38 Signs of Emergence

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Bai Zongnan, forty years old this year, is a distinguished scientific researcher. On the surface, he is known in City C as a self-made genius entrepreneur who rose to prominence in recent years, frequently appearing on television screens.

But in secret, Bai Zongnan is a pioneer in the study of LI-dimensional spatial worlds. Beginning with his father’s generation, research and development into higher-dimensional spaces beyond the third dimension had already started to show signs of promise.

At the age of twenty, Bai Zongnan returned from abroad. The only thing awaiting his inheritance was his father’s dilapidated laboratory, and nothing else. However, the tremendous resources required for research could not be gained overnight. Thus, Bai Zongnan spent over a decade building his own business empire from scratch. Yet, when night fell, the research and development of the LI world never ceased.

Now, Bai Zongnan’s conglomerate has become one of the very few commercial giants in City C. He himself, as a celebrity, is often seen on TV.

This was a good thing. After all, the domestic academic community still lacked a clear stance on the definition of the LI world; for everything to be carried out in the shadows was ideal. At present, everyone knew Bai Zongnan—Fei Hua—as an entrepreneur. No one knew Bai Zongnan’s research was on the verge of yielding results. No, it had already succeeded: the first LI world had been created—right where Bai Zongnan lived, at Splendid Manor.

However, this world was still incomplete, missing many essential elements that any world should possess. In other words, it needed to be enriched—something Bai Zongnan could never accomplish alone. He needed “helpers.”

In truth, these so-called helpers weren’t required to do anything in particular; they merely had to follow Bai Zongnan’s plan. The difficulty lay in ensuring that whatever they did, they could never know the truth of it themselves.

How should he proceed?

One evening, Bai Zongnan lit a cigarette, seated on the sofa, lost in thought over his plans.

After seven o’clock, his son Xiaochai returned home, greeted him politely, and carried his schoolbag upstairs. Bai Zongnan watched his retreating figure, his thoughts lingering.

Ring-ring—

The seven o’clock alarm rang faithfully.

Instinctively, Bai Zongnan silenced it, intending to turn over and sleep again. Yet, out of habit, he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

Today was… Thursday, perhaps? Not quite the weekend yet; Bai Zongnan had to go to work.

Yes, he was part of the workforce, but unlike others, Bai Zongnan was a people’s teacher—a biology teacher. Not a health teacher, mind you; let’s be clear on that. He stood at the pinnacle of the labor chain, so to speak. When he had no classes, he was a free angel, able to look down on the rest of the workforce, and that felt pretty good. But when he had classes…

There was no help for it. Today, Bai Zongnan had a class, so he had to get up to lecture those little troublemakers on—no, not physiology—biology.

He brushed his teeth, washed his face, stepped out, unlocked his scooter… Hmm? What was this?

He noticed an envelope in the basket of his electric bike.

Curious, Bai Zongnan opened it.

My name is Fei Hua, father to a child. My beloved wife passed away early; my child is now in the final year of junior high.

In recent years, I have been focused on my career, neglecting my family and my child’s growth and education.

Now, my son Xiaochai’s grades are worsening across the board, especially in mathematics. He doesn’t listen to me or his teachers, obsessed with computer games, and I am at my wits’ end.

In City C, your reputation as an exceptional teacher precedes you; your expertise in biology is second to none. So, I write this letter, hoping to invite you to my home to meet Xiaochai. If possible, I would be most grateful if you could stay on as his tutor, help him improve his grades and set him back on the right path.

As for compensation, you need not worry; I will ensure you are well rewarded.

You are cordially invited to visit my home this Saturday at 9 a.m. My deepest thanks.

On the back of the letter, a small token of respect awaits you—please accept it whether or not you choose to visit.

Our address: 588 Splendid Avenue, Splendid Manor, City C.

Fei Hua

Wow, was this not a pie falling from the sky? Bai Zongnan hurriedly turned the letter over and found a thin check attached—one hundred thousand yuan!

