Chapter 241 Carbon Nanotubes

November 16, 2038.

An industrial base on the eastern coast.

Lin Mo stood in front of the massive factory building, looking up at the structure that had risen from the ground in just three months. It had off-white exterior walls, simple lines, and rows of ventilation pipes neatly arranged at the top. Above the main entrance hung a red banner: 'Warmly Congratulate the Official Commissioning of the Carbon Nanotubes Production Line'.

Section Chief Wu stood beside him, wearing a brand-new work uniform with his hair meticulously combed. However, Lin Mo noticed that his eyes were still dark-rimmed and bloodshot—over the past three months, he probably hadn't had more than a few full nights of sleep.

"Chief Designer Lin, shall we go in and take a look?" Section Chief Wu's voice carried a hint of nervousness, like a student waiting for a teacher to grade an assignment.

Lin Mo nodded.

The two passed through the automatic doors and entered the factory.

A wave of warm air hit them, mingled with the low hum of operating machinery. Lin Mo stood at the entrance, stunned by the sight before him.

The entire production line was like a silver dragon, winding and coiling through the nearly two-hundred-meter-long workshop. From the raw material input to the drawing and shaping, and from the coating treatment to the winding and packaging, every link was tightly integrated. Technicians in white uniforms weaved between the equipment, their eyes fixed on various gauges and screens.

"This line has a designed annual capacity of five hundred tons," Section Chief Wu introduced from the side. "If it runs at full load, it can theoretically meet two-thirds of the cable requirements for the sky ladder project."

Lin Mo didn't speak, only walking slowly along the production line.

He walked past the raw materials area, seeing black Carbon Nanotubes powder being automatically transported into the Reaction Vessel; he passed the polymerization area, seeing the powder turn into a viscous liquid under high temperature and pressure; he passed the spinning area, seeing the liquid being squeezed out of the spinneret, quickly solidifying in the air into fibers as thin as a strand of hair.

Finally, he stopped at the winding area.

A massive winding machine was in operation, silver-white fibers slowly emerging from the equipment and coiling around a huge spool at an even speed. The fiber was so thin it was almost invisible, but it shimmered with a soft luster under the lights, like a strand of elongated moonlight.

"This is the finished product." Section Chief Wu pointed at the spool. "Continuous drawing; the length has already exceeded eight hundred meters, and it's still going."

Lin Mo squatted down to get a closer look.

The fiber was as thin as a strand of hair, but when he touched it lightly with his finger, he could feel its incredible toughness. He recalled the data he had read—the tensile strength of this Carbon Nanotubes was one hundred times that of steel, yet its density was only one-sixth.

This was the "rebar" of the space elevator.

"Can we take a sample for testing?" Lin Mo stood up.

"It's already prepared." Section Chief Wu handed over a report. "These are the test results that just came out this morning."

Lin Mo opened the report, his eyes scanning the rows of numbers.

Tensile Strength: 86.3 GPa

Elastic Modulus: 1.2 TPa

Density: 1.34 g/cm³

Continuous Length: 823 meters (still increasing)

Yield Rate: 61.7%

He stared at that "61.7%" for a long time.

A month ago, this number was only 31.7%. Section Chief Wu had led his team through countless all-nighters, changed over a dozen versions of the formula, and adjusted the parameters dozens of times to finally double the yield rate.

"Thank you for your hard work." Lin Mo closed the report and looked at Section Chief Wu.

Section Chief Wu froze for a moment, then smiled, his eyes turning slightly red. "Chief Designer Lin, it wasn't hard. As long as we could keep up with the schedule, I can rest easy."

Lin Mo patted his shoulder: "Come, let's look further."

The two continued walking forward.

When they reached the middle of the production line, Section Chief Wu pointed to a piece of equipment being calibrated and said, "This is the newly added Online Detection System. Previously, we did spot checks, only testing a spool after it was finished, which was too late if a problem was found. Now we have real-time monitoring, with data sent directly to the control center. If any abnormality is detected, the system will automatically sound an alarm."

Lin Mo leaned in to look. Various curves and numbers jumped across the screen, displaying the quality parameters of every meter of fiber in real time.

"This is good," he said. "When was it installed?"

"Last week." Section Chief Wu said sheepishly, "It wasn't originally in the plan; I used my own budget for it. The Chief Engineer said I was wasting money, but I said if we don't spend this now, it'll cost much more if problems arise later."

Lin Mo smiled: "The Chief Engineer is right, and you are right too. This money should be spent."

The two looked at each other and smiled.

Just then, a sudden, urgent alarm sounded from the control center.

