[Detecting seismic waves, an impact may arrive around 9 AM tomorrow. All citizens are advised to prepare for impact, and to stay in open areas as much as possible during this period...]
Foreseeing disaster, superior departments had already made preparations for the aftermath of a failed experiment and a controlled nuclear fusion explosion, doing their utmost to minimize adverse effects.
By 8 AM the next day, after toiling through the night, many researchers at the controlled nuclear fusion institute had dark circles under their eyes, yet their spirits remained vigorous.
At 8:50 AM, all scientists except essential personnel had evacuated.
Cameras located outside the large-scale controlled nuclear fusion device transmitted their feeds to the internal network. Jing Mingqiu managed the overall operation from the main control room, while Liu Jiancheng acted as the visible host in front of the cameras.
Weighty scholars of nuclear physics from Long Country, along with national leaders, accessed the internal network upon receiving notification and began remotely observing this ignition operation.
"Director Liu," Chen Mo approached Liu Jiancheng with a serious expression, "the final ignition debugging round is complete. Shall we proceed with ignition?"
Liu Jiancheng did not answer immediately. Instead, he tapped his earpiece and looked up at Jing Mingqiu, who stood in the main control room – the true chief engineer of the controlled nuclear fusion device.
Jing Mingqiu nodded gently. "Director Liu, we can ignite!"
Liu Jiancheng took a deep breath, his aged yet steady voice ringing out, "Controlled nuclear fusion ignition experiment, officially commencing!"
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
"Ignite!"
As Liu Jiancheng's words fell, Jing Mingqiu in the main control room slammed the ignition button.
A beam of high-temperature laser flashed, entering the core reactor. The machine emitted a low hum, and lights on the device sequentially illuminated.
Witnessing this, everyone involuntarily held their breath. The issue of energy hung over all nations like the Sword of Damocles. Controlled nuclear fusion was the best answer to this problem.
If Long Country could master this technology, it would not only break free from the oil blockade imposed by Western powers but also create a significant gap, allowing them to blockade the West in turn.
One second, two seconds, three seconds!
Under everyone's tense gaze, the indicator lights on the large-scale controlled nuclear fusion device gradually stabilized. Two large, bright arcs of electricity flashed from the output terminals and struck the receiver.
The controlled nuclear fusion device had successfully started, but whether it was operating normally was indistinguishable to the naked eye. They could only ask Liu Jiancheng for clarification.
Liu Jiancheng stared intently at the massive controlled nuclear fusion device. He could only confirm that the ignition was successful.
However, whether it was operating normally was beyond his judgment, as he was not in the main control room and could not see all the data. He had to consult Jing Mingqiu, who was overseeing the entire process from the main control room.
Standing in the main control room, Jing Mingqiu meticulously compared the parameters after the controlled nuclear fusion device's startup with the system-provided parameters. Once confirmed to be within acceptable error margins, he picked up the microphone and relayed the news to the anxiously waiting Liu Jiancheng.
Upon receiving Jing Mingqiu's affirmation, Liu Jiancheng could no longer contain his excitement. He raised the microphone and shouted loudly.
"I declare that the controlled nuclear fusion device has successfully ignited, with a power generation efficiency reaching two million kilowatts per hour!"
What did a power output of two million kilowatts signify?
Two million kilowatts per hour, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year – this single device could provide seventeen billion kilowatt-hours of electricity.
A small city with a population of one million, on the other hand, had a total annual electricity consumption of only fifteen billion kilowatt-hours.
This meant that the large-scale controlled nuclear fusion device before them was sufficient to support a small city of one million people, with surplus capacity to assist other cities.
Unlike the nuclear fission technology used in current nuclear power plants, the reaction product of the controlled nuclear fusion device was helium, which was non-radioactive and caused no environmental pollution.
Even in the event of an accident, the device would typically simply cease to function. In the worst-case scenario, it would result in a large explosion, unlike nuclear fission power plants, which could contaminate land with radiation for over a hundred years.
"Excellent!"
Upon hearing this response, the highest-ranking leaders in the capital slammed their chairs, jumped up, and exclaimed.
"With the controlled nuclear fusion device, from this day forward, our country will no longer be subject to others regarding energy!"
It wasn't just the top leaders. High-ranking officials and top figures from various fields who were watching the live broadcast through the internal network became visibly emotional, their eyes moistening with overwhelming excitement.
In modern times, Long Country had endured over a hundred years of hardship, invasions by Western powers, and through the sacrifices and struggles of countless patriots, it was finally on the path to resurgence.
To prevent the rise of Long Country and to settle old scores, Western powers had consistently employed various methods, including technological blockades and cultural infiltration, not to mention direct assassinations.
Otherwise, Jing Mingqiu would have already stepped forward, revealed his identity as the chief engineer of controlled nuclear fusion, and begun his enjoyable university life amidst admiring gazes.
The hardships faced by their predecessors were countless, with innumerable individuals falling on the path of exploration in the darkness.
Today, the successful development of the controlled nuclear fusion device not only broke the Western technological blockade but, more importantly, propelled them to the forefront, achieving a successful "cornering the market" maneuver.
As everyone was still caught in the wave of emotion, Liu Jiancheng quietly led Jing Mingqiu away.
Three hours later, crossing mountains and seas, on a small island in the center of the Northwest Sea, the highest-ranking leaders of Long Country had been waiting for a long time.
"Allow me to introduce to everyone," Liu Jiancheng said, pulling Jing Mingqiu forward and standing tall, "this is the true chief engineer of our controlled nuclear fusion device, Jing Mingqiu!"
The highest-ranking leaders of Long Country scrutinized Jing Mingqiu, their eyes widening in disbelief at his youthful, somewhat unripened appearance.
"He? This is Jing Mingqiu?"
Although the top leaders had seen Jing Mingqiu's name in top-secret files and knew he was young, they had never imagined he would be this young.
"Director Liu, is it true that controlled nuclear fusion was researched under Jing Mingqiu's supervision?"
While they were certain that Liu Jiancheng would not joke about such a crucial matter, they still asked the question to confirm the truth.
"That's correct," Liu Jiancheng nodded emphatically. "From the initial theoretical proposals to the subsequent physical construction, he personally oversaw the entire controlled nuclear fusion device."
"Furthermore, it's not just the national-level large-scale controlled nuclear fusion device. Prior to this, he had already personally built a smaller, commercially viable controlled nuclear fusion device."
"What!"
Upon hearing this news, the supreme leader could no longer control his emotions and shouted out...