Chapter Eighteen Mysterious Substance

  Northeast of Qinghai Lake, at the foot of the Arjin Mountains.

  In the desolate Gobi Desert, a few isolated utility poles stand upright. From the surface down, through eighty layers of rock as thick as an 80-story building, is the world's largest particle physics experimental center under construction, known as the "Eye of the Future". Surrounding the entire experimental center is a circular tunnel with a radius of 5,000 meters and a total length of 31.4 kilometers for accelerating particles. The living area and entertainment area within the experimental center can provide services for more than 2,000 people. The main body includes more than twenty national key laboratories, including the "National Particle Acceleration Laboratory". At the center of the experimental center is a large nuclear power plant, whose output electricity can light up all the lights in Shanghai.

  The elevator plummeted downwards, and Ji Xiaojie's mood also sank.

  Six months ago, Ji Xiaojie learned that the particle physics experimental center under construction needed young scientific researchers with a down-to-earth spirit and who could endure hardships. At that time, she made a report to the leadership of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, volunteering to work in the most difficult place, making contributions to the country and the nation. For this matter, Ji Xiaojie also had a big quarrel with her father and did not return home to visit her father for several months.

  In his heart, Ji Xiaoji had never blamed his father.

  As the head of state, Father still managed to fulfill his duties as a husband and father despite being busy with national affairs. It's not easy at all. Since childhood, Ji Xiaojun has been very independent and self-reliant. When she chose to major in theoretical physics, it was her own decision. Father did not object to her choice and never forced her to do or not do something. She knew that she should not trouble Father and could not use his position for personal gain.

  Finally, Ji Xiaojie obtained this opportunity through his own ability.

  A slight feeling of overweight came, and the elevator stopped steadily.

  As soon as the elevator doors opened, Ji Xiaojie saw a familiar face.

  "Director Ji, you're here." The one who actively greeted Ji Xiaojie was Lian Canchao, a colleague of Ji Xiaojie's at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a young man under thirty with great enthusiasm, who had been transferred to work here half a year ago.

  "Yes, Xiao Lian, what are you doing?" Ji Xiaojie also stopped in his tracks and looked at the device that Lian Can was holding.

  "The temperature sensor above is broken, Director Luo asked me to replace it with a new one."

  "Be careful, it's very windy up there."

  "Don't worry, I've done this kind of work before."

  After watching Jian Cang enter the elevator, Ji Xiaojie turned around and walked into the long corridor.

  Those few "electric poles" on the ground are temperature sensors, to be exact, a small part of the entire experimental center's temperature monitoring system. Because the ring-shaped particle accelerator has very stringent requirements for precision, even a deformation of one millionth will have a great impact on the experimental results, so all interference factors must be eliminated and temperature changes cannot exceed one-thousandth of a degree.

  Along a passageway wide enough for three small cars to drive abreast, Ji Xiaojie walked for fifteen minutes before entering the director's office.

  "Xiao Ji, you're really proactive, I thought you'd arrive this afternoon."

  "Director Luo, I've been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, how can I not be enthusiastic?" As he spoke, Ji Xiaojie politely extended his hand and shook hands with the middle-aged man who had just stood up.

  He is the interim director here, the youngest academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Luo Yizu.

  "Sit down, the conditions here are very simple and many basic facilities have not been built yet. You see, I've already gotten used to it like my own home." Luo Yizu moved a few stacks of files from the sofa to the corner, making room for Ji Xiaojie to sit. "Actually, it's much better now than when I first arrived. At that time, our group of theoretical researchers were always with the engineering troops, and even our temperaments had changed a lot."

  "How much longer will the project last?"

  Luoyi Zu poured a glass of water for Jixiao Ji. "It will probably take two and a half years, at least two years. However, two experimental labs have been built, the reactor was tested last month, and it can generate electricity in two days. By the way, I have something here that you'll definitely be interested in."

  "What is it?"

  When Luo Yi Zu handed over the documents, Ji Xiaoji hesitated for a moment before taking them.

  A mass spectrometry analysis report contains more than eighty elements, including twenty-seven lanthanide and actinide elements, as well as eleven other rare earth elements.

  "What experiment are you doing?" Ji Xiaojie put down the file and picked up his water cup.

  "It's not an experiment." Luo Yizong closed the door and then said, "Yesterday, several military personnel brought over a small piece of material and asked me to help them do a mass spectrometry test. At the time, I thought it was very strange - this kind of thing can be done in any university physics lab, why did they want us to do it? Later, I got a photocopy of the analysis report from them."

  "Is this okay?"

  "Don't worry, this is a top-secret facility to begin with. Everyone who can get in are staff members who have signed confidentiality agreements with the country. It's even harder to get out."

  Ji Xiaoji felt a bit relieved. "You started talking about a special material?"

  "Yes, a very small piece, less than the size of a fingernail. I took one look and knew it wasn't mineral, and no mineral has that many elements."

  "Can I take a look?"

  Luo Yi Zu shook his head. "After the inspection, the military took everything away."

