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

At this moment, the sunset was magnificent.

Luzhou, Institute of Plasma Physics.

There are fourteen research labs, two centers, one special office and one general management department here, with a total of seven or eight hundred employees.

Among them are three people with titles from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, sixty or seventy people with senior professional titles, one hundred and twenty or thirty people with associate senior professional titles, and nearly four hundred people with postgraduate degrees or above.

In addition, the institute has nearly 20 postdoctoral fellows, more than 370 graduate students, and dozens of senior visiting scholars and guest researchers who come to the institute to conduct collaborative research every year.

It's fair to say that those who can enter the field of particle physics research are the pride of heaven.

Logically speaking, since they are all chosen ones, they shouldn't be gossiping, but in fact, the opposite is true.

The fourth laboratory is the Fusion Reactor Physics Design and Advanced Magnetic Confinement Device Research Laboratory.

There are forty or fifty researchers here. Apart from a dozen or so who are busy with their own work, the rest are all gathered together talking about things.

"Hey, have you heard?"

"What?"

"We're getting a new member in our fourth room!"

"Really? Which university did you graduate from? Are you a full professor or associate professor?"

"I don't know. I overheard the leaders talking in the restroom just now. Apparently, it might be for leadership positions."

"Wow, the leaders who come to our department are all very capable. Take Vice Dean Yu Xu, who's in charge of our fourth department, for example. He's a full-fledged academician. Could it be that we've got another academician coming to our department?"

"It's unlikely, but I think they're at least full professors."

A group of people chatted with great interest, guessing what the newcomer's job title was.

At this moment, a middle-aged or elderly man who was not very tall walked in.

Seeing the group chatting together, he said sternly, "Alright, it's work time. Focus on your work and stop gossiping."

"Director Zhou is here."

"Stop chatting, get to work, get to work."

The group scattered in a flash.

It was clear that they were a little afraid of "Director Zhou" who had just come in.

Director Zhou's real name is Zhou Shangqin. He is the director of the research lab and also a researcher. When Yu Xu is not around, as the academic leader of the research lab, he has the final say.

Despite his seemingly low-ranking position as the director of the fourth department, he is actually quite extraordinary. He currently serves as the chief engineer of the CRAFT project, a major national scientific research infrastructure project, "Research Platform for the Interaction between Divertor Plasma and Materials".

Just as everyone was getting busy, the door to the research lab opened from the outside.

Everyone turned their heads to look, and saw Vice Dean Yu Xu leading a young man in.

Zhou Shangqin stepped forward and said, "Teacher Yu, you've arrived."

Yu Xu smiled and looked over, saying, "Director Zhou, is everyone busy?"

Zhou Shangqin said, "I'm fine. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Yu Xu said, "Okay, let me introduce you to our new colleagues. Please call everyone over, and I'll give you a brief introduction."

"what?"

"Is he the new colleague?"

"She looks very young, like she just graduated. Could she not even have an associate professor title?"

While a group of researchers were whispering among themselves, they gathered around without Zhou Shangqin even having to call them.

Before long, dozens of people stood in three rows.

Zhou Shangqin stood to Yu Xu's left, with the new young man to his right.

Yu Xu looked at everyone and said, "This Mr. Chen will be working with you from now on. Let's give him a warm welcome."

Clap, clap, clap! Everyone applauded in welcome.

Yu Xu turned his head and said, "Mr. Chen, would you like to introduce yourself to them?"

"Okay." Chen Yuan stepped forward and smiled, "Hello everyone, my name is Chen Yuan, and I will be a member of Room 4 from now on. Please take good care of me."

The people below were very disciplined; no one spoke, but they mostly nodded and smiled in response.

After Chen Yuan finished his self-introduction, Yu Xu immediately said, "Let's go to the dean's office and complete the onboarding procedures later."

Chen Yuan said, "Okay."

The two came and went quickly, turning around and disappearing from everyone's sight.

