Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen Huasheng's Cobweb

The Ancients College located in Huasheng, the biggest feature of the campus is quietness, serious is the most appropriate adjective.In the evening, when the trainees walked among the trees in the middle courtyard in groups of three or four, their hearts were indeed filled with solemn emotions—except for the ancients, other people were absolutely forbidden to enter this place.Occasionally, senior ancients in green robes would cross the grass to accept the students' salutes in a kind manner. Occasionally, the Dean would make an appearance in person, but such opportunities were rare. But when he usually appeared, he would never be like this, trotting forward, almost sweating, did not see the students raising their hands to salute him, and did not pay attention to the eyes of everyone staring at him, and blankly looking at each other, There are also pairs of slightly raised eyebrows.

He rushed into the Legislative Hall through the dedicated entrance, and then began to sprint, "bang bang bang" down the empty ramp.Then he knocked hard on a door, and the person inside kicked the knob to open it, and the Master went in immediately. The Dean's secretary sat behind a small, unassuming desk, barely looking up.He was hunched over, listening intently to a pocket-sized field-shielded videophone.Occasionally his eyes flicked to a stack of papers piled high in front of him that looked like official letters. The dean slammed his fist on the desk: "What's going on? How did it happen?"

The headmaster's secretary gave him a cold look, then pushed the video call aside: "Greetings, Your Highness." "Duplicity and no respect!" retorted the Master impatiently. "I want to know what's going on." "In a word, our people escaped." "You mean, the man Schechter modified with a synaptic amplifier—the outsider—the spy—the one on the farm in the outskirts of Chicago..." If the headmaster's secretary hadn't interrupted the headmaster's words with an indifferent "exactly", I really don't know how many "that"s would appear from the anxious headmaster.

"Why was no one notified me? Why was no one ever notified me?" "Immediate action was necessary and you were busy with other things, so I did my best to help you." "Yeah, when you want to make your own way, you will always find that I am busy with other things. From now on, I will not do this anymore, and I will never allow anyone to do it for me. I will not..." "We're wasting time." Hearing this reply in a normal voice, the dean stopped his almost roaring words.He coughed, unable to decide what to say next, and finally said gently: "What are the details, Boches?"

"Few details. After two months of patient waiting, and without warning, the individual Schwartz left—was followed by us—and was lost." "How did you get lost?" "We are not sure, but there are further developments. Our agent, Nat, was late last night for three regular reports, and his agents searched along the Chicago highway and finally found him in the early morning hours. He was lying in a ditch by the side of the road - utterly dead." The dean's face turned blue: "That outsider killed him?" "Probably so, although we can't be 100% sure. Apart from the pained expression on the deceased's face, there were no obvious signs of violence. Of course, we will conduct an autopsy. It is also possible that he died of a stroke at such an unfortunate time."

"That was an incredible coincidence." "I think so too," was the light answer, "but if Schwartz killed him, the events that follow are difficult to explain. You see, Your Highness, it seems obvious that Schwartz will go to Chi Jia looked for Schechter, and Nat's body was found on the road between Maren's farm and Chicago. So three hours ago, we issued a wanted warrant to that city, and now the man has been arrested. " "Swartz?" The dean couldn't believe it. "Of course it's him." "Why didn't you say it right away?"

Boches shrugged: "Your Highness, there are more important things to do. I just said that Schwartz is in our hands. Yes, he will be caught quickly and easily. But in my opinion, This fact seems incompatible with Nat's death. How could he be smart enough to spot Nat—one of the most capable agents—and kill him, but stupid enough to go to Chicago the next morning? , and blatantly went into a factory to look for a job without makeup at all." "Did he do that?" "That's exactly what he did... So, I think there are two possibilities that could lead to this kind of action. One is that he has passed on the information he has to Schechter or Alvardan, and now he has thrown himself into the trap, just to To distract us; and two, that there were other agents involved in the operation that we hadn't tracked down yet, and he was trying to cover them. Either way, we must not take it lightly."

