This Zhang Fan simply leaves Newton in the dust!

Professor Ji wore an expression of utter helplessness. How could someone as sharp as Xiao Wang let herself be fooled by that kid, Zhang Fan?

Today, I am going to put that brat in his place.

I will let him know that not everyone is so easily deceived.

Stepping into the room at a leisurely pace, Professor Ji caught sight of a silicon wafer held in Wang Qing'er’s hand.

He merely glanced at it and gave a dismissive, faint smile.

"Isn't that just a silicon wafer? What's the big deal?"

"And you, Xiao Li, wasting time instead of doing proper work. Why aren't you writing your thesis?"

"If you don't get your graduation thesis written, you can forget about graduating this year."

Before Xiao Li could say a word, Zhang Fan, utterly disgusted by the professor's condescending attitude, frowned and said,

"Open your eyes wide and take a good look. This is no ordinary silicon wafer."

"Its raw material isn't sand; it's dirt."

Professor Ji’s composure cracked instantly. Staring at Zhang Fan, he burst out laughing so hard his mouth hung wide open.

"Dirt? Now that is a hilarious joke."

"Scientists all over the world couldn't possibly make a silicon wafer out of dirt."

"Even if they could, the cost would be absurdly high—impossible for a tiny laboratory to pull off. Are you out of your mind?"

Seeing how discourteous he was being, Zhang Fan dropped any pretense of politeness and let out a cold laugh.

"Professor Wang, do me a favor and run through the procedure again right in front of him."

"Manufacture a silicon wafer using dirt."

"Let's see what he has to say for himself then."

At this moment, Wang Qing'er's excitement had reached its absolute peak.

Naturally, she did not refuse Zhang Fan's request.

She picked up the dirt from the table and poured it into the apparatus.

Witnessing this, Professor Ji’s brows furrowed deeply.

"Tell me, Xiao Wang, Zhang Fan is a fraud, but are you completely out of your mind too?"

"If you can make silicon wafers out of dirt, pigs might as well fly."

"You'd better stop right now and quit playing along with these games. What if you break the experimental equipment? That thing costs millions!"

Ignoring Professor Ji's sneers and jeers, Wang Qing'er excitedly began operating the machine.

"Professor Ji, just watch closely."

"Zhang Fan is not lying to you at all!"

Professor Ji looked utterly speechless.

What kind of love potion had this Zhang Fan slipped into Xiao Wang?

How could she possibly believe such an absurd claim?

Why use sand to manufacture silicon wafers in the first place? Because the cost and physical structure of sand are the most suitable.

If dirt could be used, does that mean all the world's scientific researchers are less clever than Zhang Fan alone?

Impossible!

Did they really take him for a modern-day Newton or Einstein?

In spite of himself, Professor Ji chuckled.

"I have much more important matters waiting for me to resolve."

"Instead of tending to my own work, I'm wasting time here with the two of you."

"Fine, do as you please."

With that, Professor Ji turned around, ready to leave.

However, Wang Qing'er cried out in overwhelming joy,

"It wasn't a coincidence! It's made another one!"

Professor Ji’s brow furrowed tightly, finding the whole thing utterly ridiculous. As he turned back to retort, he saw a brand-new, polygonal silicon wafer slowly emerging from the equipment.

The sight before his eyes left Professor Ji stunned beyond words.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

As a physics professor, he understood better than anyone what this represented.

It represented a brand-new breakthrough in materials science!

Materials science touched virtually every single field imaginable.

If dirt could replace sand in the realm of silicon wafers, those exact same equations and formulas could be applied across countless other industries!

Acting like a madman, he lunged toward the equipment, grabbed the pristine silicon wafer, and inspected it from every angle.

Indeed!

Unlike silicon wafers made from sand,

the one produced from dirt was completely transparent.

Overwhelmed by shock, Professor Ji turned his head and stared in horror at Zhang Fan.

A terrifying conjecture took root in his mind.

