12: Chapter 12 Fighting for Spots

Meanwhile, in the temporary conference room of the Academy of Sciences.

It had already descended into total chaos here.

Dozens of scientists from different research institutes sat around the conference table, arguing until their faces and necks were red.

"What?! Only 10 quotas?!"

Professor Li from the Materials institute slammed the table and stood up:

"Tao Zhe, did you make a mistake? For such an important exploration mission, you are only bringing 10 researchers?"

"This is simply not enough!"

"Right! Too few!"

Professor Zhou from the physics institute also chimed in:

"That is a brand-new world! We need to collect massive amounts of data and samples, and conduct various analyses and tests!"

"How can 10 people possibly be enough?"

"At least 30!"

Dr. Lin from the biology institute pushed up his glasses:

"I think 50 wouldn't even be too many. That world has unknown viruses, and we need to establish a complete research system."

Voices overlapped in the conference room as everyone expressed their dissatisfaction.

Tao Zhe sat at the head of the table, listening expressionlessly.

When everyone had pretty much finished speaking, he slowly spoke:

"Professor Li, this is not a small number."

"Not a small number?!"

Professor Li widened his eyes:

"Little Tao, do you know how important that gemstone is?!"

"That is a material humanity has never seen before! The technology contained within it might lead us by decades or even centuries!"

"We must bring enough people to study it!"

"I understand."

Tao Zhe nodded:

"But Professor Li, we know nothing about that world."

"According to Su Mingyuan's description, it is filled with zombies, and the danger level is extremely high."

"The primary consideration right now is not research efficiency, but safety."

"If you all die there, no matter how many discoveries are made, it will be meaningless."

As soon as these words were spoken, the conference room fell silent for a few seconds.

But soon, someone spoke up again:

"But..."

"There are no buts."

Tao Zhe interrupted him:

"This is a military operation, not an academic expedition."

"The first entry must be dominated by combat personnel."

"Once we confirm the safety conditions of that world and grasp the basic situation, research personnel will be gradually increased later on."

"But the first batch of research personnel entering the Otherworld—"

He scanned the entire room:

"Can only be 10."

Everyone looked at each other in dismay.

After a while, Professor Zhou sighed:

"Fine... I understand."

"Safety is indeed the top priority."

Although the other scientists were unwilling, they could only nod and accept it.

"Then let's leave it at that."

Professor Li sat back down in his chair:

"10 it is, then."

Just as Tao Zhe was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard Professor Li speak:

"Little Tao, I think the allocation of these 10 quotas must be a bit more reasonable."

"What do you mean?"

Tao Zhe's heart skipped a beat, bringing a bad premonition.

"What I mean is—"

Professor Li cleared his throat:

"The most important thing in that world is undoubtedly that energy gemstone."

"And the gemstone belongs to the Materials Domain."

"Therefore, I suggest—"

He reached out a hand:

"Reserve five quotas for our Materials institute!"

"What?!"

As soon as his voice fell, the conference room instantly exploded into a commotion!

"Old man Li, you have no shame!"

Professor Zhou from the physics institute was the first to jump up:

"Still five quotas? Why don't you just say give all of them to you!"

"Exactly!"

Professor Zhang from the astronomy institute was also enraged:

"We still need to study that world's celestial environment, gravitational field, and magnetic field!"

"Why should they all go to your Materials institute?"

"Hmph."

Dr. Lin from the biology institute sneered:

"That world actually has zombie viruses."

"Studying the virus and analyzing transmission routes are all biological work."

"I suggest—"

He also reached out his hand:

"Our biology institute needs at least three quotas!"

"Three? By what right?"

Professor Li was unconvinced:

"The gemstone is the core! Materials research is the focus!"

"What do you know!"

Professor Zhou slammed the table:

"The energy contained within the gemstone falls under physics!"

"Without people from our physics institute, you wouldn't even figure out how the energy is stored!"

"Therefore—"

He also reached out his hand:

"Our physics institute must keep three quotas!"

"Why should your physics institute get three?"

"Because we are important!"

"We are important too!"

"We are more important!"

The conference room descended into total chaos.

Dozens of scientists split into several factions, arguing with each other.

The Materials faction, physics faction, biology faction, astronomy faction...

Everyone felt that their own Domain was the most important and wanted more quotas.

Even the old professor from the geology institute joined the fray:

"Stop arguing! The geological structure of that world is also very important!"

"What if there are special mineral deposits there?"

"Our geology institute also wants a quota!"

"And us!"

A researcher from the chemistry institute also raised a hand:

"That world's atmospheric composition and chemical elements all need to be analyzed!"