  "What do you think it is?" Ji Xiaojie felt more and more curious.

  "It's definitely a man-made material, there's no way it could have occurred naturally. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance to do quantitative analysis and structural analysis."

  Ji Xiaoji put down the water cup in her hand, she had already vaguely realized something.

  "But you have the chance to see it."

  "What does it mean?" Ji Xiaojie raised his head and looked at Luo Yizu.

  "I just received the call before you arrived, the military is planning to invest 2 billion yuan on our side, and let us be in charge of a secret research project. If I'm not mistaken, it must be related to that special material." Luo Yi Zu said while picking up the cigarette on the table, after Ji Xiao didn't object, he lit the smoke. "Now, we are seriously short-handed here, especially young high-level researchers like you. I also have to take care of the management work of the entire experimental center, so I want you to be in charge of this project."

  "Me?" Ji Xiaojie immediately showed a surprised expression. "Director Luo, I'm still too young and don't have much work experience..."

  "Who doesn't know that you, Ji Dacai, are the number one talent in our physics department? Moreover, your doctoral thesis is related to high-temperature superconducting materials, which is exactly what the military wants to work on this time. It's very likely that it's about high-temperature superconducting materials." Luo Yizu smiled and continued, "Besides, the military has also inquired about you, it seems they also hope that you will lead this secret research project."

  "This..."

  "Think about it carefully." Luo Yi Zu was very clear about Ji Xiao Ji's character and did not ask him to make a decision immediately. "After lunch, come find me, I'll take you to see your office, and introduce you to some colleagues. For the next two days, we won't arrange any work for you, you can first get familiar with the situation of the experimental center."

  "Director Luo, I'll take my leave first. That thing you mentioned earlier, I will consider it carefully."

  After leaving the director's office, Ji Xiaojie finally let out a breath. It's really easy to be at home, but difficult when going out.

  At this time, the Presidential Palace of the Republic.

  When Peng Maobang arrived, Ji Youguo was watching a recording of last night's match.

  Wang Yuanqing did not take the Chief of Staff to the living room, but instead took him directly to the President's study.

  "Beautiful, it's about time we played like this. Keep playing like this and we still have a chance to turn the game around in the fourth quarter."

  "Commander, General Peng has arrived!"

  Looking back at Wang Yuanqing and Peng Maobang, Ji Youguo pressed the pause button with a bit of reluctance.

  "Little Wang, go and make a cup of tea for General Peng, also bring some fruit over."

  "It's okay, I'll just sit for a while and then leave." Peng Maobang said as he gave Wang Yuanqing a glance.

  Wang Yuanqing was very clear about Peng Maobang's relationship with the emperor. When he left the study, he brought the door with him.

  "Lao Ji, you really are still young at heart." Peng Maobang chuckled and pulled out a document from his briefcase. "The preliminary test results are out, it's confirmed that it's not a naturally occurring object, definitely man-made, but with current human technology, it's impossible to create something like this."

  Ji Youguo's expression immediately turned serious.

  "A detailed analysis has not been conducted yet." Peng Maobang sat down in the chair next to Ji Youguo. "According to plan, I contacted the Experimental Center and arranged for relevant scientific research projects. The initial investment will require about 2 billion, and we also need to transfer a batch of scientific researchers, all of which need your approval."

  "This is no problem, leave the file here and I will give you a reply after I finish reading it." Ji Youguo walked to the desk, picked up a cigarette. "Old Peng, you also know that what I care more about is when can we produce results."

  "Two years to two and a half years, if we increase investment in the construction of the experimental center and speed up the construction progress, it can be shortened to one and a half years."

  "How much more expenses are needed?"

  "Not less than 50 billion."

  Ji Youguo hesitated for a moment. For the current Republican government, taking out 5 billion for secret research was not a difficult task. The trouble was that this belonged to an extra budget, which not only had a complicated approval process but also involved confidentiality work. They had to think of a way to squeeze out this funding from somewhere else or obtain it through other channels.

  "After some contemplation, Ji Youguo finally said: 'I'll take care of the financial matters, you're in charge of recruiting and mobilizing relevant personnel. Remember, absolute secrecy is a must, no mistakes can be made.'"

  "The military takes the lead, mobilizing personnel in the name of secret military scientific research, while restricting the actions of all participants."

  "It can be done this way, after all, mobilizing over a thousand scientists and engineers without sufficient reason would be too forced." Ji Youguo stopped entangling the issue. "Let's do it this way, you arrange as soon as possible, and I'll give you feedback as soon as possible. By the way, I want to meet those people."

  Peng Maobang hesitated for a moment and then nodded slightly, indicating that he understood the leader's meaning.

  "Let's arrange it for tomorrow night, I'll pay for their dinner, you come along too and help me introduce them."

  "No problem. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave first."

  When Peng Maobang walked out of the study, the sound of a basketball game came from inside again. He knew that Yuan Shou was not watching a basketball game, but was calming down his excited mood.