Chapter 223 Reporting of the Plan

Three months later, Beijing.

Lin Mo stood before that familiar door, holding a heavy suitcase in his hand. Inside the suitcase was a three-hundred-page summary report and a full three-thousand-page complete proposal—technical details, risk assessments, budget planning, and schedule arrangements; every single item was written clearly.

This was his hard work of the past three months, and also the accumulation of the entire team over the past three years.

The door opened, and a staff member took the suitcase:

"Academician Lin, please wait a moment. The review meeting will begin shortly."

Lin Mo nodded and walked into the conference room.

The conference room was large. On both sides of a long table sat over twenty people—Academicians from the two academies, ministry leaders, heads of military industrial groups, and military representatives. At the head of the table sat an elderly man with gray hair, whom Lin Mo recognized—Director Zhou of the National Science and Technology Leading Group, who had been in charge of major scientific and technological projects for twenty years.

"Academician Lin, please take a seat." Director Zhou pointed to the seat opposite him.

Lin Mo sat down, with a copy of his proposal summary placed in front of him.

Director Zhou opened the summary and spoke slowly:

"Academician Lin, we have organized experts to review your proposal for three months. Inviting you here today is to hear your thoughts in person."

Lin Mo nodded: "Please, go ahead."

The next three hours were a true "major exam."

Over twenty experts took turns asking questions, ranging from technology to economics, from safety to management, from domestic to international, covering almost every field imaginable.

"How can you guarantee the production capacity of the Carbon Nanotubes? If the production line breaks down, is there a backup plan?"

"Yes. We have designed a dual-line parallel system, one in the Gobi Desert and one in the mountains of the southwest. The two lines operate independently and back each other up."

"How will you transport the one-thousand-ton space station up? Is a rhythm of one hundred and twenty launches within five years realistic?"

"It is realistic. We have reached a cooperation agreement with the Aerospace Group, and they have promised to reserve twenty launch capacities for the sky ladder project every year for the next five years. Coupled with the research and development progress of the plasma thruster, the transport capacity can be further increased after five years."

"Are the timelines for the lunar base and the Mars project too optimistic?"

"They are a bit optimistic. But we deliberately set the time tight to push ourselves forward. If we encounter problems in the middle, we can adjust. But the goal cannot change."

"With a budget of 1.3 trillion, how can you guarantee there will be no overspending?"

"We have designed a three-tier budget control system. The first tier is internal review by the project team; the second tier is third-party supervision; the third tier is full-process supervision by the National Audit Office. Every penny spent, where it is spent, and whether it is worth it, must be recorded."

...

Three hours later, the questions ended.

Director Zhou closed the summary in front of him and looked at Lin Mo:

"Academician Lin, one last question."

Lin Mo sat up straight.

Director Zhou asked: "How many years are you prepared to work on this project?"

Lin Mo was silent for two seconds, then said:

"Twenty years."

"In twenty years, you will be fifty-three." Director Zhou said, "What if it hasn't been built after twenty years?"

Lin Mo said: "Then I will work for another ten years."

"What if it hasn't been built after thirty years?"

Lin Mo looked at Director Zhou with a calm gaze:

"Then let the next generation continue. Director Zhou, my teacher, Academician Wang Zhenguo, once said: Some things cannot be finished by one generation, but someone has to make the start."

Director Zhou was silent for a few seconds.

Then he smiled, a very faint smile, but there was light in his eyes:

"Good. Go back and wait for the news."

Three months later, the news came.

Lin Mo was holding a meeting at the base when his phone suddenly vibrated. He glanced at the screen—Fang Lin.

He answered, and before he could speak, Fang Lin's voice came through:

"Lin Mo, it's approved."

Lin Mo was stunned for a moment: "What?"

"The sky ladder project, it's approved." Fang Lin's voice was a bit excited, "The high-level meeting just passed it, listing it as a major national project, codenamed 'Sky Ladder.' You are appointed as the chief engineer, reporting directly to the National Science and Technology Leading Group."

The hand holding the phone trembled slightly.

He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice calm:

"Thank you, Director Fang."

