Chapter Thirty-Four: You Are Already Committing a Crime

At two in the afternoon, Wen Hui arrived at Terminal 1 of Changi Airport. Walking through the corridor, she found herself in the heart of the renowned Jewel.

Officially known as "Jewel Changi Airport," this massive commercial complex connects Terminals 1 and 2. Much like most international airports, it is dense with shops, dining, and entertainment. However, it has become a must-visit destination for tourists in Singapore, largely due to its stunning tropical rainforest-inspired design.

Wen Hui ascended to the second floor. Resting her hands on the railing, she gazed quietly at the magnificent waterfall before her. To satisfy the need for ample natural light, the roof of Jewel is almost entirely made of transparent glass. To avoid an unbearable greenhouse effect, the architects eschewed the common closed hemispherical dome in favor of a donut-like shape. Consequently, the tropical, rainy climate was transformed from a disadvantage into an asset, as a spectacular waterfall pours down from the opening in the center of the "donut."

Years ago, on her first day in Singapore, Wen Hui had stood before this "Rain Vortex" and remarked to Hera, who had come to pick her up, "Look at it. It’s so much like an inverted Dyson sphere. The waterfall is like the immense energy of a star, captured by a solar sail satellite that humanity is determined to possess."

Back then, Hera had teased her, "My dear, your imagination is truly boundless."

At this moment, Hera, who had arrived punctually to meet her, walked to Wen Hui’s side. She looked at the waterfall with the same gaze, her tone as layered and complex as the spices in a biryani.

"Hui, this glass enclosure isn't just like a Dyson sphere. Its points, lines, and surfaces, when viewed from different angles, also resemble a Dyson swarm, a Dyson ring, a Dyson shell, a Dyson bubble—in short, like all the arrogant technological inventions of a low-dimensional civilization. That waterfall is like a stream of energy drawn from a star, enough to make members of a low-dimensional civilization cheer. They don't yet realize that the ceaseless flow of the waterfall could also trigger a profound disaster—a disaster glimpsed by higher-dimensional civilizations."

Wen Hui listened intently, not finding this output, with its theatrical, soliloquy-like quality, the least bit awkward or ridiculous. When Hera wore her mask to serve that Mr. Xi, she was surely a woman of few words, unable and unwilling to speak more than necessary.

Language is the most distinctive skill of the living, and one often errs by saying too much. Hera feared that at some point, she might accidentally let slip an expression of her inner self, allowing the clever and cunning Xi Zhijie to notice. Therefore, when Hera came to meet her, Wen Hui was more than willing to play the listener, allowing her friend to pour out her thoughts and release her emotions without constraint.

Wen Hui had even begun to enjoy the subtle charm of Hera’s expressions, such as her occasional Shakespearean-style long sentences. Wen Hui had once curiously asked Hera where this style came from, and Hera did not mince words: "It comes from my classmate in Malaysia. She is a scientist, but she loves painting and theater."

Now, after Hera finished speaking, their eyes met. Deep within Wen Hui's gentle gaze lay an irrepressible gloom.

"Hera, the young Indian man who went to seek investment from the Zhiyin Fund with me that day—he committed suicide."

Hera was slightly startled. "Because he couldn't bear the repeated failures?"

"Because he couldn't bear the sight of his faith being mocked and trampled time and again. He firmly believed that AI technology would help an increasing number of people suffering from illness and disability. He believed that among all the high-tech capital on Earth, there would eventually be someone like Madame Meck supporting Tchaikovsky, who would support his use of quantum computing AI to develop miracle drugs. But reality never missed a chance to lash out at him."

Hera sighed, "How could he imagine capital as Madame Meck? He was too naive, too kind."

The two left the waterfall view and went down to the first floor, sitting at a coffee bar in a corner. Wen Hui asked about a more pressing matter: "Yesterday, there was a poisonous snake attack in Sentosa. The news only said the deceased was a Chinese businesswoman. Hera, could she be..."

Hera stated the answer bluntly: "It was Whitney. Xi Zhijie did it."

Wen Hui’s expression turned solemn: "Why? You told me before that Whitney was Xi Zhijie’s earliest partner, the one who helped him earn his first pot of gold in artificial intelligence."

"I haven't had the chance to discover the deepest reason yet; Xi Zhijie only treats me as a 'white glove' to do his dirty work. But judging by the way Xi Zhijie lured Whitney into the trap, it seems Whitney was about to obtain evidence of Xi Zhijie’s massive unauthorized construction of nuclear power plants, intending to make it public, stab him in the back, and force the government to clear out the capital behind the nuclear power faction."

Wen Hui murmured, "And then? Was Whitney trying to develop energy based on the Dyson sphere concept?"

Hera nodded. "It looks that way. But regarding Xi Zhijie—I’ve always felt that his pursuit of nuclear energy is merely a facade."

While Hera was still frowning in thought, Wen Hui suddenly realized: "Wait, Hera, Xi Zhijie set the trap to kill Whitney—did you know in advance, and did you... do the work? What work?"

Hera stared at her friend. "For instance, instructing the driver by Whitney’s side on how to act, and how to tell reporters during post-incident interviews that his boss had been drinking a bit too much and insisted on stopping halfway to answer a call of nature deep in the woods. Or, while I was accompanying Xi Zhijie in a remote meeting to create an alibi for him, remotely controlling the killer robot to walk out of the building where Whitney was trying to steal those files..."

"Hera," Wen Hui interrupted, her voice strained, "you’ve become a criminal. Do you realize that?"

Hera smiled faintly. "I realize it. To obtain more evidence, I cannot take off my white gloves—at least not yet."