At the beginning of October 2004, the 10th issue of Science Fiction World 04 was officially released.

On the day of the magazine's release, editor Yang Feng dialed Li Mu's phone. The purpose of her call today was to persuade Li Mu to focus on the creation of science fiction novels, and the last call between the two let her know that Li Mu had other thoughts.

"The Moon has been officially released today, and the entire editorial department is very optimistic about this novel." Yang Feng said earnestly, "Editor-in-chief Yao Haijun even commented that this novel has surpassed Liu Cixin's earlier works. ”

Li Mu: "Don't dare to be." ”

Yang Feng continued: "In fact, you don't have to set your goals too high at the beginning, sometimes you set your goals a little lower, but you may unconsciously achieve results that you couldn't even think of before. ”

Li Mu agreed: "Unintentionally inserted willows into the shade. ”

Yang Feng smiled: "That's right, that's the reason." In addition, I will tell you a good news, the editor of the editorial department Qin Li is now participating in the World Science Fiction Convention abroad, after hearing you say that you want to publish it abroad, I sent "Moon" to Editor Qin, and Editor Qin was also full of praise after reading it, so he recommended the manuscript to his peers and publishers who were also attending the conference, and many peers were very optimistic, and even some publishers expressed interest in this novel. ”

Li Mu: "Thank you, Editor Yang, and please thank Editor Qin on my behalf." ”

Yang Feng smiled: "It is our bounden duty to promote excellent Chinese science fiction works. However, this also shows that as long as you create with peace of mind, there will always be opportunities for publication in the future. Even if it doesn't work out this time, it will always work out next time, and as long as the quality of the novel is guaranteed, it will be published in the United States sooner or later. ”

Li Mu said: "Okay, I know." ”

Yang Feng asked again: "Have you had any ideas for a new book recently?" ”

"Editor Yang, I have actually written more than 100,000 words of my new novel." Li Mu revealed to Yang Feng in advance, "If it weren't for the fact that I was busy making movies abroad during this time, then I'm afraid the first part of the trilogy would have been sent to your mailbox." ”

Yang Feng was stunned for a moment after hearing this.

"Hundreds of thousands of words? Abroad? Making a movie? ”

Li Mu affirmed: "Well, in terms of depth and literature, the new novel should be inferior to "The Moon", but in terms of commercial value, it should - in fact, it should not be, it will definitely crush "The Moon", and there will be no problem at all in publishing it in the United States." ”

At this moment, Yang Feng even felt that she was talking to a madman.

"You just said you're busy making movies abroad?"

"Well, "Hurricane Rescue" starring Cheng Long, I am the screenwriter plus the assistant director."

Yang Feng covered the microphone of his mobile phone and said to his colleagues: "Check the information of Cheng Long's new movie "Hurricane Rescue", focusing on the information of the screenwriter and assistant director. ”

It's not that she doesn't trust Li Mu, it's just that what he just said is too outrageous.

The editor in the office is unknown, but I checked it as requested.

"Editor Yang, I found a Sina Entertainment headline on September 28, 2004, which read: 'Hurricane Rescue was officially launched in Beijing, and Cheng Long incarnated as a retired agent to save his daughter.' The writer and assistant director is—"

"There are photos, it's a big handsome guy, and the name is ...... His name is Li Mu, which seems to have the same name as the author of "The Moon". ”

Yang Feng removed his hand covering the microphone and asked the other end of the phone: "Are you really making movies abroad?" ”

The other end replied: "Of course, and international roaming is really expensive, I guess my phone will be in arrears after this call." ”

"Then let's talk later."

After speaking, Yang Feng hung up the phone.

"Whew!"

"What kind of person is this Li Mu!"

……

In the morning, the post office delivered the latest issue of "Science Fiction World" magazine to Liu Cixin's home, and Liu Cixin took the magazine in his arms and went out to work.

His work is leisurely, he has a lot of fishing time, and he usually uses this fishing time to write secretly, and he just has no inspiration in the past two days, and it seems that he will rely on this "Science Fiction World" magazine to pass the time in the morning.

I hope the level can be a little better than the ninth issue.,In the ninth issue, he only saw three stories.,The level of the rest of the works is really indescribable.。

Along the way, I greeted my colleagues, occasionally chatted a few words, and then came to my seat.

Everyone in their unit has a computer on their seat, and he usually uses the unit's computer to type secretly.

After reading two articles about the Galaxy Award essay in succession, Liu Cixin couldn't help but feel a little drowsy.

