Chapter 463: The Fine Line Between Biography And Legend
“So, as foreign media says, are we seeking control over the Moon? In the future, who can go to the Moon and who cannot will be up to us to decide?
Similar to regulating Moon management through legislation, the Moon has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times?
After all, this can be traced back to ancient Wu Gang’s Moon landing. From that time on, the Moon belonged to Chinese people. I’m actually very interested in this topic.
I believe our audience friends are also very interested in this topic.”
Tim asked with a mischievous smile. He knew Lin Ran was a hardliner, and young people were basically all hardliners.
Lin Ran asked: “How to maintain it? By force? Or really arming up the Moon Base?”
Tim was a bit stunned by the counter-question. He thought for a moment and said: “From a rational perspective, I think we cannot do that.
From an emotional perspective, I hope we can do that.”
Lin Ran said: “First, I need to emphasize a premise. I am the Founder and Chairman of Apollo Technology. I have no way to intervene in how national level strategies are executed.”
Of course, Tim definitely wouldn’t believe it, nor would the audience.
It is well known that expert scholars have certain influence in Yanjing in their respective professional fields.
They exert their influence through seminars, closed-door meetings, or even one-on-one exchanges.
If expert scholars are like that, Lin Ran goes without saying.
There is a saying on Zhihu that the combined influence of Chinese expert scholars is not as great as that of Lin Ran alone.
But in an interview program, they definitely have to put on a show.
Tim nodded repeatedly: “Of course, we’re just discussing here.”
Lin Ran then said wistfully: “We are a peace-loving country. Of course we won’t do anything to weaponize the Moon.
But isn’t it normal for us to do infrastructure on the Moon? We are a country that loves infrastructure.
For example, announcing in advance that we will launch a Terrain Alteration Device at a specific coordinate on the Moon.”
Tim understood. What Terrain Alteration Device? Isn’t it just a missile?
“I get it. We’re doing infrastructure. This is using explosives to change the terrain, facilitating subsequent construction. As for why the missile is so close to my base, it’s because we need it for construction, and the Moon has no border lines.” Tim added.
Lin Ran says what Yanjing is not suitable to say, and Tim is just right to say what Lin Ran is not suitable to say.
Things like ammunition or around your base—Lin Ran saying that wouldn’t be appropriate.
Lin Ran smiled and said: “I don’t mean that. If some IA wants to find someone for investigation, please aim at the one right beside me.”
Then he added: “So there’s a saying that isn’t wrong: if you possess deterrent capability, then you can achieve the purpose of deterrence.
The Moon is not China’s Moon, but we are the most important force deciding the Moon’s direction.
It will be so for a long time in the future.”
Tim applauded Lin Ran’s statement, feeling quite inspired.
On Moon matters, we call the shots—a sense of earth-shaking changes surged.
“Ran Shen, back to this space rescue. Can you tell us some stories behind it?” Tim continued the topic.
Lin Ran said: “When I saw in the company brief that Blue Origin was cooperating with Tata, I had a faint premonition that something would go wrong.
Because Indian companies’ work style is like that; they always have problems in details.
Details are the devil, especially in aerospace. A single screw could cost astronauts’ lives, leading to the failure of a mission that cost a fortune.
Manufacturing mobile phones with mistakes means they’re not user-friendly, or some gaps are larger, or at worst the battery explodes—its harm is limited.
But for spacecraft, cooperating with India currently is obviously inappropriate.
Indian companies’ quality management hasn’t yet reached aerospace requirements.
But I need to emphasize, it’s not that Indian people can’t do it, not due to race. I believe there are no essential differences between different races, but limited by economy, politics, culture, geography, and other factors, different traits are manifested.
Anyway, I had a bad premonition at the time, and when I received Bezos’s call, the accident really happened.
As for the story after that, everyone knows through the news. Blue Origin sought our help, and we successfully completed the rescue via Queqiao on the Moon. All three astronauts safely returned to Earth.”
Tim asked curiously: “So this leads to two questions. First, Bezos said at the press conference that he knows you, and you once tried to get investment from him. Is that true?”
“Yes, that’s true. Back then I was still in America, thinking of getting the first pot of gold from Blue Origin there, but Bezos didn’t fancy me at all, thinking how could someone who studied artificial intelligence handle Moon landing.” Lin Ran explained.
Tim was full of emotion: “This also became the beginning of a great legend. Unprecedented NASA veteran re-employment, paid work, one Moon landing per year, Buzz Aldrin Moon landing at 85 years old.
Everything started from Bezos’s rejection, making the whole story so legendary.
When I learned about it, I felt it was simply unbelievable, like a biography where decades of hard effort finally pay off being replicated in reality, but condensed into just one year.
The difference between biography and legend may only be that instant.”
