Seeing Geng Xiangdong's stubborn refusal to cooperate, Qian Xuedong rubbed his temples wearily.
He gave Su Tang, whose face remained calm, a bitter smile.
"Comrade Xiao Su, I'm sorry you had to see this."
He picked up the now-cold teacup on the table, took a large gulp, and then continued:
"Old Geng... he's like a rock in a latrine, stinky and hard. But he's not a bad person at heart; he's mainly thinking about the lives of his young men."
Su Tang understood.
Of course, she wouldn't hold a grudge against an old engineer who treated his soldiers like his own children.
Su Tang showed no disappointment. Instead, she calmly put away the two blueprints, folded them up, and put them in her pocket.
"It's alright, Director Qian."
Her nonchalant attitude surprised Qian Xuedong.
This young girl is so composed! She was confronted by the chief engineer of the military region's geological exploration department, and she acted like nothing had happened.
"Then you..." Qian Xuedong didn't know what to say for a moment.
“Director Qian,” Su Tang raised her eyes, “the rules are rigid, but people are flexible. I understand Engineer Geng’s concerns, but the problem must be solved.”
She abruptly changed the subject: "I only need one word from you. Do you believe me, or do you believe the legend of Devil's Hill?"
Qian Xuedong's heart skipped a beat.
He looked at the girl in front of him. She was so young, but the confidence in her eyes was something that none of his many outstanding students and subordinates could match.
Trust her? A young woman in her early twenties, based on a few notes and two hand-drawn pictures?
Believe in legends? He was a materialist who had been educated by the Party for many years, how could he possibly believe in those monsters and demons! But the four lives lost six years ago made it impossible for him to completely ignore them.
He recalled the amazing feat she had accomplished when she created the heat-retaining circulating furnace, and her professionalism when discussing refractory materials…
In the end, all the hesitation turned into a long sigh.
I believe you.
That's exactly what Su Tang wanted to hear.
“Very good.” She said decisively, “If Engineer Geng has concerns, I won’t force him. I don’t need the exploration team to send anyone with me to take the risk.”
Qian Xuedong was taken aback: "So what do you plan to do?"
“I need the data,” Su Tang said. “I need all the exploration data about Xishan from six years ago, including all the exploration records, sample analysis reports, and personnel files of the five team members from the incident at Devil's Slope.”
"Then, I will go to Xishan in person."
Qian Xuedong was taken aback. "You go by yourself? That's even worse! Absolutely not! If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to Commander Qin?"
Su Tang said calmly, "Director Qian, I don't believe in ghosts or evil spirits. I only believe in what I see with my own eyes. In any case, I definitely have to go myself to solve this pressing problem."
Qian Xuedong was once again taken aback by Su Tang's imposing presence.
This girl... is brave and resourceful, bold yet meticulous, and her thoughtfulness is unlike that of a young woman in her early twenties, let alone a pampered young lady raised in seclusion.
This fearless scientific spirit and this vision are far beyond what those rough-and-tumble men in the exploration team could match.
You really can't judge a book by its cover.
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