136: Chapter 136 Overcoming Challenges, Pursuing Light, Debugging, Uniting Efforts, and Building a Team: Foreshadowing and Subtle Promises (1)

The first light of dawn broke through the thick clouds, casting a cold and resolute metallic luster on the steel structures of the nuclear fusion power station project like a sharp sword. It dispelled the morning chill and added a halo of hope to this intense debugging battle. Mu Li had risen early. After a quick wash, he changed into a crisp, deep blue work uniform. This uniform had accompanied him through countless days and nights of project construction, witnessing one challenge overcome after another. The cuffs and hems were slightly worn, their edges faded by time, yet they appeared all the more steady and reliable; every mark of wear was an extraordinary imprint of him fighting side-by-side with his team. He picked up his safety helmet from the table, his fingertips lightly brushing the clear project logo on the brim, and strode toward the Main Control Room. His steps were light and firm, showing no trace of travel fatigue in his eyes, only focus and anticipation for the debugging work. His resolute figure upon arriving at the site provided a perfect transition.

At this time, several technicians had already arrived at the Main Control Room. They were carefully checking and repeatedly deducing the dense data on their computer screens, their expressions so focused that even their breathing was extremely light. The crisp, rapid clicking of keyboards and the low, orderly sounds of discussion intertwined to form a unique morning overture for the project site—busy and organized, showcasing the rigor and perseverance of scientific researchers. Seeing Mu Li enter, everyone looked up, their faces breaking into surprised and respectful smiles as they greeted him in unison: "Good morning, Engineer Mu!" Their tone was full of the joy of a long-awaited reunion, and it also held their trust and reliance on him.

"Good morning, everyone," Mu Li responded with a smile, his eyes carrying a touch of warmth. He walked quickly to his workstation and sat down, neatly placing his safety helmet on the corner of the desk. Without any hesitation, he immediately entered work mode and asked in a steady voice, "Has the preliminary preparation for the equipment debugging been finalized? Have all the parameters been verified as correct?"

Lin Wei, who was in charge of leading the equipment debugging, walked over quickly upon hearing him. She held a thick debugging plan in her hands, her fingertips pressing tightly against the edges, her knuckles slightly pale. It was clear that she had pored over this plan many times; the pages were covered in dense red annotations and marks of revision, each one reflecting meticulousness and rigor. She gently handed the plan to Mu Li and spoke in a capable yet expectant tone: "Engineer Mu, everything is ready. This is the finalized debugging plan. Our Technical Team worked through the night to review it word for word. We have refined and improved the parameters for key nodes, operational standards, and emergency plans. Even the smallest errors have been corrected to ensure there are no omissions. Please take a look."

Mu Li took the plan, his fingertips lightly tracing the clearly printed pages. With a focused and rigorous gaze, he read through it carefully, word for word, not even missing the footnotes. The plan detailed the goals, steps, and division of labor for the debugging, from testing the nuclear reactor's core components to the joint inspection of auxiliary systems; every item was clearly marked with distinct responsibilities. It even formulated corresponding measures for potential emergencies such as voltage fluctuations, signal delays, and temperature anomalies, considering everything thoroughly and precisely marking every time node for emergency response. He became more satisfied as he read, looking up at Lin Wei with praise in his eyes, his tone softening: "It's very detailed and well-considered; you haven't let everyone down. The Technical Team has worked hard. You've stayed up many nights, haven't you? I can see the dark circles under your eyes; you must make sure to balance work and rest."

"It's not hard; this is what we should do," Lin Wei smiled and lightly rubbed the corners of her eyes. Although there were faint dark circles, she could not hide her excitement and anticipation. "Everyone is looking forward to completing the debugging as soon as possible and seeing the project smoothly put into operation to contribute to the country's energy cause. This bit of hard work is nothing. And with you here, we feel more confident and motivated."

Mu Li nodded and placed the plan neatly on the table. His fingertips tapped the surface lightly, and in a steady, firm voice, he began to deploy the day's work: "The plan is fine; we can proceed accordingly. Today, we officially launch the first phase of debugging, focusing on testing the nuclear reactor's Cooling System and the Energy Transmission Pre-processing Module. These two modules are the foundation for the project's commissioning and must be foolproof. Lin Wei, you are responsible for coordinating the Technical Team's division of labor and controlling every debugging stage to ensure each node has dedicated personnel for responsibility and monitoring. Coordinate and resolve any issues immediately as they arise; Zhao Yu, take two people to the site to check the connection of the debugging equipment, verify the precision of the instruments one by one, and repeatedly calibrate the data. Confirm that all equipment meets the debugging requirements; there must be no carelessness. Even a tiny loose interface could lead to serious consequences. Everyone else will stay in the Main Control Room to handle real-time data monitoring and detailed recording. Every key piece of data must be accurate, not even off by two decimal places. Report any anomalies immediately; there must be absolutely no delay."

