"Deep affection between teachers and students"

The next day, early in the morning, just past eight, Lin Yuan had just finished washing up when Professor Zhang called.

Lin Yuan subconsciously thought it must be a reply from Good Group.

But his mentor's first words were, "How's being a little miner going?"

Although Lin Yuan wanted to take advantage of the OCR computing power equipment, he wasn't so shortsighted as to lose sight of what was important. What was most important to him now was clearly the algorithm submitted to Good Group, so why didn't his mentor talk about that first?

"I didn't do it."

"Ah? Why not?"

"I'm afraid of being discovered."

"Then let's talk about it in the car later."

"What is it?"

"We're leaving for Hao Tuan Company in half an hour. Will you make it?"

"To Good Group?"

"After you submitted your algorithm, they sent a Group Vice President overnight from Shanghai, insisting on meeting you. We can't really make them come all the way here, so I'll take you to their company to meet."

Lin Yuan immediately finished washing up, then ran to the cafeteria for two steamed buns, and after eating, rushed back to the dorm to brush his teeth again for the sake of his personal image.

After tidying up, he waited less than two minutes downstairs at the dorm, and his mentor's car arrived on time.

It was Lin Yuan's first time seeing his mentor's car. Unlike Gu Xuan's bourgeois Benz, his mentor drove a 3YC Tang DMP.

Although Lin Yuan currently rode a small electric scooter, like many boys, he had no resistance to big toys like cars.

The 3YC Tang DMP, a road tank. It was incredibly powerful to drive, which matched his mentor's usual persona.

"Buckle up."

While the car was still on campus, Lin Yuan hadn't fully grasped the meaning of his mentor's words.

After leaving the campus, the DMP's 0-100 km/h acceleration of just over four seconds almost made Lin Yuan throw up his breakfast.

"Oh, I forgot this is your first time in my car. I'll drive slower then." Professor Zhang then took the car out of sport mode.

"This... the acceleration is a bit fierce."

"Domestic cars are incredible now. It's just that the marketing is too messed up."

"Huh?" Lin Yuan was a bit confused.

"This car of mine cost over 300,000 to get on the road back then, but now the new model with higher specs only costs over 200,000. 3YC is not a good company." Professor Zhang, true to his nature as an old man, cursed the car manufacturer without reservation.

"Just consider it a contribution to our country's New Energy industry."

"Sigh, I can only comfort myself that way."

Then, from a technical perspective, Professor Zhang continuously complained about 3YC, focusing on his DMP. Lin Yuan summarized what he said into one sentence: 3YC's marketing and sales departments should kneel at the technical department's door and commit hara-kiri.

Because 3YC's marketing and sales departments wasted 3YC's excellent product strength.

Lin Yuan, however, was very depressed, extremely depressed.

Because after his mentor finished rambling about his car, he started talking to him about mining with OCR computing power equipment. But he just wouldn't mention the purpose of this trip—going to Hao Tuan Company to discuss the algorithm.

This gave Lin Yuan the feeling that "his algorithm wasn't being taken seriously," otherwise why wouldn't his mentor even talk about it?

But his mentor clearly said that Good Group had sent a Group Vice President overnight from Shanghai. That seemed quite serious.

Confused, Lin Yuan could only follow his mentor's train of thought, letting his mind wander.

"You just said you haven't started mining yet?"

"Mm-hmm, that's right."

"You have a mine at home and you're not digging?"

Lin Yuan was a bit amused and frustrated. If only he really had a mine at home. "If you mine, you have to load ledger data into the GPU memory, and it's very easy for data features to be detected. This can't be hidden."

"Hey, if you can't hide it, then don't hide it." Professor Zhang said this very naturally.

"Don't hide it? Openly?" Lin Yuan asked in surprise, "Are they... that stupid?"

"You, child, are just too honest. Let me ask you, why do they provide you with computing power equipment? To cultivate an engineer who will contribute to humanity in the future?"

