Peach Blossom Gorge Military Base.
Experimental Field Number Two.
Chen Shi and Zhang Qian went through a series of extremely strict checks. Using their identities as designers, they finally managed to pass through the heavily guarded guards and enter the experimental field. Such a high level of checks caused the two of them to have a question mark in their hearts. Could it be that the mech had really been manufactured? If not, how could the designer be subjected to so many layers of questioning?
The last step was to obtain Elder Yan's authorization and approval before they officially entered the field.
Behind them, there were even two genetically-modified soldiers following them.
"I didn't want you to come, but Xiao Lin wanted you to come and take a look. Perhaps it would be helpful for your future designs. The two of you should know the confidentiality regulations. This is a project of the highest level of confidentiality. You are forbidden from mentioning it to anyone, including your loved ones! Unless the higher-ups lift the confidentiality, this will be a strictly guarded secret for the rest of your lives! Also, I don't care what your personal beliefs are. When it comes to work, never carry personal emotions. I don't need you to understand. This is an order! "Elder Yan warned the two of them with a serious expression.
Chen Shi and Zhang Qian hurriedly nodded in agreement.
It seemed that the conversation in the office had been heard by the higher-ups.
That's right. Such an important project had been issued. If the higher-ups didn't monitor it and just let it be, it would be a joke.
Fortunately, it was only a warning. When Elder Yan criticized them, Chen Shi and Zhang Qian were especially afraid of being kicked out of the mech design office. Their identities were different. If the company outside was not satisfactory, they could resign. However, they were soldiers and had to obey orders unconditionally.
After a round of harsh criticism.
Only then did Elder Yan bring the two of them into experimental field number two.
What appeared in front of the two of them was a behemoth that was close to 15 meters tall.
Its appearance was very similar to the design drawings submitted before. However, some of the weapon systems, such as the cannons and the external armor, were not installed.
"It's so beautiful!" Zhang Qian's body trembled slightly. Even though he knew that this mech was just an empty shell, he still couldn't help but feel excited when it was actually born from the blueprint and stood in front of him.
This was a work that he had participated in designing.
It was like his own child.
Chen Shi was also excited, but he was more clear-headed.
An empty shell was of no use at all. In order for the mech to be truly useful and replace tanks and armored vehicles as the new generation of combat weapons, the first thing was to make it move. In order to achieve this, the mecha had to be equipped with the best driver program and the most powerful driving force. The design of mecha was destined to be different from the design of aircrafts. Aircrafts could refer to successful domestic and foreign designs, continuously develop aerodynamics, and through wind tunnel tests, constantly revise the data, and complete a new generation of aircrafts. Mecha could not be like tanks or armored vehicles that moved on tracks or wheels, and it could not be designed like helicopters or ocean-going ships either. It was a completely new design direction, and if they were to start a project based on it, it would mean that the designers had to give up all of their previous successful experiences and start anew on a new path that they did not know where it would lead to.
The design drawings that Zhang Qian and a few young people drew up did not include a power design or a driver program.
Therefore, the Mecha in front of him.
In fact, it was just a shell.
A journey of ten thousand li.
In fact, he hadn't even taken the first step.
"No, I have to go back. I have to complete the power design as soon as possible. I am not the most professional. For this design, I have to ask Chief Yan to send more experts over to test all kinds of possible power sources and driver programs. There is no time. Now that the shell of the mecha has been manufactured, if the design is delayed for too long, the attention of the higher-ups will be diverted. No, I can't let the mecha be thrown into the trash heap of the design institute again. I have to make it truly born! "Chen Shi silently made up his mind.
"Being able to start this project is already the best result." Zhang Qian seemed to have heard Chen Shi's thoughts. He patted Chen Shi's shoulder.
"Don't worry, I will not go against them anymore!" How could Chen Shi not know the difficulty of establishing a successful project like the mecha?
"You are the designers, go up and have a look!" Elder Yan let the two of them move freely.
Chen Shi, Zhang Qian and the rest were waiting for this sentence.
Once they heard it.
They quickly went up and touched here and there. It was not enough no matter how much they looked.
What was inconceivable to the two of them was that such a large and complicated mechanical component was actually manufactured in a day. According to their estimations, it would take at least three months or even longer. Not to mention other things, just a set of production molds with the same proportion was enough to give them a headache.
