Chapter 926
The Establishment of the National Frontier Technology Research Institute
In August, a momentous event that would impact the entire world was taking place in Tangdu.
There was no red carpet, no balloons, and no fanfare.
The unveiling ceremony of the National Frontier Technology Research Institute was so low-key that it didn't seem like a national-level event.
On the huge rock at the main entrance, the seven characters "National Frontier Technology Research Institute" stand quietly in the morning light.
The strokes of the Slender Gold style are vigorous and elegant, and it is said to be a collection of calligraphy works by Emperor Huizong of Song—some people find this ironic, as the calligraphy of a monarch who lost his country is hanging at the entrance of a research institute that looks to the future.
But some argue that it is precisely because of the loss of a nation that people have come to realize how important technology is.
No one said it aloud, but many people thought it in their hearts.
The research institute covers an area of 3,000 acres, with five independent buildings arranged in a ring. The silver-gray exterior walls, dark blue glass curtain walls, and streamlined roof outlines resemble five spaceships that have landed on the land of Tangdu.
A glass corridor connects the two parts in the middle, symbolizing "five-core linkage and collaborative innovation".
The designer avoided any symbolic embellishments; the design is simple, robust, and practical, much like the research to be conducted here.
After the National Institute for Frontier Technology was proposed, its construction was accelerated.
As a top priority project, the pace of groundbreaking and construction is being accelerated.
Working overtime to complete the construction.
The main building's lecture hall, which can accommodate 3,000 people, was packed to capacity today.
Apart from essential journalists, media personnel, and officials, almost all of them were scientific researchers.
There was no one on stage to host, no lengthy opening remarks, and no introduction of the guests.
Everyone sat quietly, waiting.
At 8:00 sharp, the side door opened, and Wang Donglai walked in.
He wasn't wearing a suit or tie, just a dark blue shirt with the cuffs casually rolled up.
His pace was neither fast nor slow, and his expression was as calm as if he were attending an ordinary academic report.
But at the same instant, all eyes in the room fell on him.
That feeling was strange.
It wasn't awe or worship, but something more complex—like a generation finally finding the one who would lead them out of the fog.
In the front row, several elderly academicians with gray hair looked at him, their eyes filled with relief, emotion, and a complex mix of feelings that were hard to describe.
They were pioneers in the country's scientific research. In the most difficult years, they used an abacus to calculate the data for the atomic bomb and carried the experimental equipment back by bicycle.
They have seen too many geniuses, and too many geniuses have been let down by the times.
But at this moment, looking at this 25-year-old young man, they had only one thought in their minds: This time, we did not let him down, and he did not let this era down.
Wang Donglai did not walk towards the podium.
He walked straight to the front of the auditorium, turned around, and faced three thousand pairs of eyes.
There was no microphone, no prepared speech, and no preparatory actions whatsoever.
He spoke.
"More than sixty years ago, when Qian returned to China, someone asked him if the Chinese could develop missiles. He replied that if foreigners could, the Chinese could too."
The sound wasn't loud, but the entire lecture hall was so quiet that you could hear the faint whirring of the air conditioning vents.
"More than 60 years later, someone asked me, 'Can the Chinese people lead the next technological revolution?' My answer is that we are already leading it."
Someone in the audience took a soft breath.
"The National Frontier Technology Research Institute is not a research institute for 'followers'. We don't need to catch up with anyone. The quantum computer in the Information Laboratory, with 20,000 qubits, the world's first, was built by us; the brain-computer interface in the Life Laboratory, which allows the blind to see again, the world's first case, was done by us; the superconducting soil in the Materials Laboratory, with a critical temperature of minus ten degrees Celsius, the highest in the world, was developed by us; the whole rocket landing on the moon in the Aerospace Laboratory, turning a rocket into a lunar base, the world's first solution, was proposed by us."
He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the entire room.
"Therefore, the establishment of this research institute is not for 'catching up,' but for 'leading.' It is not to avoid being held back, but to prepare for truly venturing into the cosmos."
In the audience, some young researchers clenched their fists.
"I'm not one to make grand pronouncements. Today, standing here, I just want to tell you three things."
He held up three fingers and said in an extremely calm yet domineering tone: "First, the research institute will not be bureaucratic. There are no department heads, section chiefs, or directors, only researchers, engineers, and technicians. Administrative staff serve scientific research, not manage it. Anyone who brings bureaucratic practices into the institute will be the first to leave."
"Secondly, the research institute does not follow seniority. Whether you are a 30-year-old professor or a 20-year-old researcher, as long as you have real skills, there is a place for you here. We don't look at the number of papers you have published, only at what problems you have solved. We don't look at your background, only at what results you have achieved."
"Third, the research institute does not operate in isolation. All non-classified research results are made public. All non-classified data is shared. What we want to do is open science, not closed science. We want to attract the world's brightest minds here, not keep them out."
He lowered his hand and softened his voice.
