Chapter 20 — After I Resigned, the Whole Academic World Upraised

I replied coldly.

“Behind me is Thanh Hoa.”

“It's the Ministry of Science and Technology.”

“It's a country.”

“I think no one will dare to brazenly rob me.”

“Pleasant robbery is of course a no.”

Cao Thien Thanh burst out laughing. Just like an old fox.

“But what about cooperation?”

“I came here today.”

"It's carrying sincerity."

He put his hands on his knees. His eyes were hot.

“Our institute has a team of leading metal materials experts in the country.”

“Having the most complete technology transfer system.”

“If both sides cooperate.”

“You provide the technology.”

“I provide the platform and resources.”

“Together we turned it into a huge industry.”

"Even."

“If you want.”

“I can cede the title of academician to you.”

What a big bait. His background. His resources. Even the title of academician. All in exchange for the core technology in my hands. If it was Hua Tinh from University A that year. Maybe I will really waver. But now. I looked at him. Then burst out laughing.

“Academician Cao.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

“But perhaps you misunderstood.”

I stood up. Slowly walk to the desk.

"Foundation."

“What Thanh Hoa gave me is not inferior to you.”

“Resources.”

“The Ministry of Science and Technology gave me no less than you.”

“As for the title of academician…”

I stopped. Gently place your hand on the red phone on the table.

“As long as my work is truly beneficial to the country.”

“So those things.”

“It will come naturally.”

“I don't need anyone to give way to me.”

Cao Thien Thanh's face immediately changed. He understands. Understand very clearly what I mean. And I understand more clearly the meaning of the red phone in front of me. It's not just a phone. Which is a symbol. An affirmation that. I am no longer the little assistant professor I once was. He is no longer someone who can be oppressed at will. We stand at the same height. My weight in the eyes of many people is greater than his. Cao Thien Thanh slowly stood up. Adjust Trung Son's collar. His eyes turned cold.

“Hua Tinh.”

“You have courage.”

“Let's just wait and see.”

He turned and walked out of the office. Never turned back. The door closed. There was only me left in the room. And the afternoon sunlight is slowly pouring onto the floor. I looked at his disappearing back. His eyes were cold as ice. Because I understand very well. The real war. It's only just begun. The battlefield of science has no gunshots. No fire or smoke. But its cruel. Sometimes even scarier than any battlefield in the world. Cao Thien Thanh's appearance and departure did not create too many ripples in my heart. I knew early. This day will come. But he was like a stone thrown into a calm lake. The stone itself is not scary. What's scary are the rings of waves spreading silently behind it. A few days later. Lam Dao held a tablet and walked into the office. His face was extremely unsightly.

“You look at this.”

I took the tablet. On display is the leading materials academic forum in the country. A post is pinned at the top. Bright red title.

“Beware of the disease of academic hyperbole! This type of ‘super material’ is more resistant to heat Is 3,000 degrees Celsius the breakthrough of the century or the scam of the century?”

The poster is an anonymous account. But the content inside is filled with professionalism. It even has a bit of an industry insider feel. The author uses a theoretical physics perspective to prove that in today's technological conditions. Creating a carbon-based material that can both withstand heat above 3,000 degrees Celsius and have super high toughness is unthinkable. The article lists a series of failures in history. Given all sorts of technological bottlenecks. Analyze existing theoretical limits. Every sentence, every word has an implicit implication. A certain newly established research institute is taking advantage of the name of scientific innovation to defraud the national budget. Even though no one's name was mentioned. But every line of text is like an arrow aimed straight at us.

“The person who wrote this article is the main writer in Cao Thien Thanh's group.”

Lam Dao's voice was full of anger.

“A lot of the data he used came from our old articles.”

“He is deliberately cropping the content and manipulating public opinion.”

I scrolled down to the comments section. More than a thousand responses. The number continues to increase. Some people have doubts. Some people are sarcastic. Some people followed the crowd.

“Just another project that inflates its achievements to get funding.”

“Three thousand degrees Celsius? There must be a limit to bragging."

“Current aviation engine turbine blades only reach about one thousand seven hundred degrees Celsius.”

“I guess Tsinghua's new research institute.”

“I heard that the director is a quite young woman.”

“There is great support so it can rise so quickly.”

“Ah, that person?”

“I heard that at University A, I couldn't get a professorship for ten years in a row.”

“Just arrived in Beijing and became a chief scientist.”

“This is definitely not simple.”

All kinds of harsh words. All kinds of malicious speculation. Their goal is not just research. But also me. In their eyes. I was turned into a woman who relied on relationships to climb to a high position. A greedy person. A liar. An academic fraud. This is a war of public opinion. And that is also what Cao Thien Thanh is best at. He didn't dare confront me directly in the laboratory. You should choose another battlefield. A dirtier battlefield.