Xu Le knew how to answer.
Two years ago, he was still an apprentice on a remote mining planet, following a strange uncle to repair electrical appliances. Since he was young, he had a strong interest and talent in the field of mechanical repair. He had also set his life goal of entering the top mechanical company in the Federation. However, when he really became a researcher at the Shell Motor Corporation Research Institute, with the military rank of a civilian second lieutenant, and truly entered the core area of the Federation's research field, he still could not fully adapt to this change in role.
Just like the Federation's proverb, when dreams become reality, it will still seem like a dream.
The Shell Motor Corporation Research Institute, the three major military academies, and the Federal Academy of Science were all part of the same system. For Xu Le, this was a foreign world. He was familiar with the metal lines and chip components, but he was not familiar with the operating principles of this world.
Hearing Professor Shen's slightly mocking and angry words, he fell silent. Only now did he understand that the seemingly pure academic world was not fundamentally different from the jianghu that the orphans of the Donglin District mingled in.
Speaking of which, it was true. Things like power were applicable in the universe. Those who were already standing at the top would not allow a small character like himself to obtain enough capital through the success of the Federation's new generation of mecha.
"You don't have to worry about anything. At least I'm still alive." Looking at the silent Xu Le, Professor Shen suddenly thought of himself many years ago. He smiled bitterly and said, "I think, whether it's the Academy of Science or the research institute, those fellows who have left the frontline of research for a long time probably don't have the guts to steal my things."
Xu Le smiled with some difficulty.
"While I'm still alive, I'll quickly get this done." Professor Shen put his glasses back on, bent over the table, and began to use his trembling fingers to lightly tap on the problem Xu Le had encountered.
Xu Le did not disturb Professor Shen any further and quietly walked down the metal stairs.
That afternoon, he saw Professor Shen's opinion on the holographic screen desktop. The problem that had troubled him for three hours became so clear after a few simple words of analysis. He easily found a breakthrough. Even as he marveled inwardly, Xu Le could not quite understand why the old professor would suddenly be so willing to help him. Moreover, the other should clearly know that these things involved the new generation of mecha for the Federation, but had little to do with the theoretical research that the old professor was most concerned about.
In the following days, Professor Shen and Xu Le, two eccentrics, one old and one young, kept repeating the process of researching, designing, encountering obstacles, inquiring, referencing, and solving problems in a quiet and undisturbed laboratory in the research institute behind the First Military Academy of the Federation.
The main work was done by Xu Le, but Professor Shen was the one who was actually giving them directions. The old professor still spent most of his time in the office on the second floor. He seemed to be sorting out some information. The rest of his time was spent teaching Xu Le.
…
…
Outside of work, Xu Le and Professor Shen quickly became familiar with each other. Occasionally, they would drink tea and sit together to chat. However, the content of their conversation would definitely be considered rather boring to an outsider.
"When it comes to studying, you actually have to go to extremes." Professor Shen sat on the stairs on the second floor, a cup of hot tea placed beside him. He said in a trembling voice, "Back then, after I graduated from University One, I directly entered the Husk Institute as an assistant. Later on, I made some achievements and entered the Academy of Science … I once had many glorious moments. For example, when that generation of mecha officially came off the assembly line, I was also very excited.
"However, when I got older, I finally understood that the mission of a scientist was not to develop machines that could kill people faster and more efficiently." Professor Shen took a sip of tea and sighed. "The development of science will definitely make weapons more advanced, but the goal of scientific development is not to do so. It is to go to extremes.
"Large to the extreme is the universe. Small to the extreme is the quantum."
Professor Shen did not look at the dazed Xu Le downstairs. He continued, "In the field of astrophysics, I am not very good at it. The creation and destruction of the universe will ultimately return to the realm of philosophy. However, I am also very bad at philosophy, so in the end, I set my sights on measuring the dynamics of the quantum.
"I always thought that everything in the universe should have a pattern to follow, or perhaps it should be said that there is a reason to speak of.
"However, in the end, I realized that the smallest is the largest. It still has to return to the realm of philosophy … I said before, I am very bad at philosophy."
Professor Shen was like a child, sitting at the bottom of the stairs on the first floor as he spoke with a laugh. Xu Le sat on a chair on the first floor, a smile also appearing on his face. This kind of pure conversation without any other things was very interesting for people like them.
In the entire Federation academic community, no one knew that the two people in this laboratory were currently researching the difficult problem that the Federation's newest generation of mecha were facing. Even more so, no one knew that their research progress had long left everyone else far behind.
These past two days, Xu Le and Professor Shen had been able to drink tea and chat frequently precisely because he had confirmed that their direction was correct. It would not be long before the modification work on the new MX mecha's electronic jets would be completed. The Federation's most difficult problem had gradually become ridiculously simple in front of these two people.
