A Thunderclap Shakes the Entire Internet!

In a bright, clean conference room at Changda. Vice President Yang Dong sat in his chair, speaking with evident excitement to the gathered professors and staff: "Haha! Even though we read Huang Tian's paper early on and had full confidence it would be accepted, seeing it actually published in print is still thrilling! This is a tremendous event for Changda!" Xu Kaizhi, the Dean of the School of Mathematics, nodded in agreement. "For years now, Changda hasn't published a single article in the Big Four. Huang Tian's paper is unprecedented." Murmurs of praise echoed throughout the conference room. After all, nobody had expected that an achievement eluding so many professors and scholars at Changda would be accomplished by a student who had graduated only a year or two ago. Feng Zechun said with a cheerful chuckle, "Back when he took my undergraduate classes, he was attentive and quick-witted. It was a pity he didn't pursue further studies at the time, but fortunately, he managed to carve out a grand path of his own even after leaving the university." "Gold shines wherever it goes," Yang Dong said. Turning his head, he looked toward a refined middle-aged man sitting two seats to his right. "Little Liu, with such fantastic news, your team must do an outstanding job on external publicity! Get the word out across all channels—the official university website, WeChat official accounts, Ledou, and everywhere else! "I've always said: live with your feet on the ground, work with utmost dedication, and promote with thunderous momentum. "Huang Tian has achieved something momentous through his hard work, so we must publicize it with thunderous momentum!" The middle-aged man surnamed Liu answered, "Rest assured, President Yang, our department will handle it to the best of our ability." Yang Dong gave a nod, then addressed Xu Kaizhi and Feng Zechun: "Kaizhi, Old Feng, once this meeting wraps up, contact Huang Tian and ask him to come over to receive his award. That three-hundred-thousand-yuan research bonus must be given to him. The university cannot go back on its word." Xu Kaizhi replied, "I'll make the call shortly." "Also, tell him about our university's development options," Yang Dong added. "If he doesn't wish to stay with us, that's fine too. We can recommend him to other prestigious universities. In short, let him decide." "Understood," Xu Kaizhi nodded. "All right, that covers it. Meeting adjourned!" Yang Dong rose to his feet, then caught himself. "Almost forgot, one more thing! If the media comes to the campus for interviews—and a few major outlets might very well show up—Kaizhi, work with Little Liu to receive them. If anything unusual comes up, let me know immediately." The middle-aged man surnamed Liu exchanged a glance with Xu Kaizhi, and both answered, "Understood." "Good, good, that's all!" Yang Dong let out a hearty laugh and stepped briskly out of the conference room. The others rose one after another and filed out. The middle-aged man surnamed Liu quickened his pace to catch up with Xu Kaizhi, saying amiably, "Dean Xu, when Huang Tian arrives on campus, please give me a call so I can bring people over to take photos and have a brief chat with him. It's best to discuss the publicity content and angles with the person himself to avoid any misunderstandings or friction." Xu Kaizhi smiled. "Don't worry, Teacher Liu. I'll let you know." "Much appreciated, then!" Teacher Liu said. "I'll be off now; I need to rally my team and assign the tasks." "Go on, get to work." Xu Kaizhi patted him on the shoulder, then paused and waited for Feng Zechun to walk up from behind. The two walked side by side, ambling out of the office building. Looking up at the warm sun in the sky, Xu Kaizhi remarked with a sigh of emotion, "To be honest, it's rather humbling. Even as Dean of the School of Mathematics, I've never published a paper in the Big Four journals, yet a student below me has managed it first." Feng Zechun laughed twice. "Doesn't that just show how well you manage the School of Mathematics? How come other deans couldn't produce such a talent, but you could once you took the post?" Xu Kaizhi laughed along. He naturally knew that Huang Tian's achievement had little to do with him, but as Dean of the School of Mathematics, he could still share in the reflected glory of his student's remarkable feat. After chatting for a little while, Feng Zechun pulled out his phone and dialed Huang Tian's number. "...Hello, Huang Tian? Your paper was published today. When do you have time to drop by the university? We need to give you that research bonus we discussed before, and there are a few other matters we need to discuss with you. "You're free this afternoon? Great, great. Old Xu and I will wait for you around one in the afternoon in Room 205 on the second floor of the administration building." Hanging up the call, Feng Zechun turned and said, "He's coming this afternoon. He should arrive right around the time we finish lunch." Xu Kaizhi raised his wrist to check his watch, exhaling a light wisp of white mist. "It's ten-thirty now. Not long..." *** "Phew—" Withdrawing from his meditative state, Huang Tian opened his eyes, his gaze clear and bright. He stood, poured himself a cup of warm water, and drank it down. Then he headed downstairs, crossed the street to have a bowl of jar-simmered soup, and hailed a taxi toward Changda. Around twelve-forty, he reached Changda's entrance. Before him stood the familiar, grand main gate. After scanning his face to enter, he saw few students along the paths. The weather was cold now, so hardly anyone was inclined to wander aimlessly outside. Furthermore, it was exam week; students were either studying in the libraries and