Chapter 17 Security Manager

At seven in the morning, Lin Mo stepped out of his room right on time.

This was a habit he had developed during his five days at the base—wake up at seven, arrive at the canteen by seven-thirty, and enter the laboratory by eight. Wang Zhenguo once said that in the world of scientific research, talent determines the ceiling, while habit determines the floor. Lin Mo deeply agreed.

The corridor was silent, save for the sound of his footsteps. As he passed the stairwell, he noticed several people in dark blue uniforms walking up. Their uniforms were crisp and their steps were measured; one could tell at a glance they were soldiers.

He didn't think much of it and continued toward the canteen.

There were already quite a few people in the fourth-floor restaurant. Lin Mo took his tray and found a seat by the window. He had just taken a bite of a steamed bun when he saw Fang Lin walking over with her tray, followed by another person.

The man was in his early thirties with a buzz cut, a square face, and high brow bones. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk's. He wore a dark training uniform without any rank insignia and walked with a brisk, powerful gait, his back straight as a ramrod. Standing there, he was like an unsheathed blade.

"Lin Mo," Fang Lin said as she sat down across from him. "Let me introduce you. This is Zhao Gang, the base's head of security. From today onward, he is in full charge of the security for the 'tiangong project'."

Zhao Gang didn't sit. He merely nodded toward Lin Mo, his gaze scanning him from top to bottom, lingering for less than two seconds.

Lin Mo felt as if he had just been passed through an X-ray machine.

"Captain Zhao," he said, standing up and extending his hand.

Zhao Gang glanced at his hand and gave it a squeeze. His palm was rough and powerful, covered in calluses, and he let go after only a brief touch.

"Dr. Lin," his voice was low and devoid of any emotion. "Please cooperate with our work from now on."

With that, he turned and walked toward the food service area, showing no intention of sitting down.

Lin Mo blinked for a couple of seconds, withdrew his hand, and sat back down.

Fang Lin looked at him, the corners of her mouth curling slightly. "How does it feel?"

"How does what feel?"

"Zhao Gang's attitude."

Lin Mo thought for a moment and said honestly, "Not very friendly."

"It's not that he's unfriendly; it's that he's distrustful," Fang Lin said leisurely as she took a bite of her bun. "Zhao Gang comes from the Special Forces. He's carried out seventeen overseas missions, been wounded three times, and decorated twice. He's protected no fewer than eighty to a hundred scientists; he's seen too many who were scared witless and too many who were full of themselves."

She paused. "In his eyes, you researchers are all subjects in need of protection. And what he dislikes most are subjects who don't follow the rules."

Lin Mo nodded but remained silent.

He understood. It would be a miracle if a security head from a Special Forces background had a pleasant expression while looking at a physically weak Ph.D. Student like himself. Moreover, the pressure of being responsible for the security of the entire project was surely immense.

"He won't interfere with your work," Fang Lin said. "But you must obey the rules he sets. That is the bottom line."

"Understood."

After finishing his meal, Lin Mo headed toward the underground laboratory. He saw Zhao Gang again as he passed through the first-floor lobby. He was standing at the door of the Security Control Room, giving instructions to several people in dark blue uniforms.

Seeing Lin Mo, he stopped talking, and his gaze swept over again.

Lin Mo nodded to him and continued walking.

Zhao Gang's voice drifted from behind him—not loud, but every word was clear: "All personnel entering the Core Experimental Area must pass through three security checkpoints. Dr. Lin and his team must log their entry and exit times every day, and they must be accompanied by at least one other person when leaving the experimental area. If there are any special circumstances, report to me immediately."

"Yes, sir!" several voices responded in unison.

Lin Mo's pace faltered for a moment before he continued forward.

Basement Level 3, Materials Science Division.

Lin Mo walked into his office, turned on his computer, and began organizing yesterday's survey records. Over three days, he had spoken with twenty-three experts one by one, making detailed notes on each person's research direction, technical specialties, and personality traits.

What he had to do today was finalize the personnel allocation plan.

At exactly nine o'clock, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and a young man with glasses entered. He looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six, fair-skinned and clean-cut, appearing a bit shy. He held a stack of documents and stood at the door looking somewhat ill at ease.

