Chapter 27: I Just Want an Explanation, Why Are You Moving?

After pondering for a long while, Xu Dongguo asked,

"How much confidence does Comrade Dingping have?"

"Chief, no one has one hundred percent certainty," Sun Yongguo did not answer directly. "If we dismantle it, we might fail. But if we don't dismantle it, we certainly won't succeed."

To gamble, or not to gamble?

Xu Dongguo took a deep breath.

Finally, he said in a heavy voice,

"Try it! If we fail, we'll just try again!"

"Yes, Chief."

Since the decision had been made, Xu Dongguo did not hesitate and quickly wrote an official directive.

"Tell Comrade Dingping to go ahead and try with full confidence! If it succeeds, the credit is his. If it fails, the responsibility is mine."

A look of joy appeared on Sun Yongguo's face as he took the directive and hurried away with Zhou Qinglei.

Watching their retreating backs, Xu Dongguo rubbed his temples.

His only hope now was that Chief Qian would request the goods slowly.

Otherwise, he truly wouldn't be able to account for it; he couldn't exactly deliver a warship that had been half-dismantled, could he? Chief Qian's blood pressure would skyrocket.

In less than an hour and a half, Sun Yongguo returned with Zhou Qinglei.

"Director, Captain Zhou, how is the situation?" Zhang Gongnong asked hurriedly as soon as he saw the two of them.

Sun Yongguo's face beamed with a smile: "The Chief approved it! The Chief said, go for it!"

Hearing this, Zhang Gongnong slapped his thigh in excitement.

"For such a major matter, Chief Xu made the decision single-handedly. That's real guts!"

"It's also because Dingping has a lot of influence. If it were you or me, the Chief probably wouldn't even bother listening to our nonsense."

With the Chief's directive, everything became easy to handle.

Su Dingping immediately said,

"Director Sun, have Professor Li and the others come over immediately! Bring all their equipment. Also, I need a batch of equipment; have people prepare it over the next few days. We will start working right here!"

"Aren't we going to the shipyard?" Sun Yongguo asked in surprise.

"No. There are too many eyes and ears there; it's easy for things to go wrong."

Sun Yongguo realized.

Compared to a military base, the level of secrecy at a shipyard was naturally much lower.

If the commotion became too large, it would be difficult to ensure that news wouldn't spread.

"Alright, I'll handle this." Sun Yongguo nodded and ran aside to contact Li Mingrui.

"Professor Zhang, I'll write a purchase order for you. Follow this list to..."

Before Su Dingping could finish, Zhou Qinglei interrupted, "Comrade Dingping, let me handle this kind of thing. I'm familiar with the base; it'll be easier to get things done."

"Fine!"

Soon, Su Dingping wrote several purchase orders and handed them over.

Large machine tools, cranes, and cutting equipment were all on the list.

The moment he saw the purchase orders, Zhou Qinglei's eyelid twitched violently.

This wasn't just dismantling; this was practically setting up a small shipyard right here.

"Give me one day, and I guarantee the mission will be completed!"

With that, Zhou Qinglei hurried away.

***

On the other side, at the 335 Research Institute.

Seeing that Lyu Guangjun looked as if he truly intended to move in, Li Mingrui also felt a massive headache.

Staying for three to five days or even half a month was fine.

But if the 408 Research Institute collectively stormed the Chief to complain that their director was being held captive in the 335 Research Institute and couldn't return, that would be a huge problem.

"Director Lyu, why don't you head back to your work first? There must be many things pending at the 408 Research Institute, and you can't just leave, right? How about this: as soon as Director Sun returns, I'll contact you immediately?"

Lyu Guangjun sipped his tea leisurely. "Either let your Director Sun come back and explain things clearly to me, or I'm not leaving!"

"In any case, the 956E breakthrough plan is currently suspended and the 051B modification failed. I have plenty of time to haggle with Sun Yongguo."

Seeing that Lyu Guangjun was unyielding, Li Mingrui sighed helplessly.

Just then, an assistant ran in and said, "Professor Li, a call from the Director."

Li Mingrui hurriedly took the phone from the assistant.

Upon hearing it was Sun Yongguo, Lyu Guangjun also hurried over.

"Director, it's me."

"Professor Li, pack your things immediately and bring the remaining 15 people! From now on, our teaching location will be the Northern Sea Area Military Base!"

"Huh? You're really not coming back?"

"We'll talk details when you get here! I'm giving you the afternoon; I must see everyone by tonight!"

"Yes! Director!"

After hanging up, Li Mingrui shrugged at Lyu Guangjun.

"Director Lyu, you heard him. Our Director isn't coming back. If you want to keep staying here, go ahead; I'm leaving in a moment anyway."

With that, he hurried off to gather the personnel.

Seeing the entire research institute bustling into action while he was left completely ignored, Lyu Guangjun was momentarily stunned.

What was going on?

He had only come to demand an explanation from Sun Yongguo, but how could the man abandon the entire institute and just move house?

At this moment, he felt like a scavenger in a melon field—he could sense that many things were happening around him, yet he couldn't get a single bite, leaving him feeling restless and confused.

A moment later, he saw Wan Long leading a team, loading crates sealed with tape onto a transport truck.

There were several tons of design drawings, enough to fill an entire truck.

Immediately after, he saw many wooden components being carefully loaded onto the truck.

"Good heavens, they really are moving!"

Seeing that Professor Li was serious, Lyu Guangjun was completely defeated.

"Professor Li Mingrui, stop moving, I'm leaving! I won't wait for Old Sun anymore!"

"Tell Old Sun that he won, and this matter is settled."

Lyu Guangjun lost his temper; the other party was actually serious.

Was what happened at Harbin Institute of Technology really that important? Was it so important that he would rather move the entire institute than explain a few words to him?

"Director Lyu, excuse me." Li Mingrui walked out carrying a box.

"I'm serious, I'm leaving."

Lyu Guangjun had only taken two steps when he suddenly noticed something unusual.

"This model... why does it look so much like an AK-630M close-in weapon system? Huh? Isn't this a DTA torpedo launch tube?"

He recognized these models; they were the relevant equipment for the 956E.

He rushed to the transport truck and peered inside.

He shouldn't have looked, for what he saw startled him.

"MR-750 anti-aircraft search radar model, A/B IFF system model, 'Warship Bird-MA' air situation awareness radar model..."

Lyu Guangjun was completely bewildered, his mind filled with confusion.

Where did these models come from?

Wasn't the 956E not allowed to be dismantled? How did they overcome the internal structural complexities to make these models?

If they were just hollow shells, he didn't believe Professor Li would be so careful to bring them along.

He rushed to Li Mingrui again, blocking his path.

"Li Mingrui, what's in there..."

"Director Lyu, haven't you seen it all?"

"I'm asking you where it came from!"

"Sorry, it's classified!"

Li Mingrui bypassed Lyu Guangjun, placed the items on the truck, and went back in to fetch more.

Taking quick strides, Lyu Guangjun rushed to the first transport truck. Looking at the truck full of sealed cardboard boxes, he had a premonition that there must be a major secret inside.

Returning to the second truck, he carefully examined the models, and the more he looked, the more alarmed he became.

When Li Mingrui emerged again, he saw Lyu Guangjun walking toward him with a beaming smile.

"Professor Li, come, let me help you move!"