Chapter 67

Murphy thought for a moment and asked, "If I don't want to rely on the 'Magic Net', can I present the most precise result in my mind and directly complete the magic?"

Haldane shook his head, "That's impossible. Human perception units only reach the level of 'objects'. We can imagine a grain of sand, but how can you imagine all the edges and gullies on the sand? Imagine the position and state of all the silicon dioxide in the sand? If you can't, then the blank spaces in your imagination are filled by the 'Magic Net'."

"What about using some kind of model or formula?" Murphy continued to ask, "For example... gold. We already know its atomic composition and its crystal structure. I can build its overall model; it's just a simple repetition of a unit cell. Can I generate it directly without relying on the 'Magic Net'?"

Haldane thought for a while and said, "I think things shouldn't be that simple."

"I mentioned the Probability Payment Hypothesis before. The probability of a gold atom being generated from vacuum fluctuations is extremely small, let alone generating a whole piece of macroscopic matter..."

"Alright, that example isn't right, let's change it. For example, make the spell 'Diffindo' tear an object into regular shapes? Like this table in front of us, connect the midpoints of opposite sides to form two intersecting midlines, and use them as the tearing line to split the table into four uniform pieces?"

"This..." Haldane hesitated, "Theoretically, it should be feasible. But your description and imagery are still very vague. For example, how straight are the two lines drawn? Are they seemingly straight lines, or straight lines in the strict mathematical sense? Or, are you tearing apart the van der Waals forces, or the chemical bonds?"

Murphy: "If I want to use two straight lines in the mathematical sense to split this table into four pieces, and along their path, whether it's intermolecular forces, chemical bonds, or strong and weak nuclear forces, they are all severed, can this be done?"

"If you imagine the result you want to obtain in this way and cast the spell accordingly, you have only formulated a few rules and have not completely replaced the 'Magic Net'. For example, what is the way to sever those electromagnetic forces, strong and weak nuclear forces? This process is roughly similar to you proposing a construction plan, but the people who actually do the work and repair the road are still the Magic Net."

"Unless your cognitive level has reached the nanometer scale, you can perceive the existence of those molecules and atoms, and have specified all relevant subsequent motion trajectories for each atom and molecule, or even each proton and neutron, making them separate from each other. Only then can you be considered to have basically bypassed the 'Magic Net' and completed this magic yourself."

"But what is the point of this? You might as well just wish for a sharp knife to cut the table into four pieces."

Murphy thought for a moment and said, "Relying on a black box can't be considered omniscient and omnipotent."

Just like those novel protagonists who rely on golden fingers; without the golden finger, they are nothing.

"Magic power is also a black box," Haldane said, "However, I roughly understand what you mean, Boss."

"It's just that wanting to completely replace the 'Magic Net' might be extremely difficult. First, you have to adjust your perception precision."

"We humans perceive the world in units of 'objects'. When we want to operate on a macroscopic thing, this perception precision is sufficient. For example, we can make a book float, launch a stone, etc."

"We can use classical physics to understand and manipulate things at this perception precision."

"But if you want to finely manipulate more subtle matter, your perception—vision, touch, etc. —must at least have something capable of distinguishing this scale, such as seeing a cell through a microscope. Only if you can perceive it can you possibly operate on it finely."

"And this is only a possibility."

"In fact, I suspect that just as there is a precision to our control of our bodies, there might also be a minimum precision issue for wizards' control of magic power. This is control precision."

"And besides the hard conditions of perception precision and control precision, you also need to have enough knowledge—knowledge at every cognitive precision level."

"At the most microscopic level, it's quantum physics; at the material level, it's chemistry and polymer chemistry; at the cellular level, it's molecular biology and cell genetics; at the tissue and organ level, it's medicine and physiology; at the object level, it's classical physics, etc. As the scale continues to expand, it reaches the level of relativity and cosmology."

"This knowledge will help you build a realizable path with the lowest 'probability payment' cost."

"Finally, you also need sufficiently powerful computational ability to allow you to handle the massive amount of information and calculations involved in the entire process."

"When you 'make a wish', as long as your wish is precise enough, it is possible for you to get an optimal solution."

"But without relying on the 'Magic Net', you must build this optimal solution yourself."

"In general: perception precision, magic power control precision, knowledge quantity, computational ability... none can be missing. But as long as these conditions are met, then you can possess abilities similar to the Magic Net."

"You can manipulate magic as you wish, manipulate everything in the world, from macroscopic mountains, rivers, and seas to microscopic particles and fields. Your spells will achieve all your will. At that time, you will be omniscient and omnipotent."

Murphy was silent for a while, then stood up, "Thank you for clearing up my confusion. Your conjectures and hypotheses about magic are all very valuable."

"I would like to ask you to establish a research group, just like the Transformation Research Group, to study how to improve these four abilities of wizards."

Murphy said, patting the other person on the shoulder, "Congratulations, you have found the second path for a wizard to become a god."

"I want to name it: 'The Spellcasting Path'."

"I can't hold on here anymore," Murphy returned to the ground, and Patrick called, "At the latest next week, a comprehensive investigation might be launched. Now they have already let the tax department intervene to retrieve all our account information."

"FXXK!"

Murphy cursed under his breath, but when he put the receiver back to his ear, he still appeared very calm.

He could even comfort Patrick, "Prepare to transfer core business first. At worst, we'll go to Iceland or Southeast Asia. What are you afraid of? If we can build one Umbrella, we can build a second."

"Sigh, that's all we can do."

Patrick on the other end also sighed.

Just as he was on the phone, Murphy saw a news report playing on the television that was on, and the scene made him feel a bit familiar.

He frowned and turned up the volume on the TV.

"This station reports that an explosion occurred at a warehouse in the Docklands."

"The warehouse is located in the South District of the Willhouse Storage Center in the old Docklands, a special chemical storage warehouse, rented by the Pan Si Bo Company two months ago, allegedly used to store dangerous chemical products."

"The explosion did not cause any casualties. The specific cause of the explosion is still under further investigation. Now let's look at another piece of news..."

Confirming that the warehouse mentioned on TV was indeed his own, Murphy hurriedly told Patrick and hung up the phone, then immediately dialed the number of the Hazard Mitigation Team, "What's going on? Didn't I say non-lethal traps? Why was there an explosion? What exactly did you use?"

"A few capture-type traps like animal traps and two or three tripwire mines."

"Tripwire mines?"

"We set up Claymore mines at some points. If the other party was deterred and retreated after encountering the first few ordinary traps, they wouldn't be triggered."

Murphy: "..."

Claymore mines?

You call this a non-lethal trap?!

(End of chapter)