"I know that these three things are easier said than done. Bureaucracy is a chronic problem that has accumulated over decades, seniority is a deeply ingrained habit, and working in isolation is a common problem in the scientific research field. But I'm putting it out there today: in the research institute, these three are ironclad rules."
"Whoever can't do it, leaves. Whoever is unwilling, leaves. Whoever is outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, leaves."
"As long as I am in the research institute, everyone must abide by this rule!"
The audience was silent.
No one thought he was exaggerating.
Because everyone knows that this young man has the confidence to back it up.
For Wang Donglai, this research institute was at most an added bonus. Even without the research institute, Galaxy Technology had enough funds to conduct some top-notch scientific research and could hire a large number of researchers to work for him.
Furthermore, Wang Donglai himself is a top-tier scientist.
He joined the research institute to help it take off, not to embellish his resume simply by joining.
Online, people are already discussing whether Wang Donglai is one of the world's top scientists of this era.
He proved the Navier-Stokes equations, proved Goldbach's conjecture, and proved the core problem of string theory.
He developed room-temperature superconductivity, quantum computers, and photolithography factories.
He went to the moon and planned to build a base there.
Even at only twenty-five years old, such a person's brilliance cannot be concealed.
The three sentences spoken by such a person in this setting were not a speech, but a verdict.
This is not a request for opinions, it's a notification!
The lecture hall was silent for a full ten seconds.
Then, applause broke out.
It wasn't the polite, restrained applause, but a thunderous, heartfelt ovation.
Some people stood up, some had tears in their eyes, and some clapped so hard that their hands turned red.
The senior academicians in the front row did not stand up, but their applause was just as strong as anyone else's.
The applause lasted for a full three minutes.
Wang Donglai did not enjoy the applause.
He simply stood there, calmly watching the audience below, waiting for the applause to subside naturally.
"Next, I will introduce the layout and planning of the five national laboratories."
He turned around, and the LED screen behind him lit up.
There were no fancy animations or cool special effects, just five simple slides, each corresponding to a laboratory.
"The Energy Lab focuses on the iteration of thorium-based molten salt reactors and new energy storage technologies. Within two years, it will build the world's first commercial demonstration reactor. Within three years, it will achieve the standardization, serialization, and industrialization of thorium-based molten salt reactors. Within five years, the cost of power generation from thorium-based molten salt reactors will be lower than that of coal-fired power."
"The Information Laboratory will focus on the integration of next-generation artificial intelligence and quantum computing. Within two years, it will launch a general-purpose quantum computer with 100,000 qubits. Within three years, it will realize the large-scale application of quantum AI in drug development, materials design, climate prediction, and other fields. Within five years, it will build a nationwide ultra-large-scale quantum computing cloud service platform."
"Life Lab, exploring brain-computer interfaces and synthetic biology. Within one year, to restore sight to one thousand blind patients. Within three years, to enable paralyzed patients to control exoskeletons with their thoughts. Within five years, to achieve breakthrough applications of synthetic biology in medicine, energy, materials and other fields."
"In the materials laboratory, we will develop superconducting, super-strong, and super-intelligent materials. Within two years, we will push the critical temperature of the soil to zero degrees Celsius. Within three years, we will realize the large-scale application of the soil in fields such as power grids, transportation, and medicine. Within five years, we will develop a new generation of super-strong materials that are more than ten times stronger than steel and only one-tenth the weight of steel."
"Aerospace laboratory, breakthroughs in key technologies for economical development of near-Earth orbit and deep space exploration..."
Each time he said something, a round of applause erupted from the audience.
It wasn't because what he said was particularly shocking, although it was indeed shocking, but because everyone knew that these words would be boasting if they came from anyone else, but coming from Wang Donglai, they were a plan.
He has the credibility and the ability to deliver!
In the back row of the lecture hall sat a group of young researchers who had come from all over the country. The youngest among them was only twenty-four years old and had just graduated with his doctorate; the oldest was no more than thirty-five and had already made a name for themselves in their respective fields.
They came for the research institute, or more precisely, for Wang Donglai.
"Do you believe it?" someone whispered to their companion.
"He believed that he would keep every word he said!"
“Building a permanent base on the moon…that sounds like science fiction.”
"Before he said he wanted to go to the moon, everyone thought it sounded like science fiction."
Conversation ends.
No one questioned it anymore.
The unveiling ceremony was conducted without ribbon-cutting, speeches by leaders, or group photos.
After Wang Dong finished explaining the plans for the five laboratories, he simply said, "Welcome everyone to join us," and then turned and left the lecture hall.
Everyone watched him walk out the side door and disappear into the end of the corridor.
Some people think this is too simple, too simple to be the unveiling ceremony of a national research institute.
But some people think that this is Wang Donglai's style; he doesn't do anything superficial, he only does practical things.
The former is someone who doesn't understand Wang Donglai, while the latter is something only someone who understands Wang Donglai could say.
The unveiling ceremony was followed by a free tour.
All five laboratories are open to the public, and anyone can go inside to see them.
There are no secrets, no restrictions, and no "no entry" rules.
