Chapter 537

One week later.

Lin Shengli and his son hurried back to the military industry department, stepping in the afternoon sunshine.

Just as they entered the office building, they saw several figures in research uniforms waiting in the hallway—the core members of the J-20 development team, each clutching thick experimental data and draft proposals.

"General Lin, Engineer Lin, you're back!" said the senior engineer Zhou Mingyuan, responsible for engine development, stepping forward first, his temples' white hair specked with dust, clearly just coming from the lab. "We've finished drafting the initial plan for optimizing J-20 mass production, and we also have the power‑system selection for the next‑generation stealth bomber; we'd like to discuss it with you."

Lin Shengli nodded, his steps not pausing: "Let's go to the temporary meeting room. Time is tight—let's get straight to work."

In the temporary meeting room, the long table was covered with all kinds of drawings and data sheets, and the projector was already calibrated and ready.

As everyone had just sat down, Lin Zhengpeng pushed a densely annotated report to the center of the table:

"First, let's talk about the J-20 mass‑production issue. According to flight‑test data, the yield rate of the stealth coating during mass production is crucial—currently the lab‑prepared coating can reach a 92% yield, but in large‑scale production, affected by temperature and humidity, the qualified rate may drop below 75%, which would seriously slow down mass production."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the young materials researcher Li Wei furrowed her brow:

"We've tried adjusting the coating formulation, adding the new stabilizer provided by Dr. Hanna, and tested it three times in a simulated mass‑production environment; the yield rose to 85%, but the cost went up by 15%. Moreover, the long‑term high‑temperature performance hasn't undergone full testing, so we worry problems could arise after deployment."

Lin Shengli picked up the report, his fingertip tracing the test curve, fell silent for a moment, then spoke:

"Cost can be compromised to some extent, but performance must not be cut. Let the Hanna team follow up quickly and join you in a one‑month extreme‑environment aging test to ensure the coating remains stable under all climatic conditions. Besides, I'll coordinate with the production line to install constant‑temperature and constant‑humidity equipment, minimizing the gap between lab and mass‑production environments."

"Good! We'll adjust the test plan tonight." Li Wei immediately noted it, her pen flying across the notebook.

Zhou Mingyuan then unfolded the stealth bomber's power‑system drawings: "Next is the development of the stealth bomber. There are two directions: one is to improve the existing high‑thrust turbofan engine—technology is mature, risk low, but thrust and range may fall short of expectations; the other is to develop a new variable‑cycle engine that can combine subsonic cruise with supersonic penetration, offering superior performance, but the R&D cycle would be at least three years and would require overcoming the machining difficulty of high‑temperature alloy blades."

The meeting room fell silent instantly, and everyone turned their gaze to Lin Shengli.

The choice between these two directions directly determines the development schedule and final performance.

Lin Zhengpeng pondered: "The United States is already accelerating its next‑generation fighter development; we can't wait. Yet the risk of the new engine is indeed too great—if its development stalls, they'll pull ahead. Perhaps we can pursue dual tracks? Have the main team push the improved engine to ensure a prototype within two years; meanwhile, pull some core staff to join universities in tackling the variable‑cycle engine's core technology—even if slower, we must preserve this technical direction."

"I agree with that approach." Lin Shengli lifted his eyes to the crowd: "Defense research must be both steady and daring. The improved engine can solve the urgent need, while the new engine concerns our advantage for the next ten years. Engineer Zhou, you'll lead the improved‑engine team; Engineer Zhengpeng, you'll coordinate the variable‑cycle engine research, focusing on breaking through blade‑processing technology—I recall you worked on high‑temperature materials for the fire‑control system, so you can draw on that experience."

Lin Zhengpeng nodded firmly: "No problem—I'll contact the professors at Aeronautics and Astronautics University tonight to set up a joint task force."

"Also, there are the key technologies for the nuclear‑powered aircraft carrier." Engineer Wang Haitao, in charge of ship‑power R&D, added: "We have a preliminary concept for miniaturizing the nuclear reactor, but adapting the carrier‑based aircraft launch system still poses problems. Our multiple simulations show that the existing catapult's pull would damage the airframe, so we need to redesign the launch trajectory."

"Let the carrier‑based aircraft team interface with you." Lin Shengli instructed: "Share the structural data of the carrier‑version J-20 and jointly optimize the launch plan. Moreover, the nuclear reactor's safety protection must be flawless; next week I'll take you to the Nuclear Industry Department to learn mature protection techniques."

The meeting ran on until deep night; outside, Jingcheng was already ablaze with lights, while the meeting room remained brightly lit.

The crowd gathered around the details of each research direction, debating fiercely—sometimes arguing until their faces flushed, sometimes cheering over a breakthrough idea.

Lin Shengli remained seated at the head, patiently listening to everyone's opinions, occasionally offering pointers, always precisely hitting the core of the problem.

At 1 a. m., the meeting finally ended.

Everyone left dragging their weary bodies, yet each face showed excitement and resolve.

Lin Zhengpeng gathered the drawings, then noticed his father still seated where he was, fingertips lightly tapping the tabletop, his gaze fixed on the night sky outside the window.

"Dad, aren't you resting?" Lin Zhengpeng walked over and draped a coat over his shoulders.

Lin Shengli came back to himself, smiled, and said: "It's fine; I just need to think over the follow‑up funding and personnel allocation. This R&D task is heavier than any before—we can't afford the slightest mistake. By the way, at home, how are Qin Hua and Chen Mo getting along?"

Upon mentioning his sister, Lin Zhengpeng's expression softened a bit: "Quite well. Mom is very pleased with Chen Mo, and he plans to take Qin Hua to the park this weekend."

Lin Shengli nodded, and he and his son walked out side by side from the office building; the midnight wind brought a chill, but it could not dispel the fervor in their hearts.

The streetlights stretched their shadows long, casting them across the empty road.

Not far away, the Ministry of Defense Industry building still had a few lights on—a sign that other research teams were still working overtime.

A defense‑science campaign spanning multiple fields was quietly accelerating its advance in this silent night.

And every step they took was laying a firmer foundation for Daxia's national defense cause.