TheTsinghuaUniversitycampusinBeijingissohugeariver,calledtheWanquan,runsthroughit.TheuniversityislocatedintheNorthWestofBeijing,inHaidiandistrict,nearthefamedSummerPalace.AformerimperialgardenoftheQingDynasty,TsinghuaUniversityboastsseveralformerpalacesandmanystrikingpagodas.Theonlywaytoeffectivelygetaroundthecampus,ifyouweren’tdriving,wasbybicycleorbyrentingatwo-wheeltransporterattheuniversity’ssecondgate.CaldwellandMeiLinstoodattheWestGateasuniversitystudentswhizzedinandoutofthecampusontheirbikes.Afewofthemoreathleticoneswereonelectric-poweredskateboards.
MeiLinsuggestedthattheyenterthecampusonfoot.Shefiguredtheywouldlookmoreliketouriststhatway.Tsinghuawasoneofthecountry’sleadingeducationalinstitutionsanditreceiveditsfairshareofvisitors.They’dboughttheusualtouristparaphernalianearthehotel,adisposabledigitalcameraandanaugmentedrealitysystemboughtfromastreetvendor,aftersomeprotractedhaggling,outsideahugemulti-storeyputermall.TheARsystemwassolelyforCaldwell’sbenefit.MeiLinhadassuredhimthatsheknewthecampuslayoutreasonablywell.Thesystemconsistedofapairofcheapplasticdisplayglassesandasmallunitthatclippeduntoabelt.Acartoon-characterscribedescribedthevariousbuildingsastheyheadedtowardsthelibrary.CaldwellreckonedthelibrarysystemwouldberelativelyeasytohackandthattherewasagoodchancethatVickyZhaoorWangLinhadanaccountonthesystem.MeiLinagreed.
“TsinghuaUniversitywasfoundedin1911asapreparatoryschoolforChinesestudentswhomthegovernmentplannedtosendtocontinuetheireducationatuniversitiesintheUnitedStates.TheuniversitycampusissituatedonwhatpreviouslyusedtobeQingdynastyroyalgardenshencethenameQingHuaderivedfromQingHuaYuan,whichmeansQingGardens,”thescribeexplainedinasqueakyputerizedvoice.
Astheywalkedtowardsthemainadministrativebuildingsofthesprawlingcampus,snippetsofinformationwereoverlaidontheARunit’sglasseswiththecartoonscribe’squirkyvoiceoverdescribingthebuildingssomewhatsuperfluously.ItwasapoorlyputtogetherARunitbutCaldwellfoundtheinformationandhistoricalperspectivesomewhathelpful.
Thescribestoppedtheatrically,turnedtofaceCaldwell,brokeoutintoitscartoongrinandcontinued:
“Toyourrightaremostlyfacultyresidences,anurseryschoolandanelementaryschool.Mostofthescienceandtechnologybuildingsarejustafewminutesahead.”
Thescribeskippedmerrilyalongthepavement,itshatbobbingupanddown.TheARunitwasplayingbackpre-renderedanimation.Therewasnothingautonomousaboutthescribe’sactions.Itjustcycledthroughaseriesofbehaviors,mixingandmatchingthemaccordingtosomerandomalgorithmicroutine.CaldwellswitchedtheAIunitoffastheygotclosertothelibrary.
“Problem,”Caldwellsaidpensively.
“Yes?”
“Howarewegoingtogainaccesstothelibrary?”
“Goodquestion,”MeiLinsaid.“Ihaveanalumnicard.Iamnotsurewhetherit’sstillvalidthough.”
“Thatmeansyouhavetogoin.”
“Correct.Ihavetogoinalone.IfIrecallcorrectly,thepubliccataloguesearchterminalsjustrequireaswipeofthecard.”
“OK,I’llpokearoundoutsidewhileyouseewhatyoucangetinthelibrary.IreckonthethingtolookforisWangLin’sborrowingaccountinfo.Itjustmightlisthisdormroomoreventhelocationofthelab.”
“IwouldhavegoneforWangLin’srecordsbutwouldn’tnecessarilyhavethoughtofthelibraryfirst.Theyareboundtohaveanaddressforhim.”
“Yup.”Caldwellsmiled.
Theyarrivedinfrontoftheoldlibrary,anancientbrown-brickbuildingwithahugemarbleplaqueonthefrontsayingTsinghuaUniversityLibraryinsimplifiedChinesecharacters.MeiLindisappearedthroughthemaindoorswhileCaldwellidlednearthefrontlawntryingtolookasthoughhewasimpressedwiththebrickarchitecture.AbunchofstudentswalkedoutofthelibrarysizingCaldwellup.Theyweretryingtofigureoutwhetherhewasastudentoraprofessor.CaldwellidledaroundoutsidethinkingaboutthestudentWangLinandtheconversationthey’dhadontheBBS.FifteenminuteslaterMeiLinemergedfromthelibrary.Thelookinhereyessuggestedshe’dhitpaydirt.
