252: Chapter 252 The Fishing Trap is in Place! The plan to lure the enemy into the trap has succeeded; the opportunity to start the war is about to arrive!

Yan Province New Area.

Lin Mo Center.

Jinwu General Control Center.

Chief Designer's Office.

"...What on earth is this? Ai and Xiang falling out? Pure nonsense! Ai Chongfeng and I are on great terms!"

"...Oh, listen to you! What, I can't express an objective opinion anymore? My dedication to the public good is as clear as the sun and moon!"

"...Let me emphasize one last time, although I, Xiang Guangming, am a member of the Development Faction, I am by no means some spiritual leader!"

"...That's just a title you guys forced on me; I don't acknowledge it myself!"

"...Alright, alright, if there's nothing else, I'm hanging up!"

After hanging up the phone,

Academician Xiang picked up his insulated tea cup and took several large gulps,

instantly relieving his dry throat.

Academician Xiang's face was beaming with smiles.

He had taken dozens of phone calls in a row throughout the morning,

and not only did he not feel the slightest bit annoyed,

he actually felt a rush of pleasure from a massive dopamine release.

It was like an angler hooking dozens of fish perfectly in the mouth in a row;

who could understand this level of satisfaction?

"Ring, ring!—"

Just as Academician Xiang was about to get up to go to the restroom,

the phone rang again.

Picking up the phone,

and seeing the contact name displayed on the screen,

Academician Xiang's brow furrowed.

"...What is it?"

"...Not over the phone. Come to my office."

Half an hour later.

A young-to-middle-aged figure wearing a white research coat

stepped into Academician Xiang's office after knocking.

Looking at the person who arrived with a joyful expression,

Academician Xiang's pupils constricted slightly.

"Teacher Xiang..."

Academician Xiang interrupted him.

"How many times have I told you? Use professional titles when we are at work!"

The visitor was taken aback for a moment,

then said apologetically,

"Chief Designer Xiang."

After taking a deep breath,

Academician Xiang looked at his most prized final disciple

and said with a forced smile,

"Wenxuan, how is the project progress on your end?"

"The two great motherships have now officially entered the module assembly stage. The Plasma Composite Ducted Power Engine you're responsible for is of the utmost importance!"

Tan Wenxuan, acting as the deputy for the power engine sub-project, said with a smile,

"Tea— uh, Chief Designer Xiang."

"With Chief Designer Lin overseeing everything, are you still worried?"

"The first-generation engine was successfully developed two days ago, and is currently undergoing initial operation trials!"

"This morning was the surge test... if I remember correctly, this afternoon should be the stress-strain test..."

Hearing this,

Academician Xiang frowned.

"Then what are you doing running over here to me?"

"A dignified project deputy isn't staying there, but instead ran here to talk to me about China's development?!"

Hearing this,

Tan Wenxuan's face turned slightly awkward.

"Chief Designer Xiang..."

"Sigh! Since there's no one else here, I'll just call you Teacher!"

"As for why I ran over here now, I should be asking you that!"

Academician Xiang was surprised.

"What do you mean?"

Tan Wenxuan looked helpless.

"Your article was published in the morning, and my job was gone by the afternoon!"

"That place is full of Chief Designer Ai's people. How do you expect me to stay?"

As the words fell,

the air in the office suddenly stagnated.

After a long time,

Academician Xiang finally spoke awkwardly.

"I'm sorry, I've implicated you..."

"No, no, no! Teacher, I'm not blaming you; I even have to thank you!"

Just as Academician Xiang spoke,

Tan Wenxuan had already interrupted him.

"The things you said were just too right, too correct!"

"It completely spoke what was in our hearts!"

"Chief Designer Ai's radical views are simply too left-leaning, too extreme, and too obsessive!"

"If our China wants to achieve stable development, we absolutely cannot take his pro-war path. Otherwise, China will surely become the target of international criticism on Planet Blue, burying our great development prospects alive..."

"This afternoon, many acquaintances from the Development Faction at Shuimu University contacted me, praising Teacher's development ideology!"

"As your student, I share in the glory!..."

The more Tan Wenxuan spoke, the more energetic he became,

his face overflowing with excitement and agitation,

giving Academician Xiang a round of explosive praise.

Until finally,

he revealed his ultimate goal.

"...I was also entrusted by them to come here specifically today to ask you to organize a liaison meeting for the Development Faction!"

"The Radical Faction where Chief Designer Ai is located has already been completely blinded by those high-tech weapons and equipment!"

