Yang, a famous physicist,
committed suicide at home on June 3rd at night.
It is known that
several scientists committed suicide
in the past two years.
It's a disaster
for scientific circles.
So, we've invited Pan Han,
a famous biologist,
to share his views on this matter.
Hello, Mr. Pan.
You correctly predicted the ecological disaster
caused by genetically modified crops.
Now,
what do you think of
the scientists' suicides recently?
always believe that
the over-development of science and technology
is a disease of human society.
The explosive development of technology
is like the rapid spread of cancer cells.
the hosts will both be killed.
You mean...
Who can survive the earth's destruction?
As a scientist,
I've only realized it earlier than others.
So in your opinion,
what should we do to avoid...
Are you Wang Miao?
you can't smoke here.
Sorry, Professor Wang.
We're with the Public Security Bureau.
This is Captain Shi Qiang.
we can talk in the hallway.
Sorry, you can't smoke there either.
(Please keep the hallway clean and do not smoke)
What can do for you?
we want to know if you've
had any recent contacts with members
of the Frontiers of Science.
full of famous scholars.
And it's legal.
Why can't I have contact with it?
Look at the way you talk.
Did I say anything about it not being legal?
Did I say anything about you not being allowed to contact them?
Did 1?
Please respect my privacy.
I don't need to answer your questions.
Your privacy, seriously?
You're a famous academic.
responsibility toward the public welfare?
also have the right to not answer.
Please leave.
Did permit you to close the door?
Give him the address and phone number.
What are you really after?
What are we really after? I...
Professor Wang.
Please don't misunderstand.
There's an important meeting this afternoon,
to which several scholars and specialists are invited.
The general sent us to invite you.
I'm busy this afternoon.
You have an interview with
two science magazines.
And your lab has a meeting at 3 o'clock.
We have
rescheduled those for you.
The general already spoke with the head
This is my ID.
I'll be there on time.
How could
a scientist be so rude?
Captain Shi, let's go.
What's wrong with Shi Qiang?
The general specifically requested him.
I guess he must have some special skills.
How can a man like that be part of
the Battle Command Center?
Battle Command Center?
Do you think it's strange?
Why is such a secret organization
set up in this place?
It was supposed to be an art museum.
But it was requisitioned before opening.
Come on, let me give you a tour.
hear that you're researching some kind of
Nanomaterial.
heard that a strand
of that stuff could be
used to lift up a truck.
If criminals steal some
and make it into a knife,
can't they
slice a truck in half with one stroke?
First, there's no need to even make it into a knife.
That kind of material can be made
into a line as thin as
one-hundredth of a hair.
If you string it across a road,
a passing car would be
sliced into two halves like cheese.
what can't be
used for criminal purposes?
Even a dull knife for descaling a fish can.
You're right.
Even a fish can be made into a weapon.
handled a murder case once.
You know what the murder weapon was?
A frozen tilapia taken out from the freezer.
The spines
along its back
were like razors.
You're Captain Shi Qiang, right?
That's me.
Did you ask me to the meeting
just to talk about this?
the number of scientists that
committed suicide around the globe
has increased sharply.
In front of you is a list
Professor Wang,
does anything strike you?
They are all famous scholars
working at the forefront of...
(Yang Dong)
You know her?
but want to know her?
All the physicists on this list
have committed suicide
in the last two months.
Yang Dong was the last to commit suicide.
Two nights ago,
she overdosed on sleeping pills.
She died very peacefully. No pain.
Why did they do this?
Most scientists
questioned in their suicide notes that
physics didn't exist.
The document contains their suicide notes.
Everyone can examine them after the meeting.
Yang Dong's isn't included.
Dr. Ding,
would you please
show Yang Dong's note to Professor Wang?
Hers is the shortest and the most representative.
All the evidence points to a single conclusion:
physics has never existed,
and will never exist.
Today we'll discuss an organization called
the Frontiers of Science.
According to our investigation,
most of the scientists who committed suicide
had some
connection with the organization.
Dr. Ding,
since you're a theoretical physicist,
can you give us more background on it?
since the second half of the twentieth century,
physics has gradually lost
the concision and simplicity of its classical theories.
Modern theoretical models have become more and more complex,
vague, and uncertain.
So they want to use
the methods of science to discover the limits of science,
to try to find out if there is a limit
to how deeply and precisely science can know nature,
a boundary beyond which science cannot go.
But with the development of modern physics,
humans seem to have
touched such a line.
How long have you been married?
- bought this house
in preparation for marriage.
thought she'd actually start a family with me.
Yang Dong.
She was like a star in the sky,
which was far, far away from you.
The first data, recorded at 9:07,
the second date, recorded at 10:22,
the third data, recorded at 10:50.
They're all inconsistent.
The experiment failed.
It happened.
But that was always part of the experiment.
In terms of experiment, that was quite normal.
Yeah. In terms of experiment,
abnormal data is a normal thing, right?
Do you know how to play this?
Yang Dong and I loved it,
because it reminded us of
the collision in a particle collider.
You may toss them wherever you want. It's okay.
No need. It's okay. You don't have to stack them up.
Just toss them away.
Can you hit it into the hole?
I think any normal person can do it.
rotate it 90 degrees.
Okay, now
I'd like you
to explain this outcome
with the language of physics.
The velocity vector
hardly changed,
which caused the momentum exchange
generated by the collision between the balls to remain unchanged as well.
That's the reason the black ball
went into the hole every time it got hit.
So now you've discovered
a great law:
the laws of physics are even
in terms of time and space.
From the start of human history
until now, all the discoveries made in the field of physics,
such as Archimedes' principle, the string theory,
every single one of those things
is based
I understand your words,
but I don't know what you're trying to convey.
Do you dare to imagine
another result?
the black ball was hit into the hole.
went off track.
flew into mid-air.
So this kind of thing really did happen?
According to our known knowledge of physics,
that's absolutely impossible.
We think it's impossible,
because right now we still
believe in physics.
Yang Dong expounded and proved it.
don't know either.
- want to find out as well.
If this is true,
the evenness of time and space
that laws of physics are based on
which
Which means physics doesn't exist anymore.
(Spring Grass)
Professor Wang participated in some of our previous discussions,
so, next,
(Frontiers of Science) I'd like you to tell everybody
what our research is about.
think it's the shooter hypothesis
and the farmer hypothesis.
(Assuming that a marksman)
(leaves bullet holes on a target)
(at intervals of 10 centimeters.)
(Suppose that on this target)
(resides a kind of two-dimensional intelligent species.)
(Their scientists,)
(after observing their universe,)
(discovered a great law.)
(Each time they travel 10 centimeters,)
(they're guaranteed to find a hole.)
(They mistake)
(what the shooter did on a whim)
(as an unchanging law of their universe.)
a farmer hypothesis.
There is a flock of turkeys on a farm.
Every day the farmer
feed them at 11 AM.
One of the turkeys, a scientist,
observes the phenomenon.
It observes for almost a year,
and there's been no exception,
so it also announces
a great law of their universe.
Food arrives
at 11 AM every day.
One day, when it's 11 o'clock,
the farmer shows up again,
it's Thanksgiving Day.
doesn't come.
The farmer walks inside,
takes them all and slaughters them.
We might be like the two-dimensional scientist
on that target,
or the turkey scientist on the farm.
If, in this world,
there is indeed a kind of supernatural power,
then the regularity that the shooter knows
is the truth.
Newton's classical mechanics
is totally useless in the micro-world,
and Einstein's theory of relativity,
when applied to the quantum world, raises even more problems.
If science has frontiers,
then what we're about to touch
is very likely to be the frontiers.
The "truth" that those two-dimensional creatures find is not the truth,
because in their world,
they can never find the truth.
Their science
has frontiers.
But what's the point of all this?
State your opinions.
today's discussion
serves only to make scientists vulnerable.
- will not accept
that I'm a turkey scientist.
Previous to this,
maybe you've never thought
that you might be a turkey scientist.
will not accept I'm a turkey scientist.