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison, their voices loud and firm. Without the slightest hesitation, they immediately sprang into action. Zhao Yu quickly grabbed his tool bag and led two young engineers toward the equipment area, his steps hurried but not frantic, each one showing efficiency. Lin Wei walked quickly to the big screen in the Main Control Room, skillfully switching the display to bring up the debugging process and division of labor chart. She began assigning specific monitoring tasks with concise instructions and clear commands, without a single redundant word. Other technical personnel also quickly returned to their workstations, carefully setting up the monitoring software. Their eyes were fixed on the screens, and their hands were on their keyboards, ready to record data at any moment, their expressions focused and serious.

Mu Li stood up and walked to the big screen, his gaze slowly scanning every detail. In the real-time monitoring footage, the equipment was neatly arranged, and the pipelines were crisscrossed, exuding the solemnity and weight unique to industrial equipment. On the parameter panel next to it, various indicators to be monitored were clearly visible, the numbers jumping quietly, waiting for the command to start debugging. He said in a deep voice, "Everyone, remember that equipment debugging is a key stage before the project is put into operation. There is no room for the slightest carelessness or negligence; every operation concerns the safety and success of the project. Every operation must be carried out strictly according to the plan, and every set of data must be checked repeatedly. If there are any anomalies, report them immediately. You must not handle them on your own. Once an error occurs, the consequences will be unimaginable; it will not only delay the commissioning progress but also pose potential safety hazards."

"Received!" everyone responded in unison, their voices so loud that the glass windows of the Main Control Room vibrated slightly. Their tone was filled with unquestionable solemnity. Their previously relaxed expressions vanished instantly, replaced by extreme focus. Their brows furrowed slightly, and their eyes locked onto their respective work areas. The atmosphere, which had been slightly light due to the brief exchange, felt as if a "tension button" had been pressed. It instantly became tense and serious, as if the air had solidified. Everyone carved Mu Li's instructions into their hearts, word for word. Their fingertips unconsciously tightened, and they even breathed lightly, not daring to be the least bit careless for fear that a momentary oversight might affect the entire debugging process.

With Mu Li's command, he lightly raised his hand to signal Lin Wei to start the debugging, his eyes reflecting composure and determination. Lin Wei immediately turned around, her hands gripping the walkie-talkie tightly. She held the microphone close to her lips and issued the command to start debugging in a clear and powerful voice, without any hesitation: "Attention all stations, the debugging work is officially starting. Proceed according to the preset steps and closely monitor all data. Feedback must be provided promptly at every node; there must be no delay or omission!" From the other end of the walkie-talkie came a succession of "Received" responses, clear and firm, piercing through the beeping of the instruments in the Main Control Room.

The field debugging personnel immediately acted upon the order without hesitation. They were dressed in full professional protective gear, with thick white protective suits wrapping them tightly, leaving only their focused and sharp eyes visible. The straps of their safety helmets were fastened securely under their chins, and their protective gloves fit snugly on their fingertips; every piece of protection was handled meticulously. They bent over, carefully performing final confirmations on the Cooling System's pipe connections and valve switches. Their fingertips lightly brushed the seals of the pipe interfaces, feeling for any looseness, while their hands gripped the valve handles, gently turning and calibrating them. Their movements were skilled and cautious, with every angle of rotation and every bit of force applied striving for precision. Their eyes were fixed on the tiny gaps at the interfaces, fearing any oversight. In the Main Control Room, the previously static parameters on the giant screen suddenly "came alive" and began to jump rapidly. Key data such as temperature, pressure, and flow rate updated and scrolled in real-time. The red safety warning lines at the edges of the screen were particularly striking, like insurmountable boundaries. The technicians sat at their workstations, leaning forward slightly with their eyes glued to the screen. Their gaze moved constantly with the jumping numbers, and their fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboards. The crisp clicking sounds rose and fell in a tight rhythm, like a beating pulse. As they typed, they quickly recorded the parameters of each key node, their pens flying across their notebooks. Even blinking became an act of extreme caution, for fear of missing any subtle data fluctuation. Their eyes were filled with focus and rigor, and they didn't even have time to wipe the fine beads of sweat from their foreheads.

