Chapter 197

Chapter 197

Su Xu worked with remarkable efficiency. Within a single day, he had repaired nearly all the small household appliances piled in the corner. Without pause, he began tinkering with more complex machinery, completely absorbed in the passion for piecework.

Matthias also had an Engineering Department, but most of its members were either Superior Genes assigned by the Education Center or outstanding Vanguard Members who excelled in assessments. Even if Vanguard Members managed to gain entry, they were typically relegated to the most basic labor, rarely touching core work.

Before the Laborers' District fell, Apa had mentioned opening a small repair shop for him. If that shop had truly materialized, it might have been even smaller and more cramped than this Engineering Department. Apa would handle sales at the front, while he worked in the backroom, processing scrapped appliances brought in from the sea, leading others in the Laborers' District to earn a living.

Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, their dream had shattered so long ago?

Master Qiu fed the aligned chips into the high-temp soldering station. When he looked up again, the inspection zone was overflowing with repaired items, startling him. He spot-checked a few and found almost no flaws beyond minor issues.

Studying the wiring closely, he could clearly discern the other’s straightforward and efficient style—connections were tightly secured, meticulous and serious. But who had taught such messy wiring arrangements? Fortunately, it hadn’t hindered this promising talent.

Seeing Su Xu struggle with his research, Master Qiu offered a well-timed tip, "Run this wire from here and connect it to the microcontroller."

Su Xu’s face brightened with understanding, pressing further with his doubts, "Master Qiu, can I simplify the wiring here? Would it work to connect the resistors in series?"

"It’s possible, but you need to consider the subsequent layout—like here." Though swamped with work, Master Qiu’s patience was thin. However, after a few pointers, he noticed Su Xu responding quickly and learning at an impressive pace, which piqued his interest.

He pulled out a set of teaching materials from the bottom of his toolbox and handed them to Su Xu, adjusting his glasses with a fingertip. "These are the lesson plans I used when teaching at sea years ago—mostly foundational concepts. Take a look first, and if there’s anything you don’t understand, ask me. The circuits aren’t actually difficult; you just need to shore up your basics. Once you’ve sorted out your approach, I’ll explain further."

The Engineering Department had specialized divisions—circuits, appliances, semiconductors, conductors—each member delving into their own field while collaborating when necessary for efficiency.

In his youth, he had often traveled the seas with colleagues like Finn, sharing expertise across various disciplines. Now, too old to move around, the younger members of the Engineering Department confined him to the institute for safety. But compared to the never-ending repairs here, he’d rather be back at sea.

Su Xu accepted the handwritten lesson plans with both hands, flipping through them to find every page filled with care. He thanked Master Qiu sincerely, "Thank you."

His earnestness made Master Qiu slightly uncomfortable. Waving a hand, the older man turned and returned to his seat, sneaking glances at the young man studying nearby and nodding in satisfaction.

Knock, knock, knock.

Wei Pan lightly rapped on Su Xu’s door, but after a long wait with no response, he sent messages that also went unanswered. Asking others in Zone 3 turned up nothing about Su Xu’s whereabouts.

His stomach twisted into knots, an uncontrollable panic tightening around his chest with a dull ache. "Did he leave?"

Was it because of what he had said to Su Xu?

Wei Pan’s face fell immediately, shoulders slumping as he turned away with leadened footsteps—only to almost bump into Liang Zhan, who stood behind him with a puzzled look.

"Brother, what are you doing here?" Liang Zhan tilted his head, glancing at the door behind Wei Pan. "Are you looking for Brother Su Xu? He hadn’t returned last night—didn’t you know?"

Yesterday, the lab had completed the initial analysis of the seawater baseline values. He had worked with the equipment debugging crew to adjust the purifier’s filtration parameters, repeatedly observing samples from main zones. By the time he left the R&D department, it was already the next day.

He had thought Su Xu would have the decency to say goodbye in person, even if rejecting him. He never expected him to disappear without a word.

Seeing Wei Pan’s silence, Liang Zhan pointed toward the hangar. "When I returned from duty this morning, I heard the workers say Master Qiu has a new assistant. The Engineering Department’s lights were on all night, and this morning, they were already moving out repaired appliances—quite a haul!"

He exaggeratedly spread his arms wide to emphasize his surprise. "I took a quick look and saw Brother Su Xu inside. Master Qiu seemed like a new man, telling everyone Su Xu is the best student he’s ever taught. When Little Ma and the others return, they’re definitely in for an earful."

He couldn’t quite follow the details, but from what he overheard, Su Xu had picked up advanced circuitry in less than a night and was already progressing to chip design.

Master Qiu’s praise might have sounded exaggerated, but since it was about Su Xu, it didn’t seem so unbelievable.

Liang Zhan nodded knowingly, hands on hips, fully agreeing with his own assessment.

"Master Qiu has been working diligently. Shouldn’t I, as a representative of the institute, show our appreciation?" Wei Pan proposed.

"Huh?" Liang Zhan looked puzzled, slow to react. The institute had been sending frequent supply deliveries to the Engineering Department to reward Master Qiu’s efforts, with others often bringing fruits and bread as gestures of appreciation. Why was his brother suddenly suggesting another visit?

Wei Pan silently considered his approach, his steps noticeably lighter as he left.

