57: Chapter 57 Following in Wang Shuo's Footsteps

"Old Zeng, what is it that has you rushing over here so anxiously? I hadn't even finished my meal before I came over right after receiving your call."

The dean of Huazhong University of Science and Technology was a very refined-looking Middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He was currently sitting behind his desk, reading something by the light of a desk lamp. Seeing Professor Zeng Xuewei storming in, he wasn't particularly surprised and just looked up and smiled.

He understood this old partner of his well; without something important, Professor Zeng Xuewei was quite particular about his appearance. However, it was a common flaw among researchers: when inspiration struck, they wanted to accomplish everything in one go and couldn't be bothered with their image.

Inviting Professor Zeng Xuewei to sit on the sofa and pouring him a cup of hot tea, the Middle-aged man also sat down opposite Professor Zeng Xuewei.

"Is it a project issue again?"

Professor Zeng Xuewei nodded: "It is a project issue."

"Oh? Is it a lack of funding, or a shortage of manpower?"

"Neither." Professor Zeng Xuewei took out some A4 paper, placed it on the desk, and pushed it toward the dean: "Old Ding, take a look at this."

"A new project? Old Zeng, do you have some new ideas again?"

Dean Ding smiled and picked up the A4 paper, then immediately frowned. This didn't seem to be Professor Zeng Xuewei's handwriting. The writing… was truly too painful to look at.

Although it hadn't reached the point of being illegible, it certainly couldn't be called aesthetic, especially with it all crammed together. However, looking at Old Zeng's serious expression, now was not the time to critique the handwriting.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered something was wrong.

"Old Zeng… this code…" Dean Ding adjusted his glasses and said somewhat uncertainly: "The logic seems a bit off. In some places, the data retrieval is problematic."

If this hadn't been something brought out by Professor Zeng Xuewei, to whom he had to give some face, he would have criticized it directly—it was absolute nonsense.

"This was written by a student of your daughter." Professor Zeng Xuewei took a sip of water and said: "What do you think?"

"Runan?" Dean Ding asked somewhat uncertainly: "Didn't Runan just take over the freshmen? What, has the curriculum changed this year? Freshmen are already dealing with system programming?"

"No change." Professor Zeng Xuewei said calmly: "Tell me how you feel about it first."

"This writing…" Dean Ding gave a wry smile: "Never mind. Old Zeng, you didn't come running to me just for this, did you? Does this kid want to join your project team?"

Apart from coming over to plead for someone or say a word on their behalf, Dean Ding couldn't imagine what else Professor Zeng Xuewei would have to talk to him about. However, even if it were to plead for someone, according to Old Zeng's past temperament, a simple phone call would usually suffice. If it could be done, he would do it, but the standards wouldn't be lowered; if the student couldn't pass, that was their own problem.

This time, he actually came directly to his office. This wasn't right.

"Join my project team? I would like to have him join my project team, but unfortunately…" Professor Zeng Xuewei sighed and shook his head: "He doesn't think much of my small temple, and my small temple can't accommodate him either."

A small temple?

Dean Ding stared, as if he had heard something absurd. Is this still the Professor Zeng Xuewei he knew? He actually called his own project team a small temple?

A project team that ranked among the top in all of China is a small temple? A project team that countless people would break their heads and pull strings just to enter is a small temple? Then where would that leave the faces of those project teams at Tsinghua and Peking University? Are they small mounds or small hills?

"Don't tell me, you, Professor Zeng Xuewei, personally asked and were rejected?"

Professor Zeng Xuewei nodded. Rejected was rejected; there was nothing shameful about it. He had never felt that his project team was anything extraordinary.

"Really rejected?" Dean Ding was somewhat surprised, then laughed: "I didn't expect that you, Professor Zeng Xuewei, would have a day where you were rejected. I'm actually a bit interested in this student now. What is his name?"

"Wang Shuo." Professor Zeng Xuewei pointed to the A4 paper on the desk: "This… was also written by him."

Dean Ding frowned. He didn't think this code was the reason for Old Zeng's words. After all, in his view, this code was full of errors, hadn't even straightened out the basic logic, and probably couldn't even run properly, so it had no value for discussion.

