The National General Administration of Science and Technology, Capital!
The conference hall.
An elderly professor was onstage explaining the crystalline silicon solar energy project. Seated below were the administration's chief, several staff members conducting the review, and several core members of the project.
"Crystalline silicon solar cells offer high efficiency, low degradation, and strong reliability. Advanced diffusion technology ensures excellent uniformity both between and within cells, reducing mismatch losses between cells..."
"Conversion efficiency: 18.00% Pm(Wp), maximum power: 2.674-2.696 Im(A)max, voltage at maximum power point: 5.093 Vm(V)...
"As everyone knows, solar energy is inexhaustible, and the technology is not particularly difficult to realize..."
"Compared with the elusive, unattainable goal of controlled nuclear fusion, our project is more likely to succeed. We only need half the annual funding allocated to controlled nuclear fusion. If our research succeeds, it will save Dragon Country five billion a year..."
As the chief listened to Professor Li's explanation, he nodded repeatedly, strongly approving of his research direction and its future returns!
By the time Professor Li finished speaking, he was very confident that his team could secure 1.5 billion in funding this time!
The chief glanced at the staff members conducting the review.
They all wore expressions of approval.
"Chief, I think Professor Li's project is excellent. Since the controlled nuclear fusion project at Northern Base is about to be suspended, we can take its funding and give half to Professor Li's team."
"Besides, Professor Li's project will only take two years to complete, and afterward, it can save Dragon Country five billion in funding every year..."
Hearing their comments, the chief nodded in agreement.
Just then, his phone suddenly rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Zhou Huaide, commander-in-chief of Northern Base.
He recalled how Zhou Huaide had made an unreasonable fuss last time, pestering him for an entire day to request ten billion in funding. Only after the two of them made an agreement had he finally agreed to leave.
Who knew what trouble he would stir up this time!
To be honest, he really did not want to answer Zhou Huaide's call right now!
But after hesitating, he answered anyway. If he did not, Zhou Huaide might come looking for him at the administration in a little while!
Zhou Huaide said, "Chief, our research succeeded. Do you have time today to come to Northern Base?"
"What research succeeded?"
The chief looked bewildered, not quite understanding what Zhou Huaide was talking about.
Zhou Huaide said, "Our earlier agreement-keeping nuclear fusion under stable control for one hundred seconds!"
Hearing Zhou Huaide say this, the chief immediately understood.
The reason he had made that agreement with Zhou Huaide was to give him an impossible task so that he would abandon controlled nuclear fusion.
Yet now Zhou Huaide was actually saying that his research had succeeded.
The chief could not help finding it rather amusing.
Their agreement had been to keep nuclear fusion under stable control for one hundred seconds, had it not?
Even the technologically advanced Beautiful Country could barely keep it under stable control for ten seconds.
Yet Zhou Huaide claimed that the nuclear fusion they had developed could remain under stable control for one hundred seconds!
And he had only taken a month to do it. The chief would not believe that even if he were beaten to death!
"Xiao Zhou! Have you had too much to drink? Let's leave it at that. I have important matters to attend to right now."
Zhou Huaide said, "Chief, you know I never drink. I really am not lying to you. We really have done it."
The chief knew that Zhou Huaide did not drink.
But he still did not believe that, short of both personnel and funding, Zhou Huaide could work out how to keep nuclear fusion under stable control for one hundred seconds in just one month!
When the chief remained silent, Zhou Huaide continued!
"Chief, please believe me. If we fail this time, I'll listen to you from now on and abandon controlled nuclear fusion research!"
Hearing Zhou Huaide go that far, the chief had no choice but to agree, so that he would finally give up!
Zhou Huaide said excitedly, "I'll send someone to pick you up at Inner Mongolia City Airport right away."
"I won't be going to Northern Base. Just start a remote video call with me in a little while!"
The chief spoke. He thought Zhou Huaide could not possibly have succeeded in his research, so going there would only be a wasted trip!
They might as well start a remote video call. It would only take a few minutes. Once Zhou Huaide failed, he would be too embarrassed to keep pestering him, and it would also make him give up.
Zhou Huaide said, "Chief, keeping nuclear fusion under stable control for one hundred seconds will be a historic moment. You really should come in person!"
The chief said, "Xiao Zhou, have you conducted an ignition experiment for this project?"
Zhou Huaide said, "Well... no, we haven't!"
The chief said, "All right, Xiao Zhou, I'm pressed for time. I'll give you five minutes!"
In the end, Zhou Huaide could only agree. He also knew that the chief's time was precious, and Jiang Fan had said their experiment only had a seventy percent chance of success.
Although the success rate was high, there was still a chance of failure. If they failed, the chief would have wasted all that time for nothing!
Zhou Huaide said, "Chief, give us three minutes to prepare!"
The chief said, "Fine! I'll wait three minutes. But let's be clear first: you only have five minutes in total!"
With that, the chief hung up.
Everyone in the conference room looked at him curiously!
"Chief, has something happened at Northern Base?" one of the review staff asked.
"A month ago, I made an agreement with Commander-in-Chief Zhou, the man in charge of Northern Base..."
The chief told everyone about his earlier agreement with Zhou Huaide. Since Zhou Huaide could not possibly fulfill it anyway, he treated it as a story to entertain everyone!
"Professor Li, you should take a break too. After all, you've been presenting for over an hour."
"Chief, when it comes to the nation's scientific research, I don't feel tired at all! I could speak for another two hours without a problem! Hehe..."
"Haha... you really do grow more vigorous with age!"
The chief was usually rather serious at work, but during breaks, he enjoyed exchanging jokes, which also helped ease the tension of their work!
Then they shifted the topic back to controlled nuclear fusion!
"Do you think Commander-in-Chief Zhou might really be able to keep nuclear fusion under stable control for one hundred seconds?"
"You're overthinking it! Nuclear fusion isn't that easy. Over ten years, Dragon Country invested more than thirty billion, with over a hundred researchers working on it, without any major breakthrough. To expect a breakthrough in a month-isn't that just dreaming in broad daylight?"
"To be honest, Commander-in-Chief Zhou is a very good man. He takes things seriously and is highly capable at work. He's just a little stubborn!
"If he hadn't taken charge of Northern Base back then, he would have been far better off leading any other scientific research project! Sigh, ten years of bitterly holding the fort-what a waste of talent..."
Three minutes later, Zhou Huaide requested a remote video call.
The chief had a staff member answer it and connect it to the projector!
An image of Northern Base's research institute instantly appeared on the conference hall's projection screen!