Chapter 495 Waiting For You

A nuclear-powered, self-driving four-wheeled sedan sped along the road.

Lin Xian gazed at the skyscrapers disappearing into the clouds and the massive electronic screens on the building walls, lost in thought…

The electronic screens were playing an advertisement for the latest mobile phone.

It was thin enough, foldable, and could be combined into a transparent strip to be worn in front of the eyes, transforming into a pair of smart glasses.

But.

What couldn't be changed.

It was still a phone.

Communication technology hadn't made any progress, just become faster and more convenient.

Interaction methods hadn't made any progress, just become more varied.

Looking back at cars, self-driving had become more mature, but they still ran on the ground. Nuclear batteries were also outdated technology from 200 years ago.

"Is this normal?"

Lin Xian turned his gaze from the window, looking at Liu Feng and Gao Yang beside him.

"In 200 years, I haven't seen any groundbreaking technological advancements. All technologies are just refinements and elaborations of what existed 200 years ago. In essence… what's the difference between now and 200 years ago?"

Gao Yang shook his head.
"Don't ask me. I woke up only a month before you. Besides, we came to the future to save Chu Anqing. I can't worry about so many other things."

"Besides, isn't it better this way? If technology doesn't change much, it's easier for us to adapt to the times! Look, in just one month, I've perfectly integrated into the environment. Basic living patterns haven't changed much from 200 years ago."

"That's the problem!" Lin Xian said.

He suddenly thought of…

What Angelica and Jasker had said before he went into hibernation:
"If you can still become the richest man in the world, does that mean humanity has been slacking off for the past 200 years? Do you think technology isn't developing during these 200 years?"

"The knowledge you have might be covered in elementary school textbooks after 200 years."

"If the knowledge taught in universities is still the same after 200 years, then there's a real problem with this world."

But looking at it now…

"Liu Feng."

Lin Xian looked at Liu Feng.

"Has Jasker woken up? Is he still the richest man in the world?"

Liu Feng smiled slightly.
"He woke up a little later than me. I woke up 7 years ago, and Jasker woke up 4 years ago. That's right, Lin Xian, just like you thought… Jasker is still the richest man in the world."

"Angelica's descendants have managed spACe-t very well, even better. Jasker is even richer than before."

"However… Jasker expressed regret and anger about this. He said he would rather wake up from hibernation and see that a more powerful company had made spACe-t bankrupt and that more advanced technology had relegated him to elementary school to relearn everything."

"But… after so many years, can you believe that humanity is still only at the level of launching probes to Mars? There are no immigration ships, no space cities, and no even more advanced spacecraft."

"After Jasker woke up, he came to Long Country to find me. He sighed and said—"

"[I never thought that this old fossil from 200 years ago could keep up with the times and even remain at the forefront of technology. I could still go to university and be a teacher without any problems. They are still learning the same things they learned 200 years ago.]"

…

……

Sure enough.

Lin Xian narrowed his eyes.

It was as he had guessed before.

The Ninth Dreamscape had the shadows of many geniuses, and it was they who had jointly shaped it.

Although Copernicus was dead.

His methods hadn't died, and his spirit hadn't died… which had led to technology remaining in a semi-stagnant state.

Humanity was still squeezing out the last drop of water from Moore's Law but hadn't been able to jump out of this walled city to find newer and broader roads.

So.

Where was the problem?

"Are there still scientists and mathematicians dying artificially at 00:42?" Lin Xian asked.

"No."

Liu Feng shook his head.
"After I woke up, including after Jasker woke up, we started investigating this matter directly. We checked all the information we could find and didn't find any scientists who were murdered at 00:42."

"There were a few lesser-known scholars who died at that time due to accidental causes, such as… an expert who studied bearings who was stabbed several times by his wife for having an affair and died in the hospital at 00:42."

"Another one worked in a very ordinary research institute, studying microorganisms, and after getting drunk, he parked his car on the side of the road to urinate, but it was an overpass, and he thought it was a flower bed… He fell off and died, and the time was exactly 00:42."

"In these 200 years, only these two scientists died at 00:42."

Lin Xian waved his hand.
"That definitely doesn't count."

"But the level of technology has developed so little in 200 years. Obviously, there is a dark hand controlling it. Have you and Jasker had any clues in the past few years of investigation?"

"Yes."

Liu Feng nodded.
"First of all, there are still some key scientists who have died, but there are no common points. It's difficult for us to determine whether it's Copernicus's methods or simply pure accidents."

