kvmb Chapter 919
Chapter 919
really.
Xi Ming didn't keep them in suspense for long and continued:
"The answer was unexpected; it was the former—"
"In other words, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the two keys and the two locks."
"Key A can only open lock A, and key B can only open lock B."
"But the amazing thing is—"
"Before the master verified this, in all those lock-picking processes, he never once encountered a situation where he accidentally used key A to open lock B and couldn't open it."
"But then, after he verified this 'fact'..."
"When you try to unlock a lock randomly again, you will encounter a situation with a normal probability where you accidentally use key A to open lock B and cannot open it."
At this point in the story, Xi Ming's intended message is quite clear.
The probabilities differed before and after.
A low-probability event that is almost impossible occurs before "verification".
After the "verification" results were obtained, the probability returned to normal.
To be honest, this matter is indeed quite mysterious.
But it's not entirely impossible.
Even the most improbable event, as long as it's not completely impossible, is still possible.
For example, if you toss a coin 10,000 times, it will land heads up every time.
The probability is indeed very, very small.
However, according to the infinite monkey theorem, as long as there are enough trials, even the most improbable event will occur.
Therefore, from a probabilistic perspective, the story described by Xi Ming is not metaphysics.
Rather, it is a...logical...miracle?
However, since he was talking about so-called "fortune telling and metaphysics" when he told this story.
Therefore, it is not simply a matter of analyzing probabilities.
What he wanted to express was actually not difficult to understand.
Two keys and two locks.
The stark difference in the probability of unlocking before and after "verifying" whether the relationship is one-to-one...
Clearly, Xi Ming wanted to attribute the difference in probability before and after to the master's "verification" action.
This whole "true story," and what Xi Ming wanted to express.
In fact, it can be compared to a more familiar theory—
When the master opened the box, he "verified" the cat's life and death "before and after".
The cat's condition has changed.
Correct.
The story Xi Ming described is actually quite similar to Schrödinger's cat.
The master verified the relationship between the key and the lock, arriving at a definitive conclusion, much like opening the box containing the cat and determining whether the cat was alive or dead.
The common understanding among most people is—
The cat's fate was already decided before the box was even opened.
If the cat is dead, then opening the box will reveal a dead cat;
If the cat is alive, then you will find a live cat when you open the box.
In reality, a cat's life or death is determined by the act of opening the box.
Similarly, the relationship between the two keys and the two locks is also determined by the master's "verification" action.
Clearly, Xi Ming placed particular emphasis on the word "verification".
This is further supported by his answer to Jiang Yi's question—what is fortune telling and metaphysics?
His answer was—I don't know.
Therefore, "not knowing" here is a state of being.
In other words -
What is fortune telling, and what is metaphysics?
To not understand destiny is to understand destiny itself;
To be ignorant of metaphysics is to be ignorant of metaphysics itself.
I don't know, I don't know...
Jiang Yi pondered these two words repeatedly, feeling somewhat dazed.
He couldn't help but think of the letter.
Thinking of Chi Su's reclusive and otherworldly ways, thinking of Chi Su's "fate"...
Thinking about everything he experienced in that era 100,000 years ago.
He seemed to be vaguely drawing a conclusion—
Fate is not predetermined...
Unless you stop participating, stop observing, stop verifying...
In other words, that is—
When you no longer participate, no longer observe, no longer verify...
In a state of absolute "ignorance"...
Thus, fate is predetermined in a state of "unawareness."
If we interpret "you" here as a letter...
Then it's not hard to see—
This whole world seems to be a solipsistic world where the paper is the protagonist.
The letter from someone who avoids the world is "unknown";
The letter from the newborn sees a fate "frozen in time";
Then, upon being born, he lost his state of "ignorance"...
And so, the frozen moment of fate crumbled...
And under this logic...
Everything that happens in this era is just like...
The "I" in solipsism has been replaced by another "I"...
The world has changed, and so has fate...
Jiang Yi was suddenly shaken and felt a strange sense of astonishment.
In that instant, his eyes met Xi Ming's once again.
The moment their eyes met, he looked into Xi Ming's eyes and suddenly felt stunned.
It was as if one could see a thousand unspoken words reflected in Xi Ming's eyes.
After a long silence, Xi Ming finally spoke slowly again:
"There are perhaps three kinds of things we don't know in this world."
"The first type is those who have never seen a mountain, and therefore do not know what a mountain is."
The second type is seeing a mountain but not recognizing it.
"The third type is seeing a mountain and knowing it, but then not knowing it again."
"I know more about fortune telling and metaphysics than you do."
"Even I am not as knowledgeable about fortune telling and metaphysics as you are."
That's a contradiction.
But Jiang Yi understood what he meant.
This is like—
Some people, after experiencing countless trials and tribulations, finally return to their true selves.
No matter how much one tries to return to one's true self, it will never again be the true self that has never experienced the trials and tribulations of life...
Just like once someone gets to know a mountain, it's very difficult to go back to a state where they don't know mountains at all.
Xi Ming has already come into contact with the metaphysics of fortune telling.
Therefore, no matter how much he pursues "ignorance," he can never reach that kind of "ignorance" where he has never been exposed to numerology or metaphysics.
Jiang Yi suddenly understood, and stopped asking about the so-called metaphysics of fate. Instead, he asked another question:
"May I ask the name of that human master?"
He was genuinely afraid this guy would give a Schrödinger-like response.
Fortunately, Xi Ming's answer was a proper name:
"The master's name is Jiang Deng."
"..."
Just then, the Land of Order issued another notification, signaling the end of the third phase of the operation.
Next, the actions of all voting players will be executed in chronological order, and the vote count will be recalculated.
At this time, Little Silver Dragon recovered from his quarantine.
The chat channels and forums throughout the Land of Order also ushered in a final celebration.
Most ordinary players used the remaining time to speculate on the final peaceful race.
At the same time, what's more important is the reluctance to leave the novice period in this land of order.
The little silver dragon was also nervous about the final result, but what surprised it even more was—
The owner was nowhere to be seen on the top floor of the Sequence Alliance Tower!
It immediately called out in its mind, through its servant relationship, "Master? Master?!"
Jiang Yi responded with "Yes," and the little silver dragon finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Phew...that scared me to death!"
"I thought you'd run away beforehand, Master! But the election results for the four peaceful races aren't even out yet!"
Jiang Yi sensed that it sounded nervous, so he asked again, "Don't you have confidence in the election results?"
Little Silver Dragon: "Sigh, of course I have no confidence."
"After all, I don't know how others do it."
At this point, its voice gradually weakened, and after a long pause, it finally reported to Jiang Yi:
"I think I might have messed up..."
"Because in the end, I didn't use any of the voting features at all..."