Chapter 7, Earth
Of course, said Huazhong, his face still shrouded in shadow, making it difficult to see clearly. Jiman noticed that his voice sounded somewhat muddled, as if he were an older person.
Giman smiled slightly and said, "It's quite strange; I have to consider some of the coincidences. Do you know the name of that lying scientist?"
"Is he referring to classical equations?" Anna asked
Giman, Anna looked at Giman with a sense of admiration, "You are truly extraordinary... However... the classical equations are so perfect that from the moment they were established, no theory has ever been able to challenge them; they are so invulnerable..."
Anna turned back to look for Jiman. Jiman was not paying attention to their conversation; he was staring blankly out of the space station's window, holding a coffee cup that was suspended in mid-air, as if frozen, appearing somewhat dazed and disheartened
"The Earth is a victim of human greed and ignorance," the stranger said, bending down and looking outside gloomily
"Just as the three laws of mechanics discovered by Newton are referred to as the laws of classical mechanics," the old man murmured. Giman realized that this was no ordinary old man
"Miss," the captain said with a slight bow, "I would be very pleased to take a young and beautiful lady like you to Earth; however, this ship does not offer such services. You will have to find a way on your own."
For certain needs, I sometimes traverse the fragmented zones, occasionally visiting Earth once or twice. When you arrive on Earth, you have indeed found the right person; others may be unwilling to engage in such a risky business.
The old man chuckled softly and said, "He said that classical equations were derived under the guidance of some mysterious force, is this what you mean?"
"It would be great if humanity only explored the universe," Huazhong said in a low voice
"Many people think this way," Jiman said, as he noticed Huazhong standing behind them, hands in the pockets of his coat, facing away from the sunlight, making his features indistinguishable, simply standing there like a statue, motionless.
"Anna," Giman finally spoke, his tone very melancholic, "Do you know what the Earth used to be like?"
"I’m sorry," the stranger said, "you know, this thing is of no use to me... I only accept cash..."
Giman noticed that he hesitated a bit when he reported his name, as if he was not very willing to do so
His name is Tang Zhonghua. Jiman said, I heard this name today at the Classical Equations Memorial Hall, and it truly surprised me
Giman nodded and said, "This is merely a rumor; perhaps it is an attempt to add some mysterious allure to this great scientist"
The Watchtower began to fly smoothly along the surface of the sea. The oceans of Earth are so beautiful, a consistently deep and affectionate blue, where countless lives have been nurtured and many have seen it in dreams of homesickness. Humanity has ventured beyond Earth for several hundred years, yet deep within the human spirit, there remains a tender corner of longing for Earth. Gradually, the coastline appeared on the curved horizon of the sea, drawing ever closer. At the summit of the coastal mountain stands a tall monument. The Huazhong spacecraft circled the monument twice; Jiman was very familiar with it, as it exists on many planets. It is the Classical Equation Monument.
"Sit tight," said Huazhong. The spaceship began to enter simple light speed, traversing the debris layer. Using simple light speed over such a short distance is extremely dangerous; if not controlled properly, Jiman and the others could collide directly with Earth. Fortunately, as the simple light speed effect quickly dissipated, the azure sea appeared before Jiman.
Can you show me?" Jiman said eagerly
"Is he an Earthling? What is his name?" Jiman asked.
Giman's gaze softened as he looked at Anna and gently said, "Anna..."
There is nothing to it. Huazhong has regained a calm demeanor
Giman's heart stirred
The Earth is a victim of human greed and ignorance
I still do not understand, said Huazhong, why you want to go to Earth. The population on Earth is very small now, and there are not many places worth visiting.
The man shook the hand extended by Jiman and said, "Huazhong, I am willing to serve you"
"Are you taking us to Earth with this?" Anna looked at the transport ship in front of her with some surprise. It was an old-fashioned transport ship, and it appeared to be poorly maintained; the paint on its surface had faded to the point where its original color was unrecognizable. It looked tattered, as if it would fall apart at the slightest touch, let alone fly.
What do you want to say, Anna
"Can you take us to Earth?" Anna asked
There is no administrator, the old man said, when I was young, I was one, now I am retired, living here, I suppose that's it
I often find it a bit unclear, "Geman looked around and said, 'He seems too modest, always refusing to acknowledge that the classical equations are his achievements.'"
The man's stature was tall, and Anna had to look up to speak with him
"Giman?" Anna said with concern
Giman slightly bowed and followed the trembling old man inside
"Very few people come here," said the captain of the commercial transport ship. "The population on Earth is sparse, there are no resources, and that layer of stuff in orbit..." He chuckled and did not continue.
What about Saturn? It is a beautiful planet, where one can see the enormous circular ruins constructed by the Strikaka people. The man continued, clearly unwilling to give up, resembling a captain of a smuggling ship
The classical equation monument. From the ground, the monument appears so tall, soaring into the clouds, that Giman felt as though his neck would break just to see its majestic spire. With a sense of reverence, Giman placed his hand on his chest and read the inscription on the monument:
"Miss, would you like to travel to Mars? It is only a day's journey, and the ticket price is quite reasonable," said the stranger, his collar turned up high, his face hidden in the shadows, and his voice low.
