"Following your plan, how long would it take to achieve controlled nuclear fusion?"
Hearing the question, Jiang Fan looked at the experts and professors below, all watching him expectantly. He pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke.
"Theoretically, five years!"
Everyone broke into laughter when they heard Jiang Fan say five years.
"Heh... the young man is still too young!"
"He's only eighteen, after all, without any hands-on research experience. It's understandable for him to think that way!"
"Exactly. Research theory is one thing, but putting it into practice is another matter entirely. Funding, personnel, materials, technological limitations, temperature, humidity, weather, geographical location-all of these affect whether research succeeds!"
"Haha... but I do admire this young man. At least he dares to dream. Many of our research projects were developed precisely because of bold imagination!"
"..."
Jiang Fan watched the audience grow considerably livelier because of his remark, and his initial tension eased as well.
In truth, his estimate of five years had already been very conservative, because the time given by the system was one year.
Afraid of shocking them, Jiang Fan had deliberately given a longer timeframe, only for everyone to mistake it for a joke anyway!
But he did not explain.
After laughing it off, everyone posed many more specialized questions to Jiang Fan.
Jiang Fan answered each one.
Minister Zhou Huaide had still underestimated these experts' and professors' thirst for knowledge. Their questions came one after another, without a single pause!
It was not until two in the morning that Minister Zhou Huaide, concerned about their health, forcibly brought the meeting to an end!
They all seemed hungry for more, and as they left, they came up to the stage one after another to shake Jiang Fan's hand.
In the end, only Elder Long and Elder Qiao remained in the meeting venue.
"Elder Long, it's so late. Aren't you going home to rest?" Elder Qiao asked.
"Hmph! Don't think I don't know what you're plotting, you brat. I'm getting Jiang Fan, and that's final! Go tend to your own business!" Elder Long said bluntly.
"Elder Long, I can give way to you on other matters, but I'm getting this boy too!" Elder Qiao looked determined to win.
"Are you challenging me?"
"So what if I am!"
The two looked ready to come to blows, and Dean Li hurriedly pulled them apart!
"Elder Long, Elder Qiao, your combined ages are over a hundred. If word gets out that you started fighting here in the middle of the night, won't people laugh at you?"
Only then did Elder Long and Elder Qiao separate.
"Since you're older than me, I won't quibble with you!" Elder Qiao said.
"I may be ten years older, but I can still handle you without any trouble!"
Seeing them start bickering again, Dean Li was utterly speechless.
"Gentlemen, look, it's already two in the morning. Let's go back and rest first. Your health comes first," Dean Li urged.
"I'm in fantastic shape!"
"My health is excellent too!"
Looking at Elder Long and Elder Qiao, both gray at the temples yet still behaving like children, Dean Li did not know whether to laugh or be annoyed!
"Elder Long, Elder Qiao, I know you're both healthy. But Jiang Fan has been explaining things to everyone for five or six hours. He's exhausted too, and he needs rest, doesn't he?"
Hearing this, Elder Long and Elder Qiao agreed. If a treasure like Jiang Fan wore himself out, it would be an enormous loss for Dragon Country!
Persuaded by Dean Li, they both left.
Zhou Huaide arranged for Jiang Fan to rest in a room at the research institute.
He then had some food prepared and brought over to Jiang Fan.
Jiang Fan's stomach was growling with hunger. More than ten hours had passed since he had eaten lunch with Chu Ruoxi, and he had not eaten a thing since!
When Jiang Fan had nearly finished eating, Zhou Huaide finally voiced the question that had been echoing in his mind!
"Jiang Fan, is it true that you can develop controlled nuclear fusion within five years?"
"Yes!"
Jiang Fan swallowed a mouthful of rice as he answered.
Hearing Jiang Fan's affirmative answer, Minister Zhou Huaide immediately grew excited!
As the chief commander of Dragon Country's controlled nuclear fusion project, he dreamed of successfully developing controlled nuclear fusion.
But reality was always merciless. He had been in charge of this project for ten full years, and the country had invested over thirty billion. Although they had made progress, there had been no major breakthroughs!
This year, unable to bear the financial burden, the country had decided to plan a suspension of the controlled nuclear fusion project.
Controlled nuclear fusion represented ten years of his life's work. Probably no one felt more deeply about it than he did.
Even though he was desperately reluctant to let it go, without a technological breakthrough, there was nothing he could do.
Not until he met Jiang Fan had hope instantly flared within him.
Today, he had heard Jiang Fan say that controlled nuclear fusion could be achieved within five years. Even though it seemed somewhat impossible to him, he was willing to believe and try!
Many things in this world seemed impossible. It was precisely because someone believed and persevered that those impossible things became reality!
So Zhou Huaide was willing to take the risk and try. Otherwise, he truly would never see controlled nuclear fusion successfully developed in his lifetime!
"Your theory is sound, but when it comes to putting it into practice, you'll encounter many problems..." Zhou Huaide explained to Jiang Fan.
Jiang Fan ate the rice in his bowl as he listened to Zhou Huaide.
Only after finishing the very last grain of rice did Jiang Fan set down his bowl and chopsticks.
He turned to look Zhou Huaide in the eyes and spoke earnestly.
"One year. I only need one year to successfully develop controlled nuclear fusion!"
Zhou Huaide's eyes widened, and his breathing quickened. He could clearly hear his own heart pounding faster!
"O-one year?"
He stammered those words, filled with disbelief!
He could just barely accept the five years Jiang Fan had mentioned earlier.
But now Jiang Fan was saying that he needed only one year to successfully develop controlled nuclear fusion.
When he heard this, his first reaction was that it was impossible!
Even if Jiang Fan were an immortal descended to earth, he could not successfully develop controlled nuclear fusion in a single year!
He understood better than anyone how difficult it was to achieve controlled nuclear fusion. This was not a problem that could be solved overnight!
Yet the resolute look in Jiang Fan's eyes compelled him to believe!
"J-Jiang Fan, are you serious?"
"Uncle Zhou, just as you told me on the way here, so many things in this world are incredible. It's like people in feudal society before the Industrial Revolution looking at today's planes and trains. They wouldn't believe these were human inventions even if you beat them to death..."
After hearing Jiang Fan's words, Zhou Huaide steeled himself and decided to join Jiang Fan in this bout of madness. Even if they failed, he would have no regrets in this life!
"How much funding will you need in total?"
Jiang Fan thought for a moment and said, "Ten billion!"
When Jiang Fan gave that figure, Zhou Huaide was not surprised. If anything, the amount Jiang Fan named was so small that it made him somewhat doubtful.
Finally, Zhou Huaide gritted his teeth and spoke.
"All right! I'll apply for it tomorrow!"