Rejecting Tsinghua and Peking Universities: I Will Lead Harbin Institute of Technology to World Lead

Seven days after the order to restart the Fuxi Project was issued, Lin Feng arrived at a top-secret base in the Northwest.

"Chief Engineer Lin, the main building of the intelligent production line has been completed, and the equipment installation can be finished within this month."

"The vacuum smelting furnace in the materials preparation center has been debugged, and all parameters of the special alloy samples have met the standards."

"Construction of the ground control station for the Kuafu system has begun and is expected to be completed in ninety days."

Reports poured into Lin Feng's temporary command post via an encrypted network. He stood before the sand table, gazing at the Star Sea Base that was transforming from blueprints into reality, his eyes gleaming with the burning passion of a sixteen-year-old.

The Fuxi space fighter jet—that was his dream when he was sixteen.

"Summon all the core members of the Fuxi Project team from back then," Lin Feng ordered his assistant. "I need to see every single one of them within three days."

"yes!"

The order was issued through the highest level of security.

Three days later, when Lin Feng walked into the base's conference room, sixty-seven familiar faces stood up in unison.

There's Academician Zhang, who was in charge of aerodynamic design back then, now with white hair but still sharp eyes; there's Professor Wang, who tackled thermal barrier materials back then, now a leading figure in materials science in China; there's Dr. Li, who designed intelligent avionics back then, now the deputy chief engineer of the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation...

The oldest among them was seventy-five, and the youngest was forty-five. Time had etched its marks on their faces, but when they looked at Lin Feng, their eyes still shone with the same reckless fervor they had shown back then.

"Dear teachers and seniors," Lin Feng walked to the head seat and bowed deeply, "I'm back. The Fuxi is back too."

At that moment, many people in the conference room had tears in their eyes.

"Chief Engineer Lin..." Academician Zhang's voice choked with emotion, "We've waited so many years... and finally this day has come."

"This time, we won't let the Fuxi remain just a blueprint." Lin Feng activated the holographic projection, and a complete 3D model of the Fuxi rotated above the conference table. "The intelligent production line is in place, and all technical barriers have been cleared. Within three months, we will assemble the first prototype; within six months, we will conduct the first atmospheric test flight; and within one year, we will achieve our first flight."

The goals are clear, and the timeline is well-defined.

The project was then pushed forward with full force.

Lin Feng lived and worked at the base, putting in eighteen hours a day. He personally reviewed every design drawing, supervised the production of every key component, and solved every technical problem. During the debugging of the intelligent production line, he didn't leave the workshop for seven days and seven nights. When he was tired, he would take a nap in the control room, and when he was hungry, he would eat a few bites of compressed biscuits.

The entire base operated efficiently under his command, like a precise clock.

In the materials smelting workshop, the vacuum electric arc furnace emits a deep rumble, melting rare metals from all over the country; in the precision machining center, the nanoscale five-axis linkage machine tool cuts special alloys like a scalpel, with an error of no more than one-hundredth of a millimeter; in the final assembly plant, industrial robots wave their robotic arms, precisely assembling components, with sparks flying like a rain of stars.

Everyone was immersed in the frenzy of creation.

Unbeknownst to them, while they were fighting for their dream of reaching for the stars and the sea, a storm was brewing in the East China Sea, thousands of miles away.

The dispute over the fishing islands has erupted once again.

This time, the actions of the small country were more provocative than before. Their coast guard vessels not only intruded into the twelve-nautical-mile territorial waters of the fishing islands, but also attempted to drive away Chinese fishing boats, and even a collision occurred.

On the day the incident broke out, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a strong protest, demanding that the small country immediately cease its provocative actions and withdraw from the relevant waters.

But the response from China was a strong statement from the Prime Minister of the United States on television: "The Yushu Islands are our inherent territory, and we have the right and the ability to safeguard our national sovereignty."

Even more infuriatingly, the Free State announced that afternoon: "Based on the security treaty, we will firmly support our allies' right to safeguard their territorial integrity."

The following morning, satellite images showed that the Free State's USS Roosevelt carrier strike group entered the East China Sea and deployed in battle formation less than 200 nautical miles from Yushu Island.

One Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, two Ticonderoga-class cruisers, four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, two attack submarines, plus a carrier air wing—this is a military force sufficient to wage a medium-sized war.

When the news reached China, public opinion exploded instantly.

Seven of the top ten trending topics on Weibo are related to the situation in the East China Sea.

"The Free Nation's aircraft carrier has arrived at our doorstep!"

"This country is really pushing its luck!"

"What should we do? Fight or endure?"

Some were angry, some were worried, some were excited, and some were pessimistic and disappointed.

"Our naval power is still too weak. We only have one aircraft carrier, and the Free Nations already has sixth-generation fighter jets! We only have fifth-generation fighter jets."

"The country has developed rapidly in recent years, but the gap in military strength is still too large."

"Sigh, I guess it'll be the same as before, a few protests and that's it."

Pessimism is spreading online.

But few people know that China's military strength has undergone tremendous changes over the years.

Behind the scenes, thanks to the tireless efforts of Lin Feng and countless researchers he led, the Kunpeng aircraft carrier is not just one, but a full ten 100,000-ton supercarriers; the Zhuque sixth-generation fighter jet is no longer a prototype in the laboratory, but twelve combat-ready aerial overlords.

However, for the sake of the overall situation of peaceful development, these forces have remained hidden in the fog.

until now.

At 3 p.m. that day, the Ministry of National Defense of China held an emergency press conference.

The speaker was a middle-aged military officer with the rank of major general. He stepped onto the podium, his eyes piercing, his voice resounding:

"China is a peace-loving country, but we also have the firm will, full confidence and sufficient capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

"Yuzhou Island and its affiliated islands have been an inherent part of China's territory since ancient times. This is beyond doubt and cannot be challenged."

"We advise certain countries not to misjudge the situation and not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, otherwise they will suffer the consequences."

The speech was brief, but every word struck like a heavy hammer blow.

The live stream comment section exploded instantly:

"What the heck? They're calling out names directly!"

"That's so impressive! This is the true style of a great nation!"

"But... what if I'm tough as I am, but my skills can't keep up?"

"Don't be a coward upstairs! Trust the country!"

An hour after the press conference ended, a top-secret order was issued from the highest level and went directly to the Central Military Commission's Operations Command Center.

"Order: The first, second and third carrier battle groups shall immediately proceed to the East China Sea and deploy a defensive formation 150 nautical miles east of Yushu Island."

"Order: All personnel of the Zhuque 6th Generation Fighter Squadron take off to carry out air surveillance missions."

"Order: The Rocket Force enters a state of first-level combat readiness, and the Dongfeng series missiles are ready to be launched at any time."

"Principle: I will not attack unless attacked; if attacked, I will retaliate. Once the other side fires the first shot, I will resolutely retaliate without mercy!"

The moment the order was given, the war machine of this great Eastern power began to run at full speed.

At a naval port in the Yellow Sea, three aircraft carriers, all named Kunpeng, sounded their horns simultaneously. On the deck, carrier-based aircraft were undergoing final takeoff checks; inside the cabins, sailors were fully armed and solemn.

Over the Bohai Bay, twelve Zhuque sixth-generation fighter jets formed three four-aircraft formations, their engines spewing blue plasma tail flames as they shot southeast like arrows.

The missile silo deep in the mountains slowly opened, and the dark green missile body gleamed with a cold, hard light under the moonlight.

All of this was done in top secret.

The general public is unaware that the naval power they worry about is actually a formidable steel torrent capable of shaking the world; the sixth-generation fighter jets that the free nations admire are something China already possesses, and in a more advanced and powerful form.