91: Chapter 91 The Dawn of the Power Grid and the Starlight of Meteorites

The mass production of "Xuan Bird" superconducting material proceeded more smoothly and rapidly than anyone had anticipated.

On a special production line at the Pan Shi Base that integrated Amplification optimization equipment with conventional precision instruments, the first batch of standard-specification "Xuan Bird" wires and blocks were produced as steadily as flowing water. After rigorous testing, their performance remained highly consistent with the laboratory samples. Stable, controllable, and repeatable—these three words had finally transformed from concepts into reality.

The news was like a giant boulder thrown into a calm lake, but this time, it didn't just cause ripples within the industry; it stirred up a massive wave that swept through the national energy and high-end manufacturing sectors.

Led by the State Grid, an expert group composed of several top power design institutes and equipment manufacturing groups completed the feasibility assessment and demonstration plan design for the application of "Xuan Bird" material in key power equipment such as superconducting cables, superconducting fault current limiters, and superconducting energy storage devices with maximum efficiency.

The assessment conclusion was shocking: the "Xuan Bird" material exhibited near-zero resistance and extremely high current-carrying capacity at 77K (liquid nitrogen temperature range), with overall performance indicators far exceeding any existing commercial high-temperature superconducting materials. This meant that the construction of a large-scale, low-energy-consumption, high-efficiency superconducting power grid had already achieved a disruptive breakthrough possibility at the technical level.

Demonstration projects were launched at an astonishing speed. The first three demonstration lines using "Xuan Bird" superconducting cables were located in the load centers of East China, South China, and the Southwest.

As the exclusive supplier of the core material, Fanxing Technology not only received massive orders but was also deeply involved in the design and construction standard-setting of the entire project.

When the first batch of "Xuan Bird" superconducting cables silently transmitted a powerful current several times that of traditional cables in specially-made low-temperature pipes, with losses being almost negligible, all the engineers and experts on-site fell silent, followed by an explosion of warm applause and cheers. This was not just the completion of a cable; it represented a new era—the dawn of the superconducting power grid era had truly shone into reality.

Official media gave a rare high evaluation, calling it a "revolutionary breakthrough achieved by our country in the field of energy transmission" and a "key step in seizing the commanding heights of future energy technology."

The capital market moved upon hearing the news. Although Fanxing Technology was not listed, the "New Infrastructure" and "Green Energy" sectors related to it all welcomed a new round of skyrocketing prices.

In sharp contrast to this was the Long Group's "Longteng Special Materials" and related business sectors, which had once been infinitely glorious and occupied half of the domestic high-end special conductor market.

While news of the mass production and application demonstrations of "Xuan Bird" was everywhere, the stock price of "Longteng Special Materials" hit its tenth consecutive limit down, with its market value evaporating by more than eighty percent. Banks cut off loans, customers canceled contracts, the company laid off large numbers of employees, and production lines were shut down on a large scale... A corner of the once-vast commercial empire was collapsing at a speed visible to the naked eye under the crushing weight of the technological gap and the market's ruthless abandonment.

At the Long Group headquarters, the atmosphere was as oppressive as a tomb.

In Long Zhenwei's hospital room, the smell of disinfectant mixed with the bitterness of traditional Chinese medicine. This once-powerful commercial giant was now lying on the hospital bed, his face ashen, his eyes having lost their former brilliance, leaving only deep fatigue and a lingering trace of alarm.

Long Zaitian stood before the bed, his head lowered and his hands tightly clenched. His father's words from just now were still echoing in his ears, every word like a red-hot branding iron searing his dignity and ambition:

"Zaitian, the era of superconductors... no longer belongs to us. Star of Fortune... what stands behind it is not just Keyu and Huaxin; what I see is... the national will, a torrent of technology. Fighting him is like hitting a rock with an egg, like using a carriage from the old era to ram a train from the new era."

"But Father! Our Long family's decades of foundation! Are we just going to watch it be snatched away by that kid?!" Long Zaitian growled unwillingly, his eyes bloodshot.

"Foundation?" Long Zhengxiong coughed a few times, gasping for air, "A foundation is a living thing, not a dead one. A foundation that can't keep up with the times is a burden, a death warrant! Look at what 'Longteng Special Materials' is like now? It's a bottomless pit! If we pour more in, the entire Long Group will be dragged down! Cutting off the wrist to save the body can still preserve some vitality. Being obstinate means losing the whole game!"

His cloudy eyes stared at his son, speaking earnestly but with a final trace of severity: "I know you're unwilling, I know you want revenge. But those underhanded methods, in the face of the general trend, will only make us die faster and more miserably! Restrain your sharpness, dispose of the bad assets, and hold onto the traditional fields we can still defend; perhaps... we can still leave a way out for the Long family. As for Chen Fan..." He closed his eyes, as if he had exhausted all his strength, "Do not provoke him anymore. The path he is walking is no longer something we can understand, let alone something we can obstruct."

Listening to his father's warning, which was almost an admission of defeat, Long Zaitian felt as if a giant boulder were pressing on his chest, suffocating him. He didn't believe it! He didn't believe that the Long family's decades of accumulation couldn't beat a young upstart who had suddenly appeared! His father was old, cowardly, and had been frightened out of his wits!

He silently exited the hospital room, the respectful expression on his face instantly fading, leaving only twisted resentment.

"Restrain? Cut off the wrist? A way out?" He sneered under his breath as he walked toward his car, "No, Father, you're wrong. The Long family has no way out, only victory or destruction. Since we can't win fair and square... then I'll make him disappear completely!"

