Study Monster Cultivation System-Chapter 322 - 321 I’m going to teach you what it means to get things done...

In their school days, incidents like these were common.

Before summer vacation, one might be a timid little brother with no striking features.

But upon returning, suddenly they had transformed, becoming a radiant and confident stud.

Li Zheng, back at the university, had somewhat this vibe.

The once humble student had suddenly turned into a genuine key workforce member.

Additionally, a considerable portion of the original Yellow 2 Team was reassigned to project 927, that even interns like him and Lin Yujing were entrusted with major responsibilities.

Riding on the lingering enthusiasm, Li Zheng had become the liaison for coordinating work with Institute No. 17 and was in charge of data validation, owning his temporary office.

Lin Yujing joined the design team to assist Shen Tinglan in the final optimization of the new engine.

Despite being busy, Li Zheng squeezed in time to participate in the finals of the information competition.

These finals were no small affair... The proportion of middle school students had clearly increased, and there were even elementary school students...

The intensity of the competition far exceeded Li Zheng’s expectations, it was no minority competition, and it almost rivalled mathematics in its intensity.

There was no helping it; computer skills were highly sought after, especially when coupled with biochemistry.

However, compared to the contestants in the biology competition, the information competition participants were less fortunate. Although Li Zheng also hadn’t prepared, he had nearly been working daily on this area for half a year, plus he consistently maintained and upgraded the software, expanding the test scope. After these thousands of hours of accumulation, he had become a bonafide senior programmer.

This was the championship he felt the most embarrassed to claim, as it felt like he was using the skills that earned his livelihood to bully the effort of others trying to progress academically.

Especially when he saw the tearful faces in the audience, who were clearly elementary students but looked as fraught as graduate students.

With this, the achievement of the Four Arts was complete, except for next spring’s mathematics finals.

As the winter vacation began and when the class was sprinting for the college entrance exam, the provincial team’s math training officially kicked off.

Gu Jianfeng was prepared this time and entered Ji University with his backpack in high spirits.

When he registered, the teacher in charge was visibly moved and grateful.

"It’s great that you came... I was afraid you wouldn’t..." the teacher said while instructing Gu Jianfeng to sign his name, "Our training group discussed it, and with your score of 174, not just Jijing, but hardly a few contestants at this level nationally. Haven’t you already been recommended for the math department? Several professors are very interested in you, and this time they will provide you with direct specialized guidance."

"Ah... That’s not necessary..." Gu Jianfeng glanced at the roster, "Li Zheng also scored over 150, doesn’t he get specialized guidance too?"

"This... Li Zheng is indeed outstanding, but he has signed with the School of Physics and seems to be planning to go to Yingpei. Our several renowned professors also have more math students to take care of..."

"..." Gu Jianfeng flipped through the registration roster a few times, "How come I don’t see his name?"

"Don’t mention it." Sighing, the teacher said, "Initially when we contacted the university, they told us he had already gone to an internship with his unit... then they gave us a phone number... It turned out to be the human resources department of the Aerospace Group. They said Li Zheng was working on a core project, and both the organization and he himself thought it inappropriate to participate in the training... You see, we’re just a provincial team conducting training, who has seen such circumstances before..."

"!!!" Gu Jianfeng slammed his pen down in shock, "But he just won the champion in the information competition! He’s nearly completed a grand slam in these two years’ competitions."

"???" The teacher was confused for a long time, "There really are such people? Championships counted by rounds?"

"So... he’s not participating in the training, right?" Gu Jianfeng asked.

"Definitely not coming..."

"Sigh..." Gu Jianfeng exhaled and then smiled, "Alright, we’re even then..."

With that, he bowed to the teacher, "Something came up at home... See you at the finals, then."

The teacher did not show the surprise or awkwardness expected.

"Incredible, huh." The teacher shook his head blankly, "He really predicted this..."

"What?"

"Hold on a second..." the teacher then picked up the phone, "Teacher Jie... As you expected... Please come over."

As soon as these words were spoken, the door of the staircase opened.

Amidst swirling smoke, Jie Qifen squinted as he made his entrance.

Elated at the sight of Gu Jianfeng’s long-haired style, he said, "I’ve finally caught you."

Gu Jianfeng stepped back in surprise, "You are..."

"Li Zheng has recommended you to me many times." Jie Qifen rubbed his hands as he eagerly approached, "I’ve been craving to meet you for over half a year."

"Teacher Jie, please don’t..." The responsible teacher quickly stepped forward, "This is the School of Math, after all, tone it down, please."

"Hey, physics and mathematics are all the same family." Jie Qifen stretched his neck, "Li Zheng asked me to relay a message, you’ll be even after attending my two classes."

"..." Gu Jianfeng smiled helplessly, "Sigh... I should have expected this..."

