The new government was founded, and Shen Cong took office as Honorary State Chairman. He was not put in charge of a single piece of work, though. It was just a name on the committee list.

The ceremony ended, and there was no banquet.

Shen Cong had meant to leave right away, but Tao Zhongyang and the other scientists needed to hold academic exchanges at the Academy of Sciences and trade their recent scientific progress with each other.

That mattered, and Shen Cong had no wish to stand in the way.

He decided to go out and wander around on his own, but he had not gone far from Xiji Town before an enormous battle-truck came up behind him.

It was Chen Xiuni's battle-truck.

A radio contact request came in. Shen Cong accepted it, and Chen Xiuni's voice came through. "Chairman Huang, I was just about to look for you for a talk, and then I found you'd already left."

Shen Cong frowned. "What do you want with me?"

"Nothing urgent. I just came to catch up, that's all."

"No time."

"Then let me ask you about some things to do with evolution." Chen Xiuni did not seem to mind Shen Cong holding her at arm's length. Her tone stayed easy. "Since I reached nuclear-grade there's a lot about Activity waves I don't understand. The laboratory has me assisting with experiments, and a lot of them can't be finished."

If Chen Xiuni had not mentioned experiments, Shen Cong would have refused outright. But she did mention experiments, and after several deep frowns Shen Cong spoke up. "What don't you understand?"

"Can we talk face to face?"

Nuclear-grade was a threat, but only a small one. With Shen Cong on guard, Chen Xiuni could not raise a ripple.

In the end Shen Cong agreed to meet.

He only walked out onto the roof of the Vajra Fortress, though, and watched quietly as Chen Xiuni climbed onto the roof of her own battle-truck. "You can ask."

Chen Xiuni asked several questions about changes in the properties of Activity waves.

Nothing important, so…