Chapter 31: Firing the First Shot in the Counterattack Against Western Technological Blockades!

"Knock, knock."

A knock at the door interrupted the lecture inside the main control room. Everyone looked toward the door, only to see Zhou Qinglei standing there, straight as an arrow.

"Comrade Su Dingping, all equipment and materials are ready."

"Good."

Su Dingping nodded, then turned his gaze toward the 21 professors present.

"Everyone, I have formulated a detailed plan for the upcoming cutting of the 956E. Everyone has a specific role! You will lead the operation, and the Navy sailors will be responsible for assisting! We will strive to separate the core components of the 956E as quickly and efficiently as possible!"

"The cutting process is also a process of familiarizing ourselves with the intricate details of the 956E's core components!"

"Yes!" Sun Yongguo and the others responded in unison.

They had been looking forward to tearing apart the 956E for seven months, eager to see exactly what the Russian 'Sovremenny-class' was like!

A model is just a model after all; it can never be as convincing as the real thing.

With Su Dingping's arrival, this wish was finally being put into action.

Cutting the 956E?

Lü Guangjun froze on the spot.

*How come I didn't know about this? Is the 956E even cuttable? If it were, I would have brought men to tear it apart seven months ago.*

Including the two vice-presidents he had brought along, everyone looked utterly bewildered.

Hadn't there been a strict prohibition against "laying hands" on the 956E? When did they change their minds?

"Old Sun, what's the situation? Isn't the 956E..." Lü Guangjun nudged Sun Yongguo and whispered.

The two vice-presidents also leaned in.

"You mean this," Sun Yongguo said. "Chief Xu approved it just yesterday."

"Yesterday? That was right when I first arrived! What about the other chiefs?"

"What other chiefs?"

"Uh..."

The words Lü Guangjun had on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back down.

So it was approved privately without a unanimous vote. If something went wrong...

*Ahem.*

Clearing his throat twice, Lü Guangjun changed his tone. "Chief Xu really trusts Comrade Su Dingping."

"It's trust!" Sun Yongguo seemed to realize something, his face filled with emotion. "You only arrived last night; you won't understand. You'll know in the future."

The three men looked at each other, shaken.

Lü Guangjun nodded, half-understanding, and his gaze fell once more upon Su Dingping.

He had never experienced this feeling of being one hundred percent trusted by a superior.

For a moment, the looks directed at Su Dingping became complex—filled with admiration, envy, and various other emotions.

"I have detailed the specific divisions of labor and cutting steps, all tailored to your respective areas of expertise," Su Dingping said, taking out a thick stack of documents. "Next, I will call your names. Please come forward to collect your procedural diagrams."

"Professor Li Mingrui."

"Coming."

"Professor Zhang Minhai."

"Coming."

...

"Dean Lü."

"Coming."

Lü Guangjun took a stack of diagrams from Su Dingping and returned to his seat, flipping through them intently.

As he read, his expression suddenly changed.

The cutting steps were so detailed, it was as if Su Dingping himself had been personally responsible for assembling many 956Es.

He looked at the other two vice-presidents and saw the same shock on their faces.

Deducing the structure of the 956E and manufacturing a model was already incredible, but these refined cutting steps left them even more stunned.

Now, the three of them somewhat understood what Sun Yongguo meant by "you'll know in the future."

"All tasks have been assigned. You have ten minutes to familiarize yourselves with them!"

At Su Dingping's command, everyone began flipping through the diagrams rapidly.

Many of the professors present had been responsible for or involved in the construction of Navy warships; they knew exactly how much these diagrams were worth. They began studying them as if they were precious treasures.

Ten minutes later, Su Dingping led the 21 people down the gangway.

Opposite the 956E, Zhou Qinglei was waiting there with the entire contingent of Navy sailors. Behind these sailors stood a massive array of machine tools, cutting machines, cranes, and other equipment.

There were also the materials Su Dingping required, piled up behind them like a small mountain.

As the group watched Su Dingping and the others descend, Zhou Qinglei suddenly shouted loudly.

"Attention—!"

Before him, the 295 Navy officers and sailors on the 956E snapped to attention.

"Count off—!"

"Reporting to the Captain, 295 personnel expected on the 956E! 295 present! Awaiting instructions, Captain!"

"Everyone," Zhou Qinglei shouted, "these professors are the pillars of our Navy. Regarding the leader, Comrade Su Dingping, you have all gotten to know him somewhat through your contact over the past two days."

"They are undertaking a major task that concerns the future of our Navy. In the coming period, I will be working alongside you to fully support their actions! I have only one requirement: follow all orders! There must be absolutely no mistakes!"

"Mission guaranteed!"

The 295 men shouted in unison.

Immediately, Zhou Qinglei walked briskly toward Su Dingping and the others.

"Professors, everything is ready. Comrade Su Dingping, we'll need you to give the brothers a pep talk."

What?

Su Dingping was stunned.

In such a public setting, he was being asked to go up and give a pep talk?

*If you ask me to lecture, I'm in! But to give a pep talk? I'm really not the right person for this.*

He shook his head hurriedly. "How would I know how to do that? I can't. Dean Sun, you..."

"Comrade Dingping, you are the person in charge of this operation. Before every major project in our Navy begins, the person in charge must lead everyone in an oath! That is how I did it as well," Sun Yongguo explained quickly.

"If even you cannot show twelve parts of confidence, then we, including the Navy officers and sailors before you, will be very uneasy," Lü Guangjun also urged.

Zhang Gongnong added supportively, "Dingping, I believe in you!"

"Comrade Dingping, we all believe in you!"

The professors joined in the persuasion.

Looking at their sincere gazes, Su Dingping said, "Fine, I'll try."

Taking a deep breath, Su Dingping walked in front of the Navy personnel.

Sun Yongguo and the others stood behind him, looking nervous.

To have a nineteen-year-old youth lead a collective oath in such an important setting was a very bold attempt.

"Everyone, I don't know what the previous protocol was, and I don't care to know. This 956E before us was purchased at a great cost."

Su Dingping pointed to the 956E behind him.

"The Russians have tampered with this ship; there are even backdoors that haven't been discovered yet! Once our interests diverge, they can remotely sever our command over the 956E at any time! I want to ask you all one thing: can you stomach this damn indignity?"

"No!" the crowd roared in unison.

"I can't stomach it either! That is why we are going to perform a meticulous disassembly of the 956E, to pull out every trick and every backdoor!"

Su Dingping shouted.

"Many people say we aren't capable, but I refuse to believe that! Today, right here, we will use our own hands to fire the first shot in our counterattack against the Western technological blockade!"

"In the near future, we will surely step over the corpse of this 956E to build even more advanced, modern warships of our own Navy! Of this, I have absolute confidence!"

Su Dingping's voice suddenly rose several decibels.

"Fire the first shot in the counterattack against the Western technological blockade!"

"Fire the shot..."

For a moment, the crowd responded loudly.

The sound was thunderous, echoing through the air and lingering for a long time.

Zhou Qinglei bellowed.

"All personnel of the 956E, all present—Salute!"

The 296 people snapped a salute toward Su Dingping and his group in perfect unison.

At this moment, every eye was fixed upon Su Dingping.