Chapter 394: Quantum Trap

“As long as my calculation speed is fast enough, I can also use quantum entanglement to counterattack the opponent’s computer!”

Little X said excitedly while taking out the USB drive she got off Danny and handed it to Chen Chen. “I found that after the quantum virus entered the infected host computer, it would self-destruct in just a few milliseconds, destroying the point of entry for a counter-invasion. So if we want to counter-attack, the key is to start with this USB flash drive.”

Chen Chen took the USB flash drive and had a closer look. There was a transparent shell outside the USB flash drive. Through the shell, he could see that there were a large number of small golden parts and gears inside. These gears were slowly rotating, as complicated as a mechanical watch.

This level of exquisite detail would completely be qualified as a handicraft piece.

What Little X did not expect was that, after Chen Chen heard that they could counterattack and saw the USB flash drive in his hand, he suddenly fell into thought.

Little X was only too familiar with this expression of his. Every time Chen Chen encountered certain problems, he would wear this expression. After a while, he would solve all the problems one by one.

In the past, Chen Chen would still need to take NZT-48, but now his reliance on NZT-48 was getting lesser.

Seeing this, Little X did not speak but stood quietly in front of Chen Chen. She fiddled with her fingers while occasionally looking up at Chen Chen who was deep in thought.

“We can’t counterattack.”

After about two or three minutes of silence, Chen Chen raised his head again and now his gaze had become extremely sharp. “If we decide to counterattack, we may very well have to face the Earth Federation army in the next second, so we absolutely cannot counterattack!”

Little X quickly tilted her head in confusion and said in astonishment, “Not at all. I monitor the entire World Wide Web. If there’s any change in the Earth Federation, I will be the first to know.”

“The reason you didn’t see any changes is just that I didn’t make the choice to counterattack.”

Chen Chen laughed coldly and explained, “If the other party has a quantum computer, then we must look at the problem from the level of quantum mechanics. Presumably, you also know of the ‘double-slit experiment’ related to causality, right?”

“Yes.”

Little X nodded and solemnly said, “The so-called ‘double-slit experiment’ is a kind of quantum effect. If you use ‘marbles’ and ‘ripples’ as an analogy — take a marble launcher and place an obstacle with two slits in front of it, then randomly launch marbles with the launcher. Most of the marbles will be bounced back and only a few marbles will pass through the two slits and form the pattern of two vertical lines made of marbles on the wall behind the slits.

“And if you use ripples to do a similar experiment, when the ripple passes through the two slits, you’ll get two ripples with decreasing density from the center to the surroundings. The two ripples will continue to interfere with each other and when they are finally projected on the wall, they’ll form a series of light and dark interference fringe patterns.”

Little X recounted in a familiar manner. “So, some people used the above methods to perform experiments with subatomic particles. They replaced the marbles and ripples with tiny electrons. Initially, they thought that electrons would also form two vertical lines like marbles, but the result was an interference fringe pattern, like ripples.

“In the beginning, the experimenters thought that a large number of electrons had collided with each other, resulting in the interference fringe pattern. Thus they changed their methods and launched the electrons one by one, but to their surprise, the result was still an interference fringe pattern.

“So, the experimenters tried to use an instrument to detect how these electrons passed through the double slit, but when the instrument was used to measure, something strange happened. These electrons again acted similar to the marble experiment and the vertical line pattern was shown on the screen.

“The experimenters ruled out countless possibilities of error and the final result was — if you don’t observe the photon closely and measure which slit it passes through, then you can see the double-slit interference phenomenon. But if you want to know which slit each photon passes through, then you won’t see the double-slit interference pattern.

“In other words, just because it’s under observation, the electron changes its behavior. This rule is ultimately interpreted as the ‘wave-particle duality’. Everything in the world is composed of countless possibilities. The electron will collide with other possibilities of its own and display an interference pattern on the screen. However, when you actively measure this collision, the electron is no longer associated with all possibilities, so a double line appears in accordance with common sense.”

“Not bad, your understanding is pretty good.”

Chen Chen nodded. “This is the collapse of the wave function. When you don’t observe, there are countless possibilities for the result. When you turn around, the result becomes certain, which means that the observation will change the result, yet it will not change what has happened. Still, is that the case?”

Chen Chen narrowed his eyes and kept simulating images of quantum mechanics formula patterns in his mind. “If we shoot an electron through a double slit and then randomly decide whether to observe it with an instrument, theoretically, the electron should have a certain probability of exhibiting fluctuation. That is, after the electron has passed through the double slit, does the observation determine how the electron has already passed through the double slit?

“For example, let’s say there’s a star 100 million light-years away. A photon was emitted to the earth 100 million years ago, and there’s an entire galaxy between it and the earth. Due to the gravitational lensing effect, the light from this star has to curve past the galaxy to reach the earth, similar to the double-slit.

“However, when the photon passes through the galaxy, we don’t make any observations. The photon must pass through two paths at the same time. But 100 million years later, when the photon is about to reach the earth, let’s say set up telescopes at both ends of the galaxy to observe the incoming photon, and see which path it took to reach the earth. Consequently, based on the interference effect, the photon will be forced to make a choice. From passing through two paths at the same time, it collapses to passing through only one of them.

