Chapter 6: Information Across Time

At this moment, in Kyoto, at the University of Science.

Professor Feng, over fifty years old, had just finished a tiring day and returned to his office.

As was his habit, he planned to watch a bit of late-night television before heading home.

As he flipped through the channels, he happened to land on Suzhou TV Station, which was airing a program debunking the Grandfather Paradox.

"Debunking the Grandfather Paradox?"

His eyes lit up, drawn in by Jiang Zhe's science communication program.

He immediately chose to replay the segment, fast-forwarding to the current point.

Soon, he had finished browsing through it all, the expression of curiosity on his face growing more intense.

"This is interesting; using twins, mother and daughter, and Quantum Mechanics to interpret Telepathy."

"This is a new line of thinking."

...

"Hmm? Can Quantum Entanglement transcend time?"

"But the Grandfather Paradox is just a small issue; it's easy to explain with science!"

"The mass of all things in the world remains constant within the same time and space."

"If a person, or even a stone from the future, were to suddenly appear at this very moment, it would cause the world to collapse."

"Because at this moment, the fundamental particles in the universe are increasing or decreasing in an orderly fashion."

"Once there are third-party fundamental particles—for example, if all the particles composing a stone from the future suddenly dropped into the world at this moment—it would break the balance of the world's total mass."

"If the world's mass were in a state of deficit and in urgent need of new matter, then if a stone from the future fell into this world, nothing would happen."

"If the world's mass were already at its limit and a stone from the future fell in, it would cause unimaginable disasters—tsunamis, thunderstorms, and various other natural catastrophes."

To a professional, some things really don't hold up.

"As for whether the Grandfather Paradox holds... well, within a single timeline, it shouldn't."

Even this science professor, like most people in this world, believed that the Grandfather Paradox could only lead to parallel worlds.

Within a single timeline, such a situation is not permitted to exist!

Unless Jiang Zhe could defeat this fifty-odd-year-old science professor in a professional field.

He continued watching with an attitude of skepticism and curiosity.

Science professors like Professor Feng were gradually starting to notice the program on Suzhou TV Station.

They were also ready at any moment to use their professional knowledge to debunk Jiang Zhe's 'gimmicks.'

...

In the Television Station studio.

Jiang Zhe was speaking eloquently in front of the camera.

"Can quanta really travel through time?"

"Through what channels do they travel through time?"

"Actually, this question is mainly asking whether quanta can change time."

At this point, Jiang Zhe solemnly wrote several large characters at his desk: [Can choices made now change the past?]

Then he held up the whiteboard, aiming it at the cameraman's lens.

"As you can see, what we have been delving into is whether [a choice at this very moment can influence and change the past]!"

"Applying this to the Grandfather Paradox: [Can a grandson, at this very moment, change the life or death of his grandfather in the past through some kind of experiment?!]"

As soon as these words were spoken, comments flew rapidly across the Television Station's screen and the online live stream.

"This? How is that possible?"

"Changing the past from the present? Are you joking?"

"You mean, if I kill someone now and then say 'sorry,' I can bring them back to life? That's just too ridiculous."

...

Previously, many people thought Jiang Zhe really had some skill.

But as soon as he proposed 'Can the present change the past?', many viewers immediately began to doubt Jiang Zhe's abilities.

...

In the leadership conference room.

Old Zhao, Old Wang, and the others looked at the words Jiang Zhe had thrown out with expressions of confusion.

Old Zhao asked in bewilderment, "Changing the past from the present? Why does that sound a bit mystical to me?"

Wang Guosheng, the head of broadcasting, was also puzzled. "Hiss, you'd better not mess this up; we finally managed to pull in this much traffic!"

Xiao Shiyi, the entertainment host, noticed Wang Lin, the sci-fi host, was smiling. "Why are you laughing?"

The smile on Wang Lin's face grew wider. "I know what Jiang Zhe is going to do next."

"What is it?" Everyone looked over curiously.

If anyone on the scene could understand Jiang Zhe, it was naturally Wang Lin, who had graduated in science; otherwise, he wouldn't have become a sci-fi host.

Wang Lin gave a mysterious smile. "Actually, any science professor would know what he's going to do. From a television perspective, his next experiment will indeed overturn the worldview of those who don't understand Quantum Mechanics!"

As he finished speaking, all the leaders present showed surprised faces, becoming even more expectant.

The less Wang Lin explained, the more curious they became!

...

On the broadcast stage.

Jiang Zhe looked pensive; the next experiment would be somewhat difficult to perform, and the props on site were insufficient.

He was thinking of a short story that would allow more people to understand and accept the experimental conclusion he was about to present.

[The Quantum Delayed Choice Experiment!]

