Chapter 196

"Chief," Feng Yan introduced.

"These are the core members of our team. This is Deputy Director Liu of the Naval Equipment Department."

Deputy Director Liu was in his fifties, with a straight posture and sharp eyes.

He scanned the laboratory, his gaze landing on the dark gray new container sample.

"President Feng said on the phone that you've come up with something that can change the rules of the game," his voice was steady.

"How big of a change can it be?"

Feng Yan signaled for Chen Guang to report.

Three minutes later, Deputy Director Liu's expression changed from serious to shocked, and from shocked to incredulous.

"18.6 times... infinite endurance..." he repeated these words.

"Are you sure this isn't some science fiction novel?"

"That's why we need actual testing," Feng Yan said.

"The first new container has been built, and we plan to conduct a 1,000-hour continuous full-power test. If it passes..."

"If it passes, the energy problems of all navy ships will be completely solved at once," Deputy Director Liu took over, his eyes burning.

"When does the test start?"

"Right now."

The test was conducted in the deepest underground laboratory of the research institute.

The newly built reaction container was installed into the test bench; it was dark gray all over, with fine scale textures on the surface, looking like the skin of some prehistoric beast.

"Start."

Zhao Kaiyuan pressed the button.

A humming sound started, but it was lower and steadier than the previous experimental reactor.

On the monitoring screen, the power output curve began to climb gradually, and the screen displayed absolute energy values directly.

100% old baseline... 200%... 500%...

1000%.

"We have broken through the original theoretical limit," Chen Guang reported, his voice calm, but his hand holding the tablet was trembling slightly.

1500%... 2000%...

2500%.

The energy output stabilized at twenty-five times the old theoretical value, because the test limit of the test bench could only go this far, not because of the reactor core's limit.

Deputy Director Liu stared fixedly at the screen: "Are these operating parameters normal?"

"All parameters are normal; temperature, pressure, and magnetic field strength are all within the safe range," Zhao Kaiyuan said.

"The container shell temperature... is only 320 degrees, more than 200 degrees lower than expected."

"Because heat dissipation efficiency has increased," Chen Guang pulled up the thermal imaging map.

"The thermal conductivity of the new material is four times stronger than the original, and combined with the optimized fluid channel design, the heat is carried away rapidly."

Li Yang added: "And we found that at ultra-high energy density, the fusion reaction seems to enter a kind of self-regulating state."

"The more energy produced, the more stable the plasma's own confinement becomes."

"This might be a characteristic of that new reaction path."

The test continued.

24 hours... 48 hours... 72 hours...

When the 100th hour arrived, more than half of the research institute's staff had gathered around the test bench.

Everyone took turns watching, looking at the stably running reactor, looking at the terrifyingly straight energy output curve on the screen.

Wang Hao held a small notebook, calculating as he watched: "It's already 25 times the energy... if my missiles use this, the range could reach..."

"Damn, it could fly around the Earth more than three times."

"That's assuming you first solve the heat dissipation problem when re-entering the atmosphere," Chen Guang said.

"That's a small matter! The key is that now we have infinite ammunition! Lasers can be fired at will, mechs can run at will, warships can..."

"Can float on the sea until the end of time without worrying about running out of energy," Deputy Director Liu stood behind him at some point, his tone filled with emotion.

"Young man, do you know how much fuel a destroyer has to carry for a single mission?"

"Do you know how much risk supply ships take to refuel aircraft carrier formations?"

He pointed at the test bench: "If this thing can really be installed on a ship, then the combat mode of the entire navy will be overturned."

The test continued.

200 hours... 300 hours... 500 hours...

At the 700th hour, Zhao Gong brought people to perform the first comprehensive inspection.

Ultrasonic flaw detection, radiographic testing, stress measurement... all data showed that the container was in as good a condition as new, not even a single micro-crack was found.

"The self-healing coating worked," Zhao Gong stroked his chin.

"And the fatigue resistance of the new material is even better than expected."

At the 900th hour, the expert group sent by the navy moved into the research institute.

They brought their own monitoring equipment, wanting to see with their own eyes if this "miracle" was real.

The result left them dumbfounded.

1000 hours exactly.

The test bench shut down automatically.

It wasn't a malfunction, but a preset program; the 1,000-hour continuous full-power test had been completed.