Section Chief Wu's expression changed, and he took off running. Lin Mo followed behind as they rushed into the control center, only to see a red warning flash across the large screen:

'Line 3 tension anomaly! Risk of fiber breakage!'

The operator was frantically tapping the keyboard: "Section Chief Wu, the speed of the No. 3 Traction Roller is unstable, and the tension fluctuation has exceeded the threshold!"

Section Chief Wu lunged toward the screen: "Slow it down! Open the compensation valve! Notify the site personnel to prepare for re-threading!"

"Slowing down... Compensation valve opened... Tension is still fluctuating!"

"Reduce it further!"

A few seconds later, the violently fluctuating red curve on the screen finally leveled out. The operator let out a long breath: "It's stabilized. It didn't break."

Section Chief Wu leaned back in his chair, his back already soaked with sweat.

Lin Mo stood nearby, watching him.

This was the daily routine of a mass production line. Even if the yield rate reached 60%, and even with the most advanced equipment, problems would still occur and moments of tension were unavoidable.

"Section Chief Wu," Lin Mo said, "was what just happened common?"

Section Chief Wu recovered and nodded. "It's common. The traction rollers are consumables; the surface coating wears down over time, and once it wears to a certain point, it causes tension fluctuations. We usually replace them once a week, but sometimes they wear down faster, and then..."

He paused and gave a bitter smile: "And then what just happened happens."

Lin Mo thought for a moment: "Could an automatic compensation device be designed? One that adjusts automatically when it detects tension fluctuations, without waiting for a human response."

Section Chief Wu's eyes lit up: "We could try that. I'll talk to the colleagues in the Mechanical Group later."

"Good."

At noon, Lin Mo ate at the factory Canteen.

Section Chief Wu specifically got him a serving of braised pork, saying it was a special instruction from Master Liu over the phone—'Chief Designer Lin has a weak stomach; you have to make sure he finishes his meal.'

Lin Mo looked at the bowl of braised pork, smiled, and began to eat.

Section Chief Wu sat opposite him, rambling as he ate: "Chief Designer Lin, there are a few more places to see this afternoon. The Post-processing Workshop, the Packaging Workshop, the warehouse, and the reserved land for the Phase II Project. If Phase II is built, our capacity could triple..."

Lin Mo listened, occasionally nodding.

Halfway through the meal, his phone rang.

It was a video call from Chen Xueming.

Lin Mo answered, and Chen Xueming's face appeared on the screen. He was tanned even darker than before but seemed in high spirits, with the command room of an offshore platform in the background.

"Old Lin, I heard you went to the factory?" Chen Xueming's voice came through the phone. "How's the Carbon Nanotubes? Is it ready for use?"

Lin Mo turned the phone toward the window, aiming it at the massive factory building. "The production line is right here; I just finished looking at it."

Chen Xueming stared at the screen for a few seconds and then asked, "What's the yield rate?"

"61.7%."

Chen Xueming whistled. "Section Chief Wu is incredible! It was only in the thirties a month ago, right?"

Section Chief Wu leaned in and waved at the camera. "Director Chen, we're still a long way off. The goal is 85%."

Chen Xueming smiled. "Old Wu, you're too hard on yourself. Take it slow; just get the first batch of cables supplied first. Our platform is waiting for them."

Section Chief Wu nodded. "Understood. The first samples will be shipped next week. Test them as soon as you receive them so I can make adjustments if there are any issues."

"Alright."

After hanging up, Lin Mo continued eating.

Section Chief Wu was silent for a while before suddenly saying, "Chief Designer Lin, I have a question I want to ask."

"Speak."

"Can our Carbon Nanotubes really support a space elevator?" Section Chief Wu looked at him with a hint of unease in his eyes. "I've checked the data, and theoretically it's enough, but theory is one thing, and actual use..."

Lin Mo put down his chopsticks and looked at him seriously. "Section Chief Wu, do you know what the hardest part of the sky ladder project is?"

Section Chief Wu shook his head.

"The hardest part isn't the technology; it's the trust," Lin Mo said. "Trusting that your Carbon Nanotubes can hold up, trusting that Chen Xueming can lay the cables properly, trusting that Li Xiao can guard the data, and trusting that Zhao Gang can fend off threats. Without this trust, no matter how advanced the technology is, it's pointless."

He paused and pointed to the factory building outside the window. "That's why I believe in you. If you say it works, it works."

Section Chief Wu stared at him blankly for a long time without speaking.

Then he lowered his head, took a mouthful of rice, and said indistinctly, "Chief Designer Lin, don't worry. I will definitely get the yield rate above 85%."

