246: Chapter 246 Arrival in India

The comment section below quickly turned into a battlefield.

"Exactly! So arrogant! Don't think that solving one conjecture makes you invincible. How many geniuses throughout history have fallen before Goldbach's?"

"A typical case of a petty man having his day. He's been praised so much by domestic media that he's lost his way. I think he's just riding a tiger and can't get off; he's just forcing himself to go through with it."

"Heh, just waiting for Zhao Yang's reputation to be ruined in India. Academic fraud incoming."

"Fraud my foot! He's a legitimate doctor from Peking University. Who do you think you are, just typing away on your keyboard?"

"Does God Zhao's strength need to be proven to you? He hasn't even given his lecture yet, and you already know there's a mistake? Are you even more impressive than the mathematicians at the International Congress of Mathematicians?"

"Even if he hasn't proven it, so what? The courage to challenge the highest peak deserves respect! It's better than you losers who can only hide behind a screen and spit venom!"

Public opinion on the internet was polarized, and the arguments were endless. Supporters saw Zhao Yang as a national pride and a god of mathematics, while opponents considered him arrogant, a clout-chaser, and even someone engaged in a high-stakes academic fraud.

However, at the eye of this nationwide storm of public opinion, Zhao Yang seemed as if he were isolated from the world.

He didn't care at all about the filth or the frantic praise online; his phone had long since been silenced and tossed into a corner.

Until an overseas call came through to Professor Wang Wenyuan's phone, forcefully interrupting his seclusion.

"Zhao Yang, take the call. It's Professor Terence Tao."

Wang Wenyuan handed the phone to Zhao Yang.

Zhao Yang took the phone. "Hello, Professor Tao."

On the other end of the line, Terence Tao's voice was gentle as always, but it also carried a rare seriousness. In slightly stiff Chinese, he said, "Zhao, I saw the update on the ICM official website. Tell me honestly, have you really completely solved Goldbach's Conjecture?"

Zhao Yang was silent for two seconds and answered truthfully, "I haven't completely finished writing it yet. There's a final bit left that I'm currently deriving."

Hearing this answer, Terence Tao, on the other side of the ocean, gasped.

"Zhao! You're crazy!"

Terence Tao's voice rose an octave, which was rare for him.

"You're playing with fire! Do you know what a one-hour plenary report means? It's something that will be recorded in the annals of mathematics! There's less than a month left until the congress. What if your inspiration gets stuck this month? What if the thousands of mathematicians in the audience find a loophole on the spot?"

"Take my advice, Zhao."

Terence Tao said earnestly.

"Your talent is like nothing I've ever seen. You could completely wait until you're fully prepared and then publish it safely. Contact the organizing committee immediately and change the topic back to the twin prime conjecture; there's still time. They will understand."

Holding the phone, Zhao Yang's gaze fell on the pile of messy manuscripts on the desk. He said calmly, "Professor Tao, thank you for your concern. But in my dictionary, there is no such word as 'retreat.' I have already seen the dawn of the final problem, and I am confident I can solve it within this time. See you in Hyderabad."

Hearing Zhao Yang's words, Terence Tao was silent for a while.

"I hope you really know what you're doing!"

"Yes, I know!"

"Then, good luck!"

Terence Tao sighed; he felt he couldn't persuade Zhao Yang.

"Thank you! I will!"

After saying that, Zhao Yang hung up the phone.

Less than half an hour later, Shing-Tung Yau's call also came directly to Wang Wenyuan.

As a highly respected titan in the Chinese mathematics community, Elder Yau's tone wasn't as polite, and he immediately launched into a scolding.

"Zhao Yang! Have you been blinded by the domestic praise? Why are you taking such a huge political and academic risk? Do you know what you're doing?"

"Your proof of Goldbach's Conjecture hasn't even been posted as a preprint yet; no one has seen your paper!"

"If there's a problem with your proof, do you know what kind of burden you'll be carrying? Go and change your topic back!"

Shing-Tung Yau's tone was very blunt; he didn't want to see such a young scientist fall into a slump because of his own arrogance!

He had to scold Zhao Yang into his senses!

Zhao Yang patiently listened to Elder Yau's scolding and gave the same answer: "Elder Yau, please believe me. Since I dared to submit this topic, I will definitely bring the complete proof to India."

Elder Yau was silent on the other end for a long time, which finally turned into a long sigh. "Young people nowadays... truly, the youth are to be feared. Fine, I'm going to Hyderabad this time too. I want to see exactly how far you can go, kid!!"

"Are you really not going to reconsider?"

After Shing-Tung Yau hung up, Professor Wang Wenyuan looked at Zhao Yang with hesitation in his eyes and asked.

"No, Professor."

Zhao Yang smiled slightly and said, looking at Professor Wang Wenyuan.

Hearing Zhao Yang's words, Professor Wang Wenyuan sighed softly and said nothing more.

Enough people had already tried to persuade him!

After Professor Wang Wenyuan left, Zhao Yang immersed himself in Goldbach's Conjecture once again.

Time passed quickly.

Mid-August.

Three days until the opening of the International Congress of Mathematicians.

Yanjing International Airport.

Zhao Yang, Professor Wang Wenyuan, and Shing-Tung Yau, who had just flown back from across the ocean to join them, boarded a flight to Hyderabad, India.

On the plane.

Shing-Tung Yau looked at Zhao Yang, his brow furrowing slightly.

At this moment, although Zhao Yang had been forced by Wang Wenyuan to get his hair trimmed at a barbershop, had shaved his beard, and put on a decent casual suit, his eyes still had a sense of emptiness that drifted away from reality.

However, Shing-Tung Yau didn't ask anything. After all, at this time, Zhao Yang was already under enough pressure.

He couldn't continue to pressure him!

The plane landed.

The moment the cabin door opened.

A wave of scorching heat, mixed with a strong scent of curry spices and muggy, humid vapor, along with a faint yet unmistakable smell of cow dung, suddenly rushed at them.

"Cough, cough..." Professor Wang Wenyuan choked on the unique Indian air and coughed twice, quickly taking out a handkerchief to cover his nose.

Zhao Yang's brow was tightly furrowed; the terrible environmental odor made him feel somewhat helpless.

Although he had expected this, witnessing such a terrible scene with his own eyes was still difficult for Zhao Yang to accept.

The streets of Hyderabad were extremely noisy, with colorful three-wheeled tuk-tuks weaving frantically through the road, ear-piercing horns blaring one after another, and occasional sacred cows wandering slowly by the roadside.

But Zhao Yang turned a blind eye to all this exotic flair.

After arriving at the five-star hotel arranged by the organizing committee, Zhao Yang entered his room and immediately flipped the door sign to "Do Not Disturb," shutting Wang Wenyuan and Elder Yau outside.

"This kid..."

Elder Yau looked at the closed door and shook his head.

"There are only two days left. Has he told you about his research progress?"

Shing-Tung Yau looked at Wang Wenyuan beside him.

"No."

Professor Wang Wenyuan sighed.

"During this time, I haven't even dared to ask!"

Hearing Professor Wang Wenyuan's words, Shing-Tung Yau's brow furrowed tightly.

"Then what should we do?"

"Let's leave it to fate," Wang Wenyuan said with a bitter smile.