Dr. Shen,
has it ever occurred to you
that such a statement can kill?
The turkeys on the farm
are meant to die on Thanksgiving Day.
Was Yang Dong's death really suicide?
In terms of criminology
and forensic examination,
it was undoubtedly suicide,
but if all their deaths were suicide,
then what's the point of our investigation?
You're trying to trick me into focusing on Yang Dong.
Yang Dong's funeral is in two days.
Give me a ride downhill.
That's not even my car. Why are you pulling?
People are prone to make mistakes
when... when agitated.
Ms. Ye, sorry for your loss.
I'm Yang Dong's friend.
My name is Wang Miao.
You specialize in the string theory as well?
No.
I specialize in nanotechnology.
Applied physics.
A few days ago,
I read a news report,
and it's about nanotechnology.
It mentioned a kind of super-strength nano-material.
Its name's Flying Blade.
That's the very thing
we've been researching in our lab.
That's very audacious,
and very forward-looking.
You flatter us, Ms. Ye.
took a picture of Yang Dong.
brought it here so you could have it as a keepsake.
Sorry, Ms. Ye.
There was a technical glitch
when I was developing and printing it.
I'll develop and print another one
and deliver it to your house in a few days.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
See you around, Ms. Ye.
You look pretty good dressed entirely in black.
I know what you're going to say.
came here purely to show
my respect for a scientist and offer my condolences.
Do I make myself clear enough?
Did I ask you to make yourself clear?
You and Ye Wenjie,
Yang Dong's mother,
talked for a long time.
Is that so?
took you that long to say those words?
I'm home.
Doudou, Dad is home.
Your rescuer comes.
Look, she's doing an experiment.
Doudou, what experiment needs so many eggs?
The teacher asked us to put the egg into the bottle intact.
For the experiment,
Doudou has eaten several eggs this night.
Are you upset?
The bottle is small and the egg is big.
It can't be shoved in.
Doudou, hold the egg.
When I tell you to release it, put it at the mouth of the bottle,
Get ready.
Three, two, one.
Mom, Mom, come here.
The egg went down itself.
It really did.
Physics is amazing, just like magic.
Physics isn't magic.
What is this?
What's going on?
asked you to develop that roll of film for me.
Was there something wrong with your machine?
Why are there time codes on the pictures?
That... That's impossible.
That never happened to my other customers.
Could it be that your negative's problematic?
Hold on.
The negative has it too.
Could it be the film?
bought the film from you as well.
It can't be.
think it's your camera.
Could it be that you got the timer wrong?
Uh, what's the brand of your camera?
Leica.
M2, 1988.
Fully mechanical and manual.
It can't be. Your camera
should have no timer in it.
Well, even if it had a timer,
there's no way the time could've
appeared in the middle of the picture.
Well, I don't know.
How about you do some more research?
Something's not right.
The color of these codes changes with the background.
Well, do some research about it Talk to you later.
Alright.
Countdown.
You can't stay in the darkroom for too long.
Wang Miao,
what's the matter with the pictures?
- see numbers on them.
Don't touch that.
What's wrong with you?
You look pretty uptight.
What, I can't touch it?
I'm studying
how the number got on the pictures.
It was printed on the picture, wasn't it?
No, the number was on it when it was developed.
Well, it was on the film then.
Those are real-time numbers.
It's the camera's function.
A basic function of all modern cameras.
What is the image-forming principle?
What makes it photosensitive?
The photosensitive source of the greatest possibility
is an external gamma-ray
of strong penetration power.
But it is technologically impossible.
Where is the source of the ray?
How can it be so precise?
It's right on the film.
All right, then. You take your time.
I'm going to make dinner. I'll let you know when it's ready.
Don't you close the door again.
Hello, Shen.
Go over everything that Yang Dong
did before she killed herself.
If she did anything abnormal,
you let me know.
What did you see?
What did you see? Why did you just stop the car?
What are you doing?
Open the door!
What did you see?
Why did you stop the car all of a sudden?
Open the door!
Roll down the window!
Roll it down! Roll down the window!
What's your problem?
What did you see? Why you stopped?
You banged on your head?
Come on, get off.
I'm asking you. What did you see?
Answer me! What did you see?
Why did you stop the car suddenly?
Answer me!
What did you see?
Why you stopped the car?
I'm asking you! Answer me!
Answer me! Look at me!
Nothing. saw nothing.
You saw nothing?
Why did you stop the car suddenly?
A car's headlight
flashed me.
What's wrong with me stopping the car?
Where are you going?
Are you following me?
I'm protecting you.
No, thanks.
I'm a researcher.
have no money or power.
No one wants anything from me.
If your sanity is still with you,
Is there something wrong with your head?
Where did you go?
I wanted to get the camera fixed,
but the car broke down.
I will get it fixed some other day.
What on earth is wrong with you?
My eyes aren't feeling right.
Then why did you drive a car?
I'm seeing things.
Let me see.
Look right.
You look okay.
But I'm really seeing things.
Listen,
an old classmate of mine,
Zhou Nan,
is an eye doctor at Tongren Hospital.
Go see him tomorrow.
He'll do an examination on you.
You'll get up and be there early.
So he can see you before work hours.
If tell you that I'm seeing things
when my eyes are closed,
is it possible that it's not about eyes?
I'm a doctor.
We'll look into all possibilities.
First, ophthalmology. Then neurology.
We'll have a conclusion eventually.
Hope so.
foreign body sensation.
It's not that.
I'm seeing a clear image.
If it's not supposed to be in your eyes,
it is a foreign body.
Muscae volitantes.
It is a common eye disease that can happen to people our age.
Vitreous opacity.
It's a difficult one.
But it's no big deal.
I'll prescribe you some eyewash and Vitamin D.
What will the patients see?
It varies from
person to person.
Some see small black dots.
What if say I see a string of numbers?
3.1415926?
I'm not joking.
a Seriously, a string of numbers
is in the middle of my field of vision.
You are exhausted.
So the advanced civilization
enjoys putting a countdown in your eyes, huh?
Is the end of the countdown
the Thanksgiving Day of the advanced civilization?
It's a very constructive viewpoint.
But why is it in my eyes,
not yours?
Who are you calling at late night?
A feeder on the farm.
Hello, Dr. Shen.
I'm Wang Miao.
- would like to have a chat with you in person.
(One message from Shen Yufei)
(No. 9 Shayang Road, Houyu Town. From Shen Yufei)
The model is RX8620.
The Superconductivity Research Center has one, too.
It costs millions.
it's right in front of my eyes.
The countdown is on.
Professor Wang,
how's the nanoscience project going under your leadership?
The nanoscience project?
Is that relevant?
They are completely
two different fields of knowledge.
Stop your research.
What?
What did you say?
Stop?
The research team
has spent over a decade on it.
You ask me to terminate it.
There has to be a reason.
Just try it.
(Wang Miao)
(Shen Yufei)
(National Center for Nanoscience and Technology)
How does the chamber operate?
It has been operating
for more than a year.
There are some malfunctions in operating,
such as reduced sensor sensitivity and increased error.
It should be shut down for maintenance.
But you told us it can't be turned off.
It's pivotal to complete the third batch of synthetic combinations.
So all engineers
are working to
equip more and more supplementary correction device on it.
It's overloaded.
Again,
try to stop it.
How long would it take to
completely overhaul the sensors?
Four to five days.
If we work fast, it will take only three days.
promise.
Stop your research.
Stop our research.
Shut down its operation for maintenance.
Yes, Mr. Wang.
We can stop the operation this afternoon.
(Vacuum Gas 2 Radio Frequency)
(Shen Yufei)
Shen Yufei, are you listening?
It's just nanomaterial,
not the particle accelerator.
My research is in the applied physics field.
Is it worth your attention?
Whether it is worth the attention
is not for us to decide.
That's enough.
Are you planning to restart your nanomaterial project?
Of course.
Three days from now.
Then the countdown
will continue.
Does this research center belong to you?
