Chapter 118: Worry

He turned to the other experts: "Everyone, everything you have seen and heard today must not be mentioned to anyone, including your families. Tomorrow, I will organize a larger team of experts to conduct a comprehensive assessment and plan for this technology. But today, it is strictly confidential!"

The experts nodded one after another, indicating they understood.

Although everyone was incredibly excited inside and longed to tell the whole world about this major breakthrough, they were all people who had lived through the war years and knew well the importance of confidentiality.

At this moment, a noisy sound came from outside the laboratory.

Minister Zhao frowned and walked to the door, discovering that the corridor was crowded with workers who had come secretly to find out what was going on.

Some of them even pressed their ears against the door, trying to hear the conversation inside clearly.

"What is going on here?" Minister Zhao turned and asked Factory Lou Changzhang, his brows locked in a frown.

Factory Lou Changzhang explained awkwardly: "Yesterday's news leaked out. The workers in the factory all know that Chief Engineer Li has invented a magical machine tool, and everyone is very curious..."

Minister Zhao's expression darkened: "Disperse them immediately! This is a national secret project; no unauthorized personnel are allowed to get close!"

He turned to the Security Section personnel: "From now on, establish a restricted zone within a 50-meter radius of the laboratory. No one is allowed to enter without authorization. Everyone present today must sign a confidentiality agreement; those who violate it... will bear the consequences themselves!"

The Security Section personnel immediately took action and began to drive away the onlookers.

Minister Zhao's tone and expression made it clear to everyone that this was not a joking matter.

Although the workers were reluctant, they did not dare to defy the order and slowly dispersed.

The corridor was soon cleared, leaving only a few security personnel standing guard.

Closing the door, Minister Zhao's expression softened slightly: "Sorry, I may have overreacted, but the importance of this technology is simply too high; there cannot be any slip-ups."

"You did the right thing," Li Mingyuan said earnestly, "Confidentiality work does indeed need to be strengthened. I will cooperate closely with the factory's security department to ensure the safety of the technology."

Factory Lou Changzhang finished signing the last confidentiality document and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The comrades of the Security Section were as if facing a formidable enemy, marking off the 50 meters around the laboratory as a restricted zone; not even a fly could fly in.

As for Li Mingyuan's side, there was no intention of stopping at all.

The day after the "Spring Thunder Project" was officially launched, Li Mingyuan gathered more than twenty Technical Backbone members, including six Hexin technicians, to hold a secret meeting in the factory's conference room.

"Comrades, what we are going to do next will completely change the industrial production methods of Long Country." Li Mingyuan stood at the front, his gaze sweeping over every technician.

"To ensure that the work proceeds safely and in an orderly manner, we are adopting a partitioned management method; each group is only responsible for its own part of the work."

Li Shouzheng raised his hand and asked: "Chief Engineer Li, if we work separately like this, we won't even know what the whole system looks like. Will it work?"

"It is precisely because of this that it will work!" Li Mingyuan patted the table. "I know everyone has questions, but this is the requirement from above. A Group is responsible for the modification and production of the stepper motors, B Group is responsible for the circuit part of the control box, C Group is responsible for the mechanical transmission components, and D Group is responsible for the programming system..."

"Isn't this just like my mom making dumplings? One person rolls the dough, one person wraps the filling, and one person boils them?" a young technician muttered softly.

Everyone in the conference room laughed, and even Li Mingyuan couldn't help but laugh out loud:

"That's right, that is exactly the principle. But I can guarantee that in the end, we will get a plate of delicious dumplings!"

After the laughter, Li Mingyuan became serious: "Remember, no one is allowed to talk about things outside their own group, not even to their own pillow-mate! Violators..."

He made a throat-slitting gesture, "You know the consequences."

A chill ran down the spine of everyone present.

In the days that followed, changes were quietly taking place inside the Rolling Mill.

Several originally empty workshops were partitioned into independent areas, and at the entrance of each area stood comrades from the Security Section; without a pass, you couldn't even let out a fart.

The atmosphere in the factory was changing subtly.

On one hand, there was unprecedented tension and busyness, and on the other, there was an undercurrent of worry and unease.

"Lao Liu, have you heard? That 'machine that works by itself,' one unit can do the work of eight people!"

"Shh, keep your voice down! You can't talk nonsense about this. Yesterday, Lao Zhang was called to the Security Section to drink tea just because he ran his mouth in the canteen."

"Really? Then what will happen to us old workers in the future?"

"Who knows, anyway, the atmosphere in the factory is weird now."

Such whispers spread in every corner of the factory; although the higher-ups had repeatedly ordered that it was not to be discussed, they could not stop people's curiosity and fear.

Downstairs in the workers' dormitory building, several old masters sat together, fiddling with a few pieces of wood and talking in low voices.

"I've been a lathe operator for thirty years and am about to retire. Now that this thing has come along, is my old trade useless?" an old master with gray hair sighed.

"What are you afraid of? The working class will always be the masters!" another worker wearing glasses said indignantly, "What machine can compare to the hands of us workers?"

"Then you go tell Chief Engineer Li and see if he listens to you." The old master smiled bitterly, "He is a Chief Engineer at such a young age and has so many skills; us old guys are probably really going to be eliminated by the times."

In the Siheyuan, Jia Dongxu had just returned from the factory. As soon as he entered the door, he threw his hat on the table, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

"What's wrong?" Qin Huairu put down her needlework and looked at her husband in confusion, "What happened at the factory again?"

Jia Dongxu sighed heavily and slumped into a chair: "It's over, it's really over this time!"

"You need to explain clearly; it's killing me with anxiety!" Qin Huairu said urgently.

Jia Dongxu lowered his voice: "I heard Li Mingyuan invented a machine that can process parts by itself. One unit can replace eight skilled workers, and it doesn't get tired; it can work 24 hours a day!"

"Really?" Qin Huairu widened her eyes, "Is there such a thing in this world?"

"It's absolutely true! I saw those experts enter the factory to inspect it with my own eyes, and every one of them came out looking like they had seen a ghost; they were incredibly excited." Jia Dongxu gritted his teeth,

"Now the factory has started some 'Spring Thunder Project,' and the confidentiality level is terrifyingly high; even the toilets have people watching them."

Qin Huairu frowned: "Then what are you nervous about? Isn't it a good thing to have a new machine? If the factory's efficiency goes up, won't we benefit from it too?"

"You don't know a damn thing!" Jia Dongxu waved his hand irritably, "If one machine replaces eight people, what will the other seven do? They'll have to be laid off! Although the factory hasn't said it explicitly, every workshop is secretly screening to see who the 'surplus personnel' are."

Qin Huairu panicked now: "Then you..."