“Incrediblyeasyhack,thelibrarysystemhasanelectronicworkspace,wherestudentscanloginandviewthebookstheyhaveborrowed,returndates,e-bookdownloadsandbookremendations.Thatistieddirectlyintothestudentdirectoryserverthatholdstherecordsforeachstudent.”
“Excellent.”
“Onlyproblemis,therearethreeWangLinsintheputersciencedepartment.Allofthemarepostgraduatestudents.Twoliveinthestudentdormitories,oneinthejuniorfacultyresidences.Ihadalookattheirphotos.It’sdifficulttotellwhichonelookslikeanAInerd.Theyalllookkindofgeeky.”
“I’dgowiththejuniorfacultyresidenceone.ThisWangLinissupposedlyoneofProfessorYao’sprotégés.He’sboundtohaveafewperkssuchasfacultylodgings.”
“Iseethelogicofthat.Wheretonext?”MeiLinasked.
“HowaboutwepaytheDepartmentofComputerScienceandTechnologybuildingavisit?Takealookatthismorning’scoursetimetable.Whoknows,WangLinmayhavedecidedtoattendclasstoday,”Caldwellsaidwithagrin.
TheyarrivedattheDepartmentofComputerScienceandTechnologybuildingafterabrisktenminutewalk.Itwasagrayconcreteandglassbuildingshapedlikeagiantmicro-chiplyingfaceup.Numerousantennaeprotrudedfromtheroof.Caldwellspottedatleasteightsatellitedishesanddatabroadcastingtransponders.
“Looksliketheplace.”
Theywalkedintothemainarea.Theentiresideofonewallwascoveredwithahugeelectronicnoticeboardshowingthedifferentclasses.Itlookedeverybitasplexasthedeparturesdisplayataninternationalairport.
“There’salectureonrightnowattheZhuRongjiLectureTheateronartificialintelligence,”Caldwellsaid,pointingatthedisplay,whichwascrammedwithsomuchinformationthatitwasalmostunintelligible.
“ArtificialIntelligenceIII.Soundslikeapostgraduatedegreecourse.ItookAIIandAIIIinmythirdandfourthyearhere.AtanyrateIknowwheretheZhuRongjiLectureTheatreis.Thisway.”
CaldwellfollowedMeiLindowncountlesscorridorsanddoorswithtransparentplasticflapsthatgaveyouagoodacademicslapinthebackasyouwentthrough.BythetimetheygottotheZhuRongjiLectureTheater,Caldwellwastotallylost.Theyslippedintothetheaterthroughthebackdoorandtooksomeemptyseatsattheback.Afewstudentslookedroundtoseewhatthemotionwasaboutbutquicklyrefocusedtheirattentionontheproceedings.
ThelecturetheatrewasmassivelikeaGreekamphitheater.Theprofessorwassofardowninthebowelsofthetheater,theroomslopeddownwardsatasteepangle,thathewasablotonthestage.GianttelevisionscreensmagnifiedhispresenceforthebenefitofthoseatthebackashepacedaroundthestageexpoundingobscureAItheories.Hehadwhitehairsleekedbackawayfromaprominentforeheadandalargebulbousnose.Youcouldseetheporesinhisnoseonthemagnifiedimage.Caldwellreckonedfromtheliverspotsonhisbonyhandsthathewasprobablypushingseventy.
Theprofessorwasgoingonabouthowtraditionalconceptsofartificialintelligencewereundergoingamajoroverhaulasnewideasonwhatconstitutesmachineintelligencedeveloped.ItwasdifficulttobelievethatprobablyjustafewhundredmetersfromthisroomanotherprofessorhadinventedanAIthatposedathreattocyberspace.HadWangLinbeenlyinginavainattempttoimpressVickiZhao?Caldwellhadanidea.TherewasadopeylookinggirlwithruddycheekssittingtoCaldwell’sright.HeleanedoverandwhisperedtoherinMandarin.
“WhichoneisLiJin,theonethatworkswithProfessorYao?”
“Didn’tyouhearaboutit?ProfessorYaoisdeadandLiJinhasdonearunner.Thepolicearelookingforhim,”shewhispered.Caldwellwastakenabackbythecasualwayinwhichthestudentdeliveredthisinformationbutshelookedlikethegossipytype.SothestudentLiJinwasontherun.Caldwellcontinuedhisquestioning.
“Ohreally?Whywouldherunaway?Thatwouldsuggesthedidsomethingwrong,”heprompted.
