Chapter 4

The combination of nuclear submarines and ballistic missiles is the most formidable weaponry of this era; however, due to early technological limitations, when launching missiles, the submarine could only surface, which is obviously unfavorable for concealment.

But…… achieving technology that works both underwater and in the air is very difficult!

After years of research, the Americans and the French came up with the blunt-nose plus drag-reducing rod scheme, i. e., on a blunt-nose missile, after exiting the water a slender rod extends forward to pierce the preceding normal shock wave, turning it into an oblique shock wave, thereby greatly reducing drag.

The Soviets' scheme of two heads, flying out of the water and changing masks.

Britain? Hehehe...

These technologies are very, the Americans spent huge sums to build a super water tank, then relying on the money-burning approach of tycoons, conducted countless trials, and after 20 years finally solved the problem of water-exit reliability and attitude stability. The launch reliability of the ultimate missile Trident D5 reached world-advanced level.

The French, however, took forty years, only fully solving the problem in the 1990s.

The East...

In 1982, the East accomplished the feat of underwater launch of a launch vehicle; at that time Giant Wave-1 used a pointed head, how it was solved Qin Miao also didn't know, but he knew that by Giant Wave-3 they began using the blunt-nose and drag-reducing rod scheme.

Now, having been reborn, of course we must bring out this best scheme!

Professor Zhou widened his eyes, face full of excitement: 'That's right, it really can work! Qin Miao, if this scheme is adopted, you will be the greatest contributor!'

'Professor Zhou, anyway I have nothing else to do during this period; could I join you on this project?'

'Of course!' Professor Zhou nodded, then suddenly realized: 'Student Qin Miao, I formally invite you to join this project! This way, your classified issue is also resolved!'

Sigh, Monkey Brother's jokes are really funny!

The next day, morning, Bincheng.

Tram cars passed through the streets, emitting a ding-ding sound; visible to the naked eye, almost everywhere were European-style buildings, the Sofia Church with its high spherical top and a spire being the most eye-catching.

Ha Cheng in the 1980s was known as the Little Paris of the East; unfortunately, in later times many ancient buildings were demolished and replaced by high-rises, diluting the exotic charm considerably.

'Look, ahead is Ha Gong Da! That tallest building ahead, with a mast on top, is our Ha Gong Da main building; our Aerospace Department is inside, the Mechanical Building is to the left, the Electrical Building to the right, and theirs are not as tall as ours!'

Qin Miao looked over; three yellow-gray buildings, each bearing an eclectic architectural style, interconnected, forming a unified whole, majestic and magnificent.

The main building's central part was built very high, with a mast erected on top; the high mast's tip, a half-ring gear supporting a five-pointed star, while around the mast's base are cement-poured banners holding up eight five-pointed stars, thus the five-pointed star at the mast's tip lies amidst a circle of stars; it is the emblem of Ha Gong Da!

The gear symbolizes industry and technology, the five-pointed star symbolizes the Party and the nation; the gear lifting the star straight into the heavens represents Ha Gong Da upholding the motherland and striving toward the future.

Ha Gong Da, I have arrived!

The main building is not only for the Aerospace Department; it also houses Ha Gong Da's administrative organs.

Fourth floor, small meeting room.

'So you mean all this is just a coincidence?' Section Chief Du Yongfei eyed Qin Miao suspiciously.

'Yes, Old Du, if it weren't for this kid Qin Miao, I'd probably have fallen into the hands of those little bandits this time!'

'Old Zhou, I wasn't asking you!' Du Yongfei continued staring at Qin Miao: 'Qin Miao, you say, is all this someone teaching you behind the scenes?'

Qin Miao lifted his head to gaze at the ceiling; this era's Security Section really packs a punch! Schools, factories, government units... the Security Section exercises the authority of a police station, even that of the Public Security Bureau.

'Sigh, complicating simple problems is your duty; doubting everything, denying everything is your code of conduct; I know you are now dutifully doing your job, but... have you finished asking? Once you're done, I'll go work with Professor Zhou.'

'You have a matchlock gun that looks exactly like a real gun?'

Swish! The matchlock gun was placed on the table.

The steel block was milled as a whole, with exquisite workmanship, tiny gaps, high precision; it was made by an old master, and few in our Mechanical Department have such skill! Beside, the head of the Mechanical Department, Lu Yongping, sighed and said: 'Young man, did you make this?'

In his gaze there was an intention to cherish talent; Professor Zhou immediately felt threatened: 'Director Lu, Qin Miao is applying to our Department Four; he has already studied much university knowledge in advance, can jump right in and work with us on the project—don't harbor designs on him! If you want a Grade-8 worker, go find one in the factory!'

'This was made by my father.'

'Your father?'

Qin Miao produced his introduction letter: 'My father works at Qingshan Machinery Factory; this is the introduction letter.'

'Factory 9126?' Du Yongfei startled: 'The one in the mountain gullies producing anti-tank gun grenades? Is the head of your factory's Security Section still Zhang Jianmin? That's my comrade-in-arms!'

'Sigh, Section Chief Du, how long will you keep testing me? The head of the Security Section is Ma Jianmin; he doesn't bear the surname Zhang, he was transferred away last year; his wife, however, is surnamed Ma, called Ma Cuihua, and they have two children, the eldest called...'

'Alright, got it! Your identity has been cleared by Ha Gong Da's Security Section!'

'Great!' Professor Zhou, face full of excitement: 'This project is urgent; since there's no problem, let Qin Miao hurry and join me on the project.'

'No, Old Zhou, for now we've only confirmed Qin Miao is not a spy; but... that doesn't mean he's qualified to join such a top-secret project, after all he isn't yet a student of Ha Gong Da!'

Professor Zhou, helpless: 'Then what do you say we need to do to let him join?'

'Test him.'

'Alright, I, representing Department Four, will give him a problem.' The head of the Aerospace Department, Tao, spoke.

'No, you might go easy on him; Director Lu, you come up with the question!'

'Old Du, this is excessive! Qin Miao is applying to our Department Four, yet you have someone from Department Eight set the question!'

'That's right; as long as Qin Miao can solve it, our Security Section will take responsibility and agree to let him join your R&D team!' Du Yongfei said: 'If he can't solve it... where he came from, he goes back there, and we'll talk again once he officially becomes a Ha Gong Da student!'

'Okay!'

The big guy looked in surprise toward the direction the voice came from—Qin Miao? Does he also know Mechanical Department material?

'Qin Miao, you're quite confident!' Director Lu said: 'I also don't have a special question prepared for you; I happen to have a test paper on hand, just do it casually—no problem, as long as you score sixty, you pass.'

The ink-printed test paper, when unfolded, clearly displayed a line on the title: Ha Cheng Industrial University 1979-1980 spring semester, Materials Mechanics specialty exam.

'Director Lu, you're using a sophomore specialty exam to test Qin Miao?' Professor Zhou flared.

'Old Lu, if I recall correctly, this test paper, the examinees from your Mechanical Department have a pass rate under half; even after a makeup exam, three still failed—you're asking for sixty, isn't that too high?' Tao's face also fell.

'Gentlemen, don't rush.' Qin Miao glanced at the test paper: 'Give me... fifteen minutes!'

Having said that, Qin Miao swooped and snatched the Hero steel pen from Du Yongfei's hand: 'Let me borrow it!'