Scholar's Advanced Technological System

[Congratulations, user, for mission completion!]

[Mission completion details are as follows: 1g of special carbon nanofiber with a Young’s modulus of 2.2 TPa and a breaking strength of 83 N/m… prepared through laboratory synthesis.]

[Mission evaluation: S+]

[Mission reward: 500,000 materials science experience points, one lucky draw ticket, 1,000 general points.]

“Young’s modulus is 2.2 TPa? It’s 0.1 bigger than I expected…”

Lu Zhou stood in the pure white system space. He was looking at the mission completion reminder that popped up on the holographic panel when he raised his eyebrows.

What surprised him was that Professor Wang Qingping’s project team actually produced the results tonight by using his revised mathematical model!

Lu Zhou took a deep breath and looked at the translucent holographic screen. He spoke in a clear voice.

“System, open my characteristic panel!”

A light blue wave swept across the translucent holographic screen. His updated characteristic panel appeared in front of him.

[

A. Mathematics: Level 10

B. Physics: Level 10

C. Biochemistry: Level 7 (410,000/1.2 million)

D. Engineering: Level 7 (1 million/1.2 million)

E. Materials Science: Level 8 (63,000/3 million)

F. Energy Science: Level 7 (0/1.2 million)

G. Information science: Level 7 (100,000/1.2 million)

General points: 35,335

]

His materials science went from level 7 to level 8, but at the same time, the experience points requirement had also tripled, going from one million to three million. This was when it became more and more difficult to level up.

“Next is the lucky draw.” After looking at the characteristic panel, Lu Zhou looked away and selected the lucky draw button.

The wheel began to spin.

The high-speed spinning wheel continued to spin dozens of times due to its inertia before it slowly stopped.

There was nothing exciting about this.

After all, it was just an ordinary mission. The reward for 30 energy potions was within Lu Zhou’s expectations. Maybe the system wanted him to work harder using the potions, but he wasn’t in a hurry.

Lu Zhou closed the lucky draw interface. He looked at the mission panel instead.

Because of the S+ evaluation, the next mission should be a reward mission.

Lu Zhou selected the icon of the mission panel. He looked at the mission interface in front of him as he reached out his index finger and touched the virtual button lightly.

Soon after, a circle of blue light rippled, spreading along the position of his index finger.

And a brand new mission panel soon appeared in front of his eyes.

[Reward mission activated!]

[Requirements: Publish a “significant” academic paper.]

[Reward: Experience points and general points based on the influence and impact of the paper.]

Publish any paper?

Paper influence?

When Lu Zhou saw this mission, he was taken aback for a moment. Then a smile appeared on his face.

This mission fits me like a glove!

It wasn’t clear to him whether the implicit density functional method was considered “significant” research, but its impact on theoretical computational materials was groundbreaking. It was no exaggeration to say that the carbon composite brought computational materials science to a whole new level.

Seems like I can hit two birds with one stone this time…

…

The next day.

Lu Zhou asked someone to send a copy of the sample to his home. He then shut himself in the study room and began to compile the implicit density functional method he completed yesterday into a paper.

Just after he edited the paper and uploaded the preprint on the arXiv website, his doorbell began to ring.

A text bubble popped up in the lower right corner of the computer.

Xiao Ai: [Master, there are guests outside. (✿゚▽゚)]

Lu Zhou knew who came to visit him. He sighed and stood up.

“I know, open the door for him… Bring two cups of tea to the coffee table in the living room.”

Xiao Ai: [Okay, Master! (๑•̀ᄇ•́)و✧]

The drone flew out of the kitchen. The electronic lock of the front gate opened.

The two cups of tea were placed on the coffee table. Lu Zhou, who had changed his clothes, walked down the stairs. He saw Director Li, who was already sitting on the sofa in the living room.

“Academician Lu, haha, hello.”

“… Hello there.”

I knew it.

Because of the “haha” and his smile, Lu Zhou already knew why Director Li was visiting. However, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he sat casually on the sofa across from him.

“Go on, what is it this time?”

Director Li smiled embarrassedly and spoke.

“What is that supposed to mean, I can’t come to see how you’re doing?”

