Chapter 13: Chief Engineer

Silence fell over Lü Yongchang.

Beside him, Fang Xu and Guan Hualiang watched him with concern.

Under their gazes, he nodded slowly.

"Of course."

"Hahaha! Excellent!" Hong Qiming clapped his hands, his laughter booming. "Truly the spirit of China's youth! You have courage!"

Then, his tone shifted. "From this moment on, you are no longer just a sophomore at Sandao University."

"You are now the Chief Engineer of China's controlled nuclear fusion project! Academician Fang Xu will serve as your deputy!"

The lab went dead silent.

Fang Xu, Guan Hualiang, and every researcher present turned disbelieving stares toward Hong Qiming and Lü Yongchang.

Had the minister just… appointed a sophomore as chief engineer?!

Lü Yongchang's heart raced.

China's leadership was bolder than he'd expected!

To entrust a project of this scale to an undergraduate—this would accelerate his plans dramatically!

Perhaps sensing the room's skepticism, Hong's expression turned grave.

"Lü Yongchang, understand this clearly: Chairman Li's directive is to achieve initial success in controlled fusion within one year—at minimum, matching ITER's results!"

Fang Xu's pupils contracted.

China didn't even have its own functional fusion reactor yet!

Was this mission even possible?!

Unlike the nervous faces around him, Lü Yongchang smiled faintly.

"I accept the task."

"Moreover, I guarantee that within a year, China will master controlled fusion technology!"

"What?!"

"Yongchang! Have you lost your mind?!"

Fang Xu and Guan Hualiang shouted in unison.

Guan grabbed Lü Yongchang's arm, hissing, "This isn't some childish boast! Apologize to Minister Hong now!"

He then bowed to Hong. "Minister, please forgive him—he's just an impulsive student—"

Hong waved him off, amused.

"Do you realize the weight of your words?" he asked Lü Yongchang.

Unfazed, Lü Yongchang met his gaze. "Every syllable, Minister."

Guan covered his face with a groan. "This is a disaster…"

Had he doomed China by bringing this kid here?

Without further explanation, Lü Yongchang pulled a flash drive from his pocket and handed it to Hong.

"Minister, before judging my claims, please review its contents."

Hong's eyebrow arched. "You're becoming more intriguing by the minute."

"Though I hope you understand… lying to a state minister carries consequences."

He passed the drive to Fang Xu. "Academician, project this for us. Let's see what 'gift' he's brought."

Fang Xu sighed, accepting it reluctantly.

As he walked past Lü Yongchang, he muttered, "China just bet on the wrong horse…"

This child—how could he possibly deliver?

Lü Yongchang remained serene.

The drive contained a night's worth of frantic typing in his dorm.

Not much—just detailed blueprints for a fusion reactor's core.

A massive workload, but his past-life experience had pulled him through.

Minutes later, a projector hummed to life.

Fang Xu inserted the drive—then froze.

"Huh?!"

His jaw dropped as he double-clicked the file.

Instantly, the wall lit up with intricate schematics.

"This is…" Hong's voice trailed off in shock.

Every researcher in the lab gaped at the screen.

Fang Xu, as the lab director, was the first to connect these blueprints to Lü Yongchang's earlier blackboard sketches.

"Lü Yongchang," he croaked, "are these… complete reactor designs?"

Lü Yongchang smiled. "Specifically, the reaction chamber. Now do you believe me?"

Hong snapped out of his daze, eyes blazing. "You did this alone?!"

He already knew the answer—but the sheer scale defied belief.

This wasn't just a student's doodle.

It was professional-grade engineering—the kind that normally required teams of experts!

Lü Yongchang's nod confirmed the impossible.

Hong's hands trembled slightly. Though he lacked technical expertise, the awe on every researcher's face spoke volumes.

Fang Xu exhaled shakily, studying Lü Yongchang like a newfound species.

Just moments ago, he'd deemed this mission a colossal mistake.

Now?

This wasn't a kid.

This was a freak of nature!

No one in China's history had single-handedly drafted such complex machinery!

Even if this was just one component of the reactor, it was unprecedented!

"How… how long did this take you?" Fang Xu whispered.

Lü Yongchang glanced at his expression and chuckled awkwardly. "About… a year and a half?"

A year and a half?

That was… acceptable—

Bullshit!

Fang Xu's face twisted. "You finished this monstrosity in a year?!"

What had he been doing for the past decade—licking windows?!

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