Chapter 237 Team Division of Labor

October 8, 2038.

Just after the National Day holiday, the sky ladder project headquarters held a special meeting.

Twelve people sat in the conference room—Lin Mo, Li Xiao, Chen Xueming, Zhao Gang, and the heads of various subsystems.

On the whiteboard was written a large title: "Team Division of Labor Adjustment Plan".

Lin Mo stood in front of the whiteboard, his gaze sweeping across every face present.

Over the past month, the project had fully unfolded, and problems had followed: platform expansion, cable production, space station modification, international coordination, security guarantees... With so many complex tasks, he simply could not handle it all alone.

"Today we determine the division of labor," Lin Mo said, getting straight to the point. "In the future, everyone will be responsible for their own area. Make decisions on minor matters yourself, and communicate promptly on major ones."

He picked up a pen and wrote the first name on the whiteboard.

Chen Xueming — Offshore Platform, Cable Laying

Chen Xueming stared at the line of text, not speaking immediately.

"Xueming, you will be stationed on the platform," Lin Mo said, turning around. "Cable laying is the core of the sky ladder project. From anchoring to cable deployment, from tension control to emergency handling, not a single step can go wrong. I need someone who understands the technology, can shoulder the responsibility, and has the courage to make decisions to watch over it there."

The conference room was quiet for a few seconds.

Some people whispered—being stationed on an offshore platform meant living on that steel island floating on the equator for at least three years. Typhoons, scorching sun, loneliness, high pressure—not everyone could handle it.

Chen Xueming, however, smiled.

"Old Lin," he stood up, "I have been waiting for this day for a long time."

He walked to the whiteboard and drew a horizontal line under the text: "I will be responsible for cable laying. But I have one condition."

"Speak."

"I will select the technical team on the platform myself," Chen Xueming said, his gaze sweeping across the technical backbone present. "I don't want people who just 'cooperate with my work'; I want people who will 'work with me.' Those who can shoulder the responsibility stay; those who can't, replace them early."

Lin Mo nodded: "Approved."

Chen Xueming smiled again, this time smiling like a child.

He remembered what he was like when he first joined the team a few years ago—arrogant and defiant, refusing to submit to anyone. He remembered Liu Jianguo patting his chest and saying "finish a year's work in three months" when they were stationed at the factory for the Divertor, remembered breaking down and crying in the control room when the Nuclear Fusion ignition failed, and remembered that night when Lin Mo deduced and corrected the parameters.

"Old Lin," he suddenly lowered his voice, "thank you."

Lin Mo patted his shoulder: "It was you yourself who reached this stage."

He turned around and continued writing.

Li Xiao — Base Headquarters, Data Monitoring + Cybersecurity

Li Xiao was stunned.

"Senior brother, me?" She pointed at herself. "I can understand being responsible for data monitoring, but cybersecurity... isn't that the job of Director Fang's side?"

"Fang Lin is responsible for external threats, and you are responsible for internal systems," Lin Mo said, looking at her. "The nervous system of the sky ladder project is entirely in your hands. The blockchain financial system, project progress monitoring, cable tension data, climber operating status... if there's a problem with this data, the entire project will have to stop."

Li Xiao opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back.

She remembered what she was like when she first joined the team—clumsy and careless, even recording experimental data incorrectly. She remembered being the first to discover the anomaly during the ghost intrusion, remembered the countless all-nighters she pulled while developing the Digital Twin System, and remembered when Fang Lin said, "You are someone who can shoulder the responsibility," while she was designing the blockchain financial system.

"But Senior brother," her voice trembled a little, "I'm only twenty-four."

Lin Mo looked at her, a rare trace of gentleness in his gaze: "Li Xiao, do you know what I appreciate most about you?"

Li Xiao shook her head.

"You always feel that you can't do it, but every time you bite the bullet and go for it, you succeed in the end," Lin Mo smiled. "This time will be the same."

Li Xiao's eyes suddenly turned red.

She lowered her head and blinked hard. When she looked up again, she had returned to her usual self: "Fine, I'll do it. But Senior brother, you have to promise me that you'll come back once a month and bring me some of Master Liu's braised pork belly."

A wave of good-natured laughter rang out in the conference room.

Lin Mo also smiled: "Approved."

He turned around and continued writing.

