Wenhao 1979, starting with contributing to Story Club

Chapter 29 Helping but Making Things Worse

The editor, Xiao Wu, and the senior editor, Bao Fang, were talking in hushed tones, and Bao Fang hadn't shown any particularly strong reaction yet.

Unexpectedly, Editor-in-Chief He walked in at that moment.

Wu Ke's words were immediately echoed loudly by Editor-in-Chief He.

"Oh dear! Oh dear, oh dear!"

I was just thinking that Yu's new work, "Brain in a Vat," while praising the plot as still being wonderful, still lacks a more appropriate description.

I don't know how to describe my most immediate impression and feeling after watching the new work.

Editor Xiao Wu, you're absolutely right!

This is a science fiction history book that can serve as a blueprint for future technology in the domestic scientific research community, guiding humanity's future development in the fields of supercomputers and virtual reality in a step-by-step and rapid manner.

It is, indeed, a scientific paper with extraordinary practical significance…”

Hearing Editor-in-Chief He's praise.

Editor Xiao Wu clenched his fists excitedly and nodded frantically.

What a kindred spirit! Editor-in-Chief He is truly a kindred spirit!

She brought the manuscript back to show everyone, and what she looked forward to most was undoubtedly hearing everyone's comments and recognition as soon as possible.

Now, we have received such a positive and affirmative response from Editor-in-Chief He.

This made her feel even sweeter than if she had eaten honey.

Veteran editor Bao Fang was extremely surprised. "Editor-in-Chief He? You...you've already finished reading the manuscript?!"

He Chengwei shrugged, "No, how could that be? There are too many wolves and not enough meat; everyone's scrambling to read the manuscripts. How could anyone read them that quickly!"

Bao Fang was puzzled and asked in confusion:

"So the basis for your judgment just now was... Editor Wu just said it casually, and you actually agreed with him?... Comrade Yu Zhen's new work, good heavens... If it's really that good, then it's more than just a science fiction novel.... If that's the case, we can't be careless; we need to report to the Municipal Science and Technology Bureau immediately..."

He Chengwei stepped forward and patted Bao Fang on the shoulder.

"Hey, otherwise why would I suddenly come to find you, Comrade Bao Fang?"

"Don't you have relatives in the Science and Technology Bureau? Give them a call quickly, make contact, and get a few knowledgeable people to come."

Bao Fang exclaimed, "Oh dear, really... really need to contact the Science and Technology Bureau?"

He Chengwei nodded solemnly, and said with absolute certainty:

"Old Bao, Comrade Yu Zhen's new work, 'Brain in a Vat,' has indeed come up with a lot of interesting and imaginative ideas in terms of technological creativity."

Last time, didn't your relative remind us that if we make any similar discoveries again, we must inform them immediately?

Hurry up, don't hesitate, call someone!

Bao Fang's eyes widened even more, but he immediately stood up and quickly walked to the office landline.

"Editor-in-Chief He, then, then I really will hit it!~~"

"Go ahead and hit me, I'm not kidding!"

Bao Fang nodded and picked up the landline phone.

He clearly remembered his relative's number at the Science and Technology Bureau and immediately dialed the number in a flurry of activity.

Finally finding an opportunity to speak, editor Xiao Wu excitedly interjected:

"Editor-in-Chief He, do you really believe that writer Yu's new work can be considered a scientific paper?!"

He Chengwei smiled and winked, teasingly saying,

"Presumably it's a bit of an exaggeration to call it a scientific paper, but I think it's really necessary to have some experts from the Science and Technology Bureau review it beforehand, so as to avoid a repeat of the situation after 'The Truman Show' was published, where the Science and Technology Bureau misunderstood and complained, or even reported it to the city leaders..."

Upon hearing this, Wu Ke immediately felt indignant.

I thought someone else had the same idea as her, but it turns out that Editor-in-Chief He was just afraid of encountering the same trouble as last time.

