Chapter 1: Volunteering

Yanjing, Huqing University.

In the office of the Department of Mechanical and Engineering, you could see from the torn half of the calendar on the wall that today is May 16th, 1982.

"Haha, Wang Ye, have you finally decided where to go?"

"Tell us, are you planning to stay and continue your doctoral studies? Or are you planning to join a ministry? I've kept a scholarship for you, are you planning to apply to MIT or Stanford?"

"Or maybe you're planning to work for a foreign company?"

"I heard Siemens, Krupp, and Panasonic's domestic subsidiaries have all offered you lucrative terms. Research and production are different, getting some experience in a company wouldn't be a bad idea."

In the office, a kind-hearted and amiable elderly man sat behind the desk, holding a porcelain teapot, smiling as he spoke. He was none other than Sun Canghai, the dean of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Huqing University, a top expert in the field of mechanical engineering and mechanical electronics in China.

On the other side sat a tall and handsome young man, wearing a slightly yellowed but clean white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, paired with a pair of greenish-blue pants, looking neat and tidy.

"None of those, Professor."

"I've submitted a report to the National Office for Military-to-Civilian Conversion of Small and Medium-Sized Military Enterprises under the Fifth Ministry of Machinery."

"I've applied to become the director of the Red Star Machinery Factory in Luqi Province."

When Dean Sun Canghai heard the words "Red Star Machinery Factory", his joyful expression instantly froze, then turned into astonishment, and then into rage. He slammed the table and shouted:

"Nonsense! Fool's talk!"

"Wang Ye, are you out of your mind?"

"Red Star Machinery Factory? The one that ranks at the bottom among more than two hundred small and medium-sized military enterprises nationwide?"

"What do you think that place is? Let me tell you! It's a cesspool that hasn't been cleaned in twenty years, full of crap! Everyone avoids it like the plague, and you're the only one actively seeking it out!"

"And volunteering? Who do you think you are? Everyone else sees you as a big fool! Just wait and see how you'll be laughed at!"

"No, absolutely not! I disagree!"

"Zhou Liejin, I'm not done with him yet. How dare he deceive my students like this? I'm going to find him right now and have a face-to-face discussion. I want to see what he's thinking, how he, as a deputy minister, could do this!"

"Sending a top graduate of Huqing University to a half-dead military factory as a director?"

"This is a tremendous waste of talent!"

"It's utterly ridiculous!"

Faced with his teacher's furious scolding, Wang Ye bowed his head in silence. Finally, when Dean Sun Canghai grew tired of berating him, Wang Ye lifted his head and awkwardly smiled:

"Professor, I've made up my mind, please don't try to persuade me."

Hearing Wang Ye's words, Dean Sun Canghai sighed helplessly.

He was extremely satisfied with his student. As one of the first batch of examinees after the resumption of the college entrance examination, Wang Ye had exceptionally solid knowledge. He had completed all his undergraduate and graduate studies in just five years.

During this time, he had demonstrated strong learning ability and research talent, participating in multiple national-level military projects. Moreover, he was flexible, reliable, and pragmatic. He had been grooming Wang Ye as a successor, but he never expected things to turn out like this in the end!

And because of this, Dean Sun Canghai also knew very well that geniuses were proud and had their own temperaments and convictions. It was difficult to change their minds once they had made a decision.

"I need a reason," Dean Sun Canghai said.

"If you can convince me, I'll sign your transfer order and let you go. Otherwise, you'll have to get the president's signature!"

Finally, Dean Sun Canghai picked up the porcelain teapot and took a sip, staring at Wang Ye's eyes as he spoke. Under the dean's oppressive and sharp gaze, Wang Ye unexpectedly smiled and said:

"Professor, you agree that military factories need reform."

"Since reform is needed, someone needs to do it. If someone has to do it, why can't it be me?"

"And I'm confident that I can do it better than anyone else!"

With these words, Dean Sun Canghai burst out laughing at Wang Ye's confidence. He looked at Wang Ye and said with a cold smile:

"Anyway, you seem confident!"

"Since you're determined to do it, then go ahead!"

"But remember, regardless of the outcome, Huqing will always welcome you back. This will always be your home. Failure is not shameful; refusing to accept failure is."

"I suppose you've already received your transfer order? Bring it here, I'll sign and stamp it for you."

With these words from the old dean, Wang Ye breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly took out a piece of white paper from his pocket and handed it over. The old dean took it, wrote a few words, stamped it, and then folded it up and handed it back to Wang Ye. Finally, he waved his hand impatiently:

"Hurry up, I'm afraid I'll regret it later!"

