The struggling Dongfang Group suddenly received a special order from the 248th Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The project required the Group's No. 1 Factory to manufacture a five-section alloy cylinder within a ten-month period. Because the cylinder material was cutting-edge and exceeded the No. 1 Factory's previous experience, and the welding requirements were extremely demanding, it posed a huge challenge to the No. 1 Factory. In order to complete the special order, the group established a research team headed by Yu Dayou, the director of the first factory, and began arduous research and development. During the process, the research team encountered various technical problems, from blanking, curved shapes, welds, welding rods, welding machines, to testing of key links such as flaw detection, pressure, and water pressure. Every step involved painstaking efforts, sweat, and even lives. At the same time, they also encountered the test of group reorganization, unrest in people's hearts, and competition for talents. The drawings and construction schedules were revised several times, and they were also attacked and excluded by the group's high-level opposition. They were entangled with family conflicts. However, no matter how great the difficulties were, this group of skilled workers overcame them one by one. Finally, they delivered the order as scheduled and shipped it to Beijing for the next step of more professional and rigorous testing. They made silent contributions to safeguarding national sovereignty, and the corrupt faction of the group also received due punishment.