The reason it was so easy was partly because Professor Shen had absolute experience and results in the field of measuring the dynamics of the quantum. Although those were just side results from his long research journey, they were already enough to provide strong theoretical support for the problems that had arisen in the new generation of mecha's power system. Those theoretical data models might have needed to be studied from scratch by other researchers, but on Professor Shen's side, they were all ready-made things.
As for the other part, that was Xu Le's strong learning ability and practical ability. Transforming a theoretical data model into a real design process was a very crucial part. Even an engineering department would need to spend a large amount of time performing repetitive calculations to be able to draw up the most probable structural blueprint. These past few days, Professor Shen had given Xu Le many surprises, and Xu Le had also given the old professor countless surprises. This young researcher was like a database that had gathered the wisdom of the Federation's engineers. For every data model, he would always be able to find a matching real design in the shortest amount of time.
This kind of ability could not be explained; it could only be called a gift. Professor Shen looked at the young fellow downstairs and could not help but think to himself with a smile — what exactly was in this child's brain?
…
…
Xu Le's brain was filled with the practical ability that Uncle Feng Yu had taught him, the bold and imaginative design concepts, and in the deepest recesses of his mind were the endless structural blueprints that the black dream had given him. Until today, he still thought that these high-level structural blueprints were a legacy that Uncle Feng Yu had left for him. He had no idea that these blueprints were actually the greatest existence in the Federation, the most profound wisdom, the Central Computer of the Bureau of Proclamation, which was located who knew how many kilometres underground, had bestowed upon him this wealth in order to awaken him.
The Federal Central Computer stored all the high-level structural designs that had existed for tens of thousands of years. Although these structural designs might not necessarily be able to be turned into reality, the fact that they could appear in the Central Computer meant that their standards were naturally incomparably profound.
Under these conditions, Xu Le already possessed all the qualifications to become the most outstanding engineer in the Federation without question. Moreover, these qualifications that he possessed were so unique that they could not be replicated.
From an apprentice, he was about to become the one who decided the fate of the most advanced mecha in the Federation. Xu Le's mood was relaxed and joyful, but he could not help but feel a little perplexed. He reflexively fished out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it, but he immediately remembered that the old professor was looking at him from upstairs. He raised his head awkwardly and saw Professor Shen's eyes light up. The two fingers resting on his knees slowly spread open …
"I haven't smoked in a long time."
Professor Shen took a deep drag on his cigarette and unskillfully blew out a broken smoke ring. In his early years, when he was addicted to nights in the laboratory, this top scientist of the Federation was also used to never leaving his hand without a cigarette. However, when the war between the Federation and the Empire broke out, Professor Shen resolutely gave up smoking for the sake of the slogan "Working healthily for the Federation for 50 years". In the blink of an eye … it had already been several decades.
The old man and the young man sat on the metal staircase on the second floor of the laboratory, smoking cigarettes and chatting idly. They were very much like the bored passers-by at the entrance of a supermarket in the capital special district. However, Professor Shen was looking at all the details in the laboratory. Everything here had been pieced together by him, bit by bit.
Xu Le was sizing up Professor Shen from the corner of his eyes. The yellowish-brown spots on the old man's face were getting darker and brighter. In the past few days, the professor's spirits had been extremely good, but Xu Le kept feeling that there was a bad omen in his heart.
…
…
That night, Xu Le returned to his apartment in Wangdu. After washing Zou Yu's hair, he shut himself in his bedroom and lay on the bed with his eyes open. He stared at the ceiling above his head in a daze. The endless pictures in his mind moved according to his will. It was a map of the Donglin District full of mines and green fields.
Naturally, he thought of Uncle Feng Yu. In the past few days, he had spent all day and night with Professor Shen and received a lot of sincere praise. Only now did he truly understand how much Uncle Feng Yu had taught him during his days at the repair shop in the Donglin District when he taught him how to repair home appliances.
Xu Le felt that his luck in life was pretty good. Although his life was a bit messy, starting from the Donglin District, he often met some nobles. The so-called nobles were people who sincerely helped him. Uncle Feng Yu was like that, and so was Professor Shen.
The next day, he walked into the research institute in silence as usual. However, as he walked in, his mood became strange. This was because the colleagues he met on the way, besides greeting him, all looked at him with a very complicated gaze.
In front of the laboratory door, he saw a few officials in military uniforms. They were probably the supervisors of the technical department of the Shell Motor Company. Without the authorization of the chip, these officials could only wait outside the laboratory door.
"Second Lieutenant Xu Le?"
"Yes."
"Let me inform you of something …"
Xu Le's hands clenched tightly. He could not believe the news he had just heard. The breakfast in the paper bag in his hand was slightly distorted by his grip.
This was a small yellow pancake for Professor Shen. Yesterday, the old professor had said that although his teeth were not in good condition, he really wanted to eat this.
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