When in doubt about domestic affairs, consult the Measuring Instrument; when in doubt abo

The initial awe and passion brought by the blueprints were quickly replaced by the cold, hard reality of technology in the following weeks. The walls of the "Cheetah Project" technology center were covered with lists of problems circled in red pen, like shocking, alarming scars. Anxiety and frustration began to quietly fester among some of the engineers.

"Commander-in-Chief, it's not that we're afraid of difficulties." Zhao Dezhu, the head of the power group, had turned a lot white these past few days. He pointed to the complex curved surface of the high-pressure blades of the steam turbine on the blueprints, "This blade design is efficient, but the precision of our existing five-axis milling machines is simply not enough! Manual grinding? We can't control the tolerances, dynamic balancing is a joke, and high-speed rotation would be suicide!"

Zhou Tieshan, the weapons group leader, also looked distressed: "We can produce 381mm gun barrel blanks in our steel furnaces, but this 'autofrettage' process... I've never even heard of it! And the rifling on the inner wall of the gun barrel needs to be engraved deeply and evenly. With our current deep-hole boring machines, how long would it take? Even if we could do it, we couldn't guarantee its lifespan and accuracy."

Chen Qiming, the deputy chief engineer in charge of the ship's structure, shook his head at the massive surface-hardened armor steel plate in the main armor belt, which was over ten meters long, over 300 millimeters thick, and had to be angled at 12 degrees. "Forging... our largest steam hammer only weighs three hundred tons; it's not even enough to scratch this behemoth. Segmented forging followed by welding? How can we guarantee the weld strength? If this behemoth gets hit by a shell and the weld breaks, that would be a disaster!"

The atmosphere in the meeting room was heavy. Chief Engineer Liu Yongfu silently smoked his pipe, smoke swirling around his furrowed brow. The two German advisors also spread their hands, indicating that even in Europe's top shipyards, these problems would require time and repeated trials to solve.

All eyes eventually turned to Chen Feng, who sat in the main seat and remained silent throughout.

Chen Feng's face didn't show much surprise or frustration. He waited until everyone had finished recounting their difficulties before slowly speaking, his voice as calm as a deep pool: "I know what you've all said. It's difficult, as difficult as climbing to heaven. But—" He changed the subject, his gaze sharpening, "If we don't even dare to think about it, don't even dare to try, then what are we talking about reviving Lanfang? We might as well pack our bags and continue our wanderings."

He stood up, walked to the wall covered with problems, and reached out to peel off a list of requirements for "10,000-ton heavy forging equipment".

"The core issue of forging that Team Leader Zhao mentioned is the need for sufficiently high pressure, either through one-time forming or segmented high-pressure pressing, to reduce welds and ensure the integrity of the armor." Chen Feng turned around. "We can't build the super hydraulic presses that Britain has capable of producing tens of thousands of tons, but we might be able to build one capable of producing tens of thousands of tons."

Zhao Dezhu was taken aback: "Ten thousand tons? President, we don't even have a thousand-ton class..."

"If you don't have one, make your own," Chen Feng interrupted him, his tone resolute. He walked back to his seat and opened the leather briefcase he never parted with—it contained the relevant data stored on his computer desk. Chen Feng was already prepared.

"This is some information I've compiled, combined with our existing technology, that I've envisioned as a preliminary principle and structural design for a '10,000-ton free forging hydraulic press'," Chen Feng said, pushing the manuscript to the center of the table. The paper was covered with structural sketches, labeled with dimensions, pressure parameters, hydraulic circuit principles, and even simplified stress analysis diagrams for the main load-bearing components. Although the handwriting was slightly messy, the clarity of his thinking and the completeness of the structure left everyone speechless.

"A three-beam, four-column structure, with the main body made of high-quality cast steel and forgings. The high-pressure water pump system is key; multiple large steam engines can drive plunger pumps in parallel to supply pressure, forming a stable ultra-high-pressure water flow..." Chen Feng pointed to the sketch and began to explain the core principles. The "ancient book" he mentioned was naturally a pretext, but this simplified overview of the principles and structure of China's first 10,000-ton hydraulic press (manufactured by Jiangnan Shipyard in 1962) from a later encyclopedia was nothing short of opening a completely new door for engineers in 1905.

Liu Yongfu was the first to rush to the blueprints, his reading glasses almost touching the paper, his fingers trembling as he traced the lines: "Three beams and four columns... movable crossbeams... working cylinder... return cylinder... Brilliant! This way the force is transmitted evenly, and the frame has extremely high stability! But this high-pressure seal..."

"We can try an improved combination of rubber and copper alloy for the sealing material. We can experiment with the specific formula." Chen Feng pulled out several pages from his "bag," which surprisingly listed dozens of possible sealing material compositions and key process points. "As for the processing of large castings and forgings, that's precisely why we're upgrading the gantry crane next."

