This question…

Lin Xian had been thinking about it for a long time.

From the very beginning, when Huang Que silently brought Chu Anqing to them, Lin Xian sensed something was amiss.

At the time, he didn't know much about space-time particles, and he hadn't encountered the elderly couple in Xidan Shopping Plaza who had lost their daughter years ago and learned that they had a daughter who looked exactly like Chu Anqing who had passed away more than twenty years ago.

Therefore, Lin Xian naturally didn't think too much about it, feeling that perhaps Huang Que simply knew that Chu Anqing possessed a congenital spacefaring physique and excellent physical qualities, which was why she had been called to help.

However…

As more and more intelligence was gathered, becoming clearer and clearer, and as the space plane capture plan became more and more complete, Lin Xian increasingly noticed the inconsistencies.

First, there was the division of labor and functions among them.

Lin Xian and Huang Que were, of course, the core figures. Huang Que was still the commander-in-chief, and Lin Xian was the one who most needed the space-time particles. They couldn't possibly miss this space trip.

Wei Cheng was the pilot, and they couldn't do without him either. Liu Feng, considering the invisibility of the space-time particles, had to observe the small tracker and guide Wei Cheng, so he also had to go.

Gao Yang was a crucial character. His gaming talent made his control of the robotic arm superb. Although considering that VV could completely replace him, wasn't it more prudent to bring a skilled and highly skilled substitute?

Moreover, the appearance of space-time particles, whether they could be seen with the naked eye or not, was still uncertain. If they encountered any situation, artificial intelligence might not be as reliable as humans. Human intuition and momentary impulsiveness, recklessness, were sometimes more likely to create miracles than the rationality of artificial intelligence.

In contrast…

What indispensable, irreplaceable role did Chu Anqing have?

As it stood, none at all.

Apart from being outstanding and eye-catching in the initial rotating chair, centrifuge, buoyancy pool, and physical coordination training…

She didn't have any other outstanding qualities, only a flash in the pan.

Undeniably, she was indeed a natural astronaut.

But for this suborbital space capture mission, did this physique have any special use?

They didn't need to go out of the cabin,

They didn't need to roam in space,

They didn't even need to wear white spacesuits. The altitude was only a mere 100 kilometers high in the atmosphere, not even considered entering space.

So, from this point of view…

[Chu Anqing has no use in this mission.]

Whenever Chu Anqing asked Huang Que what her mission was,

Huang Que would also give vague and ambiguous reasons such as logistics support, assisting Lin Xian, etc., which was tantamount to saying, "Just watch from the sidelines, help whoever asks you to help, serve tea, pour water, and take out the trash."

Space planes didn't need tea and water service.

Was there any need to take such a useless, meaningless, unhelpful 19-year-old girl into space?

If these were just doubts, it wouldn't be enough for Lin Xian to reach that conclusion.

But…

As Liu Feng's observation and research on space-time particles became more and more detailed, Lin Xian also discovered abnormalities in the trajectory of the space-time particles.

It was now certain that this space-time particle was unaffected by any external force and unconstrained by any physical laws of the current universe.

Yet it could fly towards Earth without deviation, relentlessly, accurately, and without falling behind.

This meant that there must be something on Earth attracting it!

Or rather, it was actively seeking something on Earth!

Moreover, the closer it got to Earth, the more obvious the deceleration of the space-time particle became. Now it had even slowed down to Mach 2, clearly finding its target and preparing to converge.

Until this point, Lin Xian hadn't suspected that the space-time particle was coming for Chu Anqing.

But…

Just now!

When Liu Feng used an eraser and a glass ball to demonstrate the encounter between the space-time particle and the space plane, and Coach Wei Cheng talked about how difficult the capture was, and that if the dive angle was slightly larger, they would be thrown off by the space-time particle…

Lin Xian suddenly realized…

Using such an inflexible space plane to capture an unknown particle that kept flashing, decelerating and changing direction for no reason, appearing and disappearing unpredictably… seemed! To be a fallacy in itself!

It was an impossible mission!

Before this, he didn't have a real sense of this 100-kilometer-high-altitude capture mission, and he thought Huang Que's plan was feasible. But when the truly intuitive demonstration was in front of him, Lin Xian felt that this plan was too crazy, full of loopholes, and even had no guarantee of success.

So…

What made Huang Que so confident, so persistent, so convinced that their plan would succeed?

After thinking about it…

[Only Chu Anqing, whose role and significance were still unclear.]

Finally…

Coupled with Zhang Yuqian, who died in 2000, Chu Anqing, who was born in 2004, and CC, who lived in the world 600 years later…

The three of them looked exactly alike, living in three unconnected, completely different time and space.

Time and space!

Space-time particles!

This series of seemingly incoherent and unrelated anomalies merged together, and only one correct answer could completely connect all the clues—

[That space-time particle, which clearly had a target, was coming for Chu Anqing!]

[The fact that Zhang Yuqian, Chu Anqing, and CC looked the same in different time and space was most likely caused by space-time particles!]

