Chapter 41 Chen Xueming Makes His Debut
One week later, the list of the seven-member expert panel was officially finalized.
Fang Lin came to the laboratory with the final list and spread it out in front of Lin Mo. The names, affiliations, and research areas of the seven people were clearly written.
Lin Mo read through it from top to bottom, his gaze stopping on the third name.
Chen Xueming, male, 35 years old, professor at the School of Materials Science at Jianghuai University, PhD from Stanford, recipient of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. Research areas: new energy materials and devices, Lithium-Sulfur Battery, solid-state batteries.
"Thirty-five," Lin Mo looked up, "younger than I thought."
Fang Lin nodded: "Yes, he is the youngest one in this group."
She tapped next to Chen Xueming's name: "A Stanford PhD, he studied under Nobel laureate Professor Stanley. Before returning to China, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, and has published over a dozen top-tier journal articles, including three in Nature and two in Science."
Lin Mo listened, secretly surprised.
Such a resume, within the domestic materials science field, is absolutely top-tier among the top-tier.
"Then he is now..."
"At Jianghuai University," Fang Lin said. "In the five years since returning to China, he has changed units three times."
Lin Mo paused: "Why?"
Fang Lin was silent for two seconds, then said: "Personality issues."
She walked to the window, turning her back to Lin Mo: "This person, his academic ability is beyond reproach, but his temper is terrible. During meetings, no matter who the other person is, as long as he thinks there is a problem, he attacks directly. He has attacked Academicians, leaders, and heads of cooperating units."
Lin Mo said nothing.
"In his first year back, at a certain institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he stayed for eight months, had a fight with the lab director, and resigned," Fang Lin continued. "The second year, he went to a certain 985 university, stayed for a year, slammed the table at the dean, and walked away. He only arrived at Jianghuai University in the third year and has stayed there since."
She turned around and looked at Lin Mo: "The president of Jianghuai University personally stepped in to protect him, saying that although this person has a foul temper, he truly has ability. That's how he was stabilized."
Lin Mo was silent for a moment, then asked: "Then why is he willing to come for the review?"
Fang Lin smiled: "Because he is interested."
"Interested?"
"Yes," Fang Lin said. "I had people read through all his papers. He has been working on the Lithium-Sulfur Battery for years, but the results haven't been ideal. His best sample had an energy density of 680, and he published it in a Nature sub-journal."
She looked at Lin Mo: "Your data is 1450. Do you think he's interested?"
Lin Mo understood.
"So," he said, "he is here to pick faults."
Fang Lin nodded: "And also to learn."
She walked up to Lin Mo and looked at him seriously: "Lin Mo, you need to pay special attention to this person. He is not the type of expert who just goes through the motions; he will examine every piece of data over and over and verify every conclusion repeatedly. If you are even slightly vague, he will be able to question you into the ground."
Meeting her gaze, Lin Mo said calmly: "Then let him ask."
Fang Lin looked at him for a few seconds, then smiled.
"Fine," she said, "I was waiting for you to say that."
In the afternoon, Lin Mo showed Chen Xueming's information to the team.
Li Xiao read it and gasped: "Three Nature papers? Two Science papers? Is he even human?"
Zhang Zhe took the materials, flipped through them, and furrowed his brows slightly.
"This person," he said, "I have met him."
Lin Mo looked at him.
Zhang Zhe paused, then said: "Three years ago, at an academic conference, he gave a presentation. He was talking about the interface issues of the Lithium-Sulfur Battery. After he finished, an old Academician in the audience asked a question, saying that one of his conclusions might be problematic."
He looked at Lin Mo: "Chen Xueming refuted him on the spot, saying that the old Academician's data was from twenty years ago and was long outdated."
The laboratory went silent for a moment.
Li Xiao asked in a low voice: "And then?"
"And then?" Zhang Zhe said expressionlessly. "The whole room was stunned. That old Academician is a titan in the domestic battery field, with students everywhere. No one had ever dared to speak to him like that."
Academician swallowed hