With a surging supply of electricity from a dozen dedicated nuclear fusion power plants, the energy was converted by electromagnetic accelerator coils and channeled into two proton beams.
Just how vast was the power needed to supply an entire megalopolis during the age of Earth? And how minuscule was the mass of a single Particle beam?
This contrast, pushed to its absolute extremes, led to a very obvious result.
The proton beams were accelerated to a velocity incredibly close to the speed of light.
Of course, superluminal speed was still impossible. According to Li Qingsong's current theories, if any object with mass—even a neutrino—were to reach the speed of light, its mass and energy would approach infinity, a value greater than the mass of the entire Cosmos.
Although the proton beams had not reached the speed of light, only approaching it, they still possessed an unprecedented amount of energy.
And so, after just a few dozen microseconds, the two Particle beams smashed into each other inside the massive accelerator's reaction chamber.
In that instant, their energy levels far exceeded the core of a Hydrogen Bomb explosion, surpassed a Stellar fusion core, and even eclipsed the core of a neutron star!
Under the influence of this immense energy, a series of strange and wonderful phenomena—the likes of which Li Qingsong had never before witnessed—began to unfold one after another.
Li Qingsong observed two extremely peculiar Particles.
Both types of Particles were extremely heavy, far heavier than a proton, and possessed respective electrical charges of +4/3e and +1/3e.
They existed for only an instant before decaying in the next moment.
But in the single instant of their existence, they were captured by the Detectors Li Qingsong had put in place.
After precisely measuring their various properties, Li Qingsong felt a sudden rush of excitement.
'Their properties are a perfect match for the X and Y Bosons predicted by my theoretical framework!'
From this, Li Qingsong could conclude that they were, in fact, the X and Y Bosons!
The fundamental forces are mediated by Particles.
For example, the electromagnetic force is mediated by Photons, the weak nuclear force by W and Z bosons, and the Strong Core Force by gluons.
So, if these three fundamental forces could be unified into a single grand unified force, what Particle would mediate it?
The answer: the X and Y Bosons!
The implication was clear: detecting the X and Y Bosons was direct proof that in the preceding collision, the electromagnetic force, weak nuclear force, and Strong Core Force had been united into a single, unified force!
Li Qingsong continued to analyze the data from the collision with his full concentration.
He then observed that after an extremely brief existence, these X and Y Bosons spontaneously decayed.
In that instant, the accompanying magnetic monopole Detectors picked up numerous magnetic field fluctuations. Meanwhile, another type of Detector registered a large number of proton "disappearance" events.
'Why would the protons disappear? Clearly, they decayed, turning into Light Neutrinos and escaping the reaction zone.'
The probability of proton decay is extremely low. A proton decay Detector of this size would, on average, take several days to observe a single decay event.
'Why did so many protons decay simultaneously inside the Particle Collider at that very moment?'
'The reason was obvious: the unified energy scale and the presence of the X and Y Bosons.'
This, too, was fundamentally consistent with Li Qingsong's theoretical framework!
Li Qingsong even detected the presence of additional Photons within the Particle Collider.
This meant that during the unprecedented, ultra-high-energy collision, the energy levels were so immense that miniature Black Holes had actually formed inside the Particle Collider!
A Black Hole is a celestial body even more dense and extreme than a neutron star. Its surface escape velocity exceeds the speed of light, which is the absolute maximum speed permitted by the natural laws of the Cosmos.
This means that once any matter enters a Black Hole, it can never escape.
Black Holes are the most extreme and mysterious objects in the Cosmos.
And now, relying on his own technology, Li Qingsong had actually created a Black Hole!
Of course, it was only a miniature Black Hole, with a total mass on the order of just a few protons.
And according to the principles of Black Hole thermodynamics, a Black Hole's lifespan is directly proportional to its mass.
Although their escape velocity is greater than the speed of light, making it seem impossible for any mass to escape, Black Holes can still lose mass via the mechanism of Hawking Radiation.
The more massive the Black Hole, the longer its lifespan. The less massive, the shorter.
These Black Holes, with the mass of only a few protons, had lifespans so short they were merely instantaneous. In a flash, they would lose their entire mass as Hawking Radiation, radiating away as Photons.
This was why Li Qingsong had observed the additional Photons.
In addition to this series of phenomena—the X and Y Bosons, W and Z bosons, proton decay, magnetic monopoles, and miniature Black Holes—Li Qingsong also observed many other types of Particles and physical processes.
This cascade of phenomena was simply too vast and too complex. Even though Li Qingsong had boosted the precision of his Detectors as much as possible, it was impossible to unravel all these mysteries from a single collision.
No matter. There was still time. Li Qingsong could simply run repeated collisions, allowing him to study every step of the process, piece by piece.
For a period of time, Li Qingsong devoted all of his available mental energy to analyzing and interpreting the data from the Particle Collider.
He even expended enormous resources to construct several more colliders just to increase the rate of data production.
Through collision after collision—and a painstaking process of thought, analysis, deduction, and calculation—Li Qingsong discovered more new laws of physics, which he incorporated into his existing theoretical framework.
Time flowed by quietly. One day, after writing down yet another formula full of complex symbols and operators, the Clone inhabited by Li Qingsong's consciousness let out a soft sigh.
It was a formula within the framework of the Grand Unified Theory, one that described how a Light Neutrino gains kinetic energy during proton decay.
Within the entire theoretical framework, this formula was merely a peripheral detail, not particularly important in itself.
But at this moment, adding this formula was like setting the final block in place. With it, the castle named the "Grand Unified Theory" was finally complete.
That's right. After centuries of exhaustive, all-consuming research, at this very moment, Li Qingsong had finally and completely unified the Strong Core Force and mastered the Grand Unified Theory!
Although this theory had yet to bring Li Qingsong any increase in power or practical application, he knew that he had now truly, genuinely transcended the electroweak stage. He had become a true Strong Core Civilization!