It's the National Center for Nanoscience and Technology.
Get off work after six. It's too early, huh?
They lack research spirit.
There's a notice posted outside.
The reaction chamber has stopped for maintenance.
What can do for you?
Tell me
about your countdown thing.
What are you talking about?
(Zhou Nan, chief ophthalmologist of Beijing Tongren Hospital,)
(affiliated to Capital Medical University)
The countdown in front of you
has something to do with Shen Yufei, right?
I'll give you a clue.
also stopped her experiment
before suicide.
The scientists who committed suicide
all contacted Shen Yufei.
Now, she is contacting you.
You can work with me.
Take my protection.
That's your own choice.
If you really suspect Shen Yufei,
you can arrest her.
You said everyone she contacted killed themselves.
Did she kill them?
You can't prove it. There's no proof.
Protect me, huh?
If Shen Yufei wants me to die now,
you can't stop her at all.
What did she say about that?
How did she threaten you?
She said I'm a turkey.
You are a turkey too.
Welcome, sirs.
What would you like?
A bottle of Erguotou.
Two orders of quick-fried tripe,
a bowl of soymilk,
and one order of deep-fried dough sticks.
Grab a bite before you drink.
Sirs, your food.
Enjoy.
told Shen Yufei about it.
She told me to
stop my nano experiment.
did as she said
and the countdown really disappeared.
A trick.
Shi Qiang,
have you ever considered certain philosophical questions?
Where do we come from?
Where will we go?
Where does the universe come from and where will it go?
Never?
The sesame paste is too salty.
tell you what,
I'm such a simple man that
look down my throat and you can see out my ass.
Naturally, I'm not that kind of person bosses would like.
Years after being discharged from the army,
my career is going nowhere.
If I weren't pretty good at my job,
I would have been kicked out a long time ago.
How can get the time to gaze at stars and philosophize?
Have you heard of the shooter hypothesis
and the farmer hypothesis?
You're now a two-dimensional creature
inhabiting on the surface of the target,
or a turkey on the farm.
can tell that.
Though know nothing
about the hypothesis you referred to,
I do know
an ultimate rule,
which is,
anything sufficiently weird must be fishy.
There's a reason to pull leather pants on cotton-padded pants.
Either the latter is too thin or the former is without fur.
What kind of crappy rule is that?
What crap?
There's always someone behind things
that don't have an explanation.
There's no one!
bullshit.
I've seen plenty of weird things.
There are only 1,103 hours left
before the end of the countdown.
Forget about the countdown.
Wang Miao, I tell you what,
your first priority is to stand straight and not collapse into a heap.
Then we can talk about other things.
Shi Qiang, can you tell me something
about what's really going on?
I'm begging you.
I've said the very same thing
to Chang Weisi several times.
We're in the same boat, you and I.
I'll be honest with you.
I don't know anything.
In the Battle Command Center, at least,
I'm a turkey.
Do you know what turkey represents?
Nope.
But I do know,
the harder they try to scare you with something,
the less you should let them satisfy their desires.
Now they're targeting you.
So,
I'll never let you die easily.
Cheers.
Granny, did you buy sugar for us?
Of course. Here you are.
Thank you, Granny.
That's Dong's room.
When Dong was a child,
she lived with me in Northeast China.
She really liked the forest
and nature.
When we returned to Beijing,
she also decorated our home
with some elements of the forest
and nature.
What is the background
It was really a special experience.
Advance! Advance
That was a memorable era.
Jin the direction of victory.
Three red flags are fluttering in the wind.
Take a step!
Left foot!
Take a step!
Left foot!
Right foot!
(Self-reliance)
Come on.
Hurry up. Hurry up.
Chop the branches down.
Back then, the administration sent educated youths to the countryside.
was assigned to the Greater Khingan Mountains.
Hello.
Are you Ye Wenjie?
I'm a reporter for the Great Production News, Bai Mulin.
saw you when you borrowed books from the production team.
know you.
I've read your articles.
I can tell how you're feeling.
The two of us are the only ones who feel this way.
just read a book, and it really moved me.
Can you read English?
This was published in 1962 and was very influential in the West.
Silent Spring, Rachel Carson.
Where did you get this?
The book attracted the attention of the higher-ups.
They want to use it for internal reference.
I'm responsible for translating the part about forests.
What does the book tell about?
Pesticides and the environment?
There's something deeper.
I want to write to the central leadership
and inform them the bad phenomena.
Come in.
Wenjie.
I'm here to return your book.
- was going to look for you.
You're just in time.
I'll show you the letter I wrote.
Letter?
Yes.
told you last time that
I was going to write to the central leadership.
Take a seat.
It's beautiful.
The Taihang Mountains have turned from
historically fertile place to the barren wasteland due to deforestation.
The Yellow River's silt is rising rapidly now.
The great reclamation in the northern tree farm
will lead to severe consequences.
The content is informative and tightly argued.
OK.
I'II make a clean copy of the draft.
Don't burn yourself.
My hands are trembling due to frequent use of the chain saw.
(Respected)
Perfect.
Why don't I copy it for you?
The chain saw is too heavy.
No wonder your hand is trembling.
Let me copy it for you.
OK.
(Respected)
You have pretty handwriting.
You studied physics?
Astrophysics.
Useless now.
Astrophysics?
So you study the stars.
How can that be useless?
Colleges have reopened recently,
but they're not taking graduate students.
A highly educated talent like you has been sent to this place...
It's a shame.
I didn't tell him that I was fortunate enough to be sent to the northern tree farm.
(50,000 educated youths all over the country...)
At the moment, the hut was quiet.
I could hear the sound of pen nib scratching against paper,
and smell the fragrance of the sawdust.
Since my father died, I hadn't felt relaxed and experienced warmth for a long time.
Take a look. Okay.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Come on. Keep it going! On my count!
One, two, one.
Going all out!
Rise to the top!
Going all out!
Rise to the top!
This is it.
20 meters away from the log drop point.
Keep it going, everybody.
Ye Wenjie!
Stop.
Ye Wenjie, rush back to the company.
What happened?
don't know.
But I feel like
you might be in big trouble.
Comrade Ye.
This is Director Zhang from political department.
He's here to do a survey.
Don't be afraid, though.
Just say what you know.
Be honest, and be cooperative with Director Zhang.
Director Zhang.
Did you write the letter?
Revolutionary Masses?
Did you write it?
A reporter came to the company from last week.
The reporter's name is Bai Mulin, right?
Ye Wenjie, are you aware how serious the crime of slander is?
We have run a thorough investigation on Comrade Bai Mulin.
All he did was help you mail the letter.
He had no idea what was in the letter.
Did he say that?
Present yourself.
Is she the one?
Yes.
believe that this book inspired you to write the letter, right?
The book isn't mine.
You stole it!
- didn't steal it.
Bai Mulin lent me the book.
Nonsense!
was assigned to translate the book by the authority.
have the legal right to own this book. Control yourself.
I admit it is my fault that I didn't keep the book properly.
But I didn't expect her to steal the book when was doing work.
You found the weapon to harm socialism.
I wasn't here, she would impute all the responsibility to me.
Ye Wenjie,
(Assignments Lumbering Transportation Piling) have been nice to you, why would you lie?
Why would you betray your comrades for personal interest?
All right. All right.
Enough.
Take her to the division headquarters.
until she acknowledges her guilt.
The room is so cold.
Go get a stove.
Yes, sir.
I'm here representing the military control commission of the intermediate court.
My name is Cheng Lihua.
Come on.
You are young.
Younger than I thought. -
Ye, how foolish of you.
Well, that's what young people do.
(Archive Folder)
The more you read, the more foolish you become.
But to be fair, everybody would make mistakes when they were young.
made mistakes, too.
But our attitude remains the same. Don't feel stressed.
Acknowledge your mistake and correct it, and you can still contribute to the revolution.
Here, sign this.
And we'll have a good conversation.
I'll be guiding you.
Ye, actually, doesn't matter whether you sign it or not.