He remembered that the core conclusion of this delayed choice experiment is that in the microscopic world, choices made in the present can change the past.

Soon, he smiled slightly, having a story in mind.

"Before I talk about the next experiment, I have a short story here that perhaps you all might care to listen to."

As soon as he said this, everyone on site and even the viewers became focused.

"Hypothetically: On the first day of a certain month, an emperor of a feudal dynasty sends a Eunuch to deliver an imperial decree to the Viceroy of Liangjiang."

"There are two routes for the Eunuch to take from Kyoto to Jinling."

"When the Eunuch sets out, he might take Route A or Route B; both routes lead to the two paths in front of the city gate of the Viceroy's Manor."

"A friendly reminder: Here, it's important to note—when no one is observing this Eunuch, we assume there is no one else on the road, and the Eunuch will not encounter anyone's observation."

"Theoretically speaking—when you are not observing the Eunuch, he could be taking Route A or Route B. If we compare the Eunuch to a quantum, the unobserved Eunuch is currently in a [Quantum Superposition State]; he could be on A or B. The Eunuch is in an [uncertain state]."

"And the way to break the [Quantum Superposition State] is through [Observation]—acts like listening, seeing, smelling, or touching are all forms of [Observation]."

"Next, I hope everyone will keep this concept in mind as you listen to my story."

Hearing this, the interviewees on site nodded in agreement; after all, they knew Jiang Zhe was talking about the [Quantum Delayed Choice Experiment] before anyone else.

"He has some skill; being able to blend several classic experiments of Quantum Mechanics into an easy-to-understand story is a talent."

"This is [Schrödinger's Cat]; it's only at the moment the box is opened that one knows whether the cat is alive or dead!"

"It's also like a coin; you flip it and then close your eyes. After the coin lands, it could be heads or tails; only when you open your eyes will it be determined if it's heads, tails, or even the rare case of the coin standing on its edge."

...

More and more viewers were becoming immersed in Jiang Zhe's narration.

Jiang Zhe's voice continued to come from the stage.

"Alright, knowing the concepts of Quantum Superposition State and observation versus non-observation, let's return to our subject!"

"Which route the Eunuch chooses to take to Jinling depends entirely on his mood the moment he steps out the door."

"Along the way, still no one knows which route the Eunuch has taken."

"Soon, time passes. On the fifteenth of this month, after a fifteen-day journey, The Viceroy successfully meets the Eunuch at the outskirts of the city. Only one Eunuch arrives!"

"Okay, this time it was one Eunuch. There's nothing strange about the story so far!"

...

"On the first day of the second month, the emperor again sends a Eunuch to deliver a letter to The Viceroy."

"The Eunuch, just like last time, chooses between Route A and Route B. For outsiders, still no one knows which route he takes."

"This time, on the fifteenth of the month, something unexpected happens—The Viceroy, having stayed up for 2.5 hours singing, dancing, and rapping with his wife, catches a cold and ends up bedridden. He chooses not to go out to meet the Eunuch but instead lets the Eunuch come in on his own."

"That afternoon, the Eunuchs who arrive at The Viceroy's room are actually two Eunuchs!"

"The Viceroy only utters a confused sentence: 'Two of them came this time!'"

"Okay, last time The Viceroy went to meet the Eunuch and received one Eunuch at the city gates."

"This time, because The Viceroy was ill and didn't go to meet the Eunuch, he received two Eunuchs in his own room."

"In both cases, the moment The Viceroy sees the Eunuch, it counts as [Direct Observation], causing the Eunuch's [Quantum Superposition State] to collapse, changing from uncertainty to certainty."

...

"Let's continue and take this story to the next level!"

"For the next few dozen months, the emperor is bored enough to keep sending Eunuchs to The Viceroy with letters for fun."

"As time continues to pass, The Viceroy discovers a law of the universe—"

"Every time he goes out of the city to meet the Eunuch and sees him with his own eyes, only one Eunuch arrives!"

"Every time he doesn't go out to meet the Eunuch and instead receives him in his room at home, two Eunuchs arrive!"

"Over the following decades, he tries this repeatedly, losing sleep and breaking into cold sweats."

"He doesn't know about the so-called [Quantum Superposition State]; he has simply discovered a philosophy of life."

"'Why is it that my action on the fifteenth—whether I go out to meet him or not—can influence the emperor's decision on the first of the month? When that old emperor sends a Eunuch to me, does he send one person or two?'"

"Thus, The Viceroy dies of old age with this mystery of the century; he never discovers why this happens even until his death!"

"All of this stems from..."

At this point, Jiang Zhe held up the whiteboard in front of him, which had eight large characters on it: [Quantum Delayed Choice Experiment!]

As he finished speaking, the audience below fell silent.

Every face showed an expression of disbelief.