9: Chapter 9: Core Cutting-Edge Technology Revealed!

Cheers erupted in the laboratory, then quickly subsided. After the initial roof-raising ecstasy faded, Chen Fan and his team regained their composure.

They examined the data in the report and then looked at the batch of new materials before them—dark in color yet brimming with power. Everyone knew this was something extraordinary.

"Mr. Lin," Chen Fan's voice trembled as he gripped the test report as if it were a precious treasure. "We're going to organize the data and write a paper on this material immediately. It must be published in top journals like Nature or Science! This is a milestone in the field of materials Science!"

His eyes shone with the intense excitement of a scientist facing a breakthrough into the unknown.

Lin Zhou nodded. He knew the value of this thing.

"This is your honor," Lin Zhou said calmly. "I have no objection regarding the authorship of the paper."

Chen Fan hurriedly waved his hand. "No, that's not right. You are the one who proposed the concept and the project's largest benefactor. According to academic convention, you should at least be listed as a co-author. This isn't just about sentiment; it's only fair and reasonable."

The team members chimed in, all insisting that Lin Zhou's name must be included.

Lin Zhou thought for a moment. He didn't seek academic fame, but having his name on it could dispel potential future doubts and let the world know the source of this technology.

"Then list me as the second author," Lin Zhou said. He understood that fame was far less important to him than the actual benefits and international attention this technology would bring.

Hearing this, Chen Fan nodded repeatedly, overjoyed. "No problem, Mr. Lin. Thank you very much!"

He looked at Lin Zhou, his heart full of admiration. This man was generous, had a unique vision, and kept a low profile. Whenever the team hit a snag, he would "accidentally" point them in the right direction. Now that success was in sight, he was pushing all the credit away. Such boldness was rare to find.

"Mr. Lin, now that the material issue is resolved, what are your next plans?" Chen Fan asked the core question after calming his excitement.

Lin Zhou took the test report. The document, recording such astonishing data, felt heavy in his hands. The smile on his face gradually faded, replaced by a look of solemnity.

The atmosphere in the lab cooled a few degrees along with it.

"Dr. Chen Fan, this technology is the foundation for the 'Cyber Freedom Republic' to establish itself in the world." Lin Zhou's voice was low, every word earnest. "I need you to produce enough of the core material as soon as possible for the manufacturing of the prototype equipment."

Chen Fan was slightly stunned, his excitement fading into hesitation. "Producing this material takes time and equipment. Current laboratory conditions can only handle small-batch preparation. If we want large-scale production, we would need a specialized factory and production line."

These words were, in fact, a reminder to Lin Zhou not to rejoice too early. There was a massive chasm between laboratory results and industrial production.

"I understand that." Lin Zhou looked up, his gaze sharp as he stared directly into Chen Fan's eyes. "You only need to prepare enough core material to verify the equipment's feasibility. As for large-scale production, that's for a later stage."

His words carried an irrefutable decisiveness.

Chen Fan was intimidated by his gaze, his heart tightening. He understood that Lin Zhou wasn't just talking. From the beginning, this man hadn't been after publishing papers or winning awards. What he sought was to actually change the world.

"We will definitely give it our all! Our team is now fully committed to this project!" Chen Fan said excitedly, a burning fighting spirit igniting in the depths of his eyes. He foresaw a pioneering future for scientific research and felt the powerful, almost peerless driving force behind Lin Zhou.

Lin Zhou said no more. He knew that once the passion of these scientists was ignited, the energy they would burst forth with would be immeasurable.

In the following days, the lights in Chen Fan's laboratory stayed on all night. The team's passion was completely sparked, and they worked day and night on the preparation of the core material. Even though they knew it was only small-batch production, everyone gave their best, controlling every detail to ensure the material quality met the highest standards.

Soon, the core materials Lin Zhou needed for the prototype assembly were continuously prepared. Although the quantity was limited, it was enough for his subsequent plans.