He looked at the section chief in charge of lifting and installation: "The existing gantry cranes are not strong enough in terms of lifting capacity and span. We need a giant gantry crane that can span the entire dock and lift components weighing more than two hundred tons. Here is its structural reinforcement plan and electrical—well, steam drive improvement plan." Several more pages of "manuscripts" were taken out, which showed the box girder structure, pulley block optimization, and a schematic diagram of using multiple steam engines to synchronously drive the traveling mechanism through a precision gear set.

"And then there's the boring machine," Chen Feng said, turning to Zhou Tieshan before he could speak again. "Deep hole machining requires more than just power; it also demands extremely high precision and stability. That's the concept behind the 'integrated deep hole drilling and boring machine,' which uses a double-head boring technique to machine from both ends of the barrel simultaneously, ensuring concentricity. The power head can borrow some transmission principles from steam turbines to achieve stepless speed regulation and precise feed..."

One by one, "manuscripts" appeared from Chen Feng's briefcase like magic, precisely addressing each technological hurdle. These materials were not complete, directly usable construction blueprints—that would be too groundbreaking and beyond the current industrial system's capacity to absorb them directly. They were schematic diagrams, key structural concepts, and directions for technological breakthroughs. It was like giving lost sailors a nautical chart marking key channels and treacherous shoals; although the actual navigation still required the sailors' own skills and courage, at least it pointed them in the right direction, preventing them from running aground and sinking.

The atmosphere inside the technology center gradually rose from the depths of despair to an unbelievable ecstasy and an eager impulse to try.

"My God... Commander-in-Chief, what's going on in your head...?" Liu Yongfu was so excited that he couldn't speak coherently.

Chen Feng waved his hand, his expression solemn. He tapped his head and said, "Fill in the flashes of inspiration, create something new. You might fail ten or a hundred times, but as long as we're on the right track, every failure is a stepping stone to success."

He surveyed the crowd, his gaze intense: "From today onwards, we will establish the 'Special Equipment Task Force,' with Chief Engineer Liu at the helm. Each group will operate separately. Hydraulic presses, gantry cranes, deep hole boring machines... projects will be initiated simultaneously, and we will tackle them concurrently! Whatever materials are needed, Uncle Wang will coordinate; whatever special parts are needed, Team Leader Zhou, your machining workshop will prioritize their trial production; if you encounter any theoretical calculation problems, you can consult Mr. Hans and his team, or you can come to me anytime."

"Remember, we are not just building a few machines; we are forging the industrial backbone of Lanfang! These machines will not only be used for shipbuilding in the future, but also for building trains, generators, and all the heavy equipment we need!"

His words ignited a fire in everyone's hearts. It was an inexhaustible drive that burst forth after the path had been pointed out and hope had been seen.

"Let's do it! With direction, there's nothing to fear!"

"President, just you wait and see! It's just an experiment, right? What we have in abundance is resilience!"

"I'll go and recalculate the beam stress right away!"

The meeting concluded in a spirited atmosphere. People, clutching their assigned "manuscripts," eagerly returned to their posts, gathered key personnel, and began a new round of late-night work.

In the days that followed, "Leopard's Nest" and its associated factory area became a huge and frenzied testing ground for technology. In the steel plant, the formula for new alloy steel was repeatedly adjusted, cast, and tested at high temperatures; in the machining workshop, simple models and parts were constantly being made, assembled, tested, failed, improved, and tested again; beside the huge foundation pit, engineers held blueprints and fiercely debated the casting plan for the hydraulic press base.

Chen Feng practically lived at the technology center and construction site. He was no longer the aloof decision-maker, but became the core technical advisor and coordinator. With a vision ahead of his time, he pointed out hidden dangers in the design and offered key insights, but never overstepped his bounds, fully respecting the engineers' professional judgment and practical wisdom. He knew that only when these people truly understood and mastered these technologies could the Lanfang industrial system truly take root.

"When in doubt about domestic affairs, consult Baidu; when in doubt about foreign affairs, consult Google..." Every late night, alone in front of his computer screen, researching details of large-scale welding processes and heat treatment techniques, this later-day joke flashed through Chen Feng's mind, a complex smile playing on his lips. In this lonely time and space, this computer, unable to connect to the internet, and the seemingly chaotic encyclopedic knowledge stored within it, were his most powerful cheat code, the "Zenith Technology" supporting all his ambitions. However, turning this cheat code into reality required ten times, a hundred times, more manpower, resources, and effort at every step.

Just as the "Cheetah Project" was entering its most challenging phase in terms of technical breakthroughs, and the entire base was showing signs of fatigue and lethargy due to its high-intensity operation, a new, vibrant wave surged in from the sea.

In the early morning, before the mist had completely dissipated from the Persian Gulf, the tranquility of the port was shattered by the loud blasts of ship horns. Three slightly old but well-maintained ocean liner slowly entered the newly built passenger terminal in Dubai. No flags of any country were flying on board, but the sides and decks were packed with people.

