Chapter 25: Revealing the Truth

West Mountain Base, underground section.

After the launch mission was completed, Elder Zhu came here in person. The moment he saw Fang Jing, his smile never faded. He patted Fang Jing on the shoulder firmly and said with excitement:

"You've seen the news, it was a huge success. The moon landing project has been officially approved, and the follow-up rockets are already being built in full swing."

"The lunar spacecraft, including the lunar base and the astronauts, are all being urgently selected."

"A share of this credit belongs to you!"

"Elder Zhu, you are too kind. Look, everyone is working hard, and I can't just stand by, can I? Otherwise, my old man would certainly give me a beating if he found out."

Fang Jing offered a polite reply, though he naturally felt a sense of pride in his heart. However, what he said was also the truth. To him, an older-generation scientist like Elder Zhu, who had poured his heart and soul into China and sacrificed everything, was an idol. Although he was not even one ten-thousandth as great, now that he had the ability, he should at least strive to follow in those footsteps, right? Every time he heard the words, "I am willing to crawl on the ground to wash away the humiliation of my motherland," he felt a deep shock in his soul.

"Hahaha, let's not dwell on that. Aside from bringing you this good news..."

Elder Zhu paused, squinted his eyes, and pulled a book from his coat, handing it to Fang Jing.

"Having tasted the benefits, some people hope to deepen the exchange with the other side. It is time to reveal some things to them."

"?"

Fang Jing took the book in confusion and looked at the cover. Oh boy.

*The Wandering Earth: Setting Collection*

"How... did this come to be?"

"Heh, we specifically visited the author and the director, asked them to compile this setting collection, and even conducted some experiments."

Elder Zhu smiled slightly and reminded Fang Jing, "After you go over, remember to ask if there were any meteors with blue exhaust trails streaking across the sky above China at 6:23 AM yesterday."

"??"

Fang Jing's mind went blank for a moment. Almost instantly, he understood what Elder Zhu meant. So that was it. They invited the author and the director to modify the setting collection, then observed whether changes to the work in this universe would affect the *Wandering Earth* world. That was the experiment!

"So, the author and the director changed the setting collection?" Fang Jing raised an eyebrow and immediately asked.

"No, the original novel, the first and second films, and the background settings—everything has been changed." Elder Zhu squinted his eyes, and his words made Fang Jing's heart skip a beat.

"They finished changing it within a month?"

"More than enough."

"Hiss—"

Fang Jing drew a sharp breath, while simultaneously offering a two-second moment of silence for Liu and Director Guo in his heart. This was being "dragged into a dark room" and forced to update! Hahahaha, well done; he had wanted to do that for a long time.

*The Wandering Earth 2* had aired, so *The Wandering Earth 3* should be finished by now, right? It wasn't? Rage!!!

"Just these two things for this trip. Did you remember them?" Elder Zhu asked with a chuckle.

"Remembered, I guarantee I will complete them."

Fang Jing also wanted to see how the other side would handle it once they saw this book.

"Hmm, alright. I still have to negotiate with the aerospace departments, electric vehicle companies, and the military drone project department, so I'll be going now."

"Goodbye then, Elder Zhu."

Fang Jing said goodbye with a smile. He knew Elder Zhu had been responsible for the external communications of Project 237. At the same time, he had been shielding Fang Jing from all the inquiries and challenges directed at the project. His work was truly demanding. Coming here personally meant he truly valued Fang Jing. However, Fang Jing certainly wouldn't let him down, because what he wanted to trade this book for this time was intelligent AI design!

No, one couldn't just say it was this book. Fang Jing smiled slightly and casually pulled the novel *The Wandering Earth* from his drawer.

"The novel *The Wandering Earth* is enough to trade for a technology, and the setting collection will trade for the support of technical personnel. This way, we can better receive the technology from the *Wandering Earth* world."

This plan was nothing short of perfect. Moreover, the other party would have no choice but to accept it. After all, it concerned everything in their world.

Ready, Fang Jing immediately took the book and headed to the decontamination room.

...

*Wandering Earth* world, Institute 710, the former interrogation room.

Zhou Weirong had become completely accustomed to Fang Jing's sudden appearances.

"You've come at the right time; my father was just here yesterday." Zhou Weirong smiled, noticing the book in Fang Jing's hand with a hint of confusion in his eyes.

"He is already here."

"Tap, tap, tap."

Sure enough, a moment later, Zhou Zhezhi, dressed in a dark-colored Zhongshan suit, entered the room.

"Hehehe, little Fang, long time no see."

Zhou Zhezhi looked a bit weary from the travel, but he was still very happy to see Fang Jing.

"Elder Zhou, long time no see."

Fang Jing replied, then placed the book in his hand on the table.

"This is?"

Zhou Zhezhi's eyes narrowed. He saw the four Chinese characters on the cover.

"The Wandering Earth?"

Sensing something sharp, Zhou Zhezhi frowned and stared intently at Fang Jing.

The Mountain-Moving Project was meant to build planetary engines and push the Earth out of the solar system toward the Proxima Centauri system, wasn't it? Although the project had not yet been officially named, the "Wandering Earth" project was one of the candidates.

"What is this?"

"This is a novel. In our world, it was published in July 2007, and it is called *The Wandering Earth*!" Fang Jing's tone was serious as he pushed the book forward.

"..."

Zhou Zhezhi's pupils constricted sharply. He slowly reached out his thin, withered hand, picked up the book, and flipped through it casually. The more he flipped, the more filled with disbelief his eyes became.

"If I remember correctly, little Fang, it is currently 2023 in your world?"

"That's right. Elder Zhou, after reading this novel, what are your thoughts?" Fang Jing nodded.

"Similar, too similar."

Zhou Zhezhi read a few pages, slowly closed the book, closed his eyes for a moment, and said softly, "Judging by your tone, little Fang, there is more?"

"That's right. In our world, two science fiction films were produced." Fang Jing paused and spoke formally, "They were also called *The Wandering Earth*, and by sheer coincidence, there is a person in them named Zhou Zhezhi."

"No wonder your eyes looked a bit strange when you first saw me."

Recalling their first meeting, he remembered the shock in Fang Jing's eyes. He had been confused at the time, but now, hearing the truth from Fang Jing, Zhou Zhezhi understood completely. So... he was a character in a film from the other world.

However, Zhou Zhezhi was, after all, a seasoned politician. He instantly calmed the shock in his heart. After all, for the other side, it was a film, but for them, this was a tangible, undeniable reality.

"What? A character in a film?"

But Zhou Weirong, who was standing to the side, did not have such composure. He looked at his father in horror, while at the same time taking the book to look at it carefully. As he gradually read the opening settings, his pupils contracted violently.

"Helium... flash, building planetary engines..."

When he read that, combined with the fact that this novel was published in 2007, Zhou Weirong felt all his strength drain away and he slumped back into his seat. He wore an expression of existential despair. So, what on earth was their world?

"How can I trust what you are saying?"

Zhou Zhezhi did not believe it so easily, instead asking Fang Jing with a sharp gaze. Fang Jing did not fear him, meeting the old man's eyes. Everything he said was the truth. In fact, before saying these things, he had anticipated that anyone would be skeptical, so he was prepared.

Fang Jing's voice was low. He stared into Zhou Zhezhi's increasingly stern eyes and said calmly:

"In the 1980s, China received a strange prophecy. The time node of the prophecy was the year 2044..."