It was not autumn between August and September, but the drizzling rain in Harbor City washed away the heat and soothed the smell of dust. Then, with the cold wind blowing from the north, the air began to cool and clean, adding a hint of autumn to it. Xu Le stood on the platform of the industrial park building, squinting his eyes as he looked at the blurry watercolor-like scenery of the city on the other side of the drizzling autumn rain. He subconsciously raised his hand and took a puff of a 37 brand cigarette. The cigarette entered his throat and lungs. It was a little spicy, but also a little sweet, just like his mood at the moment.
Yesterday afternoon, in the bustling city of Harbor City, the election of Governor Ross and Senator Medellin had carried out a huge campaign. The people who came to participate were not afraid of the cold autumn rain, and the number of people reached more than 200,000. During that campaign, Dean Lin of the Federal Academy of Science finally stood on the stage. In his decades of academic career, this was the first time he expressed his views on politics, and he called on the Federation voters to support Ross and Senator Medellin.
Xu Le could not remember the reason that Dean Lin of the Academy of Sciences used. It was mostly that he yearned for peace, and every contribution he made to the Federation was to resist the invasion of the Empire, to unite the people of the Federation, and that Governor Ross and Senator Medellin were presidential candidates that he believed to be trustworthy, and so on.
The Federal Academy of Science, which had a high status in the hearts of the Federation citizens, expressed its views on the presidential election for the first time. Whether this was in accordance with the election laws of the Federation was not something that many people cared about, because Senator Pabre would not be able to fight a constitutional lawsuit at this time. The key was that the effect had already been seen. After the Academy of Sciences announced the successful development of the MX mecha, its position in the hearts of the Federation citizens improved. The bias that Dean Lin announced had a huge impact on the psychology of the voters. According to the latest Federation TV poll, Ross and Senator Medellin had for the first time surpassed Senator Pabre in terms of public support.
Xu Le narrowed his eyes at the sudden desolate autumn scene, but he didn't feel too much sorrow in his heart. However, he was wondering why the things that Shi Qinghai had passed to Secretary Shen through him hadn't been exposed at this time of the presidential election. Could it be that Lady Tai was so confident in Pabre that she didn't want to resort to such means?
In a sense, Shi Qinghai and Xu Le were just small fries. However, these two small fries were constantly trying to achieve great things. Xu Le didn't know if he could succeed. He only knew that if someone like Senator Macklin were to stand at the peak of the Federation's power, the Federation, which was already somewhat corrupt, would become even more unacceptable.
He put the cigarette to his lips with two fingers and took a deep breath. He asked softly, "Is the result not out yet?"
Shang Qiu was wearing a gray work uniform and standing quietly beside him. She was looking at something below the rooftop. There were still some raindrops on her huge glasses. When she heard this, she knew that the young man beside her was not as calm as he appeared to be. She lowered her head and answered, "We have done what we should do. Whether we can pass the final test or not is up to God."
Since the video call that day, because there was no longer a need to keep it a secret, the engineers of the Nutshell Engineering Department knew the true identity of the mysterious technical team in the backup storage room. They were shocked that there was only one person in the team. Engineer Shang Qiu came directly to the backup storage room and started working with Xu Le.
They didn't know what Xu Le said to Shang Qiu, but this genius female engineer didn't ask about the error in the core data anymore. Maybe she knew the truth, so other than the two of them, no one else knew about the secret of the new MX machine named "Purple Sea" from the Federal Academy of Science.
They were both engineers with extraordinary talents. From the beginning, Xu Le and Shang Qiu's communication was very smooth. No matter what idea he came up with, this female engineer seemed to be able to use the current technology of the Federation to find a way to realize it. And every time Shang Qiu came up with a vague idea, Xu Le could use his knowledge, the ideas taught by the uncle, and the complicated blueprints in his mind to give her some inspiration.
