Did the world end today?

Chapter 108 Musical Chairs?
Two hours later, in Lin Xu's office in the coordination group's office building.

Jiang Xingye sat silently opposite Lin Xu, and after a long while, he finally spoke:
So, the divorce is for real?

"it is true."

Lin Xu nodded.

"Is the end of the world real? Is the end of the world thing you asked me about before also real? And you said you wanted to go to Mars, was it to find out my future motives?"

"Yes."

Lin Xu nodded again.

He discovered that Jiang Xingye remembered his words very clearly. In fact, during their conversation, she could instantly recall some things that he hadn't even remembered himself.

"You are the key figure in saving the world, the so-called butterfly, and I am the 'pollen,' the crucial factor capable of absorbing the butterfly's influence?"

"Correct."

Lin Xu nodded for the third time.

"That's why I have to come clean with you now, because things have become so urgent that no one can stand idly by—especially a key figure like you."

"Understood. When did it start?"

Jiang Xingye asked again:
"What I mean is, when did you start being influenced by higher dimensions, and when did you start knowing that the end of the world exists?"

"The exact timeframe was two and a half months ago, but I only really gained a real understanding of these things a little over a month ago."

Lin Xu continued:

"I didn't mean to hide it, it's just that this matter is of great importance, I..."

"It's alright, no need to say more."

Jiang Xingye breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Don't mistake me for some lovestruck little woman. I can tell what's important and what's urgent."

"Besides, if it were two and a half months ago, there wouldn't really be any additional impact."

Ok?
No additional impact?
So, in Jiang Xingye's eyes, the key moment in the development of their relationship actually happened two and a half months ago.
Lin Xu seemed to be deep in thought.

He really doesn't remember!

As far as I can remember, our relationship has always been quite good since we joined the company, definitely much better than that of ordinary colleagues, but was there really a decisive event?
never mind!

who cares?
Jiang Xingye will tell sooner or later anyway!

Lin Xu completely relaxed, while Jiang Xingye on the other side remained silent for a few seconds before asking:

"Where are we at now?"

"I mean, where are we in our work to save the world?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xu immediately sat up straight.

"Two aspects."

"On the one hand, AVIC has already intervened and is currently vigorously promoting the Star Travel No. 1 project in the hope of reaching the key milestones in the shortest possible time, prompting future changes, and thus obtaining more information related to the apocalypse."

"On the other hand, we have identified the leader of the Planetary Reincarnation Organization and have captured him."

"But unfortunately, the other party escaped our control in a way that is difficult to explain for the time being, and this lead has been lost."

"No, no, no, that's not how it is."

Jiang Xingye interrupted Lin Xu and continued:

"If we follow your description, the way he escaped is not difficult to understand."

"How to say?"

Lin Xu perked up.

Jiang Xingye organized his thoughts briefly, then said:
"First, let's define two points."

"Firstly, every time Zhou Yue enters a higher dimension, he undergoes physical and temporal teleportation."

"Secondly, every time Zhou Yue enters a higher dimension, his personality will be 'swapped'."

"We won't consider the specifics of how it's done for now, but if, as you say, the butterfly's projection into higher-dimensional space is related to AdS/CFT duality theory, then it's not impossible that it could have other effects leading to personality swapping."

"Perhaps information was overwritten or rewritten during the process? In any case, it doesn't matter."

"The important point is this."

"Even if the number of low-dimensional worlds is astronomical in a high-dimensional space scale, there is no concept of a limit, right?"

"The concept of infinity does not exist? For..."

Lin Xu suddenly realized what he was saying halfway through his sentence.

indeed.

From a physics perspective, after dimensional elevation, particles must possess a minimum size.

From a purely mathematical perspective, time in a high-dimensional space is a plane, so there is naturally no infinite loop.

But what does this have to do with Zhou Yue?
Jiang Xingye continued:
"So, it's not that he actually 'escaped'."

"For him, it's a game of musical chairs."

"Twenty years later, he used a high-dimensional channel to snatch Zhou Yue's seat in 2021, squeezing out Zhou Yue in 2021. Then, he used the high-dimensional channel to leave again in 2025."

"The emergence of higher-dimensional channels is like the starting gun for a game of musical chairs."

"He can only move when a gunshot is fired; until the next gunshot is fired, he remains motionless in all worlds."

"Furthermore, he cannot actively choose the world."

"Only when he in a certain world develops to the point of entering a higher-dimensional channel can he exchange places with the other."

“It’s not that we can’t do anything about him—if we can control a Zhou Yue with a personality 20 years in the future and permanently isolate him from higher dimensions, then we can completely control him.”