"T-Teacher Lin, I'm the new assistant, Academician. I'm a Computer Science major, responsible for data processing."

Lin Mo stood up and smiled as he extended his hand. "Don't call me teacher; just call me Lin Mo. I only arrived a few days ago myself."

Academician was stunned for a moment before quickly shaking hands, his face flushing slightly.

He had just sat down when there was another knock. This time a girl entered. She had short hair, a round face, and looked even younger than Academician. She walked in confidently and extended her hand. "Hello, Teacher Lin. I'm Su Qing, a Materials Science and Engineering major. I just graduated with my Master's. I'll be assisting you from now on."

Lin Mo shook her hand. "Welcome. Don't call me teacher; just call me Lin Mo."

Su Qing blinked. "That won't do. You're the Chief; I have to call you Teacher Lin. Otherwise, I'd be lacking manners."

Lin Mo was taken aback by her words, then smiled and didn't insist further.

When the third person entered, Lin Mo clearly felt the atmosphere change.

It was a man in his thirties with a buzz cut and black-rimmed glasses, his face devoid of expression. He walked in without any pleasantries or self-introduction, simply placing a document on Lin Mo's desk.

"Zhang Zhe, Process Engineering. My resume and past project data are all inside."

Lin Mo picked up the document and flipped through it, his pupils constricting slightly.

Zhang Zhe, thirty-one years old, Ph.D. from Tsinghua University, previously worked at a national research institute for five years, led three major process breakthroughs, and published seventeen SCI papers—nine of which he was the first author. He also held eight patents.

On the last page of the resume was a photo attached—Zhang Zhe standing in front of a massive reactor, with a row of complex piping systems behind him.

Lin Mo looked up and met Zhang Zhe's gaze.

Zhang Zhe was also looking at him with a calm gaze. He didn't have Academician's shyness or Su Qing's liveliness; there was only a faint sense of scrutiny.

"Dr. Zhang," Lin Mo stood up. "I've heard much about you."

Zhang Zhe nodded without saying a word.

"Sit." Lin Mo motioned for him to sit, then looked at the three of them. "Everyone is here. I'll start with a few words."

The three of them, either sitting or standing, focused their attention on him.

"Our team is the core group of the 'tiangong project' Materials Science Division. My name is Lin Mo, and we'll be working together from now on. I'm not a man of many words, so I only have three principles."

He held up one finger. "First, I don't care about seniority; I only care about ability. Those who can solve problems will have a say here. If you can't solve problems, no amount of background will matter."

He raised a second finger. "Second, I dislike formalism. If you have an idea, say it directly. If there's a problem, raise it directly. No need to beat around the bush or worry about whose feelings you're hurting. We have only one goal—to achieve Room-Temperature Superconductivity."

He raised a third finger. "Third, I don't need you to have any particular opinion of me personally, but I need you to have enough reverence for this project. You understand better than I do what Room-Temperature Superconductivity means. If we succeed, our lives will have been worth it. If we fail, we've wasted not just our own time, but the country's money and trust."

He lowered his hand and looked at the three of them. "If you have any questions, you can ask them now."

Academician and Su Qing glanced at each other, but neither spoke.

Zhang Zhe spoke up, his voice flat. "Chief Lin, I would like to ask a question."

"Please, go ahead."

"You are twenty-six and haven't even finished your Ph.D. I've checked your publication record; you have three second-author papers and no first-author ones. On what basis are you the Chief?"

The office fell instantly silent.

Academician was stunned, and Su Qing's eyes widened as she looked at Zhang Zhe in disbelief.

Lin Mo also looked at him, his expression unchanged.

Zhang Zhe continued, his tone still calm as if merely stating facts. "I know you discovered the material for Room-Temperature Superconductivity; that is an epoch-making achievement. But discovery and R&D are two different things. Discovery requires inspiration, while R&D requires experience. Your experience is insufficient to support R&D work of this magnitude."

He paused. "I'm not targeting you personally. I just want to confirm whether we can actually get things done by following you."

The expressions of Academician and Su Qing both changed. They looked at Lin Mo, wondering how this young Chief would react.

Lin Mo remained silent for a few seconds, then smiled.