Fei Hua… that name seemed familiar.

Ah, yes!

Bai Zongnan recalled that Fei Hua was that genius entrepreneur who had risen from nothing in recent years, often seen on TV. In City C, Fei Hua’s wealth was known to all.

Splendid Avenue was famous as a wealthy district; top tycoons of City C were said to live there. Bai Zongnan realized this letter was not a prank.

After all, who would attach a check for a prank?

What stroke of luck had he stumbled upon? Bai Zongnan almost laughed aloud.

He must go.

On Saturday morning, as agreed, Bai Zongnan took a taxi to the address—Fei Hua’s manor.

The car sped along, heading to Splendid Avenue. As they drew closer, traffic thinned, and the low-rise and apartment blocks on either side disappeared, replaced by clusters of villas and manors.

It seemed everything in the letter was true. Bai Zongnan felt a faint nervousness.

The taxi stopped before a manor, where a middle-aged man in a tailcoat was already waiting at the gate. He opened the car door for Bai Zongnan, nodding to him with a smile.

Bai Zongnan stepped out, a little at a loss in the grandeur, smiled politely, and was about to introduce himself when the man spoke first.

“You must be the guest our master invited. I am the butler of this manor—you may call me Ah Fu. Please, follow me.”

Somewhat surprised, Bai Zongnan followed him into the estate.

Entering the manor felt like stepping into an ideal realm. The rows of houses were all built with the finest golden ratio. Between a pair of bronze lions, a pendant hung at precisely the central angle of the round face.

Was this—an isosceles triangle? No, it was an artificial hill.

Now this was art.

So thought Bai Zongnan, following the butler to a villa.

This villa was most unusual, being a perfect pentagonal prism. Every edge and step was constructed according to the Pythagorean theorem, giving it an overall sense of uprightness and height.

Bai Zongnan noticed several people standing before the villa.

The butler, Ah Fu, stopped, turned, and nodded to Bai Zongnan to indicate they had arrived. He approached the group, facing Bai Zongnan and five others, and spoke.

“Thank you all for accepting the invitation. On behalf of my master, I express his gratitude and welcome. You are all here as teachers, but do not worry—your duties do not overlap, as each of you teaches a different subject. It’s now 8:47, a few minutes before the appointed time. You might use this chance to get acquainted; perhaps you’ll work together for some time. Oh, and the master asked me to give you this once everyone had arrived.”

So Fei Hua had not hired just one teacher. Of course, as he’d mentioned in his letter, his son was struggling in all subjects—a truly troublesome child.

As Bai Zongnan pondered this, he watched the butler distribute sheets of paper, one to each of the six present.

Bai Zongnan read his sheet.

Welcome to my home. Thank you, teachers, for your hard work. Shortly, attendants will invite you to the parlor to rest.

There will be coffee, milk, juice, tea, and a variety of snacks available.

Ah, teachers, my son truly lacks promise. I’ve hired tutor after tutor, but his grades do not improve. You are my last hope.

This child once did well in his former class, but after transferring, his grades plummeted.

As the saying goes, if a child is not taught, it is the father’s fault. My son’s current state is largely my responsibility.

Therefore, I earnestly ask each of you, the most outstanding teachers, to do your part and help my child improve. Of course, your reward will exceed your expectations. I beg you!

20, 22, 15, 13, 20, 11

After this initial exchange, a homeroom teacher was selected, and the teachers became acquainted with one another.

At exactly nine, the villa’s doors opened. Guided by the butler, Bai Zongnan and the others entered.

The villa’s main hall was circular, with two elevators and a spiral staircase. A towering chandelier hung down, spanning all three stories. It was like a palatial mansion.

A middle-aged man in fine clothing descended the stairs. His appearance was unremarkable, but he radiated an unmistakable authority. Upon seeing the teachers, his face broke into a smile.

