Building a Sci-Fi Empire: Starting with Cold Nuclear Fusion

The rain is getting heavier.

At 7:30 p.m., the roads in Suzhou were flooded, and the drainage system seemed to have collapsed.

Sitting in the back seat of the Audi, Xin Long looked anxious and kept urging Xiao Wu, who was driving, "How much longer until we get to Xiao Chen's neighborhood?"

Xiao Wu glanced at the navigation and said helplessly, "Normally it takes about ten minutes, but it's raining heavily today and the roads are terribly congested. I don't know when I'll get there."

Zhang Shulin, sitting on the other side of the back row, said, "Should I call Xiao Chen?"

"No way!" Xin Long objected. "It would be too impolite to invite him to join Huahe by phone. I must extend the invitation in person."

Initially, when he heard Chen Yuan mention "hydrogen bomb Dyson sphere," he simply got up and left. But now, he insisted on extending an invitation in person, which shows how much his attitude towards Chen Yuan has changed.

There was nothing he could do; he had previously thought Chen Yuan was a clueless young man who liked to talk nonsense, so naturally he didn't want to waste his time.

Now it's different. After reading that top-secret paper, he realized the importance of the other party and knew he had to give it the utmost respect.

In this world, capable people are respected wherever they go.

Coincidentally, Chen Yuan displayed his strength, a strength that earned Xin Long's respect!

Like Xin Long, Zhang Shulin's opinion of Chen Yuan also completely changed at this moment.

If his initial reaction upon seeing Chen Yuan design two advanced nuclear batteries was one of appreciation for the younger generation, and his subsequent disappointment upon hearing about the "hydrogen bomb Dyson sphere," then at this moment, he felt deeply ashamed. Chen Yuan was about to reveal semi-controlled nuclear fusion technology, but he and Xin Long, among others, almost missed out on this cutting-edge technology due to their lack of patience.

Besides feeling ashamed, Zhang Shulin was also secretly impressed. A genius is a genius after all. Chen Yuan had only had the Oriental Superconducting Tokamak and those books on nuclear fusion technology for a short time, yet he had already figured out a semi-controllable nuclear fusion technology that was promising to be realized.

He and Xin Long, along with others around the world engaged in nuclear fusion research and development, have struggled for decades, yet they have not achieved what Chen Yuan has.

For a moment, Zhang Shulin felt a sense of inadequacy, as if comparing himself to others would only make him miserable.

At that moment, he finally understood what the saying "the difference between people is greater than the difference between pigs and people" meant.

Xin Long couldn't sit still any longer.

He suddenly shouted, "Stop the car!"

Xiao Wu turned his head and looked over, puzzled, and asked, "Academician Xin, what's wrong?"

Zhang Shulin looked over, equally puzzled.

Xin Long decisively said, "The road is too congested. At this rate, I don't know when we'll get to Xiao Chen's place. I'll get out of the car and walk there; maybe that will be faster."

Xiao Wu said in surprise, "It's raining heavily outside."

Zhang Shulin advised, "Yes, what if you catch a cold from getting wet? You are one of the key figures in our Huahe Nuclear Industry, you can't afford to get sick."

"I'd be willing to become seriously ill just to get Xiao Chen to work at our Huazhong Nuclear Power Group!"

Xin Long said anxiously, "I must get there as soon as possible, otherwise if other research institutes send people to make contact, we might really miss out on Xiao Chen."

He then pushed open the car door.

Zhang Shulin grabbed him and said, "The other research institutes are so far away from Suzhou, how could they possibly send people over so quickly? It would take several hours by plane. Don't rush, don't be in such a hurry."

Xin Long ignored him, forcefully shaking off Zhang Shulin's hand. "I won't feel at ease if I bring him to Huazhong Nuclear Power!"

After saying that, he didn't even take an umbrella and plunged into the heavy rain.

"Ouch!"

"Academician Xin!"

Zhang Shulin and Xiao Wu exclaimed in surprise.

Having no other choice, Zhang Shulin pulled out an umbrella from the side, got out of the car, and quickly chased after Xin Long.

Their actions were observed by Liu Wei, Xiao Qian, and others in the two cars behind them.

They looked at each other, completely bewildered.

……

Approximately forty-five minutes later.

Soaked to the bone, Xin Long and Zhang Shulin arrived at Chen Yuan's doorstep, panting heavily.

Xin Long is quite old and doesn't usually exercise much. Running for such a long time almost exhausted him.

Zhang Shulin was in better physical condition. Although he was also panting, his face still had some color in it, unlike Xin Long's pale complexion.

"We're...we're here." Xin Long gasped for breath, but his face showed great excitement. "Finally...finally I can see...see Xiao Chen."

Seeing his appearance, Zhang Shulin was genuinely worried that something bad might happen.

He quickly helped her up with one hand and pressed the doorbell with the other.

Whether it was just their imagination or not, while they were waiting for a response from inside, they seemed to hear a lot of noise coming from inside, as if there were many people there.

The next moment, the door opened from the inside, and Chen Yuan's familiar face came into view.

Xin Long was overjoyed and immediately said excitedly, "Mr...Mr. Chen, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, he peeked through the crack and saw a large group of people sitting in the living room behind Chen Yuan.

At a glance, there were probably a dozen or twenty people.

An ominous premonition rose deep within Xin Long's heart.

His heart skipped a beat, wondering if these people were all sent by various nuclear research institutes to contact Chen Yuan.

Zhang Shulin noticed this scene as well and quickly asked, "Xiao Chen, who are they...?"

"Oh dear, Academician Xin, Professor Zhang, what happened to you two?"

Upon seeing the two drenched figures, Chen Yuan quickly ushered them inside while casually introducing them: "They claim to be dispatched personnel from various nuclear research institutes, but I don't know if that's true or not. You two are soaked to the bone, so hurry up and take a hot shower first, and then change into my clothes later."

As he spoke, he turned and called out, "Ayu, Academician Xin and Professor Zhang are soaked to the bone. Could you go downstairs to the supermarket and buy me two bath towels?"

What?!

Are all the people in the room expatriates from various nuclear research institutes?

Xin Long and Zhang Shulin became anxious.

They never expected that the major nuclear research institutes would act so quickly. Before the key personnel could arrive, they actually sent their dispatched personnel in Suzhou to contact Chen Yuan first.

Ah Yu, who was busy in the kitchen, ran out wearing an apron and was startled when she saw Xin Long and Professor Zhang's appearance.

She quickly replied, "Okay, you take care of the guests first, I'll go downstairs to buy bath towels."

Chen Yuan looked over with some guilt, "You could have gone back long ago. I have so many guests here, and I've kept you busy until now, Ayu. I'm really sorry."

"Are you still being polite with me?"

Ah Yu feigned annoyance, then looked at Xin Long and Zhang Shulin and said, "You two go in and take a hot shower first. I'll be right back and have Song Guo bring you towels later."

"Thanks."

Thank you for your trouble.

Xin Long and Zhang Shulin quickly expressed their gratitude.

As they spoke, they looked at the large group of people in the living room with complicated expressions.

Xin Long and Zhang Shulin were filled with regret. If they had known Chen Yuan was so capable, they should have let him finish speaking before they said anything. Now, all the major nuclear research institutes know that Chen Yuan is capable and are coming to compete with them for him!