hesinghuauniversiycampusinbeijingissohugeariver,calledhewanquan,runshroughiheuniversiyislocaedinhenorhwesofbeijing,inhaidiandisric,nearhefamedsummerpaceaformerimperialgardenofheqingdynasy,singhuauniversiyboassseveralformerpacesandmanysrikingpagodasheonlywayoeffecivelygearoundhecampus,ifyouweren’driving,wasbybicycleorbyreningawowheelransporeraheuniversiy’ssecondgaecaldwelndmeilinsoodahewesgaeasuniversiysudenswhizzedinandouofhecampusonheirbikesafewofhemoreahleiconeswereonelecricpoweredskaeboards

meilinsuggesedhaheyenerhecampusonfooshefiguredheywouldlookmorelikeourisshawaysinghuawasoneofhecounry’sleadingeducaionalinsiuionsandireceivedisfairshareofvisiorshey’dboughheusualourisparaphernalianearhehoel,adisposabledigialcameraandanaugmenedrealiysysemboughfromasreevendor,afersomeproracedhaggling,ousideahugemulisoreypuermallhearsysemwassolelyforcaldwell’sbenefimeilinhadassuredhimhasheknewhecampusyoureasonablywellhesysemconsisedofapairofcheappsicdispygssesandasmallunihaclippedunoabelacarooncharacerscribedescribedhevariousbuildingsasheyheadedowardshelibrarycaldwellreckonedhelibrarysysemwouldbereivelyeasyohackandhaherewasagoodchancehavickyzhaoorwanglinhadanaccounonhesysemmeilinagreed

“singhuauniversiywasfoundedin1911asapreparaoryschoolforchinesesudenswhomhegovernmenp

edosendoconinueheireducaionauniversiiesinheuniedsaesheuniversiycampusissiuaedonwhapreviouslyusedobeqingdynasyroyalgardenshencehenameqinghuaderivedfromqinghuayuan,whichmeansqinggardens,”hescribeexpinedinasqueakypuerizedvoice

asheywalkedowardshemainadminisraivebuildingsofhesprawlingcampus,snippesofinformaionwereoveridonhearuni’sgsseswihhecaroonscribe’squirkyvoiceoverdescribinghebuildingssomewhasuperfluouslyiwasapoorlypuogeherarunibucaldwellfoundheinformaionandhisoricalperspecivesomewhahelpful

hescribesoppedhearically,urnedofacecaldwell,brokeouinoiscaroongrinandconinued:

“oyourrigharemoslyfaculyresidences,anurseryschoondanelemenaryschoolmosofhescienceandechnologybuildingsarejusafewminuesahead”

hescribeskippedmerrilyalonghepavemen,ishabobbingupanddownhearuniwaspyingbackprerenderedanimaionherewasnohingauonomousabouhescribe’sacionsijuscycledhroughaseriesofbehaviors,mixingandmachinghemaccordingosomerandomalgorihmicrouinecaldwellswichedheaiunioffasheygocloserohelibrary

“problem,”caldwellsaidpensively

“yes?”

“howarewegoingogainaccessohelibrary?”

“goodquesion,”meilinsaid“ihaveanalumnicardiamnosurewheheri’ssillvalidhough”

“hameansyouhaveogoin”

“correcihaveogoinaloneifirecallcorrecly,hepubliccaaloguesearcherminalsjusrequireaswipeofhecard”

“ok,i’llpokearoundousidewhileyouseewhayoucangeinhelibraryireckonhehingolookforiswanglin’sborrowingaccouninfoijusmighlishisdormroomorevenhelocaionofheb”

“iwouldhavegoneforwanglin’srecordsbuwouldn’necessarilyhavehoughofhelibraryfirsheyareboundohaveanaddressforhim”

“yup”caldwellsmiled

heyarrivedinfronofheoldlibrary,anancienbrownbrickbuildingwihahugemarblepqueonhefronsayingsinghuauniversiylibraryinsimplifiedchinesecharacersmeilindisappearedhroughhemaindoorswhilecaldwellidlednearhefronwnryingolookashoughhewasimpressedwihhebrickarchiecureabunchofsudenswalkedouofhelibrarysizingcaldwellupheywereryingofigureouwheherhewasasudenoraprofessorcaldwellidledaroundousidehinkingabouhesudenwanglinandheconversaionhey’dhadonhebbsfifeenminuesermeilinemergedfromhelibraryhelookinhereyessuggesedshe’dhipaydir

