Chapter 11 The Academician's Decision

The atmosphere in the meeting room was so heavy it felt as if it were about to drip water.

Academician Zhang stood by the window with his back to the group. Academician Liu sat in a chair, staring at the piece of blue material on the table without saying a word. Wang Zhenguo leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, his brow furrowed deeply.

Lin Mo stood to the side, unsure of what to say.

After a long time, Academician Zhang turned around and walked back to the table. He looked at Wang Zhenguo and said, "Old Wang, this matter must be reported."

Wang Zhenguo nodded. "I know."

"It's not just a standard report," Academician Zhang emphasized his tone. "It's the kind that goes straight to the top leadership. This thing is no longer within the scope of academic achievement. This is a national strategic resource."

Academician Liu looked up and added, "Old Zhang is right. What does Room-Temperature Superconductivity mean? It means an energy revolution; it means a generational gap in technology. If we let foreign countries get it first, we will be in a very passive position."

Wang Zhenguo was silent for a moment before turning to Lin Mo. "Xiao Lin, what do you think?"

Lin Mo hadn't expected his teacher to ask him. He froze for a second and said, "I... I'll listen to you, Teacher."

"It's not about listening to me," Wang Zhenguo shook his head. "This is your discovery. You have the right to decide where it goes."

Lin Mo lowered his head, looking at the piece of blue material. It lay quietly on the table, emitting a dim light. He remembered the shock of synthesizing it for the first time, the nights of repeated verification, and George's inquisitive eyes.

If he didn't report it, could he keep this secret? For how long? Would those people just let it go?

If he did report it, what would happen? Would he lose his freedom? Would he be locked away somewhere, never allowed to come out again?

He didn't know. But he knew one thing—

"Teacher," Lin Mo looked up, "I don't want this thing to fall into the hands of bad people."

Wang Zhenguo looked at him, a flicker of relief and gratification passing through his gaze.

Academician Liu nodded. "Good. It's good that you have this level of awareness."

Academician Zhang said, "Then the question now is how to report it and to whom."

He paused and continued, "I have an old comrade-in-arms working at the Ministry of Science and Technology. But for this matter, the Ministry of Science and Technology alone might not be enough. There needs to be... intervention from other departments."

Academician Liu frowned. "You mean..."

"The Security Departments," Academician Zhang said directly. "Once this thing is made public, it will be a free-for-all. We must prepare protections in advance."

Wang Zhenguo glanced at Lin Mo and said, "Old Zhang is right. Xiao Lin, from now on, your safety will be the top priority."

Lin Mo nodded, a strange feeling rising in his heart—as if he had suddenly become some kind of important figure.

Academician Liu asked, "Xiao Lin, how did this discovery of yours come about? Where did your train of thought start?"

Lin Mo's heart tightened. What was bound to come had finally arrived.

He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice calm. "It was just... through trial and error. While I was doing Quantum Optics experiments, I encountered some strange phenomena, which then made me think of Superconducting Materials. So, I started trying to adjust the formula. After many attempts, it finally worked out."

All three Academicians looked at him. Lin Mo knew there were many holes in his explanation, but he didn't know how to patch them up. He couldn't mention the system—that was his biggest secret, one he couldn't even tell Wang Zhenguo.

Wang Zhenguo looked at him with a complex expression. Lin Mo remembered his teacher saying 'you can't lie' that night, and he felt a wave of guilt.

But Wang Zhenguo didn't press further. He turned to the two Academicians and said, "There are many accidental discoveries in the history of science. X-rays and penicillin were both accidents. That Xiao Lin could seize this accident is a testament to his ability."

Academician Zhang nodded. "True. Some things are just meant to be."

Academician Liu didn't ask any more questions. He checked his watch and said, "It's getting late. Old Wang, you need to draft the report overnight. Tomorrow morning, we'll split up to make contacts."

Wang Zhenguo nodded. "I know."

Academician Zhang stood up and walked over to Lin Mo. He held out his hand, and Lin Mo quickly shook it. The old man's hand was thin but very strong.

