During the presentation of 'Zhao's Filter' at Yanhua University, Zhao Yi mentioned that he had solved the Collatz Conjecture. With a better-safe-than-sorry mindset, Li Yilai returned home determined to study the topic further and beat Zhao Yi to publishing a paper.
This was quite shameless.
But Li Yilai couldn't care less about whether he was being shameless or not.
Zhao Yi's 'Filter' had let Li's years of hard work gushing away and resulted in him harboring no good feelings towards Zhao Yi. Moreover, the temptation to solve a mathematical conjecture was irresistible.
Once the Collatz Conjecture becomes 'Li's Theorem', every mention of it would be associated with his name. He might even use it as a springboard to compete for the highest honor in the mathematical world, the Fields Medal. Being universally recognized as a top mathematician and retiring with this achievement would be a fulfilled life.
Would anyone else even care then?
That's the reality of society.
