242: Chapter 242 After the fire was lit, the lights shone brightly, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

The entire international internet was practically waiting to see the Dragon Kingdom make a fool of itself.

Over the past two days, the topic of the Nuclear Fusion Power Plant surged to the top of global trending searches, overshadowing aircraft, the Google Virtual Helmet, and the Tesla Robot.

Domestically, people were both excited and feeling anxious.

Meanwhile, the international internet was both mocking and excited.

Because to many, the whole affair seemed as ridiculous as a grand spectacle destined for failure.

Yet, amidst this clamor, the authorities released the attendance list for the launch ceremony taking place in two days.

As soon as the list was released, the domestic comment sections, previously a chaotic mess, suddenly went quiet.

Because many people immediately spotted the name at the very top.

Lu Li.

Or rather, the name that rolled more easily off the netizens' tongues—Lu Li.

Almost the instant the list was released, the prevailing sentiment in public discourse shifted subtly.

"Wait a second... Lu Li is on the list too?!"

"He's not just observing; he's participating in the launch ceremony?!"

"Holy crap, I'm suddenly not nervous anymore."

"That's right, how did I forget? This Nuclear Fusion thing was almost certainly patched by Lu Li."

"Damn, I was feeling a bit shaky earlier, but now I'm suddenly at ease."

"I wouldn't believe it if anyone else were doing Nuclear Fusion, but if Lu Li is on that list, I really have to reconsider."

"Come to think of it, I thought this whole thing was absurd just a moment ago, but now I'm actually looking forward to it."

This shift in sentiment felt absurd even to those experiencing it.

Yet, that was exactly how it was.

If this news had just been a simple government announcement, many people would have inevitably had doubts, even if they voiced their support.

But now, with Lu Li's name attached to it, the feeling changed instantly.

It was as if something that had been floating in mid-air had suddenly been firmly grounded by someone's hand.

After all, over the past six months, he had used facts time and again to ruthlessly shatter everyone's "impossible."

And so, domestic netizens began to wait, caught between anxiety and anticipation.

Meanwhile, international netizens became even more excited.

Because in their eyes, Lu Li's presence actually made it better.

"Great, if it fails, it won't just be a normal failure."

"I'm already looking forward to seeing this Dragon Kingdom genius looking awkward in front of the camera."

"If he really participates in the launch, this failure will be even more entertaining than a success."

"The higher the profile, the harder the fall."

Those two days passed quickly amidst this global scrutiny.

On the day of the launch, the weather was freezing.

It was around 6 PM, and since it was winter, it was already quite dark.

Yet, outside the Dragon Kingdom's first Nuclear Fusion Power Plant, the atmosphere was as hot as if it were pressed under a layer of fire.

A large number of media vehicles had been blocking the roads outside since early in the morning.

Cameras, broadcast trucks, drones, and security perimeters surrounded the scene, layer upon layer.

Everywhere you looked, there were people.

Experts, officials, energy sector representatives, corporate executives, reporters, and technical personnel who had passed rigorous screening to obtain observer status—everyone was there.

The Nuclear Fusion Power Plant itself stood silently under the winter sky.

The silver-white main structure was massive and silent; the reactor area, cooling system, power transmission substation complex, and surrounding control facilities combined to form a futuristic industrial beast crouching on the ground.

It was not ostentatious.

It was almost excessively quiet.

Yet, standing before it, almost everyone felt the same thing—once this thing was truly ignited, many rules would have to change.

Su Qingxue stood beside Lu Li, gazing at the expanse of cold, gleaming steel in the distance, her heart tightening involuntarily.

She knew this thing was important.

But it wasn't until she actually stood here that she realized this was no longer just some "project result."

This was the gateway to a new era.

And today, Lu Li would personally push it open.

Inside the launch hall, the live broadcast had already begun.

It wasn't just domestic.

Major international platforms were also broadcasting it simultaneously.

As soon as the screen lit up, the comments flooded in like a waterfall.

Domestically, the tension was palpable.

"It's starting, it's starting!"

"My palms are sweating so much right now..."

"If this actually succeeds, I feel like I'll be able to brag about it for the rest of my life."