Fang Lin smiled: "Don't thank me. You fought for it yourself. I read the review opinions; thirty-seven experts, thirty-five in favor, two abstentions. Zero opposition votes."

Lin Mo was silent.

Fang Lin continued: "Lin Mo, the real test is just beginning. A 1.3 trillion investment, a twenty-year cycle, the eyes of the whole world. Are you ready?"

Lin Mo said: "I am ready."

Fang Lin was silent for two seconds, then said:

"Good. Then I won't say anything more. If you need anything, find me anytime."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Mo stood in the conference room for a long time without moving.

Li Xiao pushed the door open: "Senior brother, are we still holding the meeting?"

Lin Mo turned around and looked at her:

"Yes. But first, let's announce something."

Li Xiao was stunned: "What is it?"

Lin Mo said: "The sky ladder project, it's approved."

Li Xiao's eyes slowly widened, then she covered her mouth, and tears welled up.

The news quickly spread throughout the base.

Chen Xueming was the first to call, his voice trembling:

"Old Lin! Is it really approved?!"

Lin Mo said: "It's approved."

Chen Xueming shouted on the other end of the phone, then said:

"I'm booking a ticket immediately to come back and celebrate!"

Lin Mo smiled: "Don't rush. Arrange things in Guangdong first."

"Okay! I'll arrange it tonight!"

Zhao Gang pushed the door open, his face straight, but his eyes were red:

"Dr. Lin, I heard. From now on, I have to be even more careful."

Lin Mo looked at him: "Brother Zhao, you have always been very careful."

Zhao Gang shook his head: "It's different. Before, I was protecting the technology; now, I am protecting a national treasure."

Li Xiao laughed on the side: "Brother Zhao, you are also a national treasure."

Zhao Gang glared at her: "Stop messing around."

Everyone burst into laughter.

In the evening, Lin Mo called Wang Zhenguo.

The video connected. Wang Zhenguo was lying on the hospital bed, but his spirit was much better than last time. Seeing Lin Mo, he smiled:

"Heard it's approved?"

Lin Mo nodded: "It's approved."

Wang Zhenguo was silent for a few seconds, then his eyes turned red:

"Good, good..."

Lin Mo looked at him, a complicated emotion welling up in his heart:

"Teacher, thank you."

Wang Zhenguo shook his head:

"Don't thank me. You walked this path yourself. The road I couldn't finish back then, you finished it."

He paused and looked at Lin Mo:

"Lin Mo, remember what you promised me."

Lin Mo nodded solemnly:

"I remember. Go to space and take a look for you."

Wang Zhenguo smiled, smiling very happily:

"Good. Then I can rest easy."

After hanging up the video, Lin Mo stood in front of the window, looking at the starry sky outside.

In the low sky to the southeast, that dark star was still flickering.

He said softly:

"Teacher, I will."

Three days later, the official document was issued.

Lin Mo stood on the podium of the base auditorium, holding the red-headed document in his hand, with two lines of text printed on it:

"Major National Project — Sky Ladder"

"Chief Engineer: Lin Mo"

Below the stage, over two hundred people sat quietly. There were his team members, workers from the base, leaders who rushed from Beijing, and Chen Xueming who rushed back from Guangdong.

Lin Mo took a deep breath and spoke:

"Everyone, the sky ladder project has officially started."

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

He waited for the applause to subside slightly and continued:

"For the next twenty years, we are going to do something big. Build an elevator from Earth to space, build a base on the moon, and build an outpost on Mars."

"No one has walked this path before. There will be difficulties, there will be setbacks, and there will be times when you want to give up."

He paused, his eyes sweeping over everyone in the audience:

"But I believe that as long as we walk together, we will definitely reach it."

Applause rang out again, more enthusiastic than before.

Li Xiao applauded vigorously in the audience, tears streaming down her face. Chen Xueming stood beside her, his eyes red, but he was smiling very happily. Zhao Gang kept a straight face, but the corners of his mouth were trembling slightly.

Lin Mo looked at these people and suddenly felt that all the hard work was worth it.