"There are no similarities in the manner of death, time, or identity, which makes it completely impossible for us to judge… Jasker believes that it may be that Copernicus's successors are doing it more secretly."

"But there are also unclear points, because many leaders in cutting-edge fields are still alive and well and are active in academia, dedicated to promoting scientific progress and breakthroughs."

"And what about the progress and breakthroughs?"

Lin Xian spread his hands.
"Why haven't I seen them? Surely these leaders in cutting-edge fields haven't all failed to achieve breakthroughs, have they?"

"That's the second clue I want to talk about."

At this time, the high-speed self-driving car had already left the city and was beginning to accelerate further. Liu Feng continued.
"Secondly, the second clue is… [During these 200 years, humanity has taken detours in many technological choices. In short, it's like the 'tech tree was skewed' as we often said on the internet back in our day.]"

"I know what you want to say, but in fact, before you really know that the tech tree is skewed, who can realize that it's skewed? Technological development always requires various attempts. It's not a multiple-choice question that gives you several answers to choose from… In short, humanity has not found the correct path in many key scientific fields."

Lin Xian thought for a moment.

…

He roughly understood what Liu Feng meant.

There were many instances of technology taking detours, just like those companies that were once great but suddenly went bankrupt. Strategic mistakes also apply to the field of scientific research.

If a path is wrong, it will waste a lot of manpower, material resources, financial resources, and time… and then be invested in the next path, which is also a lot of manpower, material resources, financial resources, and time.

And that's just one field.

If this is the case in every field, then it is indeed difficult for technology to make significant breakthroughs.

"But… what about the *Cold Fusion Manuscript* I provided to the Long Academy of Sciences?"

Lin Xian asked.

"That has a clear direction and shouldn't be off track, right?"

"It's true that it's not off track, but…"

Liu Feng sighed.
"You also know that cold fusion technology can't work with theory alone. It also needs support from other materials science and engineering. The problem is stuck here. Materials science has had almost zero breakthroughs in these 200 years."

"Hmm…"

Lin Xian leaned back, resting on the back of the seat and closing his eyes.

"So, in short, someone is still interfering with, suppressing, and hindering technological development, but the method has changed… or it's become more concealed."

In fact, Lin Xian wasn't surprised by this result.

Before getting into the car, Lin Xian had asked Liu Feng if the readings of the space-time curvature on the space-time clock had changed.

Liu Feng directly showed him the space-time clock.

Steady as Mount Tai.

The number was still 0.0001764, which meant that the world line hadn't changed, and the future world of the Ninth Dreamscape was still the same.

Human extinction,

Technological disruption,

Mai Mai's *Devouring Sky Demon Emperor* reigned supreme for all eternity.

This world line was extremely firm and had been steadily advancing along the established route and future trajectory all the way to 2234 without causing the slightest ripple.

Einstein closed the Genius Club gatherings to maintain the stability of the world line.

Copernicus's will was inherited by someone unknown, and the methods became more secretive.

Gauss's virus had completely ended, but all the excellent scientists remained in the past.

Newton didn't know what he was busy with, but he certainly wasn't lying flat or slacking off. He must also be performing steadily.

Finally, 200 years later, in 2600, there was still Galileo, the old fox, waiting to create a devastating disaster for the Earth.

However, it wasn't over yet.

In another 24 years, there would be another world-destroying white light that would evaporate the entire world in the first second of his 20th birthday.

The only hope to save everything.

Was to ride the space-time shuttle, using entangled state space-time particles to return to 1952, to witness all the beginnings, all the secrets, and all the truths with his own eyes.

Lin Xian opened his eyes.

Looking out the window.

"Huh?"

He was a little puzzled, pointing to the endless fence that had been stretching for half an hour.

"What is this place? Why does it cover such a large area?"

"Our current speed is over 120 kilometers, but we've been driving for half an hour, and we still haven't reached the end of the fence… Is this a school?"

"But what school could have such a large area? A section of the fence is over 60 kilometers long… That's too exaggerated. It's almost bigger than a city."

Having said that.

Gao Yang, who hadn't been able to interject for a long time, grinned.

"Your reaction is the same as mine when I first came here. You all think it's too exaggerated. However, your idea is correct. This is the gift that Zhao Yingjun and Yu Xi left for you!"

