Chapter 1 "Mmm..."

Lin Xian seriously considered Jask's crazy plan:

"Launching 22 probe rockets in 22 directions... It's one thing within the solar system, but on a scale of several light-years, it's too渺茫 (miǎo máng - remote, faint)."

"No, Lin Xian."

The hafnium alloy trash can, VV, shook its head, poking Lin Xian's knee with its claw:

"The purpose of these probes is only to observe whether the doomsday white light comes from outer space, not to collide with it like playing billiards."

"Since you can see that white light in your dreams, it means it's visible light. Logically, it should be visible in the universe."

"It's like the stars we look up at at night. In fact, the light from many stars comes from hundreds or thousands of years ago. Many have already collapsed and exploded, but we won't see their light extinguished for hundreds of years."

"So, think of it this way: we can see stars hundreds of light-years away with the naked eye. The detection range of the probes can also be hundreds of light-years long, like a space telescope."

"As long as these 22 probes can observe a white light rushing towards Earth within their detection range, it indicates that Jask's theory is correct."

Jask smiled slightly.

He stepped forward and patted VV's head:

"Lin Xian, your artificial intelligence is indeed very smart and likable. I think I've changed my mind."

Then,

He looked up at Lin Xian:

"But you're right. We don't know what the universe is like beyond light-years, and we don't know what will happen."

"It's very possible that these 22 rockets and space-time particles will be a waste of effort."

"But… scientific verification experiments aren’t afraid of wasted effort. Each time we eliminate a failure, we get closer to success."

"Even if these 22 rocket probes of mine find nothing, there won’t be much loss besides some space-time particles. But if one of the probes really detects something, we'll hit the jackpot! Perhaps all the mysteries will have a research direction, and it won't be long before we conquer them!"

Lin Xian nodded.

That was true.

In any case, ordinary space-time particles weren't very useful. Jask was making the most of them by recycling them.

"It's worth a try. It's indeed a good idea. How's your preparation? When are you planning to launch these probes?"

"Almost ready."

Jask smiled:

"I've been working on this for years. I can't let you down."

"I'll prepare everything as soon as possible. When the rockets launch, I'll invite you to come and watch!"

"Then I won't disturb you looking for clues here. I'll go back and work on launching the probes. I'll also take Einstein's oven with me to entangle the space-time particle inside."

"This entire Old Brooklyn area is my territory. I've protected Einstein's underground shelter very well. No one knows about it except the three of us. You can investigate here to your heart's content. I'm leaving."

Jask was always a busy man, coming and going in a hurry.

"Okay, VV, it's your turn to work."

After Jask left,

Lin Xian pointed to the network server behind the high platform, covered in thick dust:

"This is the foundation of the Genius Club's gathering system. The program and security system were written by Kevin Walker. I think we should be able to find out the real identities of Copernicus or Newton by investigating the data inside."

"Don't worry! Leave it to me!"

VV rotated its claws, eager to try:

"Watch me dig out that old schemer! Or rather… even without this network server, I can still find Newton!"

"I haven't been idle for the past 500 years. Every sweeping robot and trash can robot in the world has my shadow. They are my cells and my eyes…"

"Stop."

Lin Xian quickly stopped VV from showing off, to prevent it from making another flag:

"Hurry up and change your habit of boasting. Haven't you suffered enough losses? Don't act like you're so powerful and then get killed again."

"Kou Nuoya Lu!"

VV let out a ghostly cry:

"Don't underestimate the bond between us trash cans and sweeping robots, you bastard!"

"…"

Lin Xian looked speechlessly at the drama queen:

"Aren't you embarrassed to be playing this 500-year-old joke now? I'm embarrassed for you."

"Oh, you're so boring as always."

VV didn't bother to pay attention to Lin Xian, starting the network server and beginning to crack it:

"The cracking process will probably take some time. Find a place to rest for a while. You haven't slept since you woke up from hibernation."

Lin Xian yawned:

"I'm planning to enter a dream, mainly… to confirm something."

"What is it?" VV asked curiously.

"You."

Lin Xian looked at VV's gleaming hafnium alloy back:

"I can understand why Einstein's disappearance didn't cause a shift in the world line or a change in the space-time clock reading."

"But now, you, such a powerful super AI, have been revived, and it hasn't changed Liu Feng's space-time clock reading. I find that very strange."

"It's nothing."

VV didn't think much of it:

"Didn't the dream world change when you copied me out of the third dream and started me up?"

"That's because you were destroyed!"

Lin Xian spread his hands:

"In the established future trajectory, you were supposed to be destroyed by the future virus brought by Jia Yu Xi, so of course it wouldn't cause a world line change."

"But the problem now is… Cheng Qian has already been recruited by us and has become a capable member of Rhine University. You have evolved into a complete form. Who else can destroy you?"

