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nTranslator: Legge Editor: Legge

nSomewhere.

nAt a research institute.

nRotor blades were slicing through the air. A military helicopter slowly descended as it swung left and right while executing its landing on an open field behind the research institute. Zhang Ye swept his gaze around the location while in the aircraft but couldn’t be sure of what place this was. In any case, it was definitely in a very remote area since it looked deserted within several kilometers. It seemed like this was a research institute isolated from the world. The area that it was built on was also very big, and there were several blocks of buildings and large yards within it. Among them were also some facilities that Zhang Ye didn’t know how to describe. From time to time, heavily armed soldiers could be seen patrolling the area. There was a very high level of alert here.

nWhat place was this?

nWhy was the security so tight in here?

nOnly now did Zhang Ye realize that this research institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was a little different. There were a great deal of research institutes in China, with up to several thousand of them, but this was the first time that Zhang Ye had seen a research institute with such a high level of security. It was virtually unheard of.

nThey got out of the helicopter.

nChi Xue was waiting for them.

n“Professor Zhang.”

n“Professor Chi.”

n“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again.”

n“You’re too polite, too polite.”

nThe personnel on both sides completed a simple handover.

nZhang Ye saw Chi Xue sign, for over half a minute, a dozen documents that the other party had brought along. They were likely some kind of guarantee documents or something like that. After all, it was the Chinese Academy of Sciences who borrowed him. It sounded easy but was in fact a very troublesome process. This wasn’t as simple as transferring a professor over from a university. It was loaning someone out from a prison! It entailed so many issues. Who should be held responsible if anything happened? Someone would have to answer for it.

nThe formalities were completed.

nChi Xue then brought Zhang Ye into the research institute.

nNo one from the helicopter detail besides “guard” Zhou Xiaohe followed him in. The other people were only responsible for transferring Zhang Ye over here in secret.

nChi Xue knew Zhou Xiaohe. “Little Zhou, you’ve worked hard along the way.”

nZhou Xiaohe gave a smile. “Sister Chi, it was nothing.”

nZhang Ye said without much of a care, “You know each other?”

n“Yeah.” Chi Xue said, “Little Zhou is a guard here at our research institute. We had spent a great deal of effort to get you here on loan. However, the higher-ups were still worried. After all, your reputation as the world’s best hacker is too well-known. Besides, you’re still serving your sentence, so they were afraid that something would happen. So we got Little Zhou to—”

nZhou Xiaohe quickly said, “I’m here to ensure Professor Zhang’s safety.”

nZhang Ye rolled his eyes.

nChi Xue laughed. She looked at Little Zhou and said, “Alright, when Professor Zhang came out into society to work, you were still in the army and didn’t have any societal experience yet. Professor Zhang already understands what’s going on. You don’t have to hide it from him.”

nZhou Xiaohe was very embarrassed.

nA female researcher happened to pass by and hurriedly stopped in her tracks. “Professor Zhang.”

nZhang Ye was taken aback but nodded at her.

nOver there, another researcher stood still and said respectfully, “Professor Zhang.”

nZhang Ye nodded. “Hello.”

n“Professor Zhang.”

n“Professor Zhang!”

nSome people greeted him respectfully.

nOthers were visibly excited to see him.

nAs long as it was a researcher who passed by, all of them stopped in their tracks to greet Zhang Ye.

nZhou Xiaohe found this a little strange. He had been in the army for most of the year and basically did not watch television, nor chased after any celebrities. Of course he had heard of Zhang Ye’s name before, but that was only from the mouths of others. He could never have expected that all of the researchers at this highly secure research institute would be so respectful to a criminal who was still serving his sentence. This was a scene that he could never have imagined.

nUp ahead, several of the institute’s top brass came out.

nFellow Zhou said with a smile, “Professor Zhang, you’re finally here.”

nZhang Ye said, “You’re too polite.”

nFellow Zhou said, “Let me introduce to you.” He pointed to an old man beside him who looked like he was in his 70s. “This is Chi Xue’s father, and also the head of the institute, Fellow Chi.”

nFellow Chi looked at Zhang Ye.

nZhang Ye looked right back at him.

nFellow Chi put his hand out. “Sorry to trouble you, Professor Little Zhang.”

nZhang Ye smiled. “I’ll try my best.”

nSeeing this, Zhou Xiaohe felt even more startled. He knew who Fellow Chi was, of course. Usually when he saw him, Fellow Chi would have a straight face and be in a bad mood. He did almost nothing other than participate in the various research projects and probably wished to stay at the research institute for all 365 days of the year. No, make that 366 days. As such, his temper was naturally more rigid. Zhou Xiaohe felt that it would be great if Fellow Chi addressed Zhang Ye as Little Zhang. But to his surprise, he also addressed him as Professor Zhang.

nZhou Xiaohe was an outsider in this field. He had absolutely no idea what Zhang Ye’s status in the academic world was. Let alone the ordinary researchers, not even Fellow Zhou and Fellow Chi could compare to Zhang Ye’s status in the academic world. After all, Fellow Chi and the others were basically just Chinese scientists, albeit great ones. But Zhang Ye was different from them. His status as a mathematician was a world-class one. He was one of the best mathematicians in the entire world. This was two completely different concepts.

