Three-Body Episode 14 Recap
> Three-Body Recap
Upon her arrival at the Red Coast Base, Ye Wenjie was not given a permanent role but instead assigned various technical tasks under the watchful eye of a security guard. When asked about her past, she acknowledged having made a "serious mistake." One day, while cleaning a machine, Ye Wenjie keenly observed a malfunction.
Chief Engineer Yang Weining confirmed her finding and instructed her to address it, noting her impressive experimental knowledge and strong observation abilities, which contrasted sharply with her father's purely theoretical approach. Ye Wenjie explained that her mentor had instilled in her the importance of practical skills in astrophysics, and her self-taught knowledge in electronic engineering and computer science had enabled her to identify the glitch.
Political Commissar Lei Zhicheng, upon learning of Ye Wenjie's expertise, promptly placed her in charge of maintenance. Ye later reflected that this was her first substantial assignment at Red Coast, bringing a sense of relief and purpose. Ye Wenjie often worked and ate alone, taking on extra tasks when a colleague, Liu, feigned illness to shirk his duties.
During the 151st regular transmission, a series of malfunctions occurred, including an amplifier unit failure and a computer magnetic core storage error, leading to a weakening signal. Liu quickly identified the faulty device as No. 1731. Later, Ye Wenjie discovered that Liu had documented the problem and its solution in his maintenance report, but someone had deliberately crossed it out. She then witnessed Liu arguing with Yang Weining, accusing Yang of trying to make him "take the fall."
When Ye Wenjie told Yang that Liu was more professional than he appeared and that it would be a shame to dismiss him, Yang revealed the truth: Liu was intentionally feigning incompetence to force his own transfer. Yang explained that a top-level project like Red Coast offered no further opportunities for scientific achievements, and a core position meant a lifelong commitment to the remote location. Liu, a brilliant technician, had orchestrated his own removal.
Yang warned Ye Wenjie to stick to her maintenance duties and not meddle in other affairs. Despite Yang Weining's reservations, Political Commissar Lei Zhicheng advocated for Ye Wenjie to replace Liu. Lei highlighted Ye Wenjie's comprehensive expertise, responsibility, and desire for improvement, deeming her a highly suitable candidate. Yang, however, strongly objected, citing Ye Wenjie's past mistakes and insisting she was "unfit to enter the core of Red Coast."
Lei dismissed these concerns, and Ye Wenjie ultimately assumed Liu's core position in the Transmission Department. Following a successful 152nd regular transmission, Yang reiterated his caution to Ye Wenjie to steer clear of matters outside her purview. Lei Zhicheng extended his trust to Ye Wenjie, granting her normal access to the reference room and explaining that the computer control section of the transmission system would be progressively opened to her.
As Ye Wenjie gained deeper insight, she questioned the system's outdated equipment, noting the computers were primitive, still used magnetic core memory and paper tape input, had a maximum uptime of only 15 hours, and possessed a low-precision targeting system. Lei acknowledged these limitations but emphasized their mission to overcome all obstacles and create miracles. After Ye Wenjie had been in the Transmission Department for 43 days, Lei asked for her overall assessment of the system.
She cautiously replied that she was only responsible for maintenance. Lei then disclosed that the Red Coast system was essentially a "giant microwave oven" designed to destroy enemy satellites by emitting high-power microwave radiation, capable of burning out their electronic components. He explained its unique modulation for penetrating enemy shielding and cited recent successful attacks on two target satellites. He revealed the system's capacity to strike key enemy assets, including KH-8, the upcoming KH-9, and potentially the Skylab station.
Just as he finished, Yang Weining interrupted and asked Ye to leave. He then confronted Lei, questioning the wisdom of such a disclosure and reaffirming his belief that Ye was "problematic." Lei defended his decision, praising Ye's ability and emphasizing the need to achieve results for the country. Yang expressed his own frustration, arguing that Lei, who had brought him to the base, still did not trust him. Lei responded grimly that sometimes, trust can lead one into an abyss.
The very next day, Ye Wenjie was transferred out of the Transmission Department. She later recounted this to Wang Miao, clarifying that Lei Zhicheng's decision to share Red Coast's supposed purpose was a personal gesture of trust for which she was profoundly grateful at the time. She described Yang Weining as a cautious intellectual typical of his era, but it was Lei's frank military demeanor she initially admired.
However, she eventually discovered that everything Lei had told her about Red Coast's purpose was a lie. The true reason for its construction was far more significant and astonishing than he had let on, though she could not yet reveal it to Wang Miao. Wang Miao relayed these conversations to Shi Qiang, who immediately noted the shared surname "Yang" between Yang Weining and Yang Dong—a connection Wang had also noticed but was too hesitant to ask about.
Wang mentioned making some progress in the game but noted that Ye Wenjie claimed to know little about "flying stars." Shi Qiang then presented Wang Miao with a scientific paper, revealing its author was "Wenjie Ye, Tsinghua University"—Yang Dong's mother. Wang then recalled that Ye had recommended the book "Stellar Structure and Evolution" as a reference for her paper.
Shi Qiang's suspicion of Ye Wenjie intensified; he found her reaction to her daughter's death overly calm and her life seemingly unchanged. He listed the reasons for his doubt: she accepted the "turkey" theory, helped Wang observe the cosmic flicker, encouraged him to be like Copernicus, was an astrophysicist who had written on the very subject of "flying stars," and had a fondness for observing the sun at Red Coast. Yet, her apparent dissociation from the "Frontiers of Science" made her, in Shi Qiang's view, the most significant remaining mystery.