Mu Li remained standing before the big screen, his gaze like a torch as he constantly monitored the changes in the data. His brow was slightly furrowed, his expression rigorous, and he exuded a steady and reliable aura. He knew in his heart that the Cooling System was the "lifeline" of the Nuclear Fusion Power Station, and its operational stability was directly related to the safety of the entire project, leaving no room for error. When he saw the coolant flow data on the screen gradually stabilize and the temperature precisely controlled within the preset range, his tense nerves relaxed slightly. His fingertips unconsciously unfurled, but the vigilance in his eyes did not diminish at all. He remained fully focused on observing every subtle fluctuation, not letting any abnormal signal slip by.

About an hour later, Zhao Yu's voice came clearly through the walkie-talkie, his tone steady and clear without a hint of panic: "Engineer Mu, the field inspection of the Cooling System is complete. The equipment connections are normal, the interface seals are intact, and no leaks have occurred. The instrument precision all meets the standards, and all indicators comply with the debugging requirements. We can proceed to the next step, the pressure test."

"Good, start the pressure test," Mu Li's voice remained steady, his eyes locked onto the pressure parameter panel on the screen. His tone carried an unquestionable firmness. "Remember to proceed step by step, increasing the pressure slowly. Closely monitor the entire process. If any anomaly occurs, stop the test immediately and handle it promptly. You must not take any risks."

The pressure test is one of the key steps in debugging the Cooling System and an important test of the pipes' pressure resistance and sealing. It requires gradually increasing the pressure within the pipes while closely monitoring the entire process. If a leak occurs, the test must be stopped immediately and handled promptly; otherwise, it could lead to a serious safety accident. In the Main Control Room, everyone held their breath and stared at the pressure values on the screen, not even daring to breathe loudly. The already tense atmosphere became even more heavy, as if the air had solidified. The values climbed bit by bit, from 1.2 times the normal working pressure to 1.5 times. With every increase in value, everyone's hearts rose a little higher, their fingertips instinctively tightening, and fine sweat breaking out on their palms.

"The pressure has reached 1.5 times the design value. Currently, there are no leaks in the pipes, all auxiliary components are operating normally, and the data is stable without any anomalies," Lin Wei reported the situation in real-time while staring at the screen. Her tone carried a hint of imperceptible tension, her fingertips gripped the walkie-talkie tightly, and her palms were already covered in sweat.

Mu Li nodded, his tone remaining steady without any relaxation: "Maintain this pressure and keep it stable for 30 minutes. Closely monitor the data changes and make a record every minute. If any anomaly occurs, immediately depressurize, stop the test, and report it promptly. There must be absolutely no fluke mindset."

The thirty minutes felt exceptionally long in the tense atmosphere, as if a century had passed. The Main Control Room was so quiet that they could hear each other's breathing; only the slight beeping of the instruments and the clicking of keyboards occasionally broke the silence, each sound exceptionally clear. Mu Li paced back and forth, his gaze constantly switching between the real-time monitoring footage on the big screen and the parameter panel. His steps were steady, each one exuding composure while also hiding an imperceptible caution to ensure no anomalies occurred. His presence also gave everyone on site great confidence.

"Time's up! The pressure is stable, there are no anomalies, and there are no leaks in the pipes. All parameters meet the design requirements. We can depressurize now!" Lin Wei's voice broke the silence, her tone filled with a bit more relief and ease, and a trace of a relaxed smile appeared on her face.

"Good. Depressurize slowly and follow the operational standards to avoid a sudden pressure drop damaging the equipment. Prepare to test the Energy Transmission Pre-processing Module." Mu Li breathed a sigh of relief, his tone also carrying a hint of imperceptible relief as the corners of his tight mouth curled up slightly. The Cooling System's pressure test had passed smoothly, getting the subsequent debugging work off to a good start and allowing everyone's tense nerves to relax slightly.

The morning's debugging work progressed smoothly, and all the initial parameters of the Energy Transmission Pre-processing Module precisely met the design requirements, with no anomalies occurring. As noon approached, the sun rose higher, casting mottled light and shadow through the windows of the Main Control Room onto the floor, warm and soft. Everyone had tired but satisfied smiles on their faces. Their exhaustion was hard to hide, yet they were still brimming with energy—although the morning's intense work was hard, the smooth progress of the debugging work filled everyone with confidence for the subsequent tasks. Mu Li glanced at the time and issued the command to pause the debugging: "Everyone, take a break first. Have some lunch to replenish your energy. We will continue the debugging work this afternoon. Remember to keep communication channels open. The personnel on duty must remain at their posts and monitor the equipment status at all times. If anything happens, contact us immediately. There must be no slackening."

"Okay, Engineer Mu!" everyone stood up one after another, stretching, rubbing their sore eyes, and moving their stiff shoulders. Their fatigue was hard to hide, yet they were still brimming with energy.