“incrediblyeasyhack,helibrarysysemhasanelecronicworkspace,wheresudenscanloginandviewhebooksheyhaveborrowed,reurndaes,ebookdownloadsandbookremendaionshaisieddireclyinohesudendirecoryserverhaholdsherecordsforeachsuden”

“excellen”

“onlyproblemis,herearehreewanglinsinhepuersciencedeparmenallofhemareposgraduaesudenswoliveinhesudendormiories,oneinhejuniorfaculyresidencesihadalookaheirphoosi’sdifficuloellwhichonelookslikeanainerdheyalllookkindofgeeky”

“i’dgowihhejuniorfaculyresidenceohiswanglinissupposedlyoneofprofessoryao’sproégéshe’sboundohaveafewperkssuchasfaculylodgings”

“iseehelogicofhawhereonex?”meilinasked

“howabouwepayhedeparmenofcompuerscienceandechnologybuildingavisi?akealookahismorning’scourseimeablewhoknows,wanglinmayhavedecidedoaendcssoday,”caldwellsaidwihagrin

heyarrivedahedeparmenofcompuerscienceandechnologybuildingaferabriskenminuewalkiwasagrayconcreeandgssbuildingshapedlikeagianmicrochiplyingfaceupnumerousane

aeprorudedfromheroofcaldwellspoedaleaseighsaelliedishesanddaabroadcasingransponders

“lookslikehepce”

heywalkedinohemainareaheeniresideofonewallwascoveredwihahugeelecronicnoiceboardshowinghedifferencssesilookedeverybiasplexashedeparuresdispyaaninernaionairpor

“here’salecureonrighnowahezhurongjilecureheaeronarificialinelligence,”caldwellsaid,poiningahedispy,whichwascrammedwihsomuchinformaionhaiwasalmosuninelligible

“arificialinelligenceiiisoundslikeaposgraduaedegreecourseiookaiiandaiiiinmyhirdandfourhyearhereaanyraeiknowwherehezhurongjilecureheareishisway”

caldwellfollowedmeilindowncounlesscorridorsanddoorswihransparenpsicfpshagaveyouagoodacademicspinhebackasyouwenhroughbyheimeheygoohezhurongjilecureheaer,caldwellwasoallylosheyslippedinoheheaerhroughhebackdoorandooksomeempyseasahebackafewsudenslookedroundoseewhahemoionwasaboubuquicklyrefocusedheiraeniononheproceedings

helecurehearewasmassivelikeagreekamphiheaerheprofessorwassofardowninhebowelsofheheaer,heroomslopeddownwardsaaseepangle,hahewasabloonhesagegianelevisionscreensmagnifiedhispresenceforhebenefiofhoseahebackashepacedaroundhesageexpoundingobscureaiheorieshehadwhiehairsleekedbackawayfromaprominenforeheadandargebulbousnoseyoucouldseeheporesinhisnoseonhemagnifiedimagecaldwellreckonedfromheliversposonhisbonyhandshahewasprobablypushingseveny

heprofessorwasgoingonabouhowradiionalconcepsofarificialinelligencewereundergoingamajoroverhausnewideasonwhaconsiuesmachineinelligencedevelopediwasdifficulobelievehaprobablyjusafewhundredmeersfromhisroomanoherprofessorhadinvenedanaihaposedahreaocyberspacehadwanglinbeenlyinginavainaempoimpressvickizhao?caldwellhadanideaherewasadopeylookinggirlwihruddycheekssiingocaldwell’srighheleanedoverandwhisperedoherinmandarin

“whichoneislijin,heohaworkswihprofessoryao?”

