Chapter 8 asks you to build a model? You're serious!
Professor Ma Zhiqiang was burning with anxiety, his heart filled with doubt and unease.
That huge Laboratory bill weighed on his heart like a heavy stone, and the chaotic scene in the Laboratory made him feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
He was desperate to find out from Su Chen exactly what had happened.
He picked up his phone again and dialed Su Chen's number.
Every ring on the other end of the line seemed to irritate Professor Ma Zhiqiang's nerves.
Finally, the call connected!
A somewhat lazy voice came from the other side of the phone, as if he had just woken up, or perhaps had been woken up by the call!
"Hello? Professor Ma, is there something you need?"
Professor Ma Zhiqiang, who had been relatively calm until now, couldn't hold it in anymore upon hearing Su Chen's words!
"You're still asking me if there's something I need?"
"Don't you know what's going on?"
"I just got back to school, and before I even saw the mecha model you were supposed to build, I saw a bill for two hundred thousand!"
"Do you know how your teacher is feeling right now?"
Su Chen was a bit surprised: "Professor, you're back at school?"
"Su Chen! Are you missing the point of what I'm saying?" Professor Ma rolled his eyes in anger:
"Tell me, what is going on with this two hundred thousand bill?"
"And those devices, damn it, the more I talk, the angrier I get. They were all clean, precious things. I was only gone for two months, just two months! Now they've all become like donkeys rolling in the mud. When I walked into the Laboratory just now, I thought I'd walked into some dilapidated workshop!"
"I trusted you so much; do you think you've lived up to your teacher's trust?"
"You'd better give me an explanation!"
Su Chen felt a bit awkward and gave a sheepish laugh: "Uh, that bill..."
"Wasn't I supposed to build a mecha?"
"Then, I accidentally went a little bit over budget!"
A little bit????
Professor Ma was extremely exasperated: "You call that a little bit?"
"This is two hundred thousand! Do you know that an ordinary family might not be able to save up two hundred thousand in three to five years!"
Su Chen also felt helpless.
He had originally thought that since the system provided the materials and equipment, he just needed to find a place to use them!
Who knew that most of the materials provided were only the main ones, and other common materials still had to be purchased!
Moreover, a large amount of consumables were needed during the manufacturing process!
Fortunately, there were many consumables in the Laboratory!
And fortunately, he could put the bill on the Laboratory's account!
Although two hundred thousand was a lot!
But Su Chen had no choice. If he couldn't build it within two months, the mecha would be reclaimed by the system!
So Su Chen had no choice but to bite the bullet and, using the Laboratory's name, exceed the budget by two hundred thousand!
However, he definitely didn't regret it. Between two hundred thousand and such an advanced mecha, if given another chance, he would still choose the latter without hesitation!
"I told you to build a mecha model, and you caused such a huge mess for me!"
"People who don't know better would think you built a real mecha!"
"Where are you now?"
"I'm coming to find you right now, and you must give me a perfect explanation!" Professor Ma rolled up his sleeves!
Although he was an intellectual, Professor Ma was, after all, from a military background.
He even knew a little bit of martial arts!
Of course, he wouldn't actually resort to violence against Su Chen!
He was just angry!
Su Chen's mouth twitched.
Realizing that Professor Ma was truly angry, he looked at the "black briefcase" beside him and told himself not to panic!
"I'm on the roof!" Su Chen said.
"The mecha is here too!" He added.
Professor Ma looked up at the ceiling: "Alright!"
"You just wait for me!"
He hung up the phone, put it away, tightened his belt, and rushed to the roof!
On the roof, the warm summer breeze made people feel restless.
Professor Ma arrived at the roof and saw Su Chen standing quietly to the side, holding a notebook in his hand!
"Attention!" Professor Ma shouted lightly.
Su Chen's body jolted, and he immediately stood at attention!
Standing at attention had become an instinctive habit for students at the National Defense University.
Once they heard the command, they had to react.
Professor Ma walked up to him.
He looked him up and down!
"You brat, you've caused such a big mess, let's see how you clean it up?"