This kind of extremely tacit cooperation had actually started a long time ago, before the two of them had even met. Shang Qiu had always been in charge of the finalization of the MX mecha. Xu Le's work in the underground of the engineering department these past few days was mainly to cooperate with this girl. However, he hadn't known about this at the start. Shang Qiu also hadn't expected that the technical support team in the backup storage room would actually be someone younger than herself.
The air on the rooftop was somewhat chilly. Shang Qiu tightened the work uniform draped over her body, her arms crossed in front of her chest, which squeezed the dizzying whiteness of her breasts even more. Xu Le had long gotten used to this female engineer's figure, so he was no longer as nervous and stunned as before. After a brief pause, he passed a cigarette to her and said, "I can't be as calm as you."
"I'm faking it."
Shang Qiu moved to his side and lit the cigarette. The reddish end of the cigarette trembled in the autumn wind. She exhaled the smoke somewhat shakily, coughed twice, and said, "After I graduated from Metropolis University, I entered the engineering department. The first and last job I took on was the MX mecha. In truth, this is the only thing I've done in my life. Today, I'll know whether this thing will succeed or not. Of course I'm a little nervous."
Xu Le glanced at her, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and extinguished it in the water stains on the railing. He said, "I'm also very nervous."
The profession of an engineer was different from that of a warship commander. It was still a male-dominated world. This was determined by the difference in the thought patterns and interest of the sexes in metal and machinery. He thought to himself, Shang Qiu had been able to enter the core department to research the MX mecha as soon as she graduated from Metropolis University. Moreover, in just a few short years, she had risen from a normal technician to the present technical supervisor. Her ability had already been amply proven.
The Federation government had given the Nutshell engineering department a week's time. Today was the last day. No matter how many ideas the hundreds of engineers in the engineering department still had to be tested, or how much finishing work they still had to do, a result had to be produced today. In fact, when Xu Le and Shang Qiu were smoking on the rooftop, it was precisely when the DOD general assembly base officers were coming to the engineering department to conduct a joint inspection.
Success and failure would be determined in these few short hours. Just as Shang Qiu had said earlier, what they needed to do had already been done. There was no point in staying in the storeroom any longer. Thus, they simply left the storeroom and came to the rooftop to bask in the autumn rain and scenery. It was as if this was the only way to leave that tense and stifling atmosphere.
Speaking of which, it was very strange. The engineering department's MX mecha was currently undergoing inspection, but the two most important and crucial engineers were hiding outside, not thinking or daring to care about those things at all.
Almost at the same time, Mr José's voice rang out from Xu Le and Shang Qiu's communicators. The two of them exchanged a look, and from the other's eyes, they both found that Mr José's tone did not reveal anything. This pair of young geniuses very tacitly wiped away the rainwater on their foreheads and walked silently into the building.
When they reached the entrance of the building, Xu Le threw the extinguished cigarette butt into the dustbin. Shang Qiu paused for a moment, and then did the same.
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…
The two of them followed the passageway into the backup storeroom.
In the past, the storeroom was abnormally spacious and quiet, with only the sound of assembly lines and mechanical arms. Today, however, it was abnormally lively, because many people had come. Although those people were all standing in place at the moment, not whispering to each other, this atmosphere made Xu Le feel a little uncomfortable.
He looked at the silver-white MX mecha on the platform in the distance, and then at the seemingly small figures below the tall mecha. He narrowed his eyes.
The director of the Ministry of National Defence's General Assembly Base had come, and so had the CEO of the Shell Motor Company. There were also many technical personnel from the military and the research institute. These people were all wearing dust-proof and radiation-resistant work clothes, goggles and full equipment. They looked just like battleship maintenance personnel walking in space; it was impossible to tell their identities and positions.
Xu Le looked at those fully covered test officers, and could not help but think of himself and the others smoking, eating, and exercising in front of the MX mecha. He could not help but smile.
As he walked down the metal stairs, Secretary Bai and Major Lan Xiaolong silently came up behind him. One was his personal secretary, while the other was a soldier under the orders of the Ministry of National Defence to protect the safety of others. Naturally, they would not be too far away from him.
