Chapter 15: Gone Mad? Is this a student from my school?
At the entrance of the President's office.
Professor Ma Zhiqiang checked the time on his watch.
Unknowingly, he had been standing at the door for nearly half an hour.
Just then.
A somewhat heavy sound of footsteps echoed from behind him!
He turned around!
Seeing a group of people, his gaze focused on the old man walking at the very front.
Although nearly sixty, he was full of vigor.
Wearing a neat military uniform, his shoulders adorned with golden branches and two gold stars.
He looked full of vitality!
This person was none other than President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming of the National Defense University.
A Lieutenant General!
He had originally been on a business trip, but hearing that a very serious incident had occurred at the school, one that could potentially escalate into a crisis requiring his return to take control of the situation,
he had taken the earliest flight back to the school.
As soon as the plane landed, he was notified that the crisis had been resolved!
Related matters would be reported to him by Commander Liu Chengzhi of the Air Force Command Center!
Returning to the business trip would be too much trouble, and since the main meetings for the trip had already concluded, they returned directly to the school!
It just so happened that Professor Ma Zhiqiang had something to discuss with him!
Opening the office door, the group went inside.
"Old Ma, you're looking for me in such a rush, is there something important going on!"
"Or is it related to the crisis that occurred at the school this morning?"
"I've heard that this matter seems to involve you as well!"
"Tell me the details!"
Professor Ma Zhiqiang thought for a moment, then said: "President, has no one told you about this yet?"
President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming was also a bit puzzled: "The higher-ups said that Commander Liu Chengzhi would tell me the specific situation!"
"But I don't know what that guy is doing, and I can't reach him!"
Professor Ma Zhiqiang nodded:
"It's normal for him to be busy!"
"Anyway, since I was involved in this matter, it's the same if I tell you!"
President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming nodded, then stood up to pour himself a cup of tea!
He had just taken a sip when he heard Professor Ma Zhiqiang's next words:
"The whole thing started because my student developed a mech. During the testing process, it happened to run into our Fifth-generation fighter! And coincidentally, its performance completely crushed our Fifth-generation fighter!"
"Because they didn't know if it was friend or foe, the higher-ups were extremely panicked! They found my student through the Sky Net system and sent troops to surround us!"
"I heard they were even prepared to deploy the Dongfeng Express to stabilize the out-of-control situation!"
Pfft—
Professor Ma Zhiqiang's words made President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming, who was drinking water, spit it out instantly!
He widened his eyes and looked at Professor Ma Zhiqiang in disbelief!
"Old Ma? Are you making up stories for me?"
"Your student developed a mech? Why don't you say he built an aircraft carrier!"
"And it crushed our Fifth-generation fighter in performance? Do you know how terrifying a Fifth-generation fighter is?"
"Put away your sci-fi stories and be serious!"
Professor Ma Zhiqiang shrugged; he knew the President wouldn't believe him easily!
So he prepared to talk about the real business!
"President, let's talk about this later!"
"Take a look at my application first!"
The President took the application from Professor Ma Zhiqiang. Judging by his demeanor, the so-called crisis at the school shouldn't be too big!
Professor Ma Zhiqiang was not someone who couldn't distinguish between priorities; if the situation were serious, he would definitely have talked about the school incident first!
Thinking of this, President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming felt a bit more relieved!
He carefully read all his applications!
"What does this mean?"
"You plan to apply for a whole building as a Laboratory?"
After reading the application form, President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming was somewhat surprised!
"The fifth floor of the Integrated Laboratory building—you're not satisfied with such a large space?"
"And you want to apply for a Laboratory!"
"And you're applying for an entire building?"
"What's the matter, is the integrated Laboratory not enough for you to stretch your legs?"
He placed the application form on the desk.
His gaze locked tightly onto Professor Ma Zhiqiang:
"Old Ma, although our National Defense University has abundant resources, reallocating an entire building is by no means an easy task!"
"You're not unaware of that!"
"However, I know you are not a capricious person. You must have your own ideas. Tell me, what are your plans for applying for a Laboratory building?"
Professor Ma Zhiqiang also knew his request was a bit excessive, but although the President hadn't agreed, he hadn't refused either!
