Chapter Sixty-One: Unrestrained

She proved the problem simply because inspiration struck her, and she followed it through on a whim, not out of a desire to prove for proof’s sake. Once the proof was completed, everything that followed was merely an addendum.

“Well done!” Li Yisheng praised, raising his thumb in approval. Young people ought to possess such confidence and vigor.

Compared to Wu Tong’s ease, he realized he was the one who had been caught up in appearances.

Li Yisheng deftly took the remaining steps of Wu Tong’s deduction, pulled out a chair, and sat down to verify them right then and there. If his student trusted him, how could he not live up to that trust?

To share in this achievement was his badge of honor.

From the earlier parts of the proof, he could already sense the brilliance in Wu Tong’s approach: the characteristic rigor and order, the clarity of logic. For those who love mathematics, reading Wu Tong’s proof was pure enjoyment.

The process was extremely complex, but Li Yisheng was no amateur. His academic standing was among the best of his generation. He might not be able to prove the conjecture himself, but he could certainly verify the deductions and results.

Page by page, as he went through the verification, his astonishment grew. By the time he reached the end, he still hadn’t found a single computational or logical error.

The argument was nearly flawless.

This meant that Wu Tong very likely had truly conquered the Zhou Conjecture, a world-class mathematical problem.

This challenge, which had troubled mathematicians for nearly twenty years, was about to be settled by a sixteen-year-old girl!

He was utterly shaken, unable to speak for a long while, feeling as though all his years had amounted to nothing.

Genius truly defies reason. He had always known this, yet he could not help but tremble before it.

“I haven’t found any problems so far. Congratulations, Wu Tong, it seems you have a very good chance of having proved the Zhou Conjecture. Will you write a paper?”

“I think I can manage!” Though she had never written one before, she had read enough papers to know the general format.

“Then organize your deductions into a paper—start with that!” As long as the deductions were sound, minor formatting issues weren’t important; he could help polish those later. What matters in a proof are the marvelous arguments, not ornate formatting. Without substance, the prettiest format is nothing but a distraction.

“Once you’ve finished, translate it into English. We’ll submit it for publication—this is a major achievement, you can submit to a top-tier SCI mathematics journal!”

He had accumulated only a handful of such papers over the years, easily counted on his fingers. Especially in the top journals—Kyoto University published very few each year.

“The world’s top 5% core mathematics journals—only these would be worthy of your achievement!

There are four major journals in mathematics: Annals of Mathematics, Inventiones Mathematicae, Acta Mathematica, and the Journal of the American Mathematical Society!”

He might very well witness the birth of an SCI top-tier paper, and this achievement would certainly shock the entire mathematical community, even the world.

“These top journals usually take a long time to review. Once we submit, prepare yourself. I’ll arrange a mathematics colloquium, involving our dean and the leading experts in our department for further validation, and have them use their connections to expedite the review process!

Let’s aim for Annals of Mathematics—it’s highly influential, and currently based at Princeton, the world’s leading mathematics department. Many renowned mathematicians are there, and our university has ties with Princeton, so it’s easier for our experts to reach out!”

Connections unused are wasted! Wu Tong is from our Kyoto University; we must cherish our own!

Such an important achievement cannot be ignored because of her age, or for any other reason, by editors who lack vision. Having the department’s top experts validate her proof also provides double assurance.

After all, his main focus was number theory as a minor, not his primary research area, so he could not entirely rule out having been swept along by Wu Tong’s logical thinking. A few more experts confirming the proof would help him secure rewards for Wu Tong and the department.

If Wu Tong truly proved the Zhou Conjecture, it would be a world-class accomplishment—a core SCI journal paper, shining glory for Kyoto University!

At such a young age, Wu Tong had achieved what he, after decades, could not. With this talent, her future would certainly not stop here; it was evident she would become a pillar of the school.

It was no longer about helping her in her hour of need; if the university didn’t celebrate her now, how could they hope to retain a future top scholar?

Submitting the paper and then holding a proof colloquium was also to protect her interests from any form of infringement. Even though most Kyoto University faculty were upright, unnecessary trouble was best avoided in advance.

As for whether Wu Tong’s result could be published in the Annals of Mathematics—there was no doubt. The Zhou Conjecture was no trivial matter; it was a world-class problem, one of the most dazzling achievements in recent number theory, and a favorite among top mathematicians, concerning prime numbers. Once confirmed, the top journals would vie to publish Wu Tong’s work!

“You don’t have a computer, right? Use mine for now!” In today’s digital age, handwritten papers were a thing of the past. Li Yisheng handed Wu Tong his laptop, the one he used for lectures. All his materials were backed up in his office computer, so it wouldn’t affect his work.

“Thank you, Professor Li. I’ll start organizing it these next few days!” Wu Tong gratefully acknowledged his concern; Professor Li had thought of everything, even things she hadn’t considered.

Her English was decent, and most mathematical papers focused on deductions and formulas; translation wouldn’t require too many specialized terms, and she could handle it.

“No need to be so formal. I am witnessing the birth of a future top scholar—or rather, you already qualify as a distinguished mathematician. Once your paper is published, you’ll be internationally recognized, and to have taught a student like you, the radiance on my face will shine everywhere!”

“Who knows, perhaps I’ll need you to be my support someday!” Li Yisheng spoke with pride, making Wu Tong laugh.

“Thank you for your kind words!”

“Of course, Wu Tong. I’ve always believed a child like you would achieve great things. As long as you keep forging ahead—regardless of whether the Zhou Conjecture is truly proved—your talent will lead you to heights that make even your teachers look up in awe!” Li Yisheng said earnestly. If the Zhou Conjecture was indeed proven, it would be an achievement worthy of lifetime acclaim.

But Wu Tong was still so young; he hoped she would remain clear-headed amid success and make the most of her gifts, never letting them go to waste.

“Don’t worry, Professor. I know—this is but a small harvest, and I look forward to going even further!” Wu Tong nodded vigorously, understanding exactly what he meant.