"Let's get to work! Let's get to work!"
In the blink of an eye, Song Han had been in Mountain City for over a month. His days were filled with studying, chopping vegetables, and working. Besides honing his knife skills to perfection, he'd almost forgotten his true purpose for coming to Mountain City.
"The preliminary preparations for base construction are complete. Please get ready, Host."
In the bustling kitchen, Song Han, who had been rapidly chopping on the workbench, suddenly froze. With practiced ease, he twirled the knife in a flourish and landed the final cut on the chopping board with a帅气 strike, making the cold - glinting kitchen knife ring out. The imposing gesture stunned everyone around.
Song Han grinned excitedly. "Is it finally time? My big knife has been itching for action!"
"What are you doing! What are you doing! Don't you know it's the peak dining hour? Why are you all standing around here!"
As the executive chef, who had been patrolling the kitchen, approached, the quieted kitchen returned to its original hustle and bustle.
"Ahan! Carve some patterns on the radishes!"
"Coming right up!"
This commotion didn't last long. The lively atmosphere instantly cooled as a group of people in black suits, standing in stark contrast to the kitchen staff in white uniforms, crowded in.
Seeing the newcomers, the executive chef rushed up immediately.
"General Manager? What brings you here?"
The general manager of the InterContinental Hotel waved his hand, ignoring the chef's greeting, and stood respectfully beside a tall figure.
"Mr. Luo, this is the back kitchen of our InterContinental Hotel."
With an expressionless face, Luo Xiang stepped forward. Under the curious gazes of everyone, he walked up to Song Han.
"Mr. Song, the car is ready. Shall we go?"
Song Han stared blankly at the man, taking a while to react.
"Fatty, who are you?"
Ignoring the shocked expressions of the surrounding people, Luo Xiang maintained a smile, as if unaffected by any humiliation.
"I'm Luo Xiang from Jian'an Technology. The boss sent me to pick you up!"
"Jian'an?"
The familiar name made Song Han suddenly understand. He took off his white coat, twirled the knife again, wiped the debris off the blade, and finally, to Luo Xiang's amazement, he casually sheathed the broad kitchen knife at his side. This was his tool for making a living and something he'd exchanged from the System after a month of studying materials.
"Let's go!"
"Little brother!"
Aliang, who had been stir - frying vigorously, stopped and rushed over, shouting at Song Han's departing figure.
"Where are you going?"
Song Han turned around and waved from a distance.
"Master Aliang, I'll come back to learn cooking from you after I build the Transformer!"
The group of men in suits intimidated Aliang so much that he didn't dare to chase after them. He could only sigh softly, in a voice only he could hear, "Then how am I supposed to explain this to your parents?"
At this moment, the general manager of the InterContinental Hotel, who had left with the group, ran back. He stood in front of Aliang, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "You're a good lad. From now on, you'll be the executive chef of the InterContinental Hotel!"
The original executive chef was stunned. How did he end up being part of this drama?
"He's the executive chef? Then what about me?"
"We still need an assistant executive chef. What do you think, Chef Zhou?"
"I think you're joking with me."
"Your salary will be increased by 50%, and other benefits remain the same!"
"I also think Chef Chen has the makings of an executive chef!"
This was a vast cave. Illuminated by the soft white light of the LED lights on the ceiling, it stretched far into the distance.
Sitting in the internal rail shuttle, Luo Xiang introduced the situation to Song Han with a blueprint in hand.
"Currently, this entire area inside the Hengduan Mountains was originally an abandoned underground defense facility. Later, with the shift of the Third - Front construction and military preparedness focus, it was abandoned, and its ownership was transferred to the local government. We purchased the 50 - year ownership of this underground facility from the local town government. However, the government also stipulated that no industrial or real - estate development is allowed on the surface forest land. The underground facilities within three kilometers of the Hengduan Mountains have been renovated, and the customized simulation equipment and models have all arrived. As long as we recruit the corresponding staff, this science and technology museum with a simulated future industrial style can open at any time."
"Science and technology museum?"