After everyone left, a young man in his late twenties asked, "Director Zhou, what's this Xiao Chen's background? He's very young, looks about the same age as someone in graduate school."

Everyone else looked over, also wanting to know Chen Yuan's background.

Zhou Shangqin shook his head and said, "I don't know either. I only know that he was specially hired by Teacher Yu."

Another man, around thirty-two or thirty-three years old with a mole on his face, said, "I overheard the boss saying in private that a new leader would be coming to our fourth department. Could it be Little Chen?"

"He's so young, how can he be a leader?"

"Being young is fine, the problem is whether you have the ability."

"That's right. You can't be a leader without some ability. In the Fourth Division, I only respect Director Zhou."

A group of people were chatting idly.

Judging from their tone, they weren't very happy about Chen Yuan, who was so young, becoming a leader.

Zhou Shangqin said uncertainly, "I don't know what position Xiao Chen will hold in our fourth office either. The dean and Teacher Yu haven't said anything. They should tell us tomorrow. Don't ask too many questions. We're about to leave work. Let's get our work done first."

……

On the other side, in the dean's office.

"Welcome, welcome."

"It is an honor for us that Mr. Chen can work at our research institute."

"Please sit, Mr. Chen, have a seat."

Dean Shen Yun, Executive Vice Dean Zhang Qian, and the other two Vice Deans Jin Sheng and Xu Gang were all very enthusiastic.

Although Mr. Lu asked Yu Xu to keep the information from the staff at the research institute confidential, these people are leaders and must know the situation.

They certainly knew what Chen Yuan joining the research institute meant.

This means that their Institute of Plasma Physics is very likely to become the world's first team to create a semi-controlled nuclear fusion project!

Therefore, in the eyes of Shen Yun, Zhang Qian, Jin Sheng and others, Chen Yuan was someone to be worshipped, so their attitude towards him was exceptionally good.

After exchanging a few polite words, Chen Yuan sat down amidst everyone's warm invitation.

Shen Yun smiled brightly and asked with concern, "Mr. Chen, you must be tired after your long journey?"

Chen Yuan nodded and said, "Yes, thank you for your concern, Dean."

Shen Yun said, "Alright, I'll just say a few words so as not to take up your rest time. I'll have someone take you to your accommodation later."

Chen Yuan said, "Please speak."

Shen Yun glanced at Yu Xu, Zhang Qian, Jin Sheng, and the others, then turned his gaze to Chen Yuan, his expression turning helpless as he said, "Didn't Old Yu promise you 50 billion in R&D funding? There's been a slight problem."

"Hmm?" Chen Yuan frowned. "What's wrong?"

Shen Yun organized his thoughts and said, "What the higher-ups mean is that the 50 billion yuan in R&D funding will not be less, but it cannot be received all at once, as that would not comply with regulations, so it will be received in two to three installments."

Yu Xu, Jin Sheng, Xu Gang, and the others standing nearby looked somewhat nervous, as if they were afraid that Chen Yuan would back out after hearing this news. After all, they had previously promised 50 billion yuan in research funding and had figured out how to raise that much money. But who knew that "Mr. Lu" said that this project had to be kept absolutely secret and that funding could not be raised from outside sources. It could only be done through applications, and "Mr. Lu" was unwilling to give such a large sum of money all at once, which made things very difficult for the Institute of Plasma Physics.

Chen Yuan didn't pay much attention, knowing that research and development funds rarely arrive in a lump sum.

"Installment payments are fine." He didn't seem too concerned and casually asked, "How much will the first installment be?"

Shen Yun looked somewhat embarrassed.

Yu Xu and Jin Sheng looked at each other in bewilderment.

Zhang Qian and Xu Gang's eyes darted around.

Several people didn't want to talk when faced with this difficult question, but they couldn't stay silent.

So Shen Yun had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Three billion."

Chen Yuan: "..."

Three billion?

Less than one-tenth?

Damn it, I'd rather raise pigs than invest 3 billion in a project!