211: Chapter 211: He is definitely a visitor from another world

"So that Dark Competition?" Researcher Sun, a young member of the astronomical theory group, murmured to himself. "Every civilization is desperately climbing the technology tree because everyone wants to be the first to leap out of the universe. Whoever leaps out becomes the first observer to define the history of the universe?"

"This... damn, this is such a wild brain-hole, yet it doesn't contradict the principle of Quantum Mechanics that observation equals reality!"

Old Wang stood up abruptly, his gaze fixed on Professor Zhang Qinian. "Old Zhang, so what do you suggest we do?"

"I suggest forming a special task force immediately," Professor Zhang Qinian said with a look of certainty. "We won't publicly announce that we're searching for aliens; we'll call it research into extreme astrophysical phenomena."

"Using the screening criteria provided by the J-Sphere hypothesis, we'll systematically review all data and simultaneously establish a candidate star catalog for anomalous dimming."

"Then, we'll mobilize all available idle resources—domestic facilities like FAST, LAMOST, and the future CSST, as well as striving for observation time through international cooperation—to conduct highest-priority multi-band, high-time-resolution follow-up observations on these targets."

At this point, he paused for a moment before continuing, "Director Wang, we aren't just following a sci-fi trend."

"This is an opportunity to uncover the greatest mystery in human history. Even if it eventually proves to be natural phenomena, we will have advanced our understanding of stellar physics and the interstellar medium. But what if?"

Indeed, what if?

Everyone looked at each other, seeing the gravity on one another's faces.

Those two words were like a clap of thunder!

If they succeeded, their names would go down in history; if they failed, they wouldn't lose much. At worst, they'd just be adding a bit more knowledge to university textbooks.

No matter how you looked at it, it was a win-win for both fame and fortune!!!

As soon as the group thought of this, their mouths couldn't help but curl into grins. A clean consensus was reached!

Director Wang remained silent for a long time. Finally, he took a heavy breath. "Let's do it. Treat it as a gamble."

"Old Zhang, you take the lead. Director Liu and Engineer Zhao will assist. Submit reports for whatever resources you need."

"Remember—"

He narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping across every face in the meeting room, young and old alike. "Keep your mouths shut. For now, this is just a theoretical research project."

Everyone nodded in succession.

After a long while, the meeting adjourned.

Just as Director Wang was about to leave, Professor Zhang Qinian grabbed his arm.

"Hmm?"

Professor Zhang said with a serious expression, "According to inside sources this morning, J's identity has already been placed under secret national protection. Furthermore, Huaqing University previously conducted the xia country brain experiment."

"xia country brain?"

"It's like this..."

Following Professor Zhang's explanation, Director Wang's eyes gradually widened. "A new direction for Artificial Intelligence? Simulating the xia country brain within a supercomputer? How do you know about such a confidential matter?"

"I was curious and mentioned it to my son this morning. It turns out my son at Huaqing University told me—one of his students leaked it privately. Anyway, you should know that although I know who J is, his specific information has been protected by the authorities. You can hardly find any concrete details about him online; you can only see his face, not even an introduction. This is enough to see the state's vision."

Hearing this, Director Wang's eyes grew even brighter. "It seems our names will truly go down in history, hahahaha, thanks to him!"

"Not necessarily, but it's not a big problem. Perhaps alien civilizations are everywhere, just not in the way we imagined."

Little did they know, a small extra lesson from Jiang Zhe had inadvertently succeeded in promoting the astronomical development of the Xia Country in this world!!!

...

At the same time across the ocean, in the Fu Nation, at the University of Cambridge.

It was 7:30 AM. Professor Stephen of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics set down his black tea.

His gaze returned to the computer screen.

That email from Ouyang Baili had quietly appeared in his inbox.

The subject was: "Hypothesis on Intelligent Life in the Universe Being Forced to Participate in a Dark Competition Based on Formula J and the J-Sphere Concept."

"Oh? Something new again? Has J sent me a New Year's gift so punctually?"

"Let's see what kind of gift this madman has brought me today!"

Professor Stephen rubbed his somewhat cold hands, then clicked on the paper and began to read.

He first quickly skimmed the abstract. He saw the claim that there might be 80 intelligent civilizations in the Milky Way, each more advanced than Earth's, and that cosmic civilizations generally tend to hide themselves—the scientific basis being the use of stellar-level civilizations.

And that the ultimate goal of intelligent civilizations is to [Leap Out of the Universe] to vie for being the first observer, thereby anchoring the history and future of the universe.

*Hiss—*

His expression shifted wildly. "My God!"

This time, Stephen's mood for joking about a madman vanished completely. He immediately grabbed the phone on his desk.

The first call was to Professor Michael in the neighboring astrophysics department, the very colleague who had researched the 36-degree sun with him last time.

"Michael, it's me. Forget your breakfast, don't even drink your coffee. Come to my office right now, this instant. J is at it again. This time, I think you'll need to bring your heart medication."

Next, he dialed Professor Clark, a professor of astronomy at the University of Cambridge and a senior consultant for SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence).

"Clark, sorry to disturb you so early. I have a paper here from that mysterious J team in the East. The content is extremely relevant to you; it directly concerns the fundamental logic of our search for aliens."

"I think no one is better suited to judge it than you. Can you come over? It might just change the future search focus of SETI!"

Five minutes later, Professor Michael rushed in with a burning gaze.

