My name is Huang Tian, ​​what the hell is this "Heaven is dead" nonsense?

Chapter 161 A Million-Dollar Bonus, A New Appointment, and a New World
After the lecture, the scholars did not rush to leave. Some stayed at Peking University or were invited to other universities in Beijing for academic exchanges, while others traveled around the city for sightseeing.

Of course, there were also a few people who stayed at Kyoto University to persuade Huang Tian to take a position at their respective universities. For example, Professor Srinivasan was persistent. He would come to Huang Tian from time to time and repeatedly tell him how good NYU was, urging the latter to give it more consideration.

At the same time, many prestigious universities, including Princeton, the University of Chicago, and Cambridge, extended offers to Huang Tian, ​​with very generous terms.

Meanwhile, Chen Yue, the dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences at Peking University, and Li Nuo, the vice dean, also extended an invitation to Huang Tian, ​​but neither of them seemed very confident.

For a mathematician, they know how attractive Princeton is. Even if Huang Tian doesn't ultimately choose Princeton, the University of Chicago, Cambridge, Harvard, and other universities would still be his priority over Peking University.

Unfortunately, those who study mathematics need to exchange ideas with outstanding peers. Several prestigious universities abroad have world-class mathematicians, and long-term exchanges with them are essential to sparking inspiration. This is also why many Chinese mathematicians are willing to work abroad.

Staying in China without exchanging ideas and discussing with masters means you can only work behind closed doors, making it difficult to achieve groundbreaking results.

Springtime is in full bloom on the shores of Weiming Lake.

The lake water is as clear as a mirror, reflecting the clear sky and rolling white clouds. Willows sway along the shore, and when the spring breeze blows, the willow branches and the lake water move together.

Li Nuo and Huang Tian walked along the shore. Nearby, some students from Peking University were strolling and chatting. When they saw the two of them, the bolder ones greeted them with smiles, while the more introverted ones secretly took pictures from a distance.

The two nodded and smiled occasionally, strolling leisurely in the spring breeze.

Li Nuo looked around at the scenery and sighed, "I was admitted to the School of Mathematical Sciences at Peking University in 1991. I have been studying for my master's and doctoral degrees here. Later, I did not go to other places for work. I stayed at the university to take up a position. It has been 35 years since then. I have spent half of my life here."

Kyoto University is like my second home, and maybe because I'm a homebody, I haven't gotten tired of it even after decades, haha. Weiming Lake, Boya Tower, Jingyuan... I know it all so well.

After a moment of reflection, he slowly said, "Compared to top universities abroad, Peking University's School of Mathematical Sciences certainly has its shortcomings, but it is in China after all, so the environment won't feel unfamiliar to you. Moreover, the best group of mathematicians in China are gathered here..."

If you are willing to stay at Peking University, the university can guarantee that you will receive top-tier compensation and benefits, and promises to recommend you for the academician candidate list this year…

The youngest academician in Xia Guo is Lu Ke, who became an academician at the age of thirty-eight and is now the director of the research center of the Institute of Metal Research of Xia Guo Academy.

Being elected as an academician at the age of thirty-eight is astonishing. Generally speaking, academicians are elected at the age of fifty-five to sixty-five. One can imagine the shock that Lu Ke brought to the academic community of Xia Guo at that time.

Peking University's promise to Huang Tian was to recommend him for the list of academicians this year. Now that he is 25 years old, if he is on the list this year, he will definitely become an academician next year, at the age of 26. This is undoubtedly astonishing.

However, considering his academic achievements, it seems to make sense, after all, if you're envious, you can also try to solve the Millennium Problem!

Li Nuo added, "Of course, if you don't plan to stay at Peking University, you can go abroad, after all, there are top-notch peers and a top-notch academic environment there..."

"No need, I plan to stay at Peking University," Huang Tian said, waving his hand.

If he is a pure mathematician who is determined to make greater breakthroughs in mathematics, then Princeton is a good place to go; the mecca of mathematics is no joke.

Unfortunately, he is not a pure mathematician. Proving the Navier-Stokes equations was just something he did casually. Before long, after his next "time travel" back, he will be able to fully unleash his potential. In that case, there would be no point in him taking a position at a foreign university.

“Ah, ah??”

