Chapter 248: Can You Even Teach Him?

Dozens of people were swarming and blocking the entrance to the cabin.

A group of experts looked at one another, the expressions on their faces exceptionally strange.

Signing in, disinfecting, changing into full sets of protective gear, including gloves, shoe covers, and sleeve covers... it felt as if they were not about to enter an archaeological site, but a biochemical containment unit.

Recalling again: when was the last time they were blocked at a door like this and made to sign in one by one?

2006, the Qijia Culture cemetery group at Lingtai Mogou, Gansu.

Although both were Neolithic cultural sites, Lingtai Mogou was nearly five hundred thousand square meters, while this one was just over two thousand; the difference in area alone was more than two hundred times.

Lingtai Mogou had already been submitted for consideration last year and was a shoo-in for this year's Top Ten Archaeological Discoveries of the Year. Meanwhile, the Guduo Village Ruins had only just begun excavation and were still in the application stage.

Furthermore, that time the excavation was presided over by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, with a Department Head leading the team in person. But this time, they were here as the superior unit to provide guidance...

But since the leaders had all signed, could they really refuse to sign?

Wu Hui and Sun Jiamu waved their pens and signed their names. Then, while wiping their hands, they glanced toward the back.

Behind the expert group were the local accompanying leaders, but whether it was the provincial bureau's Department Head or the city and county-level Secretary and Mayor, their movements were all quite brisk, and their expressions were all quite natural. They did not feel there was anything wrong with Lin Sicheng blocking them here.

What did this indicate? It indicated that the leaders came often and had already experienced this procedure many times. It further indicated that Lin Sicheng treated everyone equally and had managed things strictly according to the relevant procedures from the very beginning.

Suddenly, the experts felt much more balanced in their hearts, and Wu Hui and Sun Jiamu nodded in unison.

There were only twenty-some sets of protective gear, just enough for the leaders and experts to wear; those with lower ranks could only wait outside.

Once they were roughly changed, Lin Sicheng pushed open the heavy cabin door and led them inside.

Two large cranes were parked behind the cabin, their booms extending straight inside, with rectangular lifting baskets hanging underneath that could easily accommodate five or six people working at the same time.

Looking closer: shovels, brushes, picks, hoes, rulers, trays, instruments—everything was there, arranged neatly... wasn't this a mobile suspended operation platform?

The cabin roof had ventilation ducts, and humidifiers and dryers were placed all around. It was relatively simple, but it lacked nothing in terms of functionality:

It could purify the air, filter dust, and maintain constant temperature and humidity. Not only could it avoid secondary pollution, but it could also prevent the degradation of Cultural Relics after excavation.

The outer perimeter of the pit walls was covered with dust-proof mats, and further up, functional rooms for panoramic observation were lined up one after another.

Portable testing, data collection, emergency handling, temporary storage of Cultural Relics, temporary experiments, as well as fire and theft prevention, and integrated safety systems.

Even the outer walls were of a double-layer design, filled with insulating rock wool.

The group of experts looked at each other in dismay: protective zone, testing zone, processing zone, storage zone, experimental zone—was there really not a single one missing?

There were just fewer intelligent and automated devices; otherwise, it could definitely be called a laboratory-grade precision operation platform.

Especially this systematic excavation process—wasn't this the "Excavation upon Discovery" concept that the Ministry only started advocating last year?

The problem was, the Bureau had only prepared to pilot it at the beginning of this year and had just formed the documents; even the supporting equipment, cabin planning, and internal layout were still in the design phase.

As a result, the local area had already produced one?

Wu Hui and Sun Jiamu examined it closely, looking back and forth several times, and finally looked at Lin Sicheng: "This was designed by little Lin, right?"

"It can't be called a design; it's just copying the ideas of the Cultural Relics Bureau, which is why the two leaders find it familiar!"

Lin Sicheng smiled, "Before New Year's Day, my teacher went back to Beijing, and after returning, he said the Cultural Relics Bureau was preparing to create a laboratory-grade precision operation platform. So I asked my teacher to find the documents, and I pondered over them..."