Lin Ran said: “I mentioned the essence earlier. The essence of Moon landing is matter and algorithm; it’s not as difficult as everyone thinks.”
After the program aired, Lin Ran soon got the nickname “Professor Lin who says Moon landing isn’t hard,” with dissemination rivaling the one billion small goal.
“Then, when Blue Origin faced investor inquiries, they said they only paid 50 million US Dollars for the rescue fee.
Don’t you think this fee is a bit too low? Domestic netizens also think it’s too low.
I’m not saying not to consider lives, inhumanely, but rescue in extreme situations is inherently very expensive.
On Earth, seeking rescue in deserts, oceans, or forests is very expensive, charged by the hour.
Space is even more so, and the accident happened around the Moon, already deep space.
In that situation, only China could rescue. Isn’t 50 million a bit too cheap?
Ran Shen, what’s your view? How did you consider it at the time?”
Lin Ran said: “Didn’t Blue Origin announce another thing? They will sign a procurement contract with us for up to ten years, at least 2 billion US Dollars per year.
Adding it up, that’s 20 billion US Dollars.”
Lin Ran’s remarks prematurely announced a major positive for Blue Origin.
It disrupted Bezos and Natarajan’s layout, causing Natarajan to earn less than imagined.
“So expensive?” Tim was somewhat shocked—20 billion US Dollars.
Lin Ran said: “Actually, Blue Origin got the better deal.
Think about it: originally, Apple’s dealers on domestic e-commerce platforms were only JD.com; now Pinduoduo is added, and Pinduoduo signs a 2 billion US Dollars annual procurement.
Do you think Pinduoduo lost or gained?”
Tim: “Gained.”
Lin Ran: “Exactly, this is win-win. Previously in America, we had only General Aerospace as a cooperation institution; now Blue Origin is added. It’s good for them.
In the field of aerospace, our position is unique.
So this fee isn’t expensive at all.”
“That makes sense. They really didn’t lose; this is truly a good thing.”
The interview passed in a flash.
Tim glanced at his watch; an hour had passed. He finally said: “Alright, our interview can come to an end here. We’ve gained a lot of insights from Ran Shen.
As the most powerful big shot my channel has interviewed, Ran Shen, do you have any suggestions for the young people in front of their screens?”
Lin Ran stared at Tim for a few seconds and said: “Actually, yes.
When I had just returned to China, I told everyone to move forward, don’t look back, and that life is a wilderness.
Now, combining my insights from the past few years, I want to share some more practical insights.”
Tim listened attentively, waiting for Lin Ran’s answer.
“That is, effectively utilize resources to maximize personal value.
The most important thing in life is not a single goal like money or happiness, but the strategic identification, acquisition, and application of levers.
The lever here can be understood as any resource that can yield maximum output or influence with minimal input.
Like Tim, everyone knows he’s the son of convenience; he has a great family background. His career success is the result of well utilizing structural levers.
Family and environment are the most powerful initial levers, determining your starting point and platform.
If you have a good family background like Tim, your levers are capital, connections network, and trial and error cost.
You can pursue high-risk, high-return innovation attempts.
Your advantages are time and failure tolerance.
I’m not saying Tim’s personal effort isn’t important; I mean he made good use of all his resources.
Of course, the vast majority don’t have good family backgrounds, so wisdom can be the second option.
This is the fairest and requires the most continuous investment lever.
Your levers are learning efficiency, insight, and professional knowledge.
Leverage brainpower advantages to enter high knowledge-intensive, high monopoly fields; your advantages are scarcity and irreplaceability.
Become the character who defines rules and solves core problems in a specific field. I am this type of character. I think I’ve reached the top in this field, right?
But at the same time, you need to identify the levers you can utilize.
Like me choosing to return to China, because I’m a Chinese person. China’s vast engineer team, stable environment, good infrastructure, Cthulhu-like industrial manufacturing capability—these combined with my brainpower advantage created today’s Apollo Technology.
My success stems from the dual amplification of personal and national double levers.
Of course, maybe you have neither: privileged family background nor sufficient wisdom.
This isn’t derogatory; after all, rich people rely on reincarnation, high IQ on gene lottery—these are both minorities.
Finally, for most ordinary people, your levers are influence, empathy ability, and trust.
Summarized in one word: expression.
The essence of expression is connection, persuasion, and organization.
The most intuitive example is self-media bloggers; they changed their lives through expression facing the lens.
Expression is essential in workplace, interpersonal relationships, or family relations.
Ordinary people can focus on training this ability.
The most important thing in life is to start your positive cycle: identify your advantages, find corresponding levers, apply levers to amplify value, and use the amplified value to acquire new, more powerful levers.
Finally, the most important thing is action.
Levers can only exert effect when pushed.”