You can read the last page.
You just sign here as one of the key additional witnesses.
But you have to understand that it doesn't have to be you.
It is a kind offer from the Organization.
My father is dead.
All the information is factual.
Otherwise, your sister
(Witnesses: Ye Wenxue) wouldn't have signed it.
We aim to guide those who were ideologically led astray
to acknowledge their mistakes with facts.
didn't know my father talked to these people.
Everything is real.
You must trust the Organization.
didn't say it wasn't real.
- simply don't know.
So I can't sign it.
Ye Wenjie, mind your language.
Well, Ye, I'll be completely honest with you.
There's still a chance for you to be pardoned
if you acknowledge your mistake.
It's no big deal that a young intellectual
got blinded by a reactionary book.
We don't even need to bring it to the court.
You'll go to a class, write some self-examination essays,
and be sent back to the tree farm.
But if you are self-opinionated, then we'll probably take your case seriously.
Look at me.
Do look like a person who would harm you?
No, I won't sign it.
At the time, someone like me would receive heavy sentences.
What you experienced is beyond my imaginations.
The past is the past.
The person who framed you up, do you hate him?
Bai Mulin?
Under the pressure of the political environment,
that was his only option.
Wang, when you are at my age, you'll realize all those things
that seemed extremely important will end up being unimportant.
When we find ourselves pushed into desperation,
perhaps, the turnaround is around the corner.
It broke down again.
It's a little toy made by one of my students.
Currently,
it isn't mature enough.
The battery has a low storage capacity.
(Scholar Community)
If the battery is big,
it'll take up more space.
If it's small,
it can't drive a powerful motor.
think it's useless for now.
Shen Yufei.
Come with me.
The temple seems to be
different from other temples.
Yes.
Other temples need pilgrims
to offer money to stay afloat.
So they want more tourists.
This temple doesn't.
It's peaceful and quiet here.
Most of our visitors
are engaged in academic research.
Sometimes when they
have problems they can't solve,
they'll come here and stay for a couple of days.
The rent here is very high.
It's enough to support us.
Many scientists will look for
other gratification when they reach
an unbreakable bottleneck in their research.
They would like to come here
and ponder
the problems they can't solve.
I've decided to join the Frontiers of Science.
So you can tell me now,
what the farmer is?
A turkey can be curious.
But not everyone can accept
the truth behind the miracle.
If you like,
you can go to the farmer's world
for a look.
(Three-Body)
What's this?
It seems to be a game.
Game?
Log in.
Play it.
I can't.
Why can't you play it?
The game requires a V-suit.
V-suit?
What's that?
Chang,
we need you to pay for
the expense of the game suit.
You know what, the suit
is amazing.
When you log in to the game,
you can go up to the sky.
Take you for example.
If you stamp your foot in the game, you'll leap into the sky like fireworks.
Like Superman.
Have you played it?
heard of it from others.
From who?
People of the Frontiers of Science.
They play the game.
Yeah.
I need it for work.
Just pay for it.
It's a little expensive.
(Chang Weisi)
My gloves are a little tight.
So are mine.
Do I wear it right?
The things are so expensive.
Do you think she's a saleswoman?
(Three-Body)
(Welcome to Three-Body.)
(Please create your own ID.)
(Hairen)
It's cold.
Yes, very cold.
I am a follower of King Wen.
That's my log-in ID.
Follower of King Wen of Zhou.
He's a genius.
My log-in ID is Hairen.
The stuff on your back
looks very heavy.
Sure.
The distance and weight here
are real as in life.
Sandglass.
This is sandglass.
Every eight hours, all the sand flows to the bottom.
Flip it three times
and you can measure a day.
But I often forget to flip it,
and I need
Follower here to remind me.
Hey.
You seem to be on a very long journey.
Is it necessary
to carry such a bulky clock?
Or what?
How else would we measure time?
You can carry a portable sundial.
Or you can just look at the sun
and know the approximate time.
The sun?
How can the sun tell us the time?
We're in the midst of a Chaotic Era.
Chaotic Era?
It's so cold! I'm almost frozen.
Hurry, let's go.
It will be colder if we stop.
When the sun comes out,
it will be warmer.
Are you pretending to be some kind of oracle?
Even King Wen cannot predict the future.
Do you need an oracle to predict that?
Everyone can see that
the sun will rise in about
another hour or two.
This is a Chaotic Era!
What is a Chaotic Era?
Look at the sun.
So it's dusk
instead of dawn?
It is dawn.
But the sun doesn't always rise in the dawn.
Look over there!
The sun is rising over there.
But the direction is different from last time.
Are we in the wrong way?
told you
it's a Chaotic Era.
Finally, it's getting warmer.
But why is the sun
bluish in color?
Why did it set so soon?
The sun is rising over there!
Look!
It looks like a normal sun!
I'm warning you
not to pretend to be an oracle.
It's finally getting warm.
Oh, dear!
What should we do?
Find shade quickly!
What's wrong?
Hurry. Hurry.
What's wrong?
Traveling during a Chaotic Era
is like walking through hell.
I can't stand it anymore.
I can't.
Then you should be dehydrated.
OK.
Wait.
You won't abandon me,
will you?
Don't worry.
I promise to bring you to Zhaoge.
OK.
Dehydrate me.
What happened to him?
Is he dead?
No.
He'll recover soon,
when we soak him in water.
It's just like soaking dried mushrooms.
Even his bones have turned soft?
Yes.
They've turned into dried fibers.
This makes him easy to carry.
In this world,
can everyone be dehydrated?
Of course. You Can, too.
Otherwise we could not survive the Chaotic Eras.
You carry him.
Oh, dear!
My friend.
No.
- must find him.
If a turkey doesn't drink water,
will it die of thirst?
You can choose to be dehydrated if you can't stand it.
Dehydrated?
How could I be dehydrated?
You only have to say
(Dehydrate me) these two words.
This is the password.
Is it some kind of trap?
What can you get
if say dehydrate me?
I, l...
What are you doing?
Who are you?
Give him back to me.
He is my friend.
Give him back to me!
Do you know he is dehydrated?
The only way he contributes
to this civilization
is to be our food or firewood.
You're unreasonable!
Give him back to me!
Give me! Wang Miao.
Give him back to me!
You don't understand the truth of the world.
Wang Miao, hang in there.
I'll log in right now. Hang in there.
In order to achieve our goals,
(Game Over)
this is nothing.
How is your friend?
He was dehydrated
and taken by some guys.
What will happen to him?
It's normal.
He can't adapt to this world.
Let's start off.
can finally have water.
How long has it been?
About a month.
It's either extremely hot
or extremely cold.
The Chaotic Era is killing me.
Flying stars.
Two flying stars!
We've seen them yesterday.
They look bigger than ordinary stars.
Yes.
They show up as disks.
They move through the sky
quickly enough for the naked eye to detect the motion.
But it's different this time.
How come?
There are two of them.
Two flying stars!
A Stable Era is about to begin!
Is two the most we'll see at once?
No. Sometimes three will appear,
but no more than that.
If three flying stars appear,
does that herald
an even better era?
What are you talking about?
Three flying stars?
Pray that such a thing never happens.
It hasn't been so pleasant in a long time.
How long does this Stable Era last?
A day or a century.
No one can predict that.
According to historical records,
the Western Zhou Dynasty
experienced a Stable Era lasting two centuries.
How lucky to be born during such a time!
What about a Chaotic Era?
How long does it last?
I already told you.
Other than Stable Eras, all other times belong to Chaotic Eras.
Each of them takes up the time not occupied by the other.
This is a world in which there are no patterns.
Yes.
Civilization here
can only develop
in the mild climate of Stable Eras.
Most of the time,
humankind must collectively dehydrate and be stored.
When a long Stable Era arrives,
they collectively revive through rehydration.
Then they proceed to build and produce.
How can we
predict the arrival and duration
of each Stable Era?
You can't.
Nobody can do that.
When a Stable Era arrives,
the King makes a decision based on intuition
as to whether to engage in mass rehydration.