Giman sat in the seat next to Huazhong, watching as the space station gradually shrank from their view
Hua Zhong paused for a moment, his hand that was about to press the switch halted, and then he continued working, "The oldest classical equation monument." After a while, he casually asked, "So you are planning to visit the classical equation monument of Earth?"
"Have you ever been to Earth?" Jiman asked
"This scientist is a delusional person," Anna said
"How much do you know?" the old man raised his eyes and asked
"You do not understand," Jiman said, "This is not a matter of stubbornness; it is science." He turned to Anna, his eyes sparkling with some enthusiasm, and said, "Do you know? Science is an ever-progressing process, constantly overturning the old and building the new upon the ruins, allowing humanity to advance continuously. Newton established classical mechanics, which was revered as the foundation of physics, but the emergence of quantum mechanics shattered that foundation, turning a new page in science; Einstein established the theory of relativity, regarded as the truth of the universe, yet classical equations broke it, enabling humanity to step out of Earth and into the cosmos. Science is an ever-progressing process, constantly overturning the old and building the new upon the ruins, allowing humanity to advance continuously. Newton established classical mechanics, which was revered as the foundation of physics, but the emergence of quantum mechanics shattered that foundation, turning a new page in science; Einstein established the theory of relativity, regarded as the truth of the universe, yet classical equations broke it, enabling humanity to step out of Earth and into the cosmos. Anna, classical equations have been established for several hundred years and have become the foundation for all light-speed travel. If humanity cannot break through it, there will be no progress. If someone can surpass it, I hope that person is me"
"There should be a monument to classical equations on Earth, right?" Giman asked
Yes," the old man said, "a great and humble person
"Notes?" Giman and Tu asked strangely.
Giman and Anna settled into a small inn. The place was very close to the Classical Equation Monument, which on other planets is located in the most bustling areas. However, Giman found that Earth's Classical Equation Monument was situated by the sparsely populated seaside. After putting away their luggage, Giman wanted to go see the monument. Anna, feeling somewhat fatigued, chose to rest alone at the inn.
Anna looked out. The Earth, shrouded in a layer of gray, resembled a gray, desolate planet. Upon closer inspection, one would discover that it was a multitude of debris floating in the Earth's lower orbit, densely packed. No one would have imagined that this was once a great planet that nurtured humanity
"The Watcher is at your service." The man smiled and made an exaggerated gesture of invitation
"Don't worry about so much," Anna furrowed her delicate brows and said, "Are you going or not?"
Anna looked at Jiman with some concern, sitting on the edge of the bed, and said: "Jiman, is it really necessary to wager this with Sir Weimar?"
Giman did not hesitate, boarding the Watcher with his luggage in hand. He freed one hand, reached out to the person, and said: "Giman, what does the captain call you?"
"There are private transport ships here, possibly unlicensed ones, but the government is not interfering with them at the moment..." said the captain. "You might rent one and see; perhaps there are people willing to go to Earth, but it depends on your luck. Good night, miss, sir." The captain tipped his hat and turned to leave.
He said, "There was once a person who came to ask me this question, right where we are standing." He pointed at the ground. Jiman looked around the empty hall, and the old man's words echoed in the hall
It is indeed strange that many people are familiar with classical equations, yet few understand their history, Giman remarked with a hint of lamentation
Giman picked up the coffee, took a sip, and said, "Not bad." He appeared somewhat distracted
Anna sighed and said, "I just..." As she spoke, Anna sighed again, "Forget it, I won't say anything more. You should get some rest too."
Only the greatest nations can attain the truth of the universe
What options do we have?" Anna said impatiently, tapping her luggage with her toes
"That would be very expensive." The stranger looked Anna up and down, taking in her luxurious fur coat. Anna remained silent and took out her credit card
The so-called nations on Earth have long since collapsed. The entire planet is merely a small member of the Alliance of Os. The population of Earth has also dwindled to a minimum, as the lack of high and low orbital launch "windows" has rendered Earth almost a deserted planet, with only a small number of nostalgic individuals or those unable to afford to leave still living in isolation on Earth
Anna took out a metallic piece of paper, shimmering brightly. "Well then," seeing that object, the stranger conceded, "I really don't understand why you all insist on going there"
In the evening, Anna, dressed in a bathrobe with her hair down, carried a cup of coffee and entered Giman's room. The door was unlocked, and Anna and the book knocked on the door, but there was no response, so she reached out and pushed the door open. Giman was sitting at the table, holding a pen, lost in thought, completely unaware of Anna's presence.
Giman knew that the classical equations monument on Earth had some special features, one of which was a memorial hall, located at the original site of the residence of the scientist who established the classical equations monument. Giman found this memorial hall without much difficulty; it was an old-style building, tall but somewhat dilapidated, with the door closed. Giman pressed the doorbell, and after a long while, an elderly man slowly emerged from inside.
