[Upgrade complete.]
[B-grade home appliance modification scan unlocked.]
[Controllable nuclear fusion technology unlocked.]
Jing Mingqiu stared blankly at the system prompts.
He had expected the upgrade from C-grade to B-grade home appliance modification scan, but he never imagined that a level-three system would unlock controllable nuclear fusion technology.
Controllable nuclear fusion refers to a nuclear fusion reaction that, under specific conditions, controls the speed and scale of the fusion to achieve safe, continuous, and stable energy output.
Unlike nuclear fission used in current nuclear power plants, generating electricity through controllable nuclear fusion not only uses cheap raw materials but is also very safe and does not cause environmental pollution.
If controllable nuclear fusion could be widely deployed, humanity's energy problems would be fundamentally solved, overall social productivity would greatly increase, and production relations would undergo significant changes.
Most importantly, the global landscape would fundamentally alter, with Longguo overwhelming other nations and officially embarking on the journey to the stars.
As Jing Mingqiu was fantasizing about piloting a starship through the universe, his stomach grumbled.
Immediately after, the stomachs of those around him also began to rumble.
"Gurgle, gurgle..."
A chorus of hungry stomachs.
They looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright," Jing Mingqiu withdrew his wandering thoughts, "Everyone has worked hard all day, and you're tired and hungry. It's getting late, so it's not suitable for testing."
"Let's go grab something to eat first, and we'll test it tomorrow."
Zhao Da Niu was the first to speak, "Brother Jing! The cafeteria is already closed at this hour. I know a good barbecue stall, let's go together!"
In the scorching summer heat, nothing was better than a cold beer and some barbecue.
Jing Mingqiu readily agreed, "Sure, Da Niu, you lead the way. To celebrate the completion of the lithography machine's modification, I'll treat everyone to a late-night snack."
...
While Jing Mingqiu and a group of researchers were feasting, Wei Deze and Fang Haosi were being questioned by superiors on the other side.
"Old Fang, Old Fang!" Xuan Mingliang, the Chief Engineer of Longguo's chip research department, stared at Fang Haosi with disappointment, "You've always been steady, how did you get mixed up with that old fellow Wei Deze?"
"This large-scale lithography machine was supposed to participate in next month's International Science and Technology Exhibition. How could you be at ease handing it over to a greenhorn kid who hasn't even graduated, and then have the entire research institute cooperate with him!"
Wei Deze heard the underlying meaning in Xuan Mingliang's words, knowing he wanted to halt the modification work led by Jing Mingqiu.
Longguo had been bottlenecked by lithography machines for a long time. Wei Deze didn't have much confidence in Jing Mingqiu, but he always insisted on the truth being revealed through practice. To protect Jing Mingqiu, he deliberately acted indifferent.
"What's there to be uneasy about? Elder Xuan, that kid Jing Mingqiu is amazing. Old Fang told me he modified a lithography machine capable of carving chips with a two-nanometer precision using just a discarded microwave oven."
"I know, but," Xuan Mingliang sighed deeply, "A small lithography machine and a large-scale lithography machine are completely different in difficulty. Not to mention personnel allocation, which is not something a young kid like him can grasp."
"Even if his talent is astonishing and his modification ability is strong, so what? With such a large lithography machine, how long would it take him to modify it by himself? Three years, five years, or ten years!"
As soon as Xuan Mingliang finished speaking, an excited shout came from outside the door.
"Director Fang, good news, tremendous good news! The lithography machine modification is complete!"
Fang Haosi couldn't believe his ears. He pushed open the door and walked up to the messenger, grabbing his shoulder tightly, "Is it true?"
"It's true!" The man nodded vigorously, "Our large-scale lithography machine has completed all modifications and is scheduled for a power-on test tomorrow afternoon."
Just as he was saying Jing Mingqiu would take years to finish, someone reported that he had already completed the modification of the large-scale lithography machine, which completely stumped Xuan Mingliang.
A large lithography machine had tens of thousands of parts; how could it be so easily modified? He initially thought Jing Mingqiu was just young and impetuous, but the fact that Wei Deze and Fang Haosi took him seriously suggested he had some ability.
However, his modification speed was too fast, making Xuan Mingliang suspect that Jing Mingqiu had merely repainted the casing.
Hearing is believing, but seeing is believing.
Xuan Mingliang had also come from a laboratory. He didn't directly dismiss Jing Mingqiu but decided to personally inspect the site tomorrow to expose all his tricks, make him settle down, and study properly instead of engaging in frivolous activities.
...
At this moment, Jing Mingqiu was completely unaware that he had caught the attention of his superiors.
However, even if he knew, Jing Mingqiu wouldn't have cared.
Drinking and barbecuing, chatting and laughing.
After working tirelessly for over a week, everyone was exhausted.
Full and satisfied, he returned to his dormitory, lay down on the bed, and immediately fell asleep.
He slept until two in the afternoon, and when his stomach started rumbling, Jing Mingqiu finally got out of bed, threw on some clothes, and yawned as he walked out, looking for something to eat.
Upon reaching the cafeteria, Jing Mingqiu bought a few steamed buns and found a seat to eat. As he was devouring them, an old man with a head full of white hair but a vigorous spirit, accompanied by two armed soldiers, walked over.
"Ahem," the old man stood before Jing Mingqiu, examining him closely, "You are Jing Mingqiu, aren't you? I am Xuan Mingliang, the Chief Engineer of Longguo's chip manufacturing department."
"I heard from Director Fang and the others that you just completed the modification of a large-scale unmanned aerial vehicle. I would like to inspect it up close."
Jing Mingqiu agreed without hesitation, "No problem!"
After finishing the remaining steamed buns in a few bites and taking care of his early lunch, Jing Mingqiu led Xuan Mingliang to the temporary workshop where the lithography machine was assembled. A strange-looking machine, patched and with visible rust marks in some areas, appeared before them.
Even though Xuan Mingliang had seen many types of lithography machines, seeing this battle-worn lithography machine, his voice involuntarily trembled slightly, "Jing Mingqiu, isn't this too rudimentary?"
Jing Mingqiu shrugged it off, "Time was tight, and I didn't have time to design the casing. If you think it doesn't look good, when it's mass-produced, you can hire a designer to create a large casing and cover them all."
"I'm not talking about the casing," Xuan Mingliang frowned, pointing at the rust-covered parts of the lithography machine, and reprimanded loudly, "Jing Mingqiu! Why did you use used parts on the lithography machine?"