Often, the people are revived,
crops are planted,
cities begin construction, life has just started,
and then the Stable Era ends.
Extreme cold and heat then destroy everything.
Congratulations.
Now you know the goal of this game.
It's to use our intellect and understanding
to analyze all phenomena
until we can know the pattern of the sun's movement.
The survival of civilization depends on it.
Based on my observations,
there is no pattern to the sun's movement at all.
That's because you don't understand
the fundamental nature of the world.
And you do?
Yes.
I'm going to Zhaoge
to present King Zhou
with an accurate calendar.
How long before we get to Zhaoge?
Soon. We'll be there soon.
In order to survive during a Chaotic Era,
one must live in thick-walled buildings like this one,
as though one were living underground.
It's the only way to avoid the extreme heat and cold.
My king.
My beloved deputy, as you were.
This is Fu Xi.
Apparently he has his own theory.
Yes. He thinks that
the sun is a temperamental god.
When the god is awake, his moods are unpredictable,
and thus we have a Chaotic Era.
But when he's asleep, his breathing evens out,
and thus we have a Stable Era.
Fu Xi suggested that
build those pendulums out there
and keep them in constant motion.
He claims that
the pendulums can have
a hypnotic effect on the sun god
and cause him to sink into a long slumber.
My king,
the sun is not a god.
The sun is yang,
and the night is yin.
The world proceeds on the balance between yin and yang.
Though we can't control it,
we can predict it.
you'll be the hero of the world.
But many people who claimed to be able to predict it
ended up in the bronze cauldron.
My king,
this is the code of the universe.
With it, I can present your dynasty
with an accurate calendar.
Ji Chang,
I'm eager to know
when the next long Stable Era
will come.
I will forecast it for you right now.
Next will be
a Chaotic Era lasting 41 days.
Then comes a five-day Stable Era.
Thereafter, there will be
a 23-day Chaotic Era
followed by an 18-day Stable Era.
Then we'll have an eight-day Chaotic Era.
But when this Chaotic Era is over,
my king,
the long Stable Era you've been waiting for will begin.
That Stable Era
will last three years and nine months.
The climate will be so mild
that it will be a golden age.
King Zhou seems not to be
very excited about the accurate prediction.
We have to
verify your predictions first.
Report!
My king,
all the initial predictions have been verified.
Ji Chang,
I shall erect a monument for you,
one even greater
than this palace.
My king,
awaken your dynasty
and let it prosper!
Rehydrate!
My foot!
My finger!
How long have we been dehydrated?
If they weren't rehydrated in time,
they would all have been
eaten by the Chaotic Era rats.
Enjoy the beautiful Stable Era!
You're lucky!
Ji Chang, it's been eight nights.
We're in another Chaotic Era.
The sun has never risen again.
My king, this is temporary.
The sun will soon rise.
The Stable Era and the spring will resume.
Heat the quadripod.
My king! My king!
There are..
There are three flying stars in the sky!
You don't know what it means to have three flying stars in the sky, I presume?
It means a harsh winter is about to come.
It can freeze hard rocks into powder.
Dehydrate!
Dehydrate me. Dehydrate.
These snowflakes are solid oxygen and nitrogen.
The atmosphere is gradually dissolving at absolute zero.
(The long night lasted 48 years.)
(Civilization No. 137 was destroyed by the extreme cold.)
(This civilization had advanced to the Warring States Period.)
(The seed of civilization remains.)
(It will germinate)
(and again progress through the unpredictable world)
(of Three-Body.)
(We invite you to log in to the game again.)
Did you lose or win?
It was awe-inspiring.
How did I die?
Did I die of thirst?
You dehydrated.
Those jerks lied to me.
It was really so awe-inspiring.
A civilization was destroyed just like that.
Destroyed?
The farmer kicked the bucket?
What on earth is this game about?
King Wen of Zhou told me.
This is a Chaotic Era.
The Stable Era seems to be an obsession of theirs.
Why is it so disorderly?
It's just we haven't understood.
Practice makes perfect.
Let's give it another few shots, and get to the bottom of this matter.
Morning.
Wang Miao, come here.
Your timing's perfect.
My ten assistants wrote this report on Three-Body.
Yesterday they played it all night.
Alright.
You had ten assistants play a video game?
Just... Just read it.
Okay.
(Asian Defense Council Three-Body game report)
This report is pretty long.
had several gaming sessions,
collecting one type of game information at a time.
Information about the environment, the creatures, and how players feel.
Then I sorted and summarized it.
My assistant, Xu Bingbing.
Well, when playing it,
did you ten people figure out the pattern of the sun's movement?
Yeah.
But so far we haven't been able to draw any conclusions.
The shift between the Chaotic Era and the Stable Era is random.
It switches between extreme cold and scorching heat without any warning.
Sometimes it even happens repeatedly in an hour.
You're doing much better than I did when I first played the game.
What's the pattern of the sun's movement in the world of Three-Body?
You play it every day?
You told me needed to see the farmer's world with my own eyes,
but where on earth is the farmer?
The gathering is about to begin.
Why don't you come and do some reviewing?
Is it still about the shooter and the farmer?
I've heard that twice.
Hearing it one more time will help you know more about Lord.
How did it go?
Do you know any of today's attendees?
I've met some of them before.
Which ones?
didn't recognize all of them.
Just tell me the ones you recognized. Think back carefully.
I just know one of them was Pan Jianzhong.
He specializes in quantum optics.
There have been many reports about him lately.
Mr. Pan.
Mr. Pan, I'm sorry.
Mr. Pan, I've read all the infosheets.
find them very thought-provoking.
Are you not worried that
the public would resist technology after seeing the report?
We just presented the truth.
We didn't force anyone to choose or judge.
Your efforts to publicize these are commendable enough.
If everyone is environmentally aware enough to ask what they can do.
we'll have a chance.
Do you know the correct way to dispose of batteries?
Shi, lately another couple of foreign scientists have died.
Also suicide?
Captain Shi, Professor Wang, this is the roster.
t can be said the names of all top-notch scientists of all fields are on the list.
We need to keep them under surveillance?
Under protection.
Read it carefully and see if any of them
attended today's gathering, or has close ties with Shen Yufei.
There are too many of them, so I can't protect every one of them.
Then we protect those in contact with the Frontiers of Science.
(Pan Jianzhong, Sun Bogang, Zhang Feiyang.) You recalled only three during the ride?
Well, I can remember nanotech devices, but I'm really not good with names.
Besides, why do you want me to think about this?
Many attend the gatherings of the Frontiers of Science,
but only a few of them are truly interested.
got an audacious assumption.
Those having dealings with the Frontiers of Science have two possible endings.
One is that they pretend to trust them, cooperate with them,
and join them as you do.
The other is that they commit suicide because they can't stand it.
Right now we need to seek out all the scientists who might kill themselves,
we can protect them. Understood? Yeah.
Mandatory protection.
I'm very sorry to have brought you here
in this fashion, but you have nothing to worry about.
We're protecting you.
Lately, a lot of scientists committed suicide without warning.
We suspect that there's more to those suicides.
I don't want anything like that to happen to you.
You're all elites of our country.
It can be said that you've made great contributions to
our nation, our country, even mankind.
I really hope you can leave aside the scientific research you're doing
and stay under our protection.
We'll ascertain the truth asap lest your lives be threatened again.
(Transfer Letter from Battle Command Center) As for your original departments and families,
you may rest assured that we'll make proper arrangements.
All of us will claim that you're transferred temporarily
for a scientific research project.
Please trust me.
Everything I did is to ensure your safety.
Do you know that these places were covered in greenery only years ago?
But now they're a scene of utter desolation.
Actually, what we need to know is much more than these.
On earth, dozens of species go extinct every day.
And the carbon dioxide levels the air are the highest in three million years.
Even in the untraversed Antarctica, plastic trash has been found.
Where will plastic litter end up?
So you're Mu Xing?
That man was carried onto an ambulance.