Lu Zhou: “…”

Seeing Lu Zhou’s speechless expression, Director Li immediately knew that Lu Zhou saw through his intentions. He concealed his embarrassment with a dry cough and continued, “Um… You’re right. I do have something I hope you can help with.”

Lu Zhou asked, “What?”

“In fact, it’s not to help me, this also has something to do with you.” Director Li patted his thigh, sighed, and said, “I showed your blueprint to Academician Yuan, right? The old man said nothing and didn’t believe that you could build the Lagrange Space Base! It took me a long time to convince him, and he finally agreed to sign the papers. You have no idea how much convincing I did…”

Lu Zhou looked at this guy with a headache. He quickly interrupted and said, “Just tell me what you want… Stop beating around the bush.”

Director Li smiled embarrassedly and said, “I’m just trying to tell you the situation clearly. I’m not beating around… beating around what again?”

Lu Zhou: “… The bush.”

Director Li: “Oh yeah yeah, you always say I do that, but when do I ever do that?”

Lu Zhou: “…?”

“Anyway, here’s the thing!” Director Li said, “I made a bet with old man Yuan. He can point at any component on the blueprint. As long as you can produce the materials needed for the component, he will believe in your plan!”

Lu Zhou asked curiously, “What if he doesn’t believe in it?”

“Um…”

Director Li didn’t know what to say.

What if he doesn’t?

I guess…

Then there’s nothing I can do.

The Lagrange Space Base and the Mars Scientific Research Station documents had all been signed by Chang’an Avenue already.

Even if he’s not convinced…

The state will still make the two aerospace corporations work together for the deployment of the national projects.

Besides, this whole story is fake…

After a moment of silence, Director Li coughed and said, “We still need his help. If you have the ability to convince him, it is better to convince him. Then the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation will cooperate with us. Of course, if you really don’t have that ability, it doesn’t matter.”

“You don’t need to worry.” Lu Zhou glanced at the old man sitting on the opposite side of the sofa and said with a smile, “Just tell me what is the component he is referring to.”

“This is easy. I brought the technical standards of the material. Take a look at it first.” Director Li took out the A4 paper that was folded into a small square from his pocket and handed it to Lu Zhou.

Lu Zhou unfolded the paper as Director Li reached out his hand and took a sip of tea from the teacup.

When he was making up that story about Academician Yuan, his throat was dry from all the talking.

In fact, Academician Yuan wasn’t against this at all. He made up the whole story.

He felt bad about lying, but when he thought of what Academician Yuan said about how important the material was, he decided it was a white lie.

After all, everything was for the greater good.

If his lie was discovered, he could just apologize.

While Director Li was thinking, Lu Zhou had already finished reading the piece of paper in his hand. He folded it up again and threw it on the coffee table.

“What do you think?” Director Li immediately sat upright and looked at him eagerly. He asked, “Will it work?”

“Should be fine.”

“Really?”

Seeing that Lu Zhou agreed so easily, Director Li was stunned. He couldn’t help but wonder if Lu Zhou was messing with him.

“Of course.” Lu Zhou smiled at Director Li and said, “Sit here and wait for a while. I’ll go upstairs to grab something.”

He stood up from the sofa, turned around, and walked toward the stairs.

Without waiting for long, Lu Zhou quickly returned to the living room with a sealed plastic bag containing a pile of black powdery substance.

Director Li was about to ask what the thing in his hand was when Lu Zhou threw the plastic bag on the coffee table and sat on the sofa.

“This is what you want, take it.”

What the hell?

Director Li stared at the sealed plastic bag with the mysterious black powder. Confused, he looked at Lu Zhou and asked, “What’s this…?”

“Super Fiber 1, the abbreviation is SF-1… Or whatever you want to call it,” Lu Zhou said with a smile. Seeing that Director Li was dumbfounded, Lu Zhou added, “Basically, this is the thing you want.”

Director Li was taken aback for a second; even the air in the room froze for a few seconds.

He finally realized what Lu Zhou was saying…

Director Li, who was still staring at the plastic bag containing the black powder, was flabbergasted!