Chapter 6: Junior Brother, I Can No Longer Hold On!
Standing still, Huang Wei was stunned. At least give a score of 61—sounds better when you say it out loud. But 60 points? No matter how you look at it, there’s clearly some “emotional points” involved. Seeing Huang Wei frozen on the spot for so long, Zhao Haikuo and the others felt a heavy weight in their hearts. Now they understood more deeply why Wang Xin had specifically sent Guo Xueyun on this trip. The three examiners were truly strict. If you fell short by even a little, it meant failure!
“That Professor Li, he smiles on the surface, but when it comes to scoring, he’s absolutely uncompromising,” Zhao Haikuo whispered to Su Dingping. Su Dingping nodded. To become a deputy director of the research institute was no small feat—this man was definitely not ordinary.
Huang Wei returned in a daze, sat down, and looked half his soul was lost. At that moment, Professor Huang said, “I don’t think we need to call names anymore; you can go on yourselves.” It was clear he no longer had expectations for this group. The sooner the evaluation ended, the better—there were plenty of tasks waiting for him at the National Defense Armaments Office.
Colonel Zhang and Professor Li both nodded in agreement. The counselor walked over quietly and asked, “Who’s next? Send someone with a higher level.” The gazes immediately fell on Zhao Haikuo and Su Dingping. Before either could speak, the counselor said, “You it is.” Seeing Zhao Haikuo looked more mature, he assumed his level would be higher than that young student’s.
“Senior Brother Zhao, good luck!” Su Dingping said. “Thanks!” Zhao Haikuo nodded seriously and then carried a box as he strode forward. Seeing the box filled with design drawings, the three professors exchanged a glance, their brows slightly raised—they sensed this might bring an unexpected reward.
“Esteemed examiners, the warship I designed is an improved model of the ‘Lvda-class.’ With the power system unchanged, the displacement has increased to between 4,200 and 5,100 tons. It uses a point-defense air perception radar combined with... a missile launch system, changing from the original external missile launcher to a vertical launch system.”
“These are my design drawings.”
Just hearing this, the three immediately grew interested.
“Quick, let us see them,” Professor Li urged.
Zhao Haikuo pulled out the drawings from the box and handed them out one by one.
“Because the boiler’s power is limited, the ‘Lvda-class’ speed drops to 20–23 knots!”
“This section is the radar’s design drawings...”
“This section is...”
The three professors carefully examined the drawings before them, nodding and shaking their heads from time to time, making Zhao Haikuo’s heart pound.
The counselor nearby saw this and breathed a slight sigh of relief. This time, it definitely wouldn’t be just 60 points.
If it were all just 60, he’d never face Professor Zhang again. Huang Wei and the others below also exhaled in relief.
“Haikuo should get a good score this time!” Huang Wei said.
The others nodded in agreement.
After a while of examination and discussion, Colonel Zhang finally spoke.
“You’ve considered the speed drop caused by increased displacement, and I see your calculations here...”
“As for the radar improvements, I’d say it’s just so-so. At least you didn’t overreach by jumping straight to a regional air defense system...”
“As for the vertical launch system, the idea is good, but I don’t see much feasibility here! You know, the vertical launch system is a tough challenge everyone is tackling! It’s more than just a core technology for modern warships—it’s beyond the scope! If you change this to an inclined launcher, I think that would be more appropriate.”
After a pause, Colonel Zhang summarized, “So-so, 74 points.”
Regarding this score, Professors Huang and Li had no objections.
Zhao Haikuo’s facial muscles twitched. Seventy-four points—quite a gap from what he expected. He had thought he could scrape into the 80s.
The counselor was not surprised by the score, but Huang Wei and the others’ expressions visibly shifted, their minds flooded with countless thoughts.
“Bringing more design drawings really helps with scoring?”
“If Haikuo’s score is like this, what about us?”
“Can the junior disciple shoulder the burden?”
Their minds were in chaos, completely unaware that Su Dingping had already left.
“Next,” Professor Huang said.
A somewhat disappointed Zhao Haikuo returned to his seat, urging, “Quick, quick, get the junior disciple up! If the junior disciple can’t make it, then our whole group is done for. Wait, where is the junior disciple?”
“The junior disciple? He was just here,” Huang Wei looked around, stunned. “Huh? Where did he go? Did you see?”
“No idea, he was just here a moment ago.”
“Did the junior disciple get scared off?”
“Impossible! He probably went to the restroom,” Zhao Haikuo shook his head repeatedly.
While they were discussing, Professor Li on the podium suddenly laughed and said to the other two, “Old Zhang was bragging a while ago about recruiting a very talented protégé! He’s so outstanding that many third-year graduate students can’t keep up. His name’s Su something... can’t quite recall.”
“Professor Zhang’s pride and joy? We should see him!” Professor Huang said.
Colonel Zhang agreed, “I concur!”
Professor Li looked at the group, “Is there a student named Su? That must be him.”
Zhao Haikuo and the others’ hearts sank.
They were done for—the examiners wanted to see the junior disciple, but now no one knew where he was!
“No one? Maybe I’m mistaken? Not named Su?” Professor Li hesitated.
Zhao Haikuo quickly replied, “Professor Li, he’s here, but he’s not present now. Seems he’s unwell and went to the restroom.”
Professor Li understood.
If he’s unwell, then we’ll wait for him.
“Let’s call the roll,” Professor Huang took out the roster and glanced over it. His eyes immediately locked onto the number ‘19.’
Only 19 years old? And already participating in the third-year graduate thesis evaluation?
This was the University of Technology, not an ordinary school!
Looking at the name, he said immediately, “Professor Li, is the person you mentioned named Su Dingping?”
“Yes, yes!”
“But this Su Dingping is only 19 years old.”
“What? 19?! Old Zhang didn’t mention that!”
He scanned the entire roster—from top to bottom, only one person named Su, indeed only 19, and noted as a senior undergraduate.
“What is Old Zhang up to?”
Almost everyone else was 24 or 25 years old; suddenly, a 19-year-old appeared, leaving the three quite baffled.
In other professor groups, the youngest was no less than 22. Starting university at 18, finishing four years of undergrad and two years of master’s study would be at least 22 years old. That was already exceptional.
Nineteen years old—they couldn’t quite grasp it.
“Shall we wait for him?”
“Let’s wait! I want to see what trick Old Zhang is hiding!”
The three quickly reached consensus.
Just then, a voice sounded outside the door.
“Senior Brother, quick, come help me carry this.”
Hearing Su Dingping’s voice, Zhao Haikuo rushed out.
Seeing the scene before him, he was stunned.
Su Dingping was holding two large boxes and was kicking three boxes in front of him, all seemingly stuffed full of design drawings.
“Senior Brother, hurry!”
Zhao Haikuo hurried over, took the two boxes, and said anxiously, “My little junior brother, I told you to bring more design drawings, hoping to add a point or two, but why did you bring all of them?”
“I said to bring all the design drafts. I was just talking—I didn’t think you’d take me seriously!”
“Quick, quick, put down all these drafts. The examiners are very strict; no amount of smoke and mirrors can hide design flaws!”
Zhao Haikuo was genuinely worried. Who knew if the examiners would give a low score just because they saw those hastily sketched drafts? This was no way to bluff them!
Su Dingping was about to explain when Professor Li stood at the doorway and said, “You must be Su Dingping? The pride and joy of Professor Zhang?”
“This is quite a scene—must weigh at least 200 pounds!” Professor Huang said from the side. “Everyone, come help carry.”
Zhao Haikuo looked at Su Dingping with utter despair.
“Junior brother, you’ve really gone too far!”