“I am Fei Hua. Welcome, teachers, to my humble home. Let’s get straight to the point—my son’s grades are extremely poor, as you all know. I have drawn up a class schedule, and I invite you to review it.”

Once again, Bai Zongnan found himself trapped in that dream:

Bai Zongnan, forty years old, a distinguished scientific researcher. Publicly, he is City C’s genius entrepreneur, self-made in recent years and a frequent figure on television.

In secret, he is a pioneer of LI-dimensional spatial world research. From his father’s generation, studies of higher dimensions beyond the third had begun to emerge.

At twenty, Bai Zongnan returned from abroad to inherit only his father’s broken-down lab. But research devours resources, and these are not easily gained. He spent years building his business empire, and after dark, the LI world project never stopped.

Now, his conglomerate is one of City C’s business titans, and he is often seen on TV. This public persona is a blessing—since the academic definition of the LI world is still unclear, secrecy is for the best. Now, everyone knows Bai Zongnan—Fei Hua—as an entrepreneur, but no one realizes how close his research is to fruition. No—he has already succeeded: the first LI world has been created, right here at Splendid Manor.

But the world is incomplete, missing countless essential elements. It needs enrichment—something Bai Zongnan cannot accomplish alone. He needs “helpers.”

Yet helpers need do nothing special, only follow his plan. The challenge is that they cannot be allowed to know what they are truly doing.

How should this be done?

One night, Bai Zongnan lit a cigarette and sat on the sofa, pondering his plan.

After seven, his son Xiaochai returned home, greeted him, and went upstairs with his bag. Bai Zongnan watched him, lost in thought.

Ring-ring—

The alarm rang faithfully at seven.

Bai Zongnan instinctively silenced it, wanting to sleep more, but sat up out of habit and rubbed his eyes.

Today... Thursday? Not yet the weekend. He had to go to work.

Yes, he was a wage earner, but unlike most, he was a people’s teacher—a biology teacher. Not a health teacher, mind you! At the top of the working chain, he could soar like a free angel above the workforce when not teaching—an enjoyable feeling. But class days...

No help for it—today he had class and had to get up to teach those little devils... ahem, biology.

Brush teeth, wash face, go out, unlock… scooter. Hmm? What’s this?

He noticed an envelope in the basket of his bike.

Curious, he opened it.

My name is Fei Hua, father to a child. My wife passed away early; my child is in the last year of junior high...

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As for compensation, you need not worry; you will be well rewarded.

You are invited this Saturday at 9 a.m. to my home. My gratitude is boundless.

On the back of the letter is a small token, whether or not you accept. Please take it.

Address: 588 Splendid Avenue, Splendid Manor, City C.

Fei Hua

Wow, was this not a pie from the sky? Bai Zongnan quickly flipped the letter over to find a thin check—one hundred thousand yuan!

Fei Hua… the name sounded familiar.

Ah yes!

Bai Zongnan remembered—Fei Hua, the self-made genius entrepreneur so often seen on TV. In City C, everyone knew of Fei Hua’s wealth.

Splendid Avenue was the city’s famous wealthy district, said to house the top tycoons. Bai Zongnan realized this was no prank.

Besides, who would attach a check for a prank?

What luck had he stumbled into? Bai Zongnan almost laughed out loud.

Go! He must go.

Saturday morning, Bai Zongnan took a taxi, as agreed, to Fei Hua’s manor.

The car sped along until it reached Splendid Avenue. Fewer cars now; the low buildings and apartment blocks had disappeared, replaced by clusters of villas and manors.

So the letter was genuine. Bai Zongnan felt a faint unease.

The taxi stopped at a manor, where a tailcoated middle-aged man was waiting. He opened the door for Bai Zongnan, nodding with a smile.

Bai Zongnan got out, a little at a loss, smiled politely, about to introduce himself, when the man spoke.

“You are the guest my master invited? I am the butler of the manor. You may call me Ah Fu. Please follow me.”

Somewhat surprised, Bai Zongnan followed him inside.