"So, what you mean is…"

"Take a look at this again." Professor Zeng Xuewei pulled a sheet from under the A4 paper and handed it to Dean Ding.

Dean Ding took it. On it was an architectural diagram. Judging by the handwriting, it should have come from the same person as the previous code. However, this theoretical research was not Dean Ding's field, so he had a headache looking at it for a moment and couldn't understand at all what Professor Zeng Xuewei wanted to do.

"And this is?"

Professor Zeng Xuewei didn't speak; he took out his phone, tapped it a few times, and then handed it to Dean Ding.

This time it was a report on the progress of China's manufacturing industry. Calling it a report might be less accurate than calling it a post. The post wasn't long; Dean Ding finished reading it in a few minutes, but after reading it, he was even more confused.

Where was he? What was he doing? Where did he come from?

"Old Zeng." Dean Ding caught his breath: "Just say what you have to say. Don't beat around the bush; this isn't your style."

"A few days ago, I was invited by the Chen Group to serve as a special advisor and attended their product investment promotion meeting for a type of CNC Machining Center. Also attending was Tanaka, the technical advisor from Japan's W Company."

Dean Ding nodded. He had heard about this matter and had some understanding of Japan's W Company, but a deeper understanding and the subsequent developments were not within his scope of concern, as the college had many things to deal with.

"According to past practice, the one to ultimately win the qualification would definitely be W Company, but this time there was an accident. The one that won the final qualification was a system designed by a Chinese company, called the 'Mark I System'."

This must be the content that appeared in that post. Dean Ding nodded, listening carefully without interrupting.

"The company that designed this system is called Frontier Technology Co., Ltd., and the person who designed it is… Wang Shuo."

This time, he understood a little.

"You mean this Wang Shuo and Runan's student…" Dean Ding had a strange expression: "Are they the same person?"

"Yes." Professor Zeng Xuewei's expression was calm: "Not only that, this Wang Shuo also has a very deep understanding of machine intelligence, and based on this, he designed a brand-new algorithm and provided a simple architecture."

This referred to that sheet of A4 paper.

While listening to Professor Zeng Xuewei's narrative, Dean Ding picked up the A4 paper and observed it again. Perhaps because he had calmed down, this time he actually managed to understand some of it.

"Originally, I thought this was just an unconstrained idea, a thought that was still immature but looked very promising. But Wang Shuo's appearance told me I was wrong… we were all wrong…" Professor Zeng Xuewei pointed to the stack of A4 paper: "Wang Shuo didn't just conceive a theoretical algorithm; he also turned the theory into reality, and this code is the ladder from theory to reality."

"Wait." Dean Ding finally interrupted Professor Zeng Xuewei's statement: "You mean… this Wang Shuo independently designed a software system, defeated W Company to win the Chen Group's bid, and then brought out a seemingly very feasible intelligent algorithm, and has already carried out the actual production?"

"Not only that." Professor Zeng Xuewei said: "After seeing this code, I have reason to believe that Wang Shuo…"

Professor Zeng Xuewei's voice revealed certainty.

"Already has a full version of Artificial Intelligence built based on this algorithm!"

Dean Ding opened his mouth. After a long while, he laughed: "You are overthinking it, Old Zeng. No matter what, he is still just a student who has just entered the university gates."

"With these things, he is no longer just a freshman! Dean Ding!" Professor Zeng Xuewei's voice was slightly louder: "Have you ever seen a student who could independently design a whole set of complex control system programs? Which student could casually bring out a whole set of complete intelligent algorithm architectures? Which student could turn a non-existent idea into tangible code? This code… he is already confident in his chest, and has even completely built it successfully!"

"Do you know what this means?"

Professor Zeng Xuewei's voice was a bit excited: "It means that it is possible that the world's most advanced Artificial Intelligence has already been born! Right here! In Wang Shuo's brain! Even in Wang Shuo's phone! Perhaps at this moment, Wang Shuo is communicating with this Artificial Intelligence, teaching it to understand everything in the human world!"

"And what we need to do now is to catch up. As long as we can catch up to Wang Shuo's footsteps, that will be a leap for China's intelligent field! Old Ding, you and I are both witnesses!"

