I’m Really a Superstar

Somewhere.

At a research institute.

Rotor blades were slicing through the air. A military helicopter slowly descended as it swung left and right while executing its landing on an open field behind the research institute. Zhang Ye swept his gaze around the location while in the aircraft but couldn’t be sure of what place this was. In any case, it was definitely in a very remote area since it looked deserted within several kilometers. It seemed like this was a research institute isolated from the world. The area that it was built on was also very big, and there were several blocks of buildings and large yards within it. Among them were also some facilities that Zhang Ye didn’t know how to describe. From time to time, heavily armed soldiers could be seen patrolling the area. There was a very high level of alert here.

What place was this?

Why was the security so tight in here?

Only now did Zhang Ye realize that this research institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was a little different. There were a great deal of research institutes in China, with up to several thousand of them, but this was the first time that Zhang Ye had seen a research institute with such a high level of security. It was virtually unheard of.

They got out of the helicopter.

Chi Xue was waiting for them.

“Professor Zhang.”

“Professor Chi.”

“I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again.”

“You’re too polite, too polite.”

The personnel on both sides completed a simple handover.

Zhang Ye saw Chi Xue sign, for over half a minute, a dozen documents that the other party had brought along. They were likely some kind of guarantee documents or something like that. After all, it was the Chinese Academy of Sciences who borrowed him. It sounded easy but was in fact a very troublesome process. This wasn’t as simple as transferring a professor over from a university. It was loaning someone out from a prison! It entailed so many issues. Who should be held responsible if anything happened? Someone would have to answer for it.

The formalities were completed.

Chi Xue then brought Zhang Ye into the research institute.

No one from the helicopter detail besides “guard” Zhou Xiaohe followed him in. The other people were only responsible for transferring Zhang Ye over here in secret.

Chi Xue knew Zhou Xiaohe. “Little Zhou, you’ve worked hard along the way.”

Zhou Xiaohe gave a smile. “Sister Chi, it was nothing.”

Zhang Ye said without much of a care, “You know each other?”

“Yeah.” Chi Xue said, “Little Zhou is a guard here at our research institute. We had spent a great deal of effort to get you here on loan. However, the higher-ups were still worried. After all, your reputation as the world’s best hacker is too well-known. Besides, you’re still serving your sentence, so they were afraid that something would happen. So we got Little Zhou to—”

Zhou Xiaohe quickly said, “I’m here to ensure Professor Zhang’s safety.”

Zhang Ye rolled his eyes.

Chi Xue laughed. She looked at Little Zhou and said, “Alright, when Professor Zhang came out into society to work, you were still in the army and didn’t have any societal experience yet. Professor Zhang already understands what’s going on. You don’t have to hide it from him.”

Zhou Xiaohe was very embarrassed.

A female researcher happened to pass by and hurriedly stopped in her tracks. “Professor Zhang.”

Zhang Ye was taken aback but nodded at her.

Over there, another researcher stood still and said respectfully, “Professor Zhang.”

Zhang Ye nodded. “Hello.”

“Professor Zhang.”

“Professor Zhang!”

Some people greeted him respectfully.

Others were visibly excited to see him.

As long as it was a researcher who passed by, all of them stopped in their tracks to greet Zhang Ye.

Zhou Xiaohe found this a little strange. He had been in the army for most of the year and basically did not watch television, nor chased after any celebrities. Of course he had heard of Zhang Ye’s name before, but that was only from the mouths of others. He could never have expected that all of the researchers at this highly secure research institute would be so respectful to a criminal who was still serving his sentence. This was a scene that he could never have imagined.

Up ahead, several of the institute’s top brass came out.

Fellow Zhou said with a smile, “Professor Zhang, you’re finally here.”

Zhang Ye said, “You’re too polite.”

Fellow Zhou said, “Let me introduce to you.” He pointed to an old man beside him who looked like he was in his 70s. “This is Chi Xue’s father, and also the head of the institute, Fellow Chi.”

Fellow Chi looked at Zhang Ye.

Zhang Ye looked right back at him.

Fellow Chi put his hand out. “Sorry to trouble you, Professor Little Zhang.”

Zhang Ye smiled. “I’ll try my best.”

Seeing this, Zhou Xiaohe felt even more startled. He knew who Fellow Chi was, of course. Usually when he saw him, Fellow Chi would have a straight face and be in a bad mood. He did almost nothing other than participate in the various research projects and probably wished to stay at the research institute for all 365 days of the year. No, make that 366 days. As such, his temper was naturally more rigid. Zhou Xiaohe felt that it would be great if Fellow Chi addressed Zhang Ye as Little Zhang. But to his surprise, he also addressed him as Professor Zhang.

Zhou Xiaohe was an outsider in this field. He had absolutely no idea what Zhang Ye’s status in the academic world was. Let alone the ordinary researchers, not even Fellow Zhou and Fellow Chi could compare to Zhang Ye’s status in the academic world. After all, Fellow Chi and the others were basically just Chinese scientists, albeit great ones. But Zhang Ye was different from them. His status as a mathematician was a world-class one. He was one of the best mathematicians in the entire world. This was two completely different concepts.

