Chapter 79 Speeding Up the Progress
Early the next morning, Lin Mo assembled the core team.
The conference room was small, with a long table, seven or eight chairs, and a whiteboard hanging on the wall.
Chen Xueming sat on the left, holding a cup of coffee; Li Xiao sat on the right, clutching her tablet, with Zhang Zhe next to her. Zhao Gang leaned against the doorway—he said he wouldn't participate in technical discussions, but he needed to hear the situation clearly to arrange security.
Wang Xiao had also arrived.
He was from the Engineering Design Institute, in his early forties, with graying hair and thick glasses.
He and his team had created the first version of the offshore floating platform design, and after receiving a call last night, he had flown over from Beijing overnight.
Lin Mo stood in front of the whiteboard, waited for everyone to be seated, and spoke his first sentence:
"We don't have much time left."
He recounted the intelligence reported by Fang Lin—a secret meeting in Sydney, where lithium-exporting countries coordinated production cuts, aimed directly at the Huaxia new energy industry chain.
After listening, Chen Xueming slammed his coffee cup onto the table: "The meeting is in three days, so we have at most a one-month buffer period.
Once they actually sign the agreement and announce it, international lithium prices will skyrocket immediately.
By then, domestic car manufacturers and battery factories will all suffer."
Li Xiao said softly: "But isn't our Lithium Extraction from Seawater almost ready? With 90% efficiency verified in the laboratory, shouldn't that data be enough to deter them?"
"It won't deter them." Wang Xiao shook his head, his voice low, "There is a chasm between laboratory data and industrial mass production.
I have experience with this—when we were working on deep-sea drilling platforms, the laboratory simulations all ran successfully, but when it came to the first prototype at sea, we still ran into seven or eight major problems and spent two years reworking it."
Chen Xueming glanced at him and nodded: "Wang Xiao is right. The core principle of Lithium Extraction from Seawater is sound, but in the scaling-up process—mass transfer efficiency, energy consumption control, equipment corrosion, marine organism attachment—any of these links could cause a failure."
Lin Mo waited for them to finish, picked up a pen, and wrote a few keywords on the whiteboard: laboratory Verification → Pilot-scale production → Industrial Prototype → Mass Production
He drew an arrow between "Pilot-scale production" and "Industrial Prototype," then turned back to look at everyone:
"The standard pace is half a year for Pilot-scale production verification, three months for modifications and optimization, one year for industrial prototype design and processing, and another year for offshore testing. The whole process takes at least two years."
No one spoke.
Two years was too long.
The international blockade on lithium resources wouldn't wait two years for them.
Lin Mo picked up the pen again and drew a new line below those words: Skip standard Pilot-scale production → Go directly to industrial-grade prototype → Design and verify simultaneously
He put the pen down and turned to face everyone: "Teacher Chen and I had a brief discussion last night and have a preliminary idea—advance all stages in parallel to compress the time. I called everyone here today to discuss whether this plan is feasible and if the risks can be managed."
Chen Xueming stood up and walked to the whiteboard.
He took the pen from Lin Mo and added a phrase after "industrial-grade prototype": Offshore Floating Platform
Then, pointing to the words, he said: "My idea is to design the Pilot-scale production device directly according to the standards of the floating platform. In other words, our first pilot machine will be the prototype for the future industrial model. As soon as the laboratory verification is finished, we take it directly to the sea and optimize it while testing."
Zhang Zhe frowned: "But what if there's a design flaw? The cost of changes would be too high."
"That's why we need simulation." Li Xiao suddenly spoke up, her eyes lighting up, "Teacher Lin said the system has a simulation function. We can run all design plans through the simulation first to block out foreseeable problems in advance. I've accumulated quite a few data models over the past few months; if we can connect the system simulation interface—"
She looked at Lin Mo.
Lin Mo nodded: "That's possible. I'll start the system simulation this afternoon; you get all the parameters ready on your end."
Chen Xueming continued: "And there's parallel design. Wang Xiao, you and your team start the detailed design of the floating platform now; you don't need to wait for our Pilot-scale production results. We'll push both sides simultaneously; once our pilot data comes out, you can adjust the plan directly."
Wang Xiao pushed up his glasses, was silent for a few seconds, then nodded slowly: "We can try. But we need clear design boundaries, otherwise we won't be able to start."
"One week," Lin Mo said. "In one week, I'll give you the technical parameters for the first version of the pilot device, and you can design based on those boundaries. If there are any subsequent adjustments, we'll communicate at any time."
Wang Xiao noted it down in his notebook: "Alright."
Chen Xueming picked up the pen again and drew a timeline on the whiteboard.
