Everyone was familiar with VLBI, or Very Long Baseline Interferometry. By utilizing multiple radio telescopes to form a virtual telescope with a larger aperture, it had become a common observation method in astronomy and aerospace engineering. In the first half of 2019, the EHT used eight radio telescopes distributed across the globe to create a massive virtual telescope with an aperture nearly the size of Earth’s diameter, capturing humanity’s first black hole image—this was the keenest eye in human history, but that record was about to be broken by the 1220 Global Joint Observation Task Force.
They proposed the concept of asynchronous timeline coherence continuation. The simultaneity originally required by VLBI was no longer necessary; the same telescope at different spacetime coordinates could now synthesize images. The task force would utilize Earth’s revolution to move the telescope. In one year, Earth’s orbit around the sun would draw a large circle two astronomical units in diameter, and this circle would become the telescope’s virtual aperture. This was undoubtedly humanity’s largest-scale mega-project in history, though its operator would no longer be human power, but rather the sun’s gravitational force.
A great project must have an equally great driving force at its core.
Such a long observation baseline made “Very Long” seem modest—hence it was called “Very very Long.”
Once the plan succeeded, humanity would finally remove its congenital myopia, astigmatism, and cataracts. Our understanding of the external world would take a massive leap forward!
The astronomy team declared excitedly from the podium.
It would also provide support for Project Hedgehog or Project Earth Cannon.
“When can this telescope be implemented?” someone asked from below.
The astronomy team leader thought for a moment and held up three fingers.
“Three days,” he said. “Three days later, at midnight on January 3rd, all suitably positioned radio telescopes worldwide will power up simultaneously, beginning a year-long observation mission.”
“Are you confident you can see the target?”
“Comrades, our goal isn’t just to see it clearly—we must also find ways to deal with it, contributing to humanity’s final victory.”
Thunderous applause filled the room.
Old Zhao was snoring like thunder in the back row.
Meanwhile, in the command center, they were still cracking sunflower seeds.
“Whatever you want to do must follow the framework of the Three Laws of Time Slow Delivery. At the operational level, this means double-blind procedures, weakened purposefulness, reduced information load, and the sending must be a fact before the receiving end can receive the goods,” Old Bai muttered while cracking seeds. “These are pitfalls we’ve fallen into before. Learn from our mistakes—any attempt to challenge these iron rules will lead to failure.”
“We won’t challenge it,” said the nuclear work group. “I need some water; these seeds are too salty.”
Wang Ning poured a glass of water and handed it over.
“Then I’ve said all I need to say.” Bai Zhen clapped his hands, leaned back, and collapsed onto the sofa. “Brothers, the world’s fate is in your hands now.”
The nuclear work group was startled.
“Hey… Leader Bai, what do you mean?”
“Nothing much, I’m just out of ideas.” Old Bai lay there like a dead pig in boiling water. “I’m tired. If the world ends, let it end. To hell with it all.”
The nuclear work group realized this man was different from Zhao Bowen. Old Zhao had always been at the team’s core, personally driving countless threads forward. He had become inseparable from the team and couldn’t possibly back down. But Bai Zhen was different—Old Bai’s role in the command center was to beat the drums, specifically the retreat drums. When pushed too far, he would abandon his post. With Zhao Bowen absent, if he said he wouldn’t do it, he really wouldn’t.
The nuclear work group could only try to persuade him gently.
“Stop trying to convince me. This is all your fault,” Wang Ning said. “If you want the plan to proceed on schedule, you must trust us. Use people you trust, don’t use people you doubt—surely you understand this principle? You must give us the authority to handle this key as we see fit… Don’t mention state secrets—which piece of paper in this room isn’t a state secret?”
Old Wang pulled out a draft paper from under his bottom and slapped it on the tea table.
“This paper is also a state secret. What makes your unit’s secrets so special?”
“We don’t distrust—”
“Then grant us the authority to dispose of this key as we see fit, instead of clutching it tightly and refusing to agree to anything,” Wang Ning slammed the table, cutting the other person off. “Whatever we do with it, you have no right to question. Otherwise, we all go home, and if the world ends, so be it.”
“This…”
The other side was in a difficult position.
“I’ll give you time to consider, but gentlemen, think carefully—doomsday is approaching, and every second that passes is one second less.”
Wang Ning crossed his arms, completely at ease.
The people sitting across the tea table fell silent for a moment. A tall middle-aged man took out his phone, “I’ll ask the leadership for instructions.”
“Please do,” Wang Ning nodded.
He went out to make the call and came back a few minutes later, poking his head in.
“What did the leadership say?” Wang Ning asked.
“The leadership said they’ll discuss it in a meeting.” The man beckoned, calling the others in the living room to come out. The last person to leave took two steps out, then came back to pocket the key from the tea table, giving an extra glance at Bai Zhen and Wang Ning on the sofa.
“Cross-departmental coordination is really difficult,” Bai Zhen sighed.
“Different departments on opposite sides of a wall already talk past each other, let alone cross-department, cross-industry, and classified units,” Wang Ning shrugged. “Unless a high-level leader speaks up, the bureaucracy alone could kill you.”
“If only the command center had its nuclear industry department…”
“Are you thinking of rebellion?”
