Chapter 143 One Arrow, Three Stars!

Zhang Zhengguo noticed.

Qu Weimin's knuckles, gripping the paper, turned pale from excessive force.

His Adam's apple bobbed violently, as if something scalding was surging up from his chest, only to be tightly suppressed at his throat.

It was not mere excitement.

It was the dizzying sensation of generations of mechanics, having groped in the dark for decades, suddenly seeing the light of day.

For a long time.

Qu Weimin slowly took off his glasses, pulled a pristine white handkerchief from his pocket, and gently dabbed the corners of his eyes.

The movements were very slow, very light.

Yet when he turned around, his back appeared somewhat hunched.

"Master Chen..."

He murmured in a low voice.

The voice was very soft, yet choked with emotion in that instant.

He recalled the smell of machine oil in the Shanghai workshop that never seemed to dissipate, and remembered the blood Master Chen had coughed onto his handkerchief.

That tragic heroism of using one's life to bridge the technological gap.

At this moment, before this perfect answer sheet, it transformed into a complex ache.

He was glad that the gap had finally been crossed.

Yet he also felt heartache for those flesh-and-blood bodies that had fallen while trying to fill that void.

Lin Xi stood before the operating console, quietly watching the old man's back.

He did not disturb this silence.

Until a moment later, when Lin Xi spoke softly:

"Director Qu, Section Chief Wang."

"I know what you are thinking."

"You feel that this machine has made the blood and sweat of the old masters seem cheap, don't you?"

Qu Weimin put his glasses back on and turned around.

His eyes behind the lenses were bloodshot, but they had regained their usual depth and calmness.

He looked at Lin Xi, waiting for what was to come.

Lin Xi stepped down from the operating console, walked over to the "red star - mainstay," and reached out to pat the cold machine casing.

"Isn't this exactly why we build high-precision CNC machine tools?"

"Master Chen is a hero."

"But a strong industrial nation cannot rely solely on heroes to block the muzzle of a gun."

"That is tragic heroism, not strength."

Lin Xi's gaze swept over everyone present, and he said calmly:

"True strength."

"Is letting people like Master Chen sit in an air-conditioned control room."

"Holding a thermos, watching this machine do that deadly work for him."

"Saving human lives to do the things machines cannot."

"This is the true meaning of technology."

After Lin Xi finished speaking, he turned and pressed the green start button.

Hum—

This time, everyone finally heard the sound.

It was the hissing sound of cutting fluid spraying out, and the extremely subtle, smooth rustling sound as the blade tip cut into the steel.

In that sound, there was no pain, no struggle.

There was only a chilling, cold efficiency.

The nineteenth workpiece spun rapidly on the chuck.

Qu Weimin stared fixedly at the spinning spindle.

In those eyes that had looked at blueprints and data for decades, the spinning silver light was reflected.

For a long time, he let out a long breath of stale air.

There were no passionate slogans.

He simply walked up to Lin Xi.

He reached out with those slightly rough hands and gripped Lin Xi's hand heavily.

He held it very tightly.

Even to the point where Lin Xi's hand bones ached.

"Comrade Lin Xi."

Qu Weimin's voice was low and hoarse:

"Thank you."

There were no flowery words, nor any loud praise.

This thank you carried the weight of a thousand pounds.

It was a handshake between two generations of industrial workers, spanning time and space.

...

September 20, 1981.

Northwest Launch Base, Test and Launch Hall.

Located 1.5 kilometers from the launch tower, it was a heavy reinforced concrete fortress.

The dark green walls were embedded with military electrical panels, and red emergency lights hung from the ceiling.

The hall was fan-shaped, and directly in front was a 5-meter-wide analog display screen.

On it, red lines outlined the posture of the "Blizzard 1" rocket.

Lin Xi stood in the corner at the very back of the hall.

During the last launch, he had been in the outdoor observation area with his master and other workers.

This time, because of those separation hooks, he was able to enter the test and launch hall...

And earned the qualification to stand in the corner.

He wore a brand-new zhongshan suit and stood quietly.

But the viewers in the live stream didn't think so.

[Group photo! This is a historic moment!]

[Although Little Lin is just standing there now, he must have the center spot here in the future!]

[Look at that big screen, it feels so retro, it's all analog signal lights!]

On the display screen, countless red, yellow, and green signal lights were flashing in turn, counting down.

"Five, four, three, two, one!"

"Ignition!"

Boom—!

The earth trembled.

Even in the sturdy bunker, Lin Xi could feel the roar coming from beneath his feet.

It was the roar of the entire nation's strength, the cry of a people attempting to break free from the shackles of gravity.

On the screen, in the long optical tracking footage.

That milky-white "Storm 1" rocket pierced the firmament, trailing a long plume of fire, and charged toward the deep space.

"First and second stage separation normal!"

"Fairing separation normal!"

Every report of a node was like a heavy hammer striking the hearts of everyone present.

As time progressed, the most critical moment arrived.

"Satellite-rocket separation sequence initiated!"

The whole room held its breath.

Qu Weimin stood in the center of the hall, his hands gripping the back of a chair tightly.

He didn't dare to blink, staring fixedly at the data screen.

This was the first real-world test using parts machined by Lin Xi.

That precision of a few microns determined whether 300 million in state assets would become a satellite or space junk.

On the screen, the light points representing the three satellites were ejected with textbook precision within a millisecond time difference.

Without interfering with each other, they each entered orbit.

"Separation successful!"

"One rocket, three satellites! We succeeded!!"

Over the broadcast, the controller's voice was hoarse.

"Boom!"

The entire test and launch hall instantly erupted.

Those usually serious and rigid engineers jumped up like children, their military caps thrown high into the air.

Some wept, holding their heads, others roared at the sky.

The bullet comments in the live stream exploded at this moment, densely covering the screen.

[Tears! This is China's aerospace industry!]

[The fourth! We are the fourth country in the world to master the technology of launching multiple satellites with one rocket!]

[That is our sea of stars!]

[Manager Lin is awesome! Made in China is awesome!]

In the corner, Lin Xi watched the screen full of red bullet comments, feeling his eyes grow warm.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in his chest.

This was the meaning of his coming to this era.

In the crowd, Qu Weimin wiped away a tear.

He did not embrace his colleagues beside him, but instead walked through the celebrating crowd, heading straight to the corner.

He stopped in front of Lin Xi, his gaze complex.

There was excitement, fear, and even deeper admiration.

"Manager Lin."

Qu Weimin reached out with his rough hands and gripped Lin Xi's hand heavily.

He shook it firmly; a thousand words eventually turned into a long sigh.

Subsequently, he turned around and strode toward Elder Qian, who was standing at the command console.

"Elder Qian!"

Qu Weimin's voice was loud, echoing in the hall.

"I have thought it through."

"Sectarianism is a scourge!"

He turned back and took a deep look at the young man in the corner, his eyes firm.

"From now on, our country's aerospace industry must work together as one!"

Elder Qian looked at Qu Weimin, then looked at Lin Xi, a gratified smile appearing on his face.

He nodded, his gaze looking deeply toward the night sky outside the window.

"Working together as one... Good."