Super-Strong Composite Materials

"So what you mean is..."

"I don't mean anything."

Lin Xu was already sick of having to repeat the exact same conversation with Skullhead every time he entered Bracelet World. As usual, he took off all his equipment, briefly explained a few things to Skullhead, and Skullhead, just like the previous times, followed behind him.

The two entered Skyvault Technology's exhibition hall one after the other, moving at a fairly brisk pace.

But this time, Lin Xu was startled to discover that the HR director he had already encountered twice had appeared by the elevator doors yet again.

Wait.

The timing was off, wasn't it?

He glanced at his watch. There were still fifty-eight minutes until the apocalypse.

Logically, the HR director should have still been in his office at this time.

What was going on?

Did Bracelet World have randomization too?

Or had some tiny disturbance changed where he appeared?

Before he could think further, the HR director had already walked up to them.

It was still the same perfunctory, polite exchange before the man turned and left.

Lin Xu watched his retreating back in confusion, but ultimately did not go over to question him.

Whatever.

Such a minor disturbance was nothing. It would not affect the final outcome anyway.

He walked over to the exhibition hall's holographic projection and, following the previous procedure, skillfully pulled up the introduction to the Star Traveler One project. He then quickly switched to the "Structural Design" section and began carefully reading through the information, trying to find key details about structural materials.

Skullhead watched his actions in bafflement and could not help asking, "No, Boss, you spent all that money and hired all those people just to come here and look at an exhibition?"

"Why go through all that trouble? Wouldn't a twenty-yuan ticket have done the job?"

"...You talk too much."

Lin Xu shot Skullhead a glare. "If you have nothing better to do, think about things at home. You're running around outside all day—aren't you afraid someone might rob your house?"

"That's impossible."

Skullhead shook his head.

"My house has the most advanced security system. Poly Technology's. Nothing could possibly go wrong."

"..."

Lin Xu was speechless.

Was that what I meant?

Should I say you were pure, or that you were stupid?

Was it really the times that had changed? A mercenary like Skullhead was actually doing the whole devoted-love thing.

He could not help sighing. After a brief pause, he changed the subject. "By the way, mercenaries like you fight outside every day. Have you ever crossed paths with official forces?"

"Like Maritime Security. Have you dealt with them before?"

The moment he said that, Skullhead's expression changed.

After hesitating for a moment, he answered, "First of all, we're not some wild mercenaries. We're legitimate PMCs."

"Most of the jobs we take are legal. If I weren't desperately short on money, I wouldn't have taken your job."

"Second, small fry like us aren't important enough for Maritime Security to come after. They handle major cases. As for us... honestly, the local city police are enough to keep us in check..."

"You sure know your place."

Lin Xu gave a dry chuckle.

"So what major business do you have that made you take a job that could get your head chopped off?"

"That's none of your business."

Skullhead turned away and stopped looking at Lin Xu.

"I don't ask about you, and you don't ask about me."

"Understood."

Lin Xu did not press further.

He vaguely felt that the mercenary unit led by Skullhead was also a carefully selected chess piece.

Skullhead had to have some special circumstances that made him willing to take such an enormous risk and go all in.

Perhaps he did not have much longer to live anyway?

He had followed Lin Xu into the spaceship before. That was not something a completely rational mercenary would do...

Lin Xu cleared the slightly chaotic thoughts from his mind and swiped his finger. The holographic projection rapidly changed.

Lines of text flashed past. A moment later, he found what he was looking for.

"...The airframe structure extensively uses composite materials including liquid-molded polyether ether ketone (PEEK-RTM) and M46X. Their performance exceeds the T1100 carbon fiber used in the same era, while their costs are greatly reduced..."

PEEK-RTM? M46X?

Lin Xu vaguely remembered seeing reports on those two materials.

In fact, both materials had already been invented in his era.

But it seemed they were still far from industrial application.

