Free Web NovelChapter 167: Chapter 150: Number Theory is Very Interesting
As a talented individual, Xu Chao doesn’t think he’s particularly special; he’s just one of the countless ordinary people. His past thirty years can’t be said to be unremarkable, but they’ve also been far from successful.
Xu Chao comes from a humble rural family and managed to attend high school and college with excellent grades. He only studied at an average university, and since he couldn’t find a satisfying job, he simply pursued a master’s degree.
A few years ago, master’s degree holders were in high demand and could easily enter national departments or top companies for work.
Xu Chao felt that he was deceived by his supervisor.
After completing his master’s degree, he somehow decided to continue studying for a Ph.D. under his supervisor’s guidance. He spent two and a half years in graduate school and three years as a doctoral student, consuming his entire youth on education.
Of course,
A Ph.D. background is indeed impressive.
Xu Chao was capable of finding a decent job in a large company, but he remained unsatisfied, feeling that he had squandered his youth. Since he had always worked in a lab, finding a new job meant having to adapt to a new environment, and he didn’t know what the future held.
Moreover, he enjoyed doing research.
Xu Chao’s dream was to always engage in research work, standing at the forefront of internet and computer technology. He had always been making efforts towards this goal.
But one must always face reality.
Ph.D. students who stay in the lab to work are like those who go to a mobile station. They all have the same title of "postdoc." Some people may think that being a postdoc is a higher degree than a Ph.D., but it’s not actually the case.
A postdoc, which can be understood as "after completing a Ph.D.," refers to those who have earned a doctoral degree but have chosen not to find a formal job. Instead, they go to mobile stations or continue their research work in universities, labs, or research institutes.
Generally, postdocs do not have an official position. Lab work is "fluid" for postdocs; the unwritten rule is that if they can’t be promoted within three years, they should leave.
In the lab where Xu Chao worked on AI and automation, postdocs who couldn’t be promoted to associate professor within three years could leave directly.
Xu Chao had strong research abilities and was a valuable helper to Luo Zhijin. He had no problem with rising in rank, but he also had to face the very real issue—
Even if he could normally be promoted to associate professor, his salary would not increase much, and it would still be far lower than a job outside the lab.
Currently, Xu Chao could only receive 7,000 yuan per month, which included state subsidies for highly educated and research talents. It’s clear to see how much salary lab employees receive.
It’s bleak.
Xu Chao wanted to stay and work, but he also worried about his income. Coming from an ordinary rural family, he had virtually nothing. When would he be able to rise in this salary level?
So, when Zhao Yi mentioned starting a business, Xu Chao was instantly intrigued. He felt that the best way out was to join a promising computer-related entrepreneurial team, where he could continue his research and development work, challenge cutting-edge technology, and expect a better future.
After watching Zhao Yi’s video, Xu Chao was not only intrigued but eager to fly to Zhengyang and talk to Zhao Yi in person.
The robot that could make instant coffee represented a high level of technical content. Regardless of what might be developed in the future, monetizing the robot’s internal technology would undoubtedly bring in considerable revenue.
This strength was right in front of him!
In the computer industry, potential and strength always lie in technology, especially in high-end intelligence fields. Technology is more important than anything else, and cutting-edge technology often represents "monopoly."
How profitable is a monopoly?
Xu Chao thought it would be best to meet with Zhao Yi in person.
...
South Island.
Zhao Yi enjoyed a carefree week, either sunbathing on the beach, visiting nearby attractions, or going snorkeling and fishing in the sea.
These days were too comfortable.
However, after a while, even such comfortable days became less interesting.
Zhao Yi’s biggest annoyance was Zhao Hongjuan!
When walking on the road with the three women, many people cast envious glances, as all three were eye-catching beauties. Only Zhao Yi knew that Zhao Hongjuan was...
A real chaperone!
For example, she demanded that Lin Xiaoqing and Zhao Linlin not enter Zhao Yi’s room after 9 pm.
This was utterly ridiculous!
Before arriving, Zhao Yi had imagined finding an opportunity to have a few drinks and sing songs with Lin Xiaoqing and Zhao Linlin in the hotel room, possibly even hosting a small party.
Maybe... ahem.
Sitting on the plane back home, Lin Xiaoqing rested her sleepy head on Zhao Yi’s shoulder. Zhao Hongjuan, sitting across the aisle, kept a supervisory gaze on them.
Zhao Yi could only recite a mantra, "Lust is emptiness; emptiness is lust. Women below the mountain are tigers; be very careful..."
This trip was very enjoyable.
Looking at Lin Xiaoqing and Zhao Linlin, it was evident that they were tired and fell asleep as soon as they boarded the plane, entirely lacking the energy they had before.
Everyone’s mindset about returning home was quite positive.
Most people who travel during the Spring Festival look forward to reuniting with their families.
However, none of them had such a situation.