"I don't understand," the Dean looked helpless, his handsome face twisted into lines of anxiety, "I think it's too deep and unfathomable." Boches smiled slightly, with a lot of contempt in his smile.Then, he took the initiative to mention another matter: "In four hours, you have an appointment with Professor Bel Avardan." "Is there? Why? What am I going to say to him? I don't want to see him." "Relax, you must see him, Your Highness. It seems quite obvious to me that since his fictitious archaeological activity is about to start, he must ask you to allow him to enter the forbidden area for research, so as to complete the play. Ennias warned us that he would do it, and Ennias must know all the details of the farce. I think you can do the same in this matter, Let's pretend to be crazy with him too."

The dean lowered his head: "Okay, I will try." Bel Alvardan arrived just in time to take a leisurely look around.He is very familiar with the best buildings in the galaxy, so in his eyes, the Academy of the Ancients can only be regarded as a lifeless steel-framed granite, deliberately showing a simple and simple style.From the perspective of archaeologists, its dark atmosphere symbolizes a seriousness that is almost barbaric. If you are willing to live a gloomy and almost barbaric life, you can live here.As for its extremely original flavor, it represents the nostalgia for the distant past.

Then, Alvadan's thoughts slipped elsewhere again.In the past two months, his travels in various continents in the Western Hemisphere have not been as pleasant as he imagined.What happened on the first day spoiled his interest, and he couldn't help thinking about that day in Chicago. He immediately sulked, angry that he shouldn't have thought of that thing again.Why should he feel guilty that she was just an ordinary earth woman who was rough and overly rude?However…… She must have been terribly shocked when she found out later that he was also a stranger, like the officer who had insulted her (whose arm had been broken to teach him his arrogance and savagery), had he thought of that?After all, how did he know how much she had been bullied by outsiders?Then she discovered that he was also one of them. In that case, she was definitely hit hard.

