Cao Liangcai's pupils contracted slightly, clearly startled by Lü Yongchang's words.
"Are you sure?"
He looked at Lü Yongchang in astonishment and said quietly, "That kid usually keeps so quiet. If he hadn't spoken up today, I would've forgotten we even had someone like him in the lab!"
Lü Yongchang nodded solemnly.
"Cao, trust my judgment."
After returning to the conference room, Cao Liangcai studied Tao Yuda with a searching gaze.
"A-Academician Cao?"
Tao Yuda nervously met Cao Liangcai's eyes for a few seconds, then hurriedly lowered his gaze and asked quietly, "Is something wrong?"
Cao Liangcai slowly shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. "Nothing."
"Tao Yuda... right?"
"Would you be interested in becoming my deputy?"
At those words, Tao Yuda's breathing quickened.
"Yes! Absolutely!" Tao Yuda nodded emphatically, his eyes brimming with excitement.
Before Cao Liangcai could say anything else, a synthesized voice rang out in the conference room.
"Professor, the simulation results are in."
"Design One was successful."
Lü Yongchang's expression remained unchanged.
He had expected this result all along.
But...
"Why did the spherical configuration fail?" he asked gravely.
There was something odd in Zero's simulated tone. "...Professor, our current materials aren't strong enough to support a spacecraft with that configuration."
"Moreover, our current manufacturing techniques are insufficient to build such a spacecraft."
Just as I thought.
A look of understanding appeared in Lü Yongchang's eyes.
"Now that we've settled on a design, Zero, devote all available resources to building the Black Lady Two prototype, starting now."
Half a month later.
A press conference was quietly held at the Xia Country Great Hall.
It was hosted by the Space Administration.
This was also the first proper press conference the Space Administration had held since its establishment.
That distinction naturally attracted considerable media