“didn’youhearaboui?professoryaoisdeadandlijinhasdonearu

erhepolicearelookingforhim,”shewhisperedcaldwellwasakenabackbyhecasualwayinwhichhesudendeliveredhisinformaionbushelookedlikehegossipyypesohesudenlijinwasonheruncaldwellconinuedhisquesioning

“ohreally?whywouldherunaway?hawouldsuggeshedidsomehingwrong,”hepromped

“youbehenanoechnologyresearchbuildingiscrawlingwihpypesnosudenisallowedogoanywherenearhebuildingunlessheyhaveaspecialpassi’sasurpriseheyhaven’akenwanglininforquesioning”

“ohyeah,wanglinhe’shaguyinhejeanjackehreerowsahead,righ?”caldwelsked,randomlyselecingamalesudenmeilinjuslookedahimbemusedsheseemedimpressedwihhissocialengineeringskills

“whaareyoualkingabou?”hegirlhissed,givingcaldwelsidelonggnce“wanglinishaski

yguyinheredjumperfiverowsdownidon’knowwhyheevenbohersaendinglecuresheknowshissuffinsideouanyways”

“iamsureyoudooo,”caldwellsaidhegirlgavehimasrangelookashoughhehadjusriedohionherandurnedoconcenraeonhelecureshehadlosineresinheirlileconversaioncaldwellurnedomeilinandoldherwhichsudenwaswanglinhewasankylookingfellowwihunkempshoulderlenghhairandhunchedshouldersheycouldonlyseeafracionofhisfacefromwhereheyweresiingbucaldwellwascerainheywouldn’losehiminacrowdhewaswearingdisposablebckpsicgsseswihveryhicklenseshiswasapparenevenfromadisanceandharedjumper

enminueser,helecurewasoverwanglinwalkeddownohelecurepodiumandhadabriefchawihhelecureronhemoniors,caldwelndmeilingoagoodlookahisfacehesudenlookedscaredhenwanglinheadedbackupowardshebackofheaudioriumhelecurergahereduphiseachingmaerialsanddisappearedouofhedoorahefronwanglinwalkedrighpashemhelookednohinglikeheavaarcaldwellhadseenhimuseonhesudenbbshelookedlikehekindofkidwhowasalwaysleingohersknowhowbrillianhewashelookedarroganyeoday,hewasscaredhamuchwasobviouscaldwelndmeilinfollowedhimouofhezhurongjilecureheaer

likemanysuperinelligensudens,wanglin’sbodynguagewasallouofkilerhehadheshufflinggaiofakidwhospenoomuchimereadingbooksandoolileimeonahleicaciviieshisskinwaspaleandfromhedephsofhishickconvexlenseshiseyesdaredaroundregardingohersudenshepassedwihsuspicionwihheprofessor’sdeahandlijin’smyseriousdisappearance,wanglinprobablysuspecedhahewasnexonsomephilisheseemedobeheirguyalrighcaldwelndmeilinkeparespecabledisanceaswanglinexperlynavigaedhemyriadcorridorsofhedeparmenofcompuerscienceandechnologybuilding

wanglinexiedhebuildinghroughasmallsidedoorhelookedbehindhimsuddenlycaldwelndmeilindaredinoasmallrecessinanearbydoorwayhesudensca

edhecorridorsbehindhimhenhedoorssmmedshuwanglinwaswalkinguphepahowardshejuniorfaculyresidences,awayfromheacademicbuildingilookedlikehewasnogoingogivehemanyleadsonhisaihepickedupspeedcaldwellcouldswearhahesudenwasmumblingohimselfperhapshewassillberainghimselfforhisckofjudgmenonhesudenbbs?

agirlwalkedsraighpaswanglin,acluserofbookscluchedoherchesshedidn’evengivehimasecondgncewanglinsopped,urnedaroundandgawkedaferhegirlcaldwellcouldn’believehiseyesiwasvickyzhao,hegirlwhoselogincaldwellhadusedonhesudenbbsherhairwasdifferenbuherecognizedherfromhephooonhersiecaldwellsoppedmeilinandpreendedobehavingadiscussionwihherhegirlwalkedpashemafewsecondsershewasveryprey,evenbeerlookinghanhedigialphoographonhersie

wanglinshookhishead,urnedaroundandkepwalkinghearrivedahejuniorfaculyresidencebuilding,anondescripfivesoreyblockofconcree,anddisappearedinsidemeilinandcaldwellmadeheirwayohesideofhebuilding

