Chapter 17: Super-Strong Composite Materials

“So what you’re saying is...”
“I’m not saying anything.”

Lin Xu had grown weary of repeating the exact same conversations with Skull every time he entered the wristband world. As usual, he stripped off all his gear, exchanged a few brief words with Skull, who, as before, followed closely behind him.

The two walked briskly into the Tianqiong Technology exhibition hall.

But this time, Lin Xu was startled to see the Human Resources Director, whom he had encountered twice before, standing once again by the elevator doors.

Wait a minute.

The timing didn’t add up.

He glanced at his watch—there were still 58 minutes before the apocalypse.

Logically, the Human Resources Director should have still been in his office at this hour.

What was going on?

Could the wristband world also have random elements? Or perhaps some subtle disturbance had altered the director’s position?

Before he could ponder further, the Human Resources Director approached him.

The conversation was as perfunctory and polite as before, and the man soon turned to leave.

Lin Xu watched his retreating figure, puzzled, but ultimately decided not to approach him.

Whatever.

This minor disturbance was insignificant—it wouldn’t affect the final outcome anyway.

He moved toward the exhibition’s holographic display and, following the usual procedure, quickly brought up the project introduction for Star Voyager One. Then, he swiftly switched to the “Structural Design” section and began to carefully read the details, hoping to uncover key information about the structural materials.

Skull watched him with bewilderment and couldn’t help but ask,

“Boss, you spent so much money and brought so many people here—are you really just here to look at an exhibition?”

“Why go through all that trouble? Wouldn’t it be easier to just buy a 20-yuan ticket?”

“...Your words are a bit too blunt.”

Lin Xu shot Skull a glare and said,

“If you have nothing better to do, why don’t you think about your own family? You’re out running around every day—aren’t you worried someone might break into your house?”

“That’s impossible.”

Skull shook his head.

“My home is equipped with the most advanced security system from Poly Technology. There’s no way it could be compromised.”

“...”

Lin Xu was speechless.

Is that what I was talking about?

Should I say you’re naïve or just plain foolish?

I really don’t understand if times have changed, but mercenaries like Skull are even playing the innocent love game now.

He sighed and then changed the subject,

“By the way, you mercenaries who are always out fighting, have you ever crossed paths with official forces?”

“Like the Maritime Safety Administration—have you dealt with them?”

Skull’s expression shifted instantly.

After hesitating for a moment, he replied,

“First of all, we’re not some wild mercenaries—we’re a bona fide PMC.”

“Most of the contracts we take are legal. If I wasn’t desperate for money, I wouldn’t be doing work like this.”

“Secondly, for small fry like us, the Maritime Safety Administration wouldn’t bother. They handle the big stuff. Us? Honestly, the local city police are more than enough to keep us in check...”

“You seem to have a good sense of self-awareness.”

Lin Xu chuckled.

“So what’s the big deal that got you into this life-threatening job?”

“Then don’t ask.”

Skull turned away, refusing to look at Lin Xu.

“If I don’t ask, don’t ask me either.”

“Understood.”

Lin Xu didn’t press further.

He sensed that the mercenary unit Skull led had been carefully selected, a deliberate pawn in some larger scheme.

Skull must be in some extraordinary situation, willing to risk everything on a desperate gamble.

Maybe he didn’t have long to live anyway?

He had even once boarded a spaceship with Lin Xu—not something a purely rational mercenary would do...

Shaking off the chaotic thoughts, Lin Xu swiped the holographic screen, switching displays rapidly.

Lines of text flew by until, moments later, he found what he was looking for.

“...The airframe structure extensively uses composite materials including liquid-formed polyether ether ketone (PEEK-RTM) and M46X, which outperform the contemporary T1100 carbon fiber while significantly reducing costs...”

PEEK-RTM? M46X?

Lin Xu vaguely recalled seeing reports about these two materials.

In fact, in his own era, these materials had already been developed.

But industrial application still seemed far off?

So what he needed wasn’t just the “formula” for these materials.

What he truly sought was the industrial method for their manufacture!

“Search for large-scale, low-cost industrial production processes for PEEK-RTM and M46X materials.”

Lin Xu spoke to the AI assistant behind the holographic display.

Moments later, search results popped up.

But on closer inspection, they were all useless information.

Advertisements, news articles, marketing posts...

No way—this was 2045, and marketing hype still hadn’t died out?

When would the age come when marketing hype was universally condemned?

He frowned in frustration. Even Skull beside him couldn’t help but comment,

“Boss, I’m asking you again—did you go through all that trouble just to come here and surf the net?”

“Are you made of money?”

“What’s the point of doing all this? Why not just use your own wristband at home?”

“Wristband?”

Lin Xu was momentarily taken aback but then suddenly understood that Skull wasn’t talking about his own wristband.

Right, in this era, phones had evolved into holographic projection wristbands...

After a pause, Lin Xu shook his head and said,

“What I’m looking for isn’t this kind of stuff. I’m after the real, industrially viable manufacturing methods.”

“Got it.”

Skull’s eyes lit up with understanding.

“Yeah, all that stuff is classified—you’d have to go to the lab to find it.”

“But you seem to be looking in the wrong place. Neither of those materials is produced by Tianqiong Technology!”

“How do you know?”

Lin Xu asked in surprise.

“Obviously—it’s written right there!”

Following Skull’s finger, Lin Xu looked at the information on the screen.

Both materials were developed by the Jinling City Materials Research Institute, which had pioneered industrial production processes for them.

If he really wanted the industrial production methods, he’d have to go either to the research institute or to a factory with manufacturing capabilities.

“How far is the Jinling Materials Research Institute from here?”

Lin Xu asked again. Moments later, a route appeared on the screen.

“By car... 57 minutes.”

Too long.

There were only 54 minutes left before the apocalypse. Even if he left immediately, he’d have at most one hour.

What could he do in three minutes?

Take off his pants and be done with it!

“Where’s the nearest factory capable of producing those two materials?”

Lin Xu asked again, and the route refreshed.

Jinling Donghua Chemical Fiber Factory—29 minutes by car.

That was doable.

If they set off immediately, they could reach the research institute with at least 25 minutes remaining.

Storm in, find the archives, locate the production process documents, memorize them, and get out.

Plenty of time!

If there wasn’t enough time, he could just come back multiple times!

“Let’s go!”

Lin Xu said decisively.

“We’re heading to Donghua Chemical Fiber.”

“No problem!”

Skull said cheerfully,

“Taking on a small chemical fiber plant is way easier than attacking a civilian aerospace base.”

“Leaving now!”

The two quickly left the exhibition hall, got into the car, and started it.

The pure electric engine roared with immense power, accompanied by a faint whistle as the convoy sped away.

Just 22 minutes later, they arrived at the entrance of Donghua Chemical Fiber Factory.

Lin Xu pushed open the door and stepped out.

But the moment he saw the factory gates, his mind went blank.

Skull was equally stunned.

“This is supposed to be a chemical fiber plant?!”

“Did we come to the wrong place? Are you sure this isn’t some civil defense base?!”

“...I don’t know.”

Staring at the heavily guarded facility, with armed security patrols clearly visible, Lin Xu exhaled deeply.

“We only have 30 minutes left.”

“Can we break in?”

“...Yes!”

Skull gritted his teeth and replied,

“But I’m only responsible for getting you inside. Nothing else.”

“Support team, establish electromagnetic shielding in one minute.”

“Action team, check your equipment.”

“Prepare to assault!”