162: Chapter 162 A Brand New Day

While Chu Ge and his group were commenting on the dining hall, groups of workers were already entering one after another to eat. They were in small groups, chatting and laughing. It was evident that the workers were quite satisfied with the food, accommodation, and transport here; everyone was in high spirits.

"Wang Laoer, you don't need to pour so much cola. I heard that stuff kills sperm."

"Pfft, stop spouting nonsense. On a hot day, a glass of iced cola is pure bliss. It doesn't matter if it kills sperm or not; our base is full of men anyway."

"Haha, that's what you really wanted to say, right? Let me tell you, there are plenty of women in the base, but they are either female officers or technicians, and their ranks are quite high—hard to get. Otherwise, I'd definitely try to snag one as a girlfriend."

"Yeah, yeah. I even ran into a young woman yesterday; her face, tsk tsk, was absolutely gorgeous."

"Shut up, all of you. Don't you see the leaders over there? Talking about girlfriends—are you here to work or to find a girlfriend? Baozi is right; are the girls in the base someone you roughnecks can aim for? They are high-level intellectuals, and you? You're at best skilled blue-collar workers. You're not in the same league, so hurry up and get your food."

A middle-aged man who looked like a minor leader in the line whispered a reprimand. The group of younger people, who had been joking around, immediately toned down their behavior, obediently got their food, and sat down at a table.

"Boss, is that Chu Ge, Academician Chu, wearing the white t-shirt?"

As the group sat together eating and talking, Wang Laoer, who was beside them, suddenly asked while looking at Chu Ge and his group.

"Yeah, you don't recognize Academician Chu? He's on TV every day. Look at him, he's an Academician at such a young age, and he's the chief engineer and chief designer of our big project. That's a real big shot."

After saying this, he glanced at Chu Ge's side again, and the others also turned to look.

"Did you see the ranks of those officers next to him? Major General, Lieutenant General... well, Minister Long goes without saying, everyone knows him. What kind of legendary figures are these?"

"It just means the country attaches great importance to this project. That's why I'm telling you guys, you need to give it your all. The pay here is the highest in the country, and the benefits are the best. If you mess up and embarrass me, don't blame me for turning heartless when the time comes!!!"

"Yes, don't worry, Boss. We know what we're doing. This is the kunpeng, the aerospace carrier my kid keeps talking about every day. How could we dare to slack off?" replied an older person nearby.

In the dining hall, batch after batch of workers and engineers were discussing similar topics. As they ate, they all looked toward Chu Ge's table, unable to hide the excitement on their faces.

"Xiao Chu, Minister Long and I will head back after the meal. What are your plans?" asked Academician Chen.

"I won't go back just yet. Things have just started here, and there might be many issues. I'll stay here to keep an eye on things this month. If anything comes up at the Research Institute, please contact me, Elder Chen."

"That's fine. There shouldn't be anything major. Everyone is on the right track, and several projects are nearing completion and are currently in the data testing phase."

"Good. Oh, and Minister Long, regarding the carrier-based aircraft submitted last time, tell the manufacturing factory to speed up. I want to see a prototype next month. Don't worry about the main and auxiliary engines, computer systems, or weapon systems for now; I've already arranged for the Research Institute to collaborate with relevant units to produce the first-generation finished products. Just make the airframe according to the blueprints, and the rest is simple."

"Rest assured, Chu Ge, they are already arranging it. I heard it's for the carrier-based aircraft on the kunpeng; they don't even need me to urge them, haha." Minister Long laughed heartily, and Chu Ge and the others laughed along with him.

It was a simple lunch, but Chu Ge felt like he'd had a buffet; in short, he was very full and didn't leave anything behind.

"Elder Chen, I have to say, the head chef at the base is just a little bit better than Master Liu at our Research Institute. The food here is just..."

"Hmm, I'll tell Master Liu when I get back, and say that Academician Chu dislikes his cooking!"

"Haha!"

The group walked out of the dining hall laughing. Along the way, the base was full of workers rushing to eat. Walking on this main road, Chu Ge was momentarily lost in a trance, as the scene of going to eat with his best friends during his university days flashed before his eyes.

After seeing off the big shots, Chu Ge followed Commander Wang toward the depths of the base, where the office and living areas were located.

"Academician Chu, space at the base is tight, so the conditions aren't as good as at the Research Institute," Commander Wang said, walking beside Chu Ge, trying to manage expectations.

"Don't say that. If you could set me up in a four-person dorm like in a university campus, I might actually prefer that, haha."

"Nope, you'll stick to a single room. I'm afraid the people at the base would feel too much mental pressure living with you," Commander Wang said jokingly. He was quite familiar with Chu Ge, so he didn't have to be as reserved as others.

"Haha."

...

The nights at the Dockyard Base were quite different from those at the Research Institute. After dark at the Research Institute, apart from the sounds of insects in nature, it was dead silent, with only the rows of streetlights and the living area providing some light.

At night, the base was basically no different from the daytime, except for when you looked up and saw that the sky was black.

The work area was brightly lit, and the sounds of various overhead cranes and machinery faintly reached his ears. There were many people in the living area, and where there are people, there are stories. It was full of vitality everywhere. After finishing dinner, Chu Ge tidied up in his single dormitory.

This single dormitory was likely provided for some of the base's senior management. It was quite spacious; Chu Ge walked around and felt it was about 80 square meters. It was fully equipped with daily necessities, so Chu Ge could just move in with his bags.

After tidying up the dormitory, Chu Ge poured himself a glass of water and walked to the balcony. Through the balcony, he could see a construction area not far away. Chu Ge drank his water and looked in that direction.

A breeze brushed his face. The lights on the distant tower cranes stood there like lighthouses. Chu Ge stared blankly at the scattered lights...

Down in the living area, workers filed out—some heading to the work area, others walking toward the dormitory area. The bustling crowd was as lively as a temple fair. This must have been the shift change between the middle shift and the night shift.

The Dockyard Base had officially gotten on the right track today. In the near future, massive warships that would shock the world would be born here. They would form the first Interstellar Fleet in human history, representing humanity as it set sail toward the dazzling sea of stars.

...

Not far from the Dockyard Base in D City was the seaport. Past the busy passenger terminal, deep in the harbor, was stationed a coast guard detachment of the East China Sea. Tonight, it was equally brightly lit.

Three coast guard patrol ships, numbered 46440, 1150, and 1151, were preparing to leave port for duty. As usual, they would be patrolling the entire East China Sea region.