Chapter 15 — People Whose Achievements Are Stolen

The expression on his face seemed fixed. Not angry. Don't panic. Just a very deep void. Tien Duy Quoc patted the table top. The force is much lighter than in the morning. But the sound in a quiet room was extremely clear.

“From now on…”

"Temporarily suspend all administrative powers of Deputy Director Ly Phong."

“The invitation letter story.”

“The story of the pregnancy examination report.”

“It's about checking data.”

"Everything is transferred to the scientific research ethics office and higher authorities to coordinate the investigation."

“During the investigation…”

"Ly Phong is not allowed to come into contact with any related documents or people."

He glanced at Dao Vien.

“Dao Vien.”

“Your role in checking the data will also be verified by the investigation team.”

Dao Vien raised his head from under the table. His face was white with no blood left.

“Director Tien, I only do some support work as arranged by Deputy Director Ly…”

“I don't know about the specific decisions…”

“Okay.”

“Until then you tell the investigation team.”

Tien Duy Quoc stood up.

“Tieu Tham.”

“Tham Niem.”

He called me twice. The tone was completely different from before.

“The invitation letter…”

“The Institute is indeed responsible for management.”

“I am also personally responsible for the lack of supervision.”

“Regardless of the future investigation results…”

“Her scientific research rights are immediately restored.”

“The access card will be renewed this afternoon.”

He walked to the door and stopped for a moment.

“Your original laboratory…”

“What was originally yours is still yours.”

After speaking, he left. Old Ha followed. Dao Vien almost ran out of the room. In the meeting room, only Ly Phong and I remained. He was still sitting in the same place. The notebook in front of me is open. Empty without a single word. A long time later, he said his first sentence.

“What did you show Co Hoai An?”

“Study my results.”

“What result?”

Ly Phong raised his head and looked at me.

“Right now I don't have a lab, I don't have any equipment.”

“Where do you get the results?”

“All the data from the past six years is in my cloud.”

“It's the version that you guys have never touched.”

“It took me three days to reorganize the entire thing according to the assessment standards of the Thu Quang Plan.”

“Then write it into an independent report.”

His jaw muscles tightened.

“I planned it in advance.”

“Not the plan.”

“I was forced to this step.”

I stood up, pushed my chair close to the table.

“Ly Phong.”

“Do you think that just by removing my name from the thesis, the data will no longer be mine?”

“You think deleting the device's history will make the experiment as if it never existed?”

“You thought you were pushing me to sit next to the filing cabinets…”

“Then my personality will disappear?”

He said nothing.

“It took me two years to load everything on Ha Uyen Thanh.”

“But every brick you pile up for her…”

“They were all stolen from me.”

“You took down the walls of my house and built a house for someone else.”

“The wall collapsed.”

I went to the door.

“The divorce agreement I signed.”

“Please sign too.”

I pulled the door open and walked out. In the hallway, Chu Man was leaning against the wall, holding a glass of water in his hand. Seeing me leave, she pushed her glasses up.

“How's it going inside?”

“It's over.”

"Dao Vien's face was green when he came out."

“He ran all the way to the bathroom.”

“I suspect he's vomiting in there.”

I'm not laugh. Neither does she.

“Tham Niem.”

“What are you going to do next?”

“Go down to the first floor.”

“Academician Co is waiting for me.”

The reception room door was ajar. I knocked twice then pushed the door open and entered. Co Hoai An sat on the sofa. On the tea table in front of him is a stack of printed documents, next to a steaming cup of tea. Two accompanying staff members sat opposite, editing documents. He pointed to the position to his right. I sat down.

“I just reread your report one more time.”

He opened the file next to him and pointed to a page.

“Failure Model Analysis of Multilayer Reactive Coatings…”

“You cited your own set of original data from three years ago.”

“This group of data has never been officially published.”

"That's right."

“At that time it was written in the internal report of the project group.”

“But when the thesis was published, this part was cut out.”

“Ly Phong.”

“He said the speech was too long, suggested streamlining it.”

“Once deleted, that group of data no longer appears in any public works.”

“But you still keep it.”

“Everyone who does the experiment keeps the original.”

Co Hoai An closed the file, took off his glasses and looked at me.

“Tham Niem.”

“I asked you something.”

“You answered truthfully.”

“You just ask.”

“In the past six years…”

“How many dissertations have you published?”

“In the name of first author: one article.”

“Co-authored: five articles.”

“Author contact: none.”

“How much original unpublished data do you have in your hand?”

“The complete experimental cycle covered seventy-two sample groups.”

“Including forty-one groups that have never been made public in any form.”

“Forty-one groups?”

He put his glasses back on, raised his teacup and took a sip.

“Do you know what those forty-one data groups contain?”

"I know."

“Do you know if the whole thing were published…”

“Will it have any significance in academia?”

“I'm not sure.”

“But I know they're strong enough.”

He put down his cup of tea.

“Let me show you something.”

He took out a file from the briefcase next to him and gave it to me. On the cover are printed the words:

“Feedback on the assessment and selection of the core team of the Thu Quang Plan.”

In the evaluator column are the names of three academicians. Co Hoai An ranked first.