Elder Hua

Biodata

Background / History

Elder Hua and Wang Baoguo are longtime colleagues whose breakthroughs in mechanical intelligence earned them recognition as pillars of Xia Nation’s scientific community. Both enlisted before Li Guozhong was born, and together they trained Old Tian, who later served in the Eastern Theater Command 2 6 18.

Before Crimson Sky No. 1 appeared, their institute’s exoskeleton armor could assist soldiers with carrying heavy objects but could not run or fly. Elder Hua attended Wang Baoguo’s birthday banquet partly to warn him that the Northern Theater Command’s competing armor had already entered testing—a development that threatened their position in future research funding and resource allocations 2 5.

Appearance

• White hair and a graying beard 2 31.
• Zhongshan suit, matching the style worn by Elder Wang 2.
• Large, rough hands, described as resembling sandpaper 13.

Personality

Elder Hua is ordinarily steady and composed, but Xu Fan’s inventions repeatedly overwhelm his expectations. His initial disbelief that a welder could build a working mecha leads him to suspect another theater command or a secret research department. Even after meeting Xu Fan, he helps Elder Wang probe for evidence of an undisclosed development team 6 14 26 27.

His patriotism centers on scientific development and the treatment of researchers. He becomes emotional at the prospect of mass-producing advanced materials and insists that Xu Fan receive appropriate honors, standing, and support. However, he repeatedly interprets Xu Fan’s inexpensive materials and commercial cooperation terms as deliberate acts of selfless national service, while Xu Fan views them as business arrangements 15 39 40 41 42.

He is affectionate toward Wang Yixue and attentive to Elder Wang’s health, but also enjoys scheming with his old colleague. The two encourage Yixue to pursue contact with Xu Fan and later use the suggestion of female secretaries to draw offers of help from Yixue and Tong Yao 10 14 22 42 43.

Abilities & Skills

Mechanical Intelligence and Materials Research

Elder Hua’s established expertise lies in mechanical intelligence, with practical involvement in exoskeleton and mecha research 2.

• Recognizes that Wang Ning’s imported exoskeleton model was likely based on actual military equipment and could provide research inspiration 2.
• Interprets Crimson Sky No. 1’s failed material readings as evidence that its alloy exceeds the instruments’ detection limits 14 15.
• Identifies the manufacturing significance of Xu Fan’s multifunctional workbench after examining its precision machinery and control terminal 38.
• Despite his seniority, needs further explanation of Xu Fan’s electromagnetic railgun technology and is astonished by the mecha’s flight performance 6 26 30.

Emergency Coordination

Elder Hua can coordinate with military communications and air-defense personnel during high-level emergencies 7 12 13.

• Advocates returning to the base to reconnect with the lost mecha through the research mainframe and military satellite communications 7.
• Uses Special Red Communications Channel 001, a restricted line for matters of national importance, during the mistaken missile alert 13.
• Deploys with Elder Wang and radiation detectors to investigate an apparent nuclear explosion 50.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Crimson Sky No. 1’s First Flight

• Investigating its origin: After Yixue identifies Xu Fan as the mecha’s builder, Elder Hua initially rejects the explanation. He calls Old Tian to ask whether the Eastern Theater Command developed it, only to learn that their equipment is still exoskeleton armor rather than a true mecha 4 6.
• Restoring contact: When the mecha’s signal disappears, he accompanies Elder Wang back to the research base and helps arrange satellite communication. Based on the external temperature readings, he fears Yixue could not have survived; her report that the cockpit remains around 25 degrees overturns that assessment 7 9.
• Stopping further satellite attacks: He recognizes that Yixue’s orbital target practice destroyed two Masituo Starlink satellites. Learning that the mecha had locked onto more than 500 targets, he stops her from firing again and persuades her to return to Zhonghai 10 11.