"Look, we're at the gate. Look up—"

Gao Yang pressed a button, and the roof instantly became completely transparent, with an unobstructed view of the outside scenery, as clear as sitting in a convertible.

He looked up.

He saw four huge Chinese characters standing horizontally in the sky above the tall and magnificent school gate building—

[Rhine University]

"Zhao Yingjun integrated everything together and brought together this largest, top-notch, and most cutting-edge university in the world."

Liu Feng explained to Lin Xian.

"The former mx Company, Rhine Company, Shanhe Group… everything has been integrated into Rhine University."

"The place where you woke up just now is the hibernation base of Rhine University. After the construction was completed, they transferred our hibernation pods from the Dragon Academy of Sciences in the capital to Donghai City."

"The entire Rhine University campus covers an area of about half of Donghai City. It is indeed a behemoth. It's no exaggeration to call it a small city or a city within a city."

"Zhao Yingjun believes that education is the foundation of everything and that talent is the basis of everything. Leaving you more money is not as good as leaving our future with true hope… as well as a group of energetic and ambitious young people."

"The motto of Rhine University is the same as your former Rhine Company, [For a better future for mankind]. I woke up earlier than you, so I have taken over the affairs here in advance. I am now nominally the president of Rhine University, but in fact, I am only responsible for the laboratory… The specific management and operation are handled by those professionals."

"The assets of Rhine University are terrifying. Thanks to various patented technologies, the cash reserves and annual income are undoubtedly among the best in the world."

Squeal—

With a crisp braking sound, the transparent car stopped shortly after entering the school gate, and the rear door opened automatically.

Gao Yang jumped out of the car first and pulled Lin Xian out of the car.
"Come and see, what great people your wife and your daughter are."

Lin Xian got out of the car.

Looking in the direction Gao Yang pointed.

His eyes widened.

That was…

In the center facing the school gate, stood a tall white jade statue!

On the base of the statue were two women, one in front of the other, holding hands and looking ahead.

Lin Xian held his breath.

Looking at the spirited faces that were still deeply imprinted in his heart even though time had passed…

Zhao Yingjun.

Walking in front, the white jade statue looking up into the distance was Zhao Yingjun!

This time, the statue was significantly different from the statue in Rhine Sky City.

First of all, this statue was smiling, confident, firm, and resolutely looking into the distance.

Secondly, Zhao Yingjun in the statue should be in her fifties, obviously older than the Zhao Yingjun he had seen, but still beautiful and spirited.

It seemed…

This time, Zhao Yingjun was no longer afraid of him seeing her old age as she was in the Third Dreamscape.

She seemed very proud to be able to become the first president of Rhine University, to be able to look at every student entering the school with a loving smile.

…

And behind her, holding her hand, a young woman who also had a firm gaze and looked into the distance, Lin Xian recognized at a glance—

Yu Xi.

Lin Yu Xi.

The same face as the girl who had traveled from a distant time and space!

But…

Lin Yu Xi in the statue was obviously much older than the little Yu Xi who had taken him to Disneyland.

At that time, the little Yu Xi at Disneyland was only thirteen or fourteen years old, while the Lin Yu Xi in the statue was twenty-seven or eight years old. By some strange twist of fate… Yu Xi's age was actually older than his.

Lin Xian walked slowly closer. Approaching 200 years of time, approaching his family, his wife, and his daughter.

"This statue was built on the 50th anniversary of the founding of Rhine University."

Liu Feng followed behind Lin Xian and continued to introduce him.
"At that time, Zhao Yingjun was nearly a hundred years old and had long since stepped down as president. Your daughter, Lin Yu Xi, as the second president of Rhine University, also planned to step down from the presidency and hand over the university to more capable people to manage and continue."

"The two of them finally decided to freeze their appearance on the statue at the age when Rhine University was just established. That's what you see now…"

"I've read the school history, and Yu Xi is an even greater leader than Zhao Yingjun, resolute, decisive, brave, and intelligent… It can be said that she brought together the advantages of both of you, truly making Rhine University strong and opening up a new era."

"Zhao Yingjun passed away at the age of a hundred, enjoying her family life to the fullest. Yu Xi was the same. Yu Xi had three children, one son and two daughters, who also became very successful later on, but none of them were involved in work related to Rhine University… Even one of your granddaughters became a well-known artist. I don't know if it's from your talent."

"Counting it, there are already your tenth-generation descendants in the world, but we didn't deliberately look for them, because they have long forgotten you… After all, 200 years is too long for a family."

