Rebirth 08: Equipment God

Chapter 302 Old Elm Shows Its Power
Fan Junwei delivered a swift knockout, sending his opponent home in the blink of an eye.

The contestant's short journey ended before his hometown mother's kimchi was even ready.

Although this left his Utopian supporters across the country feeling unsatisfied, they were still happy at heart.

A crushing victory is always a good thing. The matches that Fan Junwei mentioned, which are for gaining experience, will likely allow them to go much further.

The happiest people were Chu Xiang and Xiang You. Watching the game on TV and seeing it live were completely different experiences. Let's put it this way, they had more adrenaline than contestant Fan Junwei.

Moreover, they can watch a few more matches. The entire "Asian Boxing Championship" lasts for seven days, and if Fan Junwei fights all of them, he will have at least five matches.

This was quite a test of his physical strength, but fortunately he had Zhai Da's support.

After leaving the ring, a burly man about the same height as Fan Junwei put his arm around him and said, "Not bad, that punch really hit!"

Fan Junwei smiled憨厚ly: "It's alright, Brother Lei, the opponent wasn't very strong."

The burly man patted Fan Junwei on the shoulder: "Play well, we'll meet in the finals!"

Fan Junwei nodded heavily: "I'll try my best."

In competitive sports, teammates are also opponents. Lei Ge taught him a lot, but the field is the field, and there is no such thing as giving way.

If we perform well here, there are two more international tournaments in the next six months, and then...
This year's National Games.

On the other hand, the invitation from Beijing also surprised Zhai Da.

Zhai was naturally happy to see the giant again, but to be honest, he had only met him once to "report the good news," and their relationship didn't seem to have reached the point where he was specially invited to a family dinner.

Perhaps something happened in the past few months that he was unaware of.

There is still about a week until the Qingming Festival, but Zhai Da has already asked Accountant Wang to book plane tickets.

Zhai Da originally wanted to bring Xiao Mutou along, so that even if they couldn't go to Qian Laojia's house for a meal, they could still travel around northern Beijing. However, Xiao Mutou also had his own things to do and needed to prepare for the academic conference in early April.

Scholars and professors from many universities across the country, especially those with strong mathematical backgrounds, will come to Harbin Institute of Technology at that time.

Many students came from Peking University, Shandong University, University of Science and Technology of China, and Zhejiang University, but Lu Wei was the main character at the end.

Each flower is displaying its unique charm; in this early spring season, there must be more than just one flower.

In the following days, Zhai Da attended classes as usual during the day, and in the evenings, he would carry the [Retro Workbench] and travel between various branch bases, acting as a repairman in the guise of a big boss, to farm progress on the unsealing task.

There has been no news from Yangshi for a long time. Logically, Harbin Institute of Technology should be notified in advance when it is confirmed that it will be on the news. However, there has been no feedback from either "Xinwen Lianbo" or "Face to Face". No matter how anxious the school's publicity department is, it is no use.

It's hard not to suspect that Chai Jing was behind it all.

Zhai Da and Lu Wei simply stopped paying attention to the matter.

Just like people, those who are destined for success will eventually succeed, and those who are destined for failure will beg for it.

He calmed down; Yangshi was just adding icing on the cake, not providing help in times of need.

Will not being able to appear on "Face to Face" affect Yueda Catering's monthly profit of over ten million?

Will it affect the sales of my novel "How Long Will I Love U" surpassing 200 million copies and breaking the domestic novel category record again?
Does that mean I own the biggest bird in all of Harbin, and that it's very intelligent?

Is my range growth amplifier about to become a complete rip-off?
On Thursday, Zhai Da took a day off and drove alone to the outskirts of Harbin.

Saying he was alone isn't quite accurate, as there was another passenger in the back seat.

In the Panamera, there is a huge birdcage on the right side of the back row, which is thoughtfully secured with a seatbelt.

A large crow was perched inside, intently watching what lay ahead.

On the back of the passenger seat, there is a fairly large screen. The wiring is hidden inside the seat cover, and it looks relatively neat, but the resolution is not very high.

Video materials were playing on it, accompanied by a standard translator's voice.

