Chapter 507: The Century Technological Decisive Battle

Penglai Base, Core No. 1 Factory

At the same time, Li Mingyuan was personally guiding a group of engineers in using the "Nuwa" system to design key components for the Kunpeng. On the large screen, a complex 3D model was rotating, displaying the internal structure and fluid channels of the ground-effect wing.

Department Head Zhang walked in hurriedly, holding a newspaper in his hand: "Lao Li, have you seen the news? The Star-Spangled Country has announced the development of a transistor computer, and the whole world is in an uproar."

Li Mingyuan glanced at the newspaper and continued to focus on the model on the screen: "Hmm, expected."

"You aren't surprised at all?" Department Head Zhang was somewhat astonished, "This is epoch-making technology."

Li Mingyuan gently adjusted a parameter of the model, a faint smile hanging on the corners of his mouth: "Department Head Zhang, when you hold the design blueprints for a jet aircraft in your hand, would you be surprised if someone else invented a propeller?"

Department Head Zhang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized.

Department Head Zhang took a deep breath and suddenly laughed out loud: "So I've been worrying that others developed a pistol, when it turns out we've had an atomic bomb in our hands all along."

"Something like that." Li Mingyuan also smiled, "Let them stay busy patting each other on the back; we have more important things to do."

As they were speaking, an engineer ran over, holding a design drawing: "Chief Engineer Li, the stress analysis results for the Kunpeng main wing connector are out, and the strength fully meets the design requirements!"

"Very good," Li Mingyuan nodded, "Notify the manufacturing department to immediately arrange for 'Fuxi' to process it."

Department Head Zhang watched all of this silently, a feeling of blood boiling in his heart.

"By the way," Li Mingyuan suddenly remembered something, "The two great powers know nothing about the 'Pangu' system, which is an advantage for us. Now we should let them continue to maintain this state, for as long as possible."

"I understand this," Department Head Zhang nodded, "That is why we haven't made any official response to the 'Dawn' project."

"But..." a hint of cunning flashed in Li Mingyuan's eyes, "we can't let them be too comfortable; after all, pressure is the driving force of progress."

Department Head Zhang was stunned: "What do you want to do?"

Li Mingyuan revealed that smile familiar to Department Head Zhang, the one that always meant something big was about to happen: "Let's give the two great power gentlemen a little 'stimulation'."

News of the two heroes competing spread rapidly across the globe. Major newspapers and radio stations were enthusiastically discussing the Star-Spangled Country's "Dawn-I" transistor computer, describing it as the "pinnacle of human technology" and a "watershed of the electronic age."

At the White House in the Star-Spangled Country, the President met with the team of scientists from Bell Labs and personally awarded them the Medal of Scientific Achievement. In global financial markets, Bell System stocks soared by 35% within a week, hitting a historic high.

Beijixiong Guo, meanwhile, appeared exceptionally angry and nervous. The Supreme Soviet held three emergency secret meetings, mobilized the nation's top electronic scientists and engineers, and began an emergency project codenamed "Red Star."

"We must produce results within three months!" Marshal Krutnev announced, slamming the table, "Whoever fails to complete the task will go directly to Siberia to dig potatoes!"

The world's eyes were focused on this technological contest between the superpowers; almost no one paid attention to Long Country in the Yuandong, which was considered technologically backward. Assessment reports from Western intelligence agencies even stated: "Long Country has not even established a basic vacuum tube electronics industry, and is at least ten years behind transistor technology."

This report circulated widely in the intelligence circles of the two great powers and became a consensus among all parties.

However, the turning point appeared faster than anyone had anticipated.

Just three months later, while the Star-Spangled Country was still basking in the glory of "Dawn-I," Beijixiong Guo suddenly held a grand press conference in Moscow, announcing that their "Red Star-1" transistor computer had been successfully developed.

"Red Star-1" was not only 25% smaller in volume than "Dawn-I," but its computing speed was also 10% higher. At the press conference, Beijixiong Guo's scientists demonstrated the ability of "Red Star-1" to solve complex ballistic equations, leaving the international reporters present stunned.

"This is a victory of the collective wisdom of Beijixiong Guo scientists, and a manifestation of the superiority of the socialist system!" Academy of Sciences President Popov proudly announced.

The transistor race between the two great powers instantly reached a fever pitch. Star-Spangled Country media accused Beijixiong Guo of "stealing technology," while Beijixiong Guo retorted that "socialist scientists do not need to plagiarize the backward technology of capitalism."

Major newspapers around the world reported on this dispute with eye-catching headlines such as "Century Technological Decisive Battle" and "Electronic Cold War." The scientific community also split into two factions, each supporting the technical route of a different camp.

Just at the moment when this debate was most intense, the Long Country Central Radio Station suddenly broadcast a short message of less than one hundred words:

"Our country's independently developed third-generation integrated circuit computer 'Pangu-III' has been successfully developed. Its volume is only the size of a household refrigerator, its computing speed is a hundred times faster than existing transistor computers, and it possesses a graphical user interface and 3D design capabilities. This system has already been put into practical application and is open for public display to the world starting today."

Once the news broke, the world was in an uproar.

Initially, almost everyone thought this was absurd propaganda from Long Country. A spokesperson for the Star-Spangled Country State Department scoffed directly at a routine press conference: "This is clearly a clumsy lie. How could a country that hasn't even mastered basic vacuum tube technology skip the transistor stage and directly develop so-called 'integrated circuits'? This is complete fantasy."

The Beijixiong Guo Academy of Sciences issued a statement calling it "typical exaggerated propaganda from the Orient, full of science-fiction-like fantasy elements." They even mocked: "If Long Country really had this technology, why not show it earlier? Clearly, they are eager to show off after seeing our achievements."

The international academic community was even more skeptical. Twenty-seven renowned experts in electronics and computer science jointly published an open letter questioning Long Country's statement: "Integrated circuit technology theoretically requires at least ten years of accumulation in transistor technology and micro-fabrication process development. No country can achieve such leapfrog development without these foundations. We demand that Long Country disclose specific technical details and physical evidence."

However, Long Country did not make a direct response to these questions. Instead, they released a short invitation through an international news agency:

"Long Country will hold the 'Pangu-III' Computer System International Exhibition in Jingcheng next week. We welcome scientists, engineers, and media representatives from all countries to visit the site and witness this technological achievement."

Once the invitation was issued, the international community was first shocked, and then filled with mockery.