[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-technology-invades-the-modern-world":3,"chapter-technology-invades-the-modern-world-technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-11":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Technology Invades the Modern World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2269495,4430,"Chapter 11: Conning Li Xiaoman into a Cripple","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-11",11,"\u003Cp>Snowflakes tapped softly against the third-floor windows of the villa, Lin Ran’s breath condensing into mist between the heater and his cup, his mind filled entirely with the Fabian Society’s emblem engraved with a ram and a turtle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Li Xiaoman could react, Lin Ran continued rapidly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Although the entire plan sounds utterly incredible, it is indeed what I intend to do next.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And I have full confidence I can accomplish it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The entire grand plan begins with just one small favor from you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xiaoman suddenly interrupted: “Crazy Thursday? I’ll V you 50?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>January 2, 2020, happened to be a Thursday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having known Lin Ran for nearly two years, Li Xiaoman was very familiar with this domestic Chinese internet meme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Lin Ran knew Li Xiaoman’s inner anger had not been triggered—this was crucial:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you want to V me 50, that’s fine too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But right now I only need you to do me one small favor; afterward, I’ll gradually prove everything I’ve said is true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All I need now is for you to lend me the Fabian Society emblem and your Corolla—I need to review some historical archives, draft a preliminary plan, then go to Blue Origin.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though already exhausted, and though Lin Ran’s request was so simple, Li Xiaoman’s meticulous nature compelled her to demand an explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze toward Lin Ran grew even sharper:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This makes no sense. The Fabian Society is a humanities and social sciences club—I don’t understand the connection.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Restarting lunar landing requires rocket engineers, not Frankfurt School critics of instrumental rationality!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if you truly could find a way from historical data to enable America to redo the Apollo mission, you’d need to seek NASA’s archived materials—not use the Fabian Society to contact Frankfurt School scholars.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unless… you’re planning to sell the emblem to Moritz?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran rolled his eyes: “Think about it—would you sell your own family’s item to your cousin? Would he pay you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wouldn’t he just assume it’s rightfully his?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moritz, son of Li Xiaoman’s uncle and thus her cousin, worked at Citibank in New York.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To those in the know, the Fabian Society emblem held immense value—it was either an artifact or a token, depending on who held it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lin Ran found the emblem, Li Xiaoman had been so delighted not only because it was a family relic, but because the emblem could serve as a bridge to access Frankfurt School resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most direct example: obtaining a recommendation letter from a Frankfurt School heavyweight, securing an internship at a top law firm—this was proof of noble lineage, even if the family had fallen from grace, it was still noble lineage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>America valued family heritage far more than China did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Similarly, the emblem held great value for Li Xiaoman—and just as much for her cousin Li Mozen (English name: Moritz). They were both Lis; if I obtained it, I could naturally leverage the Frankfurt School connection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why Li Xiaoman harbored such suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Lin Ran understood Li Xiaoman well, and had already prepared his response:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, NASA has already publicly released all technical documents from sixty years ago. What I need to find isn’t technical data—I need to visit university archives to identify who participated in the project back then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I need to locate several key individuals and interview them face-to-face to confirm critical technical details.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the missing puzzle piece to restart the entire Apollo mission.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, I’m not certain whether these puzzle pieces still exist—or whether I can reconstruct the entire Apollo program from them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Lin Ran finished speaking, Li Xiaoman remained skeptical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran added: “Two months. I only need two months to draft a plan convincing enough for Blue Origin!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a 60-to-1 time flow ratio, two months here equaled 120 months—ten years—in the 1960s. Lin Ran had given himself ample buffer time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, I’ll reluctantly believe you this once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if you truly convince Blue Origin you can do it, there are still problems to solve.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First, tell me—after graduation, are you planning to return to China or stay here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran answered decisively: “Return to China!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll use Blue Origin to earn my first capital, then go back. You know I love aerospace, not computers—I want to work in aerospace. Now that I have a chance to secure initial funding in America, of course I want to return and build something back home.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Being Chinese in America is still too sensitive. If I tried to pursue aerospace here, I’d spend all my time dealing with investigations, with no time left for real work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He came to America for a computer science PhD to earn money—but now, with the ability to travel to 1960, he could achieve both wealth and idealism. He couldn’t think of a single reason not to return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no interest in helping foreigners build America.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xiaoman lowered her eyelids, appearing somewhat disappointed—she hadn’t prepared herself to go to China—but quickly rallied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, I’ll assume you can actually pull it off. But there are still several hurdles to overcome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First: how do we contact Blue Origin’s executives to get them to give us a chance?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Given America’s current manufacturing and cost structure, to get Blue Origin to invest resources, we’d need to reach at least a vice president.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second: your identity. As a Chinese citizen leading a lunar return mission, America wouldn’t see it as a triumph—it might even be seen as a humiliation. At that point, you’d face accusations—most notably, technology theft—and you might never be allowed to return to China.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third: your visa. You hold an F-1 visa, which prohibits employment at a company—you can’t work for Blue Origin. Second, while you can register a company under this visa, it’s only permitted for preliminary planning, not actual operations, and you cannot receive salary or income from it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This last issue is small, but deadly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You need to understand how massive a cake you’re trying to cut.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If Blue Origin succeeds in returning to the moon, what happens to NASA? If NASA abandons its program, $26 billion is wasted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If NASA continues, and Blue Origin wins the lunar return contract, you’ve indirectly antagonized a competitor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Put simply—any misstep in any stage of this process could land you in an extremely difficult situation. The mildest outcome? You’d be unable to return to China for a very long time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Illegal employment would be the most direct charge against you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran replied calmly: “Correct. I know all this—that’s precisely why this is a partnership.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You handle these problems for me; I handle the technical challenges.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiaoman-jie, you’re not trying to trap me here in America on purpose, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>",1118,"2026-06-19T21:37:46.551Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","c2c45ca5da668136c113e3978fff063b12d307ce62c04c49176eae0506cd62d6","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-12","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-10",162,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ftechnology-invades-the-modern-world-cover.jpg"]