Chapter 10 One of the Red Banks

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Wenjie heard a heavy roar. The sound came from all directions. In her vague consciousness, it seemed that there was some kind of huge machine drilling or sawing through the big ice she was in.

The world was still dark, but the roar became more and more real. She was finally able to determine that the source of the sound was neither heaven nor hell. She realized that her eyes were still closed, and she tried hard to open her heavy eyes.

Eyelids - The first thing I saw was a lamp. The lamp was embedded deep inside the ceiling. It was covered behind a layer of barbed wire that seemed to be used to prevent impact. It gave off a dim light. The ceiling seemed to be made of metal.

She heard a male voice calling her name softly.

"You have a high fever." the man said.

"Where is this?" Ye Wenjie asked feebly, feeling that the voice was not her own.

"On the plane."

Ye Wenjie felt weak and fell asleep again. The roaring sound accompanied her in the hazy state. After a short time, she woke up again. At this time, the numbness disappeared and the painful feeling appeared: the joints of her head and limbs were painful, and she breathed out from her mouth.

My breath was hot and my throat hurt. Swallowing a mouthful of saliva felt like swallowing a piece of live coal.

Ye Wenjie turned her head and saw two people next to her wearing the same military coats as Representative Cheng. The difference was that they wore military cotton hats with red five stars. The open coats revealed the red collar badges on the military uniforms underneath. One of the soldiers

Wearing glasses, Ye Wenjie found that she was also covered with a military coat. The clothes on her body were dry and very warm.

She tried hard to stand up, but succeeded. She saw the porthole on the other side. Outside the window was the sea of ​​rolling clouds that were slowly moving away, which was very dazzling by the sun. She quickly looked away and saw that the narrow cabin was full of people.

It was a military green iron box, and the shadow of the rotor above could be seen through another porthole. She guessed that she might be on a helicopter.

"It's better to lie down." The soldier wearing glasses said, helping her lie down again and covering her with her coat.

"Ye Wenjie, did you write this paper?" Another soldier put an open English magazine in front of her eyes. She saw that the title of the article was "Possible Energy Interfaces and Other Energy Interfaces in the Solar Radiation Layer"

"Reflective Properties", he showed her the cover of the magazine, which was a 1966 issue of "The Astrophysical Journal".

"It must be yes. Do we need to confirm this?" The soldier wearing glasses took away the magazine and introduced, "This is Lei Zhicheng, the political commissar of the Hong'an base. I am Yang Weining, the chief engineer of the base. We are still away from landing.

You can rest for a while."

Are you Yang Weining? Ye Wenjie did not say anything, but looked at him in surprise, finding that his expression was very calm, obviously not wanting others to know that they knew each other. Yang Weining was once a graduate student of Ye Zhetai, and Ye Wenjie was just a freshman when he graduated. Ye Wenjie

I still clearly remember the first time Yang Weining came to my home. At that time, he had just been admitted to graduate school and discussed the topic direction with his tutor. Yang Weining said that he wanted to work on topics that tended to be experimental and applied, and as far away from basic theory as possible.

Ye Wenjie remembers what her father said at the time: I don't object, but we are majoring in theoretical physics after all. What's the reason for your request? Yang Weining replied: I want to devote myself to the times and make some practical contributions. His father said: Theory is the basis of application.

, Isn’t discovering the laws of nature the greatest contribution to the times? Yang Weining hesitated for a moment, and finally told the truth: It is easy to make ideological mistakes when doing theoretical research. These words made his father silent.

Yang Weining is a very talented person with solid mathematical skills and quick thinking. However, during his short graduate career, he had an ambivalent relationship with his supervisor, and they kept a respectful distance from each other. At that time, Ye Wenjie and Yang Weining often met, maybe

Due to the influence of his father, Ye Wenjie didn't pay much attention to him. As for whether he paid attention to herself, Ye Wenjie didn't know. Later, Yang Weining successfully graduated and soon broke off contact with his tutor.

