Chapter 198 Witnessing the Future of a Powerful and Prosperous Motherland
The security at the courtyard house was silently raised to the highest level.
A shoe repair stall has appeared at the entrance of the alley; the stall owner has sharp eyes.
The peddler, shaking his rattle drum, didn't move for a long time, but his ears were perked up.
Even the old locust trees outside the courtyard wall seemed to have a few more unnoticed gazes.
Everything, even the slightest movement, is under control.
Lu Zhanming spent most of his day sitting in the front courtyard's rear building, sorting out intelligence and deploying personnel, his face as calm as iron.
Only when he returned to the main house and closed the bedroom door would his cold and hard aura melt away instantly.
"Honey, how's today's progress?"
He moved closer to the desk and watched as Gu Baobao filled a piece of paper with molecular formulas and reaction equations that he didn't quite understand.
Gu Baobao rubbed her sore wrists, but her eyes were bright and sparkling:
"It's basically clear now. The toxin mixed in with the ghost arrow pheasant isn't too complicated; it's a bioalkali derivative that works by interfering with neurotransmitter transmission."
Lavoisier chose it, probably because its initial symptoms are similar to those of acclimatization sickness or food poisoning, making it easily confused.
She pointed to the structural diagram she had derived:
"But interestingly, the structure of this bioalkaloid is highly modifiable. I'm thinking, if we can find the key catalytic sites in its synthetic pathway and introduce a small variable..."
She drew a circle somewhere on the drawing board, a cold smile curving her lips.
"This will transform it from a mildly toxic disruptor into a highly targeted super-destroyer."
Although Lu Zhanming didn't understand the technical terms, he could tell from her expression that his wife was planning something big.
He tenderly massaged her shoulders:
"Don't overwork yourself. If you need any support, just let me know. Zhao Feng has sent over some more intelligence, an analysis of the possible research directions of Lavoisier's overseas laboratory."
"Perfect!"
Gu Baobao's eyes shone even brighter.
"I need to know more about what raw materials and tools he might have. Only by knowing himself and his enemy can I tailor a return gift for him."
What she called a "return gift" was the super mutagen project that was being accelerated in space using time differences.
During the day, Lu Zhanming would sit in the front yard to oversee things, and she would use the excuse that she needed absolute quiet to organize her thoughts, lock the bedroom door, and actually enter the laboratory of the space villa.
The fast pace of time there gave her a luxurious research period.
The modern instruments and equipment were partly obtained through the Merit Mall and partly through upgrades to the existing infrastructure in her space, far exceeding the current level. Combined with her solid scientific research foundation from her previous life and her understanding of future toxicology, progress was rapid.
She was not content with just detoxifying.
Through reverse engineering and meticulous analysis, she aimed to completely reverse the opponent's weapon, turning it into a poisonous thorn aimed at its master's heart.
In the evening, after Lu Zhanming finished his official business, he would accompany her into the space.
This became the strangest yet most heartwarming part of their newlywed life.
For Lu Zhanming, every time he enters this magical place, it's like opening the door to a new world.
At first, he was like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden, full of awe and curiosity about everything.
That big cabinet called a refrigerator would blow out cold air as soon as the door was opened, and it was always filled with fresh vegetables and fruits, and even yogurt and juice that he couldn't name.
His wife said that the space was generated on its own, which he couldn't understand, but he was greatly shocked. He privately concluded that his wife must be a fairy who had descended to earth to undergo tribulation, and the kind who came with a luxurious cave.
Gu Baobao was worried that he would be bored and that he would keep thinking about the tense situation outside, so she took out a tablet computer from the study and taught him the basic operation.
"Is this... a television?"
Lu Zhanming looked at the lit screen and carefully touched it with his finger.
"This is called a tablet computer, and it has many functions."
Gu Baobao smiled and helped him open a folder.
"There are some documentaries here, about... well, life in the future. You can watch them, but remember, everything you see here is what things might look like decades from now, and you can't say a word about it to anyone when you leave."
Lu Zhanming nodded solemnly.
The first thing he watched was a documentary about the future of urban transportation.
When he saw the orderly flow of traffic, the winding overpasses, and the subway speeding through the underground, he held his breath.
His eyes widened when he saw that people could handle everything from payments and communication to ordering rides and buying groceries with just a small mobile phone.
"This...this is all real?"
He murmured.
"real."
Gu Baobao leaned on his shoulder.
"And this is just ordinary life. Our country, in many places you can't see, will become very, very powerful."
She hesitated for a moment, but still opened another encrypted folder, which contained selected clips of several major military parades she had saved in her previous life.
As the majestic and stirring national anthem resounded, and as the marching contingents marched across the square with perfectly synchronized and powerful strides,
As the new fighter jets pierced the sky, as the missiles representing the nation's great power slowly passed by, especially when the camera focused on the resolute and proud faces of the soldiers, on the cheering and jubilant people in the square, and on that bright red flag...
Lu Zhanming straightened his back little by little, and the knuckles of his fingers holding the tablet turned slightly white.
His eyes were fixed on the screen, his breathing became heavy, and his chest heaved violently.
He saw a completely unfamiliar yet incredibly familiar army, well-equipped and with soaring morale.
What he saw was a powerful motherland that stood tall and unassailable.
He couldn't understand most of the names of those equipment, but their imposing presence, the overwhelming confidence and power they exuded, were undeniable.
The final image freezes against a backdrop of a clear blue sky, with fighter jets leaving trails of colorful smoke that form a giant "70".
The video ended, and the room fell into a brief silence.
Lu Zhanming lowered his head and remained motionless for a long time.
Gu Baobao was a little worried and gently touched him:
"Brother Zhanming?"
Lu Zhanming looked up, and Gu Baobao's heart skipped a beat. This tough man had red eyes, brimming with tears, but he gritted his teeth and refused to let them fall.
There was so much churning in those eyes:
An unbelievable shock, an overwhelming sense of pride, a burning, boiling excitement, and a touch of... a sense of relief and vicissitude that feels like a lifetime ago.
"well……"
His voice was terribly hoarse as he repeated the word over and over; he couldn't find any other words to describe the raging storm in his heart.
He pulled Gu Baobao into a tight embrace, his grip so strong it felt like he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
"Baby, I see it! I see it!"
His voice choked with emotion.
"Our...our country...will be like this from now on! Like this!"
He thought of his parents who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield, his comrades who did not live to see the victory, and the hardships and bloodshed he had endured on the border.
All the sacrifices, all the perseverance, all the suffering, at this moment, seemed to have found the most profound yet most glorious answer.
"It was worth it...it was all worth it..."
He buried his face in her shoulder, the scalding wetness seeping through her clothes.
Gu Baobao hugged him back, gently patting his back, her own eyes welling up with tears.
She could feel the tremor in his soul.
For this man who dedicated his life to national defense and had the deepest feelings for his country, nothing was more exciting and comforting than witnessing the future of a strong and prosperous motherland.
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