Chapter 105: Leap of Thought

Rebuilding Civilization Without Ads

To mass-produce the core chip of the rice cooker using modern technology, there were many obstacles to overcome. Yet, in Xie Han’s eyes, these problems were hardly significant. After all, this chipset contained a set of programs that, even with contemporary techniques, would be nearly impossible to crack within a decade. With this assurance, Xie Han could confidently apply for a patent on his chip and subsequently place orders with manufacturers capable of producing 12-inch wafers.

Having sorted through these matters, Xie Han immediately relaxed and said to Wu Donglin, “In that case, have the research department halt their current projects and focus first on resolving the issue of the core chip’s size.”

Wu Donglin nodded. Such a minor adjustment in data did not require the entire research department to stop working. He could simply assign a few experts specialized in this area to spend several days solving the problem. The only potentially time-consuming part would be testing the new chips. However, Wu Donglin believed that since it was merely a matter of tweaking some parameters, the testing wouldn’t take too long.

Though the decision was made, it was not something that could be accomplished overnight. Xie Han estimated it would take at least a week.

In truth, the research department was not focused on developing new technologies but rather on deciphering various kinds of technology left behind from the apocalypse. The number of recruits at the Wangtian Base was still insufficient. Among the hundreds of researchers, popular fields had more personnel, while niche areas sometimes had none at all. Xie Han’s current strategy was to consolidate all the technologies they could decode, and once their power in the modern world grew stronger, gradually introduce new innovations.

Xie Han had once posted on a well-known domestic forum, sharing an experience similar to his own. The post ended with a question that had long troubled him.

Should he cooperate with the state and hand over all the apocalyptic technologies to the government? Or should he work alone, slowly developing these technologies and, once sufficiently powerful, contribute them freely to push society forward?

This question sparked a heated debate with numerous opinions.

Xie Han had considered collaborating with the state. After all, it was nearly impossible for a single individual to change many things alone, and it would take an enormous amount of time. But after reading the various comments, he realized how naive his initial thought was. First, how could he explain the origin of his technologies? The government could easily verify the truthfulness of his claims. Even if he managed to clarify things early on, as he cracked more advanced technologies from the apocalypse, how would he continue to explain that?

As one commenter put it, he might end up as a lab rat, an experimental subject.

Even if he still held some value, the government wouldn’t harm him outright, but would they tolerate such a rogue element? What if he amassed a vast empire of apocalyptic technology—would he still remain within the state’s boundaries? If relations soured, the consequences could be severe. No one would believe he couldn’t bring apocalypse-era armies through. After all, he could traverse between two worlds. Bringing more people across seemed possible, didn’t it?

Thus, after weighing the domestic situation, Xie Han ultimately rejected that plan. He wanted to live—and so did his family.

Therefore, he was left with only one option: to quietly and slowly develop his technologies alone. Inwardly, Xie Han was reluctant to choose this path for many reasons. For one, he had only three hours in the modern world at a time. Implementing a comprehensive salvation plan would take far too long. Another reason was his own nature: he was not a diligent person. Who would want to constantly shuttle between two worlds, tirelessly working?

What was wrong with developing things slowly? Who wanted to be at the mercy of others? Even if things were difficult in his home country, was Earth only one nation? The world was vast—there were countless places to establish a career. Once he grew strong enough to sit down and negotiate with others on equal footing, that would be the true moment of advancement. At that time, many problems could be solved without exposing himself.

Starting with the rice cooker as a foothold, Xie Han’s reasoning might seem laughable, but upon closer reflection, it was quite fitting.

The rice cooker was an appliance that rarely drew attention in daily life. It wasn’t like televisions or refrigerators, but it was nearly indispensable in every household. Its unassuming nature gave Xie Han the perfect low-profile space to develop quietly.

Though this rice cooker incorporated highly advanced technology and utilized a cutting-edge chip, by simply adjusting some parameters, it would fall well within the scope of modern acceptance. At worst, many would marvel that such a common appliance housed such advanced technology. Who would suspect any deeper connection? Moreover, the research departments within appliance factories made this a problem easily addressed.

Considering the price of modern chips, Xie Han felt somewhat disappointed. His mid-range pricing strategy might be doomed. After all, such an advanced rice cooker with an integrated core chipset, no matter how you looked at it, would cost as much as or even more than high-end rice cookers. How could he sell it at a mid-tier price? If he tried, both he and the appliance manufacturer would be branded fools.

Well then, if everyone equated expensive with quality, he might as well price the rice cooker at 1,999 yuan. For the wealthy, that was hardly a sum. High technology—who wouldn’t chase it as a symbol of status?

Xie Han even imagined adding a microwave function later on. Would he then raise the price to 2,999 yuan?

Once the rice cooker issue was settled, Xie Han’s new headache was funding. The one million yuan he left with Meng Nan would surely be nearly exhausted after a week. How could he still afford the costly raw materials? How would he pay the lofty deposits demanded by chip manufacturers?

These thoughts gave Xie Han a headache. Eventually, a rather unscrupulous idea crept in—turning to the quickest way to make money: stocks and futures. He no longer worried about theories of changing history or creating new dimensions. If he couldn’t develop, what was the point of “salvation”?

“Donglin, compile a chart of all stock and futures trends over the past 60 years. Bring it to me tomorrow.”

Everyone was puzzled. Why had Xie Han’s thoughts, which had been focused on production lines, suddenly jumped to stocks and futures? Such a leap in thinking was extreme. Moreover, in this post-apocalyptic world, how would such seemingly useless information help? Was their leader once a mad stock speculator?

Despite their confusion, no one questioned Xie Han’s decision. Sometimes, as a leader, his intentions were not meant for subordinates to fully understand.