[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-technology-invades-the-modern-world":3,"chapter-technology-invades-the-modern-world-technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-61":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Technology Invades the Modern World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2269545,4430,"Chapter 61: The Crazy Plan","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-61",61,"\u003Cp>It probably won’t, I’ve never heard of the Donkey Party doing anything like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lolita Island won’t exist until the 1980s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On cultivating supporters, the Donkey Party is clearly playing catch-up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You run secret clubs with impart; I’ll give you rapid advancement and Lolita Island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran thought: Nixon’s tactics are so wild, no wonder he ended up creating the Watergate scandal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Donkey Party, lacking similar outlets for release, ended up producing an even bigger scandal: the Lewinsky White House chicken incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran was already laughing uncontrollably at this thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you laughing at?” A week later, at 7:30 p.m., in John Morgan’s office at the General Aerospace headquarters, John Morgan asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between them sat a television, live-streaming the Nixon-Kennedy debate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s most important event in America was this debate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many employees had gone home early to prepare big meals and watch it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first presidential election debate ever broadcast live on television.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just before the debate, the latest polls showed Nixon leading by about six percentage points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, after the impart ended, John Morgan still took no action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The debate was jointly broadcast by CBS, NBC, and ABC, drawing around 70 million viewers across America—roughly 40% of the population.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the candidates’ agreed rules, each would deliver an opening statement of about eight minutes, a closing statement of about three minutes, and then answer questions from reporters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran said: “I think Nixon looks too worn out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he deliberately make himself look like this—to win voters’ sympathy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At a time like this, voters need a tough man, not someone begging for pity?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Employees still watching the live stream in the company muttered outside the office: “My god, Nixon’s team made him look like a mummy before he even died.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice reached the office just in time; John Morgan’s face darkened. “Damn it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the debate, John Morgan had already decided to donate to Kennedy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Nixon performed poorly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by the time he attended Kennedy’s latest campaign dinner, the polls had already turned golden-cross; John Morgan’s donation could only be icing on the cake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Randolph, we’ve received NASA’s RFP-302 tender invitation. RFP-302 requires us to provide a feasibility study for an advanced manned spacecraft for the upcoming Apollo program.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You were right—our competitors include Lockheed, Boeing, Grumman, Glenn Martin Company, and thirteen others.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the televised debate, Lin Ran didn’t see John Morgan again for a long time—until October, when the man came to Columbia University with an invitation from NASA.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has it already started?” Lin Ran took the letter without opening it and asked directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John Morgan explained: “It’s an invitation; it starts next year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We’ve been preparing, but it’s still not enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before May next year, we must submit our preliminary proposal to NASA; within two weeks, they’ll narrow the fourteen competitors down to five. Those five companies must present their full proposals to NASA by October next year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>NASA will score the five companies, and the winner will receive NASA’s lunar landing contract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this is only for the manned spacecraft contract—not the entire Apollo program contract.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After listening, Lin Ran nodded: “I know. Our proposal is already complete. Is there anything that needs adjustment?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No adjustments needed,” John Morgan said. “I’ve recruited Jim from Glenn Martin Company. He said your proposal is even more perfect than he imagined—no suggestions at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course—it was already the advanced, complete version of what Glenn Martin would later submit to NASA for this program, refined under Lin Ran’s oversight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(Martin 410 spacecraft, image from Glenn L. Martin Company’s 1961 “Apollo Final Report” submitted to NASA.)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We chose Martin’s plan as the preliminary report precisely to eliminate Glenn Martin in the first round.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same proposal from General Aerospace is far more refined—how could you possibly qualify?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eliminating Glenn Martin, we’ll then propose a merger to compete for NASA’s contract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John Morgan continued: “But I’m still uneasy. I’m not sure a good proposal guarantees selection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if Kennedy wins? What if he targets us after taking office?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran said: “Want to take a gamble?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John Morgan asked: “What are we betting on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran said: “We land on the moon ourselves.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We land on the moon ourselves—and broadcast it live across America. Then, no matter how angry Kennedy is at you or the Morgan family, he can’t possibly refuse to let us lead the lunar mission.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John Morgan leapt off his chair: “Are you insane?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We land on the moon ourselves?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s the point?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We do the landing, but all the glory goes to Kennedy—America successfully landed on the moon under his leadership.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We spend nothing from NASA, just fund Kennedy’s political achievement?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget whether you can pull it off—isn’t this pure loss?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The merchant’s logic reclaimed his mind; John Morgan was more lucid than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran explained: “This moon landing isn’t manned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We send up a small robot—no need to bring it back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broadcast it live across America.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Think about it: General Aerospace, spun off from General Electric, achieves a moon landing on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the first human-made object ever to appear on the moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who else can do it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire nation witnesses it. Can Kennedy dare oppose the American people? Does he still want to run for president in four years?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s like we make an upfront investment to secure future returns.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John Morgan was tempted. He asked: “How much money would it take to achieve this effect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran held up one hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fifty million?” John Morgan asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Ran explained: “No—five hundred million.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought: Actually, it’s five billion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once you’ve poured five hundred million in, I’ll slowly raise the price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>John Morgan shook his head frantically: “Kill me. Five hundred million? That’s General Aerospace’s entire cash flow, plus mortgaging the company, plus selling every asset I own—it still won’t reach five hundred million.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you even understand what that means?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only NASA could possibly pay for this—and even then, only in installments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their entire budget this year is only nine hundred million—they can’t just hand you half of it at once.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1021,"2026-06-19T21:37:46.551Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","52daa592039762942783faf51e7b819515de30724bf7fd71c34a5ff82f0928cb","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-62","technology-invades-the-modern-world-chapter-60",162,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ftechnology-invades-the-modern-world-cover.jpg"]