Chapter 207

"Did you hear that? It's like a festival over at the research office."

"What happened? Has Director Liu's project yielded results?"

Several passing ministry officials craned their necks to look in the direction of the laboratory.

"It's definitely a success! I heard they've created something amazing..."

A well-informed source lowered their voice: "The technology that Director Liu's team has tackled this time is called 'integrated circuits'!"

"Integrated circuits? What are they used for?"

"I can't explain it in detail, but it must be something extraordinary. Don't forget that the breakthrough in the second-generation transistor computer was also led by Director Liu."

"Hiss... It seems this commotion is quite big, it's going to stir up some trouble again."

"That's great!"

Many officials looked at each other speechlessly, their eyes reflecting shock and a hint of sighing.

At this moment, inside the laboratory at the eye of the storm, Liu Guangqi was surrounded by pairs of eyes that shone with intense light.

The crowd's opinions were varied, but they eventually converged on the same question:

"Director, please tell us the real story—just how impressive is the small-scale integrated circuit technology we've mastered?"

Looking at those faces soaked with sweat and excitement, Liu Guangqi finally couldn't hide his smile.

He did not respond immediately, but picked up a dark square piece from the table. The object was no bigger than a fingernail and lay quietly in his palm.

"Based on this alone," he slowed his speech, his gaze sweeping over each face like a scanner, "if integrated circuits were redesigned now, the upper limit for the number of electronic components that could be accommodated could approach a hundred."

The sound of breathing in the room suddenly became thin.

"In other words, our previous second-generation computers could leap in performance by at least several levels."

"Several levels?!"

The technician behind a pair of thick-lensed glasses gasped, hurriedly straightening his slipped glasses. "This... how significant is this achievement?"

What do you think?

Fine lines appeared at the corners of Liu Guangqi's eyes, and his smile spread like ripples. "Enough to make your names resound throughout the entire broadcasting system."

"Whoosh—"

The cheers erupted again, as if they were about to lift the roof off.

He raised his hand and pressed down lightly, and the sound gradually subsided.

"Do you remember the first batch of integrated circuit boards we polished together back in the CNC machine tool era?"

Everyone nodded repeatedly—that was the starting point imprinted in their memories, how could they forget it?

"Those circuit boards," Liu Guangqi said calmly, "are just the prologue to the technology, the first door we knock on to open the world of integrated circuits."

"And now—"

He gently tossed the chip in his hand and caught it steadily. "What we hold is the complete key to small-scale integrated circuits."

He continued to explain, using language as a metaphor for disassembling a sophisticated clock:

"In the past, building circuits was like building a brick wall by hand. Transistors, diodes, and resistors had to be soldered one by one, which was time-consuming, laborious, and had a low fault tolerance rate."

"Today, we can use a special process to directly engrave hundreds of 'bricks' onto this small semiconductor substrate."

"All components are interconnected."

"This not only means a reduction in size, but also represents a transformation in power consumption and reliability."

"Therefore, the secret of integrated circuits lies in this: the denser the components, the more substantial the technology."

As he finished speaking, he met the gazes that were filled with shock and reverence, and a warm sense of accomplishment quietly spread through his heart.

"The current scale of 100 components is just the beginning."

"Further up, there are medium-scale integrated circuits with hundreds to thousands of units, large-scale integrated circuits with thousands to tens of thousands of units, and even very large-scale integrated circuits with more than tens of thousands of units."

This statement was like a beam of light, piercing through the ceiling of everyone's understanding.

If the success a moment ago was exhilarating, what they felt at this moment was an almost chilling enlightenment—it was hard to imagine what kind of exquisite craftsmanship was needed to accommodate tens of thousands of components in such a tiny space.

Is ultra-large-scale integration really achievable?

"Director!"

A young technician pushed up his glasses, his Adam's apple bobbing, and finally mustered the courage to ask, "Besides computers... where else can this thing be used?"

In an instant, all the noise froze.