Zhao Gang — Global Security

Zhao Gang stood up and stood at attention: "Chief Designer Lin, you can rest assured regarding security. Not even a fly will be able to fly in."

Lin Mo looked at him: "This time it's different. Before, it was laboratories and Nuclear Fusion power stations; now it's an offshore platform on the equator, with hundreds of nautical miles of high seas all around. In international waters, various forces might reach out."

Zhao Gang's expression became serious.

"I received intelligence," Lin Mo lowered his voice, "George has appeared in South America. Although we haven't found out exactly what he wants to do, this person will not give up."

Zhao Gang's gaze became sharp: "What do you mean?"

"Expand the security scope," Lin Mo pointed to the nautical chart hanging on the wall. "The platform itself, material transport lines, personnel commute lines, international shipping lane patrols... all handed over to you. If you don't have enough manpower, report it; if you don't have enough equipment, apply for it. Director Fang will cooperate."

Zhao Gang was silent for a few seconds, then gave a standard military salute: "I guarantee to complete the mission."

Lin Mo nodded and turned to write the last name on the whiteboard.

Lin Mo — Overall Coordination, Regular Travel

"I am responsible for overall coordination, major decisions, and international cooperation," Lin Mo said. "From now on, every month, I will travel between the platform, the base, and Beijing. Contact me at any time if there's anything, and in an emergency, I will arrive within twenty-four hours."

He put down the pen and looked at the four lines on the whiteboard.

Four people, four directions, one goal.

"Does anyone else have any questions?"

Li Xiao raised her hand: "Senior brother, when you come back every month, besides the braised pork belly, can you bring something else?"

"What?"

"Hot pot soup base," Li Xiao counted on her fingers seriously. "There's definitely no condition to have hot pot on the platform, but our base can. Also, Senior brother Chen eats seafood all year round, he must want to eat something with a strong flavor. I'll bring him some spicy dry pot seasoning packets..."

Chen Xueming glared at her: "Who said I'm sick of eating seafood?"

"Didn't you say during our last video call that you felt like throwing up when you saw lobster?"

"I just said that casually!"

"Then, do you want it or not?"

"Yes."

Another round of laughter rang out in the conference room.

Zhao Gang added from the side: "Chief Designer Lin, if it's convenient, bring me two bottles of Erguotou. It's cold on the platform at night, good for warming up."

Lin Mo looked at them and suddenly felt that the heavy pressure from just a moment ago seemed to have lightened a little.

That afternoon, Chen Xueming took the first batch of technical backbone staff and boarded the helicopter to the offshore platform.

Before takeoff, he looked back at Lin Mo, who was standing by the tarmac.

"Old Lin," he shouted over the roar of the propellers, "don't worry, if the cable isn't laid properly, I won't come back to see you."

Lin Mo didn't speak, just gave a thumbs up.

The helicopter took off and soon disappeared into the clouds.

Li Xiao stood beside Lin Mo, looking up in the direction where the helicopter disappeared: "Senior brother, how long do you think Senior brother Chen can stay there?"

"A lifetime," Lin Mo said.

Li Xiao was stunned for a moment: "Huh?"

"He is not the type of person to give up halfway," Lin Mo turned and walked back. "He was, but he isn't anymore."

Li Xiao followed, lost in thought.

Three days later, Chen Xueming sent the first work report from the offshore platform.

The report was long, with data, blueprints, a schedule, and a photo.

In the photo, Chen Xueming was standing on the edge of the platform, with the construction site being expanded behind him. He was wearing work clothes and a hard hat; his face was tanned dark, but he was smiling exceptionally brightly.

On the back of the photo was a line of text:

"Old Lin, it's quite good here. Sleeping to the sound of the waves every day, waking up to the sun in the morning. The workers are very hardworking, and the technical team is meshing well. By this time next month, the first cable should be ready for laying. — Xueming"

Lin Mo looked at it for a long time, then posted the photo on the whiteboard in his office.

Next to it was the calligraphy Wang Zhenguo had written for him: "Go take a look for me."

In mid-October, Li Xiao's base data center was officially put into use.

It was an underground building located in Wenchang, Hainan, originally the data backup center for the aerospace launch center, now converted into the nerve center of the sky ladder project. The hall, over three hundred square meters, was filled with server racks and monitoring screens. Technicians on twenty-four-hour shifts sat at their workstations, staring at the jumping data streams.

