215: Chapter 216 Are all the old men doing scientific research this amazing?!

In an instant, the atmosphere in the video became somewhat subtle and quiet.

Jiang Jing looked at this eerie silence and the several pairs of meaningful eyes on the screen, rubbing his nose: "Hi, beauties, chatting? So lively."

Da Mimi was the first to react. She winked at the screen, her tone drawn out: "That's right~ We were just talking about how some people are 'busy' with all kinds of work, working hard to 'plough the fields'~ Mr. Jiang, it seems your trip to the Magic City was quite fruitful, huh?"

Leng Ba also pouted. Although she didn't speak, the jealousy in her little eyes was about to spill off the screen.

Tong Liya just smiled gently, her eyes filled with the realization of someone who sees through everything.

Nazha was so embarrassed by her sisters' teasing that she wished she could find a hole to crawl into. She could only glare at Jiang Jing in shame and anger, shifting the blame onto him: "It's all your fault!"

Jiang Jing had such thick skin that he wasn't the least bit flustered in the face of such a scene; instead, he walked to the bedside with a grin.

He naturally put his arm around Nazha's shoulders and said to everyone on the screen: "It seems all of you leaders are very concerned about my work and life, huh?"

"Rest assured, health is the capital of revolution, and my body has always been top-notch!"

"As for the harvest… it's indeed quite good, and I'm satisfied in every aspect."

His words were a double entendre, which only incited a round of coquettish scolding and laughter from the other side of the screen.

"Pah! Shameless!"

"You stinky pervert!"

"Show-off! A blatant show-off!"

The atmosphere of the video chat instantly became filled with "flashing swords and shadows" and constant laughter.

...

The scene switched to the depths of the Eastern Theater Command, to that heavily guarded top-secret underground experimental base.

This place was completely isolated from the outside world, containing only cold metal walls, flickering indicator lights of various colors, and the faint hum of running instruments.

Inside the core Laboratory, the lights were bright, but the atmosphere was very tense.

Director Qin Weiguo seemed not to know the meaning of fatigue. His graying hair was somewhat disheveled, and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot, but his eyes were frighteningly bright.

He stared intently at the complex, ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature smelting furnace in front of him, which kept emitting a low roar.

Around him, over a dozen top experts and assistants, urgently transferred from various relevant fields, were holding their breath and focusing intently, carrying out precise operations in strict accordance with Director Qin Weiguo's instructions.

"Confirm the purity of the inert gas one more time!"

"Pressure parameters are stable, maintain at level 7!"

"Temperature curve matches! Prepare to inject the catalytic medium!"

Command after command rang out, low and rapid. Everyone was fully concentrated, and they didn't even have time to wipe the fine beads of sweat forming on their foreheads.

They all knew that they were participating in a project worthy of being recorded in history, even if it was just to produce a tiny sample.

Time passed second by second in high tension.

From late night to dawn, and then to the first light of day, the people in the Laboratory changed shifts, but Elder Qin remained steadfast at the core console, as if nailed to the spot.

Finally, after more than ten hours of uninterrupted effort, the roaring of the smelting furnace gradually ceased, and the various indicator lights turned from red to green one by one.

"Smelting complete! Entering cooling procedure!" an engineer in charge of monitoring reported, his voice trembling with excitement.

Everyone's gaze was focused on the furnace chamber exit; the atmosphere had almost frozen.

After another agonizing wait, the cooling procedure was complete.

Elder Qin stepped forward himself, put on special heat-resistant gloves, and operated the robotic arm, carefully taking out the palm-sized sample receiving dish from the furnace chamber.

In the center of the dish, a thin metal sheet about the size of a fingernail and only two or three millimeters thick lay quietly.

Its entire body presented a deep, dark silver color that seemed to absorb light. Its surface was smooth as a mirror, its edges sharp, and it emitted a cold and mysterious luster under the lights of the Laboratory.

Success!

Although it was only such a tiny bit, it was a breakthrough from nothing to something!

It was the first physical object produced according to that magical process!

The Laboratory instantly erupted with long-suppressed cheers and applause!

