1092 Mother Nature“s Uncanny Workmans.h.i.+p 4
It was five o’clock in the morning, and the early spring morning in the imperial capital still felt chilly. The sky was a pastel blue, and in the distance, it seemed like an oil painting palette, full of vibrant hues and colors—orange, light blue, bright purple, scarlet, all kinds of plump colors mixed together. It was like Monet’s abstract painting, waiting for the rising sun in the east to come out and sprinkle thousands of golden lights upon it.
Gu Nianzhi wore a pair of black LV short military boots, tailored black wool cropped trousers, an oversized collared white Egyptian cotton s.h.i.+rt, and a distressed dark army green bomber jacket. She looked edgy and ready for combat. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail, revealing her forehead, and she was wearing a large pair of aviator sungla.s.ses.
She dragged an old LV suitcase to the gates of the Inst.i.tute of High Energy Physics, pushed her aviator sungla.s.ses over her head, and said to the gatekeeper, “Please tell Director Song that Gu Nianzhi is requesting to see her.”
Song Jinning, as the Director of the Inst.i.tute of High Energy Physics, usually never saw anyone without an appointment, but the doorman looked at Gu Nianzhi and was somewhat touched by the sincere begging expression in her big eyes. He hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “Wait a minute.” He picked up the phone and called Song Jinning’s office. “Is this Director Song’s office? There is a lady here named Gu Nianzhi who wants to see Director Song. May she?”
The person who picked up the phone call was Song Jinning’s secretary. She knew Gu Nianzhi, and she knew that she was Song Jinning’s son’s girlfriend. She put down the phone and knocked on Song Jinning’s office door. “Director Song, Miss Gu Nianzhi is here and is requesting to see you.”
Song Jinning had just put down the phone after a call with General Ji, and her face had a very grave expression. She nodded and said, “Let her in.”
…
Gu Nianzhi came to Song Jinning’s office, closed the door, and walked to Song Jinning’s desk. She said eagerly, “Director Song, are you going to C City to partic.i.p.ate in the military’s rescue activities? Can you bring me along with you?”
Song Jinning had indeed agreed to the military’s request for her to be there. Even if her only son wasn’t the one endangered, since she was the Director of the Inst.i.tute of High Energy Physics, at a time like this, it was her duty to rescue the soldiers in her country.
However, since her son was in distress, of course her mood would be affected, so she did not appear as calm and collected as she usually did. Now seeing a person more panic-stricken than she was, Song Jinning’s anxiety felt somewhat less severe. She looked Gu Nianzhi up and down and said with a smile, “Seeing you like this, even if I hadn’t agreed, you probably still would’ve found another way to sneak in, right?”
The clothes and shoes on her body were all travel gear, let alone the small suitcase in her hand. Gu Nianzhi smiled with a guilty expression on her face and defended herself. “So don’t give me the opportunity to sneak in, just take me there officially! I can be your a.s.sistant! When you do your anti-electromagnetic interference, I can help you hack into the j.a.panese electromagnetic interference system to see what programs they use.”
“Oh? Can you do that?” Song Jinning’s eyes gleamed, and she also thought it was a good idea. “To tell you the truth, the last time we went to City C, although the sudden appearance of a magnetic field over there was a trap, the other party was too careless and leaked a lot of their data to us. Much of that data helped me make a breakthrough in the study of electromagnetic induction, so I really want to try it.”
“Ah?! Really?!” Gu Nianzhi was overjoyed. She was a go-getter who loved to do things by hand. She rushed next to Song Jinning, holding her arms out appealingly. “Ms. Song! Aunty Song! Take me! Take me please! Let me help you experiment with your latest achievements! Believe me, you will not be disappointed!”
Song Jinning was very satisfied with Gu Nianzhi’s intelligent young mind and had hoped Gu Nianzhi would follow her and learn high-energy physics from her. Now, when Gu Nianzhi herself was taking the initiative to ask to help, she naturally couldn’t help but hold her hand and say, “Then you remember, just listen to me and don’t run around. If Shaoheng found out that you were not obedient, he would not be happy.”
The corners of Gu Nianzhi’s mouth twitched, and she realized that in Ms. Song’s eyes, she probably seemed like a child. However, at this time, it would not be wise to argue with Ms. Song over whether or not she was an adult. No matter what she asked, Gu Nianzhi told herself that she would only nod and agree, let alone just simply stay by her side obediently. Gu Nianzhi said hurriedly, “That’s for certain. I’m your attendant, your a.s.sistant. Come, where is your luggage? I’ll carry it for you!”
Song Jinning said with a smile, “I’m going to pack up the equipment. You can help me go to my dormitory to bring back some clothes, shoes, and socks. We’ll meet at the door in 15 minutes. The military’s aircraft will arrive then.”
Gu Nianzhi immediately saluted. “Yes, director!”
“Naughty little girl!” Song Jinning smiled and pinched her little nose, then gave Gu Nianzhi the key to her dormitory and quickly got back to work in the laboratory. She would take her latest research results to C City this time. She wanted to see to what extent she could develop electromagnetic induction this time. When she had sorted out her research results a few days ago, she sighed from pity that she couldn’t do real application tests. Now her wish could finally be granted.
She tried to distract herself with these thoughts and ideas instead of focusing on Huo Shaoheng’s distress. She felt herself growing hysterical as soon as she thought about it and felt as if her heart had been dug out. However, she couldn’t fall apart now. There were still many people depending on her, waiting for her to come to their rescue.