"If you can't produce results, this is embezzlement of public funds!"
"It's enough to get you locked up for several years!"
"Your life has only just begun!"
Actually, when he went upstairs, he had already made up his mind to pay for the two hundred thousand out of his own pocket!
Otherwise, if he pushed all the responsibility onto Su Chen, it would be easy for him, but Su Chen's life would be ruined!
He didn't want to watch Su Chen's life be ruined just like that!
Moreover, he believed he also had responsibility; after all, it was he who had personally handed the key card to Su Chen in the first place!
It's just that after taking full responsibility this time, he was afraid he wouldn't dare to trust students easily in the future!
"Su Chen, you have really disappointed me!"
"Tell me, where did that money actually go?"
"And the Laboratory's consumables are all gone; what's that about?!"
Su Chen was stunned for a moment: "Professor, didn't I tell you?"
"It was all used for building the mecha!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Professor Ma Zhiqiang didn't believe it:
"A model could use up all the Laboratory's consumables?"
"A model could cost two hundred thousand?"
"A model could turn the Laboratory's brand-new equipment into junk from a small workshop?"
Su Chen wanted to say it wasn't a model, but a real mecha.
But before the words could leave his mouth, he was cut off by Professor Ma Zhiqiang's words.
He looked carefully at the roof of the Laboratory.
Then he looked at Su Chen: "Didn't you say the mecha model was on the roof?"
"Why don't I see it!"
"Don't tell me it's some kind of Emperor's New Mecha that only fools can't see!"
He really wanted to know what this mecha model that cost two hundred thousand and a large amount of consumables actually looked like!
However, Su Chen remained indifferent at this moment.
Professor Ma grinned helplessly: "At ease!"
Su Chen finally relaxed his body, let out a breath, and pointed to the black briefcase beside him!
"Professor, this is it! The mecha I built!"
Professor Ma slowly turned his head to look at that black briefcase!
In an instant, he felt the world spinning!
A briefcase?
A mecha model?
Are you messing with me!
So you spent two hundred thousand just to come up with this thing?
Where are all your creativity and ideas, did you feed them to the dogs?
Professor Ma was so angry that he almost coughed up blood!
The weather was gradually getting hotter.
At this moment, he was extremely restless and wanted to pick up the briefcase and smash it!
Even reason couldn't stop him!
But a voice made him stop!
BT: "Pilot, an agitated creature has been detected attempting to damage the chassis. Shall I intervene?"
"I can manipulate the force field within a ten-meter radius to increase the chassis weight to a state that the creature cannot withstand!"
Su Chen: "No, no! This is one of our own!"
Professor Ma looked at the case in his hand, dumbfounded!
What's going on!
This case actually spoke!
At this moment, Su Chen walked up to him and took the briefcase.
"Alright, Professor!"
"Calm down!"
"I will let you know just how valuable that bill, those consumables, and that ravaged equipment really are!"
After saying this, he placed the briefcase at his feet.
Then he stood up straight and spoke softly: "BT!"
"Activate mecha mode!"
"Identity verification successful, mecha mode activated!"
"Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click—"
As his voice fell, in Professor Ma's puzzled gaze, the black briefcase suddenly transformed into individual components and flew towards Su Chen!
Then, it began to automatically assemble along his body.
A few seconds later, the black briefcase disappeared.
It had transformed into a mecha suit worn on Su Chen's body!
The mecha's figure, full of streamlined and technological beauty, stood tall!
Sunlight shone on it, and its graceful lines reflected a textured luster!
Just like that, the mecha appeared before Professor Ma Zhiqiang's eyes!
This scene, which seemed like something out of a dream, had appeared alive in the real world!
The doubt, anger, and helplessness in his eyes all disappeared!
In their place was unprecedented shock!
This sight made his scalp tingle, and his whole body trembled with excitement!
Facts proved that when people are at their most excited, they are unable to speak!
Professor Ma Zhiqiang tried several times before he finally managed to make a sound:
"I told you to build a model..."
"You built a real mecha?!!!"