If he had been more patient... why did he turn around so cruelly and walk away?He couldn't even remember her name, it was like Paula or something.really weird!Usually his memory is not that bad, is it because his subconscious mind wants to forget it on purpose? Well, that makes sense.Forget it!What is there to keep in mind anyway?An earth woman, an ordinary earth woman. She was a nurse in a hospital, and he should have a way of finding that hospital.When he and she parted in the night, the building seemed a shadowy blur, but it must have been near the cafeteria. He grabbed the thought and crushed it into a thousand pieces.Is he crazy?What are the benefits of doing this?She is a woman from Earth, she is sweet and beautiful, with a bit of temptation... An earth woman! At this time the Dean walked in, and Alvardan was very happy, which was equivalent to freeing him from the day in Chicago.But, deep down in his heart, he knew they would come back, they—those thoughts—always did. As for the dean in front of him, he was wearing a brand new robe, which seemed to be shining brightly.There was no impatience or doubt on his brow, as if no sweat had ever broken out there. The atmosphere of the conversation was indeed quite friendly.Alvadan strongly emphasized the greetings of certain important figures of the empire to the inhabitants of the earth, while the patriarch cautiously stated that the whole earth would be satisfied with the magnanimity and enlightenment of the imperial government. Then, Avadan began to explain the importance of archeology to the imperial spirit, which can lead to a great conclusion: the inhabitants of the worlds in the galaxy are brothers and sisters.The Patriarch readily agreed, pointing out that the earth has always held this view, and he deeply hopes that the human beings in other parts of the galaxy can also turn the theory into reality as soon as possible. Regarding this statement, Aivadan showed an extremely short smile, and then said: "I have come to visit you this time, Your Highness, for this purpose. The difference between the earth and some neighboring empires may be mainly due to thinking. However, if it could be shown that, in terms of race, Earthlings are no different from other citizens of the galaxy, many frictions could be eliminated.” "And how are you going to do it, sir?" "This is not something that can be explained clearly in one sentence. Your Highness may also know that the two mainstream ideas in archaeology today are generally called the 'merger theory' and the 'diffusion theory'." "I know a little of both." "Very well. The amalgamation theory involves the basic claim that there are many different and independently evolved species of humans who intermarried at a very early age—the barely recorded age of primitive space travel. Would like to explain A concept of why humans are so similar to each other today is absolutely necessary." "Yes," the dean added a footnote in a sarcastic tone, "and such a concept needs hundreds or thousands of independently evolved higher animals that are more or less similar to humans. The biological characteristics are close enough that intermarriage is possible." "Indeed." Evadan replied with satisfaction, "You have poked a fatal weakness. But most archaeologists ignore it and still firmly believe in the correctness of the merger theory. Of course, this theory implies a possibility, That is, in some isolated parts of the galaxy, there may be some subspecies of human beings, who have always been different, because they have not intermarried..." "You mean the Earth," the Dean added another footnote. "Earth has always been seen as a paradigm. Conversely, diffusion says..." "Thought we all came from the same planet." "exactly." "And my people," said the Patriarch, "believe that the earth was the cradle of man, having found many reliable evidences in our own history, and in writings which we regard as too sacred to be shown to outsiders. " "And I believe the same, so I ask you to help me prove it to the entire galaxy." "You are really optimistic, what are you going to do?" "I firmly believe, Your Highness, in your world, those areas that are unfortunately shielded by radiation may contain many original artifacts and architectural ruins. With the help of radioactive decay measurements and comparisons, the age of those ruins can be accurately calculated... " The dean began to shake his head: "This is absolutely impossible." "Why?" Alvadan frowned, he was really taken aback. "One of the reasons," the dean began to reason calmly, "what do you expect to achieve? If you prove your point, even if all the worlds are willing to accept it, it will only prove that you were all earthlings millions of years ago. And what does it matter? After all, 20 million years ago, we were all apes, but we would never admit that we are related to the apes of today." "Come on, Your Highness, the analogy doesn't make sense." "Absolutely nothing, sir. Is it not true if I say that the people of the earth have become quite different from their compatriots who have emigrated elsewhere in their long-term isolation, especially under the influence of radiation, so that they are now a new species?" A reasonable assumption?" Aivadan bit his lower lip tightly, and reluctantly replied: "Your remarks that favor the enemy are quite wonderful." "Because I keep asking myself what my enemies will say. So you can't achieve anything, sir, but may only increase the hatred of others against us." "But beyond that," said Alvadan, "there is a purely scientific purpose, the pursuit of knowledge..." The Dean nodded solemnly: "I am sorry to have to get in the way. Now, Your Excellency, I am communicating with another Imperial gentleman as an Imperial gentleman. Personally, I am happy to help you, but my people are Stubborn and headstrong races who have shut themselves off for centuries because of - well - the mean attitude of the galaxy towards them. They have some taboos, some hard-and-fast conventions that I wouldn't even dare Offend." "And those radioactive fields..." "It's one of the most serious taboos. Even if I grant your request - of course I do have the urge - doing so will only provoke riots and chaos, endangering not only your life, but also that of all members of the archaeological team." Safety, and, in the end, will inevitably lead to the punishment of the Empire on Earth. If I allow this to happen, I will betray my position and the trust of my people." "But I am willing to take all reasonable precautions. If you wish to send observers with me—or, of course, I may promise you that I will seek your opinion before publishing any results." The Dean added: "You are