Chapter Eight: Nuclear Fusion

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Zhang Mingyang examined the equipment and asked, “Senior, is there a problem?” Lin Guangming pointed to the reactor and said, “The first wall material enclosing the plasma has expanded again. The magnetic field is weakening, and the internal temperature has dropped from one hundred million degrees to thirty million.” “How long has the reactor been running?” Zhang Mingyang inquired. “Thirteen days. This is our longest record yet for stable operation.” Zhang Mingyang shook his head helplessly. “Without a breakthrough in materials, the fusion reactor will never work as intended.” “What should we do, Mingyang?” “Shut it down for now. I’m not in the city at the moment. Once I’m back, we’ll figure something out.” “Alright.” After ending the video call, Zhang Mingyang paced back and forth in the courtyard. Their group had developed a unique fusion reactor technology that could, in every other aspect, ensure stable operation—except for the crucial breakthrough in materials. Without it, long-term operation remained out of reach. “What now?” Zhang Mingyang ruffled his hair in frustration. “We’ve already tried superconducting materials. While they perform fairly well, they can’t withstand the internal radiation and don’t last long.” He looked up at the sun and grinned foolishly. “Must I dissect you to achieve this?” “What are you looking at? Careful you don’t hurt your eyes!” His grandmother entered just as he was staring at the sun. Hearing her voice, Zhang Mingyang rubbed his eyes and said, “Grandma, you’re back so early.” She glanced at the sun and laughed. “The sun’s already at its zenith, and you call that early?” As she spoke, his grandfather walked in carrying a wild rabbit, calling out, “Old woman, we’re having roast rabbit for lunch today!” Zhang Mingyang stared in confusion at the rabbit trussed with wire in his grandfather’s hand. “Grandpa, since when did you know how to catch rabbits?” His grandfather handed the rabbit to his grandmother and replied, “I didn’t catch it. Your second grand-uncle caught it in the fields yesterday. When he heard you were coming, he had me bring it over for you to try.” His grandmother looked at the rabbit with disdain. “What’s the point of eating this? There’s barely any meat on it.” “Come on, just take it!” Even though Mingyang grew up in the village, he’s never had this before. Make it for him to taste.” Reluctantly, his grandmother took the rabbit and went into the kitchen.

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Zhang Mingyang and his grandfather went into the living room, turned on the TV, and watched the news: “February 25th, 2041, will surely go down as a milestone in our nation’s space history. Today, at a distance of 57.2 million kilometers, China’s first Mars base, ‘Zhulong,’ was officially completed and put into operation.” “The ‘Zhulong’ Mars base has a total floor area of 2,500 square meters and can accommodate forty researchers. Its primary purposes include geological surveys, environmental monitoring, and biological exploration…” Watching the news, his grandfather sighed, “Mingyang, our country has gone all the way to Mars. Do you think we’ll go even further in the future?” Zhang Mingyang cracked sunflower seeds, nodded, and replied, “Of course. Haven’t you heard the saying? Our journey is to the stars and the sea!” “Do you think we’ll ever discover aliens?” Zhang Mingyang shook his head. “I don’t know. We haven’t found any so far, but who can say about the future?” “But if one day we really do meet aliens, what should we do?” Zhang Mingyang was both amused and exasperated by his grandfather’s question. “Grandpa, I’m not a humanities major. How would I know how to communicate with aliens in the future? Besides, our generation probably won’t live to see it.” “You won’t see it? I’m not so sure!” his grandfather said doubtfully. Zhang Mingyang put down the seeds and explained seriously, “Grandpa, just two days ago, Grandpa Wang gave us a lecture.” “Which Grandpa Wang?” “My dad’s teacher, Wang Bowen!” “Wang Bowen? Isn’t he an astronomer? What was he doing lecturing in your energy department?” Zhang Mingyang was also puzzled. “Exactly, I didn’t know at first either. But Grandpa Wang said Earth’s current energy resources will only last another two hundred years or so. If no new energy source is found, humanity’s survival is uncertain. It’s the same in space exploration—without suitable energy, we won’t get far, and we definitely won’t meet aliens.” “Oh, so if we can’t travel far, we can’t meet aliens? What if they come to us?” “That, I have no idea,” Zhang Mingyang replied, shaking his head. “Besides, aren’t you studying energy? Why don’t you just invent a new energy source?” Zhang Mingyang gave an awkward smile. Talking to his grandfather, he could never predict the next question. “Grandpa, I’m not a god. If I could invent it just like that, I would have already.” “That’s why you need to study hard! How’s your group’s fusion reactor coming along?” At this, Zhang Mingyang lowered his head and sighed, “Don’t ask. The lab just called today. Still a problem with the materials—we can’t keep it running for long.” “Don’t give up!” His grandfather patted him on the shoulder. “If Earth’s materials don’t work, who knows, maybe materials from other planets will! Look at Mars—it’s so hot. Maybe you’ll find what you need there!”

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Zhang Mingyang managed a bitter smile. “Grandpa, who knows how many years it’ll take to finish analyzing Martian materials?” “You—” “Don’t argue with him,” his grandmother said, interrupting before his grandfather could retort, carrying in the roast rabbit. “Why are you butting in? My grandson and I are discussing science. What would you know?” “Oh, science, is it?” his grandmother said with a tone of disdain. “You can’t even recognize a basketful of characters, and you wouldn’t know a straight line if you tripped over a walking stick. You didn’t even finish primary school, and you’re talking about science! Sometimes I wonder why I ever married you.” “That’s going too far!” his grandfather retorted seriously. “Don’t forget, you were the one who chased after me back then!” “Ah!” Zhang Mingyang exclaimed in surprise. “Grandma, you chased after Grandpa? What did you see in him?” Setting down the roast rabbit, his grandmother recalled the old days. “Back then, your grandfather had neither money nor a house. When we met, he was just a permanent worker at a local food factory.” “When my colleague introduced us, I wasn’t interested at all. After all, I was a teacher—a secure job for life. But your grandfather, though he wasn’t much good at anything and never left a scrap uneaten, had one redeeming quality: he was honest and always spoke his mind. You know what he’s like—he says whatever he thinks, never holding back.” Zhang Mingyang glanced back at his proud grandfather and nodded. “True, Grandpa only tells the truth—the kind so blunt you can’t even reply!” “Plus, I was getting on in years—twenty-six already. That was considered old for a woman back then, and I hadn’t found anyone suitable. So I settled for this ‘spare tire.’” “Spare tire?” His grandfather jumped up in shock. “I was a backup?”