Lu Qi raised his glass and feigned dissatisfaction as he spoke to Lu Wei.
"Exactly, Dad, your favoritism is practically in your armpit."
Lu Wei glared at his two sons and playfully scolded them.
"What do you two know?"
"This wine is for heroes. Which of you two has done more than my grandson?"
"When you two bring back a decent achievement, then I'll open the other half bottle for you."
The family burst into laughter, and the atmosphere was warm and lively.
After three rounds of drinks, most of the food was gone.
Zheng Qing efficiently cleared the dishes, while the men of the Lu family moved to the living room sofa.
The after-dinner tea was already brewed, with wisps of steam rising.
The atmosphere in the living room, as the topic shifted, once again became serious.
Lu Wei took a sip of tea, then set down the white porcelain teacup, which made a soft clink as it touched the coffee table.
He looked at Lu Mingyu, his gaze calm.
"Mingyu, the remote-controlled landmine you mentioned in the study before dinner."
"Please give us a detailed introduction to it now."
Lu Qi and Lu Hai also looked at Lu Mingyu simultaneously, their expressions focused.
They knew that since the old man specifically brought it up after dinner, it meant this matter held significant weight in his heart.
Lu Mingyu nodded and organized his thoughts.
"This project was led and developed by our Megakaryocyte Special Operations Group."
His voice was not loud, but it was clear, carrying the steady composure characteristic of a soldier.
"The original intention for its development stemmed from a setback we experienced during a mission abroad previously."
He did not elaborate on the specific details of that mission.
But the three people present understood that anything he called a "setback" must have been a bloody lesson.
"At that time, the traditional tripwire landmines we laid failed to wait for the preset target."
"Instead, they were accidentally triggered by a passing herdsman and his flock of sheep."
"Although we promptly halted subsequent actions to avoid a larger conflict, that incident caused us significant passive complications."
Lu Mingyu's eyes darkened slightly, clearly recalling the scene at the time.
"From then on, we began to think about how to make explosive devices controllable."
"This remote-controlled landmine is the product of that idea."
"Its core function is to keep the detonation authority completely in our own hands."
"After the landmine is laid, it will only detonate when the operator sends a command via an encrypted signal from the rear."
"We can confirm that the target is an armed militant, and not a civilian or animal, through real-time footage transmitted from forward observation posts or drones, before deciding whether to detonate."
"This way, we can minimize accidental injuries and also make our tactical deployments more flexible and covert."
After listening to his introduction, Lu Qi, as a captain, habitually considered the issue from the perspective of cost and benefit.
"That's a great idea, but what's its cost? Will it be very high?"
Lu Mingyu shook his head, giving an answer that surprised everyone somewhat.
"The cost is very low."
"The three types of infantry landmines commonly used by our military currently cost between eighteen and forty-five yuan."
"The remote control device we developed, when added to any landmine, only incurs an additional cost of twenty yuan."
"Twenty yuan?"
This time it was Lu Wei who spoke, his tone full of surprise.
In his mind, such a seemingly high-tech "remote control" should cost hundreds or even thousands.
Lu Mingyu explained.
"Yes, Grandpa, just twenty yuan."
"Actually, the core components for remote control themselves are not expensive."
"The technical difficulty of this project does not lie in the hardware cost."
"The real challenge is how to ensure stable, reliable, and delay-free transmission of control signals in the wilderness, especially in deep mountains, valleys, or dense forests where signal shielding is severe."
"We also need to ensure that the signal encryption level is high enough so it won't be intercepted or interfered with by the enemy."
He paused, a hint of pride on his face.
"However, this technical difficulty has been overcome by us."
"We have a team member responsible for technical support."
"He is a genius in this area. He led a few people and, using the most ordinary equipment, solved the problems of signal transmission and anti-interference."
Lu Wei nodded slowly, approval showing in his eyes.
He knew that the military was full of hidden talents, and there were always such individuals who could solve critical problems at crucial moments.
He then asked a more practical question.
"Given the operational intensity of your Megakaryocyte Special Operations Group, roughly how many of these landmines would be needed in a year?"
Lu Mingyu quickly calculated in his mind.
"For short-term assault operations, with a mission cycle calculated as one week, the consumption for one team would be approximately between ninety and two hundred sixty units."
"If it's like the border missions, which require long-term defensive deployment and harassment interception, the consumption cannot be calculated weekly."
"Perhaps hundreds would need to be laid in a single day to form a dynamic, controllable defensive area."
Lu Wei's knuckles tapped lightly on the sofa armrest, making a steady and rhythmic sound.
He had fully understood the value of this project.
"I understand."
He looked up at his two sons.
"It seems that it's not just the Megakaryocyte Special Operations Group that needs to be equipped with this."
"All combat units performing missions abroad, and our peacekeeping forces, all very much need to be equipped on a large scale."
"This can greatly reduce our non-combat casualties in complex environments and also enhance our ability to handle emergencies."
After speaking, he turned his gaze to Lu Qi and Lu Hai.
"A-Qi, A-Hai, what are your thoughts?"
Second Uncle Lu Hai, who hadn't spoken much, was the first to speak.
He was in the logistics and equipment department, where he had the most contact with and felt most deeply about the needs and casualty reports of grassroots officers and soldiers.
"Dad, I wholeheartedly agree."
His tone was very firm.
"I think it's very necessary, and it's urgent."
"Equipment is inanimate; we can always make it by spending money."
"But the lives of our officers and soldiers are living and priceless."
"As long as it can reduce the casualties of one soldier, no amount of money is too much."
Lu Qi also nodded seriously.
"I agree with my second brother's view."
"The Marine Corps also frequently has similar mission requirements, and the practical significance of this controllable landmine is very great."
Having received unanimous affirmation from his two sons, Lu Wei had already made his decision.
He stopped tapping the armrest, making a final decision.
"Good."
"I'll go talk to a few old comrades from the General Armaments Department and the General Staff Department about this matter later."
"First, I'll clearly explain the prospects of this project to them."
He looked at Lu Qi and Lu Hai, giving instructions.
"A-Qi, A-Hai, don't just sit around."
"From the perspectives of the Navy and logistics and equipment, respectively, each of you write a report on the necessity of equipping remote-controlled landmines and submit it as soon as possible."
Upon hearing this, Lu Qi raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly feeling that this scale of action was somewhat unexpected.
"Dad, you go talk, and then we two submit reports."
"Three people bringing up this matter simultaneously from three different directions... isn't that a bit too much of a stir?"