Dozens of eyes focused on Liu Guangqi like searchlights.

Yes, just how many possibilities does this creation, smaller than a fingernail, hold?

Liu Guangqi slowly looked around, observing the faces of the group, which were filled with excitement and confusion, without holding back.

He was like a mentor standing at the podium, unfolding a blueprint for those seeking knowledge:

"Its territory is far beyond imagination."

"Counters, registers, **, digital displays... countless ideas that were once stalled due to technological barriers have now found the key to breaking through."

"A breakthrough in a core technology,"

His voice suddenly rose, “Often, this can tear open an entire application network. What we hold today is precisely such a key.”

silence.

Then, applause swept through the entire research and development room like a torrential downpour.

Liu Guangqi waved his hand, calming the boiling atmosphere.

That's all for today.

"These things need time to settle."

He noticed the lingering fire in everyone's eyes and added, "We have to take things one step at a time, and we have to digest the technology layer by layer. Let's go back and think about it first."

After saying that, he turned and walked into his office.

The doors closed, shutting out the surging sounds from the outside world and turning them into a muffled background noise.

Liu Guangqi opened the drawer and took out the department's special manuscript paper and fountain pen. The soft sound of the pen cap being unscrewed was particularly clear in the silence. His gaze fell on the paper, and his thoughts gradually settled into the weight of the pen tip.

The technology for small-scale integrated circuits has been mastered.

At this moment, as the project leader, he needs to submit a detailed planning report to his superiors.

"Proposal for the Application of Small-Scale Integrated Circuits"

The pen scratches across the paper, making a soft, rustling sound. Beyond computers and industrial automation, Liu Guangqi's pen has turned to even more critical areas: military aerospace, communications and information, precision instruments and measurement and control systems… each one closely tied to the nation's lifeline.

He suddenly stopped writing halfway through.

His thoughts drifted to the future he once lived in—integrated circuits permeated every corner of society, and computers, mobile phones, and various digital devices had become the cornerstone of societal operation. The entire computing, communication, production, and even transportation networks, including the vast system then known as the Internet, were all built upon integrated circuits. Some scholars even asserted that the digital wave triggered by integrated circuits was a crucial turning point in the progress of human civilization.

For a moment, he almost wanted to vaguely mention the vision of "digitalization" at the end of the report.

But he suppressed the thought as soon as it popped into his head.

inappropriate.

Moving too fast can easily lead to imbalance. In the 1960s, before even mobile phones had been invented, hastily writing down concepts like the Internet and smart terminals...

This plan will likely end up not on a leader's desk, but in the filing cabinet of some special hospital.

Thinking of this, Liu Guangqi couldn't help but shake his head, a self-deprecating smile appearing on his lips.

He should be a guide, not a visionary in the eyes of others.

Even so, when he finished writing the last word, gently blew the ink dry, and reviewed the report again, he could still feel a power surging between the lines that could stir the heart of any decision-maker.

Small-scale integrated circuit chips —

This is just the beginning.

as predicted.

It was already afternoon when the thick proposal was delivered to Director Lin's office by a special envoy. Director Lin, who had just finished dealing with a series of complicated matters, was rubbing his temples with his eyes closed, a faint sense of weariness permeating the air. He casually picked up the newly delivered document from the table, his movements somewhat languid.

As he tore open the seal and glanced at the title, his hand, which had been rubbing his forehead, suddenly froze in mid-air.

I fell silent.

The office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Director Lin slowly brought the document to his eyes and read it almost word for word.

"Application Plan for Small-Scale Integrated Circuits"...

How long has it been? From the project's inception to now, only a few months have passed, yet the technology has already achieved a substantial breakthrough? Director Lin felt the throbbing pain in his forehead suddenly dissipate, and a refreshing and comfortable feeling spread throughout his body.

That's perfect... they came at just the right time.