Taking the transfer order with the dean's signature and seal from the desk, Wang Ye respectfully bowed and said:

"Thank you for your many years of cultivation, Professor. I'm leaving!"

With that, he left the office without looking back. As soon as the office door closed, Wang Ye outside was already in tears!

It's said that fate plays tricks on people. Wang Ye never imagined that he, who was already in his twilight years, could transcend the barriers of time and return to this era that haunted him the most!

In his previous timeline, after graduating, Wang Ye entered what was later renamed the Ministry of Weapons Industry by the Fifth Ministry of Machinery. Then, in 1986, the Ministry of Weapons Industry was disbanded, and Wang Ye joined the Ministry of Aerospace Industry. Finally, he spent more than thirty years incognito, becoming the chief engineer of the "Southern Gate" project.

But in this life, Wang Ye made a completely different choice.

Because having experienced this era, Wang Ye knew very well that in the next twenty years, this country would develop rapidly and fiercely, reaching unprecedented prosperity and strength, achieving the long-cherished dreams of generations of Chinese people.

But such rapid development came at a cost!

From the domestic perspective.

Due to the existence of the dual-track economic system, the market was extremely chaotic. Problems such as the loss of state-owned assets, the inefficiency of production, the exchange of markets for technology, and the exaggeration or even fabrication of technological achievements frequently occurred and were difficult to eradicate.

Under these influences, even forty years later, China still lagged behind in high-end manufacturing sectors such as precision machine tools, microelectronics chips, and aerospace engines.

From an international perspective.

Although the United States and the Soviet Union had basically reached a consensus on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and avoiding nuclear war, the world seemed to be in a brief period of peace and stability.

But from the perspective of a historical bystander, things were not so simple!

Because the United States had already begun the Strategic Defense Initiative, targeting the weak economy of the Soviet Union, intending to drag down this archenemy in a relatively "peaceful" manner.

At the same time, the United States, with its fleets spanning the four oceans and countless military bases across six continents, vigorously promoted the dollar-oil economic system, attempting to oppress the Soviet economy while reaping the world's wealth for itself and constructing a new world economic order.

Looking at the Soviet Union, although its economy was weak and its people's livelihoods poor, its military was still incredibly powerful. With millions of troops ready for battle, and countless intercontinental nuclear weapons ready to be launched, it never backed down from confronting the United States on a global scale.

As a result, on a global scale.

The United States and the Soviet Union continued to expand their influence, overtly or covertly supporting various proxy regimes and puppet governments. The struggle between them never ceased, with countless conflicts erupting and subsiding, but never stopping.

As for China, it took advantage of the relatively stable international situation to focus on economic development, with only a defensive military strategy. There was even a saying that it was better to sell tea eggs than to build rockets. Many scientists, engineers, and skilled technicians in the military industry system switched careers!

But no one could have guessed.

That nine years later, on an ordinary night, the immensely powerful hegemon, the former big brother, one of the two poles of the world, the Soviet Union, would collapse with the lowering of the flag at the Kremlin!

And then China and four other small countries suddenly became anomalies on this planet. As the largest of the five countries, it had to face the relentless economic sanctions and attacks from the Western countries led by the United States, as well as military threats and intimidation.

It could even be said that if it weren't for the "assistance" from the desert regions around the turn of the century, greatly delaying the steps of the United States, everything would be uncertain!

And it was at that time that everyone deeply understood how correct the teacher's words were. The gun barrel is indeed the most important.

Unfortunately, in the nearly twenty years of the 1980s and 1990s, under the development model centered on economic growth, military expenditure was severely inadequate, leading to the cancellation of numerous military projects and stagnation in military technology.

How they regretted not having enough weapons when they needed them!

Thinking of this, Wang Ye's face broke into a smile. After wiping away his tears, his eyes became resolute once again.

"I wonder if my little stick..."

"...can move this era filled with both opportunities and challenges!"

And this was the fundamental reason why Wang Ye volunteered to become the director of the Red Star Machinery Factory.

After all, the tide of national development wouldn't be swayed by one person's will alone. Moreover, from the perspective of history, there was nothing wrong with China's development model centered on economic construction. Therefore, staying in Yanjing would be meaningless for Wang Ye.

For himself, who possessed memories of the past and technology far beyond this era, time and freedom were the most important things!

Thinking of this, Wang Ye opened the transfer order in his hand, and the blank space bore the handwriting of the old dean:

"Through every obstacle we stride, like iron, today we start anew. Let's encourage each other!"

At that moment, Wang Ye's heart was free of doubt, filled only with excitement and anticipation for embarking on a great endeavor. Unable to contain his joy, he laughed heartily and left the corridor without looking back.