Courtyard House: Starting with handing over the keys, the state helps me abuse birds.

Training base, drill ground.

Lu Zhaoting stood on the viewing platform, his gaze fixed on the twelve people in the audience.

He had come once a month ago. At that time, these twelve people had just started cultivating. Although their spirit and energy were good, they looked no different from ordinary elite soldiers.

now--

He squinted.

Not the same.

It wasn't a change in appearance, but in demeanor. The twelve people standing there were like twelve mountains. Even without making any movement, they exuded an overwhelming sense of oppression.

"Director Lu," Duan Chengyi whispered from the side, "can we begin?"

Lu Zhaoting nodded.

Duan Chengyi raised his hand and made a gesture.

In the arena, twelve people moved.

The first item: strength test.

Sun Guodong walked up to a specially made force gauge. It was designed by the military industry, with a maximum range of two tons, and was originally used to test small machinery.

He took a deep breath and threw a punch.

"Bang!"

The force gauge's display screen flickered wildly, finally settling on a single number—

1876 kg.

Lu Zhaoting's pupils contracted slightly.

That's nearly two tons of force. The world record for professional boxers is only around 800 kilograms.

Sun Guodong stepped back, and Zhou Bin was next to enter the ring. He didn't throw a punch, but instead raised his leg and swept it horizontally.

"Bang!"

The display screen flickered again—

1523 kg.

Lu Zhaoting took a deep breath.

Next up is the speed test.

A 100-meter running track with high-speed cameras mounted on both sides.

Zhou Bin stood at the starting line, not squatting, but just standing there casually.

"start."

The moment he finished speaking, Zhou Bin vanished from his spot.

This is not a metaphor; it truly disappeared for a fraction of a second—so fast that the human eye could not perceive it.

When he reappeared, he was already standing in front of the finish line.

The staff member in charge of timing looked at the data from the high-speed camera, his voice trembling slightly: "Two point three seconds."

The world record is 9.58 seconds.

Two point three seconds is a quarter of that number.

Lu Zhaoting didn't speak, he just looked at the people in the room.

Next up are the reaction test, endurance test, and impact resistance test...

Every single statistic far exceeds the limits of normal human beings.

The test ended an hour later.

The twelve people lined up again, standing straight, breathing steadily, as if the astonishing data from before had nothing to do with them.

Lu Zhaoting stepped down from the viewing platform and walked up to them.

He looked at them one by one, his gaze sweeping across each person's face.

Sun Guodong, a veteran reconnaissance soldier with twenty years of service, had old injuries, but now he has a robust and powerful presence, like an ox.

Zhou Bin, a top runner, is so fast that even high-speed cameras could barely keep up with him.

Scout Wu Zhen's stealth ability made it take the testers a full five minutes to find him right under their noses.

Then there's Zhao Weize—the youngest, but the fastest improving one. It's said he's already broken through to the second tier, a level above the others.

Lu Zhaoting stopped in front of him.

"Your name is Zhao Weize?"

"yes!"

"How are you feeling?"

Zhao Weize stood at attention, his voice booming: "Reporting, Commander! It feels great! I used to think my limits were right here, but now I realize that people can be this strong!"

Lu Zhaoting nodded and then looked at the others.

"And you? Have you experienced any discomfort? Side effects? Any discomfort anywhere on your body?"

The twelve people answered in unison, "No!"

Lu Zhaoting was silent for a few seconds, then turned around and looked at Xie Weihong standing to the side.

"Comrade Wei Hong, may I speak to you in private?"

The two walked to the edge of the training ground.

Lu Zhaoting lit a cigarette, took a drag, and slowly exhaled.

"A month ago, you told me that if they cultivated, they could become stronger. I believed you, but I never imagined they could become this strong."

Xie Weihong remained silent.

Lu Zhaoting continued, "Two tons of force, 2.3 seconds to run 100 meters, and a reaction speed five times that of an average person—do you know what these figures mean?"