teaching buildings or holed up in their dorms playing games and scrolling through short videos. As for exams, well, two or three days of cramming were usually enough. Long live sixty points, after all. Walking at an unhurried pace into the administration building, he arrived at Room 205 on the second floor. The door was half ajar. Standing at the doorway, he could see three people sitting inside: Xu Kaizhi, Feng Zechun, and a middle-aged man wearing a thick jacket. *Knock, knock—* A crisp knocking sound echoed. Hearing the sound, the three inside turned toward the door at the same time. Xu Kaizhi stood up. "Huang Tian? Come in, come in quickly." Feng Zechun and the middle-aged man also stood up, smiles gracing their faces. "Dean, Professor Feng..." "This is Teacher Liu Ning, who is in charge of publicity for our university," Xu Kaizhi introduced proactively. "Hello, Teacher Liu." "Oh, hello, Student Huang, hello!" Liu Ning shook Huang Tian's hand with immense enthusiasm, clasping it firmly and giving it a slight shake. "Now that everyone's here, let's take a seat and talk," Xu Kaizhi said. The four sat down. Sitting by the table, Liu Ning casually poured Huang Tian a cup of hot water. "Thank you." Huang Tian accepted it. "No need to be so polite, we're all family here," Liu Ning said with a wave of his hand and a smile. Xu Kaizhi cleared his throat lightly. "Huang Tian, the reason we invited you over today is to handle a few things. First, the research bonus is being issued to you. It should hit your account within a day or two; the approval has already gone through. By the way, the taxes have already been settled as well, so there won't be any hassle on your end." Huang Tian nodded slightly. "The second matter is that the university wants to publicize your achievement—cough, which is also publicizing the university itself... Would you have time for a brief chat with Teacher Liu to confirm which details are suitable for public release?" Liu Ning chimed in hurriedly, "It won't take much time, fifteen to twenty minutes will do." "I'll be free in a moment," Huang Tian said. "Great, wonderful," Liu Ning replied repeatedly. Xu Kaizhi continued, "The other matter is to ask about your intentions. Do you have any plans to return to the university to study or take up a post? The university held a meeting: if you're willing to stay at Changda, you can enter directly into a doctoral program, and the university will grant you the treatment of a senior researcher." A senior researcher was roughly equivalent to a full professor, though on a different track; the former focused primarily on scientific research, while the latter balanced teaching and research. As for whether it seemed strange to pursue a doctorate while already holding the rank of senior researcher, it was not unusual in academia. There was no shortage of professors who went on to pursue doctoral studies under famous masters at other elite institutions. Moreover, Changda was offering these terms by referencing the precedent of Liu Jiayi, who had previously proved the Seetapun Conjecture. Years ago, while still a third-year undergraduate, Liu Jiayi proved the Seetapun Conjecture and was immediately appointed as a senior researcher by his university while simultaneously fast-tracking his doctoral degree. Feng Zechun added from the side, "If you don't wish to stay at Changda, that's fine too—don't feel pressured... The university can help recommend you to other top institutions for doctoral studies, like Peking University or Tsinghua. Ivy League schools abroad are fine too; Princeton would be an excellent choice." Huang Tian shook his head. "I don't have any plans to pursue a doctorate for now. I've actually just worked out some results and need to concentrate my energy on them." The three looked slightly astonished. Xu Kaizhi asked, "What are you researching recently?" "The Navier-Stokes equations." The Navier-Stokes equations, or N-S equations, were partial differential equations describing the motion of viscous fluid substances, belonging to the same broad field as the paper he had just published in *Inventiones Mathematicae*. Furthermore, the Navier-Stokes equations were one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems in mathematics, holding guiding significance for ocean currents, weather forecasting, aircraft aerodynamic design, and many other areas. It was worth mentioning that for each of the seven Millennium Prize Problems solved, the Clay Mathematics Institute offered a one-million-dollar reward. Naturally, for anyone capable of solving a Millennium Prize Problem, that one-million-dollar prize was negligible. Fame, status, and wealth would all follow effortlessly. In an instant, that person would become one of the most revered figures on earth, regarded as a monumental scholar of human civilization! Xu Kaizhi and Feng Zechun both drew a sharp breath. The latter hesitated, saying, "It's exceedingly hard to produce results on that problem..." Quite a few people had researched the Navier-Stokes equations, but far from proving them, even minor results of any value were exceptionally rare. The sheer difficulty was enough to deter almost anyone. Back then, Feng Zechun had spent nearly half a year delving into it, only to make zero progress before ultimately giving up. He had never spoken of it to outsiders, lest he be ridiculed for overestimating himself. Xu Kaizhi pondered for a moment and said, "Looking into it is fine too. Even if nothing comes of it, it's no big deal. Which mathematician around the world hasn't tried tackling those Millennium Prize Problems? Problems like these have always relied on immense talent and strokes of accidental inspiration. Who knows, maybe you'll stumble upon something... "Let's set that