“This is the first time I’ve realized what an impressive figure Old Zhao is. How did he manage to integrate so many different units from all over the country?” Bai Zhen found it incredible. “If I were in charge of coordinating this, forget three months—I couldn’t get it done in three years. Just thinking about it makes my scalp tingle. The bureaucratic wrangling could go on until doomsday.”
“Well, you don’t have an impressive cousin like he does.”
Ten minutes later, the nuclear work group returned. They lined up across from the tea table, and their leader very solemnly placed the key on the table, pushing it toward Bai Zhen.
“Leader Bai, Leader Wang, given the urgency, we’re making an exception. On behalf of the Central Security Committee, China Nuclear Industry, and the Rocket Force, I hereby transfer this key to the Nanjing Command Center. Please confirm receipt.”
Bai Zhen took the key. “Confirmed.”
“Then from this moment, all ownership rights, disposal and usage rights, and custody and supervision rights of this key transfer to the Nanjing Command Center. Please confirm the handover.”
“Confirmed.”
“From now on, we will no longer bear any responsibility for this key. The rights and responsibilities have been transferred. Please ensure you safeguard the key well, and your side will bear all responsibility for any consequences of subsequent actions. Please confirm.”
“Confirmed,” Bai Zhen said. “If the CIA steals the key, feel free to throw Wang Ning in prison.”
The nuclear work group leader let out a breath. “Leader Bai, the key is yours now. Send it however you want. But I must give one final reminder—your previous shipping methods aren’t very suitable for this item. Even a regular USB drive might not work after twenty years in a time capsule, let alone a precision nuclear weapons control system. You must find a solution that ensures the microelectronic devices remain intact.”
He stepped forward and shook hands firmly with Bai Zhen, then with Wang Ning.
“Save that girl, then save this world.”
He said.
The nuclear work group withdrew, leaving only Wang Ning and Bai Zhen in the living room.
The two looked at the key on the tea table, silent for a while, then happily high-fived and cheered.
“I told you we needed to be a bit rougher. You have to be rough with them. Old Zhao just can’t let go of his scholarly airs, acting all noble about saving the people and bringing peace to future generations, making it all dramatic, but getting nothing done. When scholars rebel, they can’t succeed in three years.” Wang Ning patted his chest. “In the end, it takes old rogues like us to get things done.”
“If Old Zhao can’t do it, then it’s up to us—I guess this counts as trying diplomacy before force.”
Strictly speaking, Zhao Bowen, known as Iron Hand Death Pursuer, had quite a reputation in the jianghu for handling matters decisively, and couldn’t be called a scholar. But compared to these two old partners, he was outclassed.
The two happily went downstairs for lunch. Mom and her old friends had gone to play mahjong, leaving them to handle lunch themselves, which delighted the two brothers—what could be better than having their wives away?
They bragged and chatted at the lunch table until two in the afternoon went home for a short rest, then returned to work.
“Now that we have the key, what’s next?” Wang Ning asked. “We’ve only eliminated the human obstacles that shouldn’t have existed, but haven’t solved any shipping problems. They’re right—even if it were just a USB drive, it would deteriorate after twenty years. To deliver it safely, we need an environment that ensures microelectronic devices won’t easily be damaged.”
It was foreseeable that although the higher-ups had agreed to let the Nanjing Command Center handle the key with full authority, this tolerance and latitude weren’t unlimited. The command center would be better off succeeding in one try.
“Should we wait for Old Zhao to return and call a meeting? Many minds make light work.”
“Old Zhao? What use is he? Do three cobblers make a Zhuge Liang?” Bai Zhen sneered. “If they had any ideas, they would have offered them already.”
He squeezed his eyes shut, covered his face with both hands and yawned.
“Old Wang, think about the Three Laws of Time Slow Delivery, think about them.”
Wang Ning was startled.
“What’s the First Law?” Bai Zhen asked.
“The sending party must know all information about the slow delivery, meaning the state of the goods being transported must be certain, and the act of sending must be a fact before the receiving party can receive the goods,” Wang Ning answered.
“What’s the Second Law?”
“The sender can’t be the same person—it should be double-blind or even multi-blind. Why are you asking this?”
“Just asking—maybe there’s something here?” Bai Zhen slowly sat up and poured himself a glass of water. “Among seven billion people worldwide, we few understand these three laws most deeply. If we can’t find a way, no one can.”
“It’s just a framework.”
“Yes, it’s just a framework, and all our actions must operate within it. Think again, Old Wang, think again about the First Law—is it just a framework?” Bai Zhen held his water glass, frowning deeply. “With the sending party as the coordinate system origin, only after sending becomes a fact can the receiving party possibly receive the goods. Old Wang, can it be reversed?”
“What daydream are you having?”
Wang Ning rolled his eyes.
“We’ve already tried—digging first and burying later won’t work. It violates the First Law; the world won’t allow it, so it must fail. The order of sending and receiving on the timeline cannot be reversed.”
“The order of sending and receiving the key as facts cannot be reversed on the timeline… but there’s another usable fact right in front of us, Old Wang. It can provide such an environment—an environment where microelectronic devices won’t easily deteriorate,” Bai Zhen put down his water glass. “I’ve got it.”
“You have an idea?”
“Yes, but I can’t tell you—it would become invalid if I did.”
“So you’re going to do it alone?” Wang Ning was shocked. “How will you achieve double-blind?”
“Go get me two bottles of Maotai.”