Chapter 128 Academician Zhou's Reminder

Three days after the investigation team departed, the base returned to its usual rhythm.

Inside the first wall laboratory, Lin Mo was staring at the simulation data scrolling across the screen. The fatigue curve of the new plan was smoother than the last one, but it was still two percentage points away from the ideal threshold. He rubbed his weary eyes and jotted down a few sets of parameters in his notebook.

Footsteps sounded at the doorway.

"Director Lin, someone is here to see you." Li Xiao poked half her head in, her expression somewhat mysterious. "It's Academician Zhou. He said he wants to have a private chat with you."

Lin Mo was stunned. "Academician Zhou? Didn't he return to the capital?"

"He's back." Li Xiao lowered her voice. "He arrived by helicopter this morning, didn't alert anyone, and came straight to find you. He's waiting in Brother Zhao's office now."

Lin Mo closed his notebook and walked out quickly.

Zhao Gang's office was on the east side of the base, a ten-square-meter Prefabricated Building with simple furnishings—a desk, two chairs, and a security layout map of the base hanging on the wall. Academician Zhou sat on a chair, holding an enamel mug, slowly drinking tea.

"Old Zhou." Lin Mo pushed the door open and entered. "Why are you back? Is there something you need to instruct me on?"

Academician Zhou waved his hand, signaling him to sit down. "Nothing much, just stopped by to take a look. I'm going to survey that laser fusion project in the west tomorrow, and since I happened to be passing by, I wanted to have a private chat with you."

Lin Mo sat down opposite him, feeling a bit uneasy. This senior expert had made a special detour; it definitely wasn't just to "take a look."

Academician Zhou took a sip of tea, his gaze landing on Lin Mo's face. After watching him for several seconds, he spoke slowly. "Xiao Linzi, you were wronged regarding the investigation team this time."

Lin Mo shook his head. "Old Zhou, I wasn't wronged. As long as things were clarified, that's fine."

"As long as things were clarified?" Academician Zhou smiled. "You child, you're quite open-minded. But as someone who has been through it, let me tell you, this matter isn't that simple."

He put down the enamel mug, his tone becoming serious:

"You did the right thing; I said that in front of everyone. Upholding scientific principles and not trading away one's principles—this is the duty of a scientific researcher. But have you ever thought about why Director Zhang reported you?"

Lin Mo was silent for a few seconds. "He doesn't understand technology and is anxious for results."

"That's only on the surface." Academician Zhou shook his head. "The deeper reason is that you didn't make him feel respected."

Lin Mo raised his head, his gaze somewhat complex.

"I know what you want to say." Academician Zhou waved his hand. "He's a layman making blind commands, so why should you respect him? But Xiao Linzi, you must understand—administration has its own logic, and they have their own pressures. Director Zhang pushing for progress isn't for himself, but because his superiors are pushing him too. Stuck in the middle, he's having a hard time too."

Lin Mo opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"I'm not speaking up for him." Academician Zhou continued. "Him not understanding technology and making blind commands is indeed wrong. But your method of communication is also problematic. Directly talking back in front of so many people and making him lose face—can he feel comfortable with that? Once he's uncomfortable, he'll try every means to prove he's right. Reporting you was just his way of proving himself."

Lin Mo lowered his head, looking at the deep wood grain on the table.

"When I was young, I was even more stubborn than you." Academician Zhou's voice suddenly became distant. "Back then with the 'eastern star' project, I always felt that technology came first and everything else was nonsense. I ignored all the administrative leaders sent from above; if someone in the team offered a different opinion, I thought they didn't understand and couldn't be bothered to listen. And what was the result?"

He paused for a moment and gave a bitter smile. "The result was that when I needed support, no one supported me; when I needed to be reminded, no one reminded me. In the end, when the project had problems, everyone stood on the sidelines watching the joke—it wasn't that they didn't want to help me, it was that I had narrowed my own path."

Lin Mo raised his head. "Old Zhou, wasn't the 'eastern star' because the leaders pushed for progress..."

"Pushing for progress was the direct cause." Academician Zhou interrupted him. "But the deeper reason was that I was too arrogant at the time and wouldn't listen to anyone. If someone could have said in my ear, 'Old Zhou, this test needs to be done again,' even if I didn't listen, I would have at least thought about it more. But at that time, no one was willing to say that to me."

He stared into Lin Mo's eyes:

"Xiao Linzi, your current situation is better than mine was back then. You have a good team, capable people like Li Xiao and Chen Xueming, a mentor like Wang Zhenguo, and a coordinator like Fang Lin. But you also have a risk—taking steps that are too large makes it easy to fall."

Lin Mo was silent.

