Chapter 361: The Performance of the Clown and the Master

After the exhibition ended, dusk was settling in. It was almost six o’clock, but due to daylight saving time, darkness came later than usual. At six, the sun had set, but the sky remained bright, just not as brilliant as before.

“Wait a moment…” Lynch was about to leave with the crowd, but Mr. Truman stayed behind. “If you’re bored, you can go outside and take a look. I want to speak with some of them.”

Although nearly all non-hot-air-balloon aircraft at today’s exhibition had failed, the President believed fixed-wing aircraft had clearly advanced compared to before. With more resources and funding, they should soon develop a practical flying machine.

It might not carry much, but it would meet the military’s current needs—to fly over the sea and scout hidden threats below the surface.

As for the inventor mockingly nicknamed the Egg That Can’t Fly, he too had been invited. In fact, he was one of the main reasons Mr. Truman had come to the exhibition.

This vertical takeoff and landing aircraft fit the military’s needs perfectly. It required little space for takeoff and landing and was more maneuverable than a hot air balloon.

Though today’s test flight failed, Mr. Truman and the Defense Department believed that with enough funding, this design could become a reality.

Mr. Truman and the Defense officials intended to provide funding to accelerate research, but with conditions.

Lynch shook his head and said, “It’s fine.” He didn’t leave, standing beside Mr. Truman. Soon, two inventors appeared before them.

“I watched your entire performance. Honestly, I’m disappointed. This is no joke—each aircraft requires our best young men to pilot.”

“I accept if they die heroically on the battlefield for their country; that’s the highest honor for a soldier. But I will not tolerate them dying because of your foolish designs!”

The Defense official watched the two inventors intently, and everyone’s gaze pressured them heavily. The inventor of the helicopter removed his glasses and apologized.

“No need to apologize!” Mr. Truman said with authority. “What you need to do is make your invention better…” Both inventors seemed about to speak, but Mr. Truman stopped them.

He raised his hand to silence them. “Though you failed, I see progress. After discussing with the official, we’ve decided to allocate some military funds for you to improve your current designs.”

The two inventors, previously hopeless, were stunned. After a while, they cautiously and eagerly looked at Mr. Truman. One asked, “How much…?”

“Each will receive 200,000 initially. If either makes a breakthrough, we will grant an additional 300,000, but only one chance exists. Currently, we need only one type of aircraft.”

“The official will discuss the specific terms with you.”

Mr. Truman’s eyes were sharp. “Remember, your invention concerns young men willing to fight for the country. I don’t want them dying before seeing the enemy because of your design flaws.”

“If that happens, I’ll have you tried by a military court!” He extended his hand, leaving no room for refusal. “Goodbye, gentlemen.”

After parting ways, Lynch thought about the helicopter controls he had seen—far more complex than today’s. He doubted current technology could produce such a war machine for inland battles.

But Mr. Truman was not an emotional man, nor easily deceived. He asked, “I’m curious how that helicopter inventor convinced you—the one who claimed it could take off and land vertically?”

As they left the exhibit, Mr. Truman didn’t explain verbally. Instead, he found a vendor selling model aircraft toys, paid ten Sol, and got a handcrafted wooden fixed-wing plane.

He pulled off the rotor, pressed and twisted the small stick holding it, and the rotor shot up into the sky swiftly and steadily. Mr. Truman looked at Lynch. “That’s how he convinced me. I asked some physicists—they agree that with enough force, vertical takeoff and landing are possible.”

Lynch didn’t expect a simple bamboo dragonfly toy to persuade Mr. Truman and the military to fund something so speculative. This explained why the nation’s enthusiasm for invention still burned so fiercely.

He recalled the advertisements plastered everywhere: Something new, every day

Perhaps the ease of fooling investors kept the invention market booming. Lynch shook his head with a smile, choosing not to pursue the topic further. Instead, he followed Mr. Truman to the next exhibit—the speargun.

Spearguns were common among coastal fishermen and favored by some lazy anglers.

Compared to slow fishing, some preferred to scatter bait near fish schools, then wait with a speargun for the right moment to shoot and catch a big fish.

This was far more thrilling and time-saving than traditional fishing.

What interested Mr. Truman was not the speargun itself, but the fish arrow it fired.

This exhibit included military personnel, representatives from Veyport Naval Industry, and other defense contractors who would evaluate and decide on its potential.

This inventor was clearly different from the previous ones. He was already enjoying the dividends of invention—receiving multiple checks from the Defense Department and military firms. Even a technology used in torpedoes supplied by Veyport Naval Industry to the Navy came from him.

He represented a successful inventor—enough funding to realize ideas, wealth without regular work, and the freedom to pursue hobbies. This attracted many to the field.

If luck ran out, he might eventually go bankrupt, as he sold ideas but lacked management skills—a common plight for civilian inventors powerless before capital.

The speargun inventor was slim, bearded, and wore high-waisted rubber overalls favored by southern farmers and fishermen for their waterproof quality.

But wearing them in summer was miserable because they trapped sweat inside.

Wiping sweat, he demonstrated his new speargun.

“See, everyone? This process is fast, and not everyone notices, so I captured special photos…”

“When the fish arrow is fired, the air bladder inside bursts, releasing compressed air through holes at the tip just before water entry, creating bubbles.”

“This greatly increases the arrow’s initial velocity underwater…”

Mr. Truman, the Defense officials, and military contractors watched attentively. Lynch didn’t fully understand, but judging by their serious expressions, it was clearly an important invention.

Lynch wasn’t very interested. After greeting Mr. Truman, he wandered around.

He thought radio technology would be advanced, but found he was mistaken.

Radio had passed its mysterious early stage. Sometimes, civilian scientists and inventors created a disorienting sense of anachronism.

In the busiest area, Lynch saw a middle-aged man dressed very fashionably, wearing a helmet modified from a motorcycle helmet with two spiral coils sparking faintly.

He energetically promoted his product—claiming that after wearing this helmet for some time in quiet meditation, one could detect others’ brainwaves and understand their thoughts without instruments.

Two young, pretty girls seemed skeptical. They had secretly written something on paper, and the inventor easily read it aloud.

More people gathered, eager for him to reveal their thoughts. No matter what, he always accurately described the mind of whoever he chose.

A typical fraudster, but people believed him—just as they believed mediums could communicate with the dead, and fortune tellers could easily control others’ destinies.

This was an era of rapid scientific progress and rampant deception, where scammers and masters performed on the same stage. Many years later, would people look back on this scene as ridiculous?

Or would they cherish it as a precious memory?