Chapter 17: "The Two Faces of the Mirror" a

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Gu Dajun’s eyes were fixed intently on Meng Yang, his gaze sending a chill down Meng Yang’s spine. Meng Yang knew well that this man, who worked for him, barely had any money to his name.

At that moment, the usually taciturn Lao Mao, Li Yanzhong, showed a rare expression of concern and suddenly asked, “How far is the road ahead? And where is our supply point?”

His question was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring waves of worry among everyone.

After all, the geological conditions around Ranwu Lake were complex and treacherous, the climate unpredictable. The original path was already difficult, and now with two vehicles lost, the prospect of continuing the journey became deeply troubling.

Seeing the tension, Guo Zhenhu quickly reassured them, “Don’t worry, the boss has made all the arrangements.”

Upon hearing this, no one dared to ask further. In their minds, Baotianxi had always seemed capable of overcoming any obstacle.

Rumors once circulated that Baotianxi’s involvement in treasure hunting and exploration—a pursuit both costly and risky—was backed by some mysterious financial consortium. In truth, the real support came from his wife, Fei Jie, Wan Chunyan.

Wan Chunyan’s father, Wan Baiwan, was a renowned stock market tycoon. Like her father, Wan Chunyan possessed exceptional business acumen, earning the nickname “Never Misses.” A popular saying went: “The boss never errs, Fei Jie never misses; a pair so prosperous, wealth is inevitable.”

Together, the couple founded Yunnan Treasure Basin Future Development Co., known simply as the “Future Company.” Although Baotianxi was the nominal chairman, the control over the company’s funds and operations firmly rested in Wan Chunyan’s hands.

As the Future Company’s profits soared to new heights, Baotianxi’s restlessness grew. He often used treasure hunting as an excuse to disappear for months, much to Wan Chunyan’s frustration, who complained to anyone that he was a wild man. Yet each time, Baotianxi’s smooth words won her over.

Regarding this current expedition to find the hidden relics, Baotianxi publicly claimed it was to excavate Tibetan culture and preserve the flame of civilization for humanity. He solemnly promised Wan Chunyan that once this adventure ended, he would stay home dutifully and cherish their life together.

In truth, Baotianxi knew his departure was not truly because Wan Chunyan was swayed by his lofty reasons, nor was it the lure of treasure profits. Wan Chunyan’s real motive was to keep him away from city social circles, fearful that some unworthy woman might seduce her husband away.

Baotianxi himself had his own unspoken hardships.

For years, he and Wan Chunyan had been unable to conceive a child, a burden that wore on him physically and mentally. He hoped that a change of scenery might ease the pressure.

Initially, Baotianxi suspected there was some physical problem, so he underwent thorough medical examinations. The doctors found no major issues, only that their excessive obesity might cause poor sperm and egg quality due to nutritional imbalance, recommending exercise and genetic adjustments.

Baotianxi resolved inwardly that upon returning, he must fulfill the lifelong duty of fathering children to carry on the family line.

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At the plateau’s Icebound Experimental Station, Su Chunyang reviewed the last experiment comprehensively. In his previous work, he had faced much skepticism and opposition, yet he never wavered, firmly believing in the correctness of his research. Persistence, he trusted, would eventually yield answers.

Now he prepared to launch a more powerful experiment.

This time, he had meticulously upgraded the equipment, reinforcing the high-magnetic energy control array rectifier, and made thorough and rigorous arrangements for personnel safety.

To lend the experiment greater authority and professionalism, he specially invited Dean Lin Yizhou of the Southwest Science Institute and the glaciologist Ding Bonian, famed as the “Son of the Glacier.”

Ding Bonian, 57 years old, served at the Chinese Geophysical Research Center. He was a distinguished glaciophysicist—tall, austere, with striking silver hair. Beneath his prominent brow, his deep-set eyes seemed to harbor endless mysteries, giving him the aura of an isolated, formidable iceberg radiating a unique presence.

