Chapter 8: A Perfect Score Is Merely the Ceiling on Paper!

“Professor Huang, that joke isn’t funny at all!”

Professor Li’s face was grave.

His institute, the 335th Research Institute, specialized in designing and researching warships, so he was well aware of the immense difficulties involved.

The naval vessels currently in service still struggled to overcome the issue of mutual interference between satellite communication radars, communication equipment, and search radars.

This was precisely one of the challenges Professor Zhang and his team were tackling!

Even Colonel Zhang, who usually maintained a stern demeanor, was visibly unsettled now. He, too, cautioned,

“Professor Huang, the two problems you mentioned are not so easily solved!”

As a member of the Navy Equipment Verification Research Center, Colonel Zhang knew all too well the complexity of these issues.

These were core technologies vital to modernizing warships, fiercely guarded by the West.

“Of course, I know that!”

Professor Huang shot them both an annoyed glare.

Although not a specialist in warship technology, he understood that all naval vessels currently in service used direct current.

He also knew that a group of experts was striving to transition to alternating current — a task fraught with technical barriers.

The fact that both of them spoke this way indicated that the Navy Research Institute had yet to conquer these challenges.

Yet now, he had just seen these very problems resolved in a student’s graduation design drawings!

Not only that, but the issue of interference among various radar and communication systems on warships had also been addressed.

After confirming that the research institute had no connection to this, Professor Huang’s mind became somewhat muddled.

“Don’t rush. Let me take a closer look.”

Taking a deep breath, Professor Huang plunged into the voluminous drawings.

He continuously cross-referenced the design schematics with the data simulation steps.

After a long while, he looked up at Su Dingping, then glanced at the two remaining large boxes.

What other fields might these two full boxes of design drawings pertain to?

He dared not speculate, nor continue examining them for fear of overwhelming himself.

“Professor Li, Colonel Zhang, you both understand this field better. Please take a look.”

“I... I’m a bit uncertain at the moment.”

Professor Huang’s words aroused suspicion in the two men.

Throughout the evaluation process, this was the first time Professor Huang had spoken like this.

He was a senior expert in the National Defense Armaments Department, after all!

And yet, he was uncertain?

Professor Li and Colonel Zhang exchanged a glance and approached.

Below, Huang Wei and the others exchanged bewildered looks.

“Haikuo, what’s going on here?”

“How should I know? Our junior brother is always secretive; I have no idea what he sent over!”

“Strange, Professor Huang and the others’ voices suddenly dropped so low I can’t hear what they’re saying.”

“I don’t understand, but judging from Professor Huang’s expression, it doesn’t look good! Yet he doesn’t seem to be suppressing anger either! This is truly odd.”

They racked their brains but couldn’t make sense of it. This was far from what they had imagined.

Even the instructor beside them was baffled.

Earlier, he had worried that Su Dingping might have hastily prepared the materials and provoked the professors’ ire.

Now, it seemed that was not the case at all!

“Could it be that all five boxes contain genuine design blueprints?”

“Is it really that impressive?”

He glanced at Zhao Haikuo and the others, then shook his head slightly.

It shouldn’t be that exaggerated.

But judging by the three men’s expressions, he dared not ask further at the moment.

Professor Huang took out a blueprint and handed it to Professor Li, whispering, “Professor Li, see if this pertains to the problem of mutual interference among multiple radars and communication systems on warships.”

“Colonel Zhang, take a look at this one.” Professor Huang handed another drawing to Colonel Zhang.

“Help me check. I’m not sure if I’m mistaken.”

Upon hearing this, the two men set aside their usual insistence on emphasizing the complexity and difficulty of these problems and began examining the drawings.

Standing beside them, Su Dingping said, “Professor Huang, in the fourth box...”

Before he could finish, Professor Huang, who usually showed no patience toward students, immediately forced a smile, his tone much kinder.

“Student Su, hold on. Let us finish reviewing first.”

“Come, come, have a seat too.”

The moment Professor Huang smiled, Zhao Haikuo and the others were completely stunned.

Huang Wei recalled how he had been drenched in sweat from Professor Huang’s prior relentless questioning and felt like crying.

He actually smiled!

And he even invited their junior brother to sit down!

Junior brother, what kind of sweet talk did you feed Professor Huang?

Zhao Haikuo’s expression eased considerably.

So my earlier worries were unnecessary after all!

But this was good — their junior brother had steadied the situation, preserving the honor of their lab team.

The instructor also breathed a sigh of relief.

Whatever was in those boxes, at least for now, no mishaps had occurred.

Silence filled the lounge, broken only by the sound of the three examiners flipping through the drawings.

Professor Huang quietly asked, “Professor Li, what do you think?”

Professor Li did not answer but swallowed hard.

“How about you, Colonel Zhang?”

Colonel Zhang’s expression was complex; the words stuck in his throat.

“Give me a clear answer! Did I misread this or not?”

Now it was Professor Huang’s turn to grow anxious.

“I know you’re eager, but don’t rush.”

Professor Li’s voice trembled slightly, betraying his inner tension.

From just casually browsing, his keen eye immediately recognized the extraordinary nature of the design drawings.

As he continued to look, his shock deepened immeasurably.

These were technical challenges that countless military experts dreamed of solving; now, the solutions lay before him in these designs!

Though only a small portion, they pointed in the right direction.

His gaze fell on the remaining pile of drawings in the box.

If these too contained related technical concepts and designs, the value of this box would be immeasurable!

This was a treasure that could accelerate the Navy’s modernization of its fleet!

With the increasing activity from the Eastern seas, the Navy could not stand tall without independently produced, modern warships!

The greater the hope, the deeper the worry of disappointment.

After all, Su Dingping was only a 19-year-old senior undergraduate. Finding the right research direction was already remarkable. Expecting him to solve these problems single-handedly was greedy.

He had to stay calm! He had to keep his composure!

He kept reassuring himself inwardly.

Yet his hand couldn’t resist reaching for more drawings.

After more than ten minutes, Professor Li hastily flipped through the entire box.

Even with this cursory glance, many data points and details hadn’t been meticulously refined, yet his shock was profound.

“Professor Li, how is it?” Professor Huang asked again.

Professor Li remained silent, casting a complicated look at Su Dingping.

He had once thought Su Dingping was boastful for his young age, dismissing him as just another proud protégé of Professor Zhang.

He never imagined he would be proven wrong.

Colonel Zhang’s once stern face had turned grave; he clearly understood the significance of this box of blueprints.

Taking a deep breath, Professor Li made a decisive statement:

“No need for further discussion. Even this single box alone rates no less than a perfect score.”

A perfect score?

The news stunned everyone below.

They had been struggling to break through a 75-point threshold, and now Su Dingping had opened just three boxes, and a perfect score was already assured?

And “no less than perfect” at that!

Was the maximum score of 150 going to be granted outright?

Su Dingping remained calm; the score was not his pursuit.

“Student Su, it seems these drawings are incomplete. Perhaps you encountered difficulties during your research and haven’t fully solved them? That’s alright, we can discuss and explore them together.”

This time, Professor Li’s tone was gentle and warm, his fondness for Su Dingping growing, even treating him as an equal.

Su Dingping explained,

“Professor Li, this is only a portion. There are many expanded details not brought over due to time constraints.”

Professor Li’s mouth twitched sharply.