Lin Yuan quickly replied, "To try to use me as a stepping stone to steal classified information from our university."

"Then isn't that it? You and them are currently in a state where things haven't been explicitly stated. Just continue to pretend that you 'don't know their true intentions,' and then secretly mine using their computing power equipment. Present yourself as a greedy little person..."

Lin Yuan suddenly realized, "I understand. Why should I worry about not being discovered by them? As long as I'm valuable to them, they'd be eager to force money upon me. So, I just need to subtly reveal a bit of greed. They'll naturally be happy to see it."

"Teachable indeed." Professor Zhang was very pleased, "Remember, proceed gradually and master the timing. Don't go too hard at once, lest they suspect why you're so fearless. You need to take it slowly, probe a little at a time, so they think you're just a petty person with a lucky mentality. Then, after that..."

"After what?" Lin Yuan was curious why his mentor stopped. "The computing resources will be reclaimed after ten days."

"But what if they continue to let you use them? You don't have to do anything every day, just keep the machines running and collect money for free. Wouldn't you want that?"

"Will it really be like that?"

"How would you know if you don't try?"

The more Lin Yuan listened, the more tempted he became. "But, will there be risks? I heard that espionage is a conduct crime... it's not just about the outcome for conviction."

Lin Yuan thought more deeply. He didn't believe that OCR would let him freeload continuously. According to his estimation, he could definitely freeload for a period in the early stages, and then the other party would find an excuse to test his worth. If they confirmed he wasn't valuable to them, they would definitely cut their losses there.

So the question was, how to make the other party feel that he was valuable to them? By providing intelligence, even if intentionally false. However, espionage is a conduct crime.

After hearing Lin Yuan's doubts, Professor Zhang even turned his head to look at him, "Not bad, indeed. Worthy of being someone I, Zhang, have taken a liking to. Down-to-earth, intelligent, and meticulous at crucial moments..."

This praise made Lin Yuan feel embarrassed.

Professor Zhang then added, "You're stronger than your teacher. Back then, I didn't consider this, and I foolishly prided myself on serving the country."

"What happened then?"

"My late mentor protected me. I still have a 'controlled use' record in my file."

"Controlled use?" Lin Yuan didn't understand what that meant.

"It means that problematic personnel should be employed with reservations. It's essentially 'atone for one's crimes by rendering meritorious service'."

This made Lin Yuan increasingly flustered. Combining the fragmented things his mentor said, his mentor already had a teaching position when he was able to attend academic conferences back then. And the level of academic conferences involving foreign affairs units must have been high. But looking at himself, he was just a first-year graduate student.

Moreover, highly educated technical personnel in his mentor's era were far more valuable than in the current era. Therefore, Lin Yuan always felt that he belonged to the type that "better kill by mistake than let go," because losing a small fry like him was not a pity.

"Teacher, how about we just forget it? I won't mine."

"How can we forget it? If you're really worried, lend me your WeChat account, and I'll do it."

With things said to this extent, Lin Yuan certainly couldn't back down.

Lin Yuan vaguely felt that his mentor might have some deeper meaning. Otherwise, why would he keep harping on this OCR matter? Could it be that he wanted to use this opportunity to make a big catch?

Opportunity and risk have always coexisted. If he chickened out at a time like this, he might not even have his mentor's support in the future.

Lin Yuan was very clear: mere admiration was not enough to sustain his mentor's continuous support; he also had to show some capability.

"I'll listen to Teacher. If Teacher says it's worth doing, I'll do it."

Professor Zhang was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, "Hahahaha~~~, great wisdom appears foolish, great wisdom appears foolish indeed.

Lin Yuan, you are a very clever child. Don't worry, your teacher won't throw you to the front to bear the burden alone."

The DMP was speeding down the expressway at the speed limit plus 10 mph. Inside the car, this pair of teacher and student exuded a strong "teacher-student bond."