Taking the blueprint, Song Han was filled with questions. But his confusion didn't last long. As messages from the System began to appear in front of him, he understood the true purpose of this science and technology museum.
"The industrial system of modern society determines that it's very difficult to carry out large - scale development projects secretly. Even when we custom - make special components using the heavy - industry production system in Sichuan Province, we need a main entity to receive them. To ensure that the preparation of this manufacturing base doesn't attract the attention of the local area and the government, the entire project was developed in the name of a science and technology museum."
The shuttle finally stopped at a spacious transfer hall. In the vast space of several thousand square meters, around the original cave wall, there were many mechanical models. A huge spherical structure surrounded by LCD screens hung down from the tens - of - meters - high dome, displaying the surveillance images of the hundreds of thousands of square meters of space in this massive underground facility. In the middle was a circular service counter, and the banner of "Future Science and Technology Museum" hanging above it swayed continuously in the airflow inside the cave.
Song Han took a round around the transfer hall. There were the mechanical processing area, raw material processing area, micro - physics laboratory, raw material warehouse, information processing center, living area, equipment room. Several unused passages were specially reserved for future expansion.
Looking at the CNC machining center with labels in the mechanical processing area and the gantry crane above, Song Han asked doubtfully, "Is it really reasonable to set up such an advanced automated machining center in a science and technology museum?"
"Very reasonable! When children come to visit, they can design and manufacture the souvenirs they want according to their own ideas. It's logically consistent and perfectly in line with China's educational concept of rejuvenating the country through industry. At least, the previous inspections by the fire department and the industrial and commercial department didn't find anything wrong."
"What about this information processing center? It looks like a supercomputer."
"Because it is a supercomputer. It has 3000 computing cores and 4000 graphics processing chips, combined with an AI - model - based self - generating language and image feedback system. It can create models through voice, and after completion, it can be transmitted to the machining center for production in real - time. If it weren't for the fact that the base's energy input currently depends on the outside world and the high - voltage power grid in Mountain City can't provide enough electricity, the performance of this computer could be increased several times."
Very good, very powerful. Just by its name, Song Han knew what the micro - physics laboratory was for, so he didn't go in to embarrass himself. Perhaps in the System's view, it was also reasonable for the visiting children to do some repetitive micro - physics experiments while enjoying the technological atmosphere.
Song Han had always thought that the base prepared by the System would be a small laboratory. He never expected such a vast space. At this moment, Song Han finally understood the true meaning of the System's words: only when funds are converted into specific physical objects can they be considered wealth.
"Boss, when is this science and technology museum going to open? Do you need me to send some people from Jian'an Technology to help out?"
Song Han shook his head. Open? Did they really expect children to come, create their own models, and take away a souvenir? If a large crowd really came, how could he build the Transformer? But as he was about to speak, his thoughts were interrupted by a message from the System.
"The science and technology museum must open. Currently, the entire base still needs external power grids to supply energy, and the energy room inside the base is still empty. Before the base can be self - sufficient in energy, the energy consumption brought by the base's operation needs to be supported by real commercial activities to avoid raising unnecessary suspicions."
Song Han asked doubtfully, "Are you sure there won't be any problems with our equipment if we open it to the public?"
"The facilities in the base don't exceed the current technological level. As long as we set restrictions in tourist mode in the information center, it won't attract too much attention. As long as you can set up the internal energy system of the base as soon as possible, when the base no longer needs external energy input, the science and technology museum can be closed at any time. During the large - scale infrastructure construction across the country, there are countless projects that end up unfinished or fail. An additional science and technology museum that fails due to a wrong location won't stand out."
Song Han looked up at Luo Xiang and asked, "How much did this science and technology museum cost?"
Luo Xiang shook his head. "The infrastructure renovation cost about 240 million yuan. As for the machining center, information center, and laboratory, those were sent through the boss's own foreign channels, so I don't know how much they cost."
The System is so rich! Song Han pursed his lips enviously. "You take care of the opening arrangements. Keep it simple."
With that, he turned and walked into the information processing center next to him.