And after pondering, he managed to build one?

At first glance, it seemed quite crude; the operation platform used a crane rather than a large automated arm. The environmental stabilization equipment was also not an intelligent constant temperature and humidity system.

The testing and analysis equipment was even simpler, with most of it being old antiques from the eighties and nineties of the last century.

But this was not because Lin Sicheng did not want to get better ones, but because the conditions did not allow it: many things required imports, and without the approval and cooperation of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, he couldn't buy them even with money.

The key was his approach: Wu Hui had spent half his life on Cultural Relics protection, and Sun Jiamu had spent half his life on archaeological excavation; they could see at a glance how reasonable and practical Lin Sicheng's design was.

They felt that the Bureau didn't need to waste time and energy on any design at all; they could just copy it directly from here.

But then another problem arose: Lin Sicheng was also doing field work for the first time, practicing for the first time, and had no experience at all, right?

The Bureau had only held two meetings, only saying why they should do it this way; as for how to do it and to what extent, not a single word was mentioned.

There was even less of a plan to speak of, so why was it so standard as soon as he started?

Did he really learn it as soon as he studied it, self-taught without a master?

Thinking secretly, Wu Hui and Sun Jiamu exchanged a glance, a light appearing in the depths of their eyes: why wait for campus recruitment?

As for handling special matters with special methods, as long as Lin Sicheng was willing, the two of them could dig a spot for him right now...

Wang Qi Zhi was even more surprised than them: that's right, Lin Sicheng did ask him to help find a document, but it only contained an initiative and at most pointed out a direction. Even if Lin Sicheng wanted to ponder it, he had nowhere to start.

Then how was this mobile laboratory area created?

If one were to ask Lin Sicheng: of course, he copied it.

In 2018, the National Cultural Heritage Administration planned a comprehensive excavation of Sanxingdui. Considering problems such as "Cultural Relics degrading after excavation," "secondary damage during the moving process," and "difficulty in cleaning fine Cultural Relics," after research by an expert team, the automated archaeological cabin—which integrates functions like "automated operation," "environmental monitoring," "in-situ protection," and "in-situ research"—was born.

The functions were roughly that many, and the equipment was of course more advanced and intelligent than this one, but its first application was already in 2019.

It was equivalent to Lin Sicheng moving a mature concept from eleven years later to the present, then improving it on-site and using locally available materials; naturally, Wu Hui felt it was both reasonable and practical.

In a flash, the expert group toured the ruins. This included the Cultural Relics temporary storage room, the laboratory, and the restoration room.

Even though they had been mentally prepared, the group still couldn't stop sighing: even if they were to excavate it themselves, it would only be to this extent.

So, how could they provide guidance?

The experts all felt it was quite difficult, but Department Head Wu and Division Chief Yang felt it was quite easy to handle: having traveled thousands of kilometers, they couldn't have come for nothing; if guidance was needed, they would provide it.

But it wasn't said who should provide the guidance?

After the tour, it was nearly eleven o'clock, and the city reception office had prepared lunch at the county guesthouse.

As the Person in Charge of the site, Lin Sicheng accompanied them as usual.

Zhao Er drove the Jeep Grand Cherokee, and just as Wang Qi Zhi was about to get in, Wu Hui waved his hand: "Come, come, come, Professor Wang, sit in my car!"

The teacher and student looked at each other, Wang Qi Zhi nodded slightly, and walked over.

It was a brand-new Audi, just transferred from the city. The two got into the car, and Wu Hui took out a cigarette case.

"Snap," he lit it, and Wu Hui got straight to the point: "Have you told little Lin?"

"I told him!" Wang Qi Zhi sighed, "But he feels that while he is young and his mind is sharp, it is better to read more books!"

Wu Hui was stunned for a moment: "Isn't he graduating next month? What else is he going to study?"

"Of course he's going to study for a postgraduate degree!" Wang Qi Zhi exhaled a puff of smoke, "I am the mentor!"

A strange look appeared in Wu Hui's eyes: Wang Qi Zhi, touch your chest and ask yourself, are you even capable of teaching?

(End of this chapter)