Technology invades the modern world

Chapter 151 Larry King (4k)

Wearing dark blue striped pajamas, he suddenly appeared in the mathematics department office at Queens College, City University of New York. Even though Chen Jingrun had pinched his thigh the moment he entered the room to make sure it was real and not a dream, he still felt a strong sense of unreality.

This sense of unreality began the moment I received the call.

There was no caller ID display at that time.

Caller ID sounds simple, but this feature didn't become available until 1976 when AT&T began researching technology to transmit caller information to user devices. It took more than a decade from research to actual commercialization.

A phone call in the middle of the night is already scary enough.

Because at this time, such as when calling from overseas or even across states, it is very likely that a human operator will connect you, ask where you are calling, and then transfer you to the corresponding district.

At that time, the American telephone network was in a transitional period from the traditional system to a fully digital system. Chen Jingrun's sensitive position meant that if he received a call in the middle of the night from China or from elsewhere, it could cause unnecessary risks.

The reason they chose to call Chen Jingrun from a public phone at the City University of New York, instead of Huang Yunji or Long Sifan, was...

The former, as the editor-in-chief of the American Chinese Daily, has a very sensitive identity. Although historically, the other party lived steadily until the 80s and even participated in reporting on a series of major events, Lin Ran was unsure whether his identity had been exposed.

Lin Ran felt that although the other party's work was certainly important, it was definitely not very confidential.

After his arrival, Lin Ran was unable to determine the extent to which Huang Yunji was valued by the relevant departments in America.

The latter is an even more dangerous person among dangerous people. His father passed away last year (1962). Similarly, although Yanjing Palace played an important role until the establishment of diplomatic relations, it provided meals for the Chinese staff in America.

But with Lin Ran's appearance, and given that it's so close to 1962, no one can guarantee Long Sifan's credibility.

The "MIT Radiation Laboratory Series" that Lin Ran is now giving to China consists of 28 volumes, plus some radar design schemes that McNamara is providing him with, which is far too sensitive.

Even if Long Sifan completes the mission, all he needs is for each party to give him a share, and Lin Ran still cannot afford such a loss.

Therefore, Lin Ran had no choice but to seek help from Chen Jingrun.

As for Chen Jingrun, his nerves were already on edge the moment he heard the ringtone.

The voice on the other end of the phone, instead of relaxing him, made him even more nervous.

The professor's late-night visit to New York could contain a great deal of information.

Above the iceberg was a simple telephone, but the information hidden beneath it made him tense from head to toe.

"Is the professor asking me for help, or does he have some top-secret information to give me, or does he want to ask me to do something?"

If they ask me for help, what should I do, and what can I do?

If you were to ask me to do something, what would it be?

From Randolph Building to CUNY's office, a route he had walked hundreds of times before, this time he felt apprehensive and uneasy.

However, when Chen Jingrun saw Lin Ran wearing pajamas and looking like he had been waiting for a long time, he immediately felt that he had found his pillar of support.

"Same place, starting in three days, that is, at midnight on April 1st, a book will be placed under the phone booth every day. Go and pick up the book, take a picture of it, and put it back."

After you put it back, someone will put one down.

There are 30 volumes in total, and they are all very important.

Dehui, I know you have many questions, but don't ask things you shouldn't know. I'm leaving.

After Lin Ran finished speaking, he got up and left, without giving Chen Jingrun any chance to ask questions.

The reason for setting it three days later is to give China some time to prepare.

Starting today, what if the Chinese staff in America don't have microfilm-related equipment?
After all, China's influence in America is currently very weak.

In the Santa Rosa office in California, Larry King walked expressionlessly into his white supervisor's office: "Supervisor, I'd like to request a month's leave."

The mission came very suddenly, and it was extremely urgent.

The other party used the highest level of communication, demanding that he go to New York immediately and stay there for a month to receive further instructions.

This caught Larry King, who had been working for Yenching for over ten years, somewhat off guard.