"Trained birds can accomplish many amazing tasks. Let's take a look at this parrot named Tony. Hello, Tony~."

"Look, it's waving to everyone, isn't it cute? Next, I'll let Tony ride its special little skateboard and complete a series of tricks."

The little chimpanzee stared intently with its red eyes, remaining completely silent.

"Fusion effect: Any content played on the car's screen will result in a 200% increase in immersion."

The five-day fusion period for the [Mechanical Core] has long since ended. The "thought" that originally belonged to the [Old Man's TV] has been completely absorbed by this Panamera. The mechanism of action remains unchanged, but the effective range has changed from the rear screen to the entire car.

Zhai Da added some interesting content to it.

While driving, he said, "Watch your distance, it'll hurt your eyes."

Little Black: "Gah!"

Perhaps it meant that Zhai Da should not disturb it.

Zhai Da smiled slightly and drove to the designated location, a deserted road in the suburbs.

This is a winding road with dense trees on both sides, which greatly limits visibility, and there are very few cars on weekdays.

An empty truck was parked on the side of the road, and a driver was smoking and waiting.

After Zhai Da got out of the car, he exchanged a few words with the other party, and then the driver walked down the slope, seemingly choosing to take a taxi away.

The truck was rented, but Zhai Da only wanted the truck, not the driver. He contacted the logistics company, and the driver didn't say a word; he delivered the truck and left.

Take Xiao Hei out of the car. Xiao Hei, engrossed in watching the video, is a little dazed. Zhai Da opens the birdcage and releases it, then blows the bird whistle.

"Two short beeps and one long beep" means to be on alert of the surroundings. If a car or person approaches, return and beep twice as a warning, also with two short beeps and one long beep.

Xiao Hei performed very well in the previous training sessions.

Zhai Da climbed onto the truck and looked around from a higher vantage point to make sure no vehicles would pass by anytime soon.

Then place your hands in front of you.

Silently recite "Release".

With a loud "bang," a large tree appeared out of thin air, and with a buzzing sound as the air was compressed, the entire truck sank a few inches.

All this trouble was just to give the execution of Old Yu a more reasonable way of making an entrance.

The inverted lifting device at Industrial Park No. 9 has been completed, and today is the day to release the trees. This will require the help of many people and equipment.

He couldn't just pull out a tree weighing several tons and over ten meters tall in front of everyone.

The industrial park has security guards and surveillance cameras, so it's not allowed to secretly drop it off at the designated location in the middle of the night. Therefore, it must arrive in a "normal transportation" manner, which also makes it convenient to lift it directly from the vehicle.

Compared to a while ago, this old elm tree looks exactly as it did when it was first placed in the "equipment slot," and due to the characteristics of the "equipment slot," there isn't even a speck of soil around its roots.

This resulted in a very strange situation: the old elm tree's crown faced outwards to reduce the loss of branches and leaves, while its roots faced the front of the car. In addition to the common dark roots of trees, there were also a large number of dense, fine, tender white roots, the thinnest of which were thinner than chopsticks.

It's as if its upper body is an elm tree and its lower body is a ginseng!
It exudes an air of otherworldly elegance and the presence of rare and precious materials.

Of course, if you think about it carefully, these fine roots are used to absorb the "tentacles" of other organisms, which is another style altogether.

Zhai Da observed for a while and, after confirming that the roots wouldn't move, breathed a sigh of relief.

It had been buried underground for a long time, and there was no space for him to take it out for observation. There are still many characteristics of the old elm that have not been figured out.

The tendrils were fluffy and extremely long, completely covering the front of the car, as if they had grown hair. Fortunately, they were soft and easy to manage. Zhai Da spent a while gathering them up, and then took out a tarpaulin from the trunk of the Panamera to cover the main body.

It's quite strenuous for one person to do this job, climbing up and down all the way.
About ten minutes later, a light troop carrier from Guangdong and Guangxi arrived, and several ordinary people jumped out. They were all company employees, one of whom was originally a transport soldier with an A-class driver's license.

After Zhai Da gave instructions for a moment, the three vehicles set off together towards the industrial park.

