Gag Order

Liang Xingchen was a bit bewildered in his office at the moment.

Lin Fan had caused a huge mess? What was going on? He checked the time; Lin Fan should have only arrived at the 101st Fleet not too long ago.

"Elder Bai, what exactly is going on?"

"What do you mean, what's going on? He handed me a set of technical data. Do you know what technology it is?"

"What technology?"

"The complete technical data for the Warp Drive Engine, he even figured out the formulas for all the necessary materials. Do you know what that means? It means we can start building it immediately! Do you understand?"

"What?"

Liang Xingchen was so shocked that he suddenly jumped up from his seat and roared.

Even his adjutant in the office next door heard him, which was a testament to his astonishment.

This kid, he just told me he had some new ideas and designs earlier, and this is your new idea? A Warp Drive Engine?

Liang Xingchen certainly knew what a Warp Drive Engine was.

It was a method to achieve faster-than-light travel by manipulating spacetime and folding space.

It was important to note that humanity's current travel between star systems was done through what were called Star Paths. While these Star Paths allowed for travel at three times the speed of light, they had significant drawbacks because travel was only possible along their fixed routes.

To put it metaphorically, the Star Paths were like tracks covering the entire Milky Way, with each star system being a city.

Therefore, to travel to a star system 100 light-years away via a Star Path, one would first need to find the route and reach the entrance to the Star Path.

Then, one would travel along the route to the first star system, and then to the second, and so on. It wasn't a direct path, but rather like a train stopping at each station.

As for what the Star Paths were, Liang Xingchen was sorry to say that humanity hadn't figured it out yet. They only knew that they were spread throughout the Milky Way like a transportation network.

Take the Solar System, for example. There were two outbound Star Paths, one leading to Proxima Centauri and the other to Barnard's Star.

Currently, the most widely accepted theory about the Star Paths was that they were not natural but artificial, possibly cosmic transportation routes laid down by a previous civilization!

However, the Warp Drive Engine was different. It didn't require following fixed routes like the Star Paths, stopping at each station. Instead, it could travel directly to any location within its maximum folding range, and its speed was much faster than using the Star Paths.

Its military applications were particularly significant. Previously, rapid movement within a star system using the Star Paths was impossible, as the Star Paths were merely transportation networks connecting star systems.

But the Warp Drive Engine had fewer restrictions and could be used within a star system for short-range jumps. What did this represent?

As the God of War, Liang Xingchen immediately thought of several tactical applications for the Warp Drive Engine.

He was startled by the tactics that flashed through his mind; they could completely annihilate the 120,000 warships the Oakes Empire had gathered at Jupiter.

It was precisely because he understood these implications that Liang Xingchen had let out that uncontrolled shout.

Furthermore, he now understood why Bai Zixuan had said that over a hundred people wouldn't be enough and that at least ten times the personnel would be needed.

"Why are you shouting like that? Do you want to deafen an old man like me?"

"Sorry, sorry, I got a little excited."

"Hurry up and assign me some personnel. We need to build a prototype and test it as quickly as possible."

"Understood, I'll assign personnel right away. Also, if you need anything else, just tell me, and I'll give you my full support!"

"Alright, if I need anything else, I'll definitely contact you. That's all, goodbye."

Liang Xingchen didn't feel anything special as Bai Zixuan directly hung up the communication. He was used to it; it was always like this.

However, Lin Fan had brought him too many surprises, even managing to develop a Warp Drive Engine.

Without any hesitation, Liang Xingchen pressed a red button on his desk. It was a direct emergency communication line to the Federation President, which could not be pressed except in emergencies.

"President Lin, this is Liang Xingchen. We have a situation here..."

Several minutes later, after ending the communication with Lin Zhen, Liang Xingchen summoned his adjutant.

"Go and order all research personnel related to engines and materials at the Mars Base to report to Medium Orbital Starport No. 27. Execute immediately!"

"Yes!"

After the adjutant left, Liang Xingchen contacted Bai Zixuan again.

"What else do you need, kid? I'm busy here!"

"Elder Bai, I'm here to relay a presidential order. President Lin just signed an order classifying all information regarding Lin Fan at the highest security level. Your side needs to enforce a gag order; no one is allowed to leak the source of this technology."

"How can you do that? You're stripping a federal scientist of the honor they deserve!"

"Elder Bai, it's alright. Tell Lin Fan it's a presidential order, and he'll understand!"

Bai Zixuan quickly hung up the phone again. Liang Xingchen couldn't help but feel helpless.

At the medium-sized starport No. 27, Bai Zixuan was puffing his chest out in anger.

Why would the president strip Lin Fan of his honor? What right did he have to do that?

"Elder Bai, what's wrong?"

Lin Fan saw Bai Zixuan's furious expression and walked over to ask.

"Lin Fan, you're here at the perfect time. Liang Xingchen just said the president issued a gag order, forbidding anyone from revealing the source of the Warp Drive Engine technology. Isn't this stripping you of the honor you deserve? Don't worry, I absolutely will not allow something like this to happen!"

"Uh..."

Lin Fan finally understood why Bai Zixuan was so angry; he was standing up for him.

He still felt a warmth in his heart. Elder Bai was a good person.

As for his own old man, Lin Fan knew exactly what he meant without even thinking about it. He was trying to protect him, after all, the technology he had created this time was a bit too outrageous.

"Elder Bai, you don't have to do this. The President is actually protecting me."

"Nonsense! Wait, you're saying the President is protecting you? Lin Zhen? Lin Fan?"

Bai Zixuan wasn't stupid after all. He immediately thought of a possibility and looked at Lin Fan with wide eyes.

Lin Fan didn't answer Bai Zixuan, but instead gave him a wry nod.

"Alright, I won't interfere with this matter. I'll issue a gag order to all those who know, as the President wishes."

"Thank you very much, Elder Bai! Oh, and here's a technical document for industrial robots that I created previously. I'll give it to you as well."

"Huh? Hurry up and let me see it."

Seeing Bai Zixuan's eagerness, Lin Fan could only offer a helpless, wry smile.

He took out another storage card and handed it to him.