Major Lan Xiaolong looked at Shang Qiu beside Xu Le, and raised an eyebrow, a hint of ambiguity in his eyes. Bai Yulan, on the other hand, maintained her calm and ladylike expression, her head slightly lowered. Xu Le did not ask about the results of the inspection, because since Mr José had informed him, the results would have to wait at the front.
Xu Le and Shang Qiu walked towards the MX mecha. The sound of their footsteps was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the storeroom. The officers who had been talking in front of the mecha heard Mr José say a few words, and then turned to look at the young man and woman, seeming somewhat surprised.
A loud metallic clang drowned out the sound of their footsteps. The passageway between the backup storeroom and the engineering department had been completely opened, and that extremely thick and heavy alloy wall had been moved to another location. The engineers who had previously been at the engineering department headquarters to cooperate with the inspection work all walked over from the other side to join the people in the storeroom.
These engineers carried incredibly complex emotions as they glanced at the MX mecha that was now standing up on its own, basking in the feeling of being parents for the first time. Then, they turned their gazes towards the approaching Xu Le and Shang Qiu. These engineers knew very well that if not for these two young technicians, the engineering department would never have been able to complete the MX mecha research and development so quickly.
No one spoke. The spacious underground storeroom was silent. Suddenly, the skylight system above the storeroom switched on, and simulated natural light fell to illuminate the platform above.
Under the natural light, the silvery-white MX mecha stood tall on the platform, the firepower system on its left mechanical arm fully engaged. The brand-new design of the recirculating main cannon was silently and coldly aimed at the sky. The edges of the wings attached to the mecha's back flowed with eye-catching streamlines, as if in the next moment, this new mecha condensed from more than 10 years of Shell Motor Company's hard work would move.
Right then, Xu Le and Shang Qiu had just reached the platform. He looked at Mr José and Zhou Yu, but forgot to shake hands with these important people.
Mr José looked at the two young people in front of him with a complicated expression, suddenly feeling that he was the luckiest supervisor in the history of Shell Motor Company. A few years ago, he had discovered a genius like Shang Qiu in the engineering department, and then the heavens had delivered a freak like Xu Le to him.
He nodded his head slightly.
No one knew which engineer suddenly clapped, but the sound of clapping soon followed. Like the heavy rain that had just begun to fall that night, the clapping grew louder and louder, more and more urgent. It was as if the rain was getting heavier and heavier, roaring and howling, washing away all the gloominess of the world, leaving behind only the refreshing and clean sky.
The thunderous applause rang out, echoing throughout the spacious underground storeroom. Even the CEO and the director of the Ministry of National Defence's General Assembly Base began to smile and clap.
Countless gazes turned to Xu Le and Shang Qiu. Countless claps were either for them or for themselves. The engineers were excited and rejoicing. They knew that the greatest contributors to the success of the MX mecha's development were these two young people.
Xu Le and Shang Qiu glanced at each other, and then their lips split into a child-like grin. The MX mecha developed by the engineering department had passed the acceptance test. They had succeeded.
The clapping continued for a long time. Some of the engineers' palms were already red from clapping, so they decided to just stomp their feet and kick up a fuss, as if insisting that Xu Le and Shang Qiu say something at this time. They were all technical personnel — giving the glory to these two young people was equivalent to giving themselves respect.
Xu Le looked around, his smile somewhat dazed. He lowered his head clumsily and bowed his thanks in all directions.
For the sake of the Federation's new generation of mecha, the Shell Motor Company had begun research more than 10 years ago. Even before that, there had been scholars and experts working hard. The engineers around them had never stopped working, and some of the older experts had even bid farewell to this world during this long process.
Every time Xu Le thought of this, he felt that the glory should belong to them, to those who were clapping. This was not a pretense or pretentious sentiment — he truly felt this way. He always felt that he had only solved the last problem. It was like building a skyscraper — the foundation and the body of the building had all been built by the predecessors. He had only built the last floor, yet he had to enjoy the applause and respect of so many people. He felt a little embarrassed.