Could it be that the picometer-scale photolithography machine was truly created by Zhang Fan all by himself?!

What?!

No, that couldn't be, right?

Zhang Fan let out a cold laugh. Even though Professor Ji's gaze had turned fearful and his posture was no longer as arrogant as before,

his personal philosophy had always been: *If you respect me an inch, I will respect you a foot. If you show me no respect, I won't give you the time of day.*

No matter who you are, that rule stands!

Zhang Fan wore a sarcastic expression.

"Who was it just now saying my formula was useless?"

"Who was standing there making sarcastic remarks?"

Just like Wang Qing'er moments before, Professor Ji was plunged into a state of profound shock.

Unable to answer Zhang Fan's taunt, he hurriedly picked up the remaining handful of dirt from the tray and tossed it into the apparatus.

Sure enough!

Before long, a third brand-new silicon wafer was pushed out from the interior.

The spectacle before him caused Professor Ji to drop heavily onto the floor, cold sweat streaming down his face.

*Impossible!*

*Am I dreaming?*

Wang Qing'er promptly handed him the book.

After reading the very first page, Professor Ji stared blankly at Zhang Fan.

"Such a flawless formula... did you really come up with this?"

"I've looked into your background. You had zero prior research experience in any scientific field."

"Do you—do you have any idea that taking this to win a Nobel Prize would be an absolute breeze? Oh my god!"

Remaining silent, Zhang Fan looked at Professor Ji with a mocking gaze.

Professor Ji's old face flushed a deep red.

The formula on that first page was exceptionally simple.

And exceptionally perfect.

Much like Einstein's famous equation.

Yet, despite its simplicity, scientists all over the world had failed to discover it.

Only Zhang Fan, an independent amateur researcher, had found it!

And furthermore, he had successfully manufactured silicon wafers using dirt!

Professor Ji couldn't even begin to imagine how drastically production costs would plummet.

What was the most abundant thing in this world?

Wasn't it dirt!

Seeing him rendered speechless, a playful urge rose within Zhang Fan.

"Don't just look at the first page. Take a look at the second page."

"Keep reading. It gets even more fascinating."

Professor Ji shuddered.

The book in his hands was exceptionally thick.

So thick that a single palm couldn't wrap around it.

Could it be that not only did the first page contain such advanced technology, but the second page did as well?

Harboring a mixture of anticipation and complex emotions, Professor Ji turned to the second page.

His eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

"Making silicon wafers using water?"

Page three:

"Making silicon wafers using tree leaves?"

Flipping further down—spanning a full ten thousand pages—every single page detailed a brand-new method for manufacturing silicon wafers!

It seemed that aside from cost considerations, Zhang Fan simply couldn't be bothered to flip past the second page, which was why he had arbitrarily chosen the dirt from page one!

At this moment, Professor Ji's worldview suffered a catastrophic blow.

He slumped limply onto the ground, unable to utter a single word.

Xiao Li and Wang Qing'er felt as though their own understanding of reality had been thoroughly shattered by Zhang Fan.

How could a single product be manufactured using ten thousand different materials?

And what was more!

Even leaves and water could be used?

Was this even a human being?

He was practically a deity descended from the heavens!

Recovering his wits, and before Wang Qing'er could speak, Professor Ji scrambled to his feet and began bowing repeatedly to Zhang Fan.

He bowed so deeply he nearly snapped his aging spine.

His voice trembled uncontrollably.

"Mr... Mr. Zhang."

"Please, you must cooperate with me!"

"I was ignorant of your true abilities and impudently spoke disrespectfully to you. I deserve to die! Please forgive me!"

A single book like the one in his hands held immense commercial value!

Moreover, publishing just a single one of those formulas would easily secure a Nobel Prize.

And bring worldwide fame!

Professor Ji was practically vibrating with excitement.

Yet, the words Zhang Fan uttered next plunged his ecstatic heart straight down into an abyss.