Chapter 772

After completing one hour of sustained ignition, everyone rested well for three days before returning to their busy work.

In the office, Xu Qingzhou sat with his head down, refining the test model for the magnetic confinement system upgrade.

The manuscript was covered in dense equations.

Two hours passed silently; it was 3 p.m.

He finally snapped out of the complex calculations, rubbed his aching temples, and called Wang Sidong in to deliver the completed model to Ren Nan.

“There are only two months left in 2021. The intelligent control system must be finished by the end of December.”

“There’s a lot to do; next month I have to attend a meeting.”

At the end of October, both Xu Qingzhou and Song Yao received invitations to the 2020 National Science and Technology Awards Ceremony—he as a scholar, Song Yao as a representative of the tech industry.

The National Science and Technology Awards Ceremony is the highest-level scientific event in Xia State.

It is typically held in March or November of the following year, though delays may occur due to procedural reasons—for example, the 2018 ceremony was moved from March to June.

This year, for reasons unknown, it was postponed to December 3rd.

Thump~ Thump~

A knock came at the door.

“Come in.”

“Professor, they’ve arrived.”

Wang Sidong entered with four people.

“Professor Xu, hello, I’m Liu Bin, head of the Security Team. Starting today, we’ll be responsible for your safety.”

The man at the front said.

Xu Qingzhou shook his hand and smiled. “Welcome to the institute. We’re counting on you.”

“You’re too kind. Protecting national scientific personnel is our duty.”

Liu Bin shook his head.

He had spent over a decade in security work, yet this was the first time he’d been assigned to protect someone so young.

Still, he felt no slackness in his mind.

This man before him was a scientist whose work could determine the nation’s fate.

“This is Deputy Team Leader Yang Xiaolin.”

“Professor Xu, hello.”

“Hello, welcome.”

Xu Qingzhou greeted all four members of the security team.

The Qiankun Demonstration Reactor received approval.

As the lead researcher, Xu Qingzhou’s security level was upgraded, and a four-person team was assigned to him, drawn from different departments. The man before him, “Liu Bin,” served as team leader; the team’s only woman, “Yang Xiaolin,” was deputy leader.

Liu Bin clearly came from the military—when shaking hands, one could distinctly feel the calluses on his palm.

In addition to the security personnel, his vehicle was replaced with a specialized armored car.

“Professor Xu, we’ll head down to begin work.”

“Alright.”

Liu Bin led his team out to immediately integrate with the institute’s existing security system.

Generally speaking, major issues rarely arise—Xia State’s public security is among the best in the world.

Xia State is no longer a small nation; no country dares openly carry out assassinations against any key Xia State figure on its soil.

But one must guard against desperate forces lashing out—even if the chance of an attack were one in ten thousand, the state would never gamble.

The importance of a top-tier scientist like Xu Qingzhou to a nation goes without saying.