It was difficult to identify exactly what had changed, but those entering and leaving the Engineering Department could clearly sense a more relaxed atmosphere compared to days prior. The usually meticulous Master Qiu was now chatting and laughing with the newcomer, and the once-dreary department, drained by staff reassignments, had somehow come back to life.

"You need to focus on memorizing the operating principles of this octa-core processor. Most of the institute’s smart-integrated systems are built on this foundation," Master Qiu instructed seriously, not looking up even as someone entered. He pointed left, then right. "Personal requests—form a line on the left. Department repairs—register on the right. Take a number and wait."

"Then where do the fruits go?"

Master Qiu’s head snapped up at the voice, surprised to see Wei Pan holding a fruit basket. "Xiao Wei? What brings you here?"

"With the Engineering Department’s workload increasing, I happened to be passing by and thought I’d check in on you," Wei Pan said politely, his gaze settling on Su Xu, who was absorbed in his studies.

His attempt at charm fell flat—this blind man gave him no attention whatsoever.

Noticing Wei Pan’s stare, Master Qiu eagerly introduced the newcomer. "Xiao Wei, I am absolutely taken with this young man! At his age, his comprehension is outstanding—bold yet meticulous. A find of a lifetime!"

Wei Pan picked up on the subtext, his approving gaze softening further. "Indeed. It’s hard not to like someone so exceptional."

Su Xu, engrossed in chip debugging, stiffened slightly at the word "like," hesitantly lifting his eyes to meet Wei Pan’s. "Wei Pan? What are you doing here?"

"You two know each other?" Master Qiu blurted before realizing. He’d been too swamped lately to keep up with institute gossip, but now that he thought about it, the unfamiliar face who knew Wei Pan could only be the rumored one.

Pointing at Su Xu, he exclaimed, "So you’re Su Xu!"

Su Xu hadn’t expected this reaction, torn between laughter and exasperation. "I believe I introduced myself when we first met."

"Did you?" Master Qiu squinted skeptically.

It wasn’t worth dwelling on. Su Xu steered the conversation elsewhere. "Master Qiu, I don’t quite understand why this sensor is placed here. Could you explain?"

"Sure, right away." Master Qiu grinned, eyes crinkling.

At his age—older than even Finn by a generation—he was practically a sage among these youngsters. How could he miss Su Xu’s hint?

This young man named Su Xu had accomplished something great for the institute. That merit alone warranted the institute’s best treatment, yet instead of resting on his laurels, he’d come to the Engineering Department to help.

Master Qiu’s eyes flicked between the two, comprehension dawning. He nudged Wei Pan with an elbow, whispering, "You brought back a good one this time. Consider your manpower poaching forgiven."

Wei Pan protested innocently, "Master Qiu, I didn’t reassign them on purpose!"

He wasn’t some old-world capitalist—overloading the Engineering Department brought no benefits. If anything, he wished the purification systems could leave the factory flawless.

Only eight units remained. The labs and debugging teams were working around the clock to finalize the optimal purification values. Soon, they’d curb the ocean’s worsening pollution. He just hoped no further surprises arose before then.

Master Qiu shooed him away. "What’s done is done. This one stays. Now scram—don’t disturb us!"

"But he—" Wei Pan started, wanting to say Su Xu hadn’t rested all night, but the two were already deep in discussion. Taking the hint, he lightly tapped Su Xu’s desk in farewell. "I’ll head out first."

Su Xu emerged momentarily from his concentration, acknowledging with a hum before realizing the oddity. He called out to Wei Pan, "Thank you for understanding my dislike of unannounced departures. So—goodbye."

Without outright stating it, he reassured Wei Pan he wouldn’t vanish without a word, soothing the anxiety that had brought him here.

Who said Su Xu lacked social finesse? He understood perfectly. Wei Pan’s lips curled uncontrollably, his joy unmistakable to anyone watching.

Master Qiu had seen enough, rapping the desk sternly. "Xiao Wei, you’re being obnoxious!"

After all the years he’d spent teaching Wei Pan, the brat had forgotten all about respecting his elders.

Su Xu suppressed a chuckle, secretly waving Wei Pan off alone. A sudden thought struck him—he felt like a student kept after class, exchanging covert signals with a crush under the teacher’s watchful eye.

He abruptly rapped his own forehead, shaking off this inexplicable notion, and threw himself wholeheartedly into the task at hand.

In the deep sea darkness, the simulated daylight corridor lights in the research institute gradually dimmed. After a day's work, people left their posts to return to the living quarters for rest, yet the lights in one or two work areas remained on.

The lab technicians voluntarily worked in rotating shifts, hoping to get the initial seawater readings as quickly as possible. Even though they hadn’t had proper rest for a long time, no one voiced any complaints.

If their short-term exhaustion could become the foundation for the long years ahead, they would gladly endure it.

A lab technician yawned as he opened the door, ready to deliver the sorted documents to the archives. Just as he stepped out, he spotted a figure standing by the laboratory’s glass window and asked in surprise, "Director Wei, didn’t you go back to rest? Why are you here again?"

Wei Pan raised an eyebrow with an odd look and asked, "Has your Lu Bo started his mysterious ritual again?"

He tilted his head, staring at Lu Fangqing inside the lab, who was adjusting his kneeling direction, unable to comprehend his strange behavior.

The lab technician couldn’t help but laugh. "Better not disturb him. This is the forty-second separation experiment. If it fails again, he might have an existential crisis."