Wearing a white lab coat, goggles, and a safety mask, Chen Mo carefully extracted a reaction vessel from within the instrument's containment system.
Inside, a faint off-white crystalline powder had settled.
He scrutinized it closely—its color and form were nearly identical to the previous synthesis runs. But purity? That couldn't be judged by the naked eye.
After washing and drying the sample, Chen Mo scooped out a small portion and began testing the crystal powder's purity.
Several meticulous checks later, he finally straightened up.
92% purity.
That was excellent for a first-stage synthesis. More than half the battle was already won. At this level of purity, the material could already support the creation of superconducting circuits without the need for second-stage silicon-carbon purification.
But that wasn't his endgame.
He wasn't aiming for circuits. He was aiming for a superconducting chip.
The ultimate target—tiny, fast, and efficient computing components that could change the technological landscape.
Just as he prepared to begin testing the silicon-carbon powder, Ink Girl's voice interrupted.
"Brother Mo, Sister Xiao Yu has entered the lab area."
Chen Mo paused. "Record the synthesis data," he said, setting aside the instruments. Then he removed his protective gear and stepped out of the lab.
Sure enough, just down the corridor, Xiao Yu was approaching.
"Some of the seismograph production equipment arrived," she said. "Zhao Min asked if you want to take a look."
"So soon?" Chen Mo was a little surprised. He'd just sent Li Chengzhi a request list not long ago. That kind of turnaround for precision equipment wasn't typical.
Then again—national priority projects didn't follow the usual rules.
He didn't hesitate and followed Xiao Yu to the parts processing factory.
The factory was one of the latest acquisitions—specifically adapted for Marching Ant's seismograph project. Here, parts were milled and assembled for both robots and seismographs.
Zhao Min had spared no effort.
She'd even hired a headhunting firm to recruit elite mechanical fitters—paying generously to bring in top-tier talent.
When Chen Mo arrived, Zhao Min greeted him at the factory floor.
"These are the new machines that Mr. Li's team shipped over," she said, guiding him past a row of high-end precision tools and machining systems. "They'll seriously boost our seismograph output."
She turned to a group of fitters nearby. "And these are the senior masters we recruited: Liu Meng, Hong Hailong, and Wang Jiadong. They've each got over a decade of experience."
Chen Mo shook hands with the fitters and nodded at the surrounding workers.
To them, this was like shaking hands with a legend.
Chen Mo wasn't just a tech CEO anymore—he was the face of a national scientific breakthrough. Most of the staff had never dreamed they'd get this close to him. The new hires especially were floored by his humility.
"How many staff do we have now?" Chen Mo asked.
"With the three new masters, we're at 24," said the factory manager. "We've also selected promising younger craftsmen to be trained as apprentices for future needs."
"Good." Chen Mo nodded. "From now on, all seismograph production and assembly will be handled here. Every single unit is critical—it could mean lives saved. So, every part has to meet the highest standards. I want everyone mentally prepared for that level of pressure."
"Understood!" the workers echoed, some with solemn expressions.
After the recent disaster in the island nation, the gravity of their work wasn't lost on anyone.
And with generous salaries and benefits on the line, no one wanted to slack off.
Chen Mo and Zhao Min spent some time inspecting the workshop, then left together.
"How's seismograph demand looking?" Chen Mo asked as they got into the car.
"Some countries have inquired, but we're holding off on exports for now," Zhao Min replied. "We're still setting up the domestic network. Most foreign governments are just watching and asking for prices. They're hesitating because… well, it's expensive."
"But that's the advantage of monopoly," she added with a smirk.
China had suffered for decades from foreign monopolies—Samsung's memory chip price hikes, OLED screen extortion, proprietary tech roadblocks. The Marching Ant Company was finally in a position to flip the script.
If anyone wanted these life-saving devices, they'd have to pay the price.
"When the time comes, they'll come knocking," Zhao Min said. "Whether we sell or not will depend on our mood."
Chen Mo suddenly turned to her. "Zhao Min, I need you to help import a lithography machine."
Zhao Min blinked. "Wait… don't tell me you're going into chip manufacturing now?"
"Exactly." Chen Mo didn't bother hiding it. What he didn't say was that room-temperature superconductors were part of the plan—but that would attract way too much attention if revealed now.
"I just need a lithography machine for experimental use," he added casually.
Zhao Min sighed. "I swear, you're an alien."
She had no doubt that once he stepped into the chip industry, he'd make waves. He always did.
"We could get a mid-range lithography system," she said thoughtfully. "But high-end ones… that's tough. Almost impossible."
"Because of the embargo?"
"Yeah. ASML—the Dutch company—monopolizes high-end lithography tech. And since the Netherlands is part of the Wassenaar Arrangement, all exports of sensitive tech require U.S. approval."
"Let me guess," Chen Mo said, raising an eyebrow. "The U.S. isn't exactly in a sharing mood."
"Exactly," Zhao Min replied. "They'll do everything to block tech transfers that might boost China's chipmaking capabilities."
She continued, "Even if we offered to pay sky-high prices for a 7nm or 14nm EUV system, they still wouldn't sell. Their goal is to contain China's tech rise, no matter the cost."
Chen Mo smiled faintly.
"If we can't buy, then we'll make do."
"Get a 22nm machine," he said. "If not, 32nm is fine for now. I just need something good enough to run prototype experiments. Focus on getting one with the highest precision possible."
"Got it," Zhao Min said. "But… do you really need the lithography machine?"
Chen Mo nodded.
"Yes. I'm designing a special-purpose chip."