“Youbet.TheNanotechnologyResearchbuildingiscrawlingwithPLAtypes.Nostudentisallowedtogoanywherenearthebuildingunlesstheyhaveaspecialpass.It’sasurprisetheyhaven’ttakenWangLininforquestioning.”
“Ohyeah,WangLin.He’sthatguyinthejeanjacketthreerowsahead,right?”Caldwellasked,randomlyselectingamalestudent.MeiLinjustlookedathimbemused.Sheseemedimpressedwithhissocialengineeringskills.
“Whatareyoutalkingabout?”thegirlhissed,givingCaldwellasidelongglance.“WangLinisthatskinnyguyintheredjumperfiverowsdown.Idon’tknowwhyheevenbothersattendinglectures.Heknowsthisstuffinsideoutanyways.”
“Iamsureyoudotoo,”Caldwellsaid.Thegirlgavehimastrangelookasthoughhehadjusttriedtohitonherandturnedtoconcentrateonthelecture.Shehadlostinterestintheirlittleconversation.CaldwellturnedtoMeiLinandtoldherwhichstudentwasWangLin.Hewasalanky-lookingfellowwithunkemptshoulder-lengthhairandhunchedshoulders.TheycouldonlyseeafractionofhisfacefromwheretheyweresittingbutCaldwellwascertaintheywouldn’tlosehiminacrowd.Hewaswearingdisposableblackplasticglasseswithverythicklenses.Thiswasapparentevenfromadistance.Andthatredjumper.
Tenminuteslater,thelecturewasover.WangLinwalkeddowntothelecturepodiumandhadabriefchatwiththelecturer.Onthemonitors,CaldwellandMeiLingotagoodlookathisface.Thestudentlookedscared.ThenWangLinheadedbackuptowardsthebackoftheauditorium.Thelecturergathereduphisteachingmaterialsanddisappearedoutofthedooratthefront.WangLinwalkedrightpastthem.HelookednothingliketheavatarCaldwellhadseenhimuseonthestudentBBS.Helookedlikethekindofkidwhowasalwayslettingothersknowhowbrillianthewas.Helookedarrogant.Yettoday,hewasscared.Thatmuchwasobvious.CaldwellandMeiLinfollowedhimoutoftheZhuRongjiLectureTheater.
***
Likemanysuper-intelligentstudents,WangLin’sbodylanguagewasalloutofkilter.Hehadtheshufflinggaitofakidwhospenttoomuchtimereadingbooksandtoolittletimeonathleticactivities.Hisskinwaspaleandfromthedepthsofhisthickconvexlenseshiseyesdartedaroundregardingotherstudentshepassedwithsuspicion.Withtheprofessor’sdeathandLiJin’smysteriousdisappearance,WangLinprobablysuspectedthathewasnextonsomePLAhitlist.Heseemedtobetheirguyalright.CaldwellandMeiLinkeptarespectabledistanceasWangLinexpertlynavigatedthemyriadcorridorsoftheDepartmentofComputerScienceandTechnologybuilding.
WangLinexitedthebuildingthroughasmallsidedoor.Helookedbehindhimsuddenly.CaldwellandMeiLindartedintoasmallrecessinanearbydoorway.Thestudentscannedthecorridorsbehindhimthenthedoorsslammedshut.WangLinwaswalkingupthepathtowardsthejuniorfacultyresidences,awayfromtheacademicbuilding.ItlookedlikehewasnotgoingtogivethemanyleadsonthisAI.Hepickedupspeed.Caldwellcouldswearthatthestudentwasmumblingtohimself.PerhapshewasstillberatinghimselfforhislackofjudgmentonthestudentBBS?
AgirlwalkedstraightpastWangLin,aclusterofbooksclutchedtoherchest.Shedidn’tevengivehimasecondglance.WangLinstopped,turnedaroundandgawkedafterthegirl.Caldwellcouldn’tbelievehiseyes.ItwasVickyZhao,thegirlwhoseloginCaldwellhadusedonthestudentBBS.Herhairwasdifferentbutherecognizedherfromthephotoonhersite.CaldwellstoppedMeiLinandpretendedtobehavingadiscussionwithher.Thegirlwalkedpastthemafewsecondslater.Shewasverypretty,evenbetterlookingthanthedigitalphotographonhersite.
WangLinshookhishead,turnedaroundandkeptwalking.Hearrivedatthejuniorfacultyresidencebuilding,anondescriptfive-storeyblockofconcrete,anddisappearedinside.MeiLinandCaldwellmadetheirwaytothesideofthebuilding.
“Shouldwegoin?”Caldwellasked.
“Notsure.Theytakebreakingintouniversityresidencesveryseriouslyhere.Notworththerisk.”