Li Nuo thought he had misheard. How could the other party agree before he could even say a few words of persuasion? He hadn't even had a whole bunch of heartfelt words prepared before he could say them!
"You...you agreed to stay at Peking University?!" Li Nuo's eyes brightened as she stopped and turned to ask.

Huang Tian nodded slightly. "That's right."

"Why……"

"Just as you said, the environment abroad is still too unfamiliar."

"Ah, ah? Ah!"

Li Nuo opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. He had a feeling that this was not the real reason, but whatever the reason, it didn't matter. As long as he agreed to stay at Peking University, it was a good thing!

He quickly replied, "If you have any requests, you can tell me, and the college and school will try their best to meet them."

"I hope to have no teaching duties for a year so that I can focus on scientific research."

The reason he set the timeframe at one year was because he had a premonition that the next voice that travels across the world was about to arrive, and a year should be enough time for him to complete the journey.

Even if it doesn't work out, there's always a way to work things out. As long as he keeps producing groundbreaking academic results, Kyoto University won't care what he's doing all the time.

"This is a small matter; I can agree on behalf of the hospital right now!"

Li Nuo replied without hesitation that it was indeed a small matter. Although in recent years, universities have attached more and more importance to teaching and advocated that experts and professors take more students and give more lectures in order to cultivate a group of outstanding talents, there are always exceptions. There are quite a few scholars who are focused on scientific research, not to mention that Huang Tian only asked that there be no teaching tasks within a year.

Are there any other requirements?

"Gone."

Li Nuo was overjoyed and assured him, "Don't worry, there won't be any problem with that. In addition, the school will allocate you a talent apartment in Yandongyuan. There's also a talent subsidy. If you're not satisfied with the apartment in Yandongyuan, you can use the talent subsidy to buy a house elsewhere..."

He went on to explain the specific terms and conditions in more detail, and Huang Tian listened without any objection, nodding in approval.

That very evening, Kyoto University hastily issued a notice, which roughly stated that Huang Tian had joined Kyoto University as a Boya Distinguished Professor, Vice Dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences, and Deputy Director of the Center for Applied Physics and Technology.

The positions of vice dean and deputy director are merely nominal; they are not responsible for any specific affairs. Huang Tian has no intention of doing any management work, as that would be a pure waste of time.

The news caused a sensation.

"I thought Huang would take a position abroad. For a top mathematician like him, a foreign university would undoubtedly be a better choice. Princeton, Cambridge, Harvard... they are full of masters."

"That's not true. Peking University isn't bad, and many people don't actually adapt well to the overseas environment." "There's nothing strange about that. Didn't Professor Qiu stay at Tsinghua University?"

"You don't understand. Mr. Qiu was already quite old when he came back, while Huang Tian is at the peak of his energy and intellect. He should be going to foreign universities to exchange ideas with top mathematicians and spark inspiration!"

"Everyone has their own ambitions. Who knows what Huang Shen himself is thinking? Besides, the person upstairs is right. The academic environment at Peking University is not bad, and you don't have to face an unfamiliar environment. There's nothing wrong with staying."

"..."

Amidst the uproar online, some scholars still at Kyoto University sighed deeply. In particular, Srinivasan specifically sought out Huang Tian before leaving, sincerely saying that NYU would welcome him anytime, before reluctantly departing.

In the following days, Witten, Delinfeld, Faltings and others also left one by one, and Kyoto University gradually returned to calm, but the aftershocks of Huang Tian's proof of the Navier-Stokes equations had not yet subsided.

For example, the journal "New Advances in Mathematics" specifically contacted Huang Tian and told him that his previously submitted paper would be published in the next issue. As for whether there would be any errors because the paper had not been reviewed, that was not a problem at all. No matter how many reviewers there were, they could not be more authoritative than the many scholars who came to Peking University to attend the conference.

The Executive Committee of the International Mathematical Union also contacted Kyoto University, inviting Huang Tian to attend this year's International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia, USA. Their words implied that the Fields Medal would be awarded to him, and they urged him to attend.

Everyone expected this. Solving a century-old problem that has plagued the mathematics community for over a hundred years would significantly diminish the prestige of the Philippine Prize.

Aside from journals and the International Congress of Mathematicians, there's the million-dollar Loretta Prize that everyone's been following.