Within the manor, it was as if he had entered a dream world. The houses were laid out with golden ratio perfection, a pendant hanging at the precise center between a pair of bronze lions.

Is this an isosceles triangle? Ah, no—it’s an artificial hill.

Now this is art.

So thought Bai Zongnan, following the butler to a villa.

This villa was most unusual—a perfect pentagonal prism, with every angle and each stair constructed in strict accordance with the Pythagorean theorem, giving it an upright, imposing air.

Bai Zongnan noticed more people at the villa’s entrance.

The butler, Ah Fu, stopped, nodded to Bai Zongnan, and then turned to the group of six, including Bai Zongnan, and said:

“Thank you all for honoring the invitation. On behalf of my master, I thank and welcome you. You are all teachers he has invited, but your duties do not overlap—each of you teaches a different subject. It’s now 8:47, a few minutes to the agreed time. Take this opportunity to get to know each other; perhaps you will work together for some time. By the way, my master asked me to give you this once everyone arrived.”

So Fei Hua had hired more than one teacher. Of course—he’d said in the letter that his son was failing all subjects. What a troublesome child.

As Bai Zongnan thought this, he watched the butler hand out papers to the six of them.

Bai Zongnan read his:

Welcome to my home. Thank you, teachers, for your hard work. Soon an attendant will invite you to the parlor.

There will be coffee, milk, juice, tea, and a variety of snacks.

Ah, teachers, my son really is hopeless. I’ve hired batch after batch of tutors, but his grades do not improve. You are my last hope.

He used to do well in his previous class, but after transferring, his grades fell off a cliff.

As the saying goes, if a child is not taught, it is the father’s fault. My son’s state is my responsibility.

So, I beg each of you, the finest teachers, to do your part. Help my child improve. Your rewards will exceed your expectations—I beg you!

20, 22, 15, 13, 20, 11

(Here, insert the first mechanism: ice-breaking, Zhong Wei.)

After this first exchange, the homeroom teacher was chosen, and the group became acquainted.

At nine sharp, the villa door opened. Guided by the butler, Bai Zongnan entered.

The villa’s hall was circular, with two elevators, a spiral staircase, and a grand chandelier reaching down all three floors. It was like a palace.

A middle-aged man in luxurious clothes descended the stairs, his face ordinary yet commanding. Seeing the teachers, he smiled.

“I am Fei Hua. Welcome, teachers, to my humble home. Let’s be frank—my son’s grades are abysmal, as you know. I have prepared a class schedule for your review.”

Unexpectedly, within just twenty minutes, Bai Zongnan found himself caught in that dream for the third time...

Bai Zongnan, forty, a distinguished researcher. Publicly, he is City C’s self-made genius entrepreneur, a frequent face on TV.

In secret, he pioneers research on LI-dimensional spatial worlds. His father’s generation had already begun to explore higher-dimensional spaces.

At twenty, Bai Zongnan came back from abroad to inherit only a shabby lab. Research demands vast resources, and he spent years building his business empire. By night, he continued work on the LI world.

Now, his conglomerate is among City C’s business giants; he is a celebrity. This is good, for the domestic academic world has yet to define the LI world, and secrecy is best. Everyone knows Bai Zongnan—Fei Hua—as an entrepreneur, but no one knows his research is nearly complete. No—it is already complete: the first LI world has been created, here at Splendid Manor.

But this world is incomplete, lacking many essential elements. It needs to be enriched—something Bai Zongnan cannot do alone. He needs “helpers.”

The helpers need do nothing but follow his plan. The challenge is that they must remain unaware of what they are truly doing.

How to accomplish this?

One night, Bai Zongnan lit a cigarette, pondering his plan.

After seven, his son Xiaochai returned, greeted him, and went upstairs. Bai Zongnan watched him thoughtfully.

Ring-ring—

The seven o’clock alarm rang.

Instinctively, Bai Zongnan silenced it, wanting more sleep, but sat up out of habit and rubbed his eyes.