The laboratory was silent.

Then applause broke out, first sparse, then joining together, and finally turning into deafening cheers.

Zhao Kaiyuan slumped in his chair, covering his face with his hands.

Chen Guang pushed up his glasses, but his fingers were trembling.

Li Yang and Zhao Gong shook hands vigorously, both of them grinning.

Wang Hao jumped up directly, shouting: "Awesome! Awesome!"

Feng Yan walked up to Deputy Director Liu: "Chief, the test is complete."

Deputy Director Liu took a deep breath and patted Feng Yan's shoulder heavily: "What is this thing... called?"

Feng Yan looked at the team.

"We've discussed it," he said.

"Let's call it 'Xuanwu-Fusion'. Xuanwu guards the north, governs water, and symbolizes stability and infinity."

"This energy core will be like Xuanwu, bringing endless protective power to our Longguo."

"Good name," Deputy Director Liu nodded. "So what's next..."

"Next, we need to conduct a combat environment test," Feng Yan said.

"No matter how good the theoretical data is, it must withstand the real test."

He pulled up a nautical chart: "In a certain area of the East Sea, the navy has a routine training exercise next month."

"We are applying to install the first practical 'Xuanwu-Fusion' core onto a 056B frigate for a seven-day full-system test."

Deputy Director Liu's eyes lit up: "You want to test it with a real ship in the real sea?"

"It's the fastest way," Feng Yan said.

"If it can pass the test at sea, then adapting it to other platforms will just be an engineering problem."

"I approve," Deputy Director Liu said without hesitation.

"How long will the ship modification take?"

"Ten days is enough," Li Yang replied.

"We have already designed a modular interface, and replacing the original power system will only take seventy-two hours to complete the modification."

"The remaining time is for debugging and adaptation testing."

"Good," Deputy Director Liu looked at Feng Yan.

"In ten days, I will send a ship to pick up your people and equipment."

"During the test, that 056B will also stay away from regular shipping lanes and enter a dedicated test sea area."

He paused: "But I want to remind you that the East Sea hasn't been very peaceful lately."

"There are several research ships from the Japanese side wandering around nearby, and the reconnaissance frequency of Eagle Country's reconnaissance satellites has also increased."

Feng Yan's eyes narrowed slightly: "Have they discovered something?"

"It might just be routine reconnaissance, or it might be..." Deputy Director Liu didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.

"In short, the test must be kept secret, and you must be prepared to deal with emergencies."

After the meeting, Feng Yan called the team to his office.

"You all heard it," he said.

"Ten days from now is the East Sea test; this will be the first combat debut of our 'Xuanwu-Fusion'."

Wang Hao rubbed his hands: "Don't worry, Brother Feng! If anyone who doesn't know better dares to come, I'll show them what the joy of infinite firepower is!"

"Don't underestimate the enemy," Chen Guang said calmly.

"If the other side is really coming for us, they will definitely be fully prepared."

"So we must be prepared too," Feng Yan looked at everyone.

"Old Li, you will depart with the ship during the test and be responsible for on-site support of the core system."

"Guangzi, you will monitor remotely from the research institute and analyze data in real-time through 'Torch Dragon'. Haozi..."

"I'm here!" Wang Hao raised his hand.

"You are responsible for the worst-case contingency plan," Feng Yan said.

"If a conflict really occurs, I want a specific tactical plan on how our frigate should use this new system to counterattack."

"Understood!"

"Zhao Gong, continue to expand production scale."

"Kaiyuan, perfect the theoretical model; you can prepare to publish the paper, of course, a redacted version."

After the tasks were assigned, everyone dispersed to prepare.

Feng Yan walked to the window and watched the sky gradually darken outside.

Ten days.

In ten days, that dark gray energy core would be installed in a warship and sail toward the East Sea.

If everything goes smoothly, it will usher in a new era.

If it doesn't go smoothly...

He shook his head, shaking off the distracting thoughts.

Someone has to walk the path.

And they have already come this far.

His phone vibrated; it was a message from Lei Jindong: "The navy side has finished coordinating."

"Additionally, 'Torch Dragon' monitored that a certain research institute in Japan held an emergency all-night meeting last night. The agenda is unknown, but the attendees included three nuclear physics experts."

Feng Yan replied: "Received."