seducing me, Your Excellency, and it is indeed an interesting project. But you overestimate my power, even if we completely ignore the people. I am not a despotic ruler, in fact, my power There are strict restrictions. All issues must be sent to the Ancients for deliberation, and then it is possible to reach a final conclusion." Alvardan shook his head: "This is very regrettable. The Administrator warned me of the difficulties, but I wish—when will you consult your legislature, Your Highness?" "The presidium of the Ancients will hold a meeting in three days, and I have no right to change the agenda. So after the meeting, it may take a few more days to discuss this issue, about a week." Ai Vadan nodded absent-mindedly: "Okay, that's the only way...that's right, Your Highness..." "What's up?" "There's a scientist on your planet, a Dr. Schechter in Chicago, and I'd like to meet him. Yes, I've been to Chicago, but I've been in a hurry and I haven't been able to get much done, So I want to fill that gap. I know he's a busy man, and I wonder if I'd trouble you to write a letter of introduction?" The dean was visibly froze for a while, but said nothing.Then he replied, "May I ask, what is your purpose in seeing him?" "Of course. I learned that he invented a device that I believe he called a synaptic amplifier. It has to do with the neurochemistry of the human The research on electrogram classification of human beings is to classify people according to brain currents, you understand." "Hmm... I've heard a little bit about this device too, and I seem to recall that it wasn't successful." "Well, that may be true, but he's an expert on the subject and may be able to offer me some valuable advice." "I understand. In this case, I will prepare a letter of introduction for you immediately. Of course, I will never mention the idea that you are hunting for forbidden land." "I understand this, Your Highness." He stood up, "I thank you for your hospitality and your kind attitude. Now I can only hope that the Council of the Ancients will give my plan a lenient deliberation." After Alvadan left, the headmaster's secretary walked in, and a unique cold and rude smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "Very well," he said, "you have behaved well, Your Highness." The Dean gave him a sombre look, and said, "What's the last thing about Schechter?" "Are you perplexed? You don't have to. Everything will work out. When you vetoed his plan, you noticed that he wasn't disappointed. A scientist puts all his energy into one thing and finds that Is that how he reacted when the event was forcibly canceled without a clear reason? On the contrary, did he act like he was putting on a play and now finally feel relieved? "In addition, we have another weird coincidence. Schwartz escaped last night and went to Chicago; the very next day, Alvardan appeared here. He told a series of different stories about his archaeological activities. Painless bullshit, and then casually mentioning that he's going to Chicago to see Schechter." "But why would he mention it, Boches? It seems a foolish move." "Because you're a straight man. Put yourself in his shoes and think: since he guesses we have no doubts, in this case boldness wins. He's going to Schechter, all right! He mentioned it frankly and even asked you to write a letter of introduction. What better guarantee of his honesty and innocence? Which leads to another question, Schwartz may have found himself under surveillance in the first place , maybe Nat was killed by him, but he has no time to warn others, otherwise this farce would not have played out like this." The headmaster's secretary half-closed his eyes and continued to concentrate on weaving this spider web: "We have no way of judging how long after Schwartz disappeared before they would start to become suspicious, but at least there is still enough time for Alvadan to meet Schechter. Then we catch them all, and then they can no longer deny it." "How much time do we have?" demanded the Dean. Boches raised his head thoughtfully: "It's hard to tell now, since we found out that Schechter's defection, they have been rushing to work in three shifts day and night, and everything is going smoothly, we are just waiting for the necessary track Mathematical calculations. The reason we can't do it quickly is because we don't have enough computer power. So...maybe just a few days." "A few days!" The tone of this sentence is mixed with pride and fear, which sounds very strange. "A few days!" repeated the Dean's secretary, "but don't forget—even at the countdown to two seconds, a bomb is still enough to stop us. Even after the plan is implemented, the next month to six months In time, the other side can still retaliate. So we are not 100% safe now." few days!Then, the most incredible outnumbered battle in the history of the galaxy will take place, and the earth will attack the entire galaxy. The dean's hands trembled slightly. Alvardan was once again on a stratospheric plane, and now his mind was running wild.He seemed to have no reason to believe that the Patriarch and his deranged subjects would allow an official invasion of the Radioactive Field.He was already mentally prepared, and he didn't even feel any regrets.If he cared a little more, he could fight for it in a better way. In fact, there is at least one way to illegally enter the galaxy on the Galaxy.He could arm his airship if necessary, which he would rather do. Those fools with bloody hands! Damn, who do they think they are? Yes, yes, he knew.They thought they were the first humans, the only inhabitants of the only planet... Worse, he knew they were right. Alas... the plane was taking off and he felt himself sinking into the soft padding.He knew very well that the city of Chicago would be visible in less than an hour. It wasn't that he was eager to see Chicago, he told himself, but that synaptic amplifier might be important, and if he didn't take the opportunity to see it, there would be no point in his being on Earth.Once gone, he certainly never intended to come back. Mouse hole! Ennias was right. However, this Dr. Schechter... He touched the letter of introduction. Since it is an official document, it is quite weighty... He sat up abruptly, or tried to, struggling against the inertial force pressing against him, as the earth was still sinking and the blue sky had turned a deep purple. He remembered the girl's full name, her name was Paula Schechter. Why did he forget it?He was very angry and felt cheated by himself.His mind was plotting to rebel, to hide her name, and now it was too late. In the back of his mind, though, there was a corner that was quite happy.