…
Half an hour later, Gu Nianzhi and Song Jinning had boarded the special military plane. The plane took off and flew towards City C. When General Ji found out that Gu Nianzhi had followed Song Jinning on board the military aircraft, they had already landed. As soon as Gu Nianzhi got off the plane, she received a call from General Ji.
“Look at you! Just itching to cause trouble? You don’t even listen to my words anymore!” General Ji scolded her on the phone, but in fact his voice was more full of worry than anger. He really didn’t want to worry about accidents right now. If Huo Shaoheng knew that while he was putting his life on the line for his country, his favorite person would be in danger again, that might be too much for him to bear.
Because a soldier’s heart couldn’t bear that much distress, protecting Gu Nianzhi would probably be the biggest favor one could do for Huo Shaoheng. That’s exactly what General Ji would try his very best to do. Gu Nianzhi was already familiar with General Ji, but now was not the time to joke around casually.
She was embarra.s.sed about being yelled at by General Ji, so she said sheepishly, “General Ji, don’t blame me. It’s… yes… it’s Ms. Song who asked me to go with her.” Then, she handed her phone to Song Jinning and clasped her hands together at her chest. Gu Nianzhi looked at her pleadingly and mouthed repeatedly, “Please, please… Please, please…”
Song Jinning patted her head with amus.e.m.e.nt, took the cell phone, and said calmly, “General Ji, I’m Song Jinning. Yes, I asked Nianzhi to go with me. There are some instruments that I don’t feel safe letting others use. Nianzhi is clever and a fast learner. She’s not an outsider, so her helping me ensures confidentiality.”
Saying “ensures confidentiality” completely shut General Ji’s mouth. He knew that Song Jinning’s latest research results were national-level secrets. Right now, they were using that research to save people and were also using it against the j.a.panese, who loved to steal the Huaxia Empire’s secrets, so you couldn’t be too careful.
That reason would have to suffice. General Ji had nothing else to say, so he changed the subject. “Well then, she is a young lady, and she’s not sensible at times. Take care of her and don’t let her cause trouble. When Shaoheng returns, he will thank you.” He said this as if he were one of Gu Nianzhi’s elders and was on the verge of bowing to Song Jinning.
Song Jinning was amused and thought, “This is my son’s beloved girl. Wouldn’t I understand my son’s heart better than you? What a joke…” However, General Ji’s ability to treat Gu Nianzhi like his own daughter was enough to show that Gu Nianzhi was well-liked. Not everyone could make those high-ranking people let their guard down.
Song Jinning a.s.sured him, “You can rest a.s.sured, I will look after her, and when Shaoheng returns, she will be the first person he sees!”
General Ji chuckled, put down the phone, and his face resumed a serious expression as he said to Secretary Cao, “What happened to the election? Have the results come out yet?”
Secretary Cao replied hurriedly, “The staff at the parliament building is still counting votes across the country and is already in the stage of review and final verification. The results should come out before 5pm today.”
General Ji nodded. “You pay close attention to the results. I’m going to a meeting. “Huo Shaoheng and his men were in distress, so the Supreme Military Commission was paying close attention and dared not relax for even a moment.
…
At eight in the morning, Gu Nianzhi and Song Jinning arrived at City C’s seaside and were preparing to board the s.h.i.+p. This time, in order to get as close as possible to the place where Huo Shaoheng was besieged by the j.a.panese frogmen, they did not use wars.h.i.+ps but used scientific research boats from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Of course, although in name this s.h.i.+p was a scientific research s.h.i.+p, it was actually a modified wars.h.i.+p. Just like the fis.h.i.+ng boat from the Huaxia Empire, it had a side function that enabled it to open up territories.
As soon as she boarded the scientific research s.h.i.+p, which had the same functions as a destroyer, Gu Nianzhi and Song Jinning anxiously started to get to work. The instrument that Song Jinning brought this time was indeed very advanced, so advanced that she did not even feel the need to bring one of her usual a.s.sistants, so she really used Gu Nianzhi as an a.s.sistant.
While installing the instrument, she explained various usage methods to Gu Nianzhi. When the instruments were finally installed, Gu Nianzhi had already memorized the functions. The scientific research s.h.i.+p sailed towards the coordinates of Huo Shaoheng’s last signal, and the s.h.i.+p’s radar continuously scanned the sea signals.
Sure enough, as soon as they entered the territorial sea of 12 nautical miles out and entered the maritime exclusive economic zone of the Huaxia Empire, they detected strong electromagnetic interference. The s.h.i.+p’s radar instantly failed.
“Director Song, electromagnetic interference starts here.” Soldiers who had previously served in military rescue missions briefed Song Jinning. “All the s.h.i.+ps pa.s.sing through here could not navigate accurately, so they all returned. Don’t you think it’s abnormally quiet on this route today?”
Song Jinning looked at the vast sea. Indeed, it was usually the busiest s.h.i.+pping lane. C City’s port was the largest container port in All Blue Star, but today there were very few s.h.i.+ps there.
Gu Nianzhi overheard and smiled while she tapped her fingers on the computer monitor. “The j.a.panese are really killing two birds with one stone. It seems that in addition to our highly-advanced technology, they are also envious of our country’s largest container port!”
Due to the electromagnetic interference, not only had they besieged the soldiers, but they had also obstructed the navigation channels. Even if it was only for one day, such a blockade caused sky-high losses.
…