"No need."

Lin Xian walked to directly below the base of the statue, looked up at the smiling Yingjun and the firm Yu Xi, imagined the days when the two of them served as presidents of this university, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"No need to look for my descendants…"

"[Our battle is not over yet, so let's not disturb their happy lives.]"

"Let the children live carefree in a happy era. That is the purpose of our trip… Let this war stay with our generation and end with our generation."

"Did Yingjun and Yu Xi leave anything else for me?"

Gao Yang walked over and shook his head.
"No, before they passed away, they deleted most of the information about them, just like when we left Zhao Yingjun before we went into hibernation… She didn't want us to miss them, because they had a happy life and lived a very valuable life, and they also left us with such a powerful Rhine University."

"However…"

Gao Yang took out his transparent phone, looked at the time, and smiled slightly.
"It's not that they didn't leave anything behind. It's about time, it should be coming out soon."

"Who?" Lin Xian turned his head.

…

Click!

Suddenly, a hidden iron door opened at the bottom of the statue's base.

A silver and shiny trash can robot, sliding out slowly on the equally shiny tracks below.
"Trash. Trash. Trash detected."

The voice sounded a little weak.

But instantly!

The silver and shiny, brand-new trash can robot turned its head, looked blankly in this direction, and stood there as if it were dead.

"Trash!! Trash!! Trash detected!!"

The unprecedented loudspeaker hurt people's eardrums.

The trash can robot rushed over with explosive acceleration—

Click!

It stretched out an equally shiny mechanical frame, locked Lin Xian's ankle, looked up, and shouted.
"Trash!! Trash!! Trash detected!!"

"VV!"

Lin Xian never expected to see VV here.

He bent down and touched the top of the trash can robot's head.

This touch…

He couldn't be wrong.

Hafnium alloy.

VV had also evolved!

Not only had it evolved from a cleaning robot to a trash can robot, but even the material had changed from plastic to hafnium alloy, and its combat power had soared.

"VV…"

Lin Xian squatted down, wanting to pick it up, just like he had picked up the trash can robot countless times in the Third Dreamscape.

But.

It was too heavy.

Even if Lin Xian used all his strength, the hafnium alloy VV didn't move at all.

"Give up, you can't pick it up."

Liu Feng smiled.

"All the parts of the current trash can robot VV are made of hafnium alloy, and its weight is 300 kilograms."

"It's already being gentle with you. When Gao Yang came to greet VV, VV hit him directly, knocking him two meters away, and then Gao Yang punched VV in anger, and it was swollen for several days."

Lin Xian looked at the hafnium alloy VV that had evolved into a complete body, even an ultimate body, and felt a sense of nostalgia and intimacy.

Touching its smooth and cold hafnium alloy shell, he felt a warmth in his heart.

"VV, please wait a moment."

Lin Xian said softly.

"I will definitely revive you. Thank you for pretending to be an artificial idiot for 200 years. After you are revived… I won't say anything about you being talkative, using memes, or being a drama queen."

"But in this era, Cheng Qian hasn't been born yet, so we have to wait a little longer."

Suddenly.

The eyes of the hafnium alloy trash can VV flashed green, and a emotionless mechanical voice said.
"Please enter the password!"

"Huh?" "Ah?" "Ha?"

Lin Xian and the others were all stunned.

Especially Gao Yang and Liu Feng, who looked at each other in confusion.
"It has this function?"

"I don't know."

Liu Feng shook his head in confusion.
"I've seen the hafnium alloy VV many times. Every time, it comes out on time, shouts slogans weakly to clean up the trash, and then goes back to sleep. It has never said anything extra."

Gao Yang suddenly realized.

"Then I understand. There must be a voice recognition program set up inside, which can only recognize Lin Xian's voice! So only after hearing Lin Xian's voice will this line be triggered! This shows that… Zhao Yingjun and Yu Xi still have something to leave for Lin Xian!"

"It's just… what is the password? There's no hint at all! How are we supposed to know what the password is!"

…

Hehe.

Lin Xian chuckled softly and shook his head.
"What kind of hint is needed…"

His expression softened, and he said softly.

"Could the password be anything else?"

"That is a… random string of numbers, without any meaning, but it is a string of numbers that only Zhao Yingjun and I know in this world, and we will never forget it in our lives—"

"32375246."

Beep beep.