Everyone's face was beaming with immense joy and a sense of accomplishment.

Elder Qin's hands were even trembling slightly, but he forced himself to calm down.

Making the sample was only the first step; performance testing was the key!

"Quick! Conduct preliminary physical performance testing immediately! Density, hardness, high-temperature resistance, tensile strength... Quick!"

Elder Qin's voice was somewhat hoarse from excitement, yet it was full of unquestionable power.

This small piece of metal was immediately sent into the various cutting-edge testing instruments that had been waiting nearby.

Data points were generated rapidly and displayed on the computer screen.

The researchers operating the instruments looked at the values constantly popping up on the screen, which far exceeded the limits of their cognition. The expressions on their faces changed from excitement to shock, and finally to numbness and horror!

"Hardness... My god! It exceeds all known natural and synthetic materials!"

"5000°C high-temperature burning for one minute! The surface shows no signs of oxidation or softening! The structural stability is heaven-defying!"

"Tensile strength... The instrument is about to reach its range limit! It's still increasing! This..."

When the final comprehensive performance report was printed out, holding the paper that still carried the residual warmth of the printer, Elder Qin's hands trembled even more violently.

Every piece of data on it perfectly matched the "highest level" performance parameters described in the USB drive data, and in some items, it even slightly exceeded them!

An indescribable ecstasy instantly washed away all the fatigue of this old scientist!

He felt as if he had become thirty years younger in an instant, and a surge of hot blood rushed to his head!

"Success! It really is a success! Hahaha!!" Elder Qin burst into loud laughter, his face flushed with excitement.

The next moment, in the astonished eyes of everyone in the Laboratory, this sexagenarian Academician grabbed the test report and the special transparent protective box containing the precious sample.

Like a young man who had discovered a treasure, he turned around and rushed out of the Laboratory door at the speed of a hundred-meter sprint!

"Elder Qin!"

"Director! Slow down!"

"Watch out!"

The assistants and soldiers behind him were stunned at first, then scared out of their wits, and hurriedly chased after him, shouting.

If he were to fall, it would be a disaster!

The soldiers on duty in the corridor only felt a gust of wind blow past them. When they looked closely, it was actually Elder Qin clutching something and sprinting away like a cannonball out of the chamber, leaving everyone dumbfounded!

"I... I didn't see that wrong, did I? Is that Academician Qin?"

"This speed... he could probably place in the hundred-meter sprint at the All-Army Sports Games, right?"

"The military is indeed full of hidden talents! Are people who do scientific research all this fierce?!"

Elder Qin couldn't care about anything at this moment; there was only one thought in his mind—immediately! Right now! Tell the Commander this massive piece of good news!

He sprinted all the way, causing everyone along the way to stare in shock, and rushed to the door of General Li Zhenguo's office at an astonishing speed.

Even the guards at the door hadn't reacted yet when Elder Qin pushed open the office door and burst in, panting.

"Chief! It... it's a success!!" Elder Qin's chest heaved violently, he was out of breath, but he couldn't wait to raise the test report and the protective box in his hand high up, his face overflowing with almost manic joy.

General Li Zhenguo, who was reviewing documents, was startled by the sudden commotion and looked up. Seeing Elder Qin in this state, he was stunned at first.

Then he immediately realized something, stood up abruptly, and a look of excitement instantly surged onto his face: "Old Qin?! You mean... the material?!"

"Yes! Yes!" Elder Qin nodded forcefully, handed over the test report, and carefully placed the protective box on the desk.

Pointing to the small piece of dark silver metal inside, his voice still breathless, "Highest level! Success on the first try! All data... all met the standards! And even... there might even be potential for improvement!"

General Li Zhenguo took the report. Although he couldn't understand the complex professional data and charts, he could understand the concluding description on the last page and the shocking performance parameter comparison table!

His breathing also became heavy, and a sharp light burst from his eyes. On his face, which usually didn't show his emotions, he couldn't help but reveal wild joy at this moment!

"Good! Good! Good!" He said the word 'good' three times in a row, smashing his fist into his palm in excitement, "This is too good!"