“In that case, have we changed 100 million years’ worth of history?

“Many people have always believed that time is a dimension. For example, four-dimensional space is three-dimensional space plus one-dimensional time. But in fact, this is total bull, because the thought experiment just now directly subverts the causal law of relativity. Therefore, in modern science, more and more people have proven that time doesn’t exist and when we observe the result of an existence, it leads to the collapse of other possibilities.”

Chen Chen spread out his hands, wearing a somber expression. “Then, going back to the original question, now you know why we can’t counterattack, right?”

“Because we’re in a process that hasn’t yet yet collapsed?”

Little X suddenly saw the light. “If you give an order to counterattack at this moment, in other words, it’s very likely that the quantum computer had predicted our counterattack in advance a few hours ago or even just as the plan was set?”

“Yes, that’s what I meant. This USB flash drive is probably a trap, a quantum trap.”

As Chen Chen said, he threw the USB drive directly into the trash can. “The reason you haven’t detected any changes in the Earth Federation is that I will not issue an order to counterattack in the future. If I issue this order, would the Earth Federation suddenly appear in the next second and arrest me directly?”

“But doesn’t this mean that the quantum computer has noticed us?”

Little X was a little frightened. “Does it mean that if we don’t counterattack, they won’t act against us?”

“That’s why I’ve said, this is a trap.”

Chen Chen replied, “Because I’ve previously determined that this quantum computer is used to predict all disasters targeting human civilization. Moreover, this prediction requires a lot of calculations, so it will not actively predict our presence. That is, although the quantum computer is located in North America, it cannot be used by the North American Continent alone. It belongs to the Earth Federation.

“Perhaps, each continent can use it, but there’s a limit, so it can only be used on certain urgent matters. Our Blacklight Biotechnology isn’t important enough yet that North America would use up an opportunity, just to make predictions on us.

“In short, it was not the North American authorities who targeted us this time, but a certain high-level official among their ranks. This high-level official is powerful enough to have access to the quantum computer. He set this trap to get rid of us.”

Little X suddenly realized something. “So that’s it. But doesn’t it mean that we can’t actively target that quantum computer, for once we do, the other party will know of it first?”

“Yes, exactly.”

Chen Chen replied, “However, your ‘Prophet System’ can predict their moves while the other party’s ‘Quantum Deity’ hasn’t foreseen your existence for the time being. Although it’s probably because it’s too occupied, we can also surmise that your ability is at the same level as that computer. Even if you’re weaker, it won’t be by too much. In this case, as long as we collect more germanium metal and build a larger Gantz server, we can defeat them. After all, the Gantz server’s computing efficiency will be improved exponentially.

“In addition, if we can create an antimemetic E language code, we can also hide ourselves to the extent that we will not be discovered by the quantum computer. Otherwise, as we expand, we’ll be detected by the Earth Federation sooner or later.”

“Got it!”

Little X nodded emphatically. “I’ll work hard to analyze the E language.”

“Oh, right.”

Chen Chen seemed to have thought of something and asked again, “Is there no activity in North America and Europe? Have they discussed how to get my technology?”

“I analyzed some of the encrypted emails from the White House and it seems that they are still discussing things. These people have come up with several solutions.”

Little X said, “These include direct sanctions such as using our acquisition of shares in that Alzheimer’s company as an excuse and then imposing sanctions on us by citing patent issues. The specific sanctions will be as you imagined. It’s the cut-off of equipment such as chips and lens light sources.”

“Anything else?”

Chen Chen nodded without worrying too much about this.

“There’s also a plan that has gained more support, that is, during this period, they will not take any action at all, causing you to let down your guard and think that they will not do anything to you. After all, that incident a few years back would still make companies all over the world behave vigilantly. Later on, when you head to the Nobel Prize awarding ceremony in December, you’ll be arrested by the Swedish government on the pretext of having committed fraud.”

“How bold of them.”

Chen Chen raised an eyebrow and could not help but narrow his eyes. A cold glint shone in his gaze. “In other words, they want to impose personal freedom restrictions on me, just like with Huawei back then? Force me to hand over the technology?”

“Yes, most people prefer this approach. Although there are a small number of people who think that this will lead to a crisis of trust in foreign trade, more people think that since they have done similar things before, it isn’t a big deal to do it again. It’s more important to get their hands on these era-defining technologies than to preserve their reputation.”

“Does North America still have any reputation to speak of?”

Chen Chen sneered. “I didn’t expect that a continent’s government could be so shameless. Since they are this shameless, I shall treat them accordingly. I won’t go to Europe to attend this Nobel Prize ceremony.”

As he spoke, Chen Chen stood up and paced slowly in the office.

“But if you don’t attend, they will probably not award it to you.”

Little X said, “After all, the Nobel has a rule that no awards will be given to those who refuse to accept it. This is the pride of the world’s foremost award.”

“I can announce my plans to attend and only publicly declare that I refuse to accept the award after they’ve published the list of winners. Wouldn’t that do?”

Chen Chen spread his hands. “I only want the world to know that I didn’t take the Nobel because it’s beneath me, not because the Nobel was not awarded to me.”

“...”

Little X was somewhat speechless for a while.