After Ye Wenjie closed her eyes weakly again, the two soldiers left her and went to talk quietly behind a row of boxes. The cabin was very narrow, but Ye Wenjie still heard their words over the roar of the engine -

"I still think this is not safe." This was Lei Zhicheng's voice.

Yang Weining asked back: "Then can you give me the people I need through normal channels?"

"Well, I also spent a lot of effort. I can't find this kind of major in the military. If I look for it locally, there are even more problems. You know the confidentiality level of this project. You have to join the military first. The bigger problem is the confidentiality regulations.

The required isolation work period at the base. What should I do if my family members stay with the army for such a long time? No one wants to be sent to the base. The two suitable candidates I found would rather stay in the May 7th Cadre School than come. Of course, it can be forced

But the nature of this kind of work means that if you don’t feel at ease, you won’t be able to do anything.”

"So this is the only thing we can do."

"But this is too unconventional."

"This project is against the rules. If something goes wrong, I will be responsible."

"My Mr. Yang, can you shoulder this responsibility? You are immersed in technology, but 'Red Coast' is different from other key national defense projects. Its complexity lies beyond technology."

"You are telling the truth."

It was already evening when we landed. Ye Wenjie declined the support of Yang Weining and Lei Zhicheng and trudged off the plane by herself. A strong wind almost blew her down. The wind blew on the still rotating rotor, making a sharp whistling sound. The sound in the wind

Wenjie is very familiar with the scent of the forest. She knows the wind, and the wind also knows her. This is the wind of the Greater Khingan Mountains.

She soon heard another sound, a low and deep hum, thick and powerful, which seemed to form the background of the entire world. This was the sound of a parabolic antenna not far away in the wind. Only when you get close can you really feel it.

Seeing how huge this skynet is, Ye Wenjie's life has come full circle in this month and has come back again - she is now on Radar Peak.

Ye Wenjie couldn't help but turn her head and look in the direction of her Construction Corps company, only to see a misty forest in the dusk.

The helicopter was obviously not specially designed to pick her up. Several soldiers came over and unloaded the military green cargo boxes from the cabin. They walked past her, and no one looked at her. She, Lei Zhicheng, Yang Weining and the other three

Continuing to move forward, Ye Wenjie discovered that the top of Radar Peak was so wide. There was a small group of white buildings under the antenna. Compared with the antenna, they looked like a few delicate building blocks. They were heading towards two sentries standing guard.

They walked towards the base gate and stopped in front of it.

Lei Zhicheng turned to Ye Wenjie and said solemnly: "Ye Wenjie, the evidence of your counter-revolutionary crimes is conclusive, and you deserve the trial you are about to face. Now, you have an opportunity to make atonement. You can accept it or refuse it." He pointed in the direction of the antenna.

Pointing, "This is a national defense research base. The ongoing research projects require your professional knowledge. To be more specific, please ask Chief Engineer Yang to introduce it to you. You must consider it carefully." After that, he nodded to Yang Weining.

Nodding, he followed the soldiers carrying supplies into the base.

Yang Weining waited for the others to go away, then gestured to Ye Wenjie and led her further away, obviously because he was afraid that the sentry would hear the conversation below. At this time, he no longer concealed his acquaintance with her: "Ye Wenjie, I want to tell you something

Clearly, this is not an opportunity. I have learned from the court's Military Control Committee that although Cheng Lihua advocates a harsh sentence, but specific to your circumstances, the maximum sentence is ten years. Taking into account possible commutations, it is six or seven years.

And this place -" he tilted his head in the direction of the base, "is the highest-level research project. As you, walking through this door, you might..." He paused for a while, as if he wanted to keep the antenna in the wind.

The roar increased his tone, "I'll never get out again."

"I'll go in." Ye Wenjie said softly.

Yang Weining was surprised by her quick answer. "You don't have to make such a hasty decision. You can go back to the plane first. It will take off in three hours. If you refuse, I will take you back."

"I'm not going back, let's go in." Ye Wenjie's voice was still very soft, but there was a decisive determination in it. Now, except for another world that she didn't know existed after death, the place she wanted to go to the most was this isolated peak.