Meanwhile, the first modified YF-87 test engine had already been fully assembled at the launch pad in the Western Suburb Test Site.

Zhao Zhenhua, Chen Hongbing, Shen Tinglan, Zhu Mingyue, and other leaders were all present.

Li Zheng and others also took their positions in front of the screen in the back row.

The future of the hydrogen-oxygen engine path hinged solely on today’s results.

With a command from Zhao Zhenhua, the first engine test officially began.

In the video, the engine’s main body was secured to a test launchpad, covered by a rectangular structure.

Amid the roar, fierce flames, along with thick smoke, spurted from the bottom of the platform.

Unlike before, this was not a test under stable conditions, but rather under the harshest environment possible – the same conditions that had previously led to the fracture of the axle.

Now, those ordinary steady-state tests had lost their meaning.

It was either do or die, with no middle option and no room for maneuvering.

No one wanted to waste another second.

Whether to live or to die.

If it’s coming, let it come quickly.

In the entire central control room, all leaders were constantly standing, staring at the monitoring screen and daring not even to blink too often.

The technicians, on the other hand, were not looking at that screen at all but were only focused on the data graphs on the small screens before them. Some were numbers, others were graphics, but all were matters of life and death.

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No one spoke, and the room was filled only with the vibrational noise generated by the experiment.

10 seconds.

20 seconds.

50 seconds.

100 seconds...

Li Zheng had never felt time pass so slowly.

When he felt it was about time to finish, the display only showed 120 seconds.

At some point, a hand had grasped his palm.

He could feel the cold, sweaty palm.

Lin Yujing watched the screen tremulously, not daring to breathe heavily, only daring to clutch Li Zheng’s hand.

Li Zheng coughed, "What are you panicking for... Be brave."

"I wasn’t panicking..." Lin Yujing muttered as she looked down, "but your legs have been shaking all the way over here..."

"Ah..." Li Zheng looked down and saw his own legs uncontrollably trembling.

He quickly held his legs still.

"I haven’t been exercising much lately, lacking calcium..."

"Stop talking..." Lin Yujing, gripping Li Zheng’s hand, gestured forward with her mouth, "Look at Zhao Zhenhua... He’s also shaking..."

Li Zheng looked up and indeed it was so.

Not just Zhao Zhenhua, Chen Hongbing was also repeatedly wiping his hands on his trousers, seemingly unable to dry them.

The previous test’s fracture had occurred at 57 seconds; from this point of view, these improvements had already proven effective.

But it wasn’t enough...1!

Actually, even without changes, just launching it again unchanged, it would be hard to encounter the same harsh conditions again, with a success rate above 90%.

But it wasn’t enough...

To prove the viability of this path.

To prove all this was worthwhile.

It had to withstand 300 seconds.

150...

180...

210...

The engine had already reached its limit, just like everyone here.

But it wasn’t enough...

Wanting to overtake on a curve, wanting aerospace to rise...

It’s still not enough...

240...

270...

Watching those increasingly intense curve fluctuations, Li Zheng seemed to have heard the engine’s groans.

Just like the relentless struggle, burning life to uphold this nation, everyone involved.

But it’s still not enough...

One can vent, one can roar...

But please, hold on...

Just a bit more, just the last bit...

298...

299...

300!!!

When the timer reached the mark, the engine entered the cooling and shutdown phase as planned.

At the same time, Zhao Zhenhua almost turned around with red eyes, "How is it?"

"All normal."

"Normal."

"Normal."

After scrutinizing the entire curve chart amidst suffocation, Li Zheng finally raised his head.

"Normal."

Zhao Zhenhua’s body staggered, he covered his forehead, nearly collapsing.

"First... let’s not rush to conclusions... Cool down quickly... Dismantle the engine for inspection... The data group should also start checking immediately..."

He was eventually helped out by Chen Hongbing.

At this moment, no one was joyful yet.

Everyone still buried their heads and checked repeatedly.

The maintenance team had already set out, along with the staff from relevant factories, boarding a special truck, ready to dismantle the engine on site.

They were like blind marathon runners who, even after crossing the finish line, dare not stop before hearing cheers.

Half an hour later, Li Zheng was the first to provide an analysis result, not because of his personal efficiency, but because he and the team from Harbin Institute of Technology had thoroughly refined the software and algorithms long before.

An hour later, each group gradually completed their verification.

Two hours later, with the assistance of everyone, Liu Rui completed the initial manual verification.

Everything pointed to one outcome, but no one dared to say it out loud.

The subsequent lunch and the afternoon report, validation, were all completed in an oppressive atmosphere.

Not until the sun set behind the mountains did everyone unconsciously gather at the test site.

Watching the technicians perform the disassembly, watching the vehicles separate.

By then, the engine had cooled down, and factory technicians were performing component disassembly steps, starting with a comprehensive check of the oxygen turbine pump.