What was drawn on the blueprint did not mean that it could be made in reality.
Even if it could be made.
It did not mean that it could be completed in a day.
"This is real, the mechanical arm is real, and the construction of each part is real." The more Chen Shi looked, the more shocked he was.
"This is incredible, I can't believe this is a project that can be completed in a day!" Zhang Qian sighed. If he did not personally participate in the design, then he would definitely think that this was a project that started a few months or even a few years ago. Although their design drawings were based on Lin Dong's original drawings, there were actually many imperfections in the details. If it was really launched, it was estimated that the leader in charge of the finished product would curse and immediately find the designer to spit on his face. But what made Zhang Qian feel extremely magical was that the design that could only be presented on the blueprint was actually born in front of him. Some parts were even more perfect than his own design.
The more they looked, the more incredible they felt.
Finally.
They couldn't hold it in anymore.
They walked in front of Lin Dong together and couldn't wait to ask the doubts in their hearts: "Chief Xiao Lin, I want to know, why did you use wood to make it? Isn't it easier to use metal? How can a mecha made of wood move? Besides, the test data is not accurate! Also, why are there no weapons designs? The most important thing is, what kind of driving source do you want to use? Is it electricity or magnetism? Is the reserved space in the middle for the installation of the driver? "
There were too many things in Chen Shi and Zhang Qian's hearts that they did not understand.
Now even if there was a sophisticated wooden mecha in front of them, they still had countless questions that could not be solved.
"Why use wood to make the mecha? My raw materials are only wood. I made this myself. It's just a test for now, so it doesn't matter what materials I use. If you want to make it, you can decide what materials to use. I don't have that much metal. Besides, using wood to make it is not a problem. "Lin Dong explained casually.
"…" Chen Shi almost fell to the ground. No metal as raw materials? What kind of reason was that? Besides, it was the first time in his life that he heard of using wood to make a mecha!
"The design of the weapon system is not very reasonable. We will work hard to fix it when we go back." Zhang Qian carefully tested Lin Dong's attitude.
"In terms of weapons, I don't care how you design them. My mecha does not need those weapons." Lin Dong said honestly.
"…" Chen Shi was speechless again. If they did not use weapons, did they have to use their fists to beat the enemy's tank?
"Are there other teams designing the driver program and engine?" Zhang Qian estimated that such a large project could not only be followed up by one team. This had to be the combined efforts of countless teams.
"As for the engine, it will be kept a secret for now. If you have a good design, you can test it yourself. However, my design cannot be made public before the technology is fully developed. Before I cooperated with the military, we discussed this point. It is only an experiment for now. There is still a long way to go before it becomes a finished product. "Lin Dong avoided talking about the driver program and the driving force. These were not things that the designers of practical technology could understand. Even if Lin Dong laid out the energy gathering array and puppet array and explained them one by one, Chen Shi and Zhang Qian would not understand.
"The engine has been developed?" Chen Shi jumped up.
"You mean, this … this … this mecha can move?" Zhang Qian was so excited that his blood vessels almost burst.
The reason they had asked that question was actually to probe the progress and see if anyone was following up. Who knew that Lin Dong would say that the engine had already been designed? Even if the technology wasn't fully developed, being able to move mecha was already the first step of a long journey.
Elder Yan chatted with An Old Fox for a while.
He waved his hand to chase Chen Shi and Zhang Qian away. "Xiao Lin is going to install the mecha's engine. You two leave."
Experimental field.
A special vehicle transported a few wooden boxes of different sizes.
Chen Shi and Zhang Qian were sent back to the resting area by the genetic soldiers. They stayed there for two hours.
Not only them, but all the staff, including Elder Yan, did not stay to watch the entire installation process.
When Lin Dong spoke, he signaled for them to come down.
Everyone noticed that the wooden mecha that was originally placed in the center of the experimental field had changed its direction. The originally drooping arms were also raised. Looking at it, there did not seem to be any changes. However, Chen Shi and Zhang Qian had a strange feeling. It was as if the mecha had come to life. They could not explain the reason, but it was an absurd feeling.
Come to life?
It was clearly a mecha made of wood. How could it give people such a feeling?