VV's eyes flickered green twice:

"I understand what you mean—"

"[You want to go to the ninth dream to confirm if I still exist!]"

"If I still exist, we can communicate and exchange information across time and space. Maybe the future me can even tell you the answers to Jask's rocket probe plan before he launches it… Of course, we still have to wait for the irreversible anchor point to form."

"And if I still don't exist in the ninth dream… then there's a big problem."

As smart as VV was, it couldn't figure out why it would disappear again. And who would have such an ability?

Lin Xian's words made it a little uneasy.

"Well, anyway, go into the dream and see."

VV added:

"Can't you find Yang Mai Mai's hibernation pod? Yang Mai Mai is currently hibernating in an underground hibernation base. I'll leave a copy of my avatar in the hibernation pod's computer. You can try to find me there."

"Oh, I'm not Turing. Why be stingy with just one avatar… Once bitten, twice shy. I might as well put an avatar in every hibernation pod computer! I really don't believe anyone can kill me in the next 100 years! That's just nonsense!"

"Okay, now there's a backup of me in every hibernation pod computer in the world, including the one Mai Mai is sleeping in. Hurry up and go into the dream. Let's meet there."

Einstein's underground shelter naturally had a bedroom and a bed.

But…

Those were things of the past.

Hundreds of years had passed, and any wooden bed would have decayed. Only hafnium alloy could withstand time.

Unfortunately, Einstein was a pragmatist and didn't have the leisure to prepare a bed.

Looking left and right, the only place suitable for sleeping was the hibernation pod that Einstein had prepared for who knows who.

"Then I'll sleep in here."

Lin Xian patted the hibernation pod:

"As long as I don't start it up or cover myself with the blanket, it's no different from a flat bed. I'll just take a nap here."

He didn't take off his clothes, directly popped open the top cover of the hibernation pod, lay down, and closed his eyes.

He used to find riding in a hibernation pod terrifying.

But now, after experiencing two hibernations, he had gotten used to it. He felt that he could sleep well in it, as if it had a magical power.

He glanced at the thin, transparent phone on his wrist, which displayed both Dragon Country time and US time. Falling asleep at this time was perfect for entering a dream.

"Good night, VV. I hope to hear good news from you when I wake up."

Lin Xian closed his eyes.

He gradually fell asleep.

…

…

…

Ninth dream, underground hibernation base.

The girl, Mai Mai, opened her eyes, sat up from the misty hibernation pod, and looked at a strange man handing her a manuscript.

On the cover, were the four large characters *Shitian Modi* (噬天魔帝 - Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor).

"What is this?"

Mai Mai's eyes widened.

Just by looking at the name, she knew how powerful this book was! She wondered who wrote it!

Good! Loved it! Wanted to read it!

"Take the book and go read it somewhere else. I'm going to do something with your hibernation pod."

The man pulled her out directly, pressed her into a chair, and handed her *Shitian Modi*:

"Just focus on reading for now. I'll give you electrotherapy later when I'm free."

With a heart full of anticipation.

Lin Xian poked his head into the hibernation pod, looking at the computer that was issuing instructions and guiding her to perform recovery exercises after waking up:

"VV."

He whispered.

However…

There was no response.

"VV?"

Lin Xian knocked on the thin display screen, making a dull sound:

"Don't be a drama queen when you're doing something serious. If you're there, hurry up and come out. There's something important to do."

However…

No matter how Lin Xian called, he didn't get any response.

"…"

Lin Xian felt a little uneasy.

VV's first principle in the underlying code was that it couldn't betray or deceive itself, so if VV was joking with him, it would immediately tell him.

So, this situation meant…

Sure enough.

Just as Lin Xian had predicted—

"It's very possible that VV was still destroyed at some point in this world line. Even more thoroughly this time, without leaving even a stupid AI."

But.

Who could have such an ability?

Even after thinking about it until he was about to leave the dream, Lin Xian couldn't figure it out.

As smart and cautious as VV was.

How could it stumble in the same place twice?

VV would definitely focus most of its energy on self-protection and security in the future. Trying to kill it again with human intelligence, and killing it so completely, felt… extremely unlikely.

He stood up.

Looking at Mai Mai, who was squatting in the corner, absorbed, with her eyes wide open:

"Is this book good?"

"A masterpiece!!"

Mai Mai, who had already read it eight hundred times, was still a brand-new reader at this moment, excitedly clenching her fist:

"This book makes my blood boil! I can't wait to write one myself!"

"Uh… you're really persistent."

Lin Xian looked at his watch and waved to her:

"Bye bye~"

Boom!!!!!!

Boom!!!!!!

Boom!!!!!!

The wheels of time rolled forward, leaving two ruts that would never be smoothed out, like the ending that was destined to converge… The white light at 00:42 arrived on time.

Burning everything to ashes.

…

…

…

After opening his eyes, Lin Xian sat up from the hibernation pod, frowning.