Week 1: Parameter determination, start simulation
Weeks 2-4: Pilot-scale production device design and processing
Weeks 5-8: Device debugging, initial verification
Weeks 9-12: Offshore testing, optimization and iteration
After finishing, he turned to face everyone: "This pace, three months. Within three months, we must complete the Pilot-scale production verification and offshore testing."
Zhang Zhe took a breath: "Three months? Teacher Chen, a standard Pilot-scale production alone takes more than three months..."
"Standard is standard," Chen Xueming interrupted him, "This is a special situation. If the international blockade on lithium resources takes shape within three months and we can't produce a mass-producible technology, the entire new energy industry chain will come to a halt."
He paused, his voice deepening: "I'm not trying to pressure anyone, but since I took on this Lithium Extraction from Seawater project, I have to see it through. Three months, I'll sign a military-style pledge."
The conference room fell silent.
Everyone looked at him.
Two months ago, this arrogant middle-aged man had joined the group with prejudices and could argue with Lin Mo three times a week. Now, he stood in front of the whiteboard, his eyes bloodshot, his voice hoarse but firm, saying he would sign a military-style pledge.
Li Xiao glanced quietly at Lin Mo.
The corners of Lin Mo's mouth lifted slightly, then pressed down again.
He stood up, walked to Chen Xueming's side, and patted his shoulder.
"No need to sign a military-style pledge," he said. "If we sign one, we all sign it together."
Chen Xueming turned his head to look at him.
Lin Mo faced everyone: "This project has never been just my business from the start. Room-Temperature Superconductivity, Lithium-Sulfur Battery, Lithium Extraction from Seawater—the team has carried every step together. This time is the same."
He looked at Wang Xiao: "Engineer Wang, I'm counting on you for the offshore platform."
Wang Xiao nodded: "Rest assured."
He looked at Li Xiao: "You lead the data simulation. I will fully cooperate with the system side."
Li Xiao nodded vigorously: "Understood."
He looked at Zhang Zhe: "For device processing, you keep an eye on the manufacturer; neither progress nor quality can be slackened."
Zhang Zhe took a deep breath: "Alright."
Finally, he looked at Chen Xueming: "You take charge of the overall technology. I will assist."
Chen Xueming opened his mouth, but no words came out.
He lowered his eyes, was silent for a few seconds, then nodded vigorously.
Zhao Gang, who had been leaning against the doorway and hadn't spoken, suddenly said: "Three months, I'll handle security. George and his gang haven't pulled out yet; if they know we're racing against time, they'll definitely try to cause trouble."
Lin Mo looked at him: "Is there anything we need to coordinate on?"
"Not for now," Zhao Gang said. "You all just focus on the work, I'll handle things on the outside."
The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly changed.
From the previous urgency and anxiety, it turned into something else—like seeing light in the darkness, or holding each other's hands on the edge of a cliff.
Lin Mo looked around, finally letting his gaze fall on the timeline on the whiteboard.
Three months.
He knew what this meant.
The path that standard research processes take two to three years to walk, they had to walk in three months. In between, there would be countless problems, countless risks, and countless sleepless nights they couldn't endure.
But he also knew there was no turning back.
Outside, the international blockade on lithium resources was taking shape. Smith was coming to verify in a month. George was still watching from the shadows.
They had no way out.
"Then it's settled," he said. "Starting today, the project enters wartime status."
Chen Xueming glanced at the wall clock; it was 9:17 AM.
"I'm going to the laboratory," he said. "The set of solenoid valves from yesterday hasn't been replaced yet."
Li Xiao stood up: "I'll go with you; there are a few parameters in the data model that need adjusting."
Zhang Zhe also stood up: "I'll go contact the manufacturer to confirm the arrival time of that batch of German goods."
Wang Xiao closed his notebook: "I'll go back to the hotel first, get the team ready, and wait for your parameters in a week."
Several people left the conference room one after another.
Lin Mo remained last.
Zhao Gang walked over and handed him a cup of hot tea.
"Drink something."
Lin Mo took it and drank a sip.
"Three months," Zhao Gang said. "Are you confident?"
Lin Mo looked out the window.
The sunlight shone on the distant snow-capped mountains, bright and dazzling, stinging one's eyes.
"No," he said. "But it must succeed."
Zhao Gang nodded and didn't ask again.
The two of them stood by the window, silently watching the snow-capped mountains.
Footsteps echoed in the hallway; Li Xiao ran past, clutching her tablet, with Chen Xueming calling out to her from behind to slow down.
The corners of Lin Mo's mouth lifted slightly.
The tea in the cup was still hot.