Zhao Linlin’s parents were abroad, and they didn’t come back for the Spring Festival. While she did have relatives to return to, her parents’ absence made her feel differently.
Lin Xiaoqing and Zhao Hongjuan didn’t even want to think about going home, as Lin Xudong was working overtime during the Spring Festival period and couldn’t return home more than twice.
Zhao Yi’s reasons were different. He was used to being on his own, and there was nothing to worry about at home.
The parents are still young.
In the past half a year, his changes have affected the family, so his parents have face in front of friends and relatives, and they no longer worry about his College Entrance Examination, life must be very good for them.
Of course.
Zhao Yi still has a lot of things to do. He was bored on the plane, so he studied the system.
The achievement task function of the system is the latest one to be loaded. It probably has something to do with Study Coins, Research Coins, or academic prestige. He is about to get his third ability and is very much looking forward to it.
The achievement task function refreshed two tasks: a robot automatic shopping system and the Goldbach Conjecture.
Zhao Yi was studying the task refresh principle.
Tasks are marked with specific subjects, which means that a task is refreshed for each subject.
"How to activate tasks for other subjects?"
"Achievement module loading must be related to academic prestige, then task activation is also related to academic prestige..."
"I have academic prestige in computer and mathematics, so I activated the achievement tasks for these two subjects? So, to activate other subjects, I must achieve certain research results in them?"
This is difficult!
For example, biology and chemistry, let alone completing research achievements, he might not even get a perfect score on the exams. freewebnøvel.com
Zhao Yi simply shook his head and didn’t think about it too much. He opened the two refreshed tasks to check them. There was nothing to study about the ’robot automatic shopping system’; he knew how to complete it.
Goldbach Conjecture?
He suddenly had a strange idea, "Maybe the system refreshed the task because it thinks I have the ability to complete it?"
"With my current knowledge..."
Thinking!
Yes, Research Coins!
[Research Coins: 85.]
[Use Research Coins to upgrade the Causal Thinking.]
[Research Coins -1, assist in upgrading Causal Thinking ability, get inspiration stimulation effect. Duration: sixty minutes.]
After entering the ’Causal Thinking’ state, Zhao Yi did not immediately think about Goldbach Conjecture. Instead, after taking a look at Lin Xiaoqing next to him, he directly fell into a daydream.
"She didn’t actually fall asleep?"
"Pretending?"
"Did she deliberately lean on my shoulder?"
This girl!
Zhao Yi showed a smile at the corner of his mouth, and secretly grabbed the little hand beneath him.
Lin Xiaoqing felt a jolt all over her body but continued to pretend to be asleep and didn’t move her hand away. Her little face even showed a hint of shyness.
Zhao Yi smiled.
He didn’t waste any more time and immediately began thinking about the Goldbach Conjecture. The content of Goldbach Conjecture is very simple, the original version is "every integer greater than 2 can be written as the sum of three prime numbers". However, the commonly seen statement now is the famous mathematician Euler’s version, that is, "every even number greater than 2 can be written as the sum of two prime numbers".
Prime numbers are the same as prime numbers.
When thinking about the Goldbach Conjecture, most people will start with the pattern of numbers, that is, think about the pattern of prime numbers smoothly.
Zhao Yi was the same.
He immediately thought of using a computer to design a program to verify prime numbers. The program design is straightforward. Anyone with some computer algorithm knowledge can complete it. It probably involves figuring out the remainder within a certain range of numbers.
Then...
There was no next step.
Goldbach Conjecture is a super difficult mathematical conjecture for hundreds of years, and the pattern of prime numbers is also a super difficult problem, no worse than Goldbach Conjecture. The branches of patterns include "twin primes" and several related mathematical conjectures.
So in reality, trying to approach Goldbach Conjecture from the angle of searching for the pattern of prime numbers is fundamentally impossible.
After trying the ’Causal Thinking’ for almost half an hour, Zhao Yi finally decided to give up further thinking. His only gain was that the tasks released by the system had nothing to do with his abilities.
That’s normal.
Otherwise, wouldn’t the ’task refresh function’ have become a decoration? How can it trap Study Coins and Research Coins?
"This system..."
"Could it be developed by the future Penguin Company?"
Zhao Yi muttered a complaint silently, feeling wronged. He wasted a Research Coin. He obtained only two Research Coins when he came to South Island to see the sea.
He was heartbroken!
While constantly thinking about the pattern of prime numbers, Zhao Yi found that numbers were indeed fascinating, full of mysteries within.
He made a decision on the spot, "When I go back, I’ll study number theory when I have time. The Collatz Theorem is about number theory. Perhaps if I delve into advanced number theory knowledge, I could research something else?"
"If I could really figure out the pattern of prime numbers... then a bunch of related prime number conjectures, wouldn’t they all be easily proved by me?..."
"By then, I would be the Einstein of the mathematical world..."
