Scholar's Advanced Technological System
chapter-571

Lu Zhou had only ever received two pieces of debris before.

The first debris was a battery, some kind of lithium battery. Lu Zhou used the scanner gun to verify that it was indeed a lithium battery.

The only thing he wasn't sure was exactly what the battery should be used for.

As for the second debris, it had the shape of a cube. However, Lu Zhou had no idea what it was.

Not just that, he wasn't even sure what was "broken" about the debris.

After all, that big cubed-like thing didn't look like it had anything missing. There wasn't any noticeable damage on the surface either.

As for this third debris, it actually looked like a real "debris".

The side of the meter-long cylindrical object looked like it was hit by something that left a big gap behind.

Under the broken surface, one could see a large number of messy and complex components. At the other end of the entire cylindrical body, there was a bowl-like structure that extended outward.

The whole thing looked like a white radish.

However, it was like someone had taken a bite out of the side of the radish…

The items in his inventory could be taken out of the system space and into the real world. It didn't seem to contain any mass in the real world, so Lu Zhou could orient it however he wanted.

However, before taking it out of the system space, Lu Zhou could only stare at it in his inventory. He couldn't change the appearance of the object, nor could he disassemble it and observe the internal components.

For the time being, Lu Zhou decided not to care about what it was. He stood next to the debris and began to inspect the damage.

He was more interested in the device that could cause such serious damage.

However, apart from the debris itself, there was no other useful information at all…

"Meteorite impact? Or is it some kind of… energy-based weapon?

"If only I can take it apart and inspect it."

Lu Zhou sighed and took two steps back. He rubbed his chin and fell into deep thought.

This was different than the battery debris. This thing wasn't easy to carry around in the real-world at all.

There was no way he could take it out in the hospital.

He would have to wait until he was back in Jinling.

"Speaking of which, is this an engine? But it doesn't have an exhaust pipe or a turbine…"

Actually, it kind of looks like an engine…

This thing is a bit too small for a rocket engine, but if this was some kind of high-tech plasma thruster, the size seems kind of reasonable?

Lu Zhou didn't know what a high-tech spaceship looked like, but he had seen a Hall-effect thruster before.

He thought back to when he was researching the He3 atom probe device in the Princeton PPPL. The NASA-funded AF-MPD[1.applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic thruster] project team was doing research in this area.

However, Lu Zhou didn't inquire too much about the technical details.

First of all, it would be impolite to do so. Secondly, rocket thruster technology was a sensitive field. Knowing too much about rocket technology would put him on a list somewhere; it could even affect his travel rights.

He had always been aware of this.

Lu Zhou looked at the high-tech debris and rubbed his chin.

"What should I do?"

His intuition told him that Debris-3 was much more valuable than Debris-2.

Even if he couldn't completely figure out the underlying technology, just scraping some of the technology would have extraordinary value.

This was just like the modified PDMS film that he got from Debris-1. Even though he wasn't able to create the legendary lithium-air battery, he was able to solve the technical bottleneck of battery anode materials.

He had no idea what this high-tech thruster lookalike thing was capable of…

While Lu Zhou was thinking about this, he suddenly felt a sensation on his arm.

When he vaguely heard Xiao Tong yelling his name, he guessed that they had finished cooking the dumplings. So, he closed his inventory and left the system space.

"Brother… Brother! You better wake up, don't scare me like this."

Xiao Tong was shaking Lu Zhou's arm. Seeing that Lu Zhou didn't react at all, Xiao Tong was about to cry.

Suddenly, Lu Zhou's mouth twitched, and he smiled.

When Xiao Tong saw Lu Zhou smiling, she suddenly jumped up.

"Wow, you were trying to prank me!"

"Sorry, that expression on your face… I just couldn't help but try to scare you."

Xiao Tong said in a serious face, "Brother, did you hear the story about the kid who cried wolf?"

"Of course I have, didn't I tell you about it when I was younger?"

"Please don't mess with us like that anymore." Yan Yan sighed and removed her finger from the emergency medical button. She said, "You're giving me a hard time."

Lu Zhou: "Sorry."

He thought about it carefully and realized this joke wasn't too appropriate. After all, he was still lying in the hospital.

He admitted that he was being a little facetious, but this year's Chinese New Year's Eve was too boring, so he couldn't help but try to have some fun.

Chen Yushan was just as worried. She rolled her eyes at Lu Zhou but didn't scold him like the other two girls.

"The dumplings are ready, hurry up and eat them. It won't be as nice when they're cold."

"Ok, I'm coming."

With the help of Xiao Tong, Lu Zhou slowly sat up from his bed.

Normally, after being in a coma for more than 20 days, it would be very difficult to get out of bed. Even daily activities such as swallowing would be insanely difficult. However, Lu Zhou's recovery abilities were much stronger than the average person. He had been getting out of bed and going to the bathroom himself. Other than some minor inconveniences, he had basically fully recovered.

Maybe if everything went well, 301 Hospital would probably let him leave the hospital.

The table was moved to the middle of the hospital room. The group of four sat around the steaming dumplings.

This was Lu Zhou's first time eating dumplings in a hospital.

Interestingly enough, Lu Zhou found out that half of the dumplings were stuffed with leek while the other half was stuffed with cabbage. Eating two kinds of dumplings at once felt a little weird…

Xiao Tong seemed to have noticed this as well, and she turned around and asked, "Brother, do you think the leek dumplings are better or the cabbage dumplings are better?"

Lu Zhou was sipping on some soup, and he replied, "They're around the same. I'm not a picky eater."

Xiao Tong said in a serious manner, "No, no. Your taste is important, you have to choose one."

Lu Zhou: "…?"

While Xiao Tong was asking the question, Chen Yushan was waiting with a look of expectation on her face.

Yan Yan didn't seem to care, but she couldn't help but pay attention to Lu Zhou as well.

Seeing that Lu Zhou didn't answer, Xiao Tong began to urge him.

"Don't care about it too much, just tell me your first instinct."

"If you really want me to say which one tastes better…"

Lu Zhou looked at the dumplings and went silent for a while.

"I think the dumplings I make are better."

Xiao Tong: "…"

Yan Yan: "…"

Chen Yushan: "…"

The atmosphere suddenly became stiff. Lu Zhou hesitated for a bit.

Emm…

Did I say the wrong thing again?