Spark

What are you talking about? Huaxia detained the South Island's security boat?

In the turret office, Bob suddenly jumped up from behind the desk. Judging by his posture, if the desk hadn't blocked him, he might have jumped directly in front of the assistant, grabbing his collar and questioning him.

Such a serious matter, why did you not notify it until now?

Seeing his expression, the assistant replied with some helplessness:

In fact, we have notified the incident as soon as it happened. It has not been more than an hour since their security boat was seized.

No, this is not the first time!

Bob waved his hand irritably, and continued:

I mean, they should have informed us of the situation as soon as they decided to return the fishing boat, or even escort it with a security boat!

They should have foreseen the danger of this plan. Even we have postponed the plan. Why do they want to provoke?

...Maybe their original intention was not provocation, they just wanted to maintain balance in this way under the current situation.

But it's obvious that Gu Kuanmin played a little trick, and he screwed up.

Hearing this, Bob sighed, then gritted his teeth and said:

I've said a long time ago that we should put a tougher, smarter figure in power.

I am very optimistic about You Xijian, but the grandpas in the Congress, as if they have entered the stage of dementia in advance, actually empathize with an 80-year-old man like Gu Kuanmin.

I'm really afraid that one day, our country will be ruled by such an old man half buried in the ground, and it will really be over.

I don't think so.

The assistant shook his head calmly and replied:

At least for now, our leadership is still very young.

It's hard to say. I am old, and my friends are also old.

How many more years can we last? But relatively, their team is getting younger and bolder

Bob's voice gradually lowered, and after a moment of silence, he suddenly came back to his senses, and then continued:

Forget it, this topic is no longer discussed.

We can't fix it in a short period of time, so let's just pretend it didn't happen.

Now, the most important thing for us is to find out the specific stock of the other party's metal hydrogen. Have we made any progress on this matter?

have.

The assistant nodded quickly, then spread out the document in his hand, and said to Bob:

According to the information collected in the early stage, it is inferred from the comprehensive raw material consumption, spare parts consumption, electricity and other energy consumption, as well as the working hours of researchers and equipment, that the other party's current production of metal hydrogen materials is still stuck in the laboratory stage. The yield will not exceed 30 kilograms.

That's a lot less than we originally estimated, the threat has been greatly reduced.

originally?

Bob was keenly aware of the key points in the other party's words.

Yes, originally.

But we can say that we are very lucky. Through a peripheral intelligence agent in the early stage, we established contact with the Seisai Research Institute.

From an insider, we got a piece of information: Huaxia's research on metal hydrogen probably didn't start when the plan was made public.

On the contrary, since that time, they have already had a mature preparation process, and may even have carried out laboratory preparation work for more than two years.

So, based on the average daily output of a single laboratory of about 500 grams, we estimate that their current stock of metal hydrogen explosives may even have exceeded 20 tons.

20 tons? How is this possible?

Bob exclaimed in surprise:

A laboratory can only produce about 500 grams per day, which means a maximum of 200 kilograms a year. Are you going to tell me that they mobilized 100 laboratories for secret production?

No.

The assistant shook her head, then showed Bob a photo.

This is a newly added underground facility photographed by a spy satellite in a certain area in the northwest. We have wondered about the purpose of the other party's new base here a long time ago.

Now it seems that there are abundant water sources, complete power facilities, and a new multi-level power station on the nearby river, which is likely to be related to the synthesis of metal hydrogen.

But it is still possible that the other party deliberately released false information.

Bob said cautiously.

Of course it is possible, but at present, the possibility is not high.

What we have obtained is not direct intelligence, but information about the use of the other party's warehouses --- According to verification, the other party has indeed activated several new explosives warehouses before, and the transport vehicles out of these warehouses have close contacts with CALT. It should be It is changing the charge of various types of strategic missiles.

Hearing this, even the suspicious Bob had to nod.

Although he is not a professional intelligence officer, he also knows that indirect information is often more reliable than direct information.

20 tons of metallic hydrogen is okay. If calculated according to the damage power estimated in the early stage, there is still a distance from the warning line.

But their industry is developing at a high speed --- obviously, the purpose of introducing various research institutes is not to expand production capacity, but to achieve rapid technology diffusion.

Maybe in two months at most, the amount of metal hydrogen they hold will be enough to break through the safety line that our side must launch a nuclear counterattack.

At that time, their deterrence will be officially formed.

There was an unconcealable worry in the assistant's eyes, and Bob pondered silently, silently calculating the explosion efficiency of metal hydrogen and nuclear fuel in his heart.

At present, the utilization rate of nuclear fuel in nuclear bombs is generally around 30%. According to the calculation based on the equivalent of 1:15000 for nuclear bombs and 1:20 for metal hydrogen, the opponent only needs 60 tons of metal hydrogen explosives to be able to Reach your own warning line.

——

This is still on the premise that the opponent directly uses metal hydrogen as the raw material. If it is further developed, metal hydrogen is used as the primary detonator of the hydrogen bomb?

Can't think about it anymore.

So, how long do we have left?

Bob asked:

Maximum 6 months, minimum 3 months.

During this time, we have to come up with a response plan.

The assistant's words were a little vague, but Bob understood it.

This means that if the matter here is to be completely resolved, it must be within three months.

——

The so-called complete solution conflicted with our previous goals.

I am afraid that one's own side can no longer try to use this quagmire to hold the other party back. As long as one takes action, one must solve the problem decisively and quickly.

And to do that, it's hard to stay out of it.

This is by no means an easy strategy to make a decision about.

After thinking for a long time, Bob said:

Notify over there, we need to organize an emergency meeting and re-examine the strategy.

The situation has changed. We have started to lose the initiative.

If you want to achieve your goal, you must find a way to regain the initiative!