After receiving the information Lin Ran conveyed, the Chinese side considered it extremely urgent and of paramount importance.

After all, it was thirty consecutive days and thirty sets of documents.

It's hard to imagine just how valuable this information really is.

Qian Xuesen and Hua Luogeng, who knew the inside story, were even speculating that it was further detailed information about extraterrestrial technology.

Therefore, they had no choice but to use Larry King.

Larry King, who was working at the Foreign Broadcasting Intelligence Office at the time, was also a translation expert, analyst, and record manager.

Ultimately, this identity granted Larry King access to a vast amount of microfilm and related photographic equipment.

If given a choice, China would not consider activating the other side.

Because they traveled from California to New York, and the visit lasted for a month.

Although it's all within America, it won't trigger internal security audits.

Federal employees are entitled to about 20 days of paid annual leave based on Larry King’s years of service. With personal leave, that’s 13 days of sick leave, so taking a month’s worth of sick leave is no problem.

But this mission was still quite sudden, tinged with a sense of mystery.

Larry King, who usually used dead mail or encrypted communication, sensed something very amiss. The white supervisor nodded. "No problem, how long would you like to stay?"

Larry King said, "One month."

The white manager was somewhat surprised: "King, you know we're closely monitoring information from China right now. They've entered a critical phase of atomic bomb development, and a month is far too long at this point."

IBM people are coming next week.

(Due to certain special reasons, the development timeline for the atomic and hydrogen bombs and satellites could not be advanced, nor could it be involved.)
"I'm sorry, I've been on edge since last year, and my mental state has been really bad."

When I drove home yesterday, I even pulled over to the side of the road because I had taken my car to be repaired.

I want to see a doctor about my mental health issues. I've made an appointment with a psychiatrist at Columbia University Medical Center. I'd like to go to New York to rest for a while.

This is a good opportunity to check out IBM's Technology Ark.

Larry King managed a weak smile, giving off an air of dread as if he were about to collapse if he wasn't given leave.

Intelligence analysis work is stressful, and without making any other excuses, mental exhaustion is the best reason.

Attending a Broadway show or visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art during vacations is a common activity for educated middle-class people.

The other party immediately relaxed when they heard that Larry King was going to New York.

“Remember to hand over your work properly. After this busy period, I also want to go to New York to take a look.” - White Chief.

Tech Ark has replaced Broadway as the new must-see attraction in New York.

This is especially true for people like them whose work involves translation.

They belong to the East Asian Affairs Department and have recently been assigned a new task: to liaise with the staff of the Tower of Babel project and conduct preliminary research on English-Chinese translation machines.

Obviously, this is much more difficult than translating from English to Russian.

Two days later, Larry King appeared on the streets of New York.

The play must be performed completely.

He applied for a 30-day leave, citing "excessive mental stress".

Larry King made an appointment with Lawrence Kolb, the head of the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University, who is also a senior member of the Presbyterian Church.

There was a gentle knock on the door of the consulting room. Larry King entered, carrying a black briefcase, wearing a dark gray suit with a slightly loose tie, his face tired but his eyes alert. He nodded slightly to Kolb, who was sitting behind the desk.

He glanced around briefly. The consultation room was softly lit, with pens and notebooks on the table and certificates from the Psychoanalytic Society hanging on the wall.

Kolb looked up, took off his glasses, and smiled, saying, "Hello, Mr. King, please have a seat. I'm Lawrence Kolb. The appointment says you're from California? Was your journey smooth?"

After Larry King settled into the walnut chair, he gently clenched his fist on his lap, his tone steady but slightly hesitant: "Thank you, Dr. Kolb. The journey was fine, though the plane was a little bumpy."

"Well, yes, I've been feeling a bit off lately, so I came to find you."

“It’s alright, let’s talk slowly. You mentioned having some sleep and stress issues when making the appointment, could you elaborate? What made you feel uneasy?” Kolb picked up his pen, took notes in his notebook, and spoke gently.