[And the reason why Huang Que specifically called Chu Anqing to participate in this capture mission, without any meaning, was just to let her continue to attract space-time particles, to be a target!]

[As long as Chu Anqing stayed in the space plane, it wouldn't be the space plane chasing space-time particles, but space-time particles actively chasing the space plane! Only by passively turning active can it be guaranteed that the space-time particle will not be lost, so that Gao Yang can capture it, and this seemingly crazy and impossible task can turn the tables!]

Only in this way…

Did everything make sense.

Did everything make logical sense.

It's just that…

Lin Xian was extremely worried.

If the space-time particle was really coming to find Chu Anqing…

Then…

What would happen after it found her?

What would Chu Anqing become?

This thought made Lin Xian uneasy, chilling to the bone.

Therefore…

He had to ask this question clearly, he had to get an accurate answer from Huang Que.

He stared at Huang Que's azure blue eyes, like flowing light…

He didn't care about all the previous puzzles and riddle-solving behavior.

Only this question…

Had to be clarified.

No retreat.

However…

Faced with such an aggressive Lin Xian…

Huang Que was slightly stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud:

"Lin Xian, what nonsense are you thinking?"

"Huh?"

Lin Xian, who had been strategizing just now, was stuck like a big-faced cat at this moment.

He blinked:

"Isn't it right?"

"Of course it's not right, how did you come to such an absurd conclusion?"

Huang Que's eyes narrowed into a line, as if she had heard a very funny joke:

"If that's really the case, then why would we go to space to capture space-time particles? We could just build dozens of space-time particle capture devices, surround Chu Anqing, and wait for the rabbit, wouldn't that be better?"

"We wouldn't even need to turn on the rice cooker… ah, the space-time particle capture device, and Gao Yang wouldn't need to do anything. Just stack these rice cookers around Chu Anqing into a mountain, waiting for it to flash in and throw itself into the net, why would we need to go through so much trouble now?"

"It's precisely because we don't know where the space-time particle is going, what it's looking for, when it will disappear, where its final destination is… that's why we need to go to space in advance to capture it. If it were really like what you said, it would be too simple, there would be a thousand ways to capture the space-time particle."

"Besides…"

Huang Que smiled slightly, looking at Lin Xian:

"Space-time particles are not isolated cases. As long as one can be found, it means that there are countless others in the vast universe. There's no doubt about that. In such a vast universe, anything you can find one of must exist in countless numbers."

"If it were really as you said, then the area around Earth should be like a meteor shower, with a large number of space-time particles flying towards Chu Anqing at all times, bombarding her… do you think that's realistic?"

"Logical reasoning is a very interesting thing. You only need to simulate, imagine, and develop along the conditions, and you can naturally get feasible or infeasible answers. The key lies in—"

"[Don't believe that anything, anything is unique. Because the universe and time-space are really too big, so big that they can accommodate infinite possibilities.]"

…

After listening to Huang Que's words.

Lin Xian was indeed convinced.

Reasonable and well-founded.

Especially that last sentence.

If Liu Feng spent several months discovering a space-time particle within the solar system, then how many space-time particles should there be in the vast universe, with billions of years and billions of light-years? It could simply be described as ubiquitous.

Couldn't possibly be that these space-time particles were all coming towards Earth, towards Chu Anqing, right?

That scene would indeed be terrifying.

It seemed that his thinking was indeed too limited.

Many seemingly miraculous individual cases are simply ordinary when placed on the scale of the universe.

Including civilization.

Including life.

Including destruction.

These things are happening in every corner of the universe, all the time.

It's just…

The universe is really too big.

All earth-shattering events are, in the final analysis, small-scale and insignificant.

"Then why do you have to drag Chu Anqing into space?" Lin Xian asked.

"Just for an extra layer of insurance, just like Gao Yang."

Huang Que turned her head away and said softly:

"From a safety point of view, it is indeed more stable to have one less person than one more."

"But from the point of view of success, one more person means more strength and more hope."

"It's just that you and I consider the problem from different angles. You consider safety, and I care about whether the mission can succeed."

She turned her head and looked at Lin Xian:

"In this regard, Lin Xian, Chu Anqing is much braver than you."

"If you always think about doing something only when it is absolutely safe, without any risks, 100% guaranteed not to fail, foolproof… then you can hardly do anything."

"There are not so many kindnesses and gentleness waiting for you in this world, not so many fairy tales that are destined to be beautiful."

"I just don't want to put others in danger because of my own affairs." Lin Xian said: "That's all, I'm not shrinking back and afraid of anything."

"If you're not afraid, then naturally we won't be afraid either."

Huang Que blinked her glassy eyes, looking at Lin Xian:

"We are willing to take risks with you, it's our own choice. It has something to do with you, and it has nothing to do with you."

"Liu Feng is willing to throw his life into research that the whole world thinks is wrong for you; Gao Yang is willing to give up a promising and stable life for you, afraid of implicating you, he is always reluctant to go to your company; Chu Anqing, a pampered little princess, trains from morning till night for you, and her hands are calloused; I'm the same…"

She paused, and finally, her throat surged, and she swallowed some words:

"I'm the same."