"You are really amazing." Xu Le forced himself to calm the excitement in his heart and looked at Shang Qiu beside him seriously. A young girl actually being able to complete the assembly design of a twin engine — if one had to say who was the biggest contributor, it should be Shang Qiu beside him.
"I know that I am amazing in this area."
Shang Qiu replied with a smile, but the two hands in her sleeves were already clenched into fists. Facing such a scene, how could she, who had dedicated all of her youth to this project, not be excited?
Just like Xu Le, she bowed to the engineers around her in thanks. Her grey work uniform was still draped over her shoulders, bowing to all directions. When she lowered her head, who knew how many spring ripples were exposed in front of everyone's eyes, but she acted as if she did not know anything.
"Oh." Major Lan Xiaolong, who was behind Xu Le, called out softly.
The engineers began to whistle, and the warehouse was filled with jubilation.
After Shang Qiu stood up, Xu Le whispered beside her, "You did that on purpose?"
"I am the supervisor, and I know how hard they have worked these past few years. Since they succeeded today, of course I have to give them some benefits." Shang Qiu beamed and said, "You contributed the most, so do you want me to give you some benefits?"
Xu Le subconsciously glanced at Shang Qiu's bulging chest and quickly shook his head.
Shang Qiu laughed twice, leaned over, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him hard on the cheek, making a crisp sound.
Xu Le touched his face and then scratched his head. He knew that this only meant that he was happy and did not mean anything else. However, in the eyes of the engineers around them, it was not just that. Therefore, the whistles became louder, and there were occasional jeers and shouts. The atmosphere in the warehouse suddenly reached a climax.
Bai Yulan, who had been keeping his head down, also raised his head at this moment. He gently lit up a cigarette with a smile and gently took a puff.
He was a non-smoker, and would only make an exception when he was in an abnormal mood. Amidst the thunderous applause, he quietly thought to himself, when Xu Le and Shang Qiu were designing the assembly at the end, he, as the test pilot, had carried out many tests. Could this be considered some contribution to MX?
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…
Right at 4: 32 pm that day, before the results of the joint inspection by the Ministry of Defence and the Shell Motor Company could be reported to the Federation, a headline appeared on the Federation's biggest news bulletin board: "Shell Engineering Department's new MX mecha has been successfully developed!"
The Federation's biggest news bulletin board was called Star's Sky. Every day, countless citizens of the Federation would choose to view or publish real-time news here. The news was divided into countless categories, so the main news section refreshed exceptionally quickly. That single headline was immediately squeezed into a dozen or so pages, and did not attract much attention.
However, immediately after, someone reposted the news on a Weibo, pointing out that the new MX mecha from the Shell Engineering Department had passed the joint inspection by the Ministry of Defence and the company's headquarters this afternoon. It wasn't until now that someone noticed this news. At the same time, the previously buried title was reopened by someone.
Today, the most discussed topic of the Federation's citizens was the Federal Academy of Science's Purple Sea mecha and the presidential election. The public's passion and understanding of mecha had been aroused to an unprecedented level, so this piece of news instantly garnered the attention of many people and was quickly pinned in red at the top.
However, the public did not understand — the Federal Academy of Science had already developed the mecha, so why was the Shell Engineering Department still continuing? There were George Carlin supporters who began to denounce the Federation's government for blocking information and carrying out repetitive construction, wasting the resources provided by the taxpayers. There were also military enthusiasts who began to analyse the deeper meaning behind the Shell Motor Company's actions. However, without seeing pictures and videos, they also did not know what the difference between the Shell Motor Company's MX and the Federal Academy of Science's Purple Sea was.
For a time, the heated discussion about the new Shell Motor Company's mecha continued into the middle of the night. However, most people expressed their lack of understanding towards the matter, and began to doubt or even criticize the Shell Motor Company's intentions. Right at this time, a post titled "An Open Letter from the Shell Engineers" was placed on the news bulletin board. Like a giant rock falling into water, it stirred up a thousand ripples.
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