36: Chapter 36 The "Sun" in the Rented Room is Ignited
Just as the theoretical experts at Xihe Base were stunned by that cognition-defying technical blueprint, Lin Mo, thousands of miles away, was conducting a similarly thrilling yet unknown experiment in his shabby rental apartment.
On the workbench, an extremely complex device was nearing completion. It was no larger than a basketball in diameter. The outer layer was a special alloy skeleton shimmering with metallic luster, while the inner layer nested a toroidal chamber made of high-temperature and radiation-resistant ceramics obtained through point exchange. Tantalum-tungsten alloy wires as thin as hair were wound around it according to some mysterious pattern, forming miniaturized magnetic coils. At the center of the device was a vacuum-sealed spherical core chamber the size of a walnut. This was the verification prototype he had painstakingly polished and assembled by hand, based on the "Miniature Fusion Ignition Device" blueprint provided by the system, using almost all his remaining points to exchange for key materials.
Sweat trickled down his temple, dripping onto the cold workbench. His eyes were terrifyingly focused, with all his mental energy concentrated at his fingertips. The final step was to load the matchbox-sized "Deuterium-Tritium Mixed Fuel Pellet," also exchanged with points, into the core chamber.
This process required extreme precision and stability; any slight tremor or error could result in wasted effort. Lin Mo held his breath, using a specially made micro-robotic arm to pick up the tiny sphere containing terrifying energy, and slowly, steadily, guided it into the designated position like performing the most precise surgery.
"Click." With a barely audible sound, the pellet was in place, and the sealing cap locked automatically.
Lin Mo let out a long breath, but his nerves remained taut. The most critical moment had arrived—the ignition test.
He took a step back and connected the device via a special cable to a modified, sci-fi-looking "Portable High-Energy Capacitor Array." This array was the result of his previous task completions and point exchanges, and it was currently flashing with a faint blue charging indicator light.
There was no rousing music, no witnesses. In this small room filled with the smell of solder and machine oil, Lin Mo's eyes were sharp as knives, his fingers hovering over a homemade red button.
Success or failure, it all depended on this moment.
He hesitated no longer and pressed the button firmly!
The capacitor array emitted a rapid "buzzing" sound, the indicator light turned from blue to red, and the massive electrical energy was instantly compressed, released, and surged into that tiny device along the wires!
The magnetic coils on the outer layer of the device were the first to light up with a faint glow, and an invisible, powerful magnetic field was instantly generated and stabilized within the toroidal chamber. Immediately after, inside the core chamber, the fuel pellet constrained within the magnetic field underwent a microscopic upheaval invisible to the naked eye under the bombardment of ultra-high energy pulses—the atomic nuclei were forcibly pulled closer and collided!
The next moment, a faint yet incredibly stable, deep blue light, like an awakened elf, suddenly lit up from the central area of the toroidal chamber and continued to radiate! The light was so pure, carrying a contradictory sense of coldness intertwined with scorching heat, as if a star billions of times smaller was quietly burning in this humble room!
【Miniature Fusion Ignition Device verification successful! Continuous operation time: 3.7 seconds.】
【Task Two: "Assist in the trial production of the first core component of the 'Jinwu' demonstration reactor" progress significantly improved! Current progress: 85%】
【Reward pre-issued: Points × 1500! "Fusion Material Irradiation Data Package" has been stored in the item bar!】
【Total points updated: 3280 points!】
The system's prompt sounded like the most beautiful music in Lin Mo's mind.
He stared blankly at the device on the workbench that was still emitting a faint blue light. It wasn't until a few seconds later, when the device automatically shut down safely according to the preset program and the blue light slowly extinguished, that he staggered back and leaned against the wall, as if all his strength had been drained.
Success! He had actually "assembled" a continuously operating miniature fusion reaction by hand in his rental apartment!
An indescribable ecstasy and sense of achievement surged through his whole body like a volcanic eruption, making him want to roar, but he forcibly suppressed it, leaving only his chest heaving violently and the corners of his eyes slightly moist.
This was not just a breakthrough of 1500 points and task progress; it was an incredibly solid proof—the knowledge provided by the system was real and could be realized by his own hands! This injected unparalleled confidence into his subsequent plans to exchange for and implement even larger projects!
He looked at the "Full Technical Details of the 'Jinwu' Miniaturized Fusion Reactor" in the system, which had previously been out of reach, and a curve of certainty hooked at the corner of his mouth.
Points, enough.
And at almost the same moment, far away in the northwest at Xihe Base, the engineers who were struggling with the nano-coating process for the "plasma confinement chamber" did not know that the "mysterious mentor" who had provided them with the blueprint had just completed a miraculous rehearsal under conditions they could not imagine.
Lin Mo calmed his surging emotions, his gaze becoming calm and deep again. Without any delay, he immediately used his consciousness to select the long-awaited option.
"Exchange! 'Full Technical Details of the "Jinwu" Miniaturized Fusion Reactor (including key processes)'!"
The number in the points column plummeted instantly, and a massive torrent of knowledge, larger and more profound than any previous one, rushed into his mind!
This time, he was not just a passive receiver, but because he had personally completed the miniature ignition, he had a personal understanding and grasp of many key links. Knowledge and practice formed a perfect closed loop at this moment.
He slowly closed his eyes, digesting this power capable of changing the world. Next, he would hand over this complete technology to the state in a more ingenious and less suspicious way, while ensuring that the "Jinwu" project could ignite that real "sun" at the fastest speed!