Chapter 25: Two Titans Arrive for Longhai!

As the video concluded, Li Weimin was visibly stunned. He spoke with rapid intensity, every word carrying an irrefutable sense of finality.

"Do not give me any more time to consider!"

"I, Li Weimin, hereby formally accept your invitation in my personal capacity!"

"Please, I insist that you allow me to join Longhai University as the founding dean of the School of Environment and Ecology!"

"To personally participate in such a great cause, one capable of changing the future, is the greatest honor of my life!"

This promise was made with profound weight. Yet, for Longhai University at this moment, it was merely the tip of the iceberg of the coming storm.

...

Meanwhile, in a heavily guarded courtyard in the capital, the study was filled with the scent of aged books and faint ink. An elderly man with white hair and a beard sat in a specially designed wheelchair. On the massive screen before him, the CG rendering of Longhai University’s "Future Campus" remained frozen on the display.

Qian Liqun, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and an undisputed titan in the field of domestic new energy.

Though he was over eighty and his health had long since faded, his clouded eyes burned with a fire capable of melting steel. His gaze was locked firmly on the integrated system model labeled "High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Conversion and Geothermal Storage." His fingers gripped the wheelchair's armrests so tightly that his knuckles turned white, the metal frame groaning under the immense pressure of his grip.

This was it!

This integrated energy solution was the research project that had plagued him for half his life, consuming countless efforts yet remaining stubbornly beyond his grasp. And now, an unknown young man had casually laid the final answer before him in a single CG video.

"Prepare the car..."

"No, never mind."

Academician Qian’s voice was raspy. He waved his hand, signaling his assistant to step back. He immediately used his official channels to obtain He Yu’s private contact information with the utmost urgency.

An online video conference, unbeknownst to any media or outsiders, began.

The meeting lasted for three full hours. It progressed from initial scrutiny and skeptical questioning to mid-session shock and disbelief, finally evolving into a pure academic discussion that transcended age and status.

After three hours, the video call ended. Academician Qian sat quietly in his wheelchair, silent for a long time. His face still bore the shock of a passing storm. That young man had not only perfectly answered every question regarding "photovoltaic conversion and geothermal storage" but had also extrapolated, proposing several more forward-thinking optimization directions that he himself had never even envisioned. These were not mere armchair theories, but brilliant concepts built upon massive data and rigorous logic.

After a long while, Academician Qian closed his eyes. When he opened them again, all the cloudiness and signs of frailty had been swept away, leaving only a gaze of absolute determination. He picked up the red secure phone and dialed He Yu’s number.

"President He."

"I, Qian Liqun, have decided to join Longhai University."

"I accept the position of founding dean of the School of New Energy Science!"

The addition of these two titan-level experts was like two anchors of stability, instantly propelling Longhai University’s prestige and credibility to an unprecedented peak.

But it was not over. After hanging up, Academician Qian did not pause for a second. He opened a worn address book and personally dialed several numbers. On the other end of those lines were true national treasures in the field of civil engineering—the helmsmen of the nation’s top-tier, special-grade construction conglomerates.

"Old friends, are you still up for a challenge?" Academician Qian’s tone was casual, yet carried an weight that could not be refused.

"I’ve found a project here that deserves to be written into the history of Chinese engineering."

"Any interest in joining me?"

Faced with a personal invitation from this national treasure of an academician, there was almost no hesitation on the other end of the line. These construction giants, usually fierce competitors, all pledged to immediately dispatch their most elite, core, ace teams to Longhai, regardless of the cost. They had to see for themselves what kind of project could move the old man to such an extent.

At the same time, on the Longhai University official website, the donation ticker surged wildly before breaking through a new, monumental threshold.

Five hundred million!

He Yu watched the number quietly, then turned his gaze toward the system store in his mind. The option to directly exchange for the "Ecological Dome Main Structure" glowed with an alluring light. It required five hundred thousand reputation points to redeem. With the addition of the two titans and the explosion in donations, his current reputation was already sufficient. With just a single thought, the university’s most core and difficult structure could materialize out of thin air.

It was a massive temptation. He Yu stared at the option for a full minute. In the end, he slowly but firmly averted his gaze.

"No."

He whispered to himself, his eyes devoid of hesitation, filled only with a pure, burning conviction.

"This time, I will rely on our own strength."

"I will build it with my own hands!"