Special Forces: At the beginning, An Ran pulled him to get his certificate.

The laboratory was eerily quiet, with only the faint whirring of the high-precision testing instruments, like the low breathing of a lurking beast.

The air was filled with the smells of disinfectant, solder, and a faint hint of coffee—the peculiar smell of the lab after two months of continuous work.

Old Song's trembling hand hovered in mid-air, his age-spotted fingers hesitant to touch it, as if the chip on the control panel, gleaming with a cold metallic luster, was a dream that could shatter at the slightest touch.

"Dean Chen, have we... succeeded?" His voice choked with emotion, his bloodshot eyes behind his glasses fixed intently on the chip, even his breathing became cautious. This veteran expert, who had dedicated forty years to the field of microelectronics, now resembled a primary school student waiting for his teacher to announce his grades.

For the past two months, this group of top scientists in China have practically made the lab their home. Sleeping bags, left unpacked, are piled haphazardly in the corners; fast food packaging and sheets of paper covered in complex formulas are scattered on the lab benches; and a well-worn technical manual lies open on a makeshift cot. Some have worked for seventy-two hours straight without sleep, some have vomited from repeatedly verifying a single parameter, and others have secretly cried in the bathroom due to overwhelming pressure. At this moment, all their hard work and perseverance are condensed into this tiny chip, awaiting its fate.

Chen Jun walked forward steadily, his steps still firm, but a careful observer would notice that his steps were slightly heavier than usual. He carefully picked up the chip, feeling the slight warmth of the metal casing on his fingertips.

His palms were slightly rough from long-term contact with chemical reagents, and there were traces of solder between his fingers that could not be washed off. In the past two months, he has witnessed too many touching moments: Professor Li endured liver pain and insisted on conducting experiments until his colleagues forced him to go to the hospital; a young doctoral student cried while holding the instrument because of a breakthrough; and the logistics staff moved their homes next to the research institute to ensure everyone's food.

There was one last step. Chen Jun's voice remained calm, but those familiar with him could hear a subtle tremor within it as he told us to complete the final test.

As the chip was carefully placed into the testing instrument, a suppressed gasp filled the laboratory. Professor Qian Jianguo gripped the hem of his faded lab coat tightly, his knuckles white from the force. Academician Ma Ji unconsciously steadied himself on the lab bench beside him, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. Several young researchers clasped hands tightly, their palms damp with cold sweat.

"I...I need to use the restroom," a young researcher suddenly said, his voice trembling and his face pale.

"Sit down," his mentor said softly, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder. "At this moment, we are together."

The three-hour testing process felt like an eternity. No one left, no one spoke; everyone waited quietly beside the equipment. Some unconsciously bit their nails, some kept checking their watches, and some closed their eyes in prayer. The clock on the lab wall ticked away, each second striking a chord in everyone's heart. Outside the window, the sky brightened, and the first rays of dawn filtered through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the whiteboard covered with circuit diagrams.

Suddenly, a soft beep escaped the instrument. The sound was faint, but in the silent laboratory, it was like a thunderclap. Everyone held their breath; the air seemed to freeze.

The screen displayed a green "Test Passed" message, below which a series of exciting data were clearly shown: Manufacturing Process: 4nm; Yield: 99.7%; Performance: Exceeded Expectations by 38.6%; Energy Efficiency: Improved by 42.3%.

A brief silence fell over the entire laboratory. Then, someone let out a sob, followed by deafening cheers that nearly lifted the roof off.

Four nanometers! We did it! This is a chip that belongs to Yan! A young researcher shouted excitedly, his voice hoarse with excitement.

The veteran experts embraced and wept, while the young researchers jumped for joy. Some took off their glasses and wiped them incessantly, some rubbed their eyes repeatedly to confirm the data on the screen, and some knelt on the ground, their shoulders shaking violently.

"Am I dreaming? Pinch me!" a researcher wearing thick glasses said to his colleague, his voice trembling.

Does it hurt?

It hurts! It really hurts! This isn't a dream!

"My life has been worthwhile, Hu Laosan! I also contributed to this project!" An elderly engineer with gray hair, tears streaming down his face, turned and tightly grasped the hand of the young man beside him. "I've worked in microelectronics for forty years, and today I finally see our own high-end chip! This is even more joyful than when I got married!"

"Thank you, Dean Chen. Without your leadership, we could not have created this miracle!" Professor Qian Jianguo said excitedly. He turned to Chen Jun and bowed deeply. "These past two months, you have been with us through every difficulty. We will always remember your perseverance."