He's a scientist specializing in quantum electrodynamics,
Zhai Yiming.
How's the definition of the footage?
Impressive.
You found out as well?
Found out what?
These scientists are under house arrest.
Apart from him, there are others.
I strongly suspect that this has something to do with the suicides of those scientists.
This is a protection measure.
It was your doing?
Come with me. Please don't.
Now!
I'm spreading the truth.
That's bullshit.
What you should do the most is to keep your nose clean and cause us no trouble.
You think I was the only one who found out about those scientists' whereabouts?
Officer Shi.
Please be cooperative.
You got the information I want, and got the information you want.
Why don't we just trust each other and be honest with each other?
You think this is a cafe or something?
Do you know what this place is?
do.
Then why are you bargaining with me?
You think you're in a position to bargain with me?
Do you think...
Describe what you saw.
I can't.
- couldn't see anything else.
One second, there were sparks. Then next, there were electrical sparks.
Anyway, it's like there were fireworks crackling in front of my eyes.
The glare almost blinded me.
Fireworks crackling?
No firecrackers?
No.
Then why did you hear the crackle?
There was no crackle.
Just glare.
No numbers?
Even if there were, I wouldn't have been able to see them.
There were sparks everywhere.
What did the doctor say?
Severe floater.
How's he now?
He's recovered.
It only took you three hours?
The first two hours and 55 minutes,
sat in front of her without saying a word.
Then she couldn't stand it.
couldn't have stood it either if it were me.
Then I told her that it was a state-level secret and I wanted her to cooperate.
She did find something.
This is the video Mu Xing got.
All eight safe houses have been exposed.
It's strange.
I chose the eight safe houses from my file and numbered them one by one.
I didn't inform any team members until the last moment.
How could the secret be leaked?
Hairen.
You know me?
I'm Qin Guli.
Last time I came here, the pyramid was Egyptian in style.
Now it resembles an Aztec one.
That's because this is a completely different civilization.
Are you going to the apex?
Yes, I am. I want to have a look.
There are too many conjectures about the secrets of the world.
The instruments at the apex may be helpful to you.
I'm Mozi.
Hello, I'm Hairen.
From Civilization No. 137 of King Wen to now,
civilization has been reborn four more times.
The shortest-lived one got only halfway through the Stone Age,
but Civilization No. 139 broke a record
and developed all the way to the Steam Age.
What's that?
That's Confucius.
He believed that everything had to fit order and propriety,
and nothing in the universe could be exempt.
He created a system of rites for the universe.
He calculated when the sun would follow the rites,
and predicted a five-year Stable Era.
You know what?
There was indeed a Stable Era lasting a month.
And then one day, the sun just didn't come out?
No, the sun rose that day as well.
rose to the middle of the sky, and then went out.
What?
Went out?
Yes.
It gradually dimmed, became smaller,
and then went out all of a sudden.
Confucius stood there and froze into a column of ice.
And there he remains.
Was there nothing remaining after the sun went out?
A flying star appeared in that location,
Unlike those shamans, Legalists or Daoists,
who have no ability to do experiments and are immersed in their mysticism,
have theories, too, but they're not mystical.
They're derived from a large number of observations.
First, do you know what the universe is?
What is it?
The universe is a hollow sphere
floating in the middle of a sea of fire.
On its surface are numerous tiny holes and a large hole.
The light from the sea of fire shines through these holes.
The tiny ones are stars, and the large one is the sun.
We can see the stars moving around, and the sun rising and setting,
because the sphere is rotating.
If all the holes are fixed in the surface of the same sphere,
how can I explain the relative motion between the sun and the stars?
That's why I've modified my model.
The universal sphere is made of two spheres.
How does your model explain the sudden extinguishing of the sun
during the time of Confucius?
That's a rare exception.
Maybe it was because a dark spot or cloud in the sea of fire
happened to pass over the big hole in the outer shell.
My universe model has proved that.
Is this model the machine you built to replicate the universe?
Yes.
Yes, exactly.
The light source is made of the luminescent material
gathered from hundreds of thousands of fireflies.
- used a cool light so that the clerk can stay inside for a long time.
There's a person inside the sphere?
Sure, the clerk is important.
After we set up the model
to correspond to the current state of the real universe,
the future state of the universe will be accurately simulated.
course, the sun's motion can be simulated, too.
The clerk will record everything.
What's this?
Your observation records?
The records are a precise calendar.
This is the dream of hundreds of civilizations before us.
Hairen, you've come in time.
According to the model universe,
a four-year-long Stable Era is about to begin.
Emperor Wu of Han has issued the order to rehydrate
based on my prediction.
Let's wait and see.
A Stable Era has begun.
Do you not want to join this wonderful life?
When women are revived, they crave love.
There is no reason for you to stay here any longer.
The game is over.
am the winner.
May I use the telescope
to observe the sun?
Of course.
Look, the sun is an entity with a small core in its middle.
The core is actually the sun.
Around it is the light that it gives off.
Maybe it's just a visual error.
It seems that the sun will probably not rise again.
It's like the end of Civilization No. 137.
My predictions cannot be wrong.
Look, the golden earth.
It isn't the horizon.
It's the sun!
Dehydrate!
Mozi, we should dehydrate, too.
No.
No need.
The Stable Era will continue!
The universe is a machine!
I created this machine!
Mozi!
(Civilization No. 141 fell into ruins in flames.)
(This civilization had advanced to the Eastern Han Period.)
(The seed of civilization remains.)
(It will germinate and again progress through)
(the unpredictable world of Three-Body.)
(We invite you to log in to the game again.)
Flying stars.
Doudou.
Who bought you the ice cream?
I-1 only had one.
Shi Qiang, You bought my daughter an ice cream, didn't you?
didn't smoke.
What are you reporting this time?
Isn't it obvious?
Excessive emissions.
How did you get all those news clues?
There are always people providing clues.
The more people like me there the harder it is to obscure the truth.
A pharmaceutical company has emission problems,
but you didn't condemn the regulator, or urge the people involved to fix it.
Instead, you kept warning people
about the development of science and technology,
turning them into enemies of science. Why did you do that?
What people should guard against is the hazard brought by science and technology,
not science and technology themselves.
Besides, I just showed people the truth.
I didn't interfere in their choices. That's not true.
I read your reports. You weren't always like this.
You used to be very objective when stating the facts,
but now, your reports are obviously misleading in a sinister way.
Just think about Why did it come to this?
Sooner or later I'll find out who you guys really are.
Alright then, let's investigate together.
(There was an explosion in a lab earlier this morning.)
(Several of the country's top scientists were conducting an experiment.)
We're in charge of this thing now.
We'll tell the public that the scientists died in an unfortunate accident
during the experiment.
What occurred is much worse.
(The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.)
(Stay tuned for more details.)
The enemy has already begun his massacre.
They're playing bridge in one of their monthly get-togethers.
There's even a Nobel Prize winner.
They're getting more bold.
We can't just sit around.
We need to react.
(Incoming Call from Shen Yufei)
So the protection of the vulnerable is still ineffective?
General Chang, you can't predict the enemy.
Hello?
You went too far.
Four scientists, and one of them even won a Nobel Prize.
Every one of them had the potential
to make a breakthrough in Three-Body research.
Did I ever get in your business?
So you guys had better stay out of mine.
think both of us should do Lord's bidding.
Us?
On the surface, we are on the same side, but in fact, we are mortal enemies.
Yes.
You people have been using Lord's powers against mankind.
That's one way to put it.
We need Lord to come to our world
and mete out the long overdue punishment to the sinners,
but you are being a hindrance,
so we are irreconcilable enemies.
Lord should not be used by you people.
You are not serving Lord either.
If you don't stop, we'll make you stop.
You think the Commander will allow that?
The Commander?
Wasn't it the Commander who caused all this?
This is your car, right? Sorry. I hit it.
I'm really sorry.
Your words enlightened me.
All saw on the paper was your theory.
It surprises me that you've put it into practice to such an extent.
