10: Chapter 10 You mean, I was wrong?

Wei Jiancheng's words were devoid of any pleasantry.

The surrounding researchers stopped their work in unison, their gazes shifting over with expressions mixed with schadenfreude and a sense of "it's only natural."

Luo Yang's face darkened instantly.

He took half a step forward, positioning himself exactly between Lin Yuan and Wei Jiancheng, and lowered his voice significantly.

"Director Wei, aren't you making things difficult for me?"

"Comrade Lin Yuan is a talent that Dean Chen specifically instructed me to bring here."

"A talent?"

Wei Jiancheng let out a cold snort, reached directly into his pocket, and pulled out an old-fashioned black candy-bar phone.

"Fine! I'll call Old Chen right now!"

"I want to ask him exactly when the Third Research Institute became an internship base for Jiuzhou University Undergraduates!"

Luo Yang's expression changed slightly as he stepped forward, gently pressing his hand down on Wei Jiancheng's wrist as he held the phone.

"Director Wei, don't be impulsive."

He turned back, his gaze quickly scanning the group of researchers who were all ears, and deliberately raised his voice.

"The Dean specifically told me just now!"

"Comrade Lin Yuan has achieved remarkably impressive research results in the field of Photolithography Machines! That's why he was specially approved to come here and participate in the core technical assault!"

These words finally caused Wei Jiancheng's finger to pause over the buttons.

Clutching the phone, he tilted his head, his gaze bypassing Luo Yang's shoulder to land directly on Lin Yuan.

That gaze was filled with undisguised scrutiny and suspicion.

Lin Yuan stood tall and straight, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, allowing the other man to size him up.

During this time, not a single researcher spoke.

But their frozen body language and blatant stares laid bare their feelings of rejection, doubt, and amusement.

An Undergraduate talking about research results in a core Photolithography Machine laboratory?

Hearing such words, how were these top-tier researchers—who held PhDs and had pulled countless all-nighters—supposed to feel?

In that oppressive silence,

Lin Yuan moved.

He knew very well that it was time to play his hand.

"Director Wei."

Lin Yuan took a step forward, closing the distance between them.

"It seems you don't believe Director Luo's words."

"I don't."

Wei Jiancheng's reply was short and sharp.

He shoved the phone back into his pocket and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Science relies on data and verification."

"How can an Undergraduate like you, who might not have even finished your basic university courses, have any deep research on Photolithography Machines?"

He pointed over his shoulder at the massive piece of steel equipment that occupied a vast area behind him.

"The amount of parameter calculations for any single part plucked from this machine would be enough for you to write your graduation thesis for three years!"

"Is it so hard to understand why I don't believe you?"

Hearing this, Lin Yuan didn't get angry; instead, he nodded slightly.

"It's quite reasonable."

"If I were in your shoes, I would find it hard to believe as well."

The next second, the tone of his voice shifted as his gaze slowly swept across the room.

"But Director Wei, have you ever considered one question?"

Lin Yuan looked back at Wei Jiancheng, his voice calm and steady.

"If I were truly a useless hack, a well-connected person shoved in here through the back door..."

"...then why would I come here to your place?"

"Why would I specifically choose Photolithography Machines, the toughest nut to crack?"

Wei Jiancheng was slightly taken aback.

Lin Yuan took another step forward.

"In the entire Xia Academy of Sciences, how many project teams are there that are relaxed, easy to produce results in, and great for padding one's resume?"

"I could have gone to the Materials Institute to conduct tests on some new type of coating."

"I could have gone to the Information Institute to put my name on a big data model optimization project."

"In a year or so, I'd have my name on a few core journal papers, a glittering resume, and I'd be set for title evaluations and funding—secure and respectable."

He spread his hands, every word striking a chord in everyone's hearts.

In the laboratory, even the hum of the exhaust fans sounded exceptionally piercing at that moment.

The mockery vanished from the faces of several researchers who had been watching the spectacle, replaced by deep thought.

Lin Yuan's gaze remained locked onto Wei Jiancheng's face.

"The Photolithography Machine project is a notorious meat grinder in the Xia scientific research community."

"This is where funding burns the fastest and the failure rate is highest. Countless geniuses have exhausted their youth here without achieving much."

Lin Yuan raised his hand, his fingertip hovering in mid-air.

"If I were a well-connected person looking to pad my credentials, would I actively dive headfirst into this pit of fire?"