“shouldwegoin?”caldwelsked

“nosureheyakebreakinginouniversiyresidencesveryseriouslyherenoworhherisk”

herewasasmallpachofwnonheohersideofhepahafewsudensweresiingaroundpeeringinobooksorpdascaldwelndmeilinsadownasafedisancefromhemandwaiedheydidn’haveowailongafewminueser,wanglinemergedouofhejuniorfaculyresidencehehadchangedhisclohesandhadamediumsizedbackpackhangingaroundhisshouldermeilinandcaldwelllookedaeachoherwhahehellwasgoingon?

wanglinwaswalkingwihaspringinhissep,likeahighschoolsudenwhohadjusfoundouhahe’dscoredsraigha’sinhisuniversiyenranceexamsorwasheinahurryforanalogeherdifferenreason

“somehing’sgoingdowniwon’besurprisedifbackahelecureheaerwanglinjusoldhisprofessorhahewon’beaendingcssforawhile,”caldwellobserved

“youhinkso?”meilinasked,inawayhasuggesedshehadarrivedahesameconclusionjusafewmomensearlier

“icanfeeliinmybonesheisprobablygoingodoaru

eroo”

heyfollowedwanglinallhewaybackhisime,however,wanglinwalkedsraighpashedeparmenofcompuerscienceandechnologybuildinghedisappearedinoasmallgardenwihasonepahandacluserofleaflessreesaheoherendofhegardensoodagleamingwhiemonserofabuildingaheopofhebuildingwasashinysilversignhareflecedhesunlighiread:nanoechnologyresearchcenreherewereacoupleof4x4misubishielecricsparkedinfronofhebuildingwoahleiclookingchinesemenweresandinginfronofhebuilding’smaindoorssmokingwanglinsoppedaheedgeofhegardenhewascasinghejoin

“webeermovebackabi,”meilinsuggesed

“why?”

“henanoechnologyresearchcenrehousesseveralofsinghua’ssaekeyinsiueswheniwasanundergraduaehereiheardabouhembudidn’reallyknowwhaheydidinherehisparicurbuildingwasofenfrequenedbyofficialsfromhegovernmenhekindhaworedarkgssesevenwhenherewasnosunospeakof”

“wha’sasaekeyinsiue?soundsvaguelyfamiliarringssomekindofabell”

“heyareinsiueshaconducresearch,usuallyopsecre,inconjuncionwihhenewchinagovernmenheygefundingfrombohheuniversiyandhenaionalresearchcouncilsomeimesheyarefundeddireclybyhepeople’sliberaionarmy”

“ifirecallcorrecly,professoryaoheadedseveralsuchinsiuesandconducedresearchworkforhep,righ”

“yesandifwegecaughhereicouldbesomeseriousrouble”

“look,”caldwellsaid,poiningowardshefronofhebuilding

womendressedinpuniformemergedfromhebuildingeachonewaspushingwhalookedlikeasmalldarkgrayrefrigeraoronarolleyoneofhemwascarryingasilvermealcasesimirohoseusedoholdexpensivecameraorvideorecordingequipmen

“heyaremovingserversdon’haveobeagenius”meilinsaredosay

“youhinkha’si?heai?”

“posiivehaisheaiandhecasemusholdhequanumprocessor”

“whamakesyousosure?”

“hoseguysarearmedifhawasordinarypuerequipmen,whyallheguns?”

hewopmenwhohadbeensandingousidegobehindhewheelsofhe4x4sheoherwoloadedheserversinohebackofhevehiclesandclimbedinacluserofidenicalgreenravelingbagswasclearlyvisibleahebackofhevehiclewanglinurnedroundandsaredru

ingowardswhereheyweresandingmeilinandcaldwellrereaedouofsighbehindoneofhereeswanglinransraighpashemwihaworriedlookonhisface

“headbackohegaesandryofollowheminaaxii’llgobackohehoel,graboursuffandmeeyouaheairporihinkwihhepduffelsi’ssafeoassumehaha’swhereheyaregoingfindouwhichflighheyareonweneedogeonhaflighaallcoss”

“goodideayouhinkheyaregoingoshanghai?isawaaxisandousidehegaes”

heywalkedbrisklyowardsheuniversiygaes,wachingwanglin’sslenderformgrowgraduallysmallerasherushedaheadbehindhem,heenginesofhe4x4spurredandhevehiclesbeganomove