Chapter 571 Their Success
Tilda shook her head. “Nope, I’ve already learned what I wanted. There are things I need to do out there. I’ll leave my four teammates here with you. They’re still learning plenty and enjoying it. There’s a lot left for them to pick up.”
“But they’re your squad. Without you, how am I supposed to keep them under control?”
“Relax. They’re already top-tier hackers, totally able to handle things. The world is full of smart people, but the rare ones are those who stay focused and keep grinding. As long as you’re right, they’ll back you.”
“You brat… You even dragged your suitcase in here. Guess you’re dead set on leaving. What else can I say? I haven’t forgotten what I promised to your Comet Squad. Just keep working hard.”
“No problem. Whatever missions you’ve got, throw them our way—we’ll nail them!”
After that week together, Tilda had bonded with the Bluewing Base crew. She smiled, gave Benedict a small wave, and then rolled her suitcase out.
He laughed softly, shook his head, and was about to sit when an emergency call cut straight through all channels and hit his office.
Benedict frowned slightly and snatched it up. “What happened? You… What did you just say?! Is this real?!”
The look on his face flipped from worry to total joy.
Meanwhile, Tilda dragged her suitcase to the old factory outside. Just then, her phone buzzed. Seeing Manfred’s name, she instantly felt something big had gone down with Dane’s group. She picked up. “Mr. Parker?”
“Queen! We did it! We truly did it!”
The roar of cheering in the background nearly drowned out his voice. He was tearing up so badly that his voice cracked. Even far away, she could hear the celebration shaking the place.
Tilda’s chest tightened. “Mr. Parker, is it the lithography machine?”
“Yes! It worked! All these years of sweat finally paid off! Getherland’s first 4nm chip!”
Manfred’s voice shook with emotion. He was in his 60s, with more than 20 years of fighting uphill battles, brushing past death more times than he could count. But he’d never felt like that before. Tears ran freely down his face. They weren’t tears of sorrow, but of pure joy.
That chip meant Cetherland had finally shattered the monopoly and built its own. Anyone who’d lived through Motrar’s crackdown on their tech would feel nothing but pride and fire in their chest at the sight of it. Back then, that chip seemed like a star they could never reach. No matter how hard they tried, it stayed out of their grasp. For years, Cetherland was trapped, forced to accept whatever price outsiders demanded. Their industries were smothered, powerless to fight back. Nobody wanted to bow down and take it, but reality was harsh. The gap was a canyon built on decades of scientific lead.
And bridging it took more than brains and effort. It needed the right timing, the right place, and the right people. Still, through sweat, sacrifice, and stubbornness, they had finally pulled it off. That chip carried the struggles of countless people who refused to give up. Foreign powers had tried again and again to crush Cetherland’s future. But the chip’s birth marked a new beginning—a loud signal to the world. Cetherland wasn’t broken or asleep, and they had never lost the will to fight. More breakthroughs would come. They would catch up, then stand tall. One day, they wouldn’t have to bow to anyone just to survive. If they could close a decades-long gap by building a 4nm lithography machine, then wins in other fields weren’t just dreams anymore. Confidence, pride, and faith–that was the true fuel for progress.
Tilda’s whole body buzzed with excitement. Her blood burned with pride for her country. Anyone who cared for Cetherland–no matter how cold–would be moved by news like that.
“Mr. Parker, what about Dane and the others?”
“Dr. Kerrigan is treating Professor Kerrigan right now. I didn’t want to bother them, so I haven’t told them yet.”
“Got it! I’m heading there right now!”
She ended the call, grabbed her suitcase, and bolted forward. Her legs felt light, like she could run forever.