Chapter 116: Super Fireworks Prototype Completed

At Huanghua International Airport, Zhu Lan and Kong Yan slowly walked out of the terminal building. People were already waiting at the entrance.

"Zhu Lan, I didn't expect you to come in person!"

"Governor Liu, I didn't expect you to come and greet me personally either!" The man approaching was Liu Binghe. They were in Hunan Province, and Zhu Lan’s destination was Liuyang, where he was preparing for a super fireworks display.

"Let's get in the car. We can talk on the way!"

Zhu Lan nodded. The car left the airport and headed toward Liuyang.

"Sigh, Zhu Lan, I feel a bit sorry for you," Liu Binghe said as soon as he sat down.

"Things aren't going well?"

Liu Binghe nodded. "They can meet your requirements, but they can't make the deadline."

Zhu Lan shook his head. "It's not that they can't make it, it's that they don't want to rush it."

Liu Binghe nodded in agreement. "Exactly. This project is too important. If they had enough time, they would take it. But with less than a month and a half left, between research and development, manufacturing, and testing, it takes at least three months. Only after all that is finished can mass production begin. In other words, it would take at least five months to meet the projected requirements, and we only have a month and a half!"

Zhu Lan nodded. "Don't worry. I came here to solve your problems."

Guoyang was a fireworks factory few people knew about. In fact, most people were unaware that this factory handled the production of fireworks for many large-scale international events; they rarely sold domestically, focusing primarily on overseas markets.

"Old Zhang, let me introduce you. This is Zhu Lan, Chairman of Fantasy Technology."

"Zhu Lan, this is Zhang Wusheng, Chairman of Guoyang."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Zhang!"

"Mr. Zhu, your reputation precedes you!"

"You are too kind, Mr. Zhang!"

"Please, come inside!"

Guoyang’s manufacturing facility was tucked away in a valley. Even in the event of an accident, it wouldn't cause any harm to the public.

"Let me introduce our chief engineer, Wu Ren."

Zhu Lan and Liu Binghe both nodded and sat down.

"Mr. Zhu, we can meet your requirements, but we really can't make the timeframe."

"Can't you speed it up?"

Zhang Wusheng shook his head. "There is no way to rush it. If we were to force it, we would have to abandon all our other business, which our company’s policy absolutely forbids."

"Mr. Zhang, you must understand what the Chenwen Port New Year's Eve gala is. If it’s a success, will Guoyang still need to worry about business?"

"I certainly understand that. But there is no way around it. Many of our orders this year are for international New Year celebrations; they are political tasks that we cannot push aside."

Zhu Lan frowned. "If you were to manufacture it, what is the absolute minimum amount of time required?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if you were to manufacture the fireworks I requested, how long would it take to produce the first prototype?"

Zhang Wusheng did not speak, but looked at Wu Ren.

Seeing his boss’s gaze, Wu Ren composed himself. "Mr. Zhu, if it's just the prototype, we can build one in five days. But we have no way to handle the launch apparatus. These super fireworks require very strict steel specifications for the launchers. Even ordering them custom-made takes over half a month, and we don't even know if they can meet the required specifications. Furthermore, according to your requirements, the fireworks are to be launched from a ship, which makes the requirements even higher. Honestly, without eight months, it’s impossible to complete."

Liu Binghe looked dejected. If the super fireworks weren't completed, the Chenwen Port gala would be a laughingstock. The publicity had already been released, and the whole country was buzzing about the event. If a key component failed, it would be a severe blow not just to Fantasy Technology, but to the provincial government. No one would trust an unreliable government, and if it truly failed, he might face warnings from superiors or even demotion. This was one of the reasons why Liu Binghe was so proactive.

Zhu Lan, however, was not discouraged. "If we only focus on manufacturing the shells, can one thousand units be completed within the projected time?"

Although Zhang Wusheng didn't understand what Zhu Lan was getting at, he looked at Wu Ren to answer.

"If it's just the manufacturing, excluding the launch apparatus, one thousand units can be finished in forty days. Our company has simulated these super fireworks many times over the years. If we really go for it, it is entirely possible!"

Since the appearance of the "Four-Foot Jewel," many fireworks companies around the world had begun simulating these super-sized fireworks, and the grand display at the 2008 Beijing Olympics had left many spellbound.

