Chapter 14 The Real Bug of Little Sun

Lin Xi's finger jabbed heavily at the "big megaphone" on the blueprint.

"This thing's scientific name is 'Directional Radiant Thermal Energy Concentrator'."

Lin Xi was dead serious, the terms popping out of his mouth getting more hardcore by the second, leaving everyone dazed:

"The core technology utilizes the 'Parabolic Reflection Principle' from our red star no. 2 satellite's fairing."

"Through a specific curvature design, it focuses infrared thermal radiation beams with high efficiency."

"Within a three-meter range, it can create a perceived temperature similar to direct sunlight."

The four people in the room were completely lost, though they felt it was very impressive.

"Stop, stop, stop!" Sun Erga scratched his slicked-back hair:

"Manager Lin, can we speak in plain English? What exactly does this do?"

"It's for heating," Lin Xi said succinctly. "Commonly known as a little sun."

"Oh! Heating?" Sun Erga felt a bit deflated.

"Even though our base is cold, we at least have centralized heating."

"Failing that, there are coal stoves. Who would waste money on this thing?"

"Heating?" Lin Xi gave a cold laugh.

"You've touched the radiators in our dormitory building, haven't you?"

"That's just 'lukewarm water.' The room temperature barely hits twelve degrees at most."

"Wearing a padded coat indoors is cumbersome, but taking it off means catching a cold."

"Besides, the heating stops in late February every year."

"But the late spring cold in the Northwest can freeze people until April. I don't need to tell you how that feels, right?"

Liu Guihua nodded in deep agreement.

During the period when the heating was cut off each year, the cold really did make one's bones ache.

"As for coal stoves..." Lin Xi pointed at the smoking giant in the room.

"Not to mention the smoke and fire, you have to dump the ashes every day."

"The most critical thing is—it's easy to lose your life."

"Which winter at our base hasn't seen a few people carried out due to carbon monoxide poisoning?"

Everyone fell silent. This was indeed a pain point, hit right on the mark.

But Sun Erga still shook his head:

"There are pain points, but getting people to actually cough up money... that's hard."

"Buying coal is a hassle, but it's a necessity for daily life."

"Buying an appliance? Once you plug it in, the electricity meter will spin like a Wind-Fire Wheel. Who can afford that?"

The corners of Lin Xi's mouth curled up slightly; he had been waiting for those words.

He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, as if revealing some earth-shattering secret:

"Have you forgotten the rules of our base?"

"Buying coal briquettes comes out of the employees' own pockets."

"But the electricity bill..." Lin Xi tapped the table. "That's 'all-inclusive' for the whole base!"

"No matter how much you use, you don't have to pay an extra cent!"

Boom!

This sentence was like a bolt of lightning, instantly clearing the fog in everyone's minds.

Sun Erga slapped his thigh hard; the sound alone made it seem painful. "Holy sh*t!"

"Holy sh*t!" Even Wang Yu, who only knew how to fiddle with electronic components, couldn't help but follow suit.

In this era's state-owned enterprise compounds and bases, electricity meters were not installed in individual households.

Electricity usage was indeed a welfare-style "big pot meal."

"This... this is freaking freeloading!" Green light shone in Sun Erga's eyes.

Looking at the crude little sun on the blueprint, he felt as if he were looking at a golden God of Wealth.

"As long as we buy this, heating is free?"

"Then who would be stupid enough to buy coal briquettes and inhale coal smoke?"

"Manager Lin, you're truly amazing!" Sun Erga gave a thumbs-up, completely convinced this time.

"This isn't just selling appliances; this is fleecing the base!"

The livestream room exploded at this moment.

["Unbelievable! I thought the Streamer was doing business, but it turns out he's exploiting a bug!"]

["Think bigger! We only thought of the first level, but the Streamer is already in the stratosphere!"]

["Streamer, you found a blind spot! In the 80s, state-owned enterprise compounds really only paid a few cents symbolically every month!"]

["This is called: as long as the electricity is free, I can roast a hole in the Earth!"]

Lin Xi smiled slightly, hiding his merit and fame.

This was exactly the effect he wanted.

