156: Chapter 156 The Fusion Heart: The "Zhurong" Propulsion Engine
Three transport ships, fully loaded with the lifeblood of the "Guanghan Palace," transformed into streaks of light and merged into the deep sea of stars, racing toward the scheduled rendezvous point with the "soaring heavens."
Lin Mo did not return to the command center, nor did he immediately go back to the laboratory. He remained standing at the main control console of the "pangu industrial zone," gazing through the massive observation window at the direction where the transport ships had vanished, until even the last faint glows of their trails were completely swallowed by the darkness. The "Zhulong" guard on his shoulder stood silently behind him to the side, maintaining absolute vigilance.
The Moon's gravity was very light, but at this moment, Lin Mo's heart felt heavy. The sense of achievement from the industrial leap and the fighting spirit of the soldiers were real, but they all pointed toward an even more brutal reality—the true test would take place millions of kilometers away from this lunar base, in a form and scale humanity had never experienced before.
"Consultant Lin." Li Yunfan's voice sounded from behind him, carrying fatigue as well as the relief of having completed a daunting task. "The interference warheads and sensors have been sent out. Do you... want to go to the 'Zhurong' test area to take a look? There seems to be progress over there."
The "Zhurong" test area.
The name pulled Lin Mo back from his deep thoughts. He nodded. "Let's go take a look."
The group took the base's internal high-speed maglev rail car, passing through several deep tunnels to reach another core area of the "Guanghan Palace" base—the Energy and Power Testing Zone. Unlike the busy bustle of the "pangu industrial zone," this place was filled with the low hum of precision instruments and a sense of near-sacred solemnity. Massive test chambers, like metallic giant eggs, were buried deep beneath the reinforced lunar rock, with only parts of the monitoring interfaces and thick pipes exposed.
Currently, the atmosphere inside the test zone's main control room was heated. Old Chen was actually here as well, gathered around a holographic data screen with several chief engineers in white protective suits, discussing rapidly in low voices, their faces flushed with a rare excitement.
Seeing Lin Mo enter, Old Chen immediately beckoned him over. "Lin Mo, come quickly! The 'Zhurong' No. 3 prototype, full-power continuous operation test, has just broken the seven-hundred-hour mark! Most importantly, the energy output curve is as steady as a straight line, and the plasma confinement parameters are all within the theoretical optimal range!"
Seven hundred hours! Stable operation at full power!
Lin Mo's spirits lifted, and he walked quickly to the screen. A dazzling flow of data streamed across it, but the core indicators were exceptionally clear: fusion reaction temperature, Helium-3 fuel injection rate, net energy output power, magnetic field confinement strength... every item was marked in a healthy green and had been maintained steadily for over twenty-nine Earth days.
This was the prototype core of the "Zhurong" type high-thrust fusion pulse engine—the "heart" for humanity's stride toward the sea of stars. Unlike the "Jinwu" ground-based fusion power station, which pursued extreme energy conversion efficiency and stability, the design goal of the "Zhurong" engine was violent thrust and high reliability in a space environment. It utilized a brand-new magnetic field topology to confine high-temperature plasma in a more compact, higher energy-density region, and through precise pulse modulation, achieved flexible control of thrust direction and intensity at the millisecond level. This was not just an "engine," but the cornerstone for future aerospace carriers and large interstellar spacecraft to perform complex tactical maneuvers.
"Seven hundred hours at full power... this has already far exceeded our initial design target of five hundred hours for durability," the chief engineer in charge of the "Zhurong" project, an elderly man with white hair but eyes as sharp as lightning, said excitedly. "More importantly, throughout the entire testing process, the first wall material and superconducting magnets showed no observable signs of performance degradation or damage! Consultant Lin, that 'self-repairing lattice coating' and 'magnetic field ripple smoothing algorithm' you provided were simply strokes of genius!"
Lin Mo nodded slightly. Those technologies came from a combination of early system redemptions and subsequent reverse engineering, aimed at solving the problems of material fatigue and magnetic field disturbances under long-term high-load operation of fusion engines. It seemed the results far exceeded expectations.
"What about the thrust vector control system tests?" Lin Mo asked the critical question.
