Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 473 New Ability: Electromagnetism, Preparing to Research Vacuum Tube Memory and the First Generation Computer
The plane landed at a seaport in northern Myanmar.

Fang Wen got off the plane and went straight to the Taishan Research Institute.

He felt a little excited.

Electricity is the foundation of future technology.

Although the electrical energy generated by the Viking Ring is only enough to cause one enemy to convulse and faint.

But perhaps, if used properly, it can also have a huge effect.

He needs to have a more comprehensive understanding of the ring.

Ten minutes later, Fang Wen arrived at the Taishan Research Institute.

It was a four-story brick and stone building surrounded by a wall with barbed wire.

Only the main gate is open for entry and exit. There are armed guards standing guard at the main gate, and a sign reading "Taishan Research Institute" is displayed.

Such vigilance even at the base in northern Myanmar demonstrates Fang Wen's high regard for technical knowledge.

The guards on duty immediately stood at attention when they saw Fang Wen.

"Good morning, General Manager."

Fang Wen nodded, signaling them to open the door, and then led Gong Xiuneng inside.

The Taishan Research Institute is much more complete now than it was in Wuhan.

Furthermore, the research institute now has a formal head.

That's Lu Zexuan.

This person was a physics student at Nankai University who was recruited by Fang Wen to work as an engineer at Taishan Aircraft Manufacturing Plant.

Later, during the bombing of Taierzhuang, he distinguished himself as a bombardier in the engineer's bombing team and was valued by Fang Wen, who specially cultivated him to become the head of the research institute.

Responsible for the daily management of the research institute and the allocation of research project resources.

Fang Wen entered the research institute building and met Lu Zexuan, who was working at his desk, directly in the first-floor office.

Lu Zexuan, noticing someone enter his office, said without looking up, "We'll talk about the equipment issue later. I need to take a look at this week's reports first."

No one answered him. Lu Zexuan looked up in surprise and immediately stood up when he saw that it was Fang Wen.

"General Manager, you've arrived!"

"How's the research institute doing lately?" Fang Wen asked with a smile.

"As per your request, I'm converting the third floor into a data storage area, and I've even installed iron doors and partitions." At this point, Lu Zexuan's expression turned worried: "General Manager, if all the data is stored here, what if Japanese spies infiltrate and steal it? Wouldn't our losses be enormous?"

The design of the document storage area to store various paper documents was a last resort.

Since there were no computers at the time, all the data had to be stored on paper. As the Japanese paid more attention to Taishan Airlines, they repeatedly sent spies to cause trouble. If the data were to be stored in different areas as before, it would be easier for it to be stolen.

Therefore, Fang Wen decided to put all the design drawings of aircraft and weapons, as well as the production technology of refining plants, the technology of some special parts, and the technology of semiconductors here for centralized storage.

Lu Zexuan's concerns were not unfounded.

It is fair to say that if this information were to be leaked, it would be a huge loss for Taishan Airlines.

Fang Wen was not without precautions against this.

He nodded and said, "Even the strongest defenses have loopholes. Once the Japanese have their eyes on it, there's always a risk of leaks no matter how much we try to protect it. So I added an extra layer of protection. Once that device is manufactured, we won't have to worry about storing the data."

"What kind of equipment?" Lu Zexuan asked curiously. As an engineer, he was very interested in any new technology.

This device is called a vacuum tube memory, and it was the storage device for the world's first generation of computers.

Even if Fang Wen currently possesses semiconductor technology, he cannot cross this threshold and still needs to start with vacuum tube technology to create the first generation of computers.

The first generation of computers was needed to calculate complex ballistics, flight simulations, and even atomic bomb calculations.

Fang Wen originally planned to study it when the conditions were right.

But now, the Viking Ring's electrical properties give him the possibility of advancing his progress ahead of schedule.

Of course, everything can only be decided after understanding the ring's abilities and uses.

He instructed, "Now is not the time. Go and call all the researchers here. I have something to say."

Lu Zexuan immediately went to each research lab to notify them.

The researchers stopped what they were doing and went to the large conference room on the first floor.

Fang Wen chaired the meeting.

"The reason I called everyone here this time is to study a supernatural phenomenon or a mysterious artifact."

