Chapter 2: Searching for the Death Curve

Outside, the clouds hung lower as a blizzard began to brew.

Lin Xi looked up at the sky, a countdown seemingly ticking away in his heart.

He had to see that data recording sheet.

But how?

That was classified information.

At the launch base, even a scrap of waste paper had to go through a strict confidential destruction process; there was no way they would let an Intern like him just look at it.

Better start with the preparations first!

He tested the livestream's perspective.

Simply put, whatever he saw, the livestream camera could see.

It supported an ultra-long zoom of 12-1000mm.

A human-eye version of a Go-Pro?

【Long Five Screw - Retired Version:】

【That blueprint should be in the Interpretation Room.】

【Since this kind of airtightness test was just finished, the data definitely hasn't been archived yet; it should be on the person-in-charge's desk.】

Lin Xi looked around, searching for an opportunity to sneak in.

Suddenly, he saw the cafeteria chef in the distance carrying two massive military-green insulated iron buckets toward the command area.

It was dinner time—food was being delivered!

An opportunity!

The corner of Lin Xi's mouth curled up as he quickly walked over, his face instantly donning the diligent smile characteristic of a "good student."

“Master Gao! These are so heavy, let me help you!”

“You brat, trying to slack off from work again, aren't you?” the chef joked, but he wasn't polite and handed over the buckets.

“Fine, the chiefs are all hungry, so deliver them quickly.”

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Lin Xi turned to greet Li Jianguo, took the insulated buckets, and headed toward the command area.

The buckets were warm, containing steaming hot stewed cabbage with vermicelli and white flour buns—

In this resource-scarce base, this was "high-energy fuel" only the core technical backbone was entitled to enjoy.

As he reached the entrance of the command area, a sentry stopped him again.

“What are you doing?” The sentry's rifle gleamed with a cold light.

“Delivering food!” Lin Xi straightened his back, trying his best to look righteous.

The sentry checked his ID, then pulled out a long metal probe and poked the pile of buns in the food bucket several times.

Confirming there was no contraband, he waved him through.

“Go on in, move fast, everyone's hungry.”

“Yes, sir!”

Lin Xi took a deep breath and walked inside.

...

The small building of the command area housed various departments.

The Telemetry and Launch Control Hall, as well as the General Command Office, were all in this building.

Lin Xi followed the corridor and found the sign that read “Interpretation Room.”

He reached out and lifted the heavy cotton door curtain.

An anxious atmosphere, mixed with the smell of dry tobacco and ink, rushed at him.

The room was brightly lit.

Dozens of desks were pushed together, covered in a dense array of blueprints and data tapes.

Dozens of technicians were hunched over the desks, the clicking of abacus beads filling the air in a rhythmic clatter.

No one looked up at him.

Everyone was immersed in a sea of data, making the final sprint for the launch in three days.

Lin Xi took a deep breath, forcing his heartbeat down.

“Dinner’s here! Everyone, eat while it’s hot!”

Carrying the two buckets, he walked from table to table.

While using a ladle to help serve everyone, he used his peripheral vision to quickly scan the tabletops.

The livestream became his "high-tech bionic eye."

【Third table on the left! No, those are orbital parameters.】

【Back right! The one wearing glasses is rolling up a blueprint! Look at the serial number!】

【In the hands of that balding uncle! Look at that red seal!】

【Long Five Screw - Retired Version: Watch the leader’s position. Core data like this is usually right by the director’s hand.】

Lin Xi moved his feet nonchalantly, still muttering:

“The weather is cold, everyone eat while it’s hot.”

Finally, he arrived at a large desk at the end of the room.

Beside a mountain of documents on the desk sat a roll of long-strip recording paper.

One end of the paper tape dangled off the edge of the desk.

A line of printed text was clearly visible on it:

RB-2 Stage 1 Power System / Section B / Static Pressure Test / 1980.1.20

Found it!

In everyone else's eyes, the black ink line on the paper tape was straight and smooth, a symbol of perfection.

But in Lin Xi's eyes, it was a one-way ticket to hell.

He placed the insulated bucket on the empty floor beside the desk, using his body to block the view of those behind him.

His right hand pretended to clear some clutter on the desk, but in reality, it quickly reached for that roll of blueprints.

He didn't need to take it.

He only needed three seconds.

As long as he let the livestream camera scan the waveform on this blueprint once, the technology of 2025 could provide ironclad evidence.

Proving that the rubber seal of the first-stage engine had a problem!

The moment his fingertips touched the rough paper.

A chill, as if being stared down by a predator, shot up his spine to the top of his head.

“Clap!”

A large hand covered in calluses, with knuckles as thick as tree roots, slammed down without warning, pinning the blueprint firmly.

It was like an iron pincer, unmoving.

Lin Xi's hand froze in mid-air.

He looked up from the hand and met a pair of bloodshot, piercing eyes.

It was a man in his fifties, wearing a faded zhongshan suit with three pens tucked into his left chest pocket.

His gaze was sharp, as if it could see right through a person's heart.

Power Room Director, Wang Bin.

In that instant, the noisy sound of abacuses around them seemed to be cut off.

The world became so quiet that only the "thump-thump" of Lin Xi's racing heart remained.

【Holy crap! He got caught red-handed!】

【This uncle's aura is so strong; I want to stand at attention even through the screen.】

【Streamer, hold steady! Don't wimp out!】

Wang Bin didn't erupt immediately.

He just held down the roll of blueprints, his gaze scraping over Lin Xi's face.

His voice was low and raspy, carrying an air of authority:

“Which department are you from?”

“If you’re delivering food, deliver food. Why are you staring at the raw pressure data of the first-stage engine?”

That was the unique intuition of the older generation of aerospace workers.

The vigilance they had forged through countless failures and confidentiality training was sharper than radar.

Lin Xi's Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

Lying now would be a death sentence.

If he couldn't give a reasonable excuse, not only would he fail to get the data on the seal, but he might even be hauled off to the Security Department as a spy!

If that happened, red star no. 2 would be beyond saving.

【Streamer, run! This uncle looks like he knows martial arts!】

【It's over, it's over, giving away a kill at the start. I've seen this script before, it's called "Tears Behind Bars."】

【Don't panic! Make up an excuse! Say you're looking for the bathroom!】

While the bullet comments were still giving nonsense advice, Lin Xi's brain was working frantically.

Looking for the bathroom?

Looking for a bathroom in the Interpretation Room would mean he had a hole in his head.

He had to provide a reason that fit the logic of a technician.

But it also had to be absurd enough to make the man ignore his identity.

It was time for some acting.

Lin Xi forced himself to stay calm.

Instead of pulling his hand back, he unhurriedly extended his index finger.