Amidst the jubilant crowd, Chen Jun stood quietly to the side, letting the excited experts surround him. At that moment, he recalled the tense meeting two months prior, the voices of doubt, and the countless sleepless nights. Now, all the effort had been worthwhile.

He held up the chip, and the laboratory fell silent. All eyes were fixed on the tiny crystal, as if gazing at a newborn baby.

This is the result of everyone's collective efforts. Chen Jun's voice was exceptionally clear in the silence. From Professor Li working tirelessly with an IV stand, to Dr. Wang collapsing in the lab after consecutive all-nighters, to the logistics team doing everything they could to ensure our meals... everyone's contribution is embodied in this chip. Last night, I received a text message from Xiao Zhang in the logistics team. He said his one-month-old son spoke for the first time, not saying "Dad," but... Chen Jun's voice choked with emotion. This is the spirit of our Chinese scientific researchers! I am merely the one who spearheaded this effort. Now, I officially announce—China has its own chip! We are the creators of this history!

Another round of enthusiastic cheers erupted, and this time, even Chen Jun's eyes welled up with tears. They had not only broken the Western technological monopoly, but also achieved a breakthrough in four-nanometer technology, surpassing the Western eight-nanometer chips in every aspect. This meant that in the crucial field of chips, Yan Country had reached the forefront of the world.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is just the beginning." Chen Jun looked around at the excited crowd, "But tonight, let's first celebrate the hard work of the past two months."

The celebratory banquet that evening was held in the institute's canteen. Although the conditions were simple, the atmosphere was exceptionally lively. The logistics staff specially prepared a sumptuous meal and even made an exception to allow alcohol consumption. The canteen was simply decorated, with a red banner celebrating the successful development of the 4-nanometer chip hanging on the wall, and the tables were laden with all kinds of delicacies, from braised pork to steamed fish.

Professor Li, holding a wine glass, approached Chen Jun. The usually stern old gentleman's eyes were now red-rimmed, and his voice choked with emotion: "Dean Chen, what I'm most proud of in my life isn't how many papers I've published, but being able to stand here today. Two months ago, the doctor said my liver disease was serious and I needed to be hospitalized, but you said this project needed me... Come, let me toast you!"

Professor Li, your liver disease... the doctor said you must absolutely abstain from alcohol... The assistant next to him hurriedly tried to dissuade him and reached out to take the wine glass away.

"Don't stop me!" Professor Li downed his drink in one gulp, exclaiming excitedly, "Today was truly worthwhile! If it weren't for Dean Chen insisting I join this project, I would have died with regrets. This drink, even if it's poison, I'd drink it!"

At this moment, more experts gathered around. Academician Ma Ji raised his glass, his voice booming: "Gentlemen, let us raise a toast to Dean Chen! Without his leadership and perseverance, we could not have created this miracle in such a short time! For the past two months, Dean Chen has stayed up countless nights with us. Once, I came to discuss a problem with him at three in the morning and found him still in his office studying optical path design diagrams..."

"Homage to Dean Chen!" The crowd responded in unison, their voices booming.

Just then, Chen Jun's private phone rang—it was Long Shuai's private line. The shrill ringing sounded particularly jarring in the noisy cafeteria.

"Everyone, please enjoy yourselves. I need to take this call." Chen Jun apologized and left the room, finding a relatively quiet corridor to answer the phone.

Long Shuai's hearty laughter came from the other end of the phone: "You, Chen Jun, how could I only find out about such a big thing through someone else? A 50 billion investment, and you can't even bear to make a phone call?"

Chen Jun quickly explained, his voice tinged with apology: "Sir, I asked Elder Jiang to report to you immediately, didn't I? I was just conducting the final tests and couldn't get away..."

"Call me directly next time!" Long Shuai said, feigning anger, then his tone turned to relief. "But seriously, overcoming the chip hurdle in just two months, breaking through the US's 8-nanometer barrier to 4-nanometer—that's incredible news! I've already asked the media to prepare reports; this news will shock the world tomorrow!"

"This is just the first step, sir," Chen Jun said cautiously. "We're already planning the development of the next-generation 3-nanometer chip. But before that, I suggest we expand production capacity and strengthen intellectual property protection. Also, talent development is crucial; the young people participating in this project have all performed exceptionally well..."

"Great! Excellent!" Long Shuai's laughter grew even louder. "I've already applied for a National Special Merit Citation for you, a national-level honor. Furthermore, the benefits of the chip patents will extend to your descendants—you deserve it. Your suggestions are all very important. Come to my office next week, and we'll discuss them in detail."