Well, here, she felt a sense of security that she had not felt for a long time.

"It's better to be cautious and think clearly about what this means."

"I could stay here forever."

Yang Weining lowered his head and fell silent. He looked into the distance, seeming to give Ye Wenjie some time to think and weigh. Ye Wenjie also remained silent, wrapping her military coat tightly in the wind and looking into the distance, where the Greater Khingan Mountains had disappeared into the thick night. In the severe cold

There was not much time left, so Yang Weining made up his mind and started walking towards the gate. He walked very fast, as if he wanted to throw away Ye Wenjie, but Ye Wenjie followed him closely and walked into the gate of the Hong'an base. Two sentries passed by

Then he closed the two heavy iron doors.

After walking for a while, Yang Weining stopped, pointed at the antenna and said to Wenjie: "This is a large-scale weapons research project. If successful, its significance may be greater than that of atomic bombs and hydrogen bombs."

When passing by the largest building in the base, Yang Weining went straight over and opened the door. Ye Wenjie saw the words "Launch Main Control Room" on the door. When she stepped in, a hot air smelling of engine oil hit her face. She saw

Entering the spacious hall, various instruments and equipment are densely placed. The luminous patterns on the signal lights and oscilloscopes flash together. More than a dozen operators in military uniforms sit in front of rows of instruments that almost bury them.

It was like squatting in a deep trench. The operating instructions came one after another, making it appear tense and chaotic. "It's warmer here. Please wait for a while. I will arrange your accommodation and come back." Yang Weining said to Ye Wenjie, pointing to the door.

A chair was offered to her next to the table. Ye Wenjie saw that a person was already sitting in front of the table. He was a guard with a pistol.

"I'd better wait outside." Ye Wenjie stopped and said.

Yang Weining smiled kindly and said, "You will be a staff member of the base from now on. Except for a few places, you can go anywhere." After saying that, there was an uneasy expression on his face, and he obviously realized the other meaning of these words:

You can never leave here again.

"I'd better go outside." Ye Wenjie insisted.

"Then... okay." Yang Weining looked at the guard who didn't pay attention to them, seemed to understand Ye Wenjie, and led her out of the main control room, "You go to this sheltered place, I will be back in a few minutes, mainly to find someone

Light a fire in that room, the conditions in the base are not very good right now, there is no heating." After that, he walked quickly.

Ye Wenjie stood by the door of the main control room. A huge antenna was erected behind her, occupying half of the night sky. Here, she could clearly hear the sounds coming from inside. Suddenly, the chaotic operation passwords disappeared.

There was silence in the main control room. Only the occasional beeps from the equipment could be vaguely heard, and then an overwhelming male voice appeared:

"The Second Artillery Corps of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, the 147th conventional launch of the Hong'an Project, authorization confirmed, 30 seconds countdown!"

"Target category: Class A3; coordinate number: BN20197F; positioning verification completed, 25 seconds countdown!"

"Launch document number: 22; Attachment: None; Resuming: None; The final verification of the document is completed, 20 seconds countdown!"

"Energy unit report: OK!"

"Coding Unit Report: OK!"

"Power amplifier unit report: normal!"

"Interference monitoring report: Within the permitted range!"

"The program is irreversible, 15 seconds countdown!"

Everything became quiet again. After more than ten seconds, as an alarm bell rang, a red light on the antenna flashed sharply.

"Launch starts! All units pay attention to monitoring!"

Ye Wenjie felt a slight itching on her face. She knew that a huge electric field had appeared. She raised her head and looked in the direction of the antenna, and saw a thin cloud in the night sky emitting a faint blue light. The light was very weak.

At first she thought it was her hallucination, but when the wisp of cloud drifted away from the airspace, the faint light of the cloud disappeared, and another wisp of cloud that drifted in also glowed. In the main control room, the password sounded again

The sound was so loud that she could only vaguely hear a few of them:

"The power amplifier unit failed and the No. 3 magnetron tube burned out!"

"The redundant unit is put into operation normally!"
To be continued...