Lin Mo smiled: "I'll be waiting."

At 3:00 PM, Lin Mo walked into the Post-processing Workshop.

Here, the finished fibers were undergoing final surface treatment. Rows of massive spools were neatly arranged as the silver-white fibers weaved through the machines, being coated with a special protective layer.

"What is this coating for?" Lin Mo asked.

The accompanying technician explained, "It's for radiation protection, aging resistance, and micrometeoroid protection. In the space environment, ultraviolet rays, cosmic rays, and micrometeoroids can all damage the fiber. This coating can extend its lifespan by at least twenty years."

Lin Mo nodded and leaned in to look at the fibers.

Under the lights, they shimmered with a faint silver luster, like threads soaked in moonlight. He remembered a science fiction novel he had read as a child, which described the space elevator as 'a silver thread stretching from the Earth to the sky.'

Now, this silver thread was being born before his eyes.

"Can you give me a sample?" he asked.

The technician froze for a moment, then took a small segment of fiber from a nearby sample box and handed it to him carefully.

Lin Mo took it and placed it in his palm.

The fiber was so light it had almost no weight and was so thin it was nearly invisible, but it glowed with a soft light in the sun. He pinched it lightly with two fingers and pulled hard—it didn't budge.

86.3 GPa.

One square millimeter of this fiber could lift an eight-ton object.

He looked up at the machines operating in the workshop, at the workers in white uniforms, and at the rows of spools waiting to be shipped.

The "rebar" for the space elevator truly existed now.

In the evening, Lin Mo stood on the roof of the factory, watching the sunset slowly sink below the sea level.

Section Chief Wu stood beside him, holding a folder.

"Chief Designer Lin, this is the first supply plan." He handed over the folder. "We'll ship the first batch next Wednesday, twelve spools of fiber in total, each five thousand meters long. Director Chen said that's enough for them to use for a month."

Lin Mo took the folder but didn't open it, only looking at the words on the cover: 'sky ladder project — Carbon Nanotubes Cable Supply Plan'.

"Section Chief Wu," he said, "you'll be even busier here in the future."

Section Chief Wu smiled. "Being busy is good. It means there's work to do."

Lin Mo turned his head and looked at him.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on Section Chief Wu's face, which was tanned dark and had significantly deeper wrinkles than three months ago, but his eyes were bright.

"Chief Designer Lin," Section Chief Wu said suddenly, "when I was in the Equipment Section, I just managed procurement and approved orders; I didn't have much of a future. It's only since I started working with you that I feel like I haven't lived my life in vain."

Lin Mo didn't speak, he just patted his shoulder.

In the distance, the last ray of sunlight sank below the horizon. Deep blue twilight mist rose in the sky, and a few stars began to faintly appear.

"Chief Designer Lin," Section Chief Wu asked, "what do you think the Earth will look like from above once the sky ladder is built?"

Lin Mo thought for a moment: "It should be beautiful."

Section Chief Wu smiled. "Then when the time comes, I'll have to try and go up to see it."

"You will."

The two stood on the roof, watching the night slowly descend. The machines in the factory were still roaring, the production line was still running, and those silver-white fibers were still being drawn out, coiled, and packed into crates.

Tomorrow, they would embark on their journey.

The day after tomorrow, they would become part of the sky ladder.

One day, they would stretch from the Earth to the stars.

By the time he returned to the base, it was already 9:00 PM.

Lin Mo walked into his office and found a thermos on his desk with a note pressed beside it:

'Senior Brother, Master Liu said he stewed some pork rib soup for you tonight and wants you to finish it before sleeping. I've already had some; it's delicious. — Li Xiao'

Lin Mo smiled and opened the thermos.

The steaming pork rib soup smelled delicious. He sat in his chair and took slow sips.

Outside the window, the base was brightly lit. Far out at sea, the lights of the offshore platform were faintly visible, like a star that had fallen into the ocean.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Chen Xueming:

"The first batch of Carbon Nanotubes will be shipped next week. Get ready to receive it on your end."

Three seconds later, Chen Xueming replied:

"Received. The platform is ready. Once your 'rebar' arrives, we'll start laying them."

Lin Mo looked at the message, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He then sent a message to Section Chief Wu:

"Thank you for your hard work today. Get some rest early."

Section Chief Wu replied instantly:

"You too, Chief Designer Lin. The production line continues tomorrow; I'll be keeping an eye on it."

Lin Mo put away his phone and continued drinking the soup.

The soup was hot and warming.

It warmed his heart.