48: Chapter 48 Are you crazy, or did I hear you wrong?

When the blonde, blue-eyed foreign reporter raised the microphone and asked for a "clear timeline," the atmosphere in the entire No. 1 Press Hall, which had been boiling over due to the breakthrough in the three core components, suddenly froze.

The gazes of over a hundred media reporters at the scene darted back and forth between the questioning foreign reporter and Lin Yuan on the podium.

Anyone with a modicum of common sense could hear the hidden edge and trap in this question.

Scientific research, especially for top-tier equipment like a Photolithography Machine, has a vast distance between phase results in the laboratory and final engineering implementation.

This process is full of uncontrollable variables.

Three to five years at the shortest, eight to ten years at the longest, or even failure halfway through—this is the norm in the scientific research world.

Who would dare, at this moment, in front of the whole world, to provide a clear timeline for implementation?

If the time given is too long, say five or ten years, the impact of the three major breakthroughs just demonstrated would be greatly diminished.

Foreign countries could easily seize the opportunity to claim that Xia Guo's technology remains stuck in the theoretical and laboratory stage, and is still far from threatening the existing industrial landscape.

If the time given is too short, say one or two years, it would be no different than putting one's own neck into a noose.

Once the actual machine cannot be produced by then, the higher one stands today, the harder one will fall tomorrow, and they might even become the joke of the century to the whole world.

Therefore, this question is not about discussing technology at all. It is a forced ultimatum.

It is an attempt to tear apart the technological confidence that Xia Guo has just established and to create a glaring crack in this perfect press conference.

In the front row of the press section, reporters from several mainstream domestic media outlets frowned slightly. In the back row, reporters from several overseas news agencies wore smiles, waiting to watch a good show.

Meanwhile, on the screen of the global live broadcast, the originally dense celebratory bullet comments experienced a brief pause.

Immediately after, thousands of messages filled with anger covered the screen again.

"What does this foreigner mean? Is he digging a pit for us here?"

"Disgusting. Can you give a definite answer for scientific research? Forcing a timeline is clearly just trying to stir up trouble!"

"Don't fall for it, stay steady! We've already had breakthroughs in the three major components, so we can just take our time. We can afford to wait ten years!"

"Right, ignore him! Just give a vague, non-committal answer to brush it off. There's no need to give a specific time; don't fall for their provocation!"

"No matter how long it takes, we aren't in a rush! As long as the direction is right, we are willing to wait!"

Netizens usually like to watch the excitement, but at this moment of major right and wrong, concerning the nation's technological dignity, they still displayed a very high level of maturity and protectiveness.

On the podium, Chen Jingshan narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sweeping over the foreign reporter who was still standing.

He subconsciously reached out his hand, preparing to pull the microphone in front of him closer.

This kind of topic that required a non-committal response shouldn't be handled by Lin Yuan, a young man who had just been pushed to the forefront.

However, just as Chen Jingshan's fingers touched the edge of the microphone, a very faint laugh came from beside him.

This chuckle was clearly transmitted throughout the entire press hall through the high-quality microphone.

Chen Jingshan's movements paused, and he turned his head. He saw that Lin Yuan, sitting on his right, not only showed no signs of nervousness or avoidance, but instead leaned forward slightly, one hand resting on the table.

The expression on Lin Yuan's face was very relaxed, carrying a hint of undisguised pleasure.

He had originally been calculating how to naturally steer the topic to "final implementation" in order to maximize the harvest of system confidence.

Unexpectedly, he didn't even need any buildup. Someone had rushed to deliver the topic right to his door.

Since the topic was delivered to his door, it would be a waste not to take it.

Lin Yuan tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his gaze crossing over the front-row cameras and landing directly on the foreign reporter who had asked the question.

"This reporter friend." "Your question is very good."

His voice was unhurried, carrying a composure that suggested he was in full control of the situation.

The foreign reporter who was originally prepared to watch the show was stunned for a moment. The overseas media in the press hall, who were ready to record the Xia Guo officials' "non-committal" remarks, also stopped what they were doing.

Very good? What kind of answer is that?

Lin Yuan ignored the astonishment below the stage, adjusted the angle of his microphone, and continued.

"Scientific research is never about shelving results, nor is it about admiring them in isolation within the laboratory."

"Any technology that cannot be transformed into actual productivity or benefit humanity is just a pile of meaningless theoretical waste paper."

"Therefore, the initial breakthrough in the three core technologies of the Photolithography Machine is just our starting point."

"The ultimate goal must be engineering implementation; it must be a complete machine capable of entering a wafer fab and etching top-tier chips day and night without rest."

These words were spoken with integrity and were impeccable. The domestic reporters nodded secretly, but their inner worries had not yet been laid to rest.

Although the words were nice, the core question—the timeline—was still hanging in the air.

Immediately after, Lin Yuan changed his tone.

"Since the outside world is so concerned about the implementation process of our Xia Guo Photolithography Machine, then taking this opportunity today, as the Chief Technical Engineer of the Lithography Core Technology Breakthrough Task Force, I can also give everyone the inside scoop here."

Once this sentence was spoken, tens of millions of viewers around the world stared fixedly at their screens, subconsciously holding their breath.

On the podium, Chen Jingshan's pupils dilated slightly, and a flicker of imperceptible astonishment flashed across his usually calm face.

He Yicheng, Wei Jiancheng, Yang Lin, and others sitting beside him also turned their heads in unison, their gazes falling squarely on Lin Yuan's profile.

They were slightly stunned. In their minds, an extremely crazy thought flashed simultaneously: This kid... he wouldn't be... planning to announce that time, would he?

Chen Jingshan's Adam's apple bobbed, his lips moving as he wanted to speak out to stop him. But it was already too late.

Under the gaze of everyone, Lin Yuan looked straight at the camera lens in front of him. His posture was upright, and his eyes revealed an indisputable confidence.

"Regarding the off-line time for Xia Guo's first independently developed complete Photolithography Machine, our arrangement is—"

Lin Yuan paused slightly, then three words were spat out from his mouth without the slightest hesitation: "Within half a year."

When these three words fell, inside the press hall, over a hundred reporters from all over the world maintained their leaning-forward posture, like statues that had been pressed with a pause button, frozen in place.

In front of the live broadcast screens, the fingers of tens of millions of netizens tapping on keyboards hung in mid-air.

Within half a year? In everyone's mind, only one thought remained: Had they misheard?