Qiao Yanan looked at the densely packed raised arms below the stage with a horrified expression. Her body was shaking uncontrollably, and the cold sweat on her forehead kept flowing and drying, ruining her carefully crafted makeup.
Zhuang Li didn't need to raise any more questions; anyone with eyes could see how guilty and embarrassed she felt. The myth of China's most outstanding young female scientist was about to be shattered.
To make matters worse, the summit had already reached an agreement with a streaming platform with huge traffic to broadcast it simultaneously online. Consequently, more and more people saw Qiao Yanan's ugliness.
At first, everyone supported and loved her. When Zhuang Li challenged her, the livestream was flooded with comments of support. But now, those comments have all turned to questions and accusations. One even wrote in bright red letters, "No need to ask anymore. Qiao Yanan is a liar!"
Liar, liar, liar! This word appeared repeatedly in the barrage, one after another, row after row...
Tu Si could no longer maintain his proper smile. His face had completely darkened. He gripped Qiao Yanan's arm tightly and spoke into the microphone, "I'm sorry, everyone. Minister Qiao has a serious health problem. I previously made a fake medical report for her for the company's benefit..."
"Stop making excuses," Zhuang Li said slowly, "Do you know what's most important to us scientific researchers?"
Tusi looked over with a frown on his face.
Zhuang Li tapped his solar plexus with his slender fingertips and said in a low, slow voice, "This is the most important thing."
Tusi didn't understand what he was saying at all, and his expression became more and more impatient.
The scientists participating in the summit nodded in agreement. Yes, for them, the wisdom, knowledge, and abilities in their brains are their most precious wealth in life.
Zhuang Li surveyed the room, his tone turning cold. "When our minds are completely denied, even in the face of death, we will stand up to defend ourselves. The knowledge in our heads not only shapes us as individuals, but is also our most advantageous weapon. We will unleash it all to fight the enemy."
"This battle isn't bloody; it's merely a clash of ideas, yet it's also filled with the smell of gunpowder. The direction of our research, the scientific theories we uphold, the prospects and future we believe in—these are our beliefs, and no one should trample upon them. Anyone who dares to deny our beliefs will face our attack."
"Looking back, Roger Penrose and Hawking engaged in a thirty-year debate over whether infinitely dense singularities could exist outside black holes; and Bohr and Einstein engaged in a twenty-year debate over the incompatibility between quantum mechanics and general relativity. This defense of one's beliefs is an instinct deeply rooted in every scientific researcher, a source of unshakable pride."
"When Eddington successfully observed the bending of starlight caused by the sun as predicted by Einstein, Dutch physicist Lorentz telegraphed the good news to Einstein. Someone then asked Einstein what he would think if Eddington did not see the bending of starlight he had predicted during a solar eclipse."
At this point, Zhuang Li raised his chin towards Qiao Yanan and asked, "Guess what Einstein answered."
How could Qiao Yanan, who knew nothing about academia, possibly answer this question? She gritted her teeth, trying to maintain her last bit of dignity, but her cheeks were soaked with cold sweat.
Zhuang Li narrowed his eyes and recalled, "Einstein said, 'Then I would feel sorry for dear God, because the theory is truly correct.' You see, this is the courage and pride of scientists. They firmly believe that their theories cannot be refuted even by God."
Zhuang Li pointed at the podium where Qiao Yanan was standing with his slender fingertips and said slowly, "If it were me, or any other scientist here, facing this situation, even with a knife in our hearts, we would continue to stand. We would use all our knowledge to refute anyone who tried to question us, even if that person was God. Our minds cannot be denied by anyone."
Zhuang Li sat in the audience, looking up at Qiao Yanan. His imposing demeanor seemed to be condescending. "Ms. Qiao, as China's most outstanding young female scientist, do you have the pride to be so? Do you dare to defend yourself with your knowledge?"
Qiao Yanan, who had been actively cooperating with Tu Si to pretend to be sick, now can't leave even if he wants to.
Zhuang Li's speech resonated with all the researchers. They were among the most brilliant minds in China, boasting their exceptional intelligence and abilities, their pride unwavering. At work, they often argued with colleagues over a single differing opinion, let alone facing such questioning in public.
Put yourself in Qiao Yanan's shoes. If they were in his shoes, not to mention that their bodies had not recovered yet, even if they were about to die in the next second, they would use their last bit of strength to shout out their scientific ideas.
Sick and needing to leave early? Sick and therefore unable to participate in the debate? What a bullshit excuse! Who are you trying to fool?
With a loud bang, a huge uproar erupted in the hall. The people who were already suspicious of Qiao Yanan looked at her with increasingly angry eyes. None of the arms that were raised were lowered, and those that had not been raised were now raised one by one.
Qiao Yanan watched this scene in horror, her legs slowly moving backwards. However, as she retreated, the camera immediately captured her ugly attempt to escape.
The noise from the audience turned into angry roars: "She wants to run away! She really doesn't understand communication technology at all!"
"This is a liar!"
"Stealing papers and hiring gunmen, I've never seen such shameless people!"
"Scandal! The biggest scandal in Chinese science in the past twenty years!"