"Editor-in-Chief He, do you still believe, like Editor Bao and the others, that author Yu has ruined the story of 'The Truman Show'?"

"Well,"

He Chengwei paused for a moment, then laughed again. "With the virtual reality future technology concept of the sequel, 'Brain in a Vat,' we can no longer judge the story as a failure. We can only say that we are too naive and our thinking simply can't keep up with the pace of Yu's science fiction stories!"

Hearing this, Wu Ke felt a little better.

But in my heart, I still firmly believe that Editor-in-Chief He must not have read "Brain in a Vat" carefully enough, and therefore failed to realize what extraordinary new concepts this sequel brought to the field of technological innovation, and even what technological achievements that humanity will inevitably have in the future process of technological development.

This is a scientific paper!

A science fiction history book that can truly serve as a blueprint for scientific research projects...

Let's wait and see!

Let's wait for the people from the Science and Technology Bureau to arrive and see what they have to say.

If there are no discerning customers in China...

snort!!

At this moment, Wu Ke thought of Selena von, the international student from Yenching University who translated the English version of the Truman Show manuscript for writer Yu.

As it happened, she had already kept the other party's contact information last time.

……

"What?! The Science and Technology Bureau took away a copy of the manuscript for 'The Brain in a Vat'?!"

Yu Zhen returned from his solo stroll, having met a group of young men and women from the Academy of Fine Arts on the Bund, which made him feel much more relaxed.

However, to my utter surprise, upon returning to the publishing house, I was met with this devastating news.

He was completely stunned on the spot.

The key point is that the Science and Technology Bureau did more than just take a copy of the manuscript.

After getting a general understanding of the situation, the person who came hurriedly took the manuscript, saying he needed to report to his superiors. He also told the publishing house that it was best not to release any information about the new book, "Brain in a Vat," to the outside world until the Science and Technology Bureau had released further relevant assessment results.

Especially noteworthy are the many entirely new futuristic technology concepts involved.

It's like using a complete human brain, connected to a supercomputer, and using a fictional big data information flow to continuously construct a virtual world to stimulate the consciousness of the "brain in a vat," analyzing the human consciousness into a digital information flow, and thus giving birth to a super-intelligent digital life form.

The science and technology bureau officials even went so far as to require everyone to sign confidentiality agreements.

"The Science and Technology Bureau didn't say how long it would take to get a response?! Uh, no, why should I care about that! I just wrote a science fiction novel, how come you all took it all so seriously? It's absurd that you want the Science and Technology Bureau to evaluate whether my novel's content is suitable for publication??"

This shouldn't be an internal matter for our publishing house...

Editor-in-Chief He looked embarrassed and hurriedly began to explain.

"Uh, Xiao Yu, don't get excited. I'll keep an eye on the Science and Technology Bureau for the next couple of days and ask them to give us an update as soon as possible."

But don't worry, even if the manuscript is deemed too advanced or sensitive, the relevant departments will not allow it to be officially published.

Or it could be postponed for a few years, with the lifting of the ban depending on the situation.

Our company will also settle your royalties with the highest possible rate, and you will absolutely not be taken advantage of.

In short, Xiao Yu, you've indirectly contributed to the country's scientific and technological development, so how could the country let you down...?

Yu Zhen felt like he was talking to a brick wall.

Is his anxiety simply about the one or two thousand yuan in royalties?

"Brain in a Vat" is the most crucial patching element in his sci-fi IP plan.

It should be noted that according to the original timeline, in another year and a half, there will be competitors on the other side of the ocean who will produce similar works.

Therefore, for him, the sooner this whole set of philosophical ideas and theoretical concepts is published, the better.

In the future, if we want to secure a sufficient amount of autonomous territory for Eastern science fiction on an international scale, the publication of "Brain in a Vat" is undoubtedly the most crucial cornerstone, and it absolutely cannot be delayed any longer.