Did the world end today?

Chapter 318 Dimensional Reduction
You shouldn't be so unprepared.

In the lobby of the small building, Lin Xu stared coldly at Zhang Liming and said:
"You're too confident. Do you really think we can't find you?"

"Or do you think we have to go through official channels to find you?"

"You should have expected this to happen, but you weren't prepared."

"There's another conspiracy involved, isn't there?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Liming across from him gave a wry smile.

"There's no conspiracy."

"You found me faster than I expected, and that's the answer."

“I am not an omniscient and omnipotent god. I had to make a trade-off between concealment and security. I chose concealment, but now it seems that this strategy was wrong.”

"But in any case, there's no point in saying anything now."

"You are that butterfly."

"Now that you have found me, our struggle is effectively over."

How much longer until the official arrival?

After he finished speaking, Jiang Xingye, who was standing to the side, raised his hand to check the time, and then replied:

"5 minutes."

At the same time as Zhang Liming was apprehended, she contacted the authorities as quickly as possible and gained their trust.

Although the two sides have not yet reached a full cooperation agreement, the information she released was enough to prompt the authorities to mobilize and send a special team to protect her.

Upon hearing Jiang Xingye's answer, Zhang Liming nodded silently.

"Let's wait for them to arrive before we talk about it."

“I believe that if you can find me at this point in time, then this is clearly not the first time you have caught me.”

"To be honest, it's a pretty strange feeling."

"It's like you're fantasizing about winning the lottery the night before, imagining the wonderful life that would follow, and then the next day, the lottery ticket you bought actually wins."

“Those ethereal things instantly became real, tsk, you will never be able to experience this feeling.”

A strange, intoxicated expression appeared on Zhang Liming's face. Although Lin Xu had never experienced the feeling he described, he still immediately understood what he meant.

This is a strong sense of self-affirmation that "the hypothesis has been verified".

When things unfold as predicted, the feeling of "comeback" is like a drug that makes you feel intoxicated.

So, is it in this "high" state that he gradually went to extremes?

Perhaps that's how it is.

But Lin Xu didn't have time to empathize with him, because there were only 20 minutes left.

He dragged over a chair and sat down opposite Zhang Liming, then immediately asked:
"The claim that 'dimensional ascension is a lie'—what is the answer to that question?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Liming's brows furrowed instantly.

Where did you hear that quote?

"It's obviously you."

Lin Xu didn't give Zhang Liming a chance to ask a question, but continued:

"Your plan has completely failed; there are no more opportunities for trial and error in this world."

“You must cooperate with us and tell us everything you know.”

"Otherwise, not only will this world be destroyed because of your resistance, but all other worlds may also be dragged down with you!"

"World destruction?"

Zhang Liming shook his head with a slightly mocking smile.

"This world is destined for destruction, and everything I've done is simply to save it."

"Do not."

Lin Xu interrupted Zhang Liming.

"There is a difference between destruction and destruction."

Starting with the limiter, he went step by step to talk about the Acubieri technique, the butterfly perturbation, and vacuum decay.

From initial disdain to solemnity, and finally to astonishment, Zhang Liming's expression changed rapidly.

He looked at Lin Xu in disbelief and asked:
"You mean, the number of times this world can be restarted is limited?!"

"Yes."

Lin Xu nodded slowly.

"What I don't understand the most right now is why you didn't predict the limited number of times this world could be restarted?"

"You predicted almost everything, but you missed this one thing. Why?"

"I"

Zhang Liming was speechless, his eyes flickering. After a long silence, he suddenly shook his head violently.

"wrong."

"Even if I miss this now, I will never miss it in the future."

"In 2025, I didn't expect the risk of vacuum decay caused by butterfly perturbation to be normal, because this system is too complex and too 'random'."

“But I shouldn’t have been so oblivious to this several years later and let this happen.”

"Even if you control the direction of the world's development, I should still remind you of the potential risks in some way."

"Unlimited reboots were the core of the plan all along. I might even use more extreme methods to connect the various worlds, pushing the butterfly to reboot countless worlds in a single death."

"But I cannot, and absolutely should not, allow such a massive crisis as vacuum decay to exist."

At this moment, Zhang Liming's expression was extremely distorted. From his reaction, Lin Xu could tell that he was indeed not lying.

He even mentioned a plan to "use a time storm to tear apart the world's curtain."

In this situation, what else could he possibly hide?
Behind the crisis of "vacuum decay" seems to lie a secret!

After calming himself down slightly, Lin Xu began to speak:
"Never mind that for now, I only have one question."

