172: Chapter 172 The Road Ahead

"1.25!"

The Q value had stabilized at this dazzling figure.

The red number on the large screen flickered occasionally at the second decimal place, but the main value remained rock-solid.

That rock-solid stability created an incredibly surreal illusion in the eyes of a group of veteran experts who had spent their entire lives in nuclear physics.

The cheers and heavy breathing in the hall never ceased.

Old experts gathered in twos and threes at their respective monitoring stations, staring intently at the data screens before them while turning to exchange words with those beside them, their voices rising uncontrollably.

"The neutron flux output is steady! No decay! Absolutely none!"

"The confinement state is perfect! The plasma is as obedient as if it had been welded into the magnetic field!"

Many more couldn't help but look up every few seconds to glance at the red value in the center of the projection screen.

One look, one smile.

Another look, another smile.

Having spent half their lives working on Controlled Nuclear Fusion, where had they ever seen such a scene?

In previous experiments, if the plasma could be stably confined in a fusion state for a hundred seconds, the entire laboratory would celebrate with champagne, and they could even publish a few top-tier journal papers.

But today?

From the successful ignition of the fusion reaction until now, a full half-hour had passed!

During this half-hour, the plasma did not collapse, the confinement field did not become unstable, and the output curve of the neutron flux lay perfectly flat, without even a single spike.

Moreover, anyone with eyes could see that this was far from the machine's limit.

The Q value remained stable, the temperature curve was smooth, the confinement margin was ample, and the entire device exuded an air of ease from top to bottom.

It seemed to be telling everyone: "I haven't even used my full strength yet."

He Mingde stood before the main control console, his hands resting on the edge, his ten fingers still trembling from time to time.

That was the instinctive trembling of the body after a long-cherished wish from the depths of the soul had been fulfilled.

After all, this was the first time in human history that the energy released by a fusion reaction under controlled conditions had exceeded the input energy.

This not only proved that Controlled Nuclear Fusion was physically sound, but it also declared to the whole world with ironclad facts that it could be realized in engineering.

And it wasn't just some fireworks show that fizzled out after ignition, only good for publishing papers.

Thirty minutes of steady-state operation, the plasma burning steadily without even a hint of a hiccup.

The significance of this was so great that He Mingde's heart could barely take it; his brain was buzzing, nearly shutting down.

"Ahem."

Just then, a low, thick, yet highly penetrating cough came from behind him.

He Mingde turned around abruptly.

Elder Zhang had arrived at the console at some point.

This big shot, who usually remained calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before him, now had his hands behind his back, his weathered face wearing a smile that he could not hide no matter how hard he tried.

"Good."

Elder Zhang looked around the hall at the old experts, their eyes red and smiling like children, and nodded slowly.

"Good!"

The same sentence, repeated twice, but with a completely different weight.

"Comrades, you have worked hard."

Elder Zhang's voice was not loud, but the discussions in the hall all died down the moment these words landed.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked in unison at the old man.

"The fire lit today is no ordinary one!"

Elder Zhang's gaze was like a torch, and his voice carried a stirring, martial intensity.

"What it has burned... will be the beginning of a new era."

"It is the admission ticket for our Xia Nation to truly stand at the pinnacle of the world, never again to be held back by anyone!"

These words struck the hall with such weight that everyone's back straightened involuntarily, and a scorching current of heat surged through every person's chest.

Elder Zhang withdrew his gaze from scanning the room, turned his head, and his eyes passed over the crowd, landing precisely on Lin Yuan, who was standing to the side of the console.

Amidst the crowd, some manic, some tearful, some excited.

Only that young man, with his handsome face, wore the same composure and indifference that had remained unchanged from beginning to end.

No ecstasy, no loss of composure, not even the rhythm of his breathing had faltered for a single moment.

Watching this nearly monstrous level of composure, Elder Zhang smiled and shook his head.

"Xiao Lin, oh Xiao Lin."