Chen Shi went up and knocked on the outer shell of the mecha. That's right, it did not change. It was still the same wooden mecha. How could a cold and hard piece of wood give off such a feeling? Strange!
Zhang Qian also came up and exchanged glances with Chen Shi.
They nodded at each other.
After working together for so many years, they had a tacit understanding.
Although they did not say it out loud, they could see the affirmation in each other's eyes.
"It seems different from before, but I can't tell what's different." Zhao Xin could not help but knock on it as well. This further confirmed that the feeling between the two of them was not an illusion.
"Qianjun, come and test it." At this moment, Qianjun and Ye Qianru were standing beside Lin Dong. They had been helping with the installation just now. For the following test, Lin Dong would not be doing it himself.
"Yes." Qianjun gave a stiff salute.
Ye Qianru cooperated and pushed a moving ladder over. Qianjun climbed up and pressed a button. The chest area of the mecha actually opened up a hatch.
When Qianjun entered and closed the hatch, the entire mecha made a soft but rapid start up sound in less than 10 seconds.
The sound was like a low output motor.
A few genetic soldiers hurriedly pushed open the moving ladder. The interior of the mecha seemed to emit a gentle light. Everyone guessed that this was an electrical connection. Then, everyone saw the eye of the mecha, which acted as a camera, light up … After a few minutes, Qianjun, who was either sitting or standing inside the mecha, suddenly made a call. "Puppet mecha number 1 has finished debugging. All functions are normal. Please give your instructions."
"Roger. Please follow the instructions. Raise your left arm and extend it forward at shoulder level." Lin Dong took out a communicator and gave her an order.
"Yes!" Before Qian Jun could finish his sentence, the mecha's arm started moving upwards. "Click, click, click".
"It's really alive …" Chen Shi's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
How was this possible?
A mecha made of wood could actually move?
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Chen Shi wouldn't have believed it was real even if he was beaten to death!
"Number 1, raise your right arm and make it level with your left arm." Lin Dong continued to issue orders. Behind him, not only was Chen Shi's expression filled with disbelief, everyone else's expression was the same. By the time Lin Dong ordered Qianjun to operate Puppet mecha number 1 to walk, wave its arms and jog, run in circles, jump and simulate attacks on the enemies in front of it, everyone's expression was no longer one of anger, but of utter speechlessness.
This kind of test was far beyond everyone's imagination.
Their brains had already crashed.
Towards this kind of unscientific wooden mecha, Chen Shi didn't know what to say. He dared to say that the most fantastical thing he had ever seen in his life was this mecha before him that was as agile and mobile as a human.
He was 10,000% sure that the mecha designed by Zhang Qian and the few youngsters in the office would not move.
Even if it moved a finger.
Now that it could move like a human, it was 100% due to this Chief Xiao Lin's secret modifications. Although he didn't know what method he used, it was definitely beyond the current level of technology. Beyond the current level of technology by a hundred years? No, it could only be more! Now, Chen Shi understood why Chief Xiao Lin only wanted to design the outer shell of the mecha himself. The reason was that this Chief Xiao Lin really only needed the outer shell of the mecha. The most important things inside, such as the drive and power source, were all available to this Chief Xiao Lin. There was no need for him to design it himself!
"Bam!" The mecha fell heavily to the ground.
Qianjun, who was operating it, did a somersault according to Lin Dong's orders, but it failed.
Lin Dong sighed and said, "This won't do. It can't even do such movements. It's still far from a real battle!"
Hearing this, Chen Shi almost shed tears. God, now the whole world is researching how to make mecha move like a human. You've already done more than you can, and you're still not satisfied? Do you really want this wooden mecha to fight on the battlefield like a human?
Besides, I've never heard of a mecha that could somersault …
"Wu wu!" Zhang Qian wiped his tears. The 1.9 meters tall man cried like a little girl. After so many years, he finally saw a glimmer of hope. It turned out that the path of mecha was not wrong. It could really succeed. It could really become a superweapon that would replace the tank as the new overlord of the land in the future. Many years of supercilious looks and indifference, many years of setbacks and confusion, suddenly surged into his heart and knocked down this seven-foot man who had persisted in the research and development of mecha. Zhang Qian squatted down and wiped his tears. He was crying and smiling at the same time. "This is not a dream, this is not a dream, this is not a dream!"
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