Chapter 2: Why Work So Hard? I’ll Just Invest!
Before him stretched a world of pure, luminous white, suffused with warmth and light. Fang Jing felt as light as air, as though he were drifting upon the surface of a tranquil sea.
He forced his eyes open, and through the radiance he glimpsed a sleek, gleaming machine, suspended in the midst of that boundless white.
When Fang Jing tried to see the machine more clearly, sensation jolted back into his body all at once. The solid ground beneath him brought him abruptly to consciousness; his eyes snapped open.
“I’ve come back!”
Fang Jing glanced around and caught sight of a street sign reading “Xiyuan Road.” Delight surged within him.
He had returned! Not only had he made his way back, but curious new memories now surfaced in his mind.
“These are the instructions for using that machine.”
“If I recall the scene just now, I can activate it.”
“This machine can carry me through the multiverse, and once it emits a red light, it can anchor and establish a spatial gate!”
To set up such a gateway meant a stable passage could be formed.
What a marvelous machine this was.
“Does this mean I can travel back and forth at will?!”
Fang Jing stood stunned, awed by the magnitude of what he now possessed.
The machine’s abilities were beyond anything he had ever imagined.
The prospect of crafting a stable passage through space—was this the beginning of an alliance among the multiverse?
He couldn’t help but recall the full-body exoskeleton he had glimpsed earlier; his longing for such technology was acute.
If only he could bring that marvel into his own universe!
A rapid staccato of footsteps echoed from afar just as Fang Jing stood lost in thought.
Several soldiers in combat uniforms hurried toward him.
“Comrade Fang Jing, my name is Chen Limin.”
The lead officer approached, extending his hand.
Noticing the surveillance camera trained on him from a nearby lamppost, Fang Jing understood at once—his sudden disappearance had not gone unnoticed. These men were here specifically for him.
“You’re aware of what happened to you. Would you mind telling us about your experience?”
Chen Limin smiled gently, his gaze full of inquiry, his tone not one of command but of invitation.
Such an approach immediately put Fang Jing at ease. Truly, these were soldiers of the people—their attitude was heartening.
“Uh, alright, but could I have a moment…?”
“No problem. Let’s go somewhere familiar—the Armed Forces Office. Didn’t you just submit your paperwork there? They have hot water; perhaps you’d like a cup.”
Chen Limin’s tone was gentle, laced with a touch of humor.
Special circumstances called for special measures. For a young man already intent on serving, with such awareness, it was only right to handle things properly.
And a sudden disappearance—well, that was more than shocking.
“I am rather thirsty, actually. Please, I’d appreciate a cup.”
After a brief hesitation, Fang Jing smiled and nodded his agreement.
Given the unique nature of his newfound gift and his own position, he had every reason to cooperate with the military. Besides, he’d long been displeased with that bald eagle across the ocean!
He hadn’t forgotten his late mentor’s wish—to send a symbolic bald eagle as an offering at his grave.
Now, there was no need to toil away for fifty more years; the chance to overtake his rivals by a clever detour had arrived.
That famous saying of the elder statesman rang true: “Black cat or white cat, whichever catches mice is a good cat.”
So, regardless of the machine’s origins, if it truly advanced his nation’s cause, it was a blessing!
“Very well, let’s get in the car!”
Chen Limin nodded approvingly at Fang Jing’s growing resolve, signalling for the military vehicle to be brought around.
Once Fang Jing was aboard, they drove straight to the Armed Forces Office.
…
“You’re saying this machine lets you travel between worlds?”
Chen Limin’s teacup trembled violently in his grasp—he almost dropped it.
He stared at Fang Jing in astonishment, scarcely able to believe it.
“That’s right. I believe I crossed into a parallel universe’s China, where technology is more advanced. I must have landed in a military restricted zone—the soldiers there wore exoskeletons.”
“Parallel universe… China…”
Chen Limin clenched his cup tightly, his eyes narrowing in concentration.
“Officer Chen, so I was thinking—if their technology really is more advanced, perhaps we could…”
Fang Jing’s excitement was palpable as he explained, “It’s all China on the other side. That military man, Zhou Weirong, seemed reasonable. I believe this is a real opportunity for us!”
A bold idea was forming in his mind.
If he could cooperate with this alternate China, gaining access to technology from the year 2036—even a decade or two of advancement would be transformative.
If secured, this universe’s China would soar.
A century of weakness had left too much to repay.
The embassy incident, the Galaxy incident, flight 81192—all China’s sorrows flashed through Fang Jing’s mind.
As a fervently patriotic youth, now that the opportunity had come, he was determined to put the bald eagle in its place.
Root out the cancer of America, liberate the world!
“I think I understand your meaning. This is no trivial matter—I must report it at once.”
Chen Limin set down his teacup and exhaled, cautioning Fang Jing, “Wait for my instructions. Don’t act rashly. We still know nothing of the other side. Your safety is paramount.”
“Remember, even if you do nothing, surpassing our rivals is only a matter of time!”
He left these resolute words behind, opened the door, and rushed out—so hurried, he forgot to close the door behind him.
…
Chen Limin’s parting words warmed Fang Jing’s heart.
Only soldiers truly devoted to the people could speak so.
He himself, in just a few months, would have proudly become one of them.
But fate is fickle—ever since that bicycle struck him, the gears of destiny had begun to turn.
Yet this time, fortune favored the East; so too did the nation’s destiny.
Five stars rise in the East, bringing prosperity to China.
…
As Fang Jing waited in the office for Chen Limin’s return, the vast machinery of the state moved unseen within the Armed Forces Office.
Chen Limin descended into a hidden chamber. After an iris scan, fingerprint, and DNA verification, he entered a small, empty room containing only an old-fashioned rotary phone.
He stepped to the phone and spun the dial.
Click, click, click. Click, click. Click, click, click.
The line connected—only silence greeted him.
Unfazed, Chen Limin spoke: “National Security, Henan Provincial Office, Chen Limin, security code 256XXXX, requesting Mozi connection, distributing cipher key, Capital.”
“Voice print verified. Cipher: MZ45XXX. Connecting to satellite… connection established.”
A pause, then: “This is Zhu Jincheng. Comrade Chen Limin, go ahead.”
“Elder Zhu, the files should have arrived in the capital—one video, two documents. Please review and issue instructions as soon as possible.”
By his calculation, the surveillance footage should already be in place. With a fighter jet on supersonic cruise, it wouldn’t take long to traverse the distance.
“Oh, an urgent delivery from Henan, by fighter jet?”
“What on earth is going on—such a commotion, even Number One called to ask. What are you up to over there?”
From the other end, Zhu’s tone held irritation. Fighter jets roaring over the capital, even dropping flares—did National Security think someone was stealing a hydrogen bomb?
“Elder Zhu, please look at the files right away.”
Hearing the urgency in Chen Limin’s voice, Zhu Jincheng grew serious. National Security would not make a fuss over nothing—such measures meant something monumental had happened.
He opened the folder, still warm from the courier’s sprint.
At just the first page, his pupils contracted sharply; his hands trembled as he clutched the document, voice quivering in disbelief.
“This… can this be real?”
“Is such a thing even possible?”