Just as Chen Jun answered the phone, the celebration in the cafeteria reached its climax. The experts reminisced about the events of the past two months:

Do you remember that night? The lens system of the lithography machine suddenly malfunctioned, and we all worked through the night to troubleshoot it... A middle-aged researcher said with emotion that everyone was almost in despair at the time, but it was Dean Chen who led us to check each part one by one, and finally found the problem at four o'clock in the morning.

How could we forget! It happened to be Engineer Wang's birthday that day, and his wife even brought a cake, but we didn't get to eat a single bite... Another researcher chimed in, "We finally managed to share the cake the next morning; it was as hard as a rock!"

What moved me most was last week when Dean Chen discovered that several young people had been working through the night and forced them to rest, while he himself continued their work until dawn... A female researcher wiped away her tears and said, "I have never seen such a leader before, who is both strict and considerate."

At that moment, Chen Jun returned to the cafeteria after finishing his phone call. He was immediately enveloped by the enthusiastic atmosphere as he entered. Professor Qian Jianguo rushed up to him, excitedly saying, "Dean Chen, we're discussing the research and development direction of the next generation of chips! Everyone can't wait to start this new challenge! Academician Ma has proposed a completely new lithography scheme, which I think is very promising!"

"Yes, yes!" Academician Ma Ji leaned in, raising his wine glass, his face flushed with excitement. "With this foundation, I think the three-nanometer process is truly just around the corner! We've even discussed the technical roadmap! Old Wang also put forward a bold idea: what if we use new composite materials..."

Looking at this group of scientists who had just made history and were already planning their next goal, Chen Jun felt a surge of warmth in his heart. This is the spirit of Yan's scientific researchers—never satisfied, always striving for excellence.

"Everyone," Chen Jun raised his voice, and the cafeteria immediately fell silent. "I just received a call from Commander Long. He asked me to convey his gratitude and congratulations to everyone! At the same time, the nation has decided to fully support our upcoming research and development plans! This includes building a new research and development base in the Chengnan New Area, expanding the research team, and increasing your research funding!"

A burst of enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted once again. Just then, the logistics team pushed a huge cake into the cafeteria. The cake was intricately designed to replicate the microstructure of a chip, adorned with decorations bearing the letters "4nm." Next to the cake were photos documenting the two months of hard work: intense late-night discussions, tears of joy at overcoming challenges, and touching images of people sleeping in their clothes in the lab, exhausted from exhaustion.

Let us raise our glasses together! Chen Jun raised his glass, his gaze sweeping over every excited face, to celebrate today's historic breakthrough, to the miracle we have created together, and to a brighter future for Yan's science and technology!

Cheers! A deafening cheer erupted once again.

The celebrations continued late into the night. After most people had left, Chen Jun returned to the lab alone. He gently stroked the lithography machine that had been with them for two months; its surface still held a trace of warmth. Outside the window, countless lights twinkled like stars, and behind each light was a family in Yan, hoping for a prosperous and strong nation.

He walked to the window, gazing at the sleeping city, a surge of emotion welling up within him. In these past two months, they had not only overcome technical challenges but also ignited hope for a nation. From tomorrow onward, the world will be different.

This is just the beginning. Chen Jun murmured to himself, his gaze resolute. "We have a long way to go."

Just then, his phone rang again; it was a call from Elder Ye in the military.

"You think you're all grown up now? Such a major research and development success, completely surpassing Western chips, and you didn't call me personally to tell me? You just relayed it? I had to confirm it many times before I was sure of the news. Do you think I didn't pay you enough? You didn't want to make a phone call?"

"Also, I just learned from Commander Long that you're going to receive a national-level Special Merit Award. In the future, you'll be number one, the nation's sharpest weapon, an unparalleled hero. Holy crap, you're practically on a roll!"

"Straight up to the sky..." Chen Jun's mouth twitched violently.

Has Boss Ye lost control?

"Isn't it because your leader supported me that I succeeded? I just received a call from Commander Long. I was going to call you, but you called me."

"Haha, you've got some conscience after all. But seriously, you're really amazing. At first, I thought you were just bragging, but I didn't expect you to actually succeed. Chen Jun, tell me yourself, have we successfully developed our chip?"

On the phone, Old Ye's voice was so excited it was almost uncontrollable, and even a little distorted; he wanted to hear Chen Jun's confirmation for himself.

"Yes, Chief Ye, we have made history. From now on, we have broken the Western technological blockade. In the future, we will usher in the full revival of Yan, and the roar of Lao Tzu, the Eastern Lion, will once again resound throughout the world."

"Well said! You've really got me all fired up! Hahaha, awesome, absolutely awesome! No wonder Commander Long personally identified you as the hope of the nation. He was right about you. Chen Jun, I'm going to hold a meeting now and lead all the comrades in the military to learn from you!"