Chapter 12: The First Blueprint
The office lights buzzed overhead as Chen Rui sat alone late into the night, surrounded by stacks of old technical manuals, disassembled parts, and an old drafting table.
On it: the crankshaft gear of the 125cc model Ruihua assembled — a core component they still imported at high cost from a factory in Jiangsu.
He stared at the worn part in silence.
"This is where they always had us by the throat," he muttered.
It was cheap to buy in bulk, but every delay from the supplier halted production. Worse — competitors would outbid them for faster delivery. Ruihua always came last.
"Not this time."
[SYSTEM FUNCTION: DEEP ANALYSIS – ACTIVE]
Analyzing component: 125cc Crankshaft Gear
Material: Cast steel alloy – High carbon
Wear Pattern: Uneven torque distribution – risk of premature failure
Suggested Improvements:
Switch to forged steel (greater durability)
Alter tooth angle by 3° for better torque transfer
Reinforce central bore with hardened insert
Chen Rui's hand moved across the blueprint like it was guided by muscle memory.
He wasn't just copying — he was reinventing.
"No more off-the-shelf garbage. This gear will last longer, run smoother… and be ours."
Next Morning – Prototype Pitch
His father raised a skeptical eyebrow as Chen Rui rolled out the new design on the office table.
"You redesigned the gear?"
"From the ground up."
"And you think we can make this here?"
"Li Wei says the local machining workshop can do a low-run if we give them the mold and specs."
Chen Jianzhong narrowed his eyes. "Li Wei's a high schooler."
"So am I," Chen Rui said with a grin.
Workshop – 2 Days Later
The prototype arrived. Slightly rough. A few imperfections.
But functional.
Chen Rui personally installed it into a test bike.
The roar was low and steady. A slight whine. Minor imbalance.
He adjusted.
The next prototype was near-perfect.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
✅ Task Complete: Design new component from scratch
✅ Task Complete: Build prototype
✅ Task Complete: Begin low-volume trial
🔓 New Features Unlocked:
Blueprint Library
Prototype Auto-Evaluator
System Store – Tier 1 Access
🎖️ Rewards:
Factory Control Rights: +10%
Talent Summon Ticket x1
Prestige: [Local Region – Recognized Innovator]
That night, as the test results came in — smoother performance, lower heat output, longer durability — Chen Jianzhong said only one thing:
"We'll need to clear a section of the shop for gear production."
Chen Rui nodded. "This is just the start."
[SYSTEM STORE – TIER 1 OPEN]
Available:
Talent Card: Machinist Apprentice (10 Points)
Technical Blueprint: Fuel Injector, Gen-1 (15 Points)
Tool Upgrade: Precision Welding Kit (20 Points)
Passive: "Pattern Recognition Lv.1" (30 Points)
Current Points: 18
"Time to upgrade."