Courtyard House: A Major Power's Heavy Industry, Hand-Crafted Nuclear Fusion

Early spring, 1967.

Base 504, Chemical Plant No. 702.

This is the most heavily guarded and smelliest part of the entire base. Towering chimneys spew white smoke day and night, and the air is filled with a nauseating, sour stench.

In the factory director's office.

"No! Absolutely not!"

Plant manager Liu slammed his safety helmet on the table, pointed at the progress chart on the wall, and roared, "Dean Su, you're forcing me to hang myself!"

Su Zheng sat opposite him, quietly drinking tea with a calm expression.

"Old Liu, calm down. Let's talk this out."

How could I not be excited?

Engineer Liu's eyes turned red. "You need to produce two tons of high-purity lithium-6 within six months. Two tons! Do you know what that means?"

He counted on his fingers.

"Our current process uses the 'mercury amalgamation method.' This stuff is incredibly inefficient and highly toxic. Even with hundreds of workers working in three shifts, we can only extract a few kilograms a month. To produce two tons, unless you give me 100,000 people and build me a hundred factories like this, we still wouldn't be able to finish even if we worked until the 21st century!"

Lithium-6.

This is the most crucial raw material for making a hydrogen bomb.

The fusion fuel for the hydrogen bomb is lithium deuteride-6. Without it, the hydrogen bomb is just an empty shell and cannot detonate at all.

但锂-6在自然界的丰度只有7%，剩下的93%都是没用的锂-7。要把这7%提炼出来，难度堪比在大海里捞针。

"Old Liu, I know it's difficult."

Su Zheng put down his teacup and stood up. "That's why I don't plan to let you use the old method."

"What else can we use besides the old way?" Engineer Liu said irritably. "Blow it out with your mouth, you think?"

Use this.

Su Zheng took out a roll of blueprints from his briefcase and spread them on the table.

Engineer Liu glanced at it, initially with disdain, then with doubt, and finally with shock.

"This is... a centrifuge?"

"Yes. Countercurrent gas centrifuge."

Su Zheng's finger traced across the drawing. "Using the difference in centrifugal force generated by the high-speed rotation of lithium compound gas, the lighter lithium-6 is thrown to the middle, and the heavier lithium-7 is thrown to the outside."

"This...this is theoretically feasible."

Engineer Liu, being an expert, immediately saw the problem. "But Dean Su, this rotational speed requirement is too high! One hundred thousand revolutions per minute! Our country's bearings simply can't withstand it! They'll burn out in less than a minute!"

"I've solved the bearing problem."

Su Zheng pulled a shiny little gadget out of his pocket.

It was a metal ring, no bigger than a walnut, with a smooth, mirror-like surface that shimmered with a faint blue light in the sunlight.

"What is this?" Engineer Liu carefully took it.

"Magnetic levitation bearing".

Su Zheng said calmly.

"Magnetic...magnetic levitation?!"

Liu's hand trembled, and he almost dropped the thing on the ground.

In this day and age, maglev is still a term found only in science fiction.

"Using the principle of like poles repelling, the rotor is suspended in the air without any physical contact, and therefore there is no friction," Su Zheng explained. "This was hand-polished using permanent magnet material salvaged from the Tu-123 UAV."

"Hand-polished...?"

Looking at Su Zheng's slender hands, Liu felt as if he were listening to a myth.

Can magnetic levitation bearings be ground by hand? How precise must that be? Is it the hand of God?

Stop spacing out.

Su Zheng patted Liu on the shoulder, "Here are the blueprints and the samples. I need you to build the first prototype within a week."

"As long as this machine is running, I can produce not just two tons, but even twenty tons of lithium-6 for you."

……

A week later.

The secret workshop of Factory 702.

A three-meter-tall, silver-white cylindrical device stands in the center. It looks like a giant anchor, with no seams on its surface.

This is the "Red Star No. 1" centrifuge designed by Su Zheng.

"Ready for a test drive."

Su Zheng stood in front of the control panel and personally gave the order.

"yes!"

Engineer Liu took a deep breath and pressed the start button.

"Buzz—"

A very faint buzzing sound rang out.

If it weren't for the numbers on the tachometer jumping wildly, no one would believe that this behemoth was spinning at high speed.

"1 RPM... 2... 5 RPM..."

The technician's voice was trembling.

