Mage Adam-Chapter "358"

Prometheus His Excellency was quite optimistic, but Adam was not so sure whether the mages could fully and safely accept the experiments and theories that might soon tear apart their worldview like a storm.

In fact, during this period, Adam had written many papers. But none had been published, simply because the content of those papers ran completely counter to the mages’ established understanding of the world—or rather, outright contradicted it.

Even deciding whether to perform this experiment in front of others had taken Adam much deliberation.

It was His Excellency Croft’s theory of the “box” that finally helped him make up his mind. If the mages could accept the idea that thought could interfere with matter, then surely… what Adam was about to reveal, they should also be able to accept?

…Maybe?

After some thought, Adam still felt uncertain. Those qualified to observe experiments at the Institute of Atomic Energy were all high-level Archmages. Once word got out that the institute was conducting a major experiment, given its current reputation, it would surely attract many Archmages with time on their hands. If their worldviews were shattered by what they saw—leading to soul collapse, the disintegration of their knowledge systems, and other terrifying consequences—Adam, as the instigator, would not be able to bear that responsibility.

“Your Excellency, perhaps this experiment shouldn’t be open to the public. I think it’s better if only those within the institute are allowed to observe, at least for now.”

They had all been dealing with the microscopic world and subatomic particles for years. One way or another, they should have noticed certain inexplicable problems. Adam felt their capacity to accept new truths would be stronger.

“Is it really that serious?” Prometheus His Excellency asked in surprise.

“It could be even more serious.”

Whoosh. Two more projections of will appeared in the office. His Excellency Croft asked:

“You want to verify the existence of a new particle?”

Adam shook his head.

“No. I want to verify certain properties of particles.”

Seeing their puzzlement, Adam didn’t know how to explain. Without concrete experimental evidence, any words out of his mouth would sound like the ravings of a madman. No one would believe him. They would only think he had gone insane.

His Excellency Meyer said:

“Then keep it small-scale. Perhaps the experiment is difficult? Maybe it will require multiple attempts? Waiting until it is confirmed successful before announcing it wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

The two other Excellencies accepted Meyer’s reasoning, assuming this was simply Adam’s caution, and nodded:

“Very well. If you insist.”

Adam let out a sigh of relief. If only the mages within the Institute of Atomic Energy were present, then even if something went wrong, the impact could be contained. The consequences would not be too severe.

As for the True-Spirit Excellencies… Adam could do nothing. Preventing them from observing the experiment was absolutely impossible. He could only hope nothing would happen to them.

He even consoled himself: maybe the mages would accept the results with ease. After all, this was a transcendent world, wasn’t it?

One by one, experimental devices were carried into the institute. After much thought, Adam decided not to conduct the double-slit interference experiment on its own, but instead to perform a whole series of experiments in succession. At the very least, he wanted the mages to first see the wave-particle duality of microscopic particles. Perhaps it would aid their later understanding.

Three days after submitting his application, nearly a hundred high-level Archmages put aside their work and entered the dark chamber Adam had constructed.

They were very curious. Every idea their director had proposed had always been fresh and novel, often mentioned in a casual, offhand manner. The last time he had formally summoned them like this, the result had been the birth of the nuclear explosion spell. Now they eagerly anticipated what kind of profound knowledge and powerful magic might be born from this experiment.

The mages did not realize how utterly world-shaking the sight before them would be. For now, they were cheerful, chatting with companions, exchanging research, or boasting about what tier their own nuclear-explosion spell had reached compared to Fireball.

As the time drew near, Prometheus, Croft, and Meyer descended in will-projections. Adam could also sense the attention of the other True-Spirits.

Then, from behind Adam, rows of clones walked out, each moving to their respective posts.

Adam lit up the light-screen and said:

“Everyone, the experiment I am about to perform may impact your established understanding of the world. If during the experiment you feel your cognitive world becoming unstable, please immediately leave the chamber, or at least cling to your meditation methods—hold fast to the knowledge and power you already possess.”

Then he turned to Prometheus and said:

“Your Excellency, I must trouble you to cast your Mage’s Armor to shield the souls of everyone present.”

Prometheus nodded. In an instant, intricate Mage’s Armor settled over each person’s soul. Shock rippled through the crowd, and a buzz of voices broke out. These were Archmages of the highest order—what sort of circumstance could make it so they could not even protect their own souls, requiring a True-Spirit’s protection?

“Silence!” the Excellency thundered.

When the room fell quiet, Adam continued:

“In our recent research, you should all already know what particles are. And waves—you encounter them constantly in life. Sound is a sound wave. Water has water waves. Their propagation requires a medium. Collectively, they are called mechanical waves.”

On the screen, he wrote five characters: Wave-Particle Duality.

“If you have read my papers, you will know that in the Aetheric void there exists another kind of wave, which I call the electromagnetic wave. Apart from the medium of propagation being different, it is largely similar to mechanical waves. The purpose of this experiment is to show you that all particles can be described partly in the language of particles, and partly in the language of waves. They are connected.”

Once again the crowd broke into uncontrollable debate. In their minds, a particle was a particle, a wave was a wave. How could two entirely different things possibly be connected?

Ignoring the noise, Adam directed the clones to set up the apparatus in place, and then stood waiting patiently until the chatter subsided. Then the experiments began.

The interference of light.

The photoelectric effect.

The Compton effect.

When the three experiments were completed, even the most stubborn minds could not deny the truth: light possessed both the properties of a wave and a particle.

But then an even greater voice of doubt arose. A seventh-rank Archmage stood up and demanded:

“Even if your theory of electromagnetic waves is correct, how can you prove that the wave-particle duality of light is not merely an accident? And how can you prove this phenomenon can be extended to microscopic particles as well?”

Late, late, apologies~~~