Inside the industrial park, all the necessary equipment was ready. Lu Tao and his team were waiting there. The truck drove directly into the factory. When the workers lifted the tarpaulin, they exclaimed in surprise:
"My God!! This old tree has come to life!"

"Let me see, this is ginseng rootlets!"

Amid exclamations of surprise, Zhai Da calmly said, "A new variety from the south, 'Elm Ginseng'! Don't panic, let's get to work first; dragging it out will damage the tree."

"Elm ginseng? I think I've heard of it."

"You've heard of this before?" "I can't quite remember, I think it's something you eat dipped in soy sauce."

The worker remained silent for a while.

"Southerners really do eat everything!"

Only Lu Tao looked at those "ginseng roots" thoughtfully, and then his expression became more and more subtle.

A suspension system has been installed on the roof of the second floor. Steel cables are lowered to the first floor, where the old elm tree will be lifted into the large hole and then simultaneously secured to the system.

This work was very complicated. Even with thorough preparation, it took three hours to complete. The main body of the old elm tree showed no change, except that many leaves and broken branches had fallen off. However, the ginseng roots were visibly withered.

Finally, at four o'clock in the afternoon, the upside-down execution of Old Yu was preliminarily completed.

If you walk in from the factory gate on the first floor, you can see a huge tree canopy hanging upside down on the ceiling after about 100 meters, supported and fixed by eight steel pillars.

Four 16-in-1 daylight reflectors were installed around the factory to guide sunlight in through several high windows and then distribute it around the tree canopy via mirrors.

Because the natural light is artificially guided, it takes on a shape, and the dust particles in the air appear as cones, with their tips pointing towards the indoor landscaping pedestals protruding from the ground.

The upside-down tree canopy is already stunning and beautiful, but it's even more spectacular if you go up to the second floor.

The enormous bowl-shaped water tank, over a meter high and six meters in diameter, required additional steel support due to its size and the water inside.

Many of the old elm tree roots had been pruned, and the remaining parts formed a complex, hollowed-out network from the bottom of the water tank upwards. Once the nutrient solution was filled, the inside looked like an underwater world from a fantasy story.

A few thick, large roots and countless tender white small roots, combined with the dark black color of the water tank itself, create a beautiful and mysterious effect.

There is also a modular storage tank in the corner, which can store a total of 500 liters of various nutrient solutions.

In the future, the old elm will exist in a special way of "hanging upside down" + "hydroponics". Firstly, it can be used to observe the condition of the roots, and secondly, it can be used to conveniently add large amounts of nutrient solution, eliminating many troubles of soil cultivation and increasing the cleanliness of the factory.

At the same time, what the old elm absorbs is 100% controllable, which is much clearer than soil cultivation.

Xu Xuejun looked down at the sink. Because of the black background and white beard, the sink appeared particularly deep.

He smacked his lips and said, "You've made this factory more beautiful than an art gallery!"

Zhai Da smiled and said, "It was designed after we came back from the art museum."

But this is even bolder, because ordinary trees simply cannot survive like this!

Zhai Dadao asked, "Will it affect the factory's work?"

"It doesn't matter. We're not some precision manufacturing or sterile workshop. It's just assembly and welding. Having this thing around makes me feel better... It's more comfortable to look at from the first floor."

Old Xu suddenly remembered something: "What exactly are you going to do with the second floor?"

Zhai Da said mysteriously, "You'll find out when the time comes."

As evening fell and everyone went home, Lu Tao breathed a sigh of relief after confirming one last time that everything had gone smoothly.

After taking some photos with his "Virgo" sign, he left.

He took his first step into becoming an architect and delivered a satisfactory result.

Only Zhai Da remained inside the factory.

In front of the "Root Pool" on the second floor, Zhai Da looked down and stared for a moment. Because of its structure, looking at it for a long time felt like staring into an abyss.

The nutrient solution temperature sensor readings have dropped significantly, and even the water level has changed.

This is clearly far greater than the absorption rate of normal trees.

But it doesn't matter. Hydroponics is for easy management and rapid growth. Zhai Da took two steps, pulled out the water pipe of the storage tank on the open second floor, and poured it directly into the "Root Pool".