"Dr. Zhang, you're right," he nodded. "My experience is indeed insufficient. Not to mention comparing myself to you, I fall far short of any expert in this building."

Zhang Zhe's eyes flickered slightly.

"However," Lin Mo changed his tone, "in the direction of Room-Temperature Superconductivity, no one has experience. No one in the entire world does. In this field, we are all standing on the same starting line."

He stood up and walked to the window, his back to them. "I have the samples, the data, and a preliminary experimental plan. You have the process experience, computational power, and material analysis methods. Together, we can move forward. Apart, no one will get very far."

He turned around and looked at Zhang Zhe. "So, I don't need you to believe in me. I only need you to believe that this project is worth doing. As for whether we can succeed—"

He paused, his voice calm and certain. "We'll let the results speak for themselves."

Zhang Zhe stared at him for a few seconds, then slowly nodded.

"Fine," he said, his tone unreadable. "Then I'll watch for the results."

Outside the door, Zhao Gang had appeared in the corridor at some point. He watched this scene in the office through the glass, expressionless.

A young security guard beside him whispered, "Captain, that Zhang Zhe is being too blunt. Should we..."

"No need," Zhao Gang interrupted him, his gaze fixed on Lin Mo.

That young Ph.D. stood by the window, facing an expert with significantly more seniority, without showing the slightest bit of panic or anger. He wasn't subservient, nor did he lose his temper out of shame; he simply stated the facts calmly.

Quite interesting.

Zhao Gang withdrew his gaze and turned to leave.

In the office, Lin Mo returned to his seat and opened his computer.

"Alright, introductions are over. Let's get to work." He looked at Academician. "Mingyuan, I need you to organize everything I discussed with the experts over the past three days into a database. Categorize it by research direction, technical specialties, and equipment requirements."

Academician nodded quickly. "Alright, Teacher Lin."

"Su Qing, help me contact Academician Chen Qingshan's assistant and schedule a time. I want to ask for advice on material purification."

"Alright, Teacher Lin."

Lin Mo looked at Zhang Zhe. "Dr. Zhang, you're the most familiar with the process. I need a detailed list of existing preparation equipment, including models, parameters, pros, and cons. Can you get that done in three days?"

Zhang Zhe raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly not expecting Lin Mo to assign him a task so quickly. He nodded. "I can."

"Then it's settled." Lin Mo looked at the three of them. "From today on, we are comrades in the same trench. If you have any problems, come to me anytime; my office door is always open."

The three of them left one after another.

The office became quiet again. Lin Mo sat at his computer, looking at the dense expert data on the screen, and let out a soft sigh.

It would be a lie to say Zhang Zhe's words didn't sting. But he knew the other man had a point. Seniority, experience, and papers were all objective facts that could not be refuted.

The only thing he could do was prove himself with results.

He stretched his shoulders and threw himself back into his work.

Outside the door, Zhang Zhe walked a few steps, then suddenly stopped and looked back at the ajar door.

Su Qing leaned in and whispered, "Dr. Zhang, you were too blunt just now. Teacher Lin is only twenty-six; being asked that must have been so embarrassing for him."

Zhang Zhe didn't speak.

Academician also leaned in. "But Teacher Lin has a really good temper. Anyone else would have probably lost it."

Zhang Zhe glanced at them and said flatly, "He doesn't just have a good temper."

"Then what is it?"

Zhang Zhe didn't explain further and turned to walk away.

At the end of the corridor, Zhao Gang stood by the window of the Security Control Room, watching the three young people walk away, then glanced toward Lin Mo's office.

"Captain, that Dr. Lin..." the young security guard beside him started to say, then hesitated.

Zhao Gang was silent for a few seconds before suddenly saying, "This kid is quite interesting."

The young guard was stunned, not understanding why the captain would suddenly say such a thing.

Zhao Gang didn't explain and turned back into the control room.

Outside the window, the sunlight was just right.

In the office of the Materials Science Division on Basement Level 3, Lin Mo was frowning over the calculation of a technical parameter. What he didn't know was that in those few short minutes, he had, in his own way, earned his first bit of recognition from a Special Forces soldier.

Even if it was only a little bit.

But that little bit was already enough to gain him a silent observer in this base.