Witness a leap in China's intelligent computing field? Who wouldn't want to? In all the countries of the world, how many scientists are engaged in this field? The United States, where Artificial Intelligence started the earliest; Japan, which came from behind; and Europe and South Korea, which are in hot pursuit—who doesn't want to pluck this brightest pearl in the field of computing?

But who has succeeded?

Now you tell me this thing has already been handled by a freshman? And there might even be a finished product? Isn't this just treating me like a fool? Catch up to Wang Shuo's footsteps? How could you even say that? Asking for money isn't done this way.

"Old Zeng." Dean Ding smiled, without refuting, after all his own reasons didn't hold water: "Do you have any basis for making these judgments? Just based on this code?"

Professor Zeng Xuewei nodded.

Seeming not to have expected Professor Zeng Xuewei to make such a clear statement, Dean Ding's tone faltered, and he said helplessly: "Old Zeng, true Artificial Intelligence is not something that can be compared to that engineering software Wang Shuo designed before. You have been immersed in the field of machine intelligence for decades; I don't need to elaborate on how complex the realization of Artificial Intelligence is. If an Artificial Intelligence has really been born now, then the person who invented it and their team would definitely become the object of competition among various countries, companies, and universities. This is a hurdle; once crossed, one will become world-class from then on, and winning ten Nobel Prizes wouldn't be excessive. Are you sure such a person would be Wang Shuo?"

Professor Zeng Xuewei nodded very seriously this time.

Dean Ding frowned: "Old Zeng, I hope you realize the seriousness of this matter and not joke with me."

"Old Ding." Professor Zeng Xuewei's voice was low: "You have known me for so long, when have I ever joked?"

Indeed, he had never joked. At the university, there was no one more devoted to theoretical research than Professor Zeng Xuewei.

But if tonight's conversation were to get out, it would be the biggest academic joke in Professor Zeng Xuewei's research career. If it were finally proven that it couldn't be done, he, Professor Zeng Xuewei, would henceforth be reduced to a laughingstock in the scientific research world, and there would no longer be a place for him in the field of machine intelligence theory.

What "hottest team mentor at the university," what "forefront of the Artificial Intelligence field"—all of it would vanish like smoke.

Dean Ding stared carefully at Professor Zeng Xuewei: "Are you serious? Have you considered the consequences?"

"From the moment I entered the door, every word I said was serious." Professor Zeng Xuewei said earnestly: "Old Ding, in over thirty years of practice, I have never been this serious. I am very clear about what the consequences are. Let time test it. If time proves me wrong, then I will naturally bear the consequences."

"But no matter what, I want to fight for a sliver of opportunity for China's Artificial Intelligence field. Even if this sliver of opportunity is just a straw to save my life, I must grab it, even if I have to risk my old life for it."

Professor Zeng Xuewei said word by word: "I do not regret it."

Dean Ding was silent for a moment, and only after a long while did he say: "Old Zeng, all these years, no matter what request you made, I have satisfied it as much as possible, just to let you fulfill your dream and let the Chinese intelligent theoretical circle, represented by you, take a step further. But this time…"

Professor Zeng Xuewei's heart sank upon hearing this. If he couldn't even convince the dean with whom he had the best relationship, how could he take the next step?

"This time… what are your chances of success?"

"What?"

Dean Ding looked at him and smiled: "I know a little about what kind of person you are. Since you said so, there must be your reason. Although I don't agree, it doesn't prevent me from making a decision. What's more, how could I let you enjoy such a grand matter alone? Whatever happens, our university will bear it together! So now… Old Zeng, what are your chances of success?"

Chances of success? Professor Zeng Xuewei, who hadn't started to be moved yet, immediately adjusted his mood, thought steadily for a while, and replied solemnly: "Before seeing Wang Shuo, zero percent; after seeing Wang Shuo, twenty percent; now having seen this code, I have fifty percent."

Fifty percent, that was already not a low number.

Dean Ding nodded slightly.

"Prepare the report materials; you need to report to the school committee." Dean Ding's voice was resonant and powerful: "It will be tomorrow."