"If this continues, China will truly be in danger!"

"As the spiritual leader of our Development Faction, if you come forward to take the lead, it will give everyone peace of mind!"

Tan Wenxuan finally finished speaking,

only to find Academician Xiang staring at him with a cold expression.

Tan Wenxuan's heart skipped a beat,

not knowing where he had said the wrong thing.

Just then,

Academician Xiang spoke calmly.

"Wenxuan, how many years have you been following me?"

Hearing this question,

Tan Wenxuan didn't react for a moment.

"Counting from Shuimu University, twenty years!"

"From returning to the country after graduating with a PhD from MIT to working at the Nuclear Power Operation Research Institute, ten years!"

Academician Xiang continued to ask,

"If I remember correctly, you're already thirty-seven this year, right?"

Tan Wenxuan nodded.

"Thirty-eight."

"Do you want to become an official?"

Tan Wenxuan was stunned.

"Ah??"

Academician Xiang said indifferently,

"Since you can't stay at the Nantianmen Project anymore, you might as well be my spokesperson!"

"China is currently preparing for the Jinwu Overseas Project, and the first stop is Arabia. We need a project leader."

"Your current seniority is sufficient; I recommend you go."

Hearing this,

Tan Wenxuan was first taken aback,

then said in disbelief,

"Teacher, are... are you serious?"

The Jinwu Overseas Project

was the policy most approved of by the Development Faction among the series of policies recently promulgated by China.

The Development Faction members all believed

that this policy perfectly implemented China's previous national policy centered on development,

not only demonstrating China's responsibility as a major power,

but also greatly enhancing China's international image and right to speak!

But what Tan Wenxuan couldn't believe was

that he wasn't even forty years old yet,

which was considered very young.

Such an important national-level overseas plan,

and he was actually being asked to lead it?

"Wenxuan!"

Academician Xiang stood up

and walked over to Tan Wenxuan.

"As for that liaison meeting, I won't be organizing it!"

"You also know my current position is sensitive, so it's not convenient for me to show my face!"

"If it must be done, then you should take the lead!"

"Originally, your age, identity, and status were all a bit lacking, but if you become the leader of the Jinwu Overseas Project, that will be more than enough!"

At this point,

Academician Xiang smiled and patted Tan Wenxuan's shoulder,

continuing,

"Do a good job. After this Jinwu Overseas mission is over, you should go directly into politics!"

"Follow the path of the Development and Reform system. China urgently needs technical leaders now, and our Development Faction also urgently needs someone at the top!"

"As for the specific steps, your teacher will arrange them!"

After hearing Academician Xiang's words,

wild joy appeared on Tan Wenxuan's face,

and he was so excited he stammered for a long time, unable to say a word.

"What, you don't want to advance?"

Tan Wenxuan shook his head hurriedly

and said in a fluster,

"Teacher, no, I... I want to advance so much!"

Academician Xiang laughed loudly.

"That's good!"

"Tomorrow, go back to the Lu City Institute first, then immediately rush to Kyoto to handle the procedures as quickly as possible!"

"Yes!"

When Tan Wenxuan left,

Academician Xiang locked the office door from the inside.

After thinking for a moment,

he dialed General Li Jingwu's holographic call.

...

Three days later.

Kyoto.

Inside a high-end private club surrounded by pavilions and towers.

"A national-level overseas project chief designer under forty, young and promising, truly young and promising!"

"This time, Wenxuan has officially risen to the top, like a phoenix on a branch!"

"Back when we were at Shuimu, I knew Wenxuan's future was limitless!"

"Listen to what you're saying! A final disciple personally trained by Academician Xiang, could his future be anything but limitless?"

"My mistake, my mistake, hahaha!..."

"Come, let's have a toast, to the shining new star of the Development Faction!"

"..."

"Chief Designer Tan, I, Old Bao, toast you!"

"Director Bao, you're too kind. I'll be asking for your guidance in the future!"

"Don't talk about guidance. You hold the core technology and specific progress of the Jinwu Overseas Project; I'm just doing some logistics work, hahaha!..."

"..."

"Hello, Chief Designer Tan, I am Sakai, from the Jiushan family of Japan!"

"I heard you were an exchange student at Waseda University in Japan for a while. Counting it up, we can be considered alumni!"

"Since you're an international friend and a Waseda alumnus, I must finish this glass. Please suit yourself, Mr. Sakai!"

"..."

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