aside for now! Let's head over to the grand auditorium first and collect the prize." "Right, let's collect the prize first. I'll call my team to bring over cameras for photos," Liu Ning said with a smile, sensing the heavy atmosphere. The four rose and made their way toward the grand auditorium. Along the path, they avoided discussing the research topic, chatting casually instead. Soon, they reached the grand auditorium. After sitting on the chairs and waiting for a short while, Vice President Yang Dong arrived in high spirits, leading a dozen or so people with cameras clicking away behind them. Yang Dong held Huang Tian's hand, exchanging pleasantries for quite a while, his eyes crinkling with smiles. When he heard that Huang Tian had not yet decided whether to take up a post at the university or go elsewhere, his expression did not change in the slightest. "It's entirely up to your personal preference. However, I can assure you that Changda's doors will always remain open to you. You are welcome back to your alma mater anytime!" Huang Tian naturally expressed his thanks. Afterward, Yang Dong handed Huang Tian the ceremonial board inscribed with three hundred thousand yuan. *Click, flash—* Crisp camera shutters snapped in unison. Once the photos were taken, the crowd dispersed. Liu Ning brought two young cameramen over to Huang Tian to discuss the upcoming publicity details, while also asking a few questions about his study habits, learning philosophy, and the like. After chatting for roughly twenty minutes, the conversation concluded. Huang Tian did not return to his rented apartment; instead, accompanied by a logistics staff member, he checked into the campus guesthouse to stay. The reason he chose to stay on campus was that it would remain relatively quiet in the coming days. Once news spread that he, a mere undergraduate alumnus, had published a paper in *Inventiones Mathematicae*, numerous media outlets would inevitably come knocking. If he stayed at his apartment building, he could forget about having any peace. Staying inside the university was far better; at least only a few major media organizations would be granted campus access for interviews. Besides, staying on campus felt like revisiting old memories. "This place isn't bad." Back when he attended classes here, Huang Tian had often wondered what the campus guesthouse was like inside. Now that he had moved in, he found that aside from a few slightly dated furnishings, the overall environment was excellent. In particular, this was a lake-view room; standing on the broad balcony, one could take in the panoramic scenery of the lake and wetlands outside. While Huang Tian was admiring the clear lake water, Changda began rolling out its publicity campaign. WeChat official accounts, the campus website, Ledou, Kuainiu, Weibo... articles and posts were published across virtually every platform. Still, being a university, the promotional tone remained somewhat restrained, with headlines generally along the lines of: *Great News! Our Outstanding Alumnus Huang Tian Publishes a Paper in a Top Mathematics Journal*, and *Big Four Mathematics Journals! Our University's Alumnus Huang Tian Publishes an Article*... Initially, not many people took notice of Changda's publicity articles. After all, Changda only enjoyed a modest reputation within the province, possessing little prominence nationwide, let alone worldwide. Major media outlets simply wouldn't notice what new achievements it had reached. The news truly exploded when it began circulating on Changda's campus Tieba forum and Confession Wall. When Changda students browsing Tieba noticed the new congratulatory notice on the official website, they immediately dropped their usual internet banter: *"Holy crap, a senior published in a top journal?!"* *"Damn, he's gorgeous! At first glance, I didn't even notice the journal part; all I saw was that insanely handsome face. I was wondering why the university's old fogeys put a celebrity photo on the official website."* *"Damn, damn, damn, so handsome! Being handsome is one thing, but publishing in a top journal too? And a top math journal at that? Unbelievable! Little mouse me is shedding tears of pure envy."* *"If the forum moderator fell into a river, what could your major do for him... Wait! What am I looking at? Our school can publish in a top math journal? Ni-Chang, you've actually made it!"* *"Come on bro, an undergraduate is crazy enough, but publishing over a year after graduating? Is this for real?"* *...* Tieba erupted in a chorus of wails and gasps, while the Confession Wall was equally abuzz. Several bored students during exam week opened Weibo and Ledou to leave comments beneath the university's official announcements, pushing the trending heat higher and higher. Before long, numerous media outlets gradually took notice of the congratulatory news Changda had just released. While they might not fully grasp the weight of *Inventiones Mathematicae*, they were certain that his face was the ultimate publicity material. Consequently, more and more media outlets republished the story, concocting sensational headlines: *"Shocking! An Undergraduate Achieves a World-Class Breakthrough!"* *"Astounding! One Young Man Worth an Entire Elite University!"* *"Doubt It Not! Your Ambition Defines Your Heights! See How a Young Scholar Scales the Academic Summit!"* *"The Gauss of Xia! Changda Student Publishes Paper in Top International Journal!"* *...* With these media outlets fanning the flames, more and more people took notice of the matter. By the following morning, major national publications such as *Renren Daily* and *Nanfang Daily* had also republished Changda's announcement, thoroughly propelling Huang Tian to the crest of an internet wave!