He immediately spoke up: "Actually, this Laboratory building is not for me!"
"It's for one of my students!"
"A doctoral student?" President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming asked without thinking, suddenly becoming interested:
"Which doctoral student is so outstanding that you would apply for an entire building as a Laboratory for him!"
Professor Ma Zhiqiang felt a bit ashamed; he felt some things were hard to say.
But for Su Chen, he had to say: "Not a doctoral student!"
"It's one of the undergraduates I'm teaching!"
"An undergraduate??????"
President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming was stunned, then stood up abruptly!
"You're crazy, Old Ma!"
"You want me to approve an entire building as a Laboratory for an undergraduate?!!!"
"Are you kidding me?"
"Is this undergraduate your own son?"
Professor Ma Zhiqiang: "Not my own son, but he is definitely a precious gem!"
President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming frowned: "How precious?"
Professor Ma Zhiqiang shrugged: "The mech he developed!"
As soon as these words were spoken, President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming almost turned to stone on the spot!
He was extremely angry: "Professor Ma Zhiqiang, are you still messing with me?"
"This is getting more and more absurd!"
"An undergraduate built a mech that crushes a Fifth-generation fighter?"
"Tell me, do you believe it yourself?"
"If you keep spouting nonsense, get out!"
Professor Ma Zhiqiang felt a headache coming on!
It seemed he would have to let Su Chen come over wearing the mech!
But just as this thought occurred!
The phone in the President's office suddenly rang.
President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming was in a fit of rage; he picked up the phone, his tone unkind.
"Hello! This is President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming!"
"Commander Liu Chengzhi, you kept me waiting! I haven't been able to reach you; you've been quite busy lately, haven't you?"
"What? Busy with a mech??? What mech? Are you and Professor Ma Zhiqiang conspiring to fool me?"
"How could I know about any mech? The higher-ups told me to ask you!"
"What did you say? Professor Ma Zhiqiang's student, Comrade Su Chen, developed a very powerful mech for the country..."
"The Su Chen you're talking about is an undergraduate? Almost a senior???"
The anger on President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming's face gradually disappeared, replaced by an indescribable shock!
And this shock, as Commander Liu Chengzhi recounted the events of these past few days, became more and more intense on his face!
It was only after a long while that he put down the phone!
He slumped into his seat.
His eyes were incredibly complex!
He now understood roughly everything!
Just this summer, an undergraduate named Su Chen, who is about to be a senior, used his two-month vacation to build a super mech in their integrated Laboratory that crushes the performance of a Fifth-generation fighter. It not only possesses Stealth ability but is also built from a new type of super alloy!
It also possesses Artificial Intelligence!
It also has high-energy solid-state energy!
It can even fly! Its top speed exceeds Mach 3!
And, and, and...
Professor Ma Zhiqiang found a seat and sat down, waiting quietly!
After a long while, President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming came back to his senses from the shock!
"Have you digested it yet? Respected President!"
"You should believe it now!"
"If you still don't believe it, I'll have to let Su Chen come over wearing the mech to talk to you!"
"Oh, right!"
"Director Zhao Kangbo of the Aviation Research Institute is planning to lure Su Chen away with the position of Deputy Director!"
"You understand what I mean, right!"
Hearing this, President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming completely recovered from his shock!
He slammed his hand on the table!
"What the hell?"
"Director Zhao Kangbo actually has designs on our school's precious gem!"
"Outrageous, taking advantage of my absence to raid my home, are they!"
"What he can offer, we can't, but what we can offer, he might not be able to afford!"
Saying this, he picked up the application form again:
"It's just a building, isn't it?"
"Student Su Chen is so outstanding; he deserves an entire building as his Laboratory!"
"I think we should just give him the Fuxing Building!"
The Fuxing Building?
Professor Ma Zhiqiang was shocked!
This was the largest building the entire university had invested in and built!
Let alone building a mech inside!
You could even build warships or large components for an aircraft carrier in there!
The President is this generous????
Not only that!
President and Lieutenant General Chen Ming continued:
"From now on, don't let Su Chen live in the dormitory anymore!"
"The dormitory isn't safe!"
"I'll assign him a small courtyard; he'll live in that courtyard from now on, and I'll arrange for someone to protect him!"