Chen Nian sat in his office, reviewing the latest task progress information.

Wudetection-9 has entered the final sprint stage, Julang-3 air test has been completed, and it will soon enter the launch test.

The not-so-difficult missile boat project has already ended. After the YJ-21H is successful, it can basically announce the end of the research and development process.

Currently, the 096 project is the most difficult and complicated short-term project, but just this morning, he received a message from Wuwei, Gansu:

The first set of thorium-based molten salt reactors has been tested and is in good condition. The thermal efficiency exceeds project expectations by 5%, and the output power is almost twice that of nuclear submarine reactors in service. There is no doubt that it is a great success.

This also means that the most difficult power problem of the 096 project has been solved, and the next step is only the production and assembly links.

On the premise that there is no material barrier, this process will obviously not be too difficult, all it takes is time.

From Chen Nian's point of view, the projects that require his intervention have basically been completed—maybe before the launch of 096A, he still needs to be responsible for a small amount of technical review and process design work, but this part of the work cannot take up too much of his time .

So, inevitably, Chen Nian started thinking about new projects again.

Due to the use of source points to solve urgent problems regardless of cost during the early project sprint, in the past few months, the number of net source points he has actually accumulated is not much.

From the initial 400 points, up to now, it has just broken through 800 points.

If he, who is new to the system, saw this number, he would probably jump up from his chair happily, but in the current environment, don't tell me, it's really not that expensive.

There is no other reason, the technological foundation of this world is about to be squeezed dry.

The more the technology deviates from the technology foundation of the current timeline, the more source points will be consumed.

What did Chen Nian want before?

The fourth-generation aircraft that others have built, the big ship based on known principles and technologies, and the strategic bomber stitched together by many new technologies

These things can't be said that it is not advanced, but it does not exceed the cognition of most people.

And now? What does Chen Nian want now?

Metallic hydrogen is a prime example—he wanted something that, if it appeared, would revolutionize the world.

If the source consumption of this kind of thing is not high, it is impossible to make sense logically.

Thinking of this, Chen Nian sighed.

He couldn't blame the system for being too stingy, so he had no choice but to maximize its value as much as possible with limited resources.

However, when it comes to the issue of maximizing value, he is inevitably a little confused.

food? energy? transportation?

There is no way to start.

After thinking for a long time, Chen Nian still picked up the phone and informed Chen Guo that he had reported a new topic to the regular meeting of the Spark core group in the afternoon.

The technology belongs to the technology, and the strategy belongs to the strategy. This is the most time-saving working method that Chen Nian has explored.

In the afternoon, he attended the regular meeting of the core group on time, and after a series of boring progress reports and budget reports, it was finally his turn to discuss the topic.

Next step technology development planning issues.

Chen Nian first delivered an introductory speech, and then everyone in the core group immediately started a discussion.

——

In fact, they have been waiting for this issue for a long time.

Once Chen Nian takes the initiative to declare the topic, it basically means that there will be a new batch of technologies that will be born in this world.

Most of you here are engaged in scientific research. How many of you are not excited about this?

A middle-aged man took up his seat. He was Ye Beijian, a representative of the aerospace industry. Before that, the Xinghuo team's projects were only related to aerospace from the beginning to the end. It can be considered relevant, but for the general direction of aerospace, the effect is still too small.

Therefore, his speech also has a strong meaning of suffering.

.I, Lao Ye, won't be polite to you about this question. I will answer it first.

I think that our country's technology in the aviation field must be brought up as soon as possible, because compared with other industries and other fields, in fact, so far, aerospace has been regarded as a shortcoming of ours.

Although we have made some achievements in the field of manned spaceflight, there is still a long way to go before what we want to achieve.

What about the space station? What about the lunar exploration program? What about the Beidou satellite positioning system?

Each of these things can be said to be very important.

But the paradox is that too few resources are invested in these projects - it is right to be thrifty and make revolution, but on the other hand, we must also be wary of some bad thinking.

For example, some notices believe that aerospace is too ambitious and the cost-effectiveness ratio is too low, but I want to say that we have indeed arrived, and it is time to aim too high.

Hearing his words, everyone in the conference room nodded.

In fact, the shortcoming of aerospace has become more and more conspicuous in the past two years, especially after the deterioration of the relationship between China and the United States. As for the opportunity to enter the Russian segment of the space station, its role in scientific research is also extremely limited.

Coupled with the fact that the GPS system is still firmly in the hands of the Americans, this has always been a big problem for us. Many people even say that if the Beidou network is not successful, we will never be able to defeat the United States.

Therefore, it is normal for Ye Beijian to have such an appeal.

——

Of course, just because his request is reasonable does not mean that others will immediately agree.

After his words fell, Chen Feiyun sitting in the front row immediately raised his hand and said:

The aerospace industry needs to be developed, and I agree with that.

But the question is, to what extent and how to prioritize, this is what we need to consider.

I'm different from everyone. I'm not an expert in the field of technology, but I think about it from an overall perspective. I think that the most important task at present is not aerospace, but computers.

In the future, in various scientific research fields, our demand for computer technology will become stronger and higher, and the requirements for computing power will also become higher and higher. We should vigorously develop supercomputing to ensure that subsequent scientific research will not fail due to this gap. conduct.

Before Chen Feiyun finished speaking, someone in the meeting room immediately stood up and objected:

According to what you said, I think that a large-scale particle collider should be built. This thing is too important for the development of frontier physics.

Particle colliders are far less important than nuclear fusion. Let's do nuclear fusion first.

I agree with nuclear fusion. In this regard, our technical foundation is relatively strong. After all, metal hydrogen has already come out.

Everyone's discussion became more and more intense, but Chen Nian just listened silently from the sidelines.

He knew that this discussion would eventually lead to results.

However, it takes more time