Today was… Thursday? Not the weekend yet. He had to work.

Yes, he was a wage-earner, but, unlike others, he was a people’s teacher—a biology teacher. Not a health teacher! At the top of the working chain, he soared when not teaching—an enjoyable feeling. But on class days...

No help for it—today he had class, had to get up and lecture those little devils—no, biology.

Brush teeth, wash face, go out, unlock… scooter. Hmm? What’s this?

He found an envelope in his bike basket.

Curious, he opened it.

My name is Fei Hua, father to a child. My wife died young; my child is in junior high...

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Now this is art.

So thought Bai Zongnan, following the butler to a villa.

This villa was most unusual—a perfect pentagonal prism, every edge and stair built according to the Pythagorean theorem, giving it an upright, imposing air.

Bai Zongnan noticed several people at the villa’s entrance.

The butler, Ah Fu, stopped, nodded, and turned to the group, including Bai Zongnan, and said:

“Thank you all for honoring the invitation. On behalf of my master, I welcome and thank you. You are all teachers, but your duties do not overlap. Each of you teaches a different subject. It’s now 8:47, a few minutes to the agreed time. Take this chance to get to know each other; perhaps you’ll work together for some time. My master asked me to give you this after you all arrived.”

So Fei Hua had hired more than one teacher. Of course—his letter said his son was struggling in every subject. What a difficult child.

As Bai Zongnan thought this, the butler handed out sheets of paper to the six teachers.

Bai Zongnan read his:

Welcome to my home. Thank you, teachers, for your hard work. Soon an attendant will invite you to the parlor.

There will be coffee, milk, juice, tea, and snacks.

Teachers, my son is truly hopeless. I’ve hired tutor after tutor, but his grades do not improve. You are my last hope.

He used to do well in his previous class, but after transferring, his grades collapsed.

As they say, if a child is not taught, the father is at fault. My son’s situation is my responsibility.

So, I earnestly ask each of you, the finest teachers, to do your part. Help my son improve. Your rewards will exceed your expectations—I beg you!

After the initial exchange, the homeroom teacher was selected, and the group became acquainted.

At nine sharp, the villa’s doors opened. Guided by the butler, the teachers entered.

The main hall was circular, with two elevators, a spiral staircase, and a grand chandelier spanning three floors—like a palace.

A well-dressed, middle-aged man descended the stairs, his face ordinary but commanding. Seeing the teachers, he smiled.

“I am Fei Hua. Welcome, teachers, to my humble home. Let’s be direct—my son’s grades are dreadful, as you know. Here is a class schedule for your review.”

Bai Zongnan was about to break—this cycle seemed unending.

Bai Zongnan, forty, a distinguished scientific researcher. Publicly, he is City C’s self-made genius entrepreneur, often on TV.

In secret, he is a pioneer in LI-dimensional spatial research. This began with his father’s generation, studying higher dimensions beyond the third.

At twenty, Bai Zongnan returned from abroad to inherit only a rundown lab. Research consumed resources, so he spent years building his business empire. At night, he continued working on the LI world.

Now, his conglomerate is among City C’s business giants; he is often on TV. This is good, since the LI world’s academic definition remains unclear—secrecy is best. Everyone knows Bai Zongnan—Fei Hua—as an entrepreneur, but no one knows his research is nearly complete. No—it is complete: the first LI world has been created, here at Splendid Manor.

But this world is incomplete, missing countless essential elements. It needs enrichment—something Bai Zongnan cannot do alone. He needs “helpers.”

The helpers need only follow his plan. The challenge is that they must not know what they are truly doing.

How should he proceed?

One night, Bai Zongnan sat on the sofa, smoking, lost in thought.

After seven, his son returned, greeted him, and went upstairs. Bai Zongnan watched him, thoughtful.

Ring-ring—

The seven o’clock alarm rang.