After filling the water tank, or rather, the "fertilizer tank," Zhai Da pondered for a moment.

With a snap of his right fingers, the [Pure Gold Secret Staff] appeared in his palm and gently tapped the ground.

With a crisp sound, invisible ripples instantly covered the entire industrial park. After confirming that there was no one else in Building 9, Zhai Da closed his eyes.

What follows is very important; he's going to experience it for the first time.
[Execution of Old Elm] Positive effect buff after being hung upside down.

Taking a deep breath, Zhai Da activated the equipment effect that he had been avoiding like the plague.

"Turn on!"

"The inverted effect slightly increases luck within range, increases vitality by 16.5% and immunity by 5.5% within range. It also slightly increases the probability that the 'thoughts' of intelligent beings within range will be transformed into positive mental states, including but not limited to: inspiration, happiness, satisfaction, and stability."

Zhai Da closed his eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath.

Feeling refreshed.

He confirmed one thing: the +16.5% vitality was not an increase in physical strength, but a deeper, more subtle feeling.

It feels like walking in a natural oxygen bar surrounded by towering ancient trees, or standing on a high mountain with an unobstructed view, giving you a feeling that your inner vitality has been activated.

His strength hadn't increased, his breathing hadn't become longer, but he felt more energetic.
Of course, this effect won't be as immediate as taking hormones. The employees will also enjoy this boost when they come to work tomorrow, but it will generally be attributed to "the factory now has a plant art decoration, which is really pleasing to the eye."

As for the 5.5% immunity, it's impossible to determine; we can only assume it can reduce the probability of getting sick.

Next, Zhai Da began to try to think about complex issues in his mind. He chose the structure of the "lithium iron phosphate" battery in the mechanical core, which he had studied some time ago.

It must be said that the battery technology of more than a decade later is itself an industrial book. Even if Zhai Da had a superhuman understanding of all the structures, he was still far from fully comprehending it.

Because "structure" and "design" are only part of it.

He was really stuck on this difficult problem a while ago. He needed to have a basic understanding of it himself before he could guide the chemistry genius Sun Ting.

Normally, to imagine things out of thin air without pen and paper or any reference materials is pure nonsense.

Getting stuck for too long can be very frustrating. The human brain isn't a hard drive; you can't solve complex problems just by relying on memory.

Just when Zhai Da felt he was about to give up on his futile efforts, his emotions gradually began to calm down. He was no longer agitated, and even felt that his thoughts were light and agile.

With his eyes closed, Zhai Da smiled slightly, knowing that he had triggered the effect:

Thoughts are transformed into a positive mental state.
If one doesn't follow the map exactly, this change really does have a subtle, gradual effect.

Although intelligence and memory are not increased, this is definitely a perfect combination for mental work, not to mention it can also trigger inspiration!

After thoroughly sensing his surroundings, Zhai Da opened his eyes and walked downstairs.

Finally, on the first floor, beneath the canopy of the old elm tree, one looks up.

Little Blackie, who had been frolicking in the tree canopy, swooped down with a squawk and landed on Zhai Da's shoulder.

Although it's upside down, the old elm is still the same old elm, and the crow is still the same crow.

Lu Tao added a bird's nest to the side of the steel pillar disguised as wood, hidden in the tree canopy. Bird food and water could be delivered to it using mechanical rollers.

Zhai Da patted Xiao Hei's head: "You can stay here while I'm in Beijing. I've already told people that your food and water will be changed every day, and I won't stop you from wandering around outside."

Zhai Da pointed to a high ventilation window on the side, about six or seven meters off the ground. Only Xiao Hei could use it, and it would be kept open all the time.

Little Black cackled and returned to the tree.

Zhai Da then walked outside.

Old Elm finally has a temporary home. It's a bit of a waste of its potential, but it also has the opportunity to grow rapidly.

In the future, the workers here will enjoy this range bonus (it cannot cover the entire factory yet), but more importantly, Zhai Da will transform the second floor into a research base in the future.

Provided to himself, Little Wood, and the other geniuses of "π".

But before that, let's go to northern Beijing first.

Perhaps you'll have a different experience.

　Nearly 5000 words

　　
　
(End of this chapter)