But there are still many unsolved problems.
The matter of manufacture will be settled sooner or later.
Like I said, your research on applied physics is very realistic.
Oh, this way, please.
suddenly thought of a friend.
Every time he hears the words flying stars,
he'll say that they're stars aimlessly whooshing around.
That's one way to put it.
remember that ten-odd years ago, there were some foreign books and papers
concerning that, so we read some of them
and did some research, but it was unfruitful.
If you'd like to know more about it, can recommend two books to you.
Okay.
This is my office.
Sorry to trouble you.
of the books here.
The Structure and Evolution of Stars.
Stellar Movements and the Structure of the Universe.
Okay.
These two books might not be easy to find.
Now we're living in peaceful times, and the Internet is so highly developed,
but still feel humbled.
The scientists contemporary with you are the real legend.
Legend?
You wouldn't have felt it that way had you experienced it.
Sorry.
At that time, thought my life was over, and might even die in that room.
This kind of unconventional transfer must not happen again.
Let me tell you something.
Your project itself is unconventional.
If something goes wrong, I'll accept the responsibility.
You really think you can take responsibility for this?
You are a technical person,
but Red Coast is not like other national defense projects.
Its complexity goes far beyond the technical issues.
So you do know it's complex.
The country in the north is doing it, and so are the western countries,
but you won't even give me any manpower.
How am I supposed to complete the task?
What do you mean by I...
Are you okay?
Possible Energy Interfaces
in the Solar Radiation Zone and Their Reflective Properties.
Was it you who wrote this paper?
If it wasn't her, why would I have you get her here?
Where are we going?
Red Coast Base.
Lei Zhicheng was the political commissar of Red Coast Base.
Yang Weining was the chief engineer.
If they hadn't moved me, everything….
everything would've been entirely different.
What were they researching in the Red Coast Base exactly?
I know you specialize in astrophysics.
Did they come to you because of your speciality?
That was what I thought at the beginning.
Yang Weining was a good guy.
Come.
Have a seat.
Shao Lin, this is Yang Weining.
He just became my graduate student.
This is my wife.
Hi, Mrs. Ye.
Have a seat.
Sit.
What topic are you researching?
It's about experimental and applied physics.
Oh, it's pretty similar to mine.
Your mentor researches theoretical physics.
I want to devote myself to this era and make some actual contributions.
Theories are the foundation of application.
Isn't discovering the laws of nature the greatest contribution to this era?
This is our home.
You may say whatever you want.
Yeah.
feel theoretical research tends t mess with people's minds.
Ye, you got yourself a good student.
Mrs. Ye, I bought you some fruits.
I... I'll go wash them for you.
he figured out a way to move you?
He was in charge of the project in Red Coast.
He was really a good guy.
Come on. This way.
Ye Wenjie, I'm offering you a chance.
This is a national defense scientific-research base.
Your expertise might be useful for the ongoing research in there.
Chief Engineer Yang will tell you the details,
but whether you can seize this chance depends on you.
Ye Zhetai made a mistake, and so did you.
Therefore, given your status, if you enter the gate,
it's possible you'll never leave for the rest of your life.
want to go in.
Don't be hasty.
Let's go in.
You should be cautious.
Do you know what it means to go in?
I'm willing to stay here for the rest of my life.
(The earth rotates nonstop. Time flies.)
(10,000 years are too long. We need to seize the day.)
(The future is bright. The path is winding.)
(We need to harden our resolve, dismiss our fear of death,)
(overcome all obstacles, and fight for victory.)
(Those on duty in the Transmission Department, attention, please.)
(The computer magnetic core storage in the Transmission Department)
(displays a failure code.)
(Maintenance personnel are to go and fix it immediately.)
(The computer magnetic core storage in the Transmission Department)
(displays a failure code.)
(Maintenance personnel are to go and fix it immediately.)
(Range of monitored frequency: 1 ,000 to 40,000 MHz.)
(Number of monitored channels: 15,000.)
(At 5:00 PM, there will be a sanitary check)
(on the mainframe cabinet between transmitters and receivers.)
(Please prepare ahead of time.)
(A routine work meeting will be held after the transmission.)
(The Monitoring Department will now announce)
(the schedule of the next night shift.)
(Monday, Transmission...)
This is the smell of machine oil.
It's pretty strong, but bearable.
You'll get used to it soon enough.
The conditions here are poor.
There's no heating in the house.
Zhang.
I'm here!
When a fire is made in her room, take her there to have some rest.
Yes!
Take it.
Put it on.
Let's go.
The People's Liberation Army, Second Artillery Corps,
Red Coast Project, 147th transmission.
Authorization confirmed.
Begin thirty-second countdown.
Target Classification: A-three.
Coordinates' serial number: BN20197F.
Transmission file final check completed.
20 seconds.
Energy Unit report: all systems go.
Interference Monitoring Unit reporting: within acceptable range.
We have reached the point of no return. 15 seconds.
Counting down.
Thirteen.
Twelve.
Eleven.
Ten.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Begin transmission!
All units continue to monitor!
You feel itchy, right?
Every time it transmits, my hands and face feel itchy,
and it makes me feel warm.
Transmission 147 of Red Coast Project completed.
Transmission systems shutting down. Red Coast now entering monitoring state.
System control is hereby transferred to the Monitoring Department.
Please upload checkpoint data.
All units should fill out transmission diaries.
All unit heads should attend the post-transmission meeting in the debriefing room.
We're done.
Where's BN20197F?
- don't know that either.
think it's over there.
(Troubleshooting of Magnetic Core Memory is complete.)
(Clear fault codes.)
Hello?
Ye Wenjie, come to my office now.
Wenjie, first, let me be clear that disagree with all this.
The decision was made by Chief Engineer Yang
after seeking the high-ups' permission.
He alone will take all the consequences.
To better utilize your skills, he talked to the superiors repeatedly.
Army Political Department did their investigation, too.
Now, we've been authorized to disclose the true nature
of the Red Coast Project to you.
I hope you'll treasure this opportunity and work hard to redeem your sins.
From now on, you must behave with the utmost propriety.
Any transgression
will receive the harshest punishment.
Once you said yes, the last ray of hope of leaving Radar Peak would be gone.
You'd spend the rest of your life here.
If you want to quit, it's not too late now.
I'll do it.
It's a lot.
Read it yourself.
(A Question Largely Ignored by Trends in Fundamental World Scientific Research)
This file talks about two ways to convert the results
of fundamental scientific research into practical applications:
gradualistic mode and saltatory mode.
That's right.
Gradualistic mode refers to theoretical, fundamental results
being gradually applied to technology
such as the development and application of space technology.
Saltatory mode means theoretical, fundamental results
rapidly become applied technology,
(Nuclear Weapons) leading to a technological leap.
Examples include nuclear weapons.
Yes.
Now, both NATO and the Warsaw Pact
are intensely active in fundamental research
and investing heavily in it.
At this rate, technological leaps may occur anytime.
That will pose a major threat to our strategic planning.
Here it lists the fields where such leaps are most likely:
physics, biology, computer science.
(SETI)
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
If a leap occurs in this field,
its impact will exceed the sum of that in the other three.
That's what I'm talking about.
on, Ye Wenjie, from this moment
your job is to develop the Red Coast Self-Interpreting Code System.
Precisely, using universal, basic mathematical,
and physical laws to construct an elemental linguistic code
that can be understood by any civilization that has mastered basic algebra,
Euclidean geometry, and the laws of nonrelativistic physics.
Building on that, create a brand-new linguistic system
including Chinese and Esperanto.
Yes, sir.
A ruby-based traveling-wave maser amplified the signals received by
the gigantic antenna.
The core of the reception system
was immersed in liquid helium at -269 degrees Celsius.
A helicopter came to resupply liquid helium regularly.
Other than searching for and monitoring possible extraterrestrial intelligence,
we also tried to
(20 Million Stars) send messages to the universe
"We extend our best wishes to you, inhabitants of another world.