At this point, Lin Xu understood what Jiang Xingye meant.

But new problems have arisen.

How do we capture Zhou Yue's personality 20 years from now?
Lin Xu looked at Jiang Xingye, about to ask a question, but then realized something.

No need to catch them.

Because this is a musical chairs game.

As long as a chair becomes available, someone must sit on it.

They can continuously travel through higher-dimensional channels in a "non-linear time" manner to reach new worlds.
There's only Zhou Yue 20 years from now. He alone will fill all the empty chairs.

As long as he from other worlds enters the higher-dimensional passage, the Zhou Yue wandering in the higher-dimensional space will have to sit down.

"I understand."

Lin Xu suddenly looked at Jiang Xingye.

shit
Is this the power of "Huawei pollen"?

She hadn't even explained the details of all this to her in detail, but even just by intuition, she had figured out the overall picture.

This cannot be explained by a simple concept of "higher-dimensional influence".

Just as she once said, she is no ordinary person.

Seeing Lin Xu's expression, Jiang Xingye asked:
"So, how far have you gotten to understanding this?"

"The step of sending Zhou Yue of this world into the higher-dimensional channel."

"That's right!"

Jiang Xingye nodded in satisfaction.

"As expected of the person I chose!"

"??? You were chosen by me, weren't you??"

Lin Xu rolled his eyes, but Jiang Xingye ignored him and continued:

"From a higher-dimensional perspective, all lower-dimensional worlds are different."

“Every lower-dimensional world has its own unique characteristics.”

"But there is only one thing that is certain and will never change."

"That is, the time when the higher-dimensional channel appeared."

"The projection of a higher-dimensional channel will traverse all lower-dimensional worlds on a plane. There may be differences in physical location, but the time as a higher-dimensional coordinate must be fixed."

"Therefore, as long as we can predict the exact time when the next high-dimensional channel will appear and find its entrance on Earth, we can capture Zhou Yue."

"That's the fundamental difference between him and you."

"He's passive, you're active—that's why I'm telling you from another world that he's not on your level, right?"

"That makes perfect sense!"

At this moment, all the clues connected.

I should have confronted her about it a long time ago!
There should be no concerns.

How could someone who could shoot down Mars with just twenty people be some crying, whiny little woman?
Regret!

Lin Xu stood up and said:
"I need to talk to the other staff members and explain this to them."

"You come too!"

"While you're at it, meet the other colleagues in the work group!"

Half an hour later, Lin Xu introduced Jiang Xingye to everyone.

The management measures and action plan for Zhou Yue's case were quickly determined, and he will completely lose his freedom before the next high-dimensional channel appears.

The problem now revolves around monitoring high-dimensional channels.

Lin Xu must find the exact time when the next high-dimensional channel will appear within the territory.

He could only obtain such information in the world of the bracelet 20 years in the future.

The number on the bracelet is still 2, but two chances should be enough to find a new high-dimensional channel and trap "Zhou Yue 20 years later".

With everything arranged, Lin Xu took Jiang Xingye back to the company.

Jiang Xingye had his own things to do, but he didn't plan to stay at the company.

As they walked from one building to another, Jiang Xingye suddenly asked:
"So, how exactly do I, as 'pollen,' work?"

"I do not know."

Lin Xu honestly replied:
"I am just a butterfly, and butterflies don't care where their pollen lands."

"It's just that when I fly to different flowers, the pollen falls behind me."

"That's why Zhou Yue is so important—because he's a killer bee, he can see the complete trajectory of pollen."

"Through him, we can understand how butterflies influence pollen."

"I understand—I was also ruthlessly abandoned."

Jiang Xingye said thoughtfully.

Then, she changed the subject and asked:
"Let's change the subject—how did we get divorced?"

"To preserve the butterfly's container in another world."

Lin Xu answered without hesitation.

Jiang Xingye let out a long sigh of relief and said with a sly expression:

"I knew it!"

"Okay, I need to get back to work now."

"I can't help you with other things right now, but I can still push Star Travel One forward."

"Is there anything else I need to do?"

"Have."

Lin Xu nodded solemnly.

"I need you to get to know Xu Qianlin, Xu Jin, Bai Mo, and Zhang Yuan as soon as possible and establish solid relationships with them."

"The node is about to be reached. I don't yet know what kind of world we will be in after reaching the node, nor do I know whether the composition of that world will be affected by factors other than the node."

"But I hope that we can all stay connected as much as possible."

"Only in this way can I obtain the most information in the world over the next twenty years."

Seeing Lin Xu's expression, Jiang Xingye tilted his head.

"Roger that!"

(End of this chapter)