104: Chapter 104 Reports and Recollections

Chen Youhua's study had almost become his second home.

The desk and floor were covered with scratch paper filled with complex mathematical symbols.

He was slumped in his chair, his gaze seemingly piercing through the void before him, immersed in an abstract ocean of fluid equations.

To him, mathematical problems were never truly problems; rather, it was biological and other engineering issues that proved difficult.

This was because those problems would always be limited by real-world precision and engineering complexity.

While mathematics could play a role in optimization and improvement in these fields, actual engineering required various tests, refinements, more tests, and more refinements until it became viable.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The sudden sound of knocking broke his long-held state, while also shattering the nearly frozen flow of thoughts in the study.

Chen Youhua raised his head somewhat sluggishly, his eyes appearing vacant and out of focus from having been fixed on the abstract world for so long.

"Who is it?" His voice carried a hint of irritation at being interrupted, sounding slightly raspy.

The door was pushed open, and Wang Zhe and Li Wei squeezed inside.

Wang Zhe carefully held a wide-eyed Bullfrog with limbs gently secured by soft cloth strips, while his other hand gripped a Breadboard cluttered with colorful electronic components and wires; his face was filled with irrepressible excitement, like a child eager to show off a new toy.

Li Wei followed behind him, holding a notebook and some connecting wires, her expression equally excited but with an added sense of relieved ease.

Chen Youhua looked at this peculiar combination, not reacting for a moment.

"??? You two... what are you doing?"

He didn't associate the items before him with the laboratory project at all.

"Youhua! Look at this!"

Wang Zhe eagerly thrust the Bullfrog and Breadboard forward as if presenting a treasure.

Without waiting for Chen Youhua to take a closer look, he used his free hand to gently pinch the Bullfrog's leg.

The Bullfrog didn't react, its large eyes staring innocently.

Wang Zhe applied a bit more pressure.

*Kick!*

Stimulated, the Bullfrog's hind leg instinctively gave a sudden, powerful kick!

Almost simultaneously!

*Zzz-zzz-zzz!*

A small Model Aircraft Servo fixed to the Breadboard rotated by an angle in response, emitting the distinct mechanical sound of a turning motor.

Chen Youhua's gaze shifted back and forth between the kicking Bullfrog and the rotating servo until his brain finally switched from math mode back to reality.

He realized.

"Oh? The bipolar neurons... you've made them?"

There was no surprise in his tone, as if this were an expected step.

"Yes! We did it!"

Li Wei quickly chimed in, her voice filled with excitement and a slight, nearly imperceptible trace of shame.

"For the past week, everyone in the lab was like a headless fly; no matter what we tried, there was no progress.

enlightenment couldn't stand it anymore and just slapped the complete plan and steps right in our faces!"

She gestured with her hands, her face feeling a bit flushed as she admitted the team's shortcomings in independent exploration.

Chen Youhua nodded, his gaze sweeping over the crude electronic components to rest on the Bullfrog, yet he seemed to see something far beyond it.

"enlightenment will monitor and analyze the experimental records throughout the entire process.

Since it decided to give you the plan directly, it means it judged the timing to be right and the traces are controllable."

He paused and looked at Wang Zhe and Li Wei, his tone calm yet carrying a reminder.

"However, you were lucky this time to have enlightenment to fall back on; you still need to learn your lesson, accumulate more knowledge, and broaden your horizons. Don't limit yourselves to fixed thinking patterns. Real breakthroughs often occur at intersections."

Wang Zhe and Li Wei glanced at each other and nodded seriously. Chen Youhua's words were concise but impactful.

Li Wei calmed her emotions and reported.

"Youhua, looking at it this way, the core goal of the project's first phase."

"Stable and usable bipolar neuron materials, is only missing the final optimization and stable mass-production process."

"Next is to tackle Multipolar Neurons and achieve the integrated simulation of sensory, motor, and interneurons."

"The progress is fine; no need to rush too much."

Chen Youhua leaned back in his chair, stretched, and said nonchalantly.

"During the optimization process, pay more attention and observe if there are any unexpected properties or byproducts. This material..."

His gaze seemed to drift into the distance, as if he were remembering something.

"Its potential might go far beyond just making prosthetics."

"Huh? What other uses are there?"

Li Wei and Wang Zhe asked in unison, they were very curious.

Chen Youhua fell silent for a few seconds, seemingly organizing his words or perhaps finding it too troublesome to explain, and finally just said simply:

"Just a concept I mentioned to Professor Zhang at a lecture long ago; it's an unfinished cherished wish."

"If you happen to discover some new property or derivative during the experiment that is particularly suited for that direction, it could be considered helping me fulfill a dream."

His tone was flat, with no intention of elaborating.

Wang Zhe and Li Wei were left completely in the dark, but seeing that Chen Youhua clearly didn't want to talk more about it, they tactfully refrained from asking further.

Who knew what a big shot's cherished wish was? Perhaps it was just a casual mention.

"Additionally,"

Chen Youhua changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of instruction.

"Emphasize the laboratory's confidentiality protocols to everyone again. Although everyone signed non-disclosure agreements when they joined, it's hard to guarantee someone won't get carried away."

"Thinking the progress isn't some core secret and talking about it outside—tell everyone to watch their mouths and remind those around them."

"Understood!"

The two immediately complied; this was a red line.

"Also,"

Chen Youhua added.

"Have enlightenment design a dedicated internal communication software for the lab, for both PC and mobile versions."

"From now on, all project-related communication, data sharing, and progress reports will go through this channel."

"Installation and use are mandatory for everyone. Subsequent experiments can proceed step by step; with enlightenment keeping an eye on things, I'm not too worried."

Wang Zhe felt a bit puzzled. Wouldn't a WeChat work group or existing enterprise communication software work? Why go through the trouble of making a dedicated one?

But he knew Chen Youhua always had his reasons and wouldn't do things without a reason, so he didn't ask further and simply nodded.

"Alright, I'll contact enlightenment to arrange it right away."

Seeing that Chen Youhua seemed to be immersed in his thoughts again, the two quietly began to pack up the props they had brought.

They carefully unbound the Bullfrog and packed away the Breadboard and connecting wires.

The Bullfrog that had performed so well was carefully placed back into a specialized container by Wang Zhe, ready to be sent for reuse.

"Then... Youhua, shall we head out first?" Li Wei asked softly.

"Mhm."

Chen Youhua gave a brief response, his gaze already falling back onto the mathematical drafts on the desk.

Wang Zhe and Li Wei, carrying the packed items, quietly exited the study and gently closed the door.

The two exchanged a glance, both letting out a long sigh of relief. With relaxed smiles from the breakthrough back on their faces, they whispered about the details of the demonstration as they walked toward the bustling laboratory.