"Damn, even though I know Lu Li is there, I'm still nervous."

"Don't even talk about it; I'm more anxious right now than when I checked my college entrance exam scores."

On the international side, the atmosphere was one of mockery and amusement.

"Let's start the timer."

"I bet it won't last five minutes."

"Don't insult five minutes; maybe it'll be gone as soon as the countdown ends."

"I've got my screenshot ready; I'm going to turn this accident into a meme."

But when the camera panned across the launch hall and landed on the attendance list and the positions of those present, many international netizens paused, stunned.

Because Lu Li wasn't just attending.

The position he was standing in clearly indicated he was going to participate in the launch.

"Wait, is that Lu Li?"

"The guy behind the Dragon Kingdom's Robot, Virtual Helmet, and the real-scene projection?"

"He's actually there in person."

"Good, now it'll be even more entertaining."

Inside the hall, the atmosphere was deathly quiet.

Before the countdown began, the host gave one final, brief introduction.

There was no excessive sentimentality.

Nor was there any deliberate exaggeration.

He simply and steadily stated, "The Dragon Kingdom's first commercial-grade Nuclear Fusion Power Plant is officially entering the startup sequence."

Yet, that single steady sentence was enough to make countless hearts tighten.

Then, all cameras focused on the front.

Lu Li stood there, his expression shockingly calm.

He didn't strike any deliberate poses, nor was there any sense of performative solemnity.

He simply raised his hand and gripped the control joystick that symbolized the launch.

As soon as this scene appeared, the domestic comment section went wild.

"Holy crap, he's actually pushing it!"

"Brothers, I'm suddenly not nervous at all."

"If Lu Li dares to stand there, I believe today will be a success."

"Damn, his expression is so steady, it's like he's just going home to turn on a light."

Meanwhile, the international internet continued its mockery.

"He's putting on a good act."

"I hope he can stay this calm when it shuts down in a moment."

"I've already started counting the seconds."

Ten.

Nine.

Eight.

...

The entire hall was so quiet that only the sound of the countdown could be heard.

Three.

Two.

One.

As the word "Start" echoed through the venue, Lu Li, wearing an expression of almost matter-of-fact confidence, steadily pushed the joystick forward.

The next second, the main screen lit up.

Parameters began to flicker.

Magnetic confinement initiated.

Ignition successful.

Energy curve rising.

Stability threshold passed.

Grid connection command confirmed.

Power transmission system switched.

A flurry of technical terms and parameters scrolled rapidly up the screen. Most ordinary people couldn't understand them, but they quickly grasped one thing—time was ticking forward, second by second.

Thirty seconds.

Sixty seconds.

One hundred seconds.

In the international comment sections, where people had been jeering, some stopped laughing.

"One hundred seconds?"

"Don't worry, it's not strange for Nuclear Fusion to hold for a few hundred seconds."

"Just wait."

Two hundred seconds.

Three hundred seconds.

This time, many people on the international internet went silent.

Because those who had used "a few hundred seconds" as a punchline suddenly realized that this number, which had been so convenient for mockery, was being trampled upon in front of the entire world.

Meanwhile, the parameters in the hall continued to run steadily.

Four hundred seconds.

Five hundred seconds.

Six hundred seconds.

No shutdown.

No alarms.

No incidents.

Not even a hint of instability appeared.

The rhythm of the international comment section was visibly falling into chaos.

"Wait, why is it still running?"

"This isn't right..."

"Didn't they say it was only in the conceptual stage?"

"How is it possible for it to be this stable?!"

Domestically, the excitement was becoming hard to contain.

"Holy crap, six hundred seconds!!"

"Brothers, didn't those jerks on the international internet keep bringing up 'a few hundred seconds' earlier? Why are they silent now?"

"Keep counting! Go on, keep counting!"

"Didn't you say it would shut down before the livestream ended? The stream is still going, so why hasn't it shut down yet?!"

And just then, something even more intuitive finally appeared.

The external live feed suddenly cut in.

The city in the distance was the provincial capital of Pingnan Province.

At that moment, it began to light up, section by section.