Thank goodness you're finally back!

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"......

The formulation of container standards is a technical measure promoted by Western countries, led by America, in pursuit of higher profits. By improving loading and unloading efficiency, transportation efficiency, and cargo safety, this standardization has significantly reduced maritime shipping costs, making them far lower than rail transport.

This is undoubtedly a tool for America to consolidate its economic standing. This transformation will directly drive the explosive expansion of global trade, making maritime shipping a core pillar of the globalization process.

Naturally, this so-called globalization is not for the purpose of equality and mutual benefit, but is dominated by sea-power nations—a form of implicit exploitation of the vast developing countries and the working masses.

From a historical perspective, the advent of the container age has further reinforced the economic and geopolitical advantages of sea-power nations. Utilizing the cost and efficiency advantages of maritime shipping, these nations firmly control the lifeline of global trade.

The root of this advantage lies in the instrumental rationality of capitalist society—namely, the alienation of technological progress into a means for pursuing absolute profit. As revealed by Horkheimer's critical theory, technology within the capitalist framework has been distorted into a tool of oppression, exacerbating economic inequalities among different social strata and consolidating the position of sea-power nations.

Finally, if we set aside ideology and look solely at the material reality, the container revolution will strengthen the economic and geopolitical advantages of sea-power nations, while the influence of land-power nations will decline significantly, because the cost and efficiency advantages of maritime shipping will grant it an irreplaceable position in global trade and economy.

Prior to this, it was difficult for nations to be substantially knitted together economically; after this, the curtain on the globalized economic transformation will rise.

The industrial transformation surrounding containers has already begun in Hong Kong, and I hope your side can dispatch personnel to track and observe this process.

The projected data listed in this report will only prove more exaggerated in actual circumstances. If your side sends personnel, you can verify the data yourselves, and it is hoped that close observation will be paid to the changes in the data."

In this report, Lin Ran utilized a vast amount of contemporary and projected data to argue for the future container revolution.

He had even made a special trip to the year 2020, typed it out on a computer, and spent a long time searching in New York until he finally found an old-fashioned typewriter and yellowed machine paper to produce this artificially aged version of the report.

This was also his final grand gesture on this trip to Hong Kong.

Whether it would have any effect remained unknown, but he would "do his human utmost and leave the rest to destiny."

......

"The weather is not as expected, but to leave is to eventually fly; farewell can wait for you no longer, regardless of whether there is a flight."

The day of departure from Hong Kong was sultry; heavy rain had just passed, and the sky remained blanketed in dark clouds.

Standing at the airport, Lin Ran bid farewell one by one to the Governor, the President of the University of Hong Kong, shipping magnates, and student representatives who had come to see him off. He glanced up at the weather, and for some reason, the lyrics of *As Years Go By* flashed through his mind.

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"Professor Lin, very soon I will have to address you as Sir Lin.

Because of your outstanding contributions in the field of mathematics, Her Majesty the Queen holds you in high regard.

She has decided to confer a knighthood upon you. Afterwards, our staff in New York will discuss the schedule for Her Majesty's investiture with you, and the entire academic community of England eagerly anticipates your arrival as well," said Governor Robert Black.

Lin Ran's latest achievements, once disseminated to the global academic community through *Inventiones Mathematicae*, had likewise sparked a violent reaction.

Quite a few mathematicians had already begun to believe that he would be the next Gauss; in his hands, mathematics would achieve complete grand unification before physics.

At this time, Grothendieck had not yet completed his most important algebraic tools and had not yet become the subsequent pope of algebraic geometry, but already the media had begun to shout the title of the Emperor of Number Theory.

And this media outlet was not a Chinese-language publication, but local New York media.

When the news reached Hong Kong, the local newspapers remarked that rather than the Emperor of Number Theory, wouldn't the Emperor of Mathematics be more fitting?

Consequently, what was originally merely an award of honor was upgraded by the British side to include a knighthood ceremony.

Standing beside him, apart from the staff, was Thomas, a senior inspector from the Special Branch. Upon hearing this, Thomas felt inwardly grateful that he hadn't made things difficult for the other party; otherwise, he would have been stuck in Hong Kong for the rest of his life.

"Professor Lin, it is a pity that the University of Hong Kong does not yet possess the environment to allow you to stay here long-term. If one day in the future you wish to leave Columbia University, please be sure to consider the University of Hong Kong first.

We will offer the most sincere terms, and we also look forward to your visit next year," said Sir Desmond Forrest, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, with equal politeness.

Lin Ran thought to himself that next year—next year, he estimated he would be unable to leave America without using the "Door."

Hoi-Chow Ho merely shook his hand and embraced him without saying much. The Chinese and the Englishmen were not of one heart, especially those in the shipping business, where everyone fought fiercely to secure this bowl of rice.

At this time in Hong Kong, besides local shipping merchants, there were also a vast number of British shipping firms operating.

In order to maintain secrecy, he and Y.K. Pao had exhausted every possible means.

On the surface, the establishment of the Hong Kong shipping firm was meant to counter the Englishmen, but in reality, it was for the sake of contending for international standards.

Aside from him and Y.K. Pao, none of the other shareholders knew about the latter.

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When it came to Chen Jingrun, Lin Ran had even fewer words to spare: "Dehui, if you come to New York, remember to call me in advance."

He then gave him a few hearty slaps on the back, reminding him not to forget that there was still a treasure left for him in his office.

In truth, Lin Ran's reminder was entirely unnecessary; the person sent to retrieve the cargo had already set out.

As early as a week ago, old Feng Tou, who was responsible for cleaning the teaching buildings at the University of Hong Kong, had quietly been replaced. No one even noticed—wearing a face mask, whenever anyone asked, he would cough, and after coughing, he would wave his hand to indicate that he was ill and feeling unwell.

By relying on this routine, he had been cleaning here for a week without a soul noticing that old Feng Tou had been swapped out.

The report was transported all the way back to Beijing via Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Beijing.

"Our strategic focus in the past has long been concentrated on land power, with land border security as our primary concern.

If it is truly as he says, and maritime shipping will be the lifeline of future global trade, should we then adjust our strategy?"

"Developing maritime shipping capabilities can help us better acquire overseas resources.

Should we not increase investment in coastal ports like Shanghai and Guangzhou to upgrade shipping infrastructure?

If through maritime shipping we can more efficiently import the raw materials required for industry, this will be crucial for us to accelerate the industrialization process."

"I suggest we begin observing now; just as the other party said, sending people to join the Hong Kong shipping merchants for observation is extremely necessary."

The decision relayed back to Hong Kong resulted in Section Chief Zhang resigning from his electronics component factory, preparing to find an opportunity to join the shipping firm mentioned by Lin Ran.

Upon landing at New York's Idlewild Airport—which would only be renamed Kennedy Airport after Kennedy's assassination, and not yet being called Kennedy Airport made Lin Ran feel a bit strange—

To his surprise, however, John Morgan had personally come to the airport to greet him:

"Brother, thank God you're finally back!"

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