He sat in the car and didn't return to the company, but instead had the driver head toward a hidden private club on the edge of the city.

"Target data, activity patterns, security situation—it's all here." Long Zaitian pushed an encrypted hard drive over, his voice cold, "I want him to disappear completely, and it must look like a perfect accident. The sooner the better. The price will be doubled."

The person codenamed "Viper" picked up the hard drive and smiled with satisfaction: "Straightforward. We will assess the data and give you an action plan and final quote within three days. 'Accidents' are our specialty."

Viper was a formidable character who had never failed a mission and even handled some international cases, escaping unscathed every time. He had been a soldier before, possessed strong anti-reconnaissance skills, and was even more remarkable in combat.

---

Fanxing Technology factory, late at night.

The "Xuan Bird" production lines were running non-stop. To save space, Chen Fan had moved all the Xuan Bird production lines into the space jade pendant, significantly saving space.

Chen Fan stayed in the office alone without turning on the main lights; only a desk lamp emitted a warm glow.

In front of him sat an open, specially-made alloy box, inside which lay a fist-sized "stone" with a deep dark-gold surface and a strange luster. This was precisely the "extraterrestrial meteorite" that Fu Dong had sent through a secret channel earlier.

Having obtained this meteorite, Chen Fan felt its magnetic field. It was extremely heavy, with an astonishing density, and seemed to have a faint, peculiar disturbance on the surrounding energy field. Xiao Zhi's preliminary scan also showed that its internal atomic structure was exceptionally complex, containing various unknown elements and energy reaction characteristics.

The meteorite had been here for a few days, but he had been busy with factory matters and hadn't looked at it closely. Tonight, he finally decided to try and make contact personally.

He took a deep breath, cleared his mind, slowly reached out his finger, and gently touched the cold surface of the meteorite.

In an instant!

An indescribable energy—cool yet scorching, as majestic and pure as the dawn of the universe—surged in through his fingertips! It didn't act on his body, but instead washed directly into the depths of his brain, impacting his core consciousness!

"Ugh!" Chen Fan let out a muffled groan, feeling as if countless stars had exploded before his eyes, his consciousness thrown into a bizarre torrent of information explosion! Countless fragmented images, distorted symbols, and incomprehensible whispers... frantically battered his mental barriers.

But at the same time, he clearly felt that his mental power—or rather, the strength, resilience, and clarity of his will—was growing and condensing at an unprecedented, frantic speed! It was like a parched sponge being thrown into an endless ocean, greedily absorbing everything!

The Amplification system seemed to be triggered as well, emitting a low and joyful hum, producing a strange resonance and fusion with this external energy.

[extraterrestrial meteorite detected; can enhance mental power. Enhancement effects can be accumulated.]

The entire process lasted less than ten minutes, but for Chen Fan, it felt like undergoing a baptism and reshaping of the soul.

When the energy tide slowly receded, the luster on the meteorite's surface completely dimmed; the meteorite's energy had been fully received.

Chen Fan withdrew his hand and staggered back a step, only steadying himself by holding onto the table. His face was pale, and his forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, but in the depths of his pupils, it seemed as if galaxies were being born and extinguished.

He felt that his mind had never been so clear, sharp, and powerful. Minute material structures that previously required intense concentration to perceive could now be "seen" clearly with a single thought; the massive data stream sent by Xiao Zhi could be handled easily even without the God's Revelation Helmet; he could even vaguely "feel" the heartbeat of a small bird in the factory and "capture" the faint disturbance of radio waves in the distant city night sky... His mental power, or rather a deeper level of conscious energy, had achieved a qualitative leap!

This was also the first time the system had issued such a prompt. Chen Fan was very delighted that this meteorite actually had such an effect.

"Boss, your cerebral cortex activity, nerve signal transmission efficiency, and overall consciousness fluctuation intensity have all shown an extraordinary increase of approximately... 378%," Xiao Zhi's voice carried surprised fluctuations. "The energy attributes contained in that meteorite... are different from any known radiation or energy form; it seems to act directly on the source of a living being's consciousness. I suggest an immediate comprehensive physical examination and long-term monitoring."

Chen Fan recovered his senses and looked at the meteorite, which seemed a bit more ordinary now, feeling incredibly shocked. What exactly was this thing that Fu Dong had sent? Where did it come from? Why did it have such a magical effect?

"I understand. Arrange the check-up." Chen Fan calmed his agitated heart and carefully put the meteorite away. The explosion of mental power was undoubtedly a huge help; whether it was controlling the Amplification system or dealing with increasingly complex situations, it made things much more convenient for him.

He walked to the window, and his newly enhanced perception allowed him to have a clearer "grasp" of his surroundings. Suddenly, his brow furrowed slightly.

About one kilometer outside the base perimeter, a black, unlicensed SUV had been parked in the same inconspicuous corner for over four hours. The vital signs of the two people inside were excessively stable, with almost no redundant movements, like two statues. Their aura... carried a coldness that was strictly trained, deliberately restrained, yet still leaked a hint of bloodiness.

They weren't ordinary lookouts.

A cold light flashed in Chen Fan's eyes. Was Long Zaitian's counterattack—or rather, his deathbed struggle—finally coming in the most direct and dangerous way?

"Lin Hao, initiate maximum alert. 'Guests' have arrived at the Northwest perimeter of the base in a black unlicensed SUV. Contact our connections in the police and prepare to 'make an arrest'."