Missile Alert and Materials Testing

• Return-flight emergency: Elder Hua unsuccessfully urges Yixue to slow down during her high-speed descent. After Elder Wang suggests that the apparent incoming intercontinental missile is actually their mecha, Hua checks the Heaven-Burying nuclear retaliation system’s status and urgently contacts the restricted national hotline before its authorizations are completed 12 13.
• Testing the armor: He participates in tests that cannot measure the mecha alloy’s hardness, composition, or other mechanical properties. He recognizes that mass production of such a material could transform military industry 14 15.
• Dr. Chen incident: When Yixue grabs Dr. Chen with the mecha after his denunciation of domestic instruments, Elder Hua and Elder Wang deliberately ignore his pleas and discuss hydrogen engines instead 16.
• Military demonstration: He presents the arriving mecha as the Southern Military Region’s secret weapon and helps oversee the weapons demonstration for Li Guozhong and his officers 18 20.

Meeting Xu Fan and Witnessing the Lunar Flight

• Personal meeting: Elder Hua accompanies Elder Wang to meet Xu Fan, praises his contribution, and supports questioning intended to establish whether he truly developed the mecha alone. Xu Fan’s technical explanations and handwritten notes impress both elders 25 26 27.
• Test-flight revelation: He physically grabs Xu Fan’s arm in disbelief when Xu Fan says he also performed the test flight himself 27.
• Lunar journey: Watching the mecha’s speed reach Mach 43 leaves him struggling to breathe and needing a fast-acting heart-relief pill. During the lunar visit, he prompts the researchers to pretend they did not witness Xu Fan’s accidental destruction of the landing monument 30 31.

Materials Purchase and Mecha Production

• Warehouse inspection: Elder Hua initially doubts that Xu Fan’s dilapidated warehouse is his real workshop. Seeing the advanced multifunctional workbench convinces him that the facility could manufacture the mechas 38.
• Alloy negotiations: He eagerly agrees to buy Xu Fan’s leftover alloys and is stunned by the price of 498 yuan per jin. Tong Yao’s suggestion that the price amounts to a near-donation deepens his admiration; Xu Fan’s offer to provide superconducting-alloy synthesis information nearly moves him to tears 39 40.
• Production partnership: He supports cooperation in which the base supplies facilities, labor, utilities, and materials, while Xu Fan provides production-line technology and drawings in exchange for three percent of each mecha’s profits 41.
• Recognition and support: He backs prioritizing the production lines and argues that Xu Fan must be offered medals and honors even if he chooses to refuse them. He also suggests assigning secretaries to assist with Xu Fan’s daily needs and family 42.
• Factory preparations: He arrives with Elder Wang and their personnel after Xu Fan has filled the workshop with production-line components 45.

Apparent Nuclear Explosion

• Elder Hua checks on Tong Yao and Yixue after a missile demonstration produces a mushroom cloud near Li Guozhong’s headquarters. He and Elder Wang travel there aboard the mechas with radiation detectors; their scan finds no radiation 50.

Relationships

• Wang Baoguo / Elder Wang — Longtime friend and research partner. Hua supports him during the search for Yixue, recognizes his recurring reactions to extreme excitement, and arranges oxygen when needed 2 7 10.
• Wang Yixue — Affectionate elder figure whom she calls “Grandpa Hua.” He comforts her, tries to restrain her dangerous orbital target practice, and helps encourage her continued contact with Xu Fan 4 11 14 22.
• Xu Fan — Initially an implausible explanation for the mecha’s origin; later a researcher Hua deeply admires and advocates rewarding. Xu Fan’s late father had also hoped to conduct research under Hua and Elder Wang 25 26 40 42.
• Tong Yao — Technical colleague who handles communications and computing investigations. She steadies Hua during his physical reactions to the mecha’s performance and helps him interpret Xu Fan’s alloy pricing 7 12 30 39.
• Li Guozhong — Military officer who treats both elders with deep respect. Hua jokes with him, introduces the mecha as their secret weapon, and later rushes to investigate the explosion near his headquarters 18 50.
• Old Tian — Former soldier trained by Hua and Elder Wang, now associated with the Eastern Theater Command. Hua initially suspects him of using a new mecha to prank them 6.

Notable Quotes

“No, no, no! My little ancestor, please rein in your divine powers!”
— Stopping Wang Yixue from shooting down more satellites 11.

“Young Xu can refuse them, but we cannot fail to offer them!”
— Insisting that Xu Fan receive appropriate recognition 42.