The hafnium alloy trash can VV made a rapid mechanical sound, and the green light in its eyes flashed quickly.
"Password correct! Storage box opened!"

As the mechanical sound fell.

A storage compartment the size of a pencil case slowly popped out of the trash can's belly, and inside… was a laminated letter.

Lin Xian, Gao Yang, and Liu Feng squeezed their heads together to look inside.

Obviously.

This was a letter left by Zhao Yingjun and Yu Xi for Lin Xian.

"Uh…"

Gao Yang pulled Liu Feng away.

"Let's avoid it first."

Liu Feng nodded and walked away with Gao Yang.

Lin Xian took out the letter from the storage compartment.

It was a very thin piece of paper, and also very small, so not much could be written on it.

His heart trembled a little.

Zhao Yingjun, Yu Xi… What kind of letter would they leave for him?

He took a deep breath.

He opened the folded letter, looking at the delicate handwriting on it.

It was very short.

There were not many lines in total.

But seeing this extremely familiar handwriting, Lin Xian couldn't help but feel his eyes moisten, as if Zhao Yingjun's soft words were in his ears.

[Lin Xian, don't miss us. Yu Xi and I lived a happy life.]

[It is true that there is often loneliness and longing in the days without you. But Yu Xi and I can feel that you are always by our side, protecting this world for us, for our descendants, and for humanity.]

[You are our hero and our pride.]

[So, look forward and don't look back. Now that our mission is over, the baton of saving the future has been handed over to you again. We have not left, but have turned into the wind and sunshine of this world, always standing behind you.]

[Sorry, I didn't fulfill my promise to grow old with you until the end of the world. But… be brave and move forward! Don't forget—]

[There is also a girl trapped in time, waiting for you at the end of the world.]

……

……

……

Lin Xian read the letter twice.

Then he closed his eyes.

He folded it and put it in his jacket pocket.

Look forward.

Look forward.

Until the end of the world.

He turned around and walked forward, walking towards Liu Feng.

The hafnium alloy trash can robot VV also turned its tracks flexibly and followed behind Lin Xian.

"Liu Feng."

Lin Xian walked up to Liu Feng.

"Has mankind observed that comet carrying astatine-339?"

"It's been observed long ago."

Liu Feng replied.

"All countries have been closely monitoring this massive comet, preparing to jointly destroy it in the outer atmosphere in three months to prevent it from directly hitting the Earth."

Lin Xian nodded.

"What about the space-time shuttle? Has it been built in advance?"

"It's basically built, but there are some minor problems with a module."

…

Liu Feng frowned slightly.

"But I've already thought of a new alternative solution. There shouldn't be any problem completing the space-time shuttle completely before the comet arrives."

"I'm sorry, even though I woke up a few years earlier, I still couldn't completely solve the remaining small part… The gap between me and the super genius who designed the engineering drawings is still too big."

Lin Xian smiled.

"It doesn't matter, Liu Feng, it's not 2025 anymore."

He recalled that Gao Wen's year of birth was 2182.

If Gao Wen hadn't gone into hibernation in this world line, then he would only be 52 years old, in the prime of his life.

However, it doesn't matter if he's in hibernation anyway, he can be found… Mai Mai said that the toxicity and transmissibility of the anti-hibernation virus are gradually weakening. In the last few decades, basically only the elderly and the weak will be infected, and the resistance of most normal people is enough to be immune to the virus. So, there is still a possibility that Gao Wen is in hibernation.

"Let's go."

Lin Xian looked at the gradually rising sun in the distance.

"It's time to meet old friends in reality."

……

Two days later.

Donghai City, a certain underground hibernation base.

A young man in his thirties slowly opened his eyes in the hibernation pod.

Looking at the mist on the glass shell, he couldn't remember who he was, didn't know where he was, and didn't know why he couldn't feel his body.

Following the voice prompt, he completed a series of tests, and the pod door finally opened.

He sat up from inside.

But his eyes widened as he looked at the three men of varying heights, weights, and builds squatting beside him.

"You! What are you going to do!"

For some reason, these three men were smiling evilly, which made his blank brain very uneasy! Very afraid! Very scared!

Especially the fat man standing a little behind, holding a terrifying-looking instrument that looked like an octopus tentacle, which looked like a torture device!

"Who… who are you! I… who am I?"

As the words fell.

The tall young man at the head smiled and walked over, extending his right hand to him.

"Hello, Emperor Gao Wen."

"It's time… to get up and work."

(End of this chapter)