"Let her go!"
Jiang Fan's shout alerted Mayor Deng and Minister Zhou Huaide that something was wrong over there!
Minister Zhou Huaide waved to the guards beside him, and more than a dozen guards charged over with submachine guns in their arms!
They aimed at everyone except Jiang Fan. Liu Zhi had never seen such a formidable display. As he stared at the pitch-black muzzles, like black holes threatening to swallow him, his entire body began to shudder.
He instinctively released Chu Ruoxi's wrist and raised both hands in surrender!
"D-don't kill me. I... surrender!"
Liu Zhi stammered, beads of sweat the size of beans seeping straight from his forehead. His legs shook violently beyond his control, and a stream of yellow liquid flowed out of his body. A foul smell immediately spread around him!
The classmates behind Liu Zhi were badly frightened too. Their teeth chattered as they stared fearfully at the armed police, shrinking back without daring to say a word!
Chu Ruoxi's little face had also turned deathly pale with fright. Like a little white rabbit surrounded by hungry wolves, she trembled in fear!
Just as fear, panic, and helplessness filled her heart, a large, warm hand clasped her small, icy hand.
A sense of security instantly swept through her entire body, like seeing the first light of dawn in the darkness, a lost ship sighting a lighthouse, or a lost child finding home!
"Chu Ruoxi, don't be afraid. I'm here!"
A low voice sounded beside her ear, and Chu Ruoxi instinctively moved closer to him.
Mayor Deng and Zhou Huaide also ran over.
With a stern expression, Mayor Deng angrily rebuked Principal Ma. "How have you been educating your students? Letting these students bully Jiang Fan! I think your days as principal are over!"
Mayor Deng had also received quite a fright. Jiang Fan was someone Minister Zhou Huaide had personally requested, and his importance now ranked second only to the country's president.
If Jiang Fan were injured or met with some mishap right in front of Minister Zhou Huaide, his own career as mayor would be over.
Principal Ma hurriedly admitted his fault, then turned and scolded Teacher Wang!
"Teacher Wang, how have you been educating your students? If Jiang Fan gets frightened, can you bear the responsibility?"
Teacher Wang stared blankly at Principal Ma.
What was going on?
That wasn't what Principal Ma had said in the office.
Just a moment ago, he had said that when dealing with trash students like Jiang Fan, they had to be ruthless when necessary. They couldn't let one rat dropping spoil the whole pot of porridge...
Now, listening to Principal Ma, Jiang Fan sounded like some precious treasure!
Teacher Wang desperately wanted to explain, but facing so many armed police officers, the pressure was overwhelming.
His throat felt as though it had been coated with glue. He hemmed and hawed for ages, unable to force out a single sentence!
Zhou Huaide, who had remained silent all this time, addressed Jiang Fan.
"Jiang Fan?"
"Yes!" Jiang Fan nodded in reply!
"Let's talk!"
"All right!"
Neither wasted any words. Having said that, Zhou Huaide walked toward the helicopter, and Jiang Fan followed!
When they reached the helicopter, Zhou Huaide stopped.
Jiang Fan also stopped a meter away from him, waiting for his questions!
But more than ten full seconds passed before Zhou Huaide slowly spoke.
"How certain are you that the contents of the document are correct?"
"One hundred percent!" Jiang Fan said calmly!
A flicker of emotion instantly crossed Zhou Huaide's previously expressionless face.
From the determination in this young man's eyes, he could tell that he was not lying.
"The easiest fusion reaction to control is the deuterium-tritium reaction, but tritium (T) has a short half-life. How would you solve that problem?"
Zhou Huaide went straight to a difficult problem they were currently unable to solve.
"Tritium plays a role similar to that of a catalyst in nuclear-pore nuclear fusion. At present, the tritium consumption-to-breeding ratio is very low, so tritium losses must be strictly controlled at every stage.
"The first wall is in direct contact with the plasma and can be considered the place where tritium remains the longest, so it requires strict control. Otherwise, the tritium supply will keep dwindling, directly causing the plasma to extinguish and the reactor to shut down. To address the tritium issue at this stage, the first requirement is..."
Jiang Fan spoke for more than ten minutes, and the more Minister Zhou Huaide listened, the more excited he became. It felt as though a single remark had awakened a man from a dream.
Finally, Minister Zhou Huaide took out a small notebook and carefully recorded Jiang Fan's key points!
Everything Jiang Fan discussed came from the controlled nuclear fusion knowledge the system had rewarded him with two days earlier. When the system had given him the reward, this knowledge had merged directly into his mind as though he had been born with it!
The moment Zhou Huaide asked his question, the solution immediately sprang into Jiang Fan's mind!
After Jiang Fan finished speaking, Minister Zhou Huaide was still writing something in his little notebook.
Another two minutes passed before he put down his pen. Looking at Jiang Fan with excitement, he seized his hand!
"A genius! A true genius!"
"Jiang Fan, would you be willing to join Dragon Country's controlled nuclear fusion research base?"
Having been a researcher in his previous life, Jiang Fan was naturally delighted at the chance to join such a major national research project, but his system mission required him to gain admission to Dragon University of Science and Technology.
"Researching controlled nuclear fusion isn't something that can be done in a day or two. I'd like to prioritize my studies."
Minister Zhou Huaide said with a chuckle, "Joining our project won't interfere with your studies!"
"Actually, I submitted the controlled nuclear fusion material with a request in mind! Since I only scored 300 points on the college entrance exam..."
"That's no problem. You can take your pick of any school in Dragon Country."
"All right, thank you!" Jiang Fan finally felt reassured!
"I'm the one who should be thanking you. The contents of the document you submitted can save Dragon Country at least ten years of controlled nuclear fusion research."
"Oh, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Zhou Huaide, and I'm currently the chief engineer of Dragon Country's northern controlled nuclear fusion research base!"
"Hello, Uncle Zhou!"
"Good, let's go. We'll head to your house first. Those old fellows can't wait to meet you!"
Zhou Huaide's face was wreathed in smiles. This was probably the happiest he had been in the past ten years!
With that, he took Jiang Fan by the hand and started to board the helicopter!
"Uncle Zhou, could I make a small request?"
"What is it?"
"My classmate would like a helicopter ride too. Would that be all right?"
Zhou Huaide pointed at Chu Ruoxi. "You mean that little girlfriend of yours?"
"She... she's not my g-girlfriend. She's just a classmate!"
Seeing Jiang Fan's slightly flushed face, Zhou Huaide gave a meaningful smile and said!
"All right!"
"Thank you, Uncle Zhou!" Jiang Fan said happily!
Chu Ruoxi had been watching what was happening on Jiang Fan's side the entire time. She was truly afraid that these people would arrest him outright for offending them!
She was filled with regret. She really shouldn't have said she wanted a helicopter ride. Otherwise, Jiang Fan wouldn't have offended Mayor Deng and the others!
Just as Chu Ruoxi's thoughts were running wild, she suddenly heard a deep, resonant voice call out!
"Have Chu Ruoxi come over!"
Chu Ruoxi had no idea what was happening, but she obediently walked over anyway. When she reached Zhou Huaide, she pleaded for Jiang Fan with a distressed expression!
"Uncle, Jiang Fan didn't mean to offend you earlier. Could you please not arrest him?"
Zhou Huaide froze for a moment when he heard this, then nearly laughed aloud.
This little girl had probably misunderstood him, but he did not offer much explanation and simply said!
"Get aboard!"