27: Chapter 27: A new drama is about to begin!

This unfamiliar name sent a silent storm through the core teams of various research institutes.

The ranking of names on the red-headed document was the result of careful consideration for every position.

To be able to follow the academy leadership on the membership list, ranking at the very top of all ordinary members...

What did this mean? Which of these 'old-timers' within the system didn't understand its significance?

Yet, this name was excessively unfamiliar to most of those present.

Of course, it wasn't as if there were no clues at all.

Recently, a certain topic had been circulating within the small circles of the Xia Academy of Sciences—

The youngest Distinguished Young Researcher in history, who hadn't even graduated from his undergraduate studies, had been directly placed into the Third Research Institute.

As several institute directors touched base over the phone, the information quickly clicked into place.

But even after identifying him, the cloud of doubt lingering in their hearts only grew thicker.

How could a newcomer who had only been on the job for a few days, young enough to be the student of their students, rank first among the ordinary members of the Special Task Force?

What puzzled them even more was—

The speed at which this document had been approved from above was incredibly fast.

It was so fast that even these old-timers, who had seen many storms, sensed something unusual.

For a moment, the internal atmosphere of core units like the Institute of Precision Instruments and the Automation Control Institute, which were usually quite arrogant, became strange.

Countless phone calls rang quietly between various offices, all pointing tacitly toward the center of the storm—

The Third Microelectronics Equipment Research Institute.

Soon, the backbones of various institutes used their personal connections to contact old classmates and colleagues at the Third Research Institute, trying to dig up some explosive news through indirect inquiries.

Unfortunately, there were very few replies.

After several rounds of probing, people from other institutes only managed to gather some fragmented scraps—

This young man named Lin Yuan indeed had some real skill.

Someone even accidentally let the title 'Teacher Lin' slip.

Teacher?

After this title spread, the core members of the various institutes, who had originally intended to just watch the show, all fell silent.

Who in the entire Xia Academy of Sciences didn't know the temperament of that bunch at the Third Research Institute?

If they were willing to call a young man 'Teacher,' it meant—

This young man's ability was already great enough to leave them completely convinced.

As for just how great?

No one could say for sure.

But everyone had a premonition that the answer would naturally be revealed on the day the Special Task Force officially met.

Meanwhile.

Unlike the undercurrents surging outside, the interior of the Third Research Institute was a scene of bustling activity.

As soon as the Special Task Force document arrived, Wei Jiancheng fully launched the preliminary research work that same day.

Following the division of labor, each group quickly entered the stage of deeply digesting the light source theory.

Although the theory provided by Lin Yuan had been verified, there was still a long way to go from 'understanding' it to 'mastering' it, and then to being able to transform it into a specific engineering implementation plan.

The researchers buried themselves in a sea of formulas and models, breaking down every theoretical module, chewing it over repeatedly, and striving to absorb it into their very bones.

And Lin Yuan was the most crucial person in this process.

In the laboratory, there was always someone running over to him with documents covered in dense notes.

"Researcher Lin, regarding the phase space matching conditions for the electron beam pre-bunching section, there's a part I don't quite understand..."

Lin Yuan took the document, glanced at it, and pointed to one of the lines, identifying the key issue in just a few words.

The researcher froze for two seconds, then slapped his forehead with a look of sudden enlightenment before turning to run back to his workstation.

Similar scenes played out repeatedly in the laboratory.

At first, everyone was hesitant to approach him; after all, in terms of seniority and age, everyone was older than him.

But after asking once or twice, what little remained of their reserve shattered completely.

Lin Yuan's answers were far too precise.

Every theoretical doubt was broken down clearly in a few words by him, never vague, never hesitant, and there was never a time when he needed to 'go back and think about it.'

Later on, a sort of unspoken understanding naturally formed in the laboratory—

If you encounter a theoretical difficulty you can't solve, don't waste time pondering it yourself; go straight to Teacher Lin.

Efficiency would double.

Lin Yuan was more than happy to see this.

The more thoroughly these people understood the theory, the less resistance there would be in the subsequent engineering transformation, and the faster the Photolithography Machine would be realized.

And more importantly—

This process itself was constantly strengthening his authoritative position in the hearts of these people.

With every question answered and every line of thought cleared, the gazes directed at him gained another measure of heartfelt respect.