Wang Donglai said that the research institute conducts open science, not closed science.
Not all technologies can be included in the scope of secrecy.
In the energy lab, the model of the thorium-based molten salt reactor attracted the most visitors.
With its silver-white exterior, complex piping system, and densely packed sensors, this scale model occupies nearly half of the laboratory space.
"This is a commercial demonstration model of the thorium-based molten salt reactor designed by Academician Wang."
The guide, a young man in his late twenties, spoke with barely suppressed pride: "It's currently under construction in Gansu Province and will soon be connected to the grid for power generation."
"What about security?" someone asked.
"Intrinsically safe".
The guide explained, "The fuel in a thorium-based molten salt reactor is liquid. Once the temperature exceeds the design threshold, the molten salt expands, the neutron density decreases, and the chain reaction automatically stops. No external intervention, emergency power supply, or human operation is required. Moreover, it operates at atmospheric pressure, eliminating the risk of high-pressure explosions found in traditional nuclear power plants."
The questioner nodded and did not ask any further questions.
In the information laboratory, the actual quantum computer "Xuanwu-2" is running.
Inside the transparent vacuum chamber, the quantum chip emits a faint blue light at extremely low temperatures, like a star suspended in space.
"Twenty thousand qubits."
The guide was a girl wearing glasses, and her voice was very soft, as if she were telling a secret: "The world's first one!"
"Can I see how it works?"
"can."
She made a few moves on the console, and lines of data streamed onto the large screen. She said, "This is a running quantum algorithm optimizing the molecular structure of a drug. This calculation would take hundreds of years with a classical computer. With Xuanwu-2, it only takes a few minutes."
A low gasp of surprise rippled through the audience.
Long queues formed in front of the brain-computer interface devices at the Life Lab.
Everyone wants to try this device that can restore sight to the blind.
A young researcher puts on a helmet and closes his eyes.
A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and said, "I see...light spots...lots of light..."
The people around him looked at each other, wondering what he was talking about.
The guide explained softly, "What he saw was the light sensation produced by our brain-computer interface directly stimulating the visual cortex. Although it's not a clear image yet, it's already a breakthrough."
The young man, who had taken off his helmet, wiped his eyes and said to the guide, "I want to join this project."
The guide smiled and said, "Welcome."
In the materials laboratory, the Xirang superconducting wire is suspended in a vacuum chamber, its silvery-white surface gleaming with a faint metallic luster.
The display screen next to it shows the critical temperature data in real time: -9.8℃.
"It's risen another 0.2 degrees Celsius," someone said, pointing to the screen.
"Yesterday it was -10.0℃."
"At this rate, it will reach zero degrees Celsius by the end of the year."
What is the concept of zero degrees?
"Winter temperatures in the South are like this. By then, the Xirang will be a true room-temperature superconductor."
The conversation circulated among the crowd, like a gentle breeze rippling across a lake.
A group of elderly aerospace workers with gray hair gathered in front of the Lux-2000 rocket model in the aerospace laboratory.
They stared at the six-meter-tall model in silence for a long time.
"When we were developing the Long March 1 rocket, its thrust was only 100 tons."
An expert in his seventies spoke, his voice a little hoarse: "Back then, I thought, if we could have a rocket that could take 500 tons, my life would be worth it."
He paused, looking at the eight parallel engine nozzles on the model.
"Now, nine thousand tons."
The people next to him didn't say anything.
They're also in the aerospace industry, so they know what nine thousand tons means.
This means that the entire base can be sent to the moon, that houses can be built, vegetables can be grown, and spaceships can be constructed on the moon, and that humans are no longer visitors to the moon, but residents of the moon.
"Wang Donglai, this person..."
The old expert didn't finish speaking; he shook his head, turned, and left.
What he didn't say was understood by everyone present.
It wasn't jealousy or resentment, but a more complex emotion, like someone who has run a relay race for decades finally passing the baton to the next person.
That person ran much faster than him, so fast that he couldn't even see their back.
But he didn't feel disappointed; he only felt gratified.
Because he knew that the baton wouldn't be dropped; it would only carry the country faster and faster, towards glory, creating miracles.
After the visit, most people left with a sense of awe and excitement, and mixed feelings.
But a small group of people stayed behind, standing in the plaza of the research institute, looking at the five buildings in the twilight.
As the sun sets, golden sunlight spills onto the silver-gray exterior walls, bathing the entire research institute in a warm orange-red hue.
The national flag fluttered in the evening breeze atop the flagpole in the center of the square.
In the distance, tower cranes stand tall on the construction site of the Tang Dynasty Imperial City, and Tang-style buildings are rising from the ground.
Further away, the factory buildings of the Xuanwu Battery Industrial Park gleamed in the setting sun.
This ancient capital, with a history spanning thousands of years, is growing and changing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Today, it has gained another identity—the location of the National Frontier Technology Research Institute.
This was the most glorious moment in the history of Tang Dynasty, following the Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties.
And this is just the beginning. (End of Chapter)