Scholar’s Advanced Technological System

STAR-2 demonstration reactor construction base.

The construction site was raging with action.

It had been more than a month since Beijing approved fusion ignition. Autumn was gone and Winter had arrived. It was now the season to eat dumplings.

Even though the weather was getting colder, it didn’t put out the fire in everyone’s heart.

They had crossed countless obstacles and barriers to get to this moment.

Soon, they would find out if it was all worth it.

“Connection port is checked! Connection is normal!”

“Attention all units, start docking!”

The ion cyclotron resonance heating antenna, which was around ten meters long and around four meters wide, was hoisted by a steel cable and attached to a crane. It slowly moved toward the huge reactor.

At the same time, the China National Nuclear Corporation engineers were standing nearby. They were operating other professional equipment and installation work.

Academician Wang Zengguang, the chief engineer of the China National Nuclear Corporation, was in charge of everything that was going on. He wore a helmet and had a proud smile on his old wrinkly face.

“I used to think that when China National Nuclear Corporation develops the fourth-generation nuclear fission technology, it’d be time for me to retire.”

Academician Li Jiangang from the Fuyang Institute Construction Material Laboratory was standing next to Academician Wang. He smiled.

“What about now?”

Academician Wang stared at this metal behemoth and smirked.

“It looks like I’ll have to wait a couple more years.”

If we achieve fusion ignition…

There has to be someone to lead it.

Before fusion technology arrived on the right track, Academician Wang had to continue working.

Suddenly, a middle-aged engineer, who was wearing a safety helmet, came over to these two old men.

“The ion cyclotron resonance heating antenna has been installed!”

Academician Li said in a serious manner, “Is the connection port seal checked?”

The middle-aged engineer nodded and said in a serious manner, “It’s been checked three times! There are no problems whatsoever.”

Academician Li nodded with satisfaction and looked at his old friend next to him. He then jokingly said, “The Fuyang Institute Construction Material Laboratory successfully completed their task, it’s up to you guys now. Old Wang, don’t drop the ball at this crucial moment. If your ferrofluid electric energy generator doesn’t produce electricity, then it’d be a shame.”

Academician Wang smiled and replied, “Ah, you old man, worry about me now I see? Rest assured, if we end up dropping the ball, my name isn’t Wang Zengguang!”

He looked at this middle-aged engineer and ordered, “Begin the ferrofluid electric energy generator installation!”

“Ok!”

The middle-aged engineer nodded and immediately ran toward the reactor base.

…

Whoosh!

Two fighter jets whizzed past the skyline, producing a deafening roar behind them.

Recently, this sound could often be heard around here.

Lu Zhou stood in his office with floor-to-ceiling windows. He looked away from the sea and stared at his watch.

In thirty minutes, there was another conference for him to host.

Ever since his research work was temporarily paused, he had been extremely busy.

It would be better to say that this month of demonstration reactor construction was the most exhausting month he had ever had.

More than one hundred research institutes participated in research projects of the STAR-2 machine, and dozens of institutions had participated directly or indirectly in the construction of the demonstration reactor components as well as the construction site infrastructure.

In order to coordinate these various departments, the most common thing he did this month was to host meetings. He had to host more than three meetings every day and had to oversee at least ten reports.

For a person that liked to stay in a laboratory and study interesting problems, this was excruciating.

But thankfully, these days were coming to an end.

The STAR-2 demonstration reactor components had all been completed.

If everything went well, in the upcoming meeting, the chief engineer of the China National Nuclear Corporation, Academician Wang, would report to him about the installation of the ion cyclotron resonance heating antenna and the ferrofluid electric energy generator.

These were the last two puzzle pieces.

After these two components were installed and a final verification check of the components was completed, the fusion ignition experiment could basically begin.

Lu Zhou couldn’t help but smirk when he thought about this.

This day finally came.

He heard knocking sounds at his door.

Lu Zhou looked away from the windows and looked at the door.

“Come in.”

The door was pushed open. Yan Yan walked in. She was wearing a dark blue coat and holding a lunch box.

“You haven’t eaten again, right?”

Lu Zhou smiled and said, “I have no appetite during the day. I’m used to eating just breakfast and dinner.”

Yan Yan sighed and placed the lunch box on the coffee table as she said, “I know you’re busy, but you still have to eat three meals a day. I brought you some dumplings from the cafeteria.”

The food was delivered directly to Lu Zhou’s door, so he didn’t want to persist. He gracefully thanked Yan Yan and sat down on the sofa. He then opened the lunch box.

The delicious scent wafted over as the crystal-clear dumplings enticed Lu Zhou.

When he drank some soup and felt his stomach warm up, his eyes shone brightly.

Oh, it’s quite nice.

He couldn’t help but pick up the chopsticks.

“Is the army food always this good?”

Yan Yan sat down on the sofa across him and said, “It depends which department it is.”

“Oh yeah?”

Lu Zhou didn’t continue carrying on the conversation. Instead, he concentrated on enjoying his delicious lunch.

A regular diet was definitely healthy, and he didn’t need anyone to tell him that since he was well aware of this.

But even though he was aware, he lost his appetite whenever he was busy. Once he realized he was hungry, it was already past lunchtime, so he would just wait for dinner instead.

Lu Zhou was enjoying the dumplings in the lunch box when he suddenly remembered something.

“Speaking of which, today is the winter solstice, right?”

Yan Yan was sitting on the sofa across from him. She paused for a second and nodded. “Yeah.”

No wonder we’re eating dumplings…

Lu Zhou smiled. If it weren’t for this box of dumplings, he wouldn’t have realized today was a special day.

It really is the winter solstice…

Time really flies…

He heard footsteps coming from the corridor, and soon, a familiar face appeared at the door.

“Since the door is already opened, I’m coming in. I’m not disturbing Professor Lu’s meal, am I?”

“You’re not disturbing me at all.” Lu Zhou smiled and put down the chopsticks as he said, “I just finished eating.”

He looked at Yan Yan.

“Thanks for the lunch.”

Yan Yan shook her head and said, “No worries, you’re welcome.”

She got up from the sofa and took away the lunch box on the coffee table. She left the office and closed the door.

Regiment Commander Dai sat down across from Lu Zhou. He then cleared his throat and asked in a serious manner, “It’s almost the end of December, is there an exact date for fusion ignition?”

Lu Zhou thought for a bit and replied, “The exact date isn’t determined yet. I’ll discuss this matter at the next meeting. But regardless of what day it is, it definitely won’t be delayed until next year.”

“Okay, I’ll come back here in the evening,” Regiment Commander Dai nodded and said, “but my suggestion is that, if you guys have determined a date for fusion ignition, try to tell us three days in advance. This is so that we can ask the city council to cooperate with us and sort out the safety and traffic issues in the area.”

“No problem, thank you so much.” Lu Zhou nodded. When he suddenly remembered something, he said, “Speaking of which, it’s New Year’s Day in a few days, right?”

Regiment Commander Dai nodded and said, “Yeah, why?”

“Perfect, let’s pick an important day for fusion ignition then.” Lu Zhou smiled and said, “We’ll give the people of China a gift for the upcoming new year!”