Instinctively, Bai Zongnan silenced it, wanting to sleep, but sat up out of habit and rubbed his eyes.

Today was… Thursday? Not the weekend yet. He had to work.

Yes, he was a wage-earner, but, unlike others, he was a people’s teacher—a biology teacher. Not a health teacher! At the top of the labor chain, he was a free angel when not teaching. But on class days...

No help for it—today he had class, had to get up and teach those little rascals—no, biology.

Brush teeth, wash face, go out, unlock… scooter. Hmm? What’s this?

He found an envelope in his bike’s basket.

Curious, he opened it.

My name is Fei Hua, father to a child. My wife died young; my child is now in junior high...

As for compensation, you need not worry; you will be well rewarded.

You are invited this Saturday at 9 a.m. to my home. My gratitude is boundless.

On the back of the letter is a small token—please accept it.

Address: 588 Splendid Avenue, Splendid Manor, City C.

Fei Hua

Wow—was this not a windfall? Bai Zongnan quickly flipped the letter to find a check—one hundred thousand yuan!

Fei Hua… the name was familiar.

Ah yes!

Bai Zongnan remembered—Fei Hua, the self-made genius entrepreneur so often seen on TV. In City C, everyone knew of Fei Hua’s wealth.

Splendid Avenue was the city’s wealthiest district, home to the elite. This was no prank.

Who would attach a check for a prank?

What luck! Bai Zongnan nearly laughed out loud.

He must go.

Saturday morning, Bai Zongnan took a taxi as agreed to Fei Hua’s manor.

The car sped to Splendid Avenue; cars and apartment blocks faded, replaced by clusters of villas and manors.

So the letter was genuine. Bai Zongnan felt a subtle unease.

The taxi stopped at a manor, where a tailcoated man waited. He opened the door, nodding with a smile.

Bai Zongnan got out, a bit lost, smiled politely, about to introduce himself when the man spoke:

“You are the guest my master invited? I am the butler, Ah Fu. Please follow me.”

Surprised, Bai Zongnan followed him inside.

The manor was a dream world: rows of houses with golden ratio perfection, a pendant between bronze lions.

Is this an isosceles triangle? No, an artificial hill.

Now this is art.

So thought Bai Zongnan, following the butler to a villa.

The villa was a perfect pentagonal prism, every edge and step built to the Pythagorean theorem—upright and grand.

Bai Zongnan saw several people at the entrance.

Ah Fu stopped, nodded, turned to the group, and said:

“Thank you all for accepting the invitation. On behalf of my master, I welcome and thank you. You are all teachers, your duties do not overlap. Each teaches a different subject. It’s 8:47, a few minutes to the hour. Take this chance to get to know each other. My master asked me to give you this after you all arrived.”

So Fei Hua had hired several teachers—his letter said his son was failing all subjects. What a difficult child.

As Bai Zongnan thought, the butler handed out sheets of paper to the teachers.

Bai Zongnan read:

Welcome to my home. Thank you, teachers, for your hard work. Soon, an attendant will invite you to the parlor.

There will be coffee, milk, juice, tea, snacks.

Teachers, my son is truly hopeless. I’ve hired tutor after tutor, but his grades do not improve. You are my last hope.

He used to do well in his old class, but after transferring, his grades collapsed.

As they say, if a child is not taught, the father is at fault. My son’s state is my responsibility.

So, I beg you, the finest teachers, to help him improve. Your reward will exceed your imagination. Please!

After the first exchange, a homeroom teacher was chosen, and the group became acquainted.

At nine, the villa doors opened. Guided by the butler, the teachers entered.

The main hall was circular, with two elevators, a spiral staircase, and a grand chandelier spanning three stories—like a palace.

A well-dressed, middle-aged man descended the stairs, his face ordinary, yet radiating authority. Seeing the teachers, he smiled.

“I am Fei Hua. Welcome, teachers, to my humble home. Let’s be frank—my son’s grades are dreadful, as you know. Here is a class schedule for your review.”