This invisible 'trust' was the most precious chip on his chessboard.

...

Early the next morning.

As soon as Lin Yuan walked through the gates of the Third Research Institute, he saw Wei Jiancheng striding toward him from the end of the corridor.

"Lin Yuan!"

Wei Jiancheng called out to him and quickly walked over.

"I was just looking for you."

"What is it, Director Wei?"

Wei Jiancheng lowered his voice, but his excitement could not be hidden.

"The first plenary meeting of the Special Task Force has been set."

Lin Yuan's pace faltered, and he turned his head to look at him.

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow.

This speed was a beat faster than he had expected.

But on second thought, it made sense.

The higher-ups had long been impatient; this pace precisely showed that the entire chain was operating at full capacity.

"The location is in the academy's grand conference room. Core members from all relevant research institutes will be present, and Dean Chen will personally preside over it."

Wei Jiancheng paused here and looked Lin Yuan over.

"There's one more thing."

"Old Chen specifically told me to tell you—"

His tone slowed down, emphasizing each word.

"In tomorrow's meeting, you will be the core focus."

These words rang out exceptionally clearly in the corridor.

Lin Yuan was silent for a beat, then nodded with a smile.

"I'm ready."

The smile was faint, yet it carried an unparalleled certainty.

Wei Jiancheng stared at him for two seconds, then also grinned and slapped Lin Yuan heavily on the shoulder.

"Good lad."

"Then tomorrow, we'll head over together!"

After saying that, Wei Jiancheng turned and left, his steps brisk, his entire spirit seemingly injected with adrenaline.

Lin Yuan stood in the corridor, watching that energetic back disappear around the corner, a slight curl appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Core focus.

These four words carried significant weight.

Chen Jingshan having Wei Jiancheng deliver this message specifically wasn't just a notification; it was a signal—

At tomorrow's meeting, everyone's focus would be concentrated on him, Lin Yuan.

Those titan-level figures from various research institutes, those old-timers who had worked deeply in their respective fields for half their lives, would see him officially for the first time.

And what he needed to do was establish his persona in front of them.

Recalling everything that had happened these past few days, Lin Yuan became increasingly certain—

Handing everything over to the state was the most correct decision he had made in his two lives.

Without the state's backing and the stage provided by the Xia Academy of Sciences, the first lie would never have come true so quickly.

And now, with the Special Task Force being approved at an incredible speed and his name being moved to the first spot among ordinary members—

These were the new stages Elder Long was building for him.

A bigger stage, more viewers, and a higher starting point.

A new great drama was about to begin.

Possessing the lie-to-truth system, he had never intended to follow the rules and develop slowly.

That would be the biggest waste of a cheat.

He needed to save more time to do even crazier and greater things.

But Lin Yuan knew that the engineering transformation of this theory was a long road covered in thorns.

Even with the support of the entire nation's strength, it would be impossible to turn the blueprints into reality in less than half a year or a year.

Half a year to a year...

For the rapidly changing international technology race, that was too long!

He couldn't wait, and this country couldn't afford to wait either!

In that case...

It was time to pull back the curtain on something new.

...

The next day.

Xia Academy of Sciences, No. 1 Grand Conference Room.

This was the highest-spec meeting venue in the entire Xia Academy of Sciences, usually only used for general assemblies of academicians or for receiving top-level inspections.

At the circular conference table, nameplates, teacups, and unopened document bags were placed at each seat.

The chandeliers overhead were soft and bright, illuminating the entire space in fine detail.

At this moment, this usually strictly guarded conference room was already more than half full.

The Institute of Precision Instruments, the Automation Control Institute, the Institute of Materials Science...

Most of the core units of the Xia Academy of Sciences related to the Photolithography Machine project were present.

Everyone in attendance was a big name in their respective fields.

There were old academicians in their sixties still active on the front lines of scientific research, as well as directors and chief researchers in their forties and fifties in the prime of their lives.

They gathered in small groups, talking in low voices, but their gazes couldn't help but constantly drift toward the heavy double wooden doors of the conference room.

They were waiting.

Finally, the wooden doors were pushed open from the outside.

Wei Jiancheng walked in with his head held high, an irrepressible look of pride on his old face.

But almost no one looked at him.

Dozens of sharp gazes from the gathered titans brushed past him at the same moment, focusing instead on the young man behind him.