Chapter 50: This Young Comrade Is a True Genius!

No wonder Xu Dongguo decided to break the rules and grant this young comrade the rank of captain, while also applying for a First-Class Merit Medal on his behalf.

So, he was the mastermind behind this major scientific and technological breakthrough.

The successful secondary upgrade of the 051B and the triumphant breakthrough of the 956E were both intimately connected to this man.

After learning the full story, Liu Huaming was in a fantastic mood.

He felt that Xu Dongguo's arbitrary decision to dismantle the 956E single-handedly was entirely justified.

If the disassembly of the 956E had been subjected to a formal meeting beforehand, it would have been hard to tell whether a consensus could ever be reached. Even if it had been agreed upon, a comprehensive risk assessment report would have been mandatory. Back and forth, several months would have been wasted.

Previously, he had criticized Xu Dongguo for not granting sufficient authority and room for talent to truly showcase their brilliance. Now, it seemed that when it came to treating talented individuals, Xu Dongguo possessed extraordinary boldness and decisiveness.

Having endured hardships for so many years and weathered countless grievances, the navy had finally welcomed a genius figure. Liu Huaming was overjoyed from the bottom of his heart.

From now on, when attending high-level military meetings of the three armed forces, he could finally straighten his back and wear a smile, instead of always casting envious glances at the progress of the army and the air force.

Xiao Chongjun sat quietly, meticulously tracing the entire sequence of events in his mind.

Even after piecing every single detail together into a clear line, he still found it unbelievable.

If even a single detail along the way had gone wrong, Xu Dongguo could never be sitting here so calmly and composedly today.

"Hold on, let me process this."

Qian Wenbing's mind was somewhat chaotic at the moment; the news he had heard today was far too shocking for him to react right away.

He clearly remembered coming here to accuse Xu Dongguo of acting shamelessly, intent on taking the 956E back. Now, he felt that reclaiming the 956E no longer mattered. By comparison, this Su Dingping was infinitely more important.

If he could manage to poach him over to his own base...

Just the thought of it made Qian Wenbing excited.

A genius—who wouldn't love one?

"These are Su Dingping's files."

With that, Xu Dongguo handed over Su Dingping's personal records and the results of the investigation.

Liu Huaming took the documents and began flipping through them, while Qian Wenbing and Xiao Chongjun, casting aside personal decorum, eagerly leaned in to read along.

"Hmm?"

As he turned the pages, Liu Huaming furrowed his brows slightly.

After a long moment, his brows relaxed, and a faint smile bloomed on his face.

"Building the Chinese Dream! Well said!"

After finishing the documents, Qian Wenbing and Xiao Chongjun were overcome with deep emotion.

"What a fine lad! That line, 'I am going to turn what should be into what definitely will be,' sounds so inspiring!"

"Indeed! Old Qian, listen to this one."

Xiao Chongjun pointed to a sentence on the page and read aloud.

"'Every generation has its own Long March, every generation has its own mission. When the baton of the era is passed to our hands, we become the sparks that ignite the construction of China!' "

"Look at this breadth of vision and ideological awareness—how many people could ever hope to match this?"

"He is the treasure of our navy!"

Though they had not yet laid eyes on Su Dingping in person, both men already held a profound, heartfelt admiration for him.

Over the many years, they had encountered no small number of talented individuals.

Yet, Su Dingping was the absolute first to possess such grand vision and acute awareness!

"Comrade Dongguo, this young comrade is a rare talent of extraordinary caliber!"

Liu Huaming instructed solemnly.

"For a talent of this magnitude, we must grant him sufficient respect and authority, and give him a completely free hand! Even if he punctures the sky, our navy will back him up!"

"Yes, Chief!"

Meanwhile, in Qingdao, at the Northern Naval Theater Military Base.

Su Dingping was hard at work in the forging space of the Military Industry Illustration Codex, intensifying his research into the core technologies of the 052D, when a sudden knock on the door interrupted his train of thought.

"Dingping, the 956E has been successfully reassembled and is ready for testing at any time!"

Opening the door, Su Dingping strode out quickly.

Arriving at the port, the 956E rested quietly upon the sea.

Its external appearance remained unchanged, but the internal structure of its core components had undergone massive transformations.

Before the 956E, Zhang Gongnong and the others stood with expressions of intense excitement. Nearby, all 296 naval officers and enlisted personnel, led by Zhou Qinglei, stood equally thrilled and proud.

They had been responsible for the teardown, and now they were responsible for the reassembly. Having participated from start to finish in such a monumental project, they shared deeply in the glory as naval servicemen.

With Su Dingping's arrival, every gaze converged upon him.

"Comrade Dingping, everything has been verified and checked without any issues. We're just waiting for you to join us for the sea trials!" Li Ming瑞 said, handing over the data records.

Su Dingping flipped through the recorded data. It matched his expectations entirely, with zero discrepancies.

During this assembly, Sun Yongguo and the others had handled everything entirely on their own, without asking a single question throughout the process.

Clearly, Su Dingping's remark from two days prior—*'This is an assessment for all of you! If you can't even clear this hurdle... you're just wasting time'*—had delivered a powerful shock to everyone.

They were all eager to prove themselves and earn a spot in the second phase of the curriculum.

Sun Yongguo reported, "Lü Guangjun's side has successfully completed the secondary upgrade of the 051B. The upgraded 051B has crossed the threshold into modernization, and he asked me to convey the gratitude of all researchers at the 408 Research Institute to you!"

"That is the reward for their own sweat and labor; I cannot claim credit for that," Su Dingping replied with easy-going nonchalance.

"Say a few words to everyone."

Eh?

Su Dingping was momentarily stunned.

You want me to give a speech again?

I'm not good at this.

Sun Yongguo encouraged him from the side, "You were the primary director for this technical breakthrough, and now everyone has delivered results. They are all waiting for your affirmation."

That sounded reasonable, but Su Dingping was no fool.

Connecting it to the previous instance, he finally understood that the man was grooming him.

An exceptional chief engineer needed not only ironclad technical expertise, but also the ability to boost the morale of his comrades when facing difficulties, and to offer adequate recognition to his team after completing major breakthrough projects.

Only a team led by such a person could constantly ride the wind, break the waves, and remain invincible.

Su Dingping stood there, meeting those blazing gazes head-on.

Whether they were fiery-blooded naval soldiers or professors well past fifty, everyone waited in quiet anticipation.

Sweeping his gaze across the crowd, Su Dingping finally spoke.

"Comrades, I said it before: others told us it couldn't be done, but I refused to accept their verdict. Today, with your own practical actions, you have proven to me that the Chinese people are no inferior to Westerners!"

"We have fired the opening shot of our counterattack against Western technological blockades. Today, as success is achieved, the greatest credit belongs to you all!"

"Comrades, job well done!"

Encouraged by Su Dingping's affirmation, everyone present was overwhelmed with excitement.

Su Dingping pointed back at the 956E behind them and continued.

"The 956E, which once filled us with awe, is nothing much after all!"

"In the near future, I will continue to lead you all in breaking through one new technology after another. Until one day..."

"We surpass the West!"

Someone started the applause, and instantly, thunderous clapping erupted across the crowd.

It took quite a while for the applause to finally subside.

Su Dingping gave a grand wave of his hand.

"Comrades, it's almost time. It's time to witness the fruits of our labor! All hands, board the ship!"