"You won regarding the investigation team this time. But the way you won was by making the conflict public and letting the superiors judge right from wrong." Academician Zhou sighed. "Winning like this once is fine, winning twice is fine, but can you keep winning like this? One day, you will encounter an administrative leader who is tougher and has more background than you. When that time comes, will you still be able to win like this?"

Lin Mo's voice was somewhat low. "Old Zhou, what you mean is..."

"What I mean is, you must learn to unite all forces that can be united." Academician Zhou leaned forward. "Director Zhang doesn't understand technology, but he has resources in his hands. If you can use a way he understands to make him comprehend why you need to wait and why you need to verify, he might not be so anxious. Even if he's still anxious, at least he won't go reporting you."

He paused and continued. "It's the same within the team. Chen Xueming is currently devoted to you, but you cannot ignore his opinions just because he respects you. Li Xiao is growing fast, but she is young after all, and there are some things based on experience that require your guidance. Zhao Gang doesn't understand technology, but he understands security and human nature; at critical moments, his words could save your life."

Lin Mo listened seriously, nodding from time to time.

"Listening to different opinions more often doesn't mean letting you abandon your principles." Academician Zhou said in the end. "It's to allow you to consider things more comprehensively when making decisions. No matter how smart one person's brain is, it cannot compare to the wisdom of a team. Remember this."

After he finished speaking, he picked up the enamel mug and drank the last of the tea.

Lin Mo stood up and bowed deeply. "Old Zhou, thank you. I will remember your words."

Academician Zhou waved his hand, stood up, and patted his shoulder. "Alright, I'm just being talkative. Whether you listen or not is up to you. I should go; the helicopter is waiting."

Lin Mo saw him to the door.

The off-road vehicle was already waiting nearby. Before getting in, Academician Zhou suddenly turned back. "By the way, that fatigue issue with the first wall, I heard from Chen Xueming that it's almost solved?"

Lin Mo nodded. "Simulation data shows that if we optimize the sintering process one more round, it should meet the design requirements."

"Good." Academician Zhou smiled. "I will definitely come on the day of ignition."

The car door closed, and the off-road vehicle kicked up yellow sand, disappearing into the depths of the Gobi Desert.

Lin Mo stood in place, watching the receding silhouette of the car, not moving for a long time.

In the afternoon, he returned to the laboratory and called Chen Xueming, Li Xiao, and Zhao Gang together.

"There is something I want to discuss with you all." Lin Mo got straight to the point. "Regarding the optimization plan for the first wall, I think we need to do another round of cross-validation. Old Chen, do you have any differing opinions on your side?"

Chen Xueming was stunned. "Cross-validation? Haven't we already run 200,000 sets of simulations?"

"Run another 100,000 sets." Lin Mo looked at him. "Switch to a different parameter system and use the algorithm you used abroad previously to compare it with our algorithm."

Chen Xueming frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed. "Fine, I'll try it."

Lin Mo looked at Li Xiao again. "Can your digital twin system integrate Old Chen's algorithm? Let the data from both sides collide and see if there are any deviations."

Li Xiao quickly drew a flowchart in her notebook, looked up, and said, "Yes, but the interface needs to be adjusted, which will take about two days."

"Two days it is." Lin Mo nodded. "This time is worth spending."

Zhao Gang, listening from the side, was confused and couldn't help but ask, "Director Lin, what are you all talking about?"

Lin Mo smiled and turned to him. "Brother Zhao, do you have any thoughts on the base's security recently? Or do you feel there's anywhere that needs strengthening?"

Zhao Gang was stunned, then immediately became serious. "Actually, I do. Recent peripheral patrols have discovered that there are always tire tracks behind that sand dune to the east. I suspect someone is scouting, but I haven't caught them in the act yet."

Lin Mo's expression tightened. "What do you think?"

"I want to apply for two drones for 24/7 patrols." Zhao Gang said. "Those things have a good field of view and move fast; if someone really wants to cause trouble, we can discover it immediately."

Lin Mo nodded. "Write an application, I'll sign it, and we'll submit it."

Zhao Gang grinned. "Alright!"

Li Xiao watched this scene, her eyes showing some surprise. After Chen Xueming and Zhao Gang left, she quietly asked Lin Mo, "Director Lin, why are you suddenly... so easy to talk to today?"

Lin Mo looked at her, was silent for a few seconds, and then said, "Academician Zhou reminded me. Listening to different opinions more often is not a bad thing."

Li Xiao nodded, seemingly understanding, yet not quite.

Lin Mo turned to look out the window. The sunset was sinking, dyeing the entire sky orange-red. On the distant construction site, tower cranes were still running, and welding sparks flickered like stars scattered across the Gobi Desert.

He suddenly remembered Academician Zhou's words:

"Unite all forces that can be united."

Science requires rigor, but scientific research has never been a one-man job.