"You have truly... given me, and given the nation, a massive surprise."

Elder Zhang stepped forward, making no attempt to conceal the extreme admiration and favoritism in his tone.

"In just over two weeks, Room-Temperature Superconducting Material plus the first successful ignition of Controlled Nuclear Fusion..."

"In the past, even in my dreams, I wouldn't have dared to imagine this!"

Facing Elder Zhang and the dozens of scorching gazes in the hall, Lin Yuan revealed a perfectly humble smile.

He bowed slightly and responded in a gentle tone:

"Elder Zhang, you praise me too highly. This could not have been achieved without the full support from above, and even more so, without the day-and-night efforts of all the seniors present."

Hearing this, Elder Zhang smiled and waved his hand, noncommittal.

Who here didn't know the truth?

If it weren't for this young man, let alone half a month, even if they were given another fifty years, this fire might not have been lit!

After the polite words were finished, the smile on Lin Yuan's face suddenly faded slightly.

"However, Elder Zhang, seniors."

Lin Yuan glanced at the faces around him that were still immersed in wild joy, and paused for a beat.

"Although today's ignition was a success, strictly speaking..."

"This can only be considered a preliminary breakthrough."

"Although the energy gain factor has crossed the life-or-death line of 1, proving that the fusion reaction can already produce net energy."

Lin Yuan held up a finger and shook it gently.

"But this return is too low."

"To put it bluntly, it has only just crossed the passing line."

"There is still a huge gap from true engineering application and commercial realization."

"After all, in my view, for Controlled Nuclear Fusion to have true engineering value, even based on the Room-temperature Superconductivity scheme, the energy gain factor must at least reach above 10."

"Only those that achieve completely self-sustaining combustion, without needing any external heating, letting the reaction burn itself—that is the only kind of fusion—"

"That is what deserves to be called true Controlled Nuclear Fusion."

When these words landed, the hall fell silent for two or three seconds.

The old experts, who had just been in high spirits, slowly retracted the smiles from their faces, replaced by a heavy sense of sobriety.

Elder Zhang listened to these words without rushing to respond.

He stared at Lin Yuan for several seconds.

Then, he smiled slowly.

In that smile, there was not the slightest displeasure at having cold water poured on them; instead, it revealed an even more intense admiration than before!

"Not bad."

Elder Zhang spoke, his voice not loud, but in the silent hall, it resounded like a great bell.

"To have achieved such world-shaking results yet remain humble and calm; to see the glory before you, but even more so to see the gaps and the direction for the future."

He nodded heavily at Lin Yuan, his eyes full of the trust of entrusting the nation's destiny.

"Then, for the path ahead, I will continue to trouble you and the comrades."

"All departments above will cooperate fully; whatever you need, we will provide."

"We are just waiting for your next piece of good news."

Facing Elder Zhang's eyes full of hope, Lin Yuan did not rush to respond.

He was silent for a breath, then the corners of his lips twitched ever so slightly.

"It won't be too far off."

Elder Zhang raised an eyebrow, surprise and anticipation flashing in his eyes.

"Oh?"

Lin Yuan raised his hand, his fingertips casually gesturing toward the dense, real-time running data on the projection screen.

"Although today's ignition, in my view, is only a barely passing, preliminary success."

His voice suddenly dropped half a tone, carrying an extreme sense of certainty.

"But with these half-hour real-time data runs, some underlying logic and key issues that were previously unclear in the simulated environment have now been fully exposed."

As soon as he finished speaking, He Mingde's body leaned forward abruptly, his eyes nearly popping out.

Chen Jingshan turned his head slightly and held his breath.

Even Elder Zhang's footsteps paused, his eyes filled with astonishment.

In the hall, dozens of gazes, as if tangible, were nailed tightly onto Lin Yuan.

Under the gaze of everyone, Lin Yuan slowly raised his right hand, unhurriedly extended an index finger, and tapped it lightly against his temple.

"Regarding the path ahead..."

"I already have an idea."