So what he needed to do was not simply find the "formulas" for these two materials.

What he truly needed was their industrial manufacturing methods!

"Search for large-scale, low-cost industrial manufacturing methods for PEEK-RTM and M46X."

Lin Xu spoke to the AI assistant behind the holographic projection.

A moment later, the search results popped up before him.

But at first glance, they were all useless information.

GG, news, clickbait accounts...

No, it was already 2045. How were clickbait accounts not extinct yet??

When would they ever return to the era when everyone despised clickbait accounts??

He frowned in irritation, and even Skullhead beside him could no longer stand it.

"No, bro, let me ask you one more time. You went through all that trouble to find us just so you could come here and search for information online?"

"Do you have so much money that you're burning it?"

"What kind of family can afford to play around like this? Couldn't you just buy a bracelet and search at home?"

"Bracelet?"

Lin Xu froze for a moment, then suddenly realized Skullhead was not referring to his Bracelet World bracelet.

Right. In this era, phones had evolved in the direction of holographic projection bracelets...

After a brief pause, Lin Xu shook his head. "I'm not looking for this stuff. I'm looking for an actual method that can achieve industrial-scale production."

"Got it."

Skullhead suddenly understood.

"Yeah, that kind of thing is confidential. You can only find it in a lab."

"But aren't you looking in the wrong place? Neither of these materials is produced by Skyvault Technology!"

"How do you know?"

Lin Xu asked in surprise.

"Duh, it says so right there!"

Lin Xu followed the direction of Skullhead's finger and indeed noticed the information displayed on the screen.

Both materials had been developed by the Jinling Municipal Materials Research Institute, which had also pioneered their industrial production processes.

If he really wanted to find the industrial manufacturing methods, he either had to go to the Materials Research Institute or to a factory capable of producing them.

"How far is the Jinling Municipal Materials Research Institute from here?"

Lin Xu asked again. A moment later, a route appeared on the screen.

"Driving time... fifty-seven minutes."

There was no time.

There were fifty-four minutes left until the apocalypse. Even if they headed there immediately, they would have at most an hour.

What could he do in three minutes?

He would be done before he even got his pants off!

"Where is the nearest factory capable of producing both materials?"

Lin Xu asked again, and the route refreshed once more.

Donghua Chemical Fiber Plant in Jinling. Twenty-nine minutes by car.

Now they had enough time.

If they left immediately, they would still have at least twenty-five minutes left when they reached the Materials Research Institute.

Force their way in, find the archives, locate the production process documents, memorize them, and withdraw.

More than enough time!

If there really was not enough time, he could just come back a few more times!

"Let's go!"

Lin Xu spoke decisively.

"We're going to Donghua Chemical Fiber Plant."

"No problem!"

Skullhead said cheerfully, "Taking down a little chemical fiber plant has to be easier than taking down a civilian aerospace base."

"We leave now!"

The two quickly left the exhibition hall, then swiftly got into the vehicles and set off.

The electric motors unleashed tremendous power. Accompanied by a faint whine, the convoy sped away in a cloud of dust.

Just twenty-two minutes later, the convoy arrived at the entrance of Donghua Chemical Fiber Plant.

Lin Xu pushed open the door and got out.

But the instant he saw the chemical fiber plant's gates, he was dumbfounded.

Skullhead was dumbfounded too.

"What the fuck kind of chemical fiber plant is this??"

"Did we come to the wrong place?? Are you sure this isn't some kind of civil defense base??"

"...I don't know."

Looking at the heavily guarded chemical fiber plant, where armed security patrols could even be vaguely seen, Lin Xu drew a deep breath.

"We only have thirty minutes."

"Can we fight our way in?"

"...We can!"

Skullhead answered through gritted teeth. "But I'm only responsible for getting you inside. I'm not handling anything else."

"Support team, establish electromagnetic shielding in one minute."

"Action team, check your equipment."

"Prepare to attack!"