Chapter 18

"Why aren't you going yet?"

The next second, Song Qi’s urging voice came.

"Oh, oh! Okay!"

Zhou Zhou Zhou Yonghui finally came to his senses and began to get busy. ===== CHAPTER 37 =====

Long Guo, Imperial Capital, Heavenly Sword Laboratory.

Amidst a pile of design blueprints, Zhao Lao leaned down, focusing intently on the engine drawings before him, his expression shifting between tension and relief.

Ever since Song Qi handed him the blueprints, Zhao Lao had returned to the Heavenly Sword Research Institute and immediately convened a technical meeting.

He had many copies of the blueprints printed and distributed to the institute’s researchers.

The researchers at Heavenly Sword were all top-tier experts in fighter jet technology, but the moment they saw the blueprints, they were instantly frozen in place.

The fighter jet designed on the blueprints was practically a product of the future world, completely exceeding everyone’s imagination.

Just like that, the entire Heavenly Sword Research Institute fell into an unparalleled frenzy.

Even Zhao Lao, who had one foot in the grave, delved into the blueprints until he forgot to eat or sleep.

He practically lived in his office.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Outside the office, a rhythmic knocking sound was heard.

"Come in!"

Zhao Lao, who was hunched over his desk processing documents, lifted his reading glasses and looked toward the door.

"Zhao Lao!"

"We received a procurement request from the Xijing Third Institute, submitted by a person named Zhou Zhou Zhou Yonghui."

"Many items on the procurement list are lethal raw materials. We were about to refuse, but the person said it was what Song Qi needed and asked us to explain the situation to you..."

Song Qi?!

Upon hearing this name, Zhao Lao’s eyes widened immediately.

"Quick, let me see the procurement list!"

Taking the list, Zhao Lao put his reading glasses back on. The moment he saw the contents, he froze.

"Wait!"

"You didn't bring the wrong list, did you?"

"Are you sure this isn't the procurement list for the nuke research institute over there?"

The assistant shook his head silently.

"Zhao Lao, this is the procurement list from the Third Institute..."

?

A large question mark slowly floated over Zhao Lao’s head.

What kind of plane is this Song Qi trying to fly now!

High-purity heavy water?

This stuff is a material used for making hydrogen bombs!

And he wants high-strength chromium-nickel alloy; do you know how hard that is to get?

The National Aerospace Administration can’t even get much in a year, and you come asking me for a ton right off the bat?

The most fatal part is this zirconium!

This stuff can be used to make bulletproof armor, and it’s also the metal material for nuclear reactor cores!

Never mind the price; within Long Guo, these three things can’t be bought even if you have the money!

Even at the Heavenly Sword Research Institute, which has the highest security clearance in the country, there isn't much of a quota for these three things in a year.

The quantity requested on Song Qi’s list was not small.

Taking this much would wipe out the Heavenly Sword Research Institute’s usage for half a year...

Seeing Zhao Lao’s conflicted expression, the assistant said softly, "Zhao Lao..."

"Should I... reject this procurement request?"

As the assistant’s tentative voice came through, Zhao Lao hurriedly waved his hand.

"No!"

"Send the materials over as soon as possible! Don't delay Little Song’s time!"

Heartache is one thing.

As a giant of scientific research, Zhao Lao still had the necessary boldness.

If those materials were kept at his Heavenly Sword Research Institute, they probably wouldn't amount to much anyway!

If they were handed to Song Qi, and this kid managed to build a new type of fighter jet!

That would be a real massive profit!

"But!"

The assistant appeared extremely hesitant: "Zhao Lao, if we give the materials away, what will our institute do..."

"Even if our institute goes poor or starves, we cannot treat Little Song poorly, understand?"

Zhao Lao seemed to have suddenly thought of something and continued: "Also, give the Third Institute an extra 50 million in funding! Tell him, spend whatever he wants!!"

"Do you understand?"

Upon hearing this, the assistant’s heart skipped a beat.

He instantly realized that this Song Qi at the Third Institute was an extraordinary figure!

There might not be a second young person in the entire Long Guo who could receive such a high evaluation from Zhao Lao.

"Understood!"

The assistant nodded and hurriedly prepared to leave.

But just as he reached the door, he was called back by Zhao Lao.

"Wait a moment!"

The assistant turned back and asked, "Zhao Lao, is there anything else?"

"How is the assembly of the sixth-generation fighter jet production line coming along? The specific construction blueprints have already been issued; how long until mass production is expected?"

Zhao Lao had also been keeping the construction of the fighter jet production line in mind.

It was just that he was old and couldn't run around, so he had to leave such an important task to his subordinates.

However, Long Guo was the number one manufacturing powerhouse on the Blue Planet, and Zhao Lao was very confident in the construction speed of the production line.

"Reporting to Zhao Lao."

"The production line for the sixth-generation fighter jet has been initially planned, and the downstream manufacturers required for the supporting equipment have also been initially tendered."

"A dedicated fighter jet production line has already been opened at the Liaoyang Aircraft Manufacturing Plant."

"It is expected that the first new fighter jet will be produced in three months."

"After the new fighter jet passes testing, it will be produced at full capacity. It is expected that within two years, it can be equipped to the Long Guo Air Force..."

"Three months?"

A rare look of excitement appeared on Zhao Lao’s face.

This expression hadn't even appeared on Zhao Lao’s face when the J-20 test flight was successful.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Zhao Lao said the word "good" three times in a row; his mood was now extremely cheerful!

Zhao Lao had waited for this day for far too long.

Throughout his decades-long scientific career, Zhao Lao had always held a breath of frustration in his heart.

Why should Long Guo’s fighter jets be suppressed by the Freedom Nation, and not even be able to compete with the Northern Bear Nation!

For these past decades, Zhao Lao had worked diligently, forging swords for the country!

Batch after batch of fighter jets, such as the J-11B and J-20, were built by Zhao Lao’s hands.

In Zhao Lao’s generation, Long Guo’s fighter jet level had advanced by leaps and bounds, from third-generation to fourth-generation, and finally to the fifth-generation J-20!

In just twenty years, Long Guo had completed the great miracle of jumping from third-generation to fifth-generation fighter jets.

But even so, the Freedom Nation’s F-22 Raptor and F-35 still stood like two great mountains, pressing down on the hearts of Long Guo’s researchers, leaving them unable to breathe.

However! ===== CHAPTER 38 =====