"So." She took a step forward, extended her index finger, and pressed it against Lin Xian's chest, poking Lin Xian's ribs painfully.

Her azure blue gaze looked directly at Lin Xian:

"At this time, don't say discouraging words. That's not gentleness, nor is it kindness, it's just an escape."

"When a group of people firmly stand behind you, willing to go through fire and water for you regardless of life and death, what you need to do is not to pity, not to feel sorry, not to be moved, but to shout loudly, do your best, and lead them to charge together to the death."

"This is what a [leader] should do."

…

…

Lin Xian frowned slightly, looking at Huang Que:

"Do you have to speak so harshly?"

Huang Que snorted softly.

She retracted her index finger, put it back into her coat pocket, and smiled with her head down:

"I also want to have a good chat with you, it's just that time… is really running out."

"I hope that after returning from space this time, you can seriously think about what I told you about [looking in the mirror more], don't always take my words lightly."

"What I can do is very limited. Even if I know something, I can't change anything. In the end, you still have to rely on yourself, Lin Xian, to change all this."

She turned around, stepped away on her clattering high heels, waved to Lin Xian with her back:

"Good night."

…

At night, in the dormitory.

"VV."

Lin Xian propped his chin, elbow on the desk, and said softly:

"Huang Que is lying."

"Obviously." The electronic alarm clock VV said:

"Her reason for explaining why she brought Chu Anqing into space is simply untenable. She has her purpose, even to say… her purpose has always been only one—to capture the space-time particle."

"But even after I analyzed it for so long, I still can't figure out why she has to drag Chu Anqing into space, I can't find a reasonable reason at all."

Lin Xian picked up a pen from the pen holder,夹 in his fingers, and spun it:

"It must be related to space-time particles, there's no need to even think about it. I really thought before that Huang Que was planning to use Chu Anqing to attract space-time particles in order to capture it. But now it seems that this idea was not correct, and instead I was ridiculed by Huang Que…"

"Come on, I'm not a leader, okay? She's the commander-in-chief. If I were to be the commander-in-chief, I think it would be enough to take you into space. It seems… Huang Que doesn't trust you very much, VV, she may be worried that you can't beat Kevin Walker."

"Just kidding!" The electronic alarm clock broke its voice angrily:

"If I can't beat Kevin Walker, I'll take my CPU down for you! Is she insulting people like that! Artificial intelligence is very rational and will never be conceited or arrogant. What is what, I will never brag or pretend."

"I admitted it generously before when I couldn't break through Kevin Walker's blockade and couldn't find his whereabouts. I always say one thing at a time and be realistic. Now my strength is indeed above Kevin Walker, far above, this is an undisputed fact."

"When I was born, I was the most powerful super artificial intelligence of this era; after half a year of updates and iterations, although it is not to the point of reaching a complete body, I can definitely say that in the current era, no one, nothing can do anything to me! Is it not allowed to tell the truth?"

Lin Xian covered his ears.

Reaching out to stop the electronic alarm clock from making a sharp sound like fingernails scratching a blackboard:

"What are you doing here! You go quarrel with Huang Que, doesn't she have an electronic alarm clock in her room?"

"Okay, okay, stop making noise, I believe you, I believe that you are invincible in the era of 2024, stop making noise."

After VV calmed down, Lin Xian sighed lightly.

He believed that Huang Que was not an enemy.

But…

This woman is too purposeful.

She is indeed doing it for his own good, he is also clear.

But others…

Lin Xian always felt that Huang Que would not consider so much for others.

She admits that the history she knew has ended.

This may also be what she hopes to see.

If she is really a time traveler, then the purpose of her traveling back must be to change history, reverse failure, and change tragedy.

Since the historical trajectory and future development have become what she doesn't know, embarking on a path other than destined failure, it means that Huang Que's purpose is about to be achieved.

And the key to truly reversing the success or failure of history.

It must be that crucial [space-time particle].

These things are not difficult to guess now, it's becoming more and more obvious.

It's just…

Lin Xian is always uneasy.

He can't guess why Chu Anqing has to go to space.

He can't figure it out no matter what.

Clap.

Lin Xian finished turning the pen, a final horizontal flick, the pen accurately hit the pen holder, popped in vertically, completing a set of hearty combos.

"VV."

He turned around and looked at the electronic alarm clock on the bedside:

"I want to tell you something."

"What is it?" VV asked.

Lin Xian paused and said softly:

"Huang Que's purpose is indeed to capture that space-time particle, with a feeling of being willing to pay any price."

"But if it really costs the lives of companions, I'm not willing to do it. Especially now that the truth about Chu Anqing is unknown, the meaning of space-time particles is unknown, and Huang Que is obviously lying…"

Lin Xian raised his head and looked at the electronic alarm clock VV:

"If I sense anything wrong, you immediately hijack this space plane according to my orders… abandon the plan and return immediately!"