When the engine speed exceeded 8 revolutions per minute, the high-frequency whistling sound was beyond the range of human hearing. The entire workshop fell into an eerie silence.

Only the air was trembling slightly.

"10 RPM! Design speed reached!"

"Smooth operation! Normal bearing temperature! Vibration level...close to zero!"

"good!"

A glint flashed in Su Zheng's eyes. "Let's ventilate!"

The valve is opened.

Gaseous lithium compounds are injected into a centrifuge.

Under the terrifying centrifugal force of 100,000 revolutions per minute, the gas molecules are frantically torn apart. The light lithium-6 molecules gather towards the axis like mischievous sprites, while the heavy lithium-7 molecules are mercilessly flung towards the outer wall.

A few minutes later.

The valve at the discharge port is opened.

A stream of white powder (after chemical reduction treatment) flowed out and fell into a specially made collection bucket.

With trembling hands, Engineer Liu picked up a handful of powder and fed it into the mass spectrometer.

Everyone held their breath.

"purity……"

The lab technician stared at the screen and stammered, "Purity... 99.9%!"

"Production...5 kilograms per hour!"

"boom--"

The workshop was in an uproar.

5 kilograms per hour!

This is equivalent to a month's output using the old process!

And the purity is frighteningly high!

Engineer Liu plopped down on the ground, holding the bucket of powder, and cried like a child.

"Amazing... Absolutely amazing..."

"With this treasure, our hydrogen bomb...we're finally ready to use it!"

Su Zheng looked at the lithium-6 powder falling like snowflakes and a relieved smile appeared on his lips.

This is the power of industry.

This is a case of dimensional reduction attack.

While others were still using stone mills to grind flour, we were already using fully automatic flour mills.

"Don't just keep crying."

Su Zheng pulled Liu up, "This is just the first one. I need you to build one hundred of these centrifuges within a month and cascade them together."

"I want to make this lithium-6 flow out like tap water."

……

With the centrifuges roaring day and night, precious lithium-6 powder began to be produced in a steady stream.

But this is only the first step.

Lithium-6 cannot be used directly. It must be chemically reacted with deuterium to produce lithium deuteride.

It is a white crystal, extremely unstable, and easily decomposes when exposed to moisture.

Moreover, deuterium is a scarce resource.

It is produced by electrolysis of heavy water.

To produce enough heavy water, Base 504 nearly depleted half the water volume of the nearby river.

"The electricity bill is over budget."

Ye Xinyi walked into Su Zheng's office with a bill in her hand. "This month, our base's electricity consumption is equivalent to half of the entire province's. The province's power grid is almost unable to cope."

"Then let the province cut off the power."

Su Zheng didn't even look up; he was drawing something on the blueprints. "Except for hospitals and essential public facilities, all other factories will have their power rationed during off-peak hours."

"This...the provincial government will have objections."

"Let them have their opinions and go to the central government."

Su Zheng's voice was cold and hard as iron: "The hydrogen bomb is the lifeblood of the nation. For this lifeblood, we'll do it even if it means going out of power or selling our pants."

Ye Xinyi sighed.

She knew how much pressure Su Zheng was under.

That pledge of "two years and eight months" was like a sword of Damocles, constantly hanging over my head.

"Oh, right, there's something else."

Ye Xinyi said, "The expert team from Beijing is arriving tomorrow. I heard that the leader is a 'big shot' who has always had reservations about your technical approach."

"An important person?"

Su Zheng put down his pen, gave a cold laugh, and said, "At Base 001, only science is the most important person."

"No matter who he is, once he comes here, whether he's a dragon or a tiger, he has to coil up or lie low."

……

the next day.

A special train stopped at the base station platform.

A group of people dressed in Zhongshan suits stepped off the car. The leader was an elderly man with gray hair, sharp eyes, and a commanding presence.

He is a renowned theoretical physicist in China and a staunch supporter of the "light radiation" theory.

"You're Su Zheng?"

The old man looked at the excessively young Su Zheng with a scrutinizing gaze. "I heard you've got some kind of 'TU configuration' and some kind of centrifuge? Young man, taking too big a step is bound to backfire."

Su Zheng wasn't angry; he simply gave a curt salute.

"Old Zhao (fictional character), welcome to Zone 001."

"A special zone?" Old Zhao scoffed. "I think it's more like an independent kingdom! I heard you spent the entire base's budget on that centrifuge? If it fails, can you take responsibility?"