The Clay Institute specially sent a representative to Beijing to meet with Huang Tian and invite him to attend the award ceremony in Massachusetts, USA.

In fact, the person in charge didn't need to come. As long as they communicated well, Huang Tian could have just flown there to receive the award. However, the Clay Institute was truly traumatized by the situation.

As is well known, the Clay Institute has set seven Millennium Problems, and before Huang Tian, ​​only one problem had been solved—Professor Perelman proved the Poincaré Conjecture.

At the time, the Clay Institute wanted to award Perelman a million-dollar prize and contacted him multiple times, but Perelman, for some unknown reason, ignored them. The institute sent people to invite him several times, but Perelman remained unmoved, and to this day, the million-dollar prize has not been awarded.

If the award ceremony for Huang Tian fails this time, then the Clay Research Institute will be in serious trouble...

To show their sincerity, the head of the research institute simply made the trip in person.

Huang Tian did not refuse the offer to go to America to receive the award. He had already planned to go there anyway, mainly to see if there were any mutants, superheroes, aliens, werewolves, witches, or other such weird things in America.

If neither Xia Guo nor the United States, the two strongest countries in the world, possess supernatural powers, then it's highly unlikely that other places would either, and he could be completely at ease.

Seeing that Huang Tian agreed, the person in charge immediately breathed a sigh of relief and expedited the visa application process for him. Several days later, the two boarded a plane to the United States.

As for the onboarding, Kyoto University gave Huang Tian a month and a half before he officially started working. This was to give Huang Tian time to handle miscellaneous matters, such as moving to a new house, furnishing the new home, and purchasing a vehicle.

The day after arriving at the Clay Institute in Massachusetts, a small awards ceremony was held, attended by scholars from local universities, some congressmen, and wealthy businessmen. Amidst enthusiastic applause, Huang Tian received a gold medal, and the remaining million dollars would be deposited into his account.

After receiving the award, he had dinner with local scholars. The next morning, he boarded a plane to various states in the United States. In each place, he would travel around by car for two days before continuing to the next location.

His actions aroused no suspicion from anyone; everyone assumed he was just a tourist. Indeed, he did not do anything out of line. He used his divine sense to scan the area discreetly, found nothing, and left.

About twenty days later, Huang Tian declined the offers to stay made by many American scholars and boarded a plane back to Xia Kingdom.

'As expected, there are no supernatural powers in America either.'

Sitting in his seat, Huang Tian looked at the leisurely clouds outside the window and thought to himself.

Since Xia Kingdom doesn't have supernatural powers, there's no reason for America to exist. This was expected, but I still need to take a look to feel at ease...

Now, he feels at ease.

'This is my planet!'

Upon arriving at Beijing Capital International Airport, Huang Tian went straight to Yandongyuan and tidied up his accommodations for the next period of time.

The talent subsidy from Peking University has arrived, and with the million-dollar bonus from the Clay Institute, he can easily afford a new house. However, he doesn't care much about his living environment, and besides, the houses in Yandong Garden are not bad either, so he doesn't plan to move to a new house.

He gave some of the money to Huang's parents and persuaded them to finally give up the idea of ​​continuing to do hard labor.

This generation seems to always be uneasy. Even if their children have hundreds of millions in assets, they still work diligently. Even if their children give them a considerable sum of money every year, they are not at ease and insist on living on their own.

Now that they consider Huang Tian an internationally renowned scholar with a position at Peking University, they no longer stubbornly insist on doing hard labor.

After settling things with his parents, Huang Tian went to Peking University to complete his onboarding procedures. Meanwhile, during his free time, he and Zong Wenjun took a stroll around the capital, which he considered a relaxing vacation.

A few days later, he officially joined Peking University. However, he was not busy. After getting to know some of his colleagues, he focused on reading literature without being disturbed. He had complete freedom of movement.

After all, he had no teaching duties, and the college didn't have any requirements for his research, such as how much he should produce within a year. In short, he was very relaxed and comfortable.

Ten days passed in this way.

When Huang Tian switched on his consciousness again, a golden voice pierced through the endless void.

"finally come……"

He was overjoyed, his eyes brightened, and as he followed the golden voice, it was as if he had traveled through endless dimensions, and a clear picture appeared before his eyes.

(End of this chapter)