"Quickly cut off the live stream! This is so embarrassing!"
The livestream was cut short, but Qiao Yanan's true identity had already become known to everyone. Future Map's stock price had skyrocketed several percentage points thanks to her joining the company, but within just a dozen minutes, it had fallen to half its original value, a devastating loss.
Tus had no time to check the company's stock price, but he could imagine the dire consequences. His handsome face was twisted with anger at being fooled, but he had to force a fake smile because he was on the stage.
"Qiao Yanan, how dare you lie to me!" He squeezed out these words from between his teeth.
Qiao Yanan quickly grabbed his arm and whispered, "Save me!"
In her confusion, she forgot she was standing in front of a microphone, and everyone heard her panic-stricken, cowardly and humble words.
She didn't give an impassioned speech to clear her name, nor did she use her knowledge to fiercely counter the various skeptics. Instead, she placed her hopes of escape on others. Zhuang Li's previous judgment on her was completely true. She knew nothing about communication technology and was a complete layman!
The noise suddenly died down, and the entire place fell into silence, but this did not mean that everyone's anger had subsided. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Stronger doubts and deeper hatred fermented in everyone's heart.
The technicians of Future Map all lowered their heads and dared not see anyone.
Standing on the stage, Tusi felt as if he were being tortured by slow slicing. He prided himself on his wisdom, but he had never expected to suffer such a huge setback because of Qiao Yanan!
However, just when their embarrassment was about to reach an unbearable peak, Zhuang Li stood up, smoothed his clothes gracefully, and said in a lazy voice: "Ms. Qiao's performance is over, let's go."
Xuan Ming put down the microphone and followed him.
Although the people of Haiming wanted to stay and watch the show, they left obediently one after another.
This demonstrates the extent of Zhuang Li's influence within the Haiming Group. Everyone, even Xuanming, follows his lead. He is the absolute center, possessing absolute say. The idea of him being a shield is sheer nonsense.
Those who were originally puzzled by Xuan Ming's choice now all understood: after all, Qiao Yanan was actually a piece of trash, and Zhuang Li was able to say what he said just now about science and faith, and in essence he was definitely not an ordinary person who was mediocre and incompetent.
After the people from the Haiming Group left the venue, the government officials sitting at the front tables also stood up one by one and left early.
In an instant, half of the huge conference hall was empty.
It would have been fine if everyone had left, and Qiao Yanan wouldn't have to face the embarrassing situation. But those researchers were very stubborn and refused to leave, insisting on staying to expose Qiao Yanan's facade.
Their hands were still raised in the air, and they shouted, "Minister Qiao, please ask someone to ask questions!"
"Why, you don't dare?"
"Can you explain to me the basic principles of how FBMC works?"
"By the way, don't you understand what FBMC means?"
"Would you like me to translate for you?"
Faced with these questions and faces filled with contempt, Qiao Yanan's defenses completely collapsed. She closed her eyes, covered her ears, and screamed into the microphone, "Stop asking! Get out of here! Get out of here! System, system, where are you! Come out and help me!"
The questioning sounds from the audience turned into surprised gasps.
Qiao Yanan brushed away the microphone, pushed Tu Si down, and ran backstage. As soon as he entered the stage, he was captured by a group of agents.
"Ahhh, let me go! System, save me!" Qiao Yanan scratched and kicked randomly, with disheveled hair and a distorted face, looking like a lunatic.
Several agents pressed her against the wall, handcuffed her arms behind her back.
The lead agent panted, pulled out his phone, and sighed, "We got her."
Xuan Ming's cold voice came from the microphone: "Well, I've said long ago that she is a liar. All her achievements are stolen. You should investigate her background carefully. Dr. Zhao's death must be related to her. After all, she is the ultimate beneficiary."
"We'll definitely investigate thoroughly," the agent said anxiously. "To be able to transform a layman into China's most outstanding young female scientist and infiltrate the circle of our core scientists, the forces behind her must be quite powerful. We initially suspect she's a spy sent by the United States. She's been lurking around you for five years, and I don't know how many secrets she's sold to the US."
"Apart from the United States, I can't think of any other country that has this capability. In short, you have to be careful." Xuan Ming hung up the phone.
Qiao Yanan was put on a black hood by a group of agents and secretly taken to a base.
Tu Si, who had chased Qiao Yanan backstage, was terrified by the intense scene. He quickly raised his hands and clung to the wall, not daring to breathe. One could imagine the devastating blow Tupu would suffer if news of Qiao Yanan's arrest got out. The slogan of surpassing Hai Ming within five years might never be realized.
On the other side, Zhuang Li did not go home after leaving the venue, but took a car to his laboratory.
Xuan Ming followed him closely.
The two stood in front of the dual magnetic field device called "Endless Reincarnation", squinting their eyes to admire the images captured by the quantum interferometer.
Two tiny paramecium spun endlessly in a metal coil, eventually falling out and being sucked into a metal canister through a straw. There, they froze into a superconductor, then were sucked up to the canister's mouth by a magnet, spinning along the track...
The needle of the phonograph gently moved across the disc, playing a melodious waltz, which made the scene seem even more eerie.
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