184: Chapter 94 Global Talent Recruitment

As the first rays of morning light shone down, a large passenger ship flying the flag of the German Empire slowly docked at Jinling Wharf. The gangway was lowered, and a group of engineers and technicians wearing German-style suits and carrying leather suitcases filed down the gangplank. They adjusted their collars in the sea breeze, looking around at this unfamiliar yet vibrant Eastern city. Their leather shoes clacked against the wooden planks of the wharf, and the clasps of their suitcases gleamed with a metallic luster in the morning light.

Li Ling stood on the wharf. He was not wearing his court robes, but rather a simple dark gray suit of plain clothes. Still, his back was straight, and his gaze was as sharp as an eagle's. Standing beside him was the German Princess, Princess Victoria Louise. She wore a light blue gown and a small hat, her golden curls fluttering gently in the sea breeze, making her look both elegant and approachable. She took the initiative to shake hands with every engineer who disembarked, greeting them in fluent German, "Welcome to the Tang Country. On behalf of Li Ling, I thank you for traveling such a long way. Your luggage will be delivered to your apartments by dedicated staff, so please do not worry."

Fritz Krupp walked at the very front of the crowd. This old engineer, over sixty years of age, had graying hair, yet his eyes remained bright and spirited, behind a pair of gold-rimmed round glasses. He had worked at the Krupp Factory his entire life and was a high-level metallurgy expert materialized by the system; currently, he was the leader of this engineering team. He shook Li Ling's hand and said in a resonant voice, "Your Majesty, we have brought a complete set of special steel smelting and precision forging processes. As long as your factories can cooperate, we are confident that within a year, we can bring the quality of the Tang Country's naval gun barrels to the world's top standard. When I was at Krupp, I led the barrel forging project for the 380mm naval guns, but limited by raw materials, we could never break through the rate of fire bottleneck. Looking at the information you provided, the electroslag remelting furnace here is precisely the key to solving the problem."

Li Ling nodded with a smile and replied in fluent German, "Krupp, I have complete faith in you and your team. The Tang Country has not only the best factories but also the best apprentices. The technology you bring will take root and sprout here, blooming into even more brilliant flowers. I have already had a specialized laboratory prepared for you next to the factory, and have assigned six local assistants to you. They are all young engineers who have undergone two years of training, with solid foundations and a strong desire to learn."

After a brief but grand welcoming ceremony at the wharf, Li Ling and the princess boarded the carriage to personally accompany the engineering team to the Production Base outside the city. As they passed through the streets of Jinling City, the commoners on both sides of the street stopped to watch. Some recognized the Emperor and cheered. A vendor selling candied haws even took off his straw hat, waved it at the carriage, and shouted, "Long live Your Majesty!" drawing a wave of laughter. Children chased the carriage for a few steps before being pulled back by their laughing parents.

Inside the carriage, Princess Victoria Louise said softly, "Your Majesty, many among this batch of engineers have served as technical directors at the Krupp Factory and the Vulcan Shipyard. They have unique research on the production and forging of naval gun barrels, and are especially skilled at handling the rifling process and heat treatment of large-caliber artillery. That Imperial Father allowed them to come to China shows he is very optimistic about the development prospects of the Tang Country. You have already gained extremely high prestige in Europe; even some technical journals in Britain are discussing the Tang Country's shipbuilding speed."

Li Ling looked at the commoners outside the window, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "That is why I must settle them in well. Talent is the most important resource. With technology, equipment, and people, the Tang Country can truly become strong. I have also had people contact a group of oil extraction experts in Meijian Country. They will arrive in Jinling next month to help us prospect and develop our coastal oil resources. This way, we can gradually become self-sufficient in energy. In this era, whoever controls oil controls the lifeblood of industry."

The carriage passed through the city gates and drove onto the tree-lined road on the outskirts of the Production Base. The scale of the base had doubled compared to a year ago. Chimneys stood in forest-like clusters, and new factory buildings sprang up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. On the construction site, cranes rotated, welding sparks flew, and the roar of machinery could be faintly heard. The air was a mixture of welding fumes, engine oil, and the scent of fresh concrete.