It was another long wait.

57 people from the Institute, including Institute No. 17, all stood in the cold wind, motionless.

After an unknown amount of time, when it was so dark that almost nothing was visible.

The lead technician suddenly raised his hand, his thick gloves forming a bulky gesture.

"No cracks found, all normal!!!"

Instantly, it was like an avalanche, a tsunami.

People who had been holding back for hours, for months, for years, regardless of status, age, or gender, all let out a cost-disregarding roar.

"Ah!!!!"

"Fuck!!!!"

"Awesome!!!!!"

What followed were surges of tears.

Embracing the person next to him, they wept together.

Suddenly, they talked about their deceased mothers, regretting not having spent their last days properly with them.

They couldn’t help speaking of their newborn children, whom they had seen only once.

Behind all this were wives who had painstakingly supported their families.

Elderly folks who stubbornly took public transport to the hospital for treatment.

They didn’t know how many parent-teacher meetings they had missed.

They had long forgotten when was the last time they saw their children awake.

The cage that restrained their memories and emotions seemed to have shattered in an instant.

The mixed regrets exploded like bomb shards.

After staying silent for so long, everyone was like a Tang Monk, crying as they spoke of past things they could hardly mention.

At that moment, the grandiose significance melted away, turning into a series of family trivialities.

Even Zhao Zhenhua cried this time, squatting on the ground, crying for a long time while cursing as he did so.

"We can’t go on like this, comrades... We haven’t won yet..."

Li Zheng, standing among them, knew that compared to anyone else here, his own contributions were just a drop in the ocean.

Turning to his side, Lin Yujing was wiping her tears, her choke unceasing, her face already reddened by the cold wind.

She had been holding onto his hand all this while and did not let go.

"Stop crying, your makeup’s all smudged..." Li Zheng wiped his eyes, "Besides, you haven’t done much... just excitedly getting off work every day."

Lin Yujing stomped her foot, sulkily saying, "I just didn’t expect... it to be this tiring... this difficult..."

"But didn’t we succeed?" Li Zheng turned around, rewrapped the white scarf around Lin Yujing, covering her face, "I know you’re not really accustomed to this place, but this is the life of an engineer, a life without shortcuts, it’s also the life Aunt Shen has been through."

Lin Yujing straightened the scarf, revealing only her eyes: "Anyway... this time... this time..."

As she spoke, she stubbornly turned her head away, "This time, let’s say you were on top..."

"!!!" Li Zheng’s eyes widened, he pulled out his phone and started recording, "Quick, say that again!"

"Get lost, get lost!" Lin Yujing pushed Li Zheng and scolded, "How am I supposed to deal with this? The work on the project is all manual labor, there’s no room for brainwork, how can people compete with machines?"

"None of that matters, come on, who was on top?"

"It’s not certain yet, it only counts if the launch is successful."

"Hah, I just love it when you play tough."

As they spoke, Zhao Zhenhua and Chen Hongbing walked over, supporting each other like two old brothers.

Behind them were Shen Tinglan, Zhu Mingyue, and several team leaders.

"Alright, let’s get back and warm up," Chen Hongbing waved his arm sentimentally, "There’s only one step left, don’t rush into getting married yet. Hold on, Secretary Zhao said he would officiate your wedding after Yellow 2 succeeds."

Lin Yujing disappeared with a swish!

But Shen Tinglan had already adapted well, merely moving forward to zip up Li Zheng’s down jacket, "Don’t catch a cold now, you’re as useful as five people right now... When Yellow 2 is successfully launched, I’ll invite your parents for a meal, properly thank them, and also explain to them what you’ve been doing."

"My goodness!" Chen Hongbing went up and bumped Li Zheng’s head, "What are you thinking, letting the in-laws bring up the meeting?"

"..."

Zhao Zhenhua also nodded smilingly, "Nothing else to say, but at least the Shen family has acknowledged you."

Shen Tinglan didn’t argue or cover his face, just laughed and patted Li Zheng, then went to catch up with Lin Yujing.

Chen Hongbing then directly hooked Li Zheng and walked towards the office building with him, "I’m familiar with this process… you go home and tell your parents to initiate the meeting, it’s only polite. And then, you see, your Aunt Shen alone... facing both your parents, it would inevitably be awkward, right? As the son-in-law, you have to think of a way to ease the tension. Isn’t the theme of the meeting about reporting your outstanding work in the aerospace system? You could casually invite a leader to show up. Look at me, I’m kind of like a second father to you... just invite me too, I’ll keep your Aunt Shen company, this way, the awkwardness will dissolve into nothingness, that’s called being tactful."

"..."

"But don’t ask Aunt Shen’s opinion, just invite me, I guarantee it will look impressive."

Li Zheng felt, this man was not simple.

He was taking advantage of many people in one go.