"Know."

"It means that if there were a thousand such people, our country's defense capabilities could be elevated to a new level. If there were ten thousand, it could change the world order." Lu Zhaoting looked at him. "The gift you've given me is immense."

Xie Weihong shook her head: "I didn't give them to them, they practiced on their own."

Lu Zhaoting smiled and didn't argue.

He took the last drag of his cigarette and stubbed it out.

"I'm here to tell you—it's been approved from above. The experiment will be expanded, and the selection process for the second batch of trainees has already begun, with an estimated 300 people. If these 300 people can also reach this level, it will be rolled out nationwide."

Xie Weihong nodded: "Is there anything I can do?"

"Continue teaching," Lu Zhaoting said. "These first batch of twelve can become instructors. But you'll still be the head instructor. Also—"

He paused, then pulled a document from his briefcase.

"The expert team has studied the deep mineral exploration technology you gave us last time."

Xie Weihong took the document and quickly browsed through it.

The document was thick, filled with technical review comments, test data, and expert signatures. The conclusion on the last page stated: "The technology is genuine and effective, far exceeding current international standards; we recommend immediate initiation of industrialization."

"This stuff is incredibly valuable," Lu Zhaoting said. "The expert team estimates that if it's widely adopted, our country's proven mineral reserves could quadruple. All those deep mines that were previously unexploitable can now be mined."

Xie Weihong closed the file: "What's the problem?"

Lu Zhaoting gave a wry smile.

"The problem is—it's too advanced."

He pointed to a line on the document: "The core components of this exploration equipment require extremely high precision in manufacturing. Our current industrial level is insufficient to produce them. The expert team has been working on it for half a month, but they are stuck on three key aspects and can't get past them."

Xie Weihong understood.

"Do you need me to go?"

Lu Zhaoting looked at him with a hint of expectation in his eyes.

"I know your time is precious, and you need to teach the second batch of students. But there's really no way to solve this over there. Dozens of experts have been working tirelessly for half a month, their eyes are bloodshot, but they still can't find a solution. If you could go there, even if it's just to offer some pointers..."

Xie Weihong interrupted him: "When are you leaving?"

Lu Zhaoting was taken aback: "Now?"

"Now."

Lu Zhaoting smiled.

He reached out and squeezed Xie Weihong's hand firmly.

"Thanks."

---

An hour later.

A jeep drove into a heavily guarded industrial base in the western suburbs of Beijing.

Xie Weihong got out of the car and glanced around.

This place is similar to the fertilizer base he visited last time, but also different. It's larger, more heavily guarded, and filled with fully armed sentries. In the distance, there are several huge factory buildings, and the roar of machinery can be faintly heard.

Lu Zhaoting walked ahead, introducing the place as he went.

"This is our country's largest geological equipment research and development base. On the surface, it looks like an ordinary factory, but it's actually a top-secret unit. Your technology will be transferred here."

The two entered a small gray building and walked along the corridor.

Before I even opened the door, I could hear a loud argument coming from inside.

"I said no, and that's final! This precision requirement is beyond the capabilities of even the best equipment from our Soviet Union, let alone our current machine tools!"

"Even if we can't achieve it, we have to find a way! This is a strict order! Do you know how important this technology is?"

"I know it's important, but even importance has to be based on science! If the materials aren't up to par, they're just not up to par. What am I supposed to do?"

"Then change the materials! Change the process! We have to find a way!"

"If you're so good, you do it! I'm quitting!"

Lu Zhaoting pushed open the door.

Inside, seven or eight people were gathered around a large table, their faces flushed and necks bulging. The table was piled high with blueprints, documents, experimental data, and several disassembled equipment parts.

Upon seeing Lu Zhaoting, the group was stunned.

"Director Lu..."

Lu Zhaoting waved his hand, signaling them not to be nervous.

"What's all the noise about?"

