Chapter 392: The Excitement of the Star-Spangled Country

The system quickly projected a global political map, marking the political leanings, military needs, and economic strength of various countries and regions.

"Primary target markets: independence movement countries, emerging nation-states, revolutionary regimes..."

Li Mingyuan studied this analysis carefully, marking the product types and sales strategies suitable for each market on the weapons list.

Arms trade is not just a commercial act, but an extension of political influence.

By providing weapons to these countries, Long Country can build a powerful network of international allies, laying the foundation for future global positioning.

"Weapon exports must be combined with political support," he muttered to himself,

"We cannot be like the Star-Spangled Country, selling weapons and ignoring the aftermath. We must provide complete training, maintenance, and upgrade services, so that clients can truly use them well and for a long time."

He added supporting service items such as Military Advisor, technical training, and logistical support to the end of the list; this would be the key advantage that distinguishes Long Country's military trade from the Star-Spangled Country.

After completing the weapons list, Li Mingyuan turned to the steel production plan.

This was a more massive systems engineering project, involving multiple links such as raw material supply, factory construction, technical training, quality control, and market development.

He meticulously planned the timetable and site selection for the construction of the Converter, considering factors such as transportation convenience, raw material supply, and labor costs.

At the same time, he also designed a complete quality control system to ensure that Long Country's steel could meet or even exceed international standards.

Finally, he began to formulate the machine tool production plan.

Machine tools are the "mother machines" of industry, determining the technical level and production capacity of the entire industrial system.

"C-50 Universal Lathe, M-35 Vertical Milling Machine, D-20 Drilling Machine, G-15 Grinding Machine..."

He listed a series of basic machine tool models; these would be the starting point for Long Country's machinery industry. With the accumulation and improvement of technology, Long Country could gradually develop more complex and precise machine tools, ultimately achieving a comprehensive upgrade of the industrial system.

Late at night, when the last list was completed, Li Mingyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He organized the three documents, put them into his briefcase, and prepared to submit them to the special task force tomorrow.

……

Prometheus Base in the Nevada Desert of the Star-Spangled Country, 4:00 AM. While most people in the Star-Spangled Country were still asleep, it was already brightly lit here.

Doctor Feng Bulaide had not closed his eyes for three days. The walls of his office were covered with calculation formulas and rocket design drawings, and his desk was piled with coffee cups and pills. He was arguing fiercely with the chief engineer of the Engine team.

"The only way to reduce weight is to simplify the design!" Bulaide insisted, his voice hoarse from exhaustion, "Change the original two-and-a-half-stage configuration to a simple two-stage, and remove all non-essential scientific instruments."

"But this will significantly reduce reliability," the engineer objected, "The rocket might not be able to reach the intended orbit at all."

"A sixty-five percent success rate is already enough for us," Bulaide said decisively.

Mentioning Long Country, the engineer's expression also changed.

Just then, Bulaide's red phone rang—this was the hotline directly connected to the Black Palace.

"Bulaide," he picked up the phone, "Yes, sir... progress is going very smoothly... The earliest? End of June... No, it's impossible to move it up any further unless we lower safety standards... Okay, I understand."

Hanging up the phone, Bulaide's expression was even more solemn than before.

"When does the Vice Commander want to see results?" the engineer asked.

"Early June," Bulaide shook his head, "They want to launch on June 8th—Flag Day of the Star-Spangled Country."

"Are they crazy? That's a full three weeks ahead of schedule!"

Bulaide gave a bitter smile: "That's politics, my friend. The domestic situation is even worse than we imagined. The unemployment rate continues to climb, congressional hearings are questioning the government every day about why they accepted those 'humiliating conditions,' and protests are constant in major cities..."

"So they need a Victory," the engineer understood, "A Victory that can let the people of the Star-Spangled Country regain their confidence."

"Exactly," Bulaide walked to the window and looked at the flat desert in the distance, where their hope stood—a rocket nearing completion, "This is not just a scientific experiment, but a symbol of national honor."

At the same time, major media outlets in the Star-Spangled Country began an unprecedented propaganda offensive. Newspaper front pages, radio broadcasts, and television news were filled with reports about "conquering space."

New York Times front-page headline: "Star-Spangled Country to Become the First Nation to Conquer Space"

Washington Post feature: "Space Exploration: The Next National Glory"

Time Weekly cover: "Stairway to the Stars: The Star-Spangled Country's Space Dream"

Hollywood even accelerated the production of a science fiction film titled Star Conqueror, telling the story of Star-Spangled Country astronauts exploring space, planned for release one week before the satellite launch to warm up the national public.

The Black Palace press secretary declared at a press conference: "The artificial satellite program is not only a scientific breakthrough but also a testament to the Star-Spangled Country's technological strength and national spirit. Soon, the whole world will look up to the achievements of the Star-Spangled Country."

The effect of this propaganda offensive was immediate. The national mood, previously depressed due to the war defeat, began to improve, and people looked forward to this space race bringing new glory to the country. In streets and alleys, space became a hot topic of conversation; in schools, children made paper rockets, dreaming of becoming astronauts in the future.

But beneath the superficial cheers, the government of the Star-Spangled Country had another unknown plan in progress.

In the Black Palace underground command center, a top-secret meeting was underway.

"How is the 'Thor's Hammer' project progressing?" the Vice Commander asked straightforwardly.

The Secretary of Defense showed a test video: "The third test launch at the Taipingyang test site last week was successful, with a range reaching 7,500 kilometers and the margin of error controlled within 800 meters."

The Vice Commander nodded with satisfaction: "Mass production timetable?"

"Next March, the first batch of 12 cruise Missiles will enter deployment status," the Secretary of Defense replied, "They will be deployed at forward bases in Alaska and the Taipingyang region, capable of covering the entire territory of Long Country."

"Not fast enough," the Vice Commander frowned, "Long Country's technological development speed far exceeds our expectations. Intelligence shows they are already developing more advanced Mushroom bombs and Guidance Systems."

Central Intelligence Agency Director Allen interjected: "The latest intelligence confirms that Li Mingyuan did indeed submit the Space Project and advanced Radar System proposals to the high-level officials of Long Country, but they are currently still in the evaluation stage. It is unlikely they will pose a substantive threat in the short term."

"What is that 'Sky Eye One' project?" the Vice Commander asked.

"Some kind of all-weather, all-terrain reconnaissance system, possibly combining Radar and optical technology," Allen explained, "If successful, it will greatly enhance Long Country's intelligence-gathering capabilities."

The Vice Commander's expression became even more solemn: "We cannot wait any longer. How is 'Project Zero' coming along?"