Fritz Krupp gazed out the carriage window at the towering factories and chimneys, his eyes filled with both awe and scrutiny. He murmured to his companion beside him, "The construction speed here is even faster than in the Ruhr Area. I have never seen a country's industry expand at such a pace—things that were still on their blueprints last year are already in operation this year. This level of execution is rare even in Germany."

Li Ling heard his words but did not turn around, merely saying calmly, "Krupp, this is only the beginning. Five years from now, you will see an industrial city even larger and more advanced than the Ruhr Area rise from the ground. We have rich mineral resources, industrious workers, and a stable government; the only thing we lack is top-tier technology and talent. And you and your team are the perfect people to fill this void."

That afternoon, the engineers were settled into the engineers' apartments next to the base. These apartments were built according to German standards, equipped with heating, running water, and private kitchens. Nearby was a small club stocked with books, newspapers, board games, and German beer. On the club's bookshelves also lay several books translated by the system, such as \"Principles of Naval Gun Design\" and \"Special Steel Metallurgy\"—Li Ling had intentionally had them placed there, to let these engineers know that the Tang Country offered not only warm hospitality but also academic depth worthy of their serious study.

Li Ling knew that to make these technical experts work with peace of mind, he had to first make them live comfortably. Only when they were settled could they enjoy their work. He personally inspected the apartments' heating systems and kitchen equipment, leaving only after confirming everything was fully prepared.

One of the young engineers, named Hans Müller, took the initiative to find Li Ling after settling in, his expression filled with irrepressible excitement. "Your Majesty, when I was at the Krupp Factory, I participated in the design of a new 380mm naval gun, but limited by material processes, we could never achieve the ideal rate of fire. Just now, I saw your electroslag remelting furnace and large forging press in the base. I dare say, if this equipment can produce qualified barrels, we can design a large-caliber naval gun with a rate of fire of over three rounds per minute, and the accuracy will increase by at least twenty percent! That would be nearly twice as fast as the British Royal Navy's newest naval guns!"

Li Ling's eyes lit up, and he immediately called Old Zhao over. "Take Mr. Müller to visit the No. 1 Precision Machining Workshop of the Production Base, and let him see our equipment and technological capabilities. If his proposed plan is feasible, immediately establish a project and set up a specialized gun barrel task force for him, with Krupp serving as an advisor." He turned to Müller, "Mr. Müller, if your plan succeeds, the Tang Country Navy will become the first in the world to be equipped with rapid-fire 380mm main guns. This will be an epoch-making advancement."

That evening, Li Ling returned to the Imperial Study and wrote down a few lines on paper: "Talent Acquisition Initiative, Phase One completed. The German Empire engineering team is in place, and the Meijian Country oil extraction experts will arrive next month. The industrial development of the Tang Country is entering the fast lane. Matters requiring follow-up: Krupp's special steel process verification, Müller's rapid-fire gun barrel project, and the reception plan for the oil experts."

He put down his pen and looked out at the starry sky, his gaze cold and resolute. "But having technology and equipment alone is not enough. We need more people who know how to utilize them. System, can the usage frequency of the Talent Cards be accelerated? I need more technical and management talents. Especially talents in marine propulsion and aero-engines."

The system replied, "Acquiring Talent Cards requires achieving new accomplishments, such as completing the commissioning of a full industrial project, or achieving a decisive victory in war. Given the host's current status, you may trigger a new achievement reward after completing the next round of large-scale industrial expansion or border campaigns. Currently, there is a marine propulsion expert from Britain reserved in the system, but the host needs to activate him at an appropriate time."

Li Ling nodded, a plan already forming in his mind. He knew that to truly retain these talents, he had to let them see the future of the Tang Country—a strong, stable, and hopeful nation. And what this awakening Eastern behemoth needed most was precisely these minds capable of mastering steel and fire. A whistle sounded in the distance; it was the sound of the German cargo ship weighing anchor in the dead of night, like a distant echo.