44: Chapter 44 Assembly Begins!

At Xihe Base, in the core workshop.

The lingering excitement from the perfect positioning of the containment chamber had not yet fully subsided, and a more concentrated, focused atmosphere quickly enveloped the entire workshop.

If the previous manufacturing and installation were about forging the strong bones and heart of "Jinwu," then from this moment on, it was about weaving its complex neural network, connecting the veins of its energy circulation, and endowing it with the ability to perceive and control—the final assembly stage, officially begins!

Chief Engineer Wang's voice came through the broadcast system, steady and carrying unquestionable resolution: "Attention all teams, in accordance with the final contingency plan of the 'Xuanbird' project, begin final assembly operations! Repeat, final assembly begins!"

The order was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up ripples. The various teams, which had been working relatively independently, began to engage and operate in synergy, much like gears on a precision instrument.

The superconducting magnet team acted first. Manipulating specialized installation equipment, they slowly closed a series of giant D-shaped magnets, already pre-cooled to a superconducting state, around the central containment chamber with micron-level precision.

The powerful magnetic fields generated by these magnets would be the first, and most critical, invisible shackle binding that raging "sun".

During the installation process, any slight collision or temperature fluctuation could cause the superconductivity to fail, rendering all previous efforts futile.

The engineers were fully focused, as if performing a silent ballet; every movement had been rehearsed thousands of times, precise and elegant.

Almost simultaneously, the final connections for the vacuum and cooling systems were underway.

Thick pipes for cryogenic liquid helium, like giant pythons, followed pre-set paths to accurately connect with the cooling jackets outside the chamber and the cooling circuits of the superconducting magnets.

The dedicated vacuum pump sets began operating at maximum power, intending to pull the interior of the entire reactor core to a vacuum more extreme than outer space, creating an absolutely "clean" environment for the fusion reaction.

At the pipe connections, the probes of leak detectors swept over and over, ensuring an absolute seal, allowing not even a trace of air to seep in.

At different levels of the reactor body, engineers responsible for installing the first wall materials, divertors, and tens of thousands of diagnostic probes were also busy.

These components were like the eyes, skin, and immune system of "Jinwu," responsible for withstanding the direct impact of plasma, removing reaction products, and monitoring every subtle change inside in real-time.

The installation accuracy requirements were extremely high, and many operations needed to be performed through narrow observation windows with the assistance of specialized robotic arms, testing the patience and stability of the engineers.

In the control room, on the giant screen, the indicator lights representing various systems turned from yellow to green one by one, and data streams cascaded down like a waterfall.

Chen Lao, Long Zhantian, and the heads of each subsystem gathered here, their eyes fixed on every parameter change on the screen.

"Report! All main magnetic field coils are in place, pre-cooling is complete, waiting for excitation testing!"

"Primary vacuum level has reached 10^-7 Pascals and is approaching the design target!"

"Core cooling circuit pressure is stable, temperature monitoring is normal!"

"Diagnostic probe connection rate has reached 98%, data link is clear!"

Every "normal" report made the atmosphere in the control room relax for a moment, only to be immediately replaced by the tension of the next critical node.

This was a relay race where no mistakes were allowed; any minor flaw in any link could be infinitely magnified during future ignition, leading to catastrophic consequences.

Chief Engineer Wang stood before the main control console, like the conductor of a symphony orchestra, constantly receiving information from all sides and issuing concise and clear instructions.

Sweat still covered his forehead, but his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He could feel that this behemoth, condensed from countless cutting-edge technologies and the hard work of countless people, was being "awakened" bit by bit, gradually becoming a complete living organism.

Outside the workshop, the night of the Gobi desert had fallen once again, with stars dotting the sky.

Inside the workshop, however, it was as bright as day; the blue light of welding arcs and the eerie glow of instrument indicator lights reflected off the focused and determined faces of the engineers.

Final assembly is a challenge to the limit, the ultimate test of synergy, and the most extreme display of Dragon Nation's industrial strength and scientific research will.

On this once desolate land, a miracle carrying the dream of energy independence was moving from blueprint to reality at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Lin Mo, far away, though not present at the scene, seemed to be able to feel that surge of focus and power transmitted across space.

He looked at the system interface, where the associated information for the "Jinwu" project seemed to have become more solid.

When the last component of the final assembly was in place, and the last bolt was tightened, it would be the prelude to that "sun" about to burst forth.

The spotlight of history was already aimed at the depths of Xihe Base.