"Conducted simultaneously, and the results are astounding!" Another younger propulsion control expert pulled up another set of dynamic simulation diagrams. "We simulated the engine's response under twenty-seven types of extreme maneuvers, including evasion, sharp turns, and emergency acceleration. The 'Zhurong' No. 3 prototype control system, combined with the new vector nozzle design, has a response delay of less than 0.05 seconds, and thrust deflection precision reaches the arc-second level! This means that in the future, ships equipped with the 'Zhurong' engine will have maneuverability comparable to the most agile fighter jets, rather than clunky maritime giants!"
Imagine a ten-thousand-ton class aerospace carrier capable of performing near-counterintuitive rapid evasions and precise turns in space—what kind of tactical revolution would that bring? Everyone present felt their hearts racing.
"Old Chen, Consultant Lin," Li Yunfan said as he looked at the data, unable to resist chiming in, his eyes gleaming with ambition, "with the stability and performance parameters currently shown by the 'Zhurong' No. 3, we can completely start working on the design for its mass-produced version! If the next batch of carriers for the 'North Heaven Gate' plan can use mature 'Zhurong' engines, then whether in terms of speed, range, or tactical flexibility, they will have a generational advantage over the 'Soaring Heavens-class'!"
"It's not just for the next generation of carriers." Lin Mo's gaze swept over the elegant data curves on the screen, his tone steady and powerful. "Miniaturized and modular versions of the 'Zhurong' engine can be used for large escort ships, fast assault ships, and even long-range reconnaissance and fire support platforms. It will be the foundation that allows the 'North Heaven Gate' defense network to truly push from low Earth orbit to the asteroid belt and even deeper into the star systems."
He turned to Old Chen. "Old Chen, I suggest the 'Zhurong' project immediately transition into the engineering mass-production preparation phase. Simultaneously, initiate preliminary research on miniaturized derivative models based on the 'Zhurong' core. We need to install this powerful 'heart' onto more and more flexible 'bodies' as quickly as possible."
"Agreed!" Old Chen said without hesitation. "The technical verification is already very sufficient; it's time to turn the blueprints into a fleet. I will coordinate with the Academy of Sciences and industrial departments to concentrate resources and prioritize the construction of the 'Zhurong' mass-production line. As for the miniaturization research..." He looked at Lin Mo, "I might need you to spend more effort and provide some key insights."
"I will prepare a technical roadmap," Lin Mo promised.
Just then, an independent screen in the main control room lit up, and Su Xiaowan's figure appeared, her expression serious. "Consultant Lin, Old Chen, Captain Long Zhantian of the 'soaring heavens' reports that the three transport ships have arrived safely and are currently undergoing docking and component transfer. The modification work is expected to be fully completed in fourteen hours. Additionally, the 'Nuwa' AI has integrated the latest enemy intelligence and our equipment data to update the final interception plan. The plan code name is 'Houyi,' and it has been sent to all terminals."
Houyi shooting the suns! What a code name, full of determination and symbolism!
Lin Mo and Old Chen looked at each other, both seeing the resolve in the other's eyes.
"Tell Long Zhantian to go ahead and do it," Lin Mo said in a deep voice. "The success of 'Guanghan Palace' and 'Zhurong' is their strongest backing. We have lit an eternal flame between the Earth and the Moon; now, it's time to let this flame turn into the arrows that incinerate the incoming enemy!"
The communication ended. In the main control room, everyone's gaze focused once more on the steadily pulsing data of the "Zhurong" engine. Those were not just a pile of cold numbers; they were power, they were speed, they were the edge of a sword forged by civilization in a desperate situation, capable of piercing the darkness.
The seven hundred hours of stable roaring seemed like an impassioned pre-battle drumbeat for the upcoming interstellar clash.
The "heart" was already strong, and the "arms" were being armed. The ancient ship of human civilization, amidst one technological explosion after another, was replacing its keel, reinforcing its armor, and sharpening its blade at an unprecedented speed.
The destructive greeting brought by 'the piercer' would surely meet the most scorching and resolute response from the flames of 'Zhurong' and the arrows of 'Houyi'!
Lin Mo took one last look at the surging curve on the screen representing the infinite energy of the "Zhurong" engine, turned, and walked out with long strides.