have never met the chief designer of the chip."
After a brief chat about some of the topics discussed earlier, Xia Xiaoxiao rose to take her leave, asking them to keep her identity and visit a secret. Mei Yiqiu sincerely invited Xia Xiaoxiao to join his laboratory and the Third Space Foundation, but Xia Xiaoxiao politely declined.
When Qingmu saw her off, he asked how she could contact him so he could arrange for her to meet Xia Wenyuan and his wife. Xia Xiaoxiao asked him where would be a good place to meet. After thinking for a while, Qingmu remembered a place and said, "How about the West Mountain Hot Springs Resort?"
Xia Xiaoxiao gave Qingmu a phone number and told him to call her when the time was set.
After seeing Xia Xiaoxiao Meimei off, Qingmu returned and saw Professor Mei deep in thought.
When he saw Qingmu come in, he asked, "Do you think what that woman said earlier is believable?"
Qingmu said, "It's believable."
Mei Yiqiu nodded. "If you say it's believable, then at least the person is believable."
Qingmu asked, "The professor seems worried about something?"
"A trap!" Mei Yiqiu his pipe. "Some things are too coincidental, some things are too bizarre."
"What things?"
"Before the Copenhagen Conference, the world was as calm as the fish tank in your living room. That day you suddenly asked me about that strange hourglass-like symbol, then I went to Copenhagen, and then the world changed."
"Mr. Lester has passed away, and all the scientists are driven mad by Lester last words. It was an unprovable conjecture, but just then, you discovered Xia Wenyuan's shadow. But you were also at a loss, so you went to Southern Yunnan, met a flight attendant, and saw hope for eliminating this consciousness in your future mother-in-law. You returned to Wuzhong, and then fate sent you William Wolf."
Mei Yiqiu stood up, supporting himself on the table, puffing on his pipe, his expression somewhat mysterious.
"When we were in Copenhagen, racking our brains all night without finding a solution, a Situ came along and gave me a brilliant suggestion, which led to the Space Box project. While we were examining the diseased brain cells of the victims, someone sent me an email with a clue about the Gray Brain Virus. We discovered the virus and were wondering about its origin when Madam Situ arrived and told us that Toxoplasma gondii is a spore-like consciousness, from which the virus originates. Crucially, this lady also brought some vital experimental data that could help us break through the development bottlenecks of the Space Box and Dream Guide games."
"The fish tank in your living room suddenly turned into a raging ocean. We are just fish in the ocean, rising and falling with the Tushu. Who would have thought that the tides were caused by the moon in the sky?"
Qingmu was stunned, and it took him a long time to recover. He shook his head, which was full of questions, and said, "You mean Xia... Situ Yuli set a trap for us? No, that's impossible. I'm sure she didn't lie to us."
Mei Yiqiu shook his head and said, "The trap wasn't necessarily dug by the person who led you there."
"Then who is it? Her husband, Situ?"
"I don't know. This scheme is too big and too intricate. If it's a trap," Mei Yiqiu sighed. "Even knowing it's a trap, we have to jump in, don't we? As for who dug it... maybe it's Situ, maybe it's the deceased Mr. Lester, maybe it's those successfully infiltrated alien consciousnesses, maybe it's the Internet that has gained consciousness... who knows!"
After returning home, Qingmu immediately went to find Xia Wenyuan.
The Xia Family family was already quite familiar with Qingmu and knew he was the old man's honored guest, so they naturally treated him with great courtesy.
Upon entering the Xia residence, Xia Wenyuan was still sleeping in his room. Fortunately, Xia Wenyuan's eldest son, Xia Bozhou, was home, so he and Wu Lixia greeted Qingmu.
Xia Bozhou was in his fifties or sixties, exuding an air of wealth and power. Although Xia Wenyuan was the head of the Xia Family, Xia Bozhou's name was on the Forbes Rich List for many years. In terms of reputation, he and his brother Xia Zhongwan were far more famous than their father.
Xia Bozhou knew that Qingmu had cured Elder Xia's insomnia and nightmares, but he was unaware of the details. Therefore, he treated Qingmu like a famous doctor, and although he was very humble and kind when talking to him, his attitude was completely different from that of Xia Wenyuan.
If it were anyone else, they would be flattered and grateful for Xia Bozhou's attitude, but Qingmu didn't feel anything at all. He just leaned back on the sofa, exuding laziness.
Wu Lixia was already used to it and even found it quite familiar, but Xia Bozhou felt a little uncomfortable, especially when he saw Qingmu's feet in slippers. He only endured it for Aunt Xia's sake.
Wu Lixia asked Qingmu if the old man's condition had relapsed.
Qingmu was now fairly certain that Wu Lixia was alright, but he didn't dare tell her the truth right away, especially with Xia Bozhou present. So he said, "There haven't been any relapses, but we'd like the old man to receive some special treatment."
Wu Lixia then asked, "What's so special about it?"
Qingmu said, "I can't say right now. You guys arrange a time, and I'll come pick him up then."
Wu Lixia said, "Are we going to Professor Mei's place? There's no need for Mr. Qingmu to pick us up; we can go ourselves."
Qingmu said, "No one else can come along except for Aunt Xia."
Wu Lixia asked doubtfully, "Shouldn't Li Wei come along?"
Qingmu said firmly, "No."
Wu Lixia looked puzzled, while Xia Bozhou, standing beside her, said with a dark expression, "Patients have the right to know about medical treatment. Why are you making such a fuss! If you want treatment, come to my house. Just tell me what you need, and we can even move the entire hospital here."