With less than half a month until the New Year and the overseas orders entering their final stages, and with a month and a half until the Lunar New Year, most production work was already complete. Wu Ren understood this was an opportunity. When he received the call from Liu Binghe, Zhang Wusheng had already held several meetings about this. Everyone understood that if this event was completed, it would be a massive leap for the company. They had already simulated many scenarios, including decentralized manufacturing, by uniting several local Liuyang fireworks companies to complete the task.

"Our company has already run the simulations. If it's just the shells, we will partner with other manufacturers to complete it. Never mind one thousand; we could even double that. But the problem remains the launch apparatus! Especially since your target is to launch from a ship—there are just too many technical hurdles."

Zhang Wusheng laid out the biggest problem directly. Indeed, if launching from land, one only had to consider the strength of the launcher, but on a ship, the ocean currents would make the launchers extremely unstable. An accident there would be a catastrophe.

The Chenwen Port New Year’s Eve gala was expected by the media to attract at least two hundred thousand people. If such a super firework were to malfunction and fail to reach the sky, the resulting disaster would be unimaginable. No one could bear that consequence. It was precisely for this reason that Guoyang had hesitated to take on this tempting order.

"That’s fine. If I solve the issue of the launch apparatus, and you are only responsible for manufacturing the shells, are there any other problems?"

Zhang Wusheng was stunned and subconsciously nodded. Then he realized what he had said. "You will solve the launch apparatus problem?"

Zhu Lan nodded.

"Zhu Lan, are you sure? This is no small issue!"

Zhu Lan smiled. "Rest assured. The Chenwen Port New Year's Eve gala is the main event for Fantasy Technology this year. I wouldn't gamble the company's future."

Liu Binghe nodded.

"If needed, can you manufacture ten shells in ten days? I need to rush the construction of the launch apparatus and modify the ship."

"If it’s just the shells, no problem. I have already contacted five factories. If it’s just that, we will go all out, and there will be no issues at all!"

"And it won't even take ten days; we can produce ten prototypes in five days. We just haven't tested them, so we aren't entirely sure of success, but our engineers can guarantee that they will absolutely launch these super fireworks into the sky and meet your company's requirements—the standards will be high, not low!"

Zhu Lan nodded with satisfaction. "Since that’s the case, it’s settled. You manufacture the ten samples first, and I will go back and have the launchers rushed, then we’ll conduct a test fire. If it succeeds, the Chenwen Port New Year’s fireworks gala will have your name on it!"

Zhang Wusheng smiled. This gala was incomparable to the annual overseas events; it was a once-in-a-century super event. If Guoyang could be a part of it, it would be a major achievement. The company placed a high level of importance on this, or else Zhang Wusheng wouldn't have rushed back from France just two days prior.

"I look forward to a successful partnership!"

"A successful partnership!"

Zhu Lan and Zhang Wusheng shook hands and smiled.

Zhu Lan stayed in Liuyang for three days. By the second day, he saw the first semi-finished product, and that evening, the first finished product was born.

"The Sun," with a diameter of 158 centimeters and a weight of 560 kilograms, exceeded the size of the Four-Foot Jewel. According to calculations, "The Sun" would reach a maximum altitude of 800 meters and produce a super firework display one kilometer wide.

Do not underestimate the wisdom of the Chinese; simply enlarging a firework is not difficult. If one truly wanted to manufacture it, it was quite simple—it’s just that no one wanted to. Such products couldn't be sold because you don't just launch such fireworks at will.

These fireworks were essentially super bombs. If they were to explode in a crowd, no government would dare to bear the consequences. Such things were like aircraft; if you wanted to operate one, you had to apply for permission, and whether it was approved was another matter.

Manufacturing super fireworks was not hard, but selling them was the problem. Since the birth of the Four-Foot Jewel, who else had bought one? It was a custom-made product, not a retail one.

The ten samples were transported to the province by three trucks, as these were hazardous materials requiring specialized transport. They would be taken to Jiangcheng, where a ship would transport them to the city.

Zhu Lan and Liu Binghe, accompanied by several engineers, flew to the province ahead of schedule. There, the launch apparatus was already being prepared. Once Zhu Lan received the specifications, he used the network to have Red Queen manufacture the launchers. Everything was ready, waiting only for the arrival of the fireworks shells.