Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Wan Fulin tidied up his scraggly beard, blinked his dry eyes from the experiments, glanced at the small side room, and asked with curiosity, "What are Feng Xia and Daniel up to? They've been all secretive for days now."

Several senior experts nearby perked up at this, also curious. Durarov, still fiddling with his lab equipment, paused and realized he hadn't seen his apprentice in days. He was a laid-back guy, but Daniel had reported to him, so he had some idea of what they were working on. Durarov grinned slyly—he was looking forward to it.

The young soldier outside naturally had no idea what Feng Xia and Daniel were doing, but it had been approved by the higher-ups. When Wan Fulin asked him, he stammered and couldn't answer, scratching his head with a sheepish grin. The old guys decided to go check it out themselves. But the door to that small room was locked. The old guys exchanged glances—ah, well, they'd come out eventually, and they could ask then.

The Bear Country had sent a production line that was neither new nor old, yet even these semi-used machine tools filled the comrades at the Field Army base's arsenal with awe. Compared to their outdated, even manual methods of crafting, these were far more advanced.

The Bear Country also sent technical personnel to guide the work. Without needing orders from above, the comrades treated these people with great respect, humbly asking questions when they didn't understand and occasionally bringing candies or other treats to the technicians. The two groups got along excellently, and before long, the equipment upgrades were complete.

Durarov had been at the Field Army base for nearly a month, moving from winter to early spring. When it came to the silencer, he could now crank out something about 70-80% there. Further improvements would have to wait until he returned to his own country and his own lab to continue exploring.

Originally, Durarov was supposed to leave three days ago. But his dear apprentice Daniel shyly asked him to stay an extra three days, explaining that the experiment he was working on was nearing its end and the final product was about to be seen. Could he wait and see it before leaving? Durarov agreed. He was also curious—what had his apprentice and that little Flower Kingdom girl come up with?

Just as he was thinking about this, the lab lights flickered twice and then went completely dark. Did the power trip?!

Wan Fulin and the others rushed over. The soldiers outside had already drawn the steel rifles strapped to their backs, fully alert and scanning their surroundings. The lab was the most tightly guarded place in the base; an unexplained power outage made them suspect enemy infiltration. Every piece of data in the lab was the result of their hard work and could not be compromised.

Division Commander He stood there like a rock in front of the lab, a group of soldiers already encircling it, rifles trained on the lab. Inside, it was pitch black—no natural light could enter for the experiments. Political Officer Huang had someone bring flashlights, and a few people cautiously stepped inside. Everything was in place; the data on the tables hadn't even been disturbed. Everyone was puzzled—what was this all about?

Suddenly, the lock on that little side door clicked a couple of times. The soldiers gripped their rifles tightly, ready for anything, as if a monster might emerge. Then Wan Fulin and Durarov suddenly remembered—inside were their apprentices!

Sure enough, Daniel opened the door, his face pale. He was startled by the sight of the soldiers outside. Behind him, a flash of red was visible as Feng Xia yawned lazily. She hadn't slept in a day and a night; her mind had been racing, and she was about to collapse.

The two came out one after another. Daniel's embarrassed look and Feng Xia's languid demeanor stood in sharp contrast to the stern, cold-faced soldiers outside. Not only Wan Fulin and Durarov but even Division Commander He's expression soured.

Feng Xia spoke first: "What's going on? Have we done something wrong?"

Wan Fulin was so angry his beard bristled: "Was that power outage just now your doing?"

Feng Xia stroked her chin, thought for a second, and answered uncertainly: "Probably, yeah."

Division Commander He rubbed his forehead helplessly and waved for the soldiers to lower their rifles. Except for the guards on duty, everyone else dispersed. The thought in everyone's mind was probably the same: kids are all the same, geniuses included—spare the rod, spoil the roof. These two geniuses were due for a proper scolding.

The electrician quickly fixed the circuit. Daniel blushed, too embarrassed to look at anyone, his golden hair drooping. Feng Xia, on the other hand, had a thicker skin than he did. Wan Fulin scolded her, and she just responded with "mm-hmm" and "uh-huh," like talking to a brick wall, which pissed Wan Fulin right off.

"Oh, teacher, quit your nagging for a sec. Look at this thing I made—come on, take a look." Feng Xia took out a little token-like thing. Of course, if Wan Fulin had ever watched Ultraman Tiga, he would know it looked exactly like the transformation device.

Wan Fulin took it. He thought it was just a toy. After a moment's thought, he decided not to discourage his student. Even a genius was still a young girl at heart, and playing was natural.

Wan Fulin cleared his throat: "Hmm, not bad. Very creative."

Feng Xia smiled sweetly, dimples appearing on her cheeks. She spoke with pride: "Teacher, you have good eyes. Look, there are three modes. The first mode emits a low-voltage current, enough to stun a chicken. The second mode emits a high-voltage current, probably enough to knock out a person. The third mode emits a very strong current, enough to fry a pig, probably. Teacher, is this decent? Daniel and I spent quite a bit of time on it."

Wan Fulin was stunned. He looked at the crude, toy-like object in his hand. This thing could electrocute a pig?! The other senior experts gathered around. Even Durarov came over—this was made by his apprentice and this girl, so he had to see it!

Wan Fulin examined it carefully. Commander He had a chicken brought in—a big rooster, well-fed with glossy feathers. He took the device, which Feng Xia called a "zapper," and following her instructions, used the first mode on the rooster. The rooster convulsed, collapsed on the ground, its comb drooping, completely lifeless.

What the hell, this thing's a treasure! If the first mode was this powerful, what about the second and third? He was eager to test them, but while chickens were easy to find, a pig wasn't! For a moment, he was practically hopping with impatience, while the gizmo was passed around from hand to hand. The young soldiers outside craned their necks to get a look, trying to catch a glimpse of the "treasure" they were talking about. They had all heard the rooster's screech when it was zapped!

Now everyone saw Feng Xia and Daniel in a whole new light. These weren't two mischievous kids—they were genius young talents, making contributions to the nation!