Holding these materials, Lin Zhou felt much more at ease.

With the core materials in place and the complete technical drawings in hand, the subsequent manufacturing steps became relatively simple.

He left the lab and returned to his apartment.

As soon as he entered, Lin Zhou opened his computer. He began searching for small domestic processing plants.

He needed to find factories capable of precision sheet metal processing, optical component production, and circuit board welding.

Lin Zhou deliberately avoided large, well-known enterprises. The ones he chose were all small factories with flexible operations. He didn't want to expose the core of his "black tech" to the public eye too early.

Every time he found a suitable factory, he reached out and solemnly signed non-disclosure agreements with them.

"This is an industrial prototype," Lin Zhou explained to the factory managers and technicians. "A new type of energy-saving equipment. To avoid technology leaks, I've disassembled the entire device into scattered parts and assigned them to different factories for production."

He split the drawings for the Solar Water Collector parts according to each factory's specialty. Sheet metal parts went to the sheet metal plant, optical parts to the optical plant, and circuit boards to the electronics plant. This approach ensured the core technology wouldn't leak while allowing him to control costs and progress more effectively.

Lin Zhou personally supervised every processing step. He made dozens of calls daily to remotely confirm production progress and quality. Occasionally, he would drive to several key factories to check. He played the role of a strict supervisor, ensuring the precision and quality of every part was impeccable.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Lin Zhou's apartment became a nightmare for deliverymen. Various packages of different sizes were delivered to his home one after another. In the living room, where it was once empty, it was now piled high with metal parts, cables, circuit boards, glass lenses... it had practically turned into a simple assembly workshop.

Lin Zhou didn't complain; he even felt a bit excited. He closed the door, pulled the curtains, and dove into this "workshop."

He carefully assembled the various components. The complex piping system was precisely connected. High-efficiency solar panels were fitted seamlessly into the casing. The specialized condensation module was fixed in its designated position. Finally, he cautiously placed the precious core adsorption material into the device's internal cavity.

Click!

The last screw was tightened.

Lin Zhou stood up and took a deep breath.

He stared at the futuristic-looking device before him, a surge of excitement rising in his heart.

The streamlined casing gleamed with a low-key silvery-white luster, its surface covered with photovoltaic material. The device was about as tall as a person and a meter wide, without any extra decoration, yet it displayed a unique beauty.

The top of the device featured an irregular air inlet. The bottom was a water outlet. On the side was a small display screen showing real-time water production and energy consumption data.

This was the first black tech product of his Cyber Freedom Republic!

The device was truly right there before his eyes. It was no longer a drawing concept or a lab model, but a machine that could actually run.

Lin Zhou stood before the device, his heart racing.

Theory and a prototype alone weren't enough. He needed to prove the reality and feasibility of this technology to the whole world.

The best way was a field demonstration.

He summoned the System interface again.

[Host: Lin Zhou]

[Created Nation: Cyber Freedom Republic]

[Current Nationality: China (expires in 330 days)]

[Main Quest: Gain recognition from at least one sovereign state! (Time remaining: 330 days)]

[Technology: [Solar Water Collection Technology] (Activated, core material prepared, prototype assembled)]

[Others: National Official Website * 1]

[Temporary National Citizens: 22,531]

[Founding County Baron: 50]

[Founding County Viscount: 16]

[Founding Township Marquis: 2]

[Founding County Earl: 1]

[Founding Duke of the State: 3]

Lin Zhou stared at the countdown on the system interface, calculating silently.

330 days, nearly a year. That's enough.

Next, he would choose a suitable location to complete this world-shaking demonstration.

In his mind, images of the vast western regions of China emerged. There were large areas of arid desert where it never rained and water was extremely scarce. However, those places also enjoyed abundant, even excessive, sunlight.

It was a stage tailor-made for his Solar Water Collector!

He would announce to the world: the water crisis is no longer a problem!