Whether it was 1980 or 2025, no one could refuse the temptation of freeloading.

"Alright, since the logic is clear, let's get to work."

Lin Xi stood up, acting with swift decisiveness:

"Sister Liu, you stay and hold down the fort. Tidy up the place while you're at it; this will be our storefront from now on."

"Erga, go to the canteen and buy two packs of 'Daqianmen' cigarettes, the ones with filters."

"Huh? We're smoking something that good?" Erga was stunned.

"They're not for you to smoke; they're for the people we're dealing with." Lin Xi put on his military overcoat.

"Once you're back, we're heading to the Fifth Workshop to take over our territory!"

...

Half an hour later.

The tall red-brick factory building of the Fifth Workshop appeared in the four's field of vision.

The gate was tightly shut, the red paint was peeling, and more than half of the window panes were shattered.

A 28-inch Bicycle was parked at the entrance.

A middle-aged man wearing a gray zhongshan suit and carrying a briefcase stood there, stomping his feet and blowing on his hands, looking impatient.

"Oh! Isn't this Officer Zhao?"

Erga immediately put on a smiling face and trotted forward to meet him.

He skillfully opened the pack of Daqianmen he just bought and pulled out a cigarette to offer.

"In such cold weather, making you come all this way is truly a sin!"

"Come, have a smoke to warm up!"

Officer Zhao glanced sideways at the cigarette and gave a huff.

He reluctantly took it and tucked it behind his ear without lighting it.

He looked this "ragtag army" up and down:

A young unfamiliar face, a thuggish-looking loafer, a brawny laborer who looked like a simpleton, and a dull-looking guy with glasses.

"I say, Sun Erga, is your Service Center that bored?"

Officer Zhao's tone was full of mockery.

"Instead of living your quiet days doing repairs, why come to this abandoned workshop to cause trouble?"

"And you want to take over fixed assets?"

"With just you lot?"

"Let me give you a fair warning: everything inside is accounted for. If even one screw is missing, I'll hold you responsible!"

He patted the briefcase under his arm, showing no intention of taking out the keys.

The smile on Erga's face began to falter; this was practically being scolded to his face.

Lin Xi hadn't said a word, watching the scene with cold eyes.

This was a classic case of "the King of Hell is easy to deal with, but the little devils are hard to handle."

It was only then that he slowly stepped forward, shielding Erga.

He didn't offer a cigarette, nor did he offer a fake smile.

Instead, he pulled from his breast pocket a red-headed document with the bright red letterhead of the "General Command Office," along with a ring of brass keys symbolizing absolute authority.

"Officer Zhao, is it?"

Lin Xi flattened the document and held it up before the other's eyes.

"Take a good look at the words on this."

"'Full Responsibility. Material Allocation. Special Approved Pilot Project'."

"And this ring of keys." Lin Xi shook the heavy brass ring in his hand.

"Clink-clank—"

The crisp sound of clashing metal was exceptionally piercing in the cold wind.

"This was given to me directly by the General Command Headquarters."

"In fact, I didn't need to wait for you to open the door at all. Asking you here was to show respect to the Materials Section and just go through the motions."

"Or perhaps you'd like me to report back to the General Command Office that you have... objections to this decision?"

Officer Zhao's face changed instantly.

Although he was just a minor officer, he recognized the handwriting of the signature, and even more so, the master keys that only core workshops were equipped with.

Personally approved by Old Qian? Directly managed by the General Command Headquarters?

This wasn't someone picking up scraps; this was an Imperial Envoy!

"Oh my, this... this must be Manager Lin?"

Officer Zhao's cold face thawed instantly, his smile becoming even more fawning than Erga's, and his back immediately bowed.

"I was blind! I was truly blind!"

"Since there's a document, let's start the inventory right away! We must cooperate! Full cooperation!"

He hurriedly fumbled for his own keys, nearly dropping his briefcase.

"I was just joking with Erga earlier. Please, a great man like you shouldn't hold a grudge against a small person like me. Please don't take it to heart! Please!"

Erga watched from the side, dumbfounded.

Satisfying!

So damn satisfying!

It has to be our Manager Lin!

That slap in the face was so damn loud!