Love in the Courtyard: Starting with Engineers

Less than half a month had passed, and the afterglow of the defense meeting had not yet dissipated when an urgent report, like a block of ice, slammed into Li Yu's heart.

He had just seen off the Minister of Industry and his delegation who had come for an inspection, and was discussing the details of adapting gas turbines for marine applications with the technicians, when Qin Zhengguo called, his voice filled with unprecedented urgency and sorrow: "Chief Engineer Li! Something's happened in the southern waters! Our frigate has been rammed by a destroyer from the US!"

Li Yu's pen fell to the table with a "thud," splashing ink onto the ship's structural diagram on the blueprint.

"What happened?" His voice was strained, and his fingertips trembled slightly.

"A US destroyer, under the guise of 'freedom of navigation,' forcibly entered our territorial waters. When our frigates tried to drive it away, they actually accelerated and rammed it!"

Qin Zhengguo's voice choked with emotion, "The frigate's hull was ripped open, the anti-aircraft guns on the deck were knocked askew, and three soldiers fell into the water and are still missing. What's even more infuriating is that their destroyer's main gun is 130mm, while our frigate's main gun is only 50mm. We didn't even have the strength to fight back!"

On the other end of the phone, the faint sounds of crashing waves and the shouts of soldiers could be heard. Li Yu clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, and felt as if a fire was burning inside his chest, making his whole body feel hot.

He recalled the smoke and fire of the southern border battlefield, the flashes of thermobaric bombs, and the soldiers who shed their blood and sacrificed their lives to defend their homeland. But now, on the vast blue sea, our soldiers, because of outdated weaponry, cannot even defend their own homeland!

"Are their destroyers relying on their thick armor to withstand our shells?" Li Yu's voice was as cold as ice.

"Yes! Their ship's steel plates are 200 millimeters thick. Our 50mm main guns can only scratch the surface! Commander Li, our soldiers can no longer use their flesh and blood to withstand steel shells!"

"Could you guys speed things up a bit more?"

The moment the call ended, Li Yu whirled around and looked at the national map on the wall. His gaze fell on the azure southern sea, where every wave seemed to surge like the blood of a warrior.

He suddenly remembered Professor Zhang's words and the debate at the review meeting. He realized that technological progress is never just theoretical; it requires real action, using steel and firepower to protect this land.

"Everyone! Zhou Qiming will lead the team working on the gas turbine adaptation! From today onwards, everyone else, we will focus all our efforts on tackling two key technologies: large-caliber naval main guns and high-strength special ship plate steel!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qiming guessed that something must have happened, so he didn't say anything but loudly replied, "Yes!"

He grabbed a piece of chalk and quickly wrote a string of data on the whiteboard: "Main gun caliber 150mm! Muzzle velocity must reach 1000m/s! Capable of penetrating 250mm thick armor! Special ship plate steel, strength exceeding that of US HY-80 steel! Corrosion resistant, impact resistant!"

The technicians looked at Li Yu's bloodshot eyes and the resolute look on his face, and instantly understood. No one spoke; everyone silently picked up their blueprints and slide rules, their weariness replaced by burning anger.

From that day forward, the lights of Longxing Machinery Factory shone brightly all night long.

Li Yu moved his bedding roll to the workshop. When he was hungry, he would eat a couple of bites of steamed buns; when he was thirsty, he would drink some cold water; and when he was sleepy, he would doze off on the table. His eyes were bloodshot, his cheeks were thinner, and his work clothes were covered in oil and iron filings, but he still kept his back straight.

He was no longer the composed guest expert, but a fighter consumed by rage.

The days spent tackling the challenge of producing special ship plate steel were the most difficult. Domestic steelmaking technology was lagging behind, resulting in steel that was either insufficiently strong or had poor corrosion resistance. Li Yu, along with the experienced steelmakers in the workshop, repeatedly adjusted the formula, added rare earth elements, and improved the smelting process.