"Stephen, if this is another philosophical debate about the Time Stream or a black hole universe, it's too crazy. It's so crazy it doesn't sound like a theory from a modern person, but from someone from the future. I swear I'll throw this cup of tea in your face!"

Ten minutes later, Professor Clark arrived as well, dressed neatly in a black suit.

"Alright, gentlemen!" Stephen turned the tablet toward them, displaying the paper. "Look at this. Set aside all prejudice and judge it with your most professional yet boldest eyes!"

The office fell silent, leaving only the sound of the two professors quickly scrolling through the screen to browse the paper, their brows furrowing and breaths hitching from time to time.

When Professor Michael saw the parameters of Formula J, especially the final point suggesting 80 advanced potential neighbors in the Milky Way, he jumped up. "Crazy indeed. This is more... well, maybe not as crazy as the 36-degree sun. But this framework, this screening logic—this isn't a formula given by an amateur. It looks like it's from an old fellow who's been grinding in the astronomy circle for forty or fifty years!"

Of course, Jiang Zhe wouldn't say—Professor Michael, you're right. In his previous life, it was called the Drake Equation, developed by exactly such an old fellow in the astronomy circle.

Professor Clark, however, read more slowly and carefully.

As an expert in the SETI field, the J-Sphere concept—shifting the search target from anomalous brightness to anomalous dimming—hit him like a bolt of lightning.

His finger stopped on the paper's examples of [Unexplainable Stellar Dimming], his expression becoming increasingly grave.

"Tabbys Star, EPIC 204278916... and many, many more..."

Professor Clark looked up with a heavy face. "We've always tried to find more reasonable natural models in these cases. We never systematically treated them as a whole. This formula and the J-Sphere concept directly fit those celestial spectacles into his J-Sphere framework. The J-Sphere provides a logical reverse-inference and framework for these incomprehensible events."

"Not only that, Clark." Stephen pointed his finger at the section on the Dark Competition on the tablet. "Look at this deduction. If hiding is a universal tendency of advanced civilizations, and if the ultimate goal of the universe is indeed the chance to leap out of it!"

"Then the Great Silence we observe today might not be because civilizations are rare or short-lived, but because all potential civilizations have entered a state of war with the same realization!"

"We humans aren't listening to an empty classroom; we're listening to a stadium where every student has their mouth shut and is holding their breath!"

Hearing this, Professor Michael stopped abruptly and turned to face the two. "So, the answer to the fermi paradox might not be 'where are they,' but 'they have already hidden,' and we've been looking in the wrong place!"

"This Dark Competition conjecture feels like something from those old fellows in the Quantum Mechanics circle. That kind of thinking turns cosmic civilizations from a static ecological civilization into a dynamic one; it's practically an arena filled with ultimate survival pressure!"

"This has transcended astrophysics and entered the realm of Cosmic Sociology!"

Professor Clark lit a cigarette with a shocked expression and took a deep breath. "This paper is incredibly bold. J's ideas are also very crazy—crazy enough to seem like they're from a visitor from another world, looking down on us mortals from a god-like perspective!"

"This also means that our SETI's main search strategy over the past decades may have had a blind spot."

"We've been listening for the songs of the universe, but more advanced alien civilizations might have already learned ventriloquism."

At this, he looked at Stephen and Michael. "Even if this paper is only five percent correct, it touches upon the true nature of the starry firmament and is enough for us to completely rethink our current search methods. This J... is either the boldest polymathic visionary in human history, or a think tank of astrophysicists from a major power!"

"We at SETI have recruited young people with genius ideas before, but after screening them, we found their ideas weren't even as crazy as us old fellows."

"This J is perfectly suited to be a senior consultant for SETI!"

"Can you help me contact him? I need to speak with him face-to-face. For the appearance fee, I'll offer this much on behalf of SETI!"

As he spoke, Professor Clark held up two fingers.

Professor Stephen rolled his eyes at him. "Two million pounds?"

"What? I'm offering this price just after seeing a paper. Is that too low?"

Professor Stephen shook his head. "This young man's real information has already been classified by the Xia Country. You should understand what I mean, right?"

As the words fell, Professor Clark and Professor Michael looked at each other, both seeing the incredulity on the other's face.

Once placed under secret national protection, it meant...

Every word and action of this young man, past and present, involved major secrets!!!

Thinking of this, the wonder in Professor Clark's eyes turned into a fervent heat. "Perhaps I know what to do now, hahaha. This means the Xia Country isn't stopping him from sharing his unique original formulas and ideas with the whole world. The Xia Country has done this beautifully!"

Over the next few dozen minutes, the three old friends chatted much more.

Finally, when Professor Clark learned more about Jiang Zhe's past deeds and information, he was stunned on the spot.

How could a 24 or 25-year-old kid have such a thorough grasp of the knowledge that several dozen people in the academic circle had spent their entire lives soaking in?

Before leaving, Professor Clark said with absolute conviction, "He is definitely a visitor from another world. Otherwise, what kind of internet rumor could claim a high school dropout is capable of such brilliant decision-making!!"

...

PS: The backstage data from the last TV program was very good and effective. Next, I don't mind expanding the breadth of the book a bit. Before the first 'Universe is Alive' arc, I'll intersperse something like a TV show Q&A. I can reveal that it won't be too long and won't affect the main rhythm: the protagonist is secretly filmed by Xiao Yu during an online academic promotion test, and he will rise from a high school education level all the way up... crazy shocks ahead!