He was about to be promoted to vice minister, and on his departure, Liu Guangqi presented him with this generous gift. Once the machine tool automation project progressed further, coupled with the technological breakthrough in small-scale integrated circuits—he would soon possess two major achievements. This would not only give him more weight in the eyes of his superiors, but also significantly enhance his confidence among his peers.

It takes little time and money, yet it adds a significant achievement to one's record.

This kid is a real lucky charm.

"Good...good!" Director Lin murmured repeatedly, his eyes gleaming. He picked up the phone and dialed the internal line directly.

"Sir, I have an important matter to report to you."

The next morning, Liu Guangqi had just entered the research department when he was summoned to Director Lin's office. A moment later, he knocked on the door and entered.

"Boss, you wanted to see me?"

"You!" Director Lin pointed at him and sighed with a hint of regret, "You always give me reassurance when I need it most." He raised the project proposal in his hand, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

"Well done, Comrade Guangqi. You always manage to surprise us."

In the afternoon, the office was dimly lit.

The man took out a document with a circulation stamp from deep inside the drawer and pushed it toward the young man across the table.

Look at this.

There was a barely perceptible hint of satisfaction in his tone: "The higher-ups have given an explanation for your work in the previous period."

Liu Guangqi took the page, his gaze falling on the line of vermilion annotations. The handwriting was upright and strong, the ink deep and rich:

This technology has profound value for all parties involved, and we hope that continued research and development will lead to even greater achievements.

He smiled slightly and gently placed the document back in its original place.

"Director, this is the result of the entire team's hard work day and night."

His voice was steady, yet firm, "And now, this is just the beginning—we are ready to launch an in-depth research and development project on the automation of CNC machine tools."

Director Lin nodded, gesturing for him to sit down and discuss the matter in detail.

The two chatted for a while about the future of the technology, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up.

Liu Guangqi suddenly changed the subject, as if mentioning it casually:

"By the way, Director, I have a preliminary idea for the research and development of medium and large-scale integrated circuits and their integration with CNC machine tools."

He paused briefly.

"Could we establish a dedicated integrated circuit CNC workshop within the ministry?"

Director Lin's hand, which was about to drink from his glass, hung in mid-air.

He felt a slight soreness in his back molars.

Excited? Absolutely. A breakthrough in medium- and large-scale integrated circuits would be of paramount importance.

But it also made my scalp tingle – this meant a new round of resource investment.

The young man in front of me had everything approved in the ministry—people, equipment, everything—all thanks to his superior, who had to withstand pressure and lobby repeatedly.

Now they want to allocate land to build workshops...

For the next two weeks, he'll probably be spending all his time visiting his superiors' offices, writing reports until late at night.

Director Lin put down his now-cold teacup, shook his head with a wry smile:

"You little brat, do you really think this place is a wishing well? Or do you think my office door is inlaid with gold, and you have to scrape it off every time you come?"

Liu Guangqi smiled, his expression calm:

"Director, I'm not here to scrape gold, I'm here to deliver gold ore."

"Just think about it, once our own integrated circuit workshop is built and we achieve breakthroughs in medium- and large-scale technologies, the benefits will be a continuous stream. At that time, why would we worry about other departments not being envious? Why would we worry about the higher-ups not supporting us?"

That last sentence gently touched the softest spot in Director Lin's heart.

He remained silent for a long time, then suddenly opened his eyes, the last trace of hesitation in them completely gone.

"it is good."

He stared at Liu Guangqi, speaking each word clearly.

"I'll take care of the people, the money, and the supplies."

"Go back now and draft the most detailed plan for the construction of the workshop. The more detailed the better—I need it to secure this workshop for you."

"But Guangqi,"

He abruptly changed the subject, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"I've given you the materials, but if you can't produce results..."

"When the time comes, I'll tie you to an integrated circuit and make you use it as its brain."

Shortly after, Liu Guangqi took his leave.

The corridor was quiet, save for the faint sound of footsteps in the distance and the soft rustling of papers turning.