It is undeniable that Science Fiction World magazine is going downhill, and the overall quality of the story is getting lower and lower, but Liu Cixin feels that the responsibility for this phenomenon is not actually the author, but the market.

No matter how good the author is, he has to eat, science fiction authors can't make money, so naturally they won't waste their energy in vain, when the science fiction market prospers, the level of Chinese science fiction can really be improved.

Then he flipped through the last Galaxy Award essay, titled: "The Moon".

The complete novel "Moon" was divided into three by the magazine, and only the first third of the content was serialized today, and Liu Cixin only took seven or eight minutes to read the serialized content, and then the whole person fell into contemplation.

He reads a deep loneliness and fear in this novel.

Although he hasn't seen the rest yet, he has already guessed the general plot development behind it, needless to say, there is a high probability that the protagonist will find out that he is actually just a clone.

One day you suddenly find out that you are not the person you thought you were, but a copy of another person, is there anything more terrifying in the world?

This is the deep fear that the development of science and technology has brought to mankind.

Liu Cixin suddenly couldn't wait to see the content behind, so he staggered out of the office, and then a phone call was made to Yang Feng's editor's mobile phone.

"Editor Yang, this issue of the Galaxy Award essay "Moon" is really a good article, ask if the magazine has got the complete manuscript?"

"I got it, and the editorial department decided to divide the manuscript into three and serialize it in the magazine."

"Can I take a look ahead of time?"

"This ......"

"I'll send the new book manuscript to the magazine next month."

"Okay then."

Liu Cixin thought for a while, and said: "Actually, the novel I am writing is really similar to the serialization of this "Moon", the theme is to reflect on the disasters brought to mankind by the development of science and technology. ”

Yang Feng was curious: "Can you tell me more specifically?" ”

Liu Cixin said: "The protagonist of the novel has invented a mirror simulation software, which can simulate the creation of different universes and all the things that happen after creation, as long as you input different creation parameters, you can simulate different universes. Once you find the parameters of the universe where the Earth is located, you will be able to simulate everything that has happened to the Earth since its inception, and everything will be exposed to the people who use the mirror simulation software. ”

Yang Feng was puzzled and asked, "Isn't it good?" ”

Liu Cixin said: "If there is really such a mirror software, it means that no one will have any secrets from now on, everything you do, everything you will do in the future, will be exposed to the user at a glance, just imagine, what a terrible world it will be." ”

"Maybe one day you accidentally step on an ant or a bug, and then you will be criticized from the moral high ground; Maybe if you are hungry and eat an extra piece of meat, you will be scolded by people in poor areas, and there are many children in poor areas who can't eat a piece of meat for a year, but you eat it with peace of mind. ”

"To see everything is to spy on everything, which means that there are no more secrets in this world. Such a mirror image is like a huge microscope, forcibly magnifying and monitoring any words and deeds of human beings, down to every pore, no one can afford to magnify and monitor, until in the end, the entire human civilization will completely fall into endless darkness. ”

Yang Feng finally understood what Liu Cixin was going to say, and at the same time felt very excited about Liu Cixin's idea.

"You hurry up and write it, and try to be serialized in the magazine next month."

Then Yang Feng sent the full version of "Moon" to Liu Cixin.

After Liu Cixin received the document, he couldn't wait to read it.

Then when he read that there were thousands of clones hidden in the basement under the dormant silos, waiting to be activated, and then continued to repeat this sad fate.

When he reads that Clone 5 finally makes a video call home, he suddenly discovers that his daughter, who should have been only 3 years old, has become an 18-year-old girl.

A deep fear instantly swept over his body.

This fear is very similar to the mirror image he describes as being able to spy on everything, and it is all caused by the development of technology. But the two are different, his "Mirror" is afraid of technology's surveillance of human beings, while "Moon" is afraid of technology's enslavement of human beings.

But there is no doubt that this "Moon" is the most shocking work Liu Cixin has read in recent years.

He even had a faint sense of pity.

So I couldn't help but glance at the author's name: Li Mu.

I haven't heard of it, I should be a newcomer.

"Wait!"

"Li Mu?"

"It's a familiar name."

Liu Cixin suddenly remembered that some time ago, there seemed to be a book fan named Li Mu who wrote a letter to him, and complained about some of his anxiety about wanting to write science fiction but being afraid of not having enough pen power, and remembered that he also replied to the other party with a letter encouraging him to take the first step bravely.

In the end, Liu Cixin shook his head: "How can there be such a coincidence in this world." ”