Chapter 18: Comrade Su Dingping, I Give You My Full Support!

Seeing that the atmosphere was sufficiently primed, Sun Yongguo spoke up immediately.

"Chief, I propose that we restart the 956E research project!"

"Restarting is not a problem. How long will you need to fully master these technologies?" Xu Dongguo asked. "The current situation does not leave our Navy with much time."

This...

The group exchanged glances, hesitant to provide a concrete timeline. Although they had been studying the materials for several hours, they had only scratched the surface and had yet to reach the core technical points. To call it easy would be a stretch—Su Dingping had managed to get it mostly finished in just five months! To call it difficult was also true; for seven months, they had hovered at the threshold, unable to take that critical final step.

To truly master it, they needed time. After all, many of these technologies were almost entirely new fields to them.

Seeing their silence, Su Dingping spoke at the opportune moment: "One month at the fastest, two months at the latest!"

A month or two?

Xu Dongguo was stunned by this efficiency. He had assumed it would take at least a year or two. He could afford to wait a year or two, but the Navy could not. Nor would the hostile forces in the East allow the Navy that much time.

"One or two months? Would that be too rushed?"

"Reporting to the Chief," Su Dingping said firmly, "I have confidence in them!"

After a moment of reflection, Xu Dongguo made the decision. "One or two months is too tight; let’s make it three! I will hold off the 956E procurement plan."

As he spoke, he looked at Sun Yongguo and the others. "In three months, I expect to hear good news from you!"

"Rest assured, Chief! We guarantee the mission will be accomplished!"

Xu Dongguo nodded in satisfaction, his gaze returning to Su Dingping. "Comrade Dingping, I will have to rely on your hard work in the future! If you have any requests, feel free to bring them up. I will support you at any cost!"

"Yes, Chief!"

"Zhang Zhaoxin, come outside with me."

Xu Dongguo glanced at the Senior Colonel and walked out as he spoke. Closing the door behind him, Zhang Zhaoxin asked, "Please, Chief, give your instructions."

"Professor Huang Ren is from the National Defense Armament Division, isn't he?"

Zhang Zhaoxin was about to answer, but seeing the look in Xu Dongguo's eyes, he suddenly understood. The Chief wasn't trying to verify Huang Ren's identity; he was telling him to be mindful of it. He realized that Xu Dongguo had made up his mind to bring Su Dingping into the Navy.

"Reporting to the Chief, I understand. I will ensure everything is handled strictly according to protocol!"

"Alright, you can go back to your work."

With that, Xu Dongguo left with his guard. By now, the area outside the laboratory had been cleared.

***

With the roar of an engine, Xu Dongguo, sitting in his car, took out a satellite phone and made a call. It connected quickly.

"It’s me, Xu Dongguo."

"Chief Xu, please give your instructions."

"Investigate someone for me—a Harbin Institute of Technology senior named Su Dingping. I want all his information within two days!"

"Yes, Chief Xu!"

Hanging up, Xu Dongguo closed his eyes and leaned back against the seat, his mind racing. The harvest from this trip was beyond imagination. If everything held up, this would be a major historical turning point for the Navy’s rapid development. When that time came, how to reward and recruit Su Dingping would be the top priority.

"And the reimbursement!"

Thinking of the reimbursement gave him a headache. If word got out to other commanders that he had gleefully approved the reimbursement of a few thousand yuan in research expenses, they would laugh for a year.

***

Not long after Xu Dongguo left, Zhang Zhaoxin suddenly said, "Professor Huang, Professor Li, it’s getting late. We need to finish the thesis reviews for the final experimental group. We will leave this place to Professor Zhang and Dean Sun."

"If we finish early, I can report back sooner."

Professor Huang grew anxious. He hadn't even had a chance to recruit Su Dingping yet, and now he was being dragged to another lab?

"Wait, I..."

"Old Huang, the others are already impatient!"

Professor Huang was pulled out of the office by Professor Li.

"Let's go, finish up quickly so we can come back!"

Professor Huang had already decided that he would just give a generic score to get it over with. Recruiting Su Dingping was the most important thing; everything else could wait. However, he realized something was wrong after only a few steps.

"Senior Colonel Zhang, this is not the way out."

Zhang Zhaoxin led them to a different room and called out, "Wan Long."

Major Wan walked over quickly. Professor Huang was still confused when he saw Zhang Zhaoxin take a document from Major Wan and hand it to him. Upon opening it, he saw it was a confidentiality agreement.

"Senior Colonel Zhang, I have to sign this too?"

"Professor Huang, everything is handled according to protocol."

Professor Li realized what was happening; he knew the Chief must have taken action. Professor Huang was no fool; he immediately recalled Zhang Zhaoxin being called out by Xu Dongguo earlier.

"Yes, yes, of course, everything according to protocol."

***

Professor Li took a document from Major Wan and signed his name with a flourish. Not just Professor Li, but Zhang Zhaoxin also signed one. Seeing the two of them sign so readily, Professor Huang felt like crying. Didn't we agree on fair competition? I hadn't even started trying to poach him, and the Chief had already stepped in!

Once this document was signed, he wouldn't be able to leak any information regarding Su Dingping back home; he would have to act as if nothing had happened.

"Old Huang, your turn!"

Taking the pen, Professor Huang took a deep breath and signed his name in resignation.

"Take this for filing!" Zhang Zhaoxin handed the three documents to Major Wan. "Seal those five crates in the lounge and place them at the laboratory entrance. Don't look at what you shouldn't, and don't enter where you shouldn't!"

"Yes, Senior Colonel!"

After giving his instructions, Zhang Zhaoxin led the two professors out of the laboratory. Once they left, the office felt much more spacious. Zhang Gongnong and Sun Yongguo began a heated discussion with Su Dingping regarding the 956E technology.

It wasn't until the sun began to set that Major Wan knocked on the door.

"Professor Zhang, your students have completed the process!"

Zhang Gongnong then remembered that Zhao Haikuo and the others had been memorizing confidentiality regulations in the lounge all day. Arriving at the lounge, he looked at their weary faces and said, "You haven't eaten yet, have you? It’s getting late, go and have your dinner."

"Yes!"

The counselor immediately led Zhao Haikuo and the others out. As Zhang Gongnong turned to leave, he saw Zhao Haikuo double back.

"Haikuo, what is it?"

Zhao Haikuo hesitated, and seeing that no one was around, whispered, "I heard this morning that Dingping seems to have cracked the key technology for the 956E. Professor, is that true?"

Zhang Gongnong looked at him calmly, neither confirming nor denying.

"It seems it is true."

"Why?"

"That night two months ago, in the lounge..." Zhao Haikuo recounted how they had watched the military affairs program that night. "I remember very clearly, Dingping said, 'I will turn "should be" into "must be"!' I still remember his tone and the silhouette of his back as he walked away!"

Listening to Zhao Haikuo's story, Zhang Gongnong was deeply moved. He hadn't realized there was such a backstory; such temperament and determination were not found in ordinary people.

"Professor, we can build modernized warships, right?"

"Don't worry, we certainly can!"