Therewasasmallpatchoflawnontheothersideofthepath.AfewstudentsweresittingaroundpeeringintobooksorPDAs.CaldwellandMeiLinsatdownasafedistancefromthemandwaited.Theydidn’thavetowaitlong.Afewminuteslater,WangLinemergedoutofthejuniorfacultyresidence.Hehadchangedhisclothesandhadamedium-sizedbackpackhangingaroundhisshoulder.MeiLinandCaldwelllookedateachother.Whatthehellwasgoingon?
***
WangLinwaswalkingwithaspringinhisstep,likeahighschoolstudentwhohadjustfoundoutthathe’dscoredstraightA’sinhisuniversityentranceexams.Orwasheinahurryforanaltogetherdifferentreason.
“Something’sgoingdown.Iwon’tbesurprisedifbackatthelecturetheaterWangLinjusttoldhisprofessorthathewon’tbeattendingclassforawhile,”Caldwellobserved.
“Youthinkso?”MeiLinasked,inawaythatsuggestedshehadarrivedatthesameconclusionjustafewmomentsearlier.
“Icanfeelitinmybones.Heisprobablygoingtodoarunnertoo.”
TheyfollowedWangLinallthewayback.Thistime,however,WangLinwalkedstraightpasttheDepartmentofComputerScienceandTechnologybuilding.Hedisappearedintoasmallgardenwithastonepathandaclusterofleaflesstrees.Attheotherendofthegardenstoodagleamingwhitemonsterofabuilding.Atthetopofthebuildingwasashinysilversignthatreflectedthesunlight.Itread:NanotechnologyResearchCentre.Therewereacoupleof4x4Mitsubishielectricsparkedinfrontofthebuilding.Twoathletic-lookingChinesemenwerestandinginfrontofthebuilding’smaindoorssmoking.WangLinstoppedattheedgeofthegarden.Hewascasingthejoint.
“Webettermovebackabit,”MeiLinsuggested.
“Why?”
“TheNanotechnologyResearchCentrehousesseveralofTsinghua’sStateKeyInstitutes.WhenIwasanundergraduatehereIheardaboutthembutdidn’treallyknowwhattheydidinthere.Thisparticularbuildingwasoftenfrequentedbyofficialsfromthegovernment.Thekindthatworedarkglassesevenwhentherewasnosuntospeakof.”
“What’saStateKeyInstitute?Soundsvaguelyfamiliar.Ringssomekindofabell.”
“Theyareinstitutesthatconductresearch,usuallytopsecret,inconjunctionwiththeNewChinagovernment.TheygetfundingfromboththeuniversityandtheNationalResearchCouncil.SometimestheyarefundeddirectlybythePeople’sLiberationArmy.”
“IfIrecallcorrectly,ProfessorYaoheadedseveralsuchinstitutesandconductedresearchworkforthePLA,right.”
“Yes.Andifwegetcaughthereitcouldbesomeserioustrouble.”
“Look,”Caldwellsaid,pointingtowardsthefrontofthebuilding.
TwomendressedinPLAuniformemergedfromthebuilding.Eachonewaspushingwhatlookedlikeasmalldarkgrayrefrigeratoronatrolley.Oneofthemwascarryingasilvermetalcasesimilartothoseusedtoholdexpensivecameraorvideorecordingequipment.
“Theyaremovingservers.Don’thavetobeagenius”MeiLinstartedtosay.
“Youthinkthat’sit?TheAI?”
“Positive.ThatistheAI.Andthecasemustholdthequantumprocessor.”
“Whatmakesyousosure?”
“Thoseguysarearmed.Ifthatwasordinaryputerequipment,whyalltheguns?”
ThetwoPLAmenwhohadbeenstandingoutsidegotbehindthewheelsofthe4x4s.Theothertwoloadedtheserversintothebackofthevehiclesandclimbedin.Aclusterofidenticalgreentravelingbagswasclearlyvisibleatthebackofthevehicle.WangLinturnedroundandstartedrunningtowardswheretheywerestanding.MeiLinandCaldwellretreatedoutofsightbehindoneofthetrees.WangLinranstraightpastthemwithaworriedlookonhisface.
“Headbacktothegatesandtrytofollowtheminataxi.I’llgobacktothehotel,grabourstuffandmeetyouattheairport.IthinkwiththePLAduffelsit’ssafetoassumethatthat’swheretheyaregoing.Findoutwhichflighttheyareon.Weneedtogetonthatflightatallcosts.”
“Goodidea.YouthinktheyaregoingtoShanghai?Isawataxistandoutsidethegates.”
Theywalkedbrisklytowardstheuniversitygates,watchingWangLin’sslenderformgrowgraduallysmallerasherushedahead.Behindthem,theenginesofthe4x4spurredandthevehiclesbegantomove.
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