nOne person.

nThree people.

nFive people.

nEveryone was introduced.

nZhang Ye also noted who they were.

nFellow Chi could no longer wait. He said, “We’re in urgent need of an algorithm right now. We’ve sought help from all of the best mathematicians in the country, but none of them was able to do it. Professor Little Zhang, can you—”

n“Dad, you’re in too much of a hurry,” interrupted Chi Xue.

nFellow Zhou added, “Yes, Professor Zhang has just gotten off the helicopter. At least let him catch his breath and get some rest first. We can talk about it after he has settled down.”

nBut Fellow Chi said, “We’re in crisis mode. How can we have any time left for that? Do you know how many people are waiting for this algorithm? Do you know how much work has been delayed because of this?”

nFellow Zhou sighed.

nAll of the researchers frowned when they heard this.

nIn recent days, there had been too much pressure on them!

nZhang Ye smiled. “Let me have a look at it first.”

nFellow Chi immediately said, “Alright, come with me.”

nIn Building 1.

nIn a research laboratory.

nChi Xue brought the information to Zhang Ye to have a look at. “This is the one.”

nThe atmosphere tensed up.

nOne minute.

nTwo minutes.

nThree minutes.

nNo one said a thing. There wasn’t even any coughing as everyone had their eyes fixed on Zhang Ye. Some of them looked rather nervous, while others seemed like they were anticipating his response. Some people were pacing back and forth anxiously.

nZhang Ye was still looking at it.

nFellow Chi said impatiently, “How about it?”

nChi Xue tugged at him. “Dad, don’t be so anxious.”

n“Let Professor Zhang finish looking at it first,” Fellow Zhou added.

nAnother few minutes passed.

nZhang Ye looked up with a deep frown.

nFellow Chi’s heart skipped a beat. “Can you do it?”

nChi Xue also stared intently at him.

nEveryone’s attention was on Zhang Ye. They were all terrified that they would hear the same words that they had heard from all the other mathematicians who had come before.

nIndeed, Zhang Ye’s first words were: “This is too difficult.”

nChi Xue sighed lightly. “Yes, it is.”

nFellow Chi smacked his forehead. “I knew it!”

nFellow Zhou was also stunned. “Even you can’t do it?”

nEven Zhang Ye couldn’t do it?

nThen there wouldn’t be anyone else in the country who could do it!

nZhang Ye said in a speechless manner, “What kind of a research project are you all conducting? That you’d have to resort to using such a complex algorithm? To create this algorithm, even the most famous mathematicians in the world might not be able to do it, much less the mathematicians in our country.”

nEveryone was very disappointed.

nIt’s over!

nIt’s still the same!

nEven Zhang Ye cannot do it!

nChi Xue sighed and said, “I understand. Sorry to have troubled you, Professor Zhang.”

nZhang Ye hesitated for a moment and then said, “How about this? Give me three days, and I’ll get it sorted out within three days at the latest.”

nAt this instant, everyone froze!

nChi Xue said startled, “What?”

nFellow Chi yelled, “Did you say three days?”

nFellow Zhou said dumbfoundedly, “So you mean you can do it?”

nZhang Ye said in surprise, “I didn’t say that I couldn’t do it.”

n“But didn’t you say that it was too difficult?” Fellow Zhou said with wide eyes.

nZhang Ye said, “It is too difficult. That’s why I’ll need three days.”

nChi Xue said excitedly, “You can really do it? You can really solve it?”

n“Pretty much.” Zhang Ye shrugged. “But I need to get some sleep first. I can’t think properly if I don’t get enough rest. I won’t be doing it today, so I’ll start on it tomorrow.”

nFellow Chi immediately instructed, “Alright, quick, bring Professor Little Zhang to his room! Oh yes, find the quietest place in the research institute! Let Professor Little Zhang get a good night’s rest!”

nThere was finally hope!

nThey had finally found someone who dared to say that they could produce the algorithm!

nWhen Zhang Ye left, everyone blew up.

nA female researcher said, “This is awesome!”

nA supervisor said, “There’s hope now!”

nSome people were doubtful. “Will it really work?”

nSome people did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Professor Zhang claims that it’s too difficult but only asks for three days to do it? We’ve sought the help of so many mathematicians and they couldn’t make any progress even after working on it for a month or two, so how could it be difficult if it will only take three days? I was so scared. I really thought that Professor Zhang could not do it.”

nChi Xue was smiling. She said, “Professor Zhang’s mind isn’t the same like ours. To him, taking three days to create an algorithm is considered difficult. Do you all know how long it took Professor Zhang to solve one of the most difficult mathematical conjectures?”

n“How long?”

n“Yeah, how long?”

nThe few researchers who were not from the mathematics field pressed for an answer.

nFellow Zhou answered on behalf of Chi Xue. He held up three fingers and said, “Three hours.”

nChi Xue nodded and said with a chuckle, “For one of the most difficult mathematical conjectures in the world, Professor Zhang only took three hours to solve it.”

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