The researchers were surprised from the very beginning.

No one understood what Fang Wen was saying.

Fang Wen took out the Viking ring.

“This is an artifact I found near the Arctic Circle. It belonged to an ancient Viking chief. Recently, I stumbled upon a fascinating use for it, and the equipment in my research institute is perfect for studying it.”

As he spoke, Fang Wen channeled some energy into the ring, attempting to activate it.

He could feel the electrical energy being released through the ring.

However, this phenomenon cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Fang Wen picked up his knowledge of electricity again.

Electricity is visible in nature because the electric current causes the gas molecules in the air to ionize, creating light and heat, which makes it visible.

Examples include high-voltage electric arcs, lightning, and static electricity.

The energy intensity injected by oneself and the released current are not enough to produce gas ionization.

He then increased the input of faith energy.

this moment.

It's as if, long ago, in the mysterious Norse mythology, the god Odin, who wielded the power of thunder, possessed him.

Fang Wen raised his hand and released arcs of electricity outward from his index finger, which was adorned with a ring.

The researchers stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

The discharge phenomenon is not lasting, and this consumption is greater than that of shocking an enemy, with a large amount of energy lost in the ionization process.

It's a kind of aesthetically pleasing but impractical way of using it.

Fang Wen stopped wasting energy, and the electric arc in his hand disappeared.

But the shock did not subside, and the researchers all stood up and gathered around.

Among them, Worcester Kane from Berlin was the most excited.

He interrupted, “I am Germanic, but according to my family records, the Vikings are my ancestors. Long ago, they lived in Northern Europe and later gradually migrated to various parts of the continent. My family was one of them. When I was little, I always loved listening to my grandfather tell stories about Norse mythology. At that time, I firmly believed that myths were true until I started school. But now, you have overturned my belief with them. Do gods really exist?”

Whether gods exist or not, Fang Wen doesn't know.

But he can prove one thing: that there are no gods in this era.

The reason is simple: none of the so-called gods caused him any trouble with the things he obtained.

In response, he laughed and said, "If this is Odin's ring, why hasn't he asked me for it back? I think it might be a special technology that hasn't been discovered yet, or it might be a kind of energy reaction similar to lightning generated through some kind of substance."

This explanation also makes sense; to prove all of this, the researchers actively participated in this special research project.

The first test they conducted was a basic electrical test.

The laboratory is equipped with mechanical ammeters, voltmeters, resistance boxes, and Leyden jars (for storing static electricity).

Researchers used these tools to measure the current intensity, voltage, and resistance characteristics of the ring during discharge.

The results showed that the discharge phenomenon was different from that of conventional power sources, the energy output did not follow Ohm's law, and there were no stable power source characteristics, suggesting that the energy source was not traditional electromagnetic induction.

This result, ironically, made the researchers even more interested.

After all, being different from others is what a mysterious ring should be like. But how do you test it next?

This sparked a heated discussion, during which vacuum tube expert William Short proposed: "When it comes to the use of electricity, we cannot ignore a scientific genius like Nikola Tesla. His Tesla coil, created at the end of the last century, was equally magical. My idea is to make a similar induction coil to generate a high-voltage electric field, and then place the ring in that field to see what kind of reaction it produces?"

The researchers were extremely interested in this and all looked at Fang Wen. Only with Fang Wen's consent could the ring be tested using a high-voltage electric field.

Fang Wen was thinking to himself.

A ring that can release electricity shouldn't be damaged in a high-voltage electric field, right?

However, the safety of the Tesla coil must be guaranteed; we can't let an experiment blow up the entire laboratory.

Therefore, he requested that the experiment be conducted in the yard.

Furthermore, in order to ensure that the high-voltage electric field does not affect the surrounding environment, a vacuum glass tube is used to isolate air ionization interference.

These are operations that researchers frequently perform in their daily research.

They immediately got to work.

A large vacuum tube was made.

Two different coils are placed inside: a primary coil and a secondary coil. Each coil has an independent capacitor. When energized, they will generate high-voltage, low-frequency alternating current through resonance.

Between the two coils was Fang Wen's Viking ring.

With the equipment ready, the experiment began.