Larry King looked down and rubbed his temples, a sense of exhaustion emanating from his entire body. "The main problem is that I can't sleep well, doctor. My mind is always racing at night, I toss and turn, and I probably can't fall asleep until two or three in the morning. Sometimes I feel a bit anxious, with work and household chores weighing me down."

After speaking, Larry King paused for a moment, looked up at Kolb, and seemed to be observing him. "I heard you are very professional in this area, so I came all the way from California."

Kolb's gaze was focused, and his tone was calm: "Yes, insomnia and anxiety are indeed very common, especially under high pressure. Your job sounds very busy, what does it involve? You don't need to be too specific, just give me a general idea, it might help me understand the source of your stress."

Larry King smiled and said slowly, “I work in the government, well, in broadcast intelligence, mainly translating and analyzing documents. The job requires me to keep an eye on details all the time, my mind is constantly racing. Maybe I’m too meticulous, always worried about missing something.”

“That’s normal, Mr. Kim. A job that requires such high concentration can certainly make one tense. You mentioned family matters; is there any specific problem? For example, your relationship with your wife and children?” Kolb said encouragingly, while taking notes.

Larry King's eyes softened immediately, and he feigned a sigh: "Things are fine at home. My wife is very supportive, and the kids are obedient. I grew up in Beijing, and my parents are still there. We don't keep in touch much, and I always feel a little empty inside. Maybe I've been thinking too much lately, and I can't sleep at night. Sometimes I wonder if I'm being too sensitive."

Kolb: "It's not called sensitivity, Mr. Chin. Immigrant life can create a sense of instability, especially at your age, when memories and responsibilities are heavier. Have you tried anything to alleviate this? Like exercise, or journaling?"

Larry King shook his head: “I’ve tried exercise, walking is okay, but not very effective. As for writing in a diary… I’m not used to it, I’m afraid it will only make things more chaotic. Doctor, do you think my condition is serious? Do I need medication, or is there another way? I plan to stay in New York for a while longer and come to see you regularly.”

Kolb smiled and said, “It’s too early to draw conclusions, Mr. Chin. Your symptoms sound like mild anxiety, possibly related to work stress or homesickness. I suggest we meet once a week to talk about how you are feeling and try some relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation. If needed, I might recommend a low dose of sedatives, but we’ll have to observe first.”

Then Kolb flipped through the calendar: "You said you'd stay for a month, living nearby?"

Larry King nodded and said naturally, “Yes, I rented a small apartment in Washington Heights, about a ten-minute walk from here. I want to relax here and take a walk around to clear my head. I think New York is quite lively lately, isn’t it? Maybe it will help me relieve my mental fatigue.”

Kolb agreed, “Very good, New York is indeed a place that can change your mood. Washington Heights is quiet and close to the Hudson River, suitable for walks.”

Especially recently, the professor's Deep Blue has brought a lot more tourists to New York. Many of my classmates and old friends have been asking me when they can book a ride on IBM's Tech Ark.

When the topic of Tech Ark came up, Kolb seemed a little helpless. As a New Yorker, he had never been there even once, which shows just how popular it is.

Larry King, upon hearing this, said: "Yes, Tech Ark is very popular in the news. As a fellow Chinese, Professor, you truly are a source of pride for us Chinese. One of the important purposes of my visit this time is to see Tech Ark."

Kolb noted in his notebook: "Looking forward to your next meeting, when you tell me about your experiences at the Technology Ark. How about we schedule a follow-up appointment next Tuesday at 3 pm? In the meantime, try taking a walk at the same time every day, and avoid drinking coffee or thinking about work before bed. If there are any emergencies, feel free to contact my office."

Larry King stood up, shook hands gratefully, and said, "Thank you, Dr. Kolb. I'll try your advice. See you next Tuesday."

As Larry King turned to leave, aside from his still-tense posture, a fleeting calmness in his expression suggested he was not mentally exhausted.

However, he soon became mentally exhausted.

　There's another 6k chapter left, stop rushing me, sob sob, please give me some monthly votes!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)