"Our chemistry institute must go too!"

Sitting at the head of the table, Tao Zhe watched this group of old professors whose average age was in their fifties and sixties arguing until their faces were red, and couldn't help rubbing his temples.

These people...

How are they not scared at all?

That is going to the Otherworld!

It's going to a place crawling with zombies where you could lose your life at any moment!

As a result, not only are these people not afraid, but they are fighting to go?

And they even started arguing over quotas?

"Enough!"

Tao Zhe finally couldn't help it anymore and slammed the table:

"All of you, be quiet!"

The conference room instantly quieted down, and everyone looked at Tao Zhe together.

Tao Zhe took a deep breath:

"Have you argued enough?"

"Enough arguing! Listen to me!"

"First, out of the 10 quotas, I take one, and Su Mingyuan takes one."

"Therefore, there are actually only 8 research personnel quotas."

"What?!"

Everyone was about to flip out again.

"Hear me out!"

Tao Zhe said sternly:

"Su Mingyuan is the only person who can open the portal, so he must follow us."

"And as the chief advisor, I must also go personally."

"There is no room for negotiation regarding these two quotas."

Although everyone was dissatisfied, they could only accept it.

"Second—"

Tao Zhe wrote a few lines on the whiteboard:

"8 research quotas are allocated as follows:"

[Biology Research Institute: 2 people]

[Materials Research Institute: 1 person]

[Physics Research Institute: 1 person]

[Chemistry Research Institute: 1 person]

[Geology Research Institute: 1 person]

[Astronomy Research Institute: 1 person]

[Linguistics Expert: 1 person]

"What? A linguistics expert is still needed?!"

Everyone was stunned.

"Yes, they are."

Tao Zhe nodded:

"According to my communication with Su Mingyuan, the characters on the jewelry store sign in that world are completely different from our characters."

"This indicates that that world might use another language system."

"If we encounter written records, or—"

He paused for a moment:

"Meet survivors, we need someone who can interpret and communicate."

Everyone looked at each other in dismay.

This reason... actually seemed to make sense.

"As for the allocation of the remaining quotas."

Tao Zhe looked at Dr. Lin from the biology institute:

"The biology institute is given 2 quotas because virus research is indeed the most important."

"That world is crawling with zombies, and we must figure out the transmission routes, infection mechanisms of the virus, and whether it can be brought back to the Main World."

"This concerns everyone's safety."

Dr. Lin nodded and sat down with satisfaction.

"1 quota for each of the other research institutes."

Tao Zhe continued:

"The Materials institute is responsible for analyzing the gemstone and unknown Materials."

"The physics institute is responsible for energy detection and physical parameter measurement."

"The chemistry institute is responsible for analyzing atmospheric composition and chemical elements."

"The geology institute is responsible for environmental exploration and mineral surveys."

"The astronomy institute is responsible for observing celestial phenomena in that world and determining the differences from Earth."

"The linguistics institute is responsible for text interpretation and potential communication work."

He put down his pen:

"That's it."

"Any objections?"

The conference room fell silent for a few seconds.

Professor Li sighed:

"No objections."

"Although there is only 1 quota, but... it's better than not going."

"Right."

Professor Zhou also nodded:

"As long as we can go, it's fine."

Although the other scientists still wanted to fight for it, seeing Tao Zhe's attitude, they had no choice but to drop it.

"Very well."

Tao Zhe scanned the room:

"Since it's settled, each research institute will immediately select and dispatch personnel."

"Requirements: Good physical health, able to adapt to high-intensity work, and preferably with field expedition experience."

"Also—"

His voice became solemn:

"You must be prepared to sacrifice yourselves."

"This is no joke."

"That world is truly dangerous, and you might very well never return."

The conference room fell silent once again.

But this time, no one flinched.

"I'm going."

Professor Li spoke first:

"I will personally take the quota for the Materials institute."

"I'm going too."

Professor Zhou followed up:

"I'll take one of the quotas for the physics institute."

"I..."

Dr. Lin hesitated for a moment:

"I'll take one of the two quotas for the biology institute. The other goes to Xiao Wang; she is a virology expert."

One after another.

The list of eight researchers was quickly finalized.

Looking at these lists, a wave of respect surged in Tao Zhe's heart.

Most of these scientists were elderly people in their fifties and sixties.

Some were already in poor health, and some had family members at home who needed care.

But when the country needed them—not a single one of them flinched.

"Good."

Tao Zhe nodded:

"Then it's settled like this."

"Everyone, go back and prepare. Two days from now, we set off for the Otherworld."