Men, women, the elderly, and children. They wore all sorts of clothes, some decent enough, others patched and worn, weary from their journey. But in everyone's eyes shone a similar light, a mixture of anticipation, trepidation, and a hint of determination. They clutched their simple belongings tightly, gazing at this unfamiliar land before them, a land they had heard about countless times in legends—Lanfang's new home.

At the dock, a group of administrative personnel, led by Wang Bo and including Education Minister Zhao Qianli and Infrastructure Minister Zhou Nian, had been waiting for some time. After a simple welcoming ceremony, the immigrant registration and resettlement work proceeded swiftly and orderly.

"Name? Place of origin? What skills or special talents do you have?"

"Li Dali is from Pontianak, Borneo. His ancestors were blacksmiths, and I can also forge iron myself."

"Wang Xiulan, from Penang, knows how to spin yarn and weave cloth, and also recognizes a few characters."

"Chen Afu worked as a riveter in a Singapore shipyard for ten years..."

"This child is only fourteen, but he's quick and nimble. I want him to go to school and learn some skills..."

The registrar quickly recorded the information and distributed temporary identification tags and placement instructions to each person according to their circumstances. The temporary prefabricated housing area, though simple, was clean and tidy and had been prepared in advance, welcoming its new inhabitants. Smoke rose from the canteen, the clinic began its rounds, and the teachers of the newly built primary school were busy counting the number of school-aged children.

This new immigrant group numbered over six thousand, mainly from Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Borneo, and Java, with a few coming from as far away as Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and even Fujian. They were either heeding the call to "restore the nation in Lanfang" or unable to endure the oppression and discrimination of the colonizers. They sold their meager possessions and, with longing for "the country of their own people," embarked on this unknown journey.

Their arrival was like a fresh injection of blood into Lanfang's rapidly growing body.

"Uncle Wang, I heard that the 'Leopard's Nest' in the north is short of people to do heavy work? I, Li Dali, may not be good at other things, but I have plenty of strength!" Before the registration was even finished, an impatient man was already asking about jobs.

"Minister Zhao, my son is bright. Could we let him try attending a technical school? Even as an apprentice would be fine!"

"Minister Zhou, I'm an expert in building houses. If you need help on the construction site, just call me anytime!"

The new immigrants' eagerness to participate in the construction was quickly relayed to Chen Feng.

Chen Feng, who was struggling to find a large number of skilled workers and apprentices to tackle the challenges of special equipment, was invigorated upon hearing the news. He immediately gave instructions: "Prioritize the selection of immigrants with experience in iron smelting, forging, carpentry, and shipbuilding to supplement the steel mill, machinery factory, and auxiliary workshops around 'Leopard Nest.' Those who are young, literate, and willing to learn should be selected for accelerated technical school courses. The remaining personnel will be arranged by the Infrastructure Department to participate in residential area expansion, road paving, and farmland irrigation projects. Make sure to provide proper resettlement so that they can settle down as soon as possible and feel the warmth of home."

Chen Feng spoke the words "the warmth of home" with particular seriousness. He knew that for these compatriots who had left their hometowns, material security was certainly important, but a sense of belonging and being needed was the foundation for them to take root here.

With the addition of this new force, every corner of the base seemed to be injected with new vitality. In the steel plant, with the cooperation of veteran and new craftsmen, the casting attempt of the giant hydraulic press column began a new cycle; in the machine shop, young apprentices eagerly followed their master craftsmen to learn how to read blueprints and operate machine tools; on the construction site, the shouts of workers grew louder, and rows of new dormitories rose from the ground at a faster pace; in the newly reclaimed fields, farmers from different places exchanged farming experiences…

The intellectual fire of tackling technical challenges intertwined and collided with the vibrant human resources brought by the new immigrants on this fertile land. Difficulties remained as high as mountains, and failures continued to occur. The first pressure test of the 10,000-ton hydraulic press failed due to a seal leak, and the traveling mechanism of the new gantry crane experienced asynchrony during testing... But no one felt lost or discouraged anymore.

Because they had a clear direction, guided by the seemingly omniscient "ancient texts" of the Grand Commander.

Because they had compatriots fighting side by side, from all directions, yet sweating for the same dream.

More importantly, it is because they have witnessed real changes and felt the pulse of this land changing rapidly.

In the dock area, the newly arrived children gazed curiously at the enormous steel warships on the distant sea; in the factory area, the workers, though exhausted, discussed the day's progress with satisfied smiles; in the technology center at night, the lights remained bright, and the sounds of debate, calculations, and the turning of blueprints blended into a hard-working yet hopeful industrial symphony.

Standing at the window of the administration building, Chen Feng looked at this land that was gradually becoming more vibrant and resilient. In addition to the heavy sense of responsibility in his heart, a sense of comfort also quietly arose.