The flames in the furnace burned bright red, reflecting in Li Yu's bloodshot eyes. He stared at the fluctuating numbers on the thermometer, his slide rule gliding rapidly in his hand, muttering the proportions of various alloys.

"Add a little more manganese! Increase the steel's toughness!"

"Increase the temperature by another 50°C! This will allow the rare earth elements to fully fuse!"

Failure after failure, start after start. The veteran steelworkers were so exhausted they could barely stand. They urged him to take a break, but Li Yu shook his head: "The soldiers are soaking in the sea, we can't afford to rest!"

Finally, on a pre-dawn morning, a piece of special ship steel, jet black and gleaming with a cold light, was rolled into shape. The moment the test results came out, the technicians cheered and hugged each other – its strength exceeded HY-80 steel by 15%, and its corrosion resistance was improved by 20%!

Following this, the development of the ship's main gun also achieved a breakthrough. Based on the technology provided by the system, Li Yu optimized the rifling design of the gun barrel and adopted high-strength gun steel. When the first 150mm caliber main gun roared deafeningly at the test range, and its shell penetrated 250mm thick armor steel plates, the entire Longxing Machinery Factory erupted in jubilation!

Qin Zhengguo, accompanied by representatives of the navy, personally arrived at the test site. Watching the main gun penetrate the armor, this seasoned general was moved to tears.

"Chief Engineer Li! With this cannon, our soldiers will no longer have to suffer humiliation!"

Li Yu looked at the distant shooting range, a tired yet gratified smile appearing on his face. He knew this wasn't enough.

Breakthroughs were achieved in all three core technologies: gas turbine, special ship plate steel, and large-caliber main gun. Li Yu worked tirelessly, leading his team to dedicate themselves to the overall construction of the warship.

With the full support of the Ministry of Industry, supporting manufacturers across the country worked overtime, trucks transporting steel lined up in long queues, and in the shipyard's dock, the arc light of welding torches shone day and night.

Li Yu spent his time at the shipyard, welding ship plates alongside the workers, debugging the main guns, and inspecting the installation of the gas turbines. His palms were blistered from the welding torch, and his feet were blistered from the friction, but he never complained.

His character, spurred on by the flames of war on the blue sea, became more composed and resolute. He was no longer just a technical expert, but more like a guardian bearing the heavy responsibility of his country.

Time flew by amidst the roar of the machines.

Spring has passed and summer has arrived; half a year has gone by in the blink of an eye.

On this day, in a naval port in the south, flags fluttered and drums resounded.

A new, silver-gray destroyer rests quietly in the harbor. Its streamlined hull, towering bridge, and proudly erect 150mm main guns, along with the imposing air intakes of its gas turbines, create a powerful and imposing presence. The five-starred red flag on the bow flutters in the sea breeze.

On the hull, the large, gold-plated characters gleamed brightly—"Zhenhai".

Li Yu stood on the dock, wearing a brand-new Zhongshan suit, looking at the warship in front of him that embodied the hard work of countless people, his eyes slightly reddening.

Qin Zhengguo walked up to him and patted him hard on the shoulder: "Chief Engineer Li, six months! You built this ship in just six months!"

Looking at the "Zhenhai," Li Yu's voice was hoarse but firm: "This is not my achievement alone; it is the achievement of all the workers, all the technicians, and all the soldiers!"

The steam whistle blared, its sound echoing through the sky.

The Zhenhai slowly departed from the port, heading towards the southern seas. The ship's main guns gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

Li Yu stood on the dock, watching the warships disappear into the distance, his gaze fixed on the vast blue sea.

He knew this was only the first one.

On this azure sea, there will be many more "Zhenhai" ships guarding the motherland's maritime borders and protecting the peace and tranquility of every household.

But his journey is far from over. He wants to build more advanced warships and more powerful weapons, so that those wolves who covet this land will never dare to cross the line again!