"I have succeeded."

Su Zheng gestured for him to enter. "Facts speak louder than words. Please."

……

The visit turned into a "slap in the face" experience.

When Old Zhao saw the array of one hundred centrifuges running at high speed and emitting buzzing sounds, his expression changed.

When he saw the mountain of lithium-6 powder with a purity of 99.9%, his hands began to tremble.

When Su Zheng led him to the secure room and took out the hydrogen bomb assembly diagram that had been verified by "Red Star II", Old Zhao fell completely silent.

He looked at the exquisite double-sphere structure on the blueprint.

That brilliant idea of ​​using X-rays to create a radiation implosion.

That was the thin veil he had longed for his entire life, yet he had never been able to break through it.

"Who...who came up with this idea?"

Old Zhao's voice was a little hoarse.

"It's Comrade Yu Min from our base," Su Zheng said, "and of course, it's also thanks to everyone's collective wisdom."

Old Zhao stroked the blueprints, remaining silent for a long time.

a long time.

He sighed deeply, took off his glasses, and wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes.

"The younger generation is truly formidable...the younger generation is indeed formidable."

"I'm old. My methods are outdated."

He turned around and looked at Su Zheng, his eyes no longer filled with arrogance, but with deep respect.

"Dean Su, I apologize to you."

"The path you've chosen is the right one."

"From today onwards, I'll be your assistant. I'll do whatever you need me to do. Even sweeping the floor is something I'll do."

Su Zheng smiled.

He took the old man's hand.

"Mr. Zhao, you flatter me. You are a senior, and this base still needs you to stand on this platform."

"We not only need to build hydrogen bombs, but also train people to build them."

"Your arrival is a blessing for our base."

……

With Professor Zhao's addition, the base's scientific research capabilities have been greatly enhanced.

The raw material issue has been resolved.

The theoretical problem has been solved.

Now, only the last hurdle remains—

forming.

The white lithium deuteride powder needs to be pressed into complex-shaped components, and then assembled like building blocks to form the core "substrate".

This requires extremely high pressure and extremely high precision.

"Use a hydraulic press."

Su Zheng stood in front of the huge 10,000-ton hydraulic press, looking at the mold made of high-quality steel.

Pressure setting: 500 MPa.

"Pressure holding time: 30 minutes"

"start!"

The massive piston slowly pressed down.

clack clack...

A sickening metallic squeaking sound rang out.

Everyone held their breath.

Is this suppressing explosives? No, this is more precious than explosives.

If the mold breaks or the pressure is uneven, the powder that was refined at an astronomical cost will be ruined.

"The pressure is in place!"

"Pressure holding begins!"

30 minute later.

The piston rises.

The mold is opened.

A pure white, jade-like hemisphere appeared before everyone.

It is smooth, dense, and flawless.

This is the "fuel" for a hydrogen bomb.

"It's a success!"

"We've built it!"

Cheers erupted once again throughout the workshop.

Su Zheng stepped forward, wearing gloves, and gently stroked the smooth, warm hemisphere.

This is the substance that can ignite the sun.

This is the strongest power that humankind has mastered.

"Pack it up."

Su Zheng ordered, "Send it to the final assembly workshop."

"Tell Lao Deng that I have delivered his 'coal ball' (the code name for the hydrogen bomb core) to him."

……

That night.

Su Zheng and Ye Xinyi walked on the asphalt road at the base.

The streetlights on both sides of the road were dim, but that did not prevent them from seeing the starry sky.

"Su Zheng".

Ye Xinyi suddenly stopped and looked up at the night sky.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you think would happen to the world if we actually lit up that 'artificial sun'?"

Su Zheng followed her gaze.

"The world will become quieter."

He said softly.

"Because when someone holds a sword, those who hold knives become reasonable."

"We didn't build this thing to blow anyone up."

"It's so that the people on this land will never have to worry about being bombed again."

Ye Xinyi nodded and squeezed Su Zheng's hand.

"I trust you."

"Let's go back to sleep."

"Tomorrow, there will be an even tougher battle to fight."

Yes.

An even tougher battle.

Just now, Su Zheng's Eye of Truth discovered a barely perceptible crack inside that perfect lithium deuteride hemisphere.

That's caused by internal stress.

If this problem isn't solved, that "artificial sun" might shatter before it even lights up.

A new challenge has arrived.