Chapter 867

chapter867

"Everyday research and academic competition are two different things. Besides, we've already selected the team for this year's exchange, and they're in the middle of intensive training. Changing leaders right before a battle is never a wise move."

The vice president sighed. "I understand all that, but the fact is our university has lost to international institutions for five consecutive years. If we lose again this year, then-"

It would no longer be about competition between domestic universities; it would be a showdown between our country and theirs.

Losing to one of our own wasn't a disgrace.

But losing to foreigners...

On a small scale, it's a friendly academic exchange where we admit we were outmatched.

But on a larger scale, it touches upon national honor, our country's scientific capabilities, and even national pride.

"Sinclair, we really can't afford to lose this year "

Sinclair Nelson's brow furrowed. "And what makes you so sure Roseanne's team won't lose?"

"...I can't be sure. But I know that sometimes you have to take a risk to win big."

At Boundless Lab, in the break area.

"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!"

Mamie Finch sneezed three times in a row, rubbing her nose and muttering, "Someone must be talking about me behind my back..."

Scales Dixon glanced at her. "I doubt-Achoo!"

"See! See!" Mamie's eyes went wide as she pointed at him. "You too!"

Scales crumpled his used tissue and tossed it in the trash. "I have a cold," he said flatly.

"If someone were really badmouthing us, why wouldn't Roseanne "

"Achoo!"

Roseanne looked slightly embarrassed as both of them whipped their heads around to stare at her.

"Uh... I don't know why the timing is so perfect, but I'm positive I don't have a cold..." Scales was silent. Fair enough.

Mamie was so happy she practically danced. "Hehe, I'm such a genius!"

Her happiness was always so simple.

Seeing her joy, Scales's lips curved

into a faint smile. "We just got the good news from Nature Biotechnology right after the semester started. The word has probably spread through the whole department by now. It's normal for people to be whispering about us."

"Wrong! Not the department, the entire university!" Mamie declared. "How do you know?"

Mamie pulled out her phone, tapped the screen a few times, and shoved it in Scales's face. "Here, look. A post from someone in the registrar's office As soon as the acceptance news came in, the university posted about it on their official social media accounts and blog. They even made one of those big, red congratulatory posters and stuck it in the campus display case."

"With all that fuss, it'd be hard not to know!"

After hearing this, Scales grew thoughtful.

Mamie, confused, turned to look at Roseanne, only to find her with a similar pensive expression.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Mamie blinked. "Why do you both look so worried? The university is celebrating our achievement... Isn't that a good thing?"

"It's not that it isn't good," Scales said. "It's just... odd."

"What's odd about it?"

"Roseanne is listed as the corresponding author on this paper, which means the achievement technically belongs to our lab, not the university."

So if it doesn't belong to them, why are they celebrating it? And so publicly?

BUT

Roseanne nodded. "I expected the university to ignore it completely, to pretend they knew nothing. After all, having a major achievement credited to an off campus tab is embarrassing for them. It would have been easier to just play dumb."

But she never expected this...

The university's reaction was the complete opposite of what she'd predicted.

"When something is this out of the ordinary," Roseanne said, "it either means trouble is brewing, or... they want something from us."