"Xiao Lin, you are a promising young man," Academician Zhang said. "The road ahead might be difficult. But remember, you are not alone. Old fellows like us and the entire country will be standing behind you."

Lin Mo felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and his eyes grew a bit misty.

Academician Liu also walked over and patted his shoulder. "Keep up the good work. Once this matter has passed, come to our laboratory for an exchange of ideas."

Wang Zhenguo stepped forward and said to the two Academicians, "Old Zhang, Old Liu, thank you for your hard work today."

"What hard work?" Academician Zhang waved his hand. "It is my honor to see this thing with my own eyes."

The four of them walked out of the meeting room together. In the hallway outside, Comrade Fang was still waiting. Seeing them come out, he approached them.

"Finished?"

Wang Zhenguo nodded. "Finished. Please trouble yourself to take us back."

Comrade Fang glanced at Lin Mo, his gaze containing something extra. He didn't speak, only nodded.

On the way back, Lin Mo and Wang Zhenguo sat in the back seat. Outside the car window, the sky had already darkened, and streetlights were flickering on one by one. Lin Mo leaned against the seat as fatigue washed over him like a tide.

"Tired?" Wang Zhenguo asked.

"A little."

"That's normal. You've been under too much tension these past two days." Wang Zhenguo paused. "Go back and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, there will be even more to do."

Lin Mo nodded. He thought of those two Academicians and what they had said. Reporting to the state, security protection—these things sounded so distant, yet they were so close.

"Teacher," he asked, "will I still be able to do experiments in the future?"

Wang Zhenguo glanced at him and smiled.

"Of course you can. Though, you might do them in a different place."

Lin Mo was silent for a while before asking again, "Teacher, do you believe me?"

"Believe what about you?"

"Believe what I said. That discovery... it really was an accident."

Wang Zhenguo looked at him with something in his eyes that Lin Mo couldn't quite decipher.

"Xiao Lin," he said, "everyone has their own secrets. You have yours, and I have mine. If you don't say anything, I won't ask. But you must remember—no matter what secrets you have, you are my student."

Lin Mo lowered his head and said nothing.

The car drove into the campus and stopped at Lin Mo's dormitory building. Lin Mo got out of the car and turned to Wang Zhenguo. "Teacher, goodnight."

"Goodnight," Wang Zhenguo nodded. "Wait for my call tomorrow."

The car drove away, disappearing into the night. Lin Mo stood at the bottom of the building, watching the car's taillights get further and further away until they finally merged into the distant lights.

He looked up at the night sky. There were more stars tonight than last night, densely scattered across the heavens. He thought of that blue material, that mysterious system, and everything that had happened over the past few days.

Then, he turned and walked into the building entrance.

In his room, Wang Zhenguo sat at his desk, spreading out paper and pen. He glanced at the clock on the wall; it was already nearly ten o'clock. Tonight, he would be staying up all night.

He picked up his pen and began to write the first words:

"Report on the Urgent Need for National Intervention Regarding a Major Scientific Discovery"

The tip of the pen rustled against the paper. Outside the window, the night was deep, with scattered lights in the distance. As Wang Zhenguo wrote, he suddenly stopped and looked out the window.

He remembered thirty years ago, when he was still a young scholar, he also had a major idea. But conditions at the time didn't allow for it, and it eventually came to nothing. Now, his student had achieved it.

He shook his head and continued writing.

At the same time, in an apartment, George was making a phone call.

"Confirmed, the target's recent behavior is abnormal. His mentor, Wang Zhenguo, took him to a research institute today and stayed for a long time."

A low voice came from the other end of the phone: "Do you know what they went there for?"

"No. That place is inaccessible."

After a moment of silence, the voice said, "Keep watching. Report any abnormalities immediately."

"Understood."

George hung up the phone and walked to the window. He looked at the campus in the distance; the lights were dim, and everything seemed so quiet. But he knew that beneath the quiet surface, undercurrents were surging.