One person.

Three people.

Five people.

Everyone was introduced.

Zhang Ye also noted who they were.

Fellow Chi could no longer wait. He said, “We’re in urgent need of an algorithm right now. We’ve sought help from all of the best mathematicians in the country, but none of them was able to do it. Professor Little Zhang, can you—”

“Dad, you’re in too much of a hurry,” interrupted Chi Xue.

Fellow Zhou added, “Yes, Professor Zhang has just gotten off the helicopter. At least let him catch his breath and get some rest first. We can talk about it after he has settled down.”

But Fellow Chi said, “We’re in crisis mode. How can we have any time left for that? Do you know how many people are waiting for this algorithm? Do you know how much work has been delayed because of this?”

Fellow Zhou sighed.

All of the researchers frowned when they heard this.

In recent days, there had been too much pressure on them!

Zhang Ye smiled. “Let me have a look at it first.”

Fellow Chi immediately said, “Alright, come with me.”

In Building 1.

In a research laboratory.

Chi Xue brought the information to Zhang Ye to have a look at. “This is the one.”

The atmosphere tensed up.

One minute.

Two minutes.

Three minutes.

No one said a thing. There wasn’t even any coughing as everyone had their eyes fixed on Zhang Ye. Some of them looked rather nervous, while others seemed like they were anticipating his response. Some people were pacing back and forth anxiously.

Zhang Ye was still looking at it.

Fellow Chi said impatiently, “How about it?”

Chi Xue tugged at him. “Dad, don’t be so anxious.”

“Let Professor Zhang finish looking at it first,” Fellow Zhou added.

Another few minutes passed.

Zhang Ye looked up with a deep frown.

Fellow Chi’s heart skipped a beat. “Can you do it?”

Chi Xue also stared intently at him.

Everyone’s attention was on Zhang Ye. They were all terrified that they would hear the same words that they had heard from all the other mathematicians who had come before.

Indeed, Zhang Ye’s first words were: “This is too difficult.”

Chi Xue sighed lightly. “Yes, it is.”

Fellow Chi smacked his forehead. “I knew it!”

Fellow Zhou was also stunned. “Even you can’t do it?”

Even Zhang Ye couldn’t do it?

Then there wouldn’t be anyone else in the country who could do it!

Zhang Ye said in a speechless manner, “What kind of a research project are you all conducting? That you’d have to resort to using such a complex algorithm? To create this algorithm, even the most famous mathematicians in the world might not be able to do it, much less the mathematicians in our country.”

Everyone was very disappointed.

It’s over!

It’s still the same!

Even Zhang Ye cannot do it!

Chi Xue sighed and said, “I understand. Sorry to have troubled you, Professor Zhang.”

Zhang Ye hesitated for a moment and then said, “How about this? Give me three days, and I’ll get it sorted out within three days at the latest.”

At this instant, everyone froze!

Chi Xue said startled, “What?”

Fellow Chi yelled, “Did you say three days?”

Fellow Zhou said dumbfoundedly, “So you mean you can do it?”

Zhang Ye said in surprise, “I didn’t say that I couldn’t do it.”

“But didn’t you say that it was too difficult?” Fellow Zhou said with wide eyes.

Zhang Ye said, “It is too difficult. That’s why I’ll need three days.”

Chi Xue said excitedly, “You can really do it? You can really solve it?”

“Pretty much.” Zhang Ye shrugged. “But I need to get some sleep first. I can’t think properly if I don’t get enough rest. I won’t be doing it today, so I’ll start on it tomorrow.”

Fellow Chi immediately instructed, “Alright, quick, bring Professor Little Zhang to his room! Oh yes, find the quietest place in the research institute! Let Professor Little Zhang get a good night’s rest!”

There was finally hope!

They had finally found someone who dared to say that they could produce the algorithm!

When Zhang Ye left, everyone blew up.

A female researcher said, “This is awesome!”

A supervisor said, “There’s hope now!”

Some people were doubtful. “Will it really work?”

Some people did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Professor Zhang claims that it’s too difficult but only asks for three days to do it? We’ve sought the help of so many mathematicians and they couldn’t make any progress even after working on it for a month or two, so how could it be difficult if it will only take three days? I was so scared. I really thought that Professor Zhang could not do it.”

Chi Xue was smiling. She said, “Professor Zhang’s mind isn’t the same like ours. To him, taking three days to create an algorithm is considered difficult. Do you all know how long it took Professor Zhang to solve one of the most difficult mathematical conjectures?”

“How long?”

“Yeah, how long?”

The few researchers who were not from the mathematics field pressed for an answer.

Fellow Zhou answered on behalf of Chi Xue. He held up three fingers and said, “Three hours.”

Chi Xue nodded and said with a chuckle, “For one of the most difficult mathematical conjectures in the world, Professor Zhang only took three hours to solve it.”