Li Xiao's office was on the second floor, and through the glass window, she could overlook the entire hall.

She sat at her desk, looking at the dense data on the screen—cable tension, platform displacement, weather forecasts, shipping lane monitoring, financial flows... every item was updating in real time.

"Director Li, the blockchain system has detected an abnormal transfer," the technician's voice came over the walkie-talkie.

Li Xiao immediately sat up straight: "Where?"

"Coming from Luxembourg, the amount is three million euros more than the contract. The other party claims it's a 'technical support fee,' but there is no such item in the contract."

Li Xiao frowned: "Freeze that money and contact the Luxembourg side to verify. At the same time, notify Director Fang and have her check the source of this money."

"Understood."

Li Xiao stared at the data on the screen, suddenly remembering Lin Mo's words: "The nervous system of the sky ladder project is entirely in your hands."

She took a deep breath and picked up the walkie-talkie: "Attention everyone, starting today, all international fund transfers, regardless of the amount, must be reviewed by two people. If any abnormality is found, report it immediately."

"Received!"

Li Xiao leaned back in her chair, looking at the lights overhead.

Twenty-four years old.

Responsible for 1.3 trillion in project funds.

Responsible for the data security of the sky ladder project.

She remembered when she first joined the team, she could even record experimental data incorrectly. She remembered when the ghost intrusion happened, she was so scared her hands were shaking. She remembered when she was developing the Digital Twin System, Lin Mo said, "I believe in you."

Senior brother, I will not let you down.

At the end of October, Lin Mo after finishing the international cooperation meeting in Beijing, flew directly to the offshore platform.

When the helicopter landed on the platform tarmac, it was already evening. The setting sun dyed the entire platform a golden red, and the pile-driving ship was still working in the distance; the thud, thud, thud sound of the hammer penetrated the sea breeze.

Chen Xueming stood by the tarmac waiting for him, tanned like a fisherman.

"Old Lin!" He came up to meet him. "You came just in time. Tonight the workers are having an extra meal. Master Liu had someone bring over a whole box of hot pot soup base, we're having hot pot on the platform!"

Lin Mo smiled: "Li Xiao's idea?"

"Who else could it be?" Chen Xueming took his luggage. "That girl has someone bring things over every few days. Last week she even brought a box of spicy strips, saying she was afraid we'd be homesick."

The two walked side by side toward the living area.

Passing by the construction site, Lin Mo stopped.

There, the anchor base for the first main cable had been poured and completed. The massive steel structure shimmered with a dark golden luster in the setting sun, like a giant beast waiting to be awakened.

"Progress is seven days ahead of schedule," Chen Xueming said. "The workers are working three shifts, and the machines haven't stopped."

Lin Mo nodded and didn't speak.

Chen Xueming glanced at him: "Old Lin, are you thinking about something?"

Lin Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said: "I'm thinking, what it will be like on the day the cable is truly laid."

Chen Xueming smiled: "At that time, I'll invite you to stand on the platform and watch. We'll watch the first climber climb up together."

Lin Mo turned to look at him, the setting sun plating a golden edge on his face.

"Okay."

That night, Chen Xueming really set up a hot pot on the platform.

The workers sat around together, the steaming soup base rolling with red chili oil, the aroma drifting in the sea breeze. Some brought wine, some brought peanuts, some stood by with bowls waiting to dip meat.

Zhao Gang stood on the periphery, holding Erguotou, drinking it slowly, one sip at a time.

Lin Mo sat next to Chen Xueming, watching this group of people.

Coming from all corners of the land, speaking different dialects, doing the same thing.

"Old Lin," Chen Xueming suddenly leaned over, lowering his voice, "sometimes I think about it and feel it's quite unreal."

"What's unreal?"

"Us." Chen Xueming pointed to the people around them. "A few years ago, I was still arguing with Li Xiao, finding everyone unpleasant. Now, I'm here, she's there, doing such a huge thing together."

Lin Mo didn't speak, just picked up his wine glass.

Chen Xueming also picked his up and clinked it with his.

"To the sky ladder," Chen Xueming said.

"To you all," Lin Mo said.

Both drank it in one gulp.

In the distance, the pile-driving ship was still working.

Thud—thud—thud—

Each sound seemed to be laying a new foundation for this tower reaching the heavens.