After reading the following message,
you should have a basic understanding of civilization on Earth.
By dint of long toil and creativity, the human race
has built a splendid civilization, blossoming with diverse cultures.
We're also getting to know the laws of nature and the development of human societies.
We cherish all that we've accomplished.
But our world is still flawed.
Hate exists, as do prejudice and war.
Contradictive productive forces and relations
are causing extremely uneven distribution of wealth.
And large portions of humanity are living in poverty and misery.
Human societies are working hard to resolve the difficulties they face,
striving to create a better future for Earth civilization.
The country that sent this message is also engaged in this effort.
We are dedicated to building an ideal society
where the labor and value of every human are fully respected,
and everyone's material and spiritual needs are fully met
so that civilization on Earth may become more perfect.
With the best of intentions, we look forward to establishing contact
with other civilized societies in the universe.
We look forward to working with you
to build a better life in this vast universe."
This letter of humans' best wishes was sent to the universe.
the 2,280 MHz, 12,000 MHz, and 22,000 MHz channels,
the transmission times of the message were
31 minutes, 7.5 minutes, and 3.5 minutes respectively.
The farther the signals travel, the weaker they become,
and the less likely that any extraterrestrial civilization will receive them.
Soviet astrophysicist Nicolai Kardashev once proposed
that we could divide civilizations
based on the power they could command for communication purposes,
A Type I civilization can muster an amount of energy equal to
the total output of the Earth.
A Type II civilization can marshal the energy equal to
the output of a typical star.
A Type III civilization can utilize its communication energy
equal to the energy output of a galaxy.
Our call wasn't any louder
than the buzzing of a mosquito.
No one could hear it.
At the time, we had China's largest radio telescope.
In the dead of the night, when I was alone
in the empty monitoring room,
I could hear in my headphones
the lifeless noise of the universe.
It was faint but continuous,
more eternal than the stars.
- was chilled to the bone.
There weren't enough words
to describe such loneliness.
It occurred to me repeatedly that life was truly an accident
among all the accidents in the universe.
And the universe was an empty palace
in which humankind was the only ant.
my life slipped away,
and before I knew it, - was already old.
Sorry, Ms. Ye.
asked too many questions, but I'm very grateful to you
for telling me so many interesting past events.
Thank you.
Red Coast was a giant microwave oven?
Professor Ye didn't say it's a microwave oven.
know. know.
The archives are still classified.
Chang has been rushing them, and I've been rushing Chang.
Have you noticed this doubtful point?
Yang Weining.
What about him?
Yang Dong.
Yang Dong's surname was also Yang.
I was too embarrassed to ask her.
I can't believe this.
You are too thin-skinned.
Do you still remember how I interrogated you that day?
saw the look in your eyes when you saw Yang Dong's picture.
Your eyes just lit up.
What did say? I said "You know her?"
(Yang Dong) You know her?
You don't know her, but want to know her?
Don't overthink it.
I'm just telling you
a cop must not overlook any detail when looking into a case.
I'm not a cop.
But it's the same thing, isn't it?
Did you solve the problems in the game?
kind of made some progress.
You're late.
The meeting has been going on for a while.
Pope Gregory?
So it's the Middle Ages in Europe?
In the world of Three-Body, historical references are anachronistic.
Dear Copernicus, you changed your ID, but we all recognize you.
In the previous civilizations, you traveled to the East.
I'm Aristotle.
This is Galileo.
understand the world through observation and experiment.
Mozi also conducted experiments and observation.
Mozi, Mozi.
He was only a mystic dressed as a scientist.
Mozi advanced Civilization No. 141 into the Eastern Han period with his machine.
So what?
We're different from him.
Based on large amounts of observation and experiments,
make strict, logical deductions to build a model of the universe.
Then we go back to experimentation and observation to test it.
Dear Galileo, that's also my way of thinking.
The reason why the sun's motion seems patternless
is because our world has three suns.
Under interaction, their movements are unpredictable. It's the three-body problem.
When our planet revolves around one of the suns
in a stable orbit, that's a Stable Era.
When one or more of the other suns move within a certain distance,
their gravitational pull will snatch the planet away from the sun it's orbiting,
causing it to wander unstably through the gravitational fields of the three suns.
That's a Chaotic Era.
After an uncertain amount of time, our planet is once again
pulled into a temporary orbit and another Stable Era begins.
This is like a football game.
The players are the three suns, and our planet is the football.
Burn him to death.
At least let me finish!
Have you seen three suns?
Or do you know anyone who has?
Everyone has seen them.
The sun that we see at different times may not be the same.
It's only one of the three suns.
And the other two are the flying stars.
Flying stars?
Flying stars are stars with unstable cycles of revolution and rotation.
When the sun is far enough, it looks like a flying star.
You lack basic scientific training.
The sun must move continuously to a distant spot.
It cannot jump over the intervening space.
According to your hypothesis, there should be another situation.
The sun gets smaller than it usually appears
but bigger than a flying star,
and gradually shrinks into a flying star as it moves farther away.
But we've never seen the sun behave that way.
But Galileo, you apparently haven't discovered
the special optical interaction between the sun's gaseous outer layer
and our planet's atmosphere.
Go on.
It's a phenomenon akin to polarization.
When the sun gets a certain distance from us
and we view it from within our atmosphere,
the gaseous outer layer becomes transparent and invisible.
The sun we see is its bright inner core.
But we mistake it for a flying star.
This phenomenon has confused every researcher throughout history.
But now we understand why the appearance of three flying stars
heralds a long period of extreme cold.
Because at that time, all three suns are far, far, far, far away.
But based on your theory,
we should also sometimes see three normal-sized suns.
This has never happened.
In all the records of all the civilizations, this has never occurred!
Wait!
There may be such historical records.
One civilization saw two suns and was immediately destroyed
by their combined heat, but the record was very vague.
I'm Leonardo da Vinci.
He was talking about three suns, not two, you fool!
Don't touch me.
Pope, according to his theory, three suns must appear sometime,
just like three flying stars.
Three suns have appeared.
And many people have seen them.
But any information about them couldn't be recorded.
Because those who saw such a great sight
had at most a few seconds left to live.
They had no chance to escape or survive.
Tri-solar days are the most terrifying catastrophes for the world.
On such days, the surface of the planet
would turn into a smelting furnace in a second,
and the heat would melt all rocks.
After the destruction caused by a tri-solar day,
an eon would pass before the reappearance of life and civilization.
This is why there's no historical record.
Burn him.
Who is this person?
Giordano Bruno.
He believed that the universe has no center.
The earth is just a planet orbiting the sun
and the sun is only one of countless stars in the universe.
So you believe that he's wrong?
Do you really think you're right?
Use a low fire.
What are you doing?
Let go!
Let go of me!
What are you doing?
Pope, you are only a program!
As for the rest of you, you're either programs or idiots.
You just can't accept things beyond your cognition!
You can't accept them even in a game!
will log back on!
You cannot return.
You will disappear forever from the world of Three-Body.
I'll switch computers and create a new ID.
I'll announce myself when I'm back.
It won't work.
The system has recorded your retinal scan through the V-suit.
Let me go!
I'm telling the truth!
Let go!
If you're telling the truth, you won't be burnt to death.
The game rewards those who are on the right path.
What are you doing?
You can't do this!
The world has ended!
Dehydrate!
Everyone, go to the dehydratories!
Get ready to dehydrate!
(Civilization No. 183 was destroyed by a tri-solar day.)
(This civilization had advanced to the Middle Ages.)
(After a long time, life and civilization will begin again,)
(and progress once more through the unpredictable world of Three-Body.)
(But in this civilization,)
(Copernicus successfully revealed the basic structure of the universe.)
(The civilization of Three-Body will take its first leap.)
(The game has now entered the second level.)
(We invite you to log on to the second level of Three-Body.)
Wang Miao.
What are you thinking about?
Are you dreaming away?
You should spend more time with your daughter.
Doudou.
Come.
Have some water.
Be careful.