Reborn in 2012, building a new energy empire

Several core members of Wang Qiming's team, along with two newly recruited materials science PhD students from Kylin Technology brought by Gu Qiushi, gathered around the central testing platform and several computers with lit screens.

Some of them pointed at the dense curves and parameters on the screen and whispered to each other, their voices hoarse; others held samples that had just been taken from precision instruments and examined them repeatedly under a magnifying glass, their brows furrowed.

Some simply stared blankly at the test reports that the printer slowly produced, still slightly warm and smelling of ink, their eyes vacant.

Everyone had dark circles under their eyes, messy hair, and possibly stains that couldn't be washed off their lab coats.

The long period of continuous hard work, repeated failures and adjustments had exhausted their initial enthusiasm, squeezing all their emotions into a near-numb focus.

So when that most critical indicator finally, finally, stably reached the design standard, or even slightly exceeded it, before the great joy could even well up in my heart, it was overwhelmed by an even more overwhelming fatigue and a sense of disorientation, "Did it really work?"

Jiang Haoran's arrival broke the stagnation.

Without exchanging pleasantries, he went straight to the computer and bent down to carefully examine the test report, which still held the warmth of the printer. He read through each line of data and each comparative chart slowly and meticulously.

His gaze swept over the complex data line by line: the tensile strength and uniformity statistics of the steel wire busbar; the particle size distribution and adhesion strength of the diamond powder; the cutting efficiency, lifespan, and breakage rate of the finished diamond wire...

Next to it are densely packed comparative charts, alongside data from imported benchmark products. Several key parameters are followed by eye-catching green arrows and percentage increases.

Finally, Jiang Haoran straightened up and rubbed his neck, which was a little sore from maintaining the same posture for a long time.

Then, he turned around and his gaze slowly swept over every face in the laboratory, those weary faces bearing the marks of long hours of staying up late, and those eyes that were bloodshot but unusually clear at this moment.

He spoke, his voice low and steady, yet it was exceptionally clear in the quiet laboratory, like a pebble dropped into a still lake.

"Thank you all for your hard work."

Five simple words.

There were no flowery praises, no enthusiastic commendations.

Wang Qiming's shoulders, which were so tense they were almost stiff, slumped slightly the instant those three words reached his ears.

It wasn't a relaxation, but a subconscious release of fatigue after the support had been confirmed. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, his tightly clenched fist loosening, leaving deep nail marks on his palm.

A young doctoral student next to him subconsciously raised his hand to rub his sore and swollen eyes, and when he put his hand down, his eyes seemed a little red.

Another key technical staff member, who had been watching Jiang Haoran's reactions closely, grinned, wanting to laugh, but ultimately only managed a somewhat distorted expression that mixed exhaustion and relief.

Gu Qiushi nodded gently, a faint, genuinely content smile appearing on his lips.

These past few months have been filled with working day and night, repeatedly trying and failing, enduring financial pressure, technical bottlenecks, and self-doubt...

All the torment and perseverance ultimately condensed into those cold yet burning numbers on the screen, and into a weighty word of recognition from the company boss.

Jiang Haoran's gaze finally landed on Wang Qiming's face. His tone remained steady, but with a touch of genuine concern: "Dr. Wang, I've reviewed the data and samples. The key indicators meet the standards, and the stability test has passed. This is a real breakthrough."

"Next, let the team take turns resting and get a good night's sleep. We'll discuss the specific industrialization plan and the next steps in the verification process in detail once everyone has recovered."

He paused, then added, "Just now, I had the administration order food from the hotel next door. We'll have a simple meal together in a bit. No formalities, just a chance to sit down and chat."

There was no boisterous celebration banquet, just a simple "thank you for your hard work" and a "simple meal" arrangement, yet it quietly infused this space, which had been occupied by technology and pressure for too long, with a touch of human warmth and understanding.

The real battle is far from over, and the long road to industrialization has only just begun.

"Line consumption rate has decreased by 15%, and edge breakage rate has improved by more than 40%." Jiang Haoran repeated the most crucial data, his tone steady but carrying a heavy weight.

"This isn't luck; it's the result of your painstaking work over the past few months, meticulously refining everything from material proportions to heat treatment curves and electroplating parameters. This proves that we made the right choice in the first place."

He paused, then looked at Gu Qiushi and Wang Qiming: "I know that this progress is still a long way from true industrialization, from the stable, low-cost, and large-scale production of diamond wire that can compete head-on with imported products. There may be many more and more difficult hurdles ahead." The laboratory was quiet, and everyone was looking at him.

"But that's what it means to run a business and do research and development." Jiang Haoran's voice rose a little, and his gaze became sharp. "There are no miracles of becoming a god overnight. It's about solving one specific problem after another and pushing the technical indicators up little by little."

"Today's 15%, this 40%, is the hill you've built up. It's not big, but it's a hill, and it proves that our direction is right and that our team can fight tough battles."

He walked to the old table in the center of the laboratory, which was piled with blueprints and samples, and gently ran his fingers over a "G-7" sample with a dark gold luster, which was wrapped in a transparent bag.

"The external market is bleak, and the photovoltaic industry is at its lowest point, but the future is bright. As long as we persist in independent research and development, we will be able to take over the market sooner or later." He raised his head and looked at the crowd.

"Our current goal is to be a key link in reducing costs and increasing efficiency in the photovoltaic industry in the future, to achieve real economic value, and to break through the core technology that may break the foreign monopoly and have a market of tens of billions in the future."

"This sense of value and accomplishment is our greatest motivation to strive."

Wang Qiming pursed his lips. Gu Qiushi pushed up his glasses, his eyes flashing behind the lenses.

"Therefore," Jiang Haoran withdrew his hand, his tone becoming pragmatic again, "based on the successful verification of 'G-7,' I have decided to allocate an additional 500,000 yuan in special funds."

This sentence is like a stone thrown into a calm pond, creating ripples far greater than the previous "Thank you for your hard work".

It's not some empty promise, but an "addition," a "special fund," a real 500,000!

At a stage where project budgets were often stretched thin from the start, and everyone had to carefully consider even purchasing high-purity reagents, the significance of this money was clear to everyone.

He looked at Wang Qiming: "Part of this money will be used to purchase higher purity raw materials and more precise testing consumables urgently needed for the next stage of experiments."

"The other part," he paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the young engineers and doctoral students whose eyes had suddenly lit up and whose fists had unconsciously clenched, "is distributed directly to the core research team as a reward for the project's phased breakthroughs."

"The pay isn't much, but you'll definitely be rewarded for your efforts," he said firmly. "I want you to know that the company sees and recognizes every tough challenge you've overcome and every real step forward you've made! Your hard work and wisdom deserve the rewards they're given!"