A thick cable connects the equipment, and everyone watches from twenty meters away.

A researcher turned on the power switch.

At the moment the power was switched on, a large number of electric arcs were generated, creating a spectacular scene.

At the center of the electric arc, the ring unexpectedly formed an incompatible zone.

In other words, there is a void in the middle of the electric arc, so the high-voltage electric field generated by the Tesla coil cannot act on the ring.

It was as if it were a completely insulated object.

The researchers were greatly puzzled by this.

(Nikola Tesla, the electric magician, in 1891)
Both experiments yielded unconventional scientific results.

This also proves that the ring did not show any energy enhancement or interference under external high pressure, but could still release current in a vacuum environment, confirming that its electrical energy does not depend on air ionization and may originate from an unknown internal mechanism.

This research did not bring any substantial benefits to Fang Wen.

Fang Wen stopped testing and decided to study it himself.

His research method naturally involves combining his own abilities.

Wearing the ring, inputting energy, and conducting interactive experiments with different materials.

Various materials such as conductive tungsten wire, copper wire, insulating rubber, and rubble can be used.

The test result was normal, indicating that the output current has the same conductivity as ordinary current.

It still relies on a conductive medium.

He then used an exposure camera to record the arc trajectory and analyzed the discharge spectrum using a rudimentary spectroscope.

This method revealed that the arc spectrum contained an unusual blue-violet band, unlike the known gas ionization spectrum. Fang Wen speculated that the ring's energy contained unknown high-frequency electromagnetic wave components.

Then came the energy injection test.

Fang Wen wanted to know if injecting faith energy was the only way to activate it.

He tried mechanical energy (friction and knocking), thermal energy (high temperature heating), and chemical energy (immersion in acidic and alkaline substances).

The ring didn't react at all.

Clearly, it should only have one way to open, and the other treasures are probably the same.

This series of experiments proved its uniqueness, but no better applications were developed.

Is this thing something like a stun gun for self-defense?

In ancient times, it might have been used to perform supernatural tales, but it became largely useless afterward.

A high-energy battery, plus a transformer and a capacitor, can achieve the same function.

Therefore, it seems to be of little use.

Wait a minute, Fang Wen was stunned.

He suddenly realized he had forgotten something.

What would happen if you used an electric current on yourself?

He decided to give it a try; at worst, he'd get a sharp electric shock, but he could handle it.

Immediately, Fang Wen closed the door to his private laboratory to avoid making a fool of himself and being seen by others.

After closing the door, Fang Wen put on the ring and infused it with energy.

Then cover the ring with your other hand.

The current is released at the moment of contact.

It even shocked its owner!
The electric current released instantly flowed through his body, which acted as a conductor.

But the current returns to the ring and then is released again, forming a circuit.

The electric current thus formed a continuous cycle, and Fang Wen had a different feeling each time it passed.

From the initial sensation of muscle spasms from electrical stimulation to a tingling sensation throughout the body.

Then, he felt an increase in power.

Or it could be described as a stress response of muscle cells under electrical stimulation.

Similar to stimulants.

After that, the tingling and power sensations disappeared, and he experienced another state.

how to say?

This state should be called an electro-induced state.

He sensed the presence of electricity.

There is a lot of electricity in the body.

It's not just the electric current injected into the ring, but also bioelectricity.

It is a very weak, yet widespread electrical phenomenon in the body.

Every cell generates a weak bioelectricity during its cellular activities.

Fang Wen suddenly realized that this was the source of the electrocardiogram, electromyogram, and electroencephalogram detected in future medical devices.
I was able to see these bioelectric currents without needing any equipment.

Besides bioelectricity, can we sense other types of electricity?
Fang Wen patiently listened.

He could feel the dry cell batteries on the test bench and even estimate their charge.

There is also static electricity hidden in different devices.

And the current in the wall wiring.

There is also a small amount of electrical charge in the air.

These sensations gave him a new understanding of his new abilities.

This ability opened new doors for him; his sensitivity to electricity allowed him to play a greater role in electronic devices.

In this way, more sophisticated semiconductor devices can be designed and manufactured.

It could even directly initiate research on vacuum tube memory, allowing the early development of first-generation computers ahead of schedule.

(End of this chapter)