Chapter 24: What Exactly Happened That Day?

On the private jet, Sun Yongguo spoke with earnest gravity.

"Dingping, the feeling of the real 956E is completely different from what a model provides! That kind of shock is something pictures simply cannot convey!"

"All your research is based on accessible data. If you see the actual 956E vessel, perhaps you will have some new ideas."

Su Dingping had never encountered a real 956E; he had relied solely on his talent to conquer most of its core technologies by reverse-engineering parameters.

If he were to encounter an actual warship, would it provide new inspiration?

He was looking forward to this immensely.

In truth, this was also a matter of necessity.

If it were any other talented young person, their existing knowledge base would be sufficient to keep them by his side for guidance. But Su Dingping was different; for most of these past few days, it had been Su Dingping teaching them.

He constantly reminded himself: it didn't matter whether he could catch up to Su Dingping's footsteps, but a talent like Su Dingping must never be constrained by the Navy's predicament.

The Navy could do without one Sun Yongguo, but it absolutely could not do without a Su Dingping.

A warship is the best teacher.

Su Dingping naturally understood Sun Yongguo's kind intentions and replied immediately.

"Dean Sun, I was thinking the same thing, which is why I wanted to come and see."

"Soon. We will arrive in a little over two hours."

...

After seeing off Sun Yongguo and the others, Professor Li strode back into the classroom.

Since Su Dingping was absent today, he was acting as the substitute teacher.

"Everyone, Comrade Dingping is not here today, so I will be taking over the class temporarily!"

"If you have any questions that I can answer, I certainly will! If I cannot, you will have to wait until Comrade Dingping returns this evening or tomorrow!"

"Alright, let's begin the lesson!"

Not long after class started, there was a sudden knock at the door.

"Vice Dean, Dean Ly has arrived."

Ly Guangjun?

What was he doing here?

Had something happened recently?

During this period, they had been entirely devoted to their research, having no interest in monitoring external developments.

Professor Li waved his hand and said, "Tell him that the 335 Research Institute is unavailable to receive him today."

A moment later, the person returned.

"Vice Dean, you should go and see him! If you don't go now, Dean Ly is going to barge in."

"Does this Ly Guangjun really think the 335 Research Institute is his own home?"

As he spoke, Professor Li walked out.

Outside the 335 Research Institute, Ly Guangjun was trembling with rage.

As the Dean of the 408 Research Institute, he was of the same rank as Sun Yongguo, yet today he was being blocked outside the gates, not even allowed to enter.

Wan Long, who was blocking the way, was also having a headache.

A few days ago, after investigating Su Dingping's background, Xu Dongguo had personally ordered Wan Long to be stationed at the 335 Research Institute. Without transit documents, no one was to be allowed through.

Although some sightless individuals had tried to enter over the past few days, they had all been intercepted and taken away by his men.

But this time was different. Ly Guangjun was a Senior Colonel and the Dean of the 408 Research Institute.

He was a treasure of the Navy; if he were accidentally harmed, who could bear the responsibility?

"Major Wan, are you determined to block me?" Ly Guangjun demanded.

"Dean Ly, the Chief said that no one can enter without transit documents. I am merely following the rules."

"I have important matters to discuss with Sun Yongguo! If this causes a delay, can you take responsibility?"

Facing Ly Guangjun's verbal threats, Wan Long remained steadfastly in front of him.

"I am sorry, Dean Ly, but these are the regulations."

"Either you call the Chief right now—and if the Chief nods, I will let you through immediately—or you have Dean Sun call me personally. Otherwise, I cannot make this decision."

Ly Guangjun was fuming.

He had originally come to settle scores with Sun Yongguo, only to be blocked at the door. If Cheng Yiqiang found out he had come to demand accountability only to be unable to even enter, it would be an enormous loss of face.

"Stop trying to intimidate me with the Chief! Tell Sun Yongguo that if he doesn't come out today, I'm not leaving!"

As the two men reached an impasse, Professor Li's voice drifted from a distance.

"Dean Ly, what wind blew you here?"

"Li Mingrui, where is Sun Yongguo?"

"I'm sorry, Dean Ly, Dean Sun just left today. I don't know when he will return," Li Mingrui said truthfully.

Ly Guangjun let out a cold laugh.

He certainly didn't believe such words.

"What, is he too guilty to face me?"

Seeing that Ly Guangjun was about to force his way in, Wan Long glanced at Li Mingrui, who gave him a nod.

Immediately, Wan Long stepped back, clearing the path.

Li Mingrui cautioned, "Dean Ly, Chief Xu has specially designated the 335 Research Institute as a top-secret Navy facility! Once you step through this door, leaving won't be so easy."

With a cold snort, Ly Guangjun took the warning entirely to heart.

Upon entering the institute, he finally pulled out a set of documents and handed them over.

"The results for the 051B are out, and the gap is much larger than expected! Do you realize now how significant two additional 956Es are to our Navy!"

Looking at the data in the documents, Li Mingrui was not surprised.

The improvement results of the 051B were within his expectations.

Through his deep research over these past days, he had felt acutely the gap between their warships and modernized vessels.

To upgrade and transform the 051B, one could not succeed without sufficient technical foundation.

Their sleepless, obsessive research over these days was precisely to break through that threshold as soon as possible.

Only after Li Mingrui finished reading did Ly Guangjun speak.

"Speak. What exactly happened at Harbin Institute of Technology that day? Why did Chief Xu's attitude change so suddenly afterward?"

Li Mingrui returned the documents to Ly Guangjun, his expression calm.

"I'm sorry, Dean Ly, but I know nothing about it."

"You—forget it. Tell Sun Yongguo to come out; I want to talk to him."

Li Mingrui suddenly said meaningfully.

"Dean Ly, when that day truly comes, will two extra 956Es really be able to change the situation?"

Ly Guangjun's voice suddenly faltered, his momentum weakening significantly.

He knew, of course, that two extra 956Es wouldn't have a massive impact on the actual theater of war, but it was still an extra layer of confidence, wasn't it?

Finding no answers internally, he could only seek help externally.

"What we need is not two extra 956Es, but to truly step into modernization! As long as our technology is controlled by others, our Navy will never be able to stand tall!"

Hearing this, Ly Guangjun instinctively sensed something was wrong.

He strongly suspected that something must have happened at Harbin Institute of Technology that day.

But he could not for the life of him figure out what the problem was. He did not consider the possibility that the core technology of the 956E had been conquered, because that seemed too incredible.

"I know all too well that the days of being technologically dependent are difficult, but can't we build them now? We have to find a way to endure the difficult period first, don't we?"

After wandering through the laboratory and the Dean's office, Ly Guangjun still could not find Sun Yongguo.

Now he was bewildered.

Sun Yongguo really wasn't there!

Meanwhile, Sun Yongguo and the others arrived at the Northern Sea Area Military Base.

"Gentlemen, the documents are in order. This way, please. The 956E is at that pier over there."

A moment later, the group approached the 956E.

Looking at this behemoth, Sun Yongguo instinctively glanced at Su Dingping.

He thought Su Dingping would be shocked upon seeing the actual 956E vessel; after all, he and the group of military industry experts had been stunned for a long time when they first saw it. To his surprise, Su Dingping's expression remained normal.

"Dean Sun, let's go up and take a look."

"Let's go!"

The group stepped onto the gangway and boarded the 956E.

After they had toured the vessel, Sun Yongguo suddenly noticed that Su Dingping's expression looked slightly off.

"Dingping, what's wrong?"

"Dean Sun, there is something wrong with this 956E!"