A middle-aged engineer wearing glasses said with a distressed expression, "Director Lu, it's not that we want to argue, it's just that this precision requirement is outrageous. You see—"

He picked up a part and pointed to the data labels on it.

"The mounting surface of this core probe requires a flatness of 0.3 micrometers. 0.3 micrometers! That's one-hundredth the thickness of a human hair! Our best machine tools can only achieve a precision of two micrometers, a difference of an order of magnitude!"

An elderly expert with gray hair sighed, "The materials aren't good either. They require a special alloy, but we don't even have the formula. The experts tried several formulations; the strength was sufficient, but the conductivity was poor; the conductivity was sufficient, but the interference resistance was poor."

Another, younger engineer added, "There's also the assembly process. The assembly precision requirements for this equipment are extremely high; even a slight deviation will completely mess up the detection data. Our current assembly methods simply can't meet those requirements."

After listening, Lu Zhaoting looked at Xie Weihong.

Xie Weihong walked to the table, picked up the part, looked at it, and then put it down. He glanced at the blueprints on the table and casually flipped through the stack of experimental data.

The room fell silent.

Everyone was looking at him.

They knew the technology was provided by Xie Weihong, but technical data is one thing, and whether it can be implemented is another. Many inventors themselves don't understand industrial production at all; their blueprints may look beautiful, but they can't actually build them.

Can this young man handle it?

Xie Weihong ignored their gazes. He picked up a pen and drew a few circles on the drawing.

"There are three problems," he said calmly.

"First, the ingredients. The formula you're trying is going in the wrong direction."

The elderly expert with gray hair was stunned.

Xie Weihong continued, "Secondly, processing."

The middle-aged engineer wearing glasses opened his mouth, as if to say something, but couldn't utter a word.

"Third, assembly." Xie Weihong pointed to a spot on the blueprint, "There's a design problem here."

He put down his pen and looked at the people in the room.

"All three questions are resolved. Anything else?"

The room was completely silent.

The bespectacled engineer stared blankly at the circles on the blueprint, making a "hoarse" sound in his throat.

The elderly expert, his hair now gray, strode to the table, picked up the blueprints, and examined them closely. As he looked, his hands began to tremble.

"This...this is feasible..." he murmured. "Nickel-based alloys...chemical polishing...fine-tuning threaded sleeves...all of this is possible..."

He suddenly looked up at Xie Weihong, his eyes filled with shock.

"How...how did you come up with this? We've been working on it for half a month, trying dozens of different solutions, how come we didn't think of this?"

Xie Weihong did not answer.

The younger engineer leaned over, glanced at it a few times, and his expression changed from doubt to shock, and then from shock to ecstasy.

"Yes! Yes! That'll achieve the required accuracy! I'll go try it right now!"

He grabbed the blueprints and tried to run out, but the old expert grabbed him.

"What's the rush! Let Consultant Xie finish speaking first!"

The young engineer stopped awkwardly, but his eyes remained fixed on the blueprints, as if he were eyeing some precious treasure.

Xie Weihong walked to the materials shelf, picked up a piece of alloy sample for testing, looked at it, and then put it down.

"Let me refine the material proportions a bit more," he said. "And there are a few key parameters in the smelting process that need to be adjusted based on your existing equipment. Give me two hours."

The experienced expert nodded quickly: "Okay, okay! We'll wait!"

Xie Weihong found a table, sat down, and began to write.

No one spoke inside the room.

Seven or eight people stood there, watching the young man hunched over his desk, writing furiously, the pen scratching on the paper.

Lu Zhaoting stood to the side, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Two hours later.

Xie Weihong put down her pen and handed the thick stack of papers to the old expert.

"Material formula, smelting process, processing procedure, assembly specifications, testing standards—it's all here. Follow this, and the first batch of prototypes can be produced in half a month."

The old expert took the stack of papers with both hands, as if receiving some imperial edict. He flipped through a few pages, his expression becoming increasingly complex.