It was the first time Lin Yizhou and Ding Bonian had stepped into the Icebound Station.

Standing before the massive, beast-like structure, both were deeply impressed by its imposing and magnificent appearance. The towering building soared into the clouds, shaped like interlocking diagonal cubes. Only by standing beneath it could one truly appreciate the exquisite architectural design and the staggering visual impact of its height.

The entire station resembled a grand scientific fortress, with a vast, well-lit main hall radiating brightness.

Su Chunyang hurried out to greet them. Professor Ding exclaimed, “Professor Su, this place is truly impressive!”

“Of course, this is a national key project,” Su Chunyang replied proudly with a smile.

“Are you planning to replicate the dangerous antimatter experiment from last time?” Dean Lin asked with concern.

Su lowered his voice cautiously: “As you know, our previous experiment successfully confirmed that using strong lasers and neutrino beams to strike purified KC20 can indeed produce neutrino antimatter…”

“What’s the next step?” Dean Lin’s curiosity was piqued.

“Let’s discuss it inside,” Su said warmly, ushering them into the station.

As they moved between floors, they saw the station’s comprehensive facilities. Spacious laboratories and research rooms were neatly arranged with all manner of precision instruments and advanced scientific equipment, each showcasing the station’s formidable and cutting-edge research capabilities.

Finally, they arrived at the information center located in the middle of the upper cube. Entering Su’s office, they found it spacious and pristine, with slightly tilted floor-to-ceiling glass offering a panoramic view of the entire Icebound Station.

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Looking down, the station covered a vast area, surrounded by circular buildings resembling observatories. These spherical structures were enormous, with towering domes—some hundreds of meters in diameter—spectacular under the sunlight.

Dean Lin joked with a smile, “You’re quite the tycoon, building something so large it feels like a base on another planet.”

“That’s nothing! What you see is just the surface. Beneath, more than 3,000 meters underground, there are even more facilities and constructions,” Su said proudly.

Seeing the expansive space, Ding Bonian asked, “Professor Su, the idea of using neutrino antimatter to create a spatial tunnel—does it have a scientific basis or a name?”

Su asked in return, “You mean a wormhole?” Ding nodded.

Su patiently explained, “This type of wormhole is a theoretical model proposed by Einstein and Rosen, also called the ‘Einstein-Rosen Bridge.’ Theoretically, the bridge connecting two points in space can span infinite distance.”

“I understand that the fixity of time reflects the inviolable laws of the universe, implying that time is subject to cosmic rules set by higher intelligence or forces, beyond the power or understanding of any single life form,” Ding said solemnly, raising his concerns.

“The spacetime tunnel is expected to form a multidimensional sphere within three-dimensional space. Its gravity bends surrounding light, creating gravitational lensing effects. But unlike a black hole, it has no event horizon. Perhaps what we see is just a mirror, possibly even an image of the other side of the wormhole…” Su pushed up his glasses and continued calmly, trying to make this complex concept accessible.

Dean Lin frowned thoughtfully, then said, “If we can truly traverse space through a wormhole, it would be monumental for human cosmic exploration. Yet the risks and unknowns are enormous.”

Ding agreed, “Indeed. From an energy perspective, maintaining such a wormhole’s stability requires unimaginable power. Currently, we don’t know how to acquire or control such massive energy.”

Su’s gaze was steady as he looked out over the station. “Although the challenges are great, that is the allure of scientific exploration. We have made progress in neutrino antimatter research—that is a good start. With continued effort, I believe one day we will unveil the mysteries of wormholes and realize humanity’s dream of traveling through space.”

Dean Lin laughed, “So you want to find a breakthrough, to peek at the other side of the mirror? Truly a consummate voyeur.”

“With a project this large, what role does artificial intelligence play? Also, won’t an antimatter-formed wormhole cause disasters in our real space?” Professor Ding posed new questions.