"Would I come here to be questioned by you and bear the immense pressure of having zero results?"

"Director Wei."

Lin Yuan's voice suddenly became sharp.

"Do you think that fits the logic of a normal person?"

Wei Jiancheng's lips moved, and a crack finally appeared in his cold, tight expression.

Lin Yuan's words had formed an unbreakable logical loop.

Seeking benefit and avoiding harm is human instinct.

The more background a person has, the more they will avoid such a thankless and desperate situation.

"What... exactly are you trying to say?"

Wei Jiancheng's voice slowed down unconsciously, taking on an inquisitive tone.

"I'm saying that the reason I dare to stand here is because I hold real technology in my hands!"

Lin Yuan's speaking speed suddenly increased, his voice carrying an unquestionable confidence.

"And it's precisely because of this that I was able to receive the appointment letter for the youngest Distinguished Researcher in the history of the Xia Academy of Sciences at this age!"

He turned sideways and pointed in the direction of the Xia Academy of Sciences.

"Half an hour ago, I just walked out of Dean Chen's office."

"If everything I said was empty talk, with Dean Chen's discernment, would I still be standing here now?"

"Would Dean Chen even personally arrange for Director Luo to send me to your most critical and core laboratory?"

The series of questions struck everyone's nerves like a heavy hammer!

The expressions on the surrounding researchers' faces gradually shifted from initial alarm and doubt to pure shock!

Simultaneously, on the translucent light screen before Lin Yuan's eyes, the blue progress bar representing confidence suddenly surged forward!

[Current Total confidence: 2.1%!]

Lin Yuan glanced at the number and made a judgment about the current situation.

Relying solely on logical reasoning and talk had basically reached the upper limit of trust for this group of people.

It was time to serve the main course.

He gave Wei Jiancheng no more time to react, turning directly to look at the massive testing equipment.

"The Extreme Ultraviolet Light Source solution you're currently using is LPP—Laser-Produced Plasma—isn't it?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Wei Jiancheng's knitted brows twitched violently.

Although this wasn't a secret, for an Undergraduate to accurately state the full name proved he was at least not a complete layman.

"So what if it is?"

He replied stiffly.

"Nothing much."

Lin Yuan shook his head and, under everyone's gaze, walked step by step toward the steel behemoth.

"I just want to say that this path might have been wrong from the very beginning."

"What did you say?!"

Wei Jiancheng moved; he lunged forward a step, an astonishing force erupting from his thin frame.

"Young man, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want!"

"Laser-Produced Plasma is the globally recognized mainstream technical route for photolithography light sources. On what basis do you say it's wrong?"

The atmosphere in the laboratory suddenly dropped to the freezing point.

This was no longer just questioning.

This was an open denial of the entire team's hard work over so many years!

However, Lin Yuan simply turned around and calmly faced Wei Jiancheng's ashen face.

"Director Wei, I didn't say Laser-Produced Plasma is wrong."

"I'm just saying that for our Xia nation, it isn't the optimal solution; it's even a path with extremely low cost-effectiveness."

His voice was steady and pierced clearly into everyone's ears.

"The biggest constraint of Laser-Produced Plasma lies in its energy conversion efficiency."

"How much have you invested for that theoretical limit of five percent?"

"I suspect that with every excitation, the plasma generated by the laser bombardment of the Tin Target inevitably contaminates the expensive Collector Lenses, doesn't it?"

"Haven't the high maintenance costs and consumable losses already driven the project's cost-effectiveness down to a point that's utterly exhausting?"

With every sentence Lin Yuan spoke, Wei Jiancheng's face grew uglier.

The group of researchers behind him were no longer just shocked; they were completely horrified!

These issues... how on earth did this young man know about them so clearly?!

[Current Total confidence: 3.3%!]

The progress bar surged wildly once again!

Seeing this, Lin Yuan smiled.

The technical information he had seen online in his past life had now become his sharpest weapon.

"While Laser-Produced Plasma technology is mainstream, its limits are right there, visible to the naked eye."

"In a world where the West has already achieved mature commercial use, no matter how much we chase, we will always be playing catch-up. We can never achieve an overtake!"

"In that case..."

Lin Yuan fixed his gaze on Wei Jiancheng and asked, enunciating every word:

"Then why not consider..."

"...the Steady-state Micro-focused Light Source?"