"Where did the idea that dimensional ascension is a hoax come from? Is it related to vacuum decay?" "You absolutely cannot hide it anymore, because we're running out of time!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Liming scratched his head in anguish.

Give me some time!

"I need to sort out my own thoughts. I will cooperate. You know, I have no other choice."

"At least for me in this world, I have no other choice."

"Give me 10 minutes, I only need 10 minutes!"

Lin Xu glanced down at the time; he had 15 minutes left.

At the entrance, officials had already arrived.

"Ten minutes! I want to hear the answer in ten minutes!"

As he spoke, he turned and walked out.

This time, it wasn't Qin Feng who came, but other rapid response personnel who were closer by.

Lin Xu quickly explained the situation, and when he clearly explained the enormous crisis facing the world, the expressions of everyone present changed.

For the first time ever, Lin Xu saw resentment in their eyes towards Zhang Liming and those who corrected the mistakes.
-
Or should we say it's a case of "disappointment that iron is not living up to its potential"?
Before the crisis of vacuum decay occurred, people's attitude towards those who corrected mistakes was at most the same as that towards "opponents with different paths".

Although objectively they need to be suppressed and eliminated, subjectively they will not harbor resentment.

After all, all they wanted to do was save the world.

But now, even though it's only 2025, and even though more problems haven't surfaced yet, from the moment the information was made public, those who corrected the mistakes, especially Zhang Liming, have become unforgivable.

The mess they made was just too big.
Noticing the expressions on the officials' faces, Lin Xu spoke up:
"It's pointless to investigate their mistakes now. Zhang Liming, along with other correctors, remains an important source of information."

"It is very important that you maintain informational cooperation with them."

"In addition, in terms of technological development, I need you to allocate some resources to explore negative energy fusion extraction technology."

"The technology I need is one that can be rapidly applied to the industrial and infrastructure levels of 2025. Even if the initial energy conversion efficiency is a bit low, it doesn't matter, as long as it works!"

"clear."

The official nodded quickly, and Lin Xu then turned to Jiang Xingye.

"Based on the information you provided when I entered last time, my next entry time should be in 2044."

"It's just an hour's span for me, but it's almost 20 years for you."

"During the twenty years I've been absent, you must take on the responsibility for the pollen, you."

"Do not."

Jiang Xingye shook his head, interrupting Lin Xu.

"I am not pollen."

"From now on, I am a butterfly."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Xu subconsciously paused for a moment.

But he quickly realized that this was the best solution.

Butterflies cannot be absent for too long if we want to ensure the world's unity and positivity.

Since he couldn't get in himself, he could only rely on Jiang Xingye.

There was no better option.

Lin Xu took a deep breath.

"You have worked hard."

Jiang Xingye nodded silently, without saying anything more.

With only 5 minutes remaining, Zhang Liming's desired 10 minutes had been exhausted.

Lin Xu turned and walked into the house, while Zhang Liming, who had already been taken into custody by officials, raised his head almost as soon as Lin Xu entered the house.

"I must have foreseen the occurrence of vacuum decay."

"I can't say it out loud, because if I do, the whole world will lose faith in my plans."

Zhang Liming's gaze regained its composure, and after a slight pause, he continued:
"But it is very likely that vacuum decay itself will not lead to the complete termination of the project."

“I can anticipate the occurrence of vacuum decay, but it’s impossible to know when it will happen, or what size disturbance will cause vacuum decay.”

This also means

"So-called vacuum decay may be a secondary scheme."

"Now that the optimal solution has failed, we can only choose this secondary solution."

"It is a way out."

A way out?

What kind of escape route is the destruction of the entire world?
Lin Xu looked at Zhang Liming with a completely bewildered expression.

There was only one minute left.

He said sternly:
"Just tell me the answer!"

Zhang Liming took a deep breath and then said:
"Under the combined effects of limiters, open high-dimensional channels, and butterfly perturbations, vacuum decay may result in more than just changes in the Higgs field and reorganization of elementary particle masses."

“The topological defects carried by the vacuum bubble may be amplified by the energy released by vacuum decay, forming an unprecedentedly large quantum bubble.”

"And the ultimate result of this bubble."

"It's a reduction in dimensionality!"

Dimensional reduction?!
Lin Xu's eyes widened.

The time had reached its final second.

His consciousness was quickly drained, and everything before his eyes was plunged into darkness.

He heard Zhang Liming's indistinct voice.

"This is our last resort! In the next dimension, we can still launch a counterattack!"

(End of this chapter)