Chapter 97: The Restoration Ship Is Launched

Chen Feng slowly stood up and walked to the window. Outside, the silhouette of Dubai Port stretched in the afternoon sun, cranes like a forest of steel, cargo ships coming and going.

"Wenwu," he said without turning around, "how long do you think our 'technological gap' dividend period will last?"

Wang Wenwu thought for a few seconds. "Five years. Eight at most. Europe's industrial foundation is too thick—once they figure out the direction, they'll catch up fast. Fisher told me in London: 'Give me three years, and I can build a ship no inferior to the Restoration Ship.'"

"Do you believe him?"

"I believe half of it," Wang Wenwu said. "Three years to build one of equal tonnage and firepower—possible. But to match the speed, the fire control, the fuel efficiency... hard. Our advantage isn't in any single parameter, it's in systems integration. But that advantage is being chased down too."

Chen Feng turned around, his gaze sweeping across everyone present.

"You all heard? Five to eight years. That's the only window of time we have. Within five years, we must save enough capital to go home. Within eight years, we must stand firm at our own doorstep."

He walked back to his seat, both hands braced on the tabletop. "Chief Engineer Liu."

"Here."

"When can the Restoration Ship be launched?"

"The day after tomorrow, eight in the morning, when the tide is at its highest."

"Good." Chen Feng looked at Wang Wenwu. "The debriefing ends here. Wenwu, go back and rest for three days, then handle the reception for the Chilean delegation. If they want to buy ships, sell to them. Price them at ninety percent of the Kaiser-class, but with stricter terms—core technology is absolutely never transferred, and crew training is conducted at our place."

"Understood."

"Dismissed."

The crowd filed out one by one. When Wang Wenwu reached the door, Chen Feng called after him.

"Wenwu."

"Grand Commander?"

"You've worked hard." Chen Feng patted his shoulder. "This trip wasn't easy."

Wang Wenwu smiled, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes very deep. "It wasn't easy. But it was worth it. At least now, they have to look at us squarely."

After he left, Chen Feng sat alone in the conference room. Sunlight slanted through the gaps in the blinds, cutting streaks of light across the tabletop.

Wang Bo walked in quietly and set down a cup of tea.

"Young Master, you should rest a little too."

"Wang Bo," Chen Feng did not touch the teacup, "tell me—have we taken the right path?"

The old man was silent for a moment, then said, "This old man doesn't understand those grand principles. But I do know this—three years ago when we first arrived, the Yingguo people wouldn't even glance at us. Now they have to hold cabinet meetings to discuss how to deal with us. That change is real."

"But the cost?" Chen Feng murmured. "We're playing with fire. Balancing Yingguo and Deguo, maneuvering between France and Russia, and keeping watch on Japan... one wrong step, and it's a bottomless abyss."

"Then don't take a wrong step," Wang Bo said. "Young Master, you're not alone. We have three hundred thousand people, and now two of the most advanced warships in the world, young men like Li Te and Lin Hai, old masters like Liu Yongfu. We have capital, and we have a fallback—at worst, we go back to the desert and build new ships."

Chen Feng finally laughed. "Your way of comforting someone is truly unique."

"This old man speaks the truth." Wang Bo smiled too. "The ship will straighten out when it reaches the bridge. Young Master, you should go see the Restoration Ship. That ship... is truly enormous."

The launch ceremony was set for early morning.

Before dawn, people had already gathered around the dry dock. Not officially organized—spontaneous. Workers, families, students, merchants who had rushed over from the port district. Everyone was waiting, waiting for that legendary giant vessel to touch seawater for the first time.

When Chen Feng arrived, Liu Yongfu was already on the command platform.

"How is it?" Chen Feng asked.

"All ready." Liu Yongfu had bloodshot eyes, but his spirits were high. "Last night we did the final check three times. All support frames have been removed, and eight tons of tallow have been applied to the slipway. The tide reaches its peak at eight-oh-three, lasting twenty-five minutes—enough." (Water injection or pulleys?)

Chen Feng raised his binoculars.

In the dry dock, the silhouette of the Restoration Ship was razor-sharp under the searchlights. The bow was as sharp as a knife. Three funnels were arranged in a stepped configuration, and four twin-mounted Main Gun turrets were distributed along the centerline—this was the hallmark of a battlecruiser: sacrificing some armor for speed, but with firepower undiminished.

Chen Feng lowered his binoculars. "Where is Li Te?"

"On board doing the final check. Lin Hai is too."

"Tell them to come down, the ceremony is about to start."

At eight o'clock sharp, the tide rose to its highest point.

The reviewing stand was packed with people. Chen Feng stood at the center, with Wang Bo and other civil officials to his left, and Liu Yongfu and other technical staff to his right. Farther off, the workers permitted to enter the dry dock area stood in formation, every person standing straight-backed.

The master of ceremonies was Li Mingyuan. He stepped up to the microphone—this was an electric megaphone imported from Deguo, its voice carrying far.

"Fellow citizens, today we are here to witness the launch ceremony of the Lanfang Navy's second capital warship, the Restoration Ship battlecruiser!"

Applause erupted, like a tide.

"Over the past three years, more than eight thousand workers and technical personnel have poured their wisdom and sweat into this warship. Among them are engineers who returned from studying in Deguo, old masters who spent a lifetime at South Ocean shipyards, and young men who had just learned to read blueprints yet dared to climb thirty-meter-high scaffolding. This ship is the crystallization of three hundred thousand Lanfang people!"

The applause grew louder. Someone in the crowd wiped away tears.

"Now, please welcome the Restoration Ship's first captain, Captain Lin Hai, to board the vessel for inspection!"

Lin Hai stepped out from the ranks. He wore a brand-new dark blue captain's uniform, with one star on his shoulder boards—after today, it would become two. He walked quickly but steadily, ascending the gangway onto the hull's deck, which had been lowered level with the pier. (Should rank insignia be placed on the cuffs? —)

According to procedure, he was to walk from bow to stern, inspect every key section, then report to the reviewing stand: "Hull ready."

Chen Feng watched that young figure's back and suddenly recalled the scene when he first met Lin Hai three years ago. Back then he was still a student at a technical school, recommended to the shipbuilding design team because of his exceptional math, spending every day clutching a pile of blueprints and following behind Liu Yongfu asking questions.

Now, he was about to command a forty-thousand-ton giant vessel.

Five minutes later, Lin Hai returned to the bridge position and raised the signal flag: ready.

Chen Feng walked up to the champagne platform that had been prepared long in advance. Not a traditional wine bottle, but a specially made silver hammer—the hammerhead was engraved with a golden dragon, and the handle was inscribed with "Restore the Lost Homeland, Revive the Nation."

He raised the silver hammer and faced the microphone.

"The Restoration Ship—this name carries the dreams of all overseas Chinese. We once lost our homeland, once wandered displaced, once were looked down upon. But today, we stand here, with steel and wisdom, to declare our return!"

He paused, his voice carrying across the entire dry dock:

"This ship, together with its sister vessel the Restoration Ship, will become the backbone of the Lanfang Navy. They will sail across the world's oceans, telling every Chinese person: you are not orphans, the motherland has not forgotten you! Telling everyone who once humiliated us: the times have changed!"

The silver hammer fell, striking the symbolic stempost.

"I now declare: the Restoration Ship battlecruiser, launched!"