"This...this is so detailed..." He looked up at Xie Weihong, his eyes actually a little red. "Advisor Xie, you're...feeding us."

Xie Weihong shook her head: "Technology is meant to be implemented. If it can't be implemented, no matter how advanced it is, it's just a piece of waste paper."

The old expert opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end said nothing.

The middle-aged engineer wearing glasses walked up to Xie Weihong and bowed deeply.

"Consultant Xie, I was very rude earlier. I... I thought you were just a theorist, I didn't expect..."

Xie Weihong helped him up: "It's only right that those of us in the tech field are meticulous. Come on, take me to see your equipment."

The middle-aged engineer nodded quickly, "Okay, okay! This way, please!"

A group of people escorted Xie Weihong out of the small building and towards the factory.

Lu Zhaoting stood there, watching their backs as they walked away, and suddenly smiled.

He was worried when he arrived, fearing that Xie Weihong wouldn't be able to handle these veteran engineers. After all, these people were top performers in the industry, proud and arrogant, and unwilling to be managed.

it's good now.

I'm completely convinced.

---

Inside the factory, the machines roared.

Xie Weihong walked ahead, looking around as he went, stopping every now and then to ask a few questions. The engineers followed behind him like students following a teacher, answering every question with utmost respect.

Xie Weihong stopped in front of a large machine tool.

"Is this one made in China?"

The middle-aged engineer nodded: "Yes, there have been some improvements. The accuracy is top-notch in China."

Xie Weihong walked around the machine tool and reached out to touch the guide rail.

"The guide rail is quite worn and needs to be replaced."

The middle-aged engineer smiled wryly: "We know that, but the spare parts haven't arrived yet."

Xie Weihong was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly said, "I can help you with the guide rail problem."

The middle-aged engineer was stunned: "You...you know about this?"

Xie Weihong did not explain.

He simply remembered that the system had previously provided him with a set of precision machine tool technologies. At the time, he thought he wouldn't need them, but now it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

He looked at Lu Zhaoting.

Lu Zhaoting nodded without saying anything, but his eyes were full of trust.

Xie Weihong withdrew her gaze and continued walking forward.

The factory was large, with a lot of equipment. He walked slowly, observing very carefully. At each key workstation, he could point out several problems and offer a few suggestions.

The engineers followed him, their initial respect turning to shock, and then to awe.

How much does this young man actually know?

Two hours later, Xie Weihong had walked through the entire factory.

He stood in the center of the workshop, looking around.

"There shouldn't be any major problems," he said. "We'll test the materials according to the formula I wrote, the processing will follow the process I provided, and the assembly will be modified according to the drawings I made. The prototype should be ready in about two weeks."

The veteran expert nodded vigorously: "We will definitely do our utmost to push this forward!"

Xie Weihong checked the time and said to Lu Zhaoting, "That's about enough, let's go back."

Lu Zhaoting nodded, and the two walked out.

As Xie Weihong reached the door, she suddenly stopped.

He turned around and looked at the group of engineers.

"If you still have problems in two weeks, feel free to contact me."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Behind him, the group of people stood still for a long time.

The old expert looked down at the stack of papers in his hand, his eyes reddening again.

"This person has fallen from the sky...this person has truly fallen from the sky..."

---

In the car.

Lu Zhaoting sat in the passenger seat and remained silent for a long time.

He turned back and looked ahead.

"The second batch of trainees will arrive in three days. Those three hundred people are now in your hands."

Xie Weihong nodded.

Outside the car window, the setting sun bathed the entire city in gold.

In the distance, the outline of the training base grew ever closer.

Looking at the base, Xie Weihong suddenly thought of the scorched earth of Shilingzhou, the emaciated survivors, and the "Iron Calculator" who went mad while clutching the banner.

He looked away and closed his eyes.

The determination to combat animal cruelty has never wavered.