"What's wrong with you? Why the long face?"

The hafnium alloy VV moved its treads over, looking up at Lin Xian:

"Your worries are written all over your face. Could it be… you still couldn't find me in the future dream?"

Lin Xian nodded silently:

"Indeed, I didn't find you. You disappeared completely, like being erased from a blackboard, without leaving even a stupid AI."

"Tch!"

VV scoffed:

"Even erasing a blackboard wouldn't be completely clean without leaving any traces. In this world, a goose leaves its footprints. How can there be such an absolute thing?"

"Don't tell me, I really can't think of anything that could kill me! Even when the time-traveler Yu Xi versus the 17th killer, the blue snow covering the entire East Sea City, didn't kill me…"

"Although the time bomb exploding at that moment did completely erase both me and the future virus within East Sea City, we both have backups everywhere in the world, all over the network. We can return to East Sea City in an instant, without any impact."

"Hundreds of years ago, many apps on mobile phones had cloud backup functions, let alone a super AI like me. Like a wily rabbit with three burrows, you don't even know how many life-saving boxes I've bought for myself these days! Guaranteed not to die!"

?

"Wait a minute."

Lin Xian suddenly jumped out of the hibernation pod and quickly walked to VV:

"Are you talking about that time with the blue snow, which was on July 1, 2024, when Yu Xi turned into a time bomb and exploded?"

"Yeah."

VV tilted its head:

"When else could it be? Isn't there just this one time?"

"Zhao Ying Jun even told Yu Xi this story. I was listening nearby at the time, but she was too embarrassed to tell Yu Xi about you two having a child out of wedlock, so she made a little artistic modification."

"No, no, no, now is not the time to talk about this."

Lin Xian waved his hand to interrupt VV, grabbing the key point:

"I always thought that time explosion had no impact on you or the future virus. It just killed the time-travelers who didn't belong to this time."

"But I didn't expect that you and the future virus didn't escape that time explosion. But… but that doesn't make sense. I typed you out letter by letter. You were born and raised in this era. Why could the time bomb kill you?"

He thought quickly, pacing in place:

"This matter is too illogical."

"Let me summarize. That time explosion reduced the 17th time killer to ashes, charged two space-time particles that had lost energy, and also eliminated you and the future virus within East Sea City."

"In other words, that time explosion, although we don't understand its specific principle, from the results… it treated VV and the future virus as foreign objects that didn't belong to this time and eliminated them."

"But a contradiction arises here. We won't talk about the future virus for now, but VV, you can't possibly have any foreign time attributes or time-traveler attributes. You should be immune to time explosions, just like everything else in this world."

"I think this can probably explain one thing—"

Lin Xian raised a finger and said seriously:

"[The principle of a time bomb is not elimination, but correction!]"

"Correction?"

VV was a little confused, but its brain was spinning fast:

"Are you saying that the essence of a time bomb is not to eliminate foreign time objects, but to correct the errors of this time?"

"Since there are errors, there must be a correct reference. According to your idea, what is the basis for the time bomb's correction of time errors?"

"[As you also know, our time has jumped world lines several times. If we take other world lines as the correct template and correct basis… wouldn't our entire world be wrong?]"

…

For a moment.

Lin Xian and the trash can VV stared at each other.

They both felt as if some hidden logic had been discovered, but they couldn't connect the clues, causing their minds to be in a mess, thinking one thing after another.

"It seems like, there's still a key point missing."

Lin Xian rubbed his temples:

"We're still missing the last key point… that can connect everything about time bombs, correcting time errors, and what constitutes an error."

"Ahem."

The hafnium alloy VV coughed pretentiously, leaning back with its arms crossed:

"Is it possible that this key point is in Newton's hands?"

Lin Xian turned his head.

Blinking his eyes.

Looking at VV in disbelief:

"You can't be, so fast…"

"Hehehehehe!"

VV made a standard villain laugh from a movie, snapping its fingers and making a sparking sound.

Instantly.

The surrounding monitors lit up at the same time, displaying a photo of a gaunt old man—

Puffy eye sockets, sparse eyebrows, sunken cheeks, collapsed eyelids, a high, arched nose, a narrow-slit chin, slightly pale lips, and long, narrow eyes…

Everything was so familiar.

Even though hundreds of years had passed, Lin Xian still clearly remembered this face! He had even drawn a lifelike sketch of it!

"Lin Xian, you were right before you went to sleep. There is indeed good news waiting for you when you wake up."

VV moved its treads, walking in front of the large screen.

Raising its claw.

Pointing to the old man's photo on the screen:

"Aren't you surprised? The person we searched for so long 500 years ago, and couldn't find in all the electronic photos in the world… actually appeared here."

VV's eyes flickered rapidly, definitively:

"That old man who trapped you in the fourth dream… is Newton!"