He is indeed a peculiar smuggler captain
The Watcher trembled as it departed from the space station. Huazhong was not only the captain but also the navigator, mechanic, and steward; in short, he was the sole crew member of the Watcher, a typical smuggling cargo ship
The Watcher began to accelerate, and Giman saw many fragments emerging. Some were the wreckage of ships, some were half of an ancient thruster, and more were tiny shards, drifting there, unaware of how many years had passed.
Giman was taken aback, as if the words had struck a chord deep within him. He felt a certain sensation, an indescribable feeling, as if some vague matter was causing him great concern, yet this feeling was both obscure and elusive, making it difficult for Giman to articulate clearly
The scientist who established classical equations is called Hergin, "Giman said, "Is this where he worked?"
"But can humanity be considered the greatest nation?" he said melancholically in the shadows
Anna also took off her hat, stood behind Jiman, and said, "What does this sentence mean?"
"Aren't you going to send us to Earth?" Anna asked in surprise
Seeing the excited Giman, Anna hesitated to speak
"Yes, it is right here in this memorial hall," the old man said
"Are you the administrator here?" Jiman asked curiously
He may have gone mad in the end. I heard, "Giman said thoughtfully, "he ultimately admitted that he was fabricating lies, claiming that due to personal reasons, he had to resort to fabricating lies to gain the honors of the Academy of Sciences"
Do you really believe in such a person
"Is it possible to visit here?" Jiman said with a friendly smile
Giman turned to Anna and said, "This is the last sentence spoken by the scientist who discovered the truth"
When Giman saw Earth, he couldn't help but think this. After ending the argument with Sir Weimar, he wasted no time and headed straight for Earth. After passing through several transmission points and two months of simple light-speed travel, Giman finally arrived in Earth's zero-gravity orbit. Giman was surprised to find that in this lonely planetary space station waiting room, there were only two passengers left: him and his confidential secretary, Miss Anna
The Earth? A stranger hesitated and asked, "Where to and for what purpose?"
The old man looked up at him, his eyes appearing very murky. "Please feel free, it has been a long time since anyone has come here."
To be honest, Anna said, I do not know either
The waiting hall of the space station was empty, and the air conditioning was not very good, emitting a harsh noise. Anna wrapped her coat tighter around herself, still feeling a bit cold. She looked around, and it seemed desolate, with only a few scattered individuals in the distance waiting for the transport ship. A person dressed in a thick cloak was inquiring about something, and it was clear he received a negative response, walking away with a hint of disappointment. Anna watched as he approached her.
I am not sure; he may be on Earth, or he may have left a long time ago... His name is Tang Zhonghua
Sorry, what did you say? Jiman did not hear clearly
After bidding farewell to the elderly man, he silently walked out of the memorial hall. Outside, it seemed as if a shadow flickered; Jiman thought he was imagining things, but upon closer inspection, there was nothing there. He wrapped his coat tighter around himself, still not quite accustomed to the winter on Earth, feeling somewhat cold. For some reason, ever since Jiman arrived on Earth, he had been feeling unwell, as if a pair of eyes were watching him from the shadows, causing him to often feel a chill at his back
Anna shook her head
"No, thank you." Anna looked him up and down with a hint of suspicion
He finally told me that Heggin had said this, and he reached this conclusion after studying Heggin's notes
"It is not like that," Jiman smiled and said, "My idea was inspired by an article from a scientist named Dulles. In that paper, he stated that classical equations were obtained by humanity from some non-human race, which is what Heggin referred to as a mysterious force. Isn't it ridiculous? However, what if he is right?"
"Hasn't it been returned?" Jiman asked. The old man shook his head blankly and said, "That was many years ago; it wasn't anything valuable. That person came a few times and then disappeared."
Giman did not notice his change and continued, "It can be said that if humanity had not established classical equations, there would be no way to leave Earth. Now, on every planet colonized by humanity, monuments to classical equations are erected to commemorate the foundation upon which humanity relies to explore the universe. Therefore, the monument to classical equations on Earth is the oldest one."
"Wait a moment." The old man slowly walked up to a glass display case. It was covered in dust, and he wiped away the dirt with his sleeve. Jiman discovered that it was completely empty inside. The old man looked at it in confusion, and after a long while, he mumbled, "I am getting old; how can I be so forgetful? It seems that person has already taken it away."
Currently, the Earth is still surrounded by a thick layer of debris, and very few people are willing to traverse that layer of debris, even with the advancement of modern technology to this extent
"The Earth," Jiman said, appreciating it with a touch of emotion
"Just land here," Jiman said, pointing at the monument. The Watcher stopped by the seaside, and Jiman set foot on the land of Earth for the first time
"Did you gain anything today?" Anna smiled as she placed the coffee on the table. "The coffee here surely doesn't suit your taste; I specially brewed this for you in the kitchen"
"Not much," Jiman humbly stated, "The classical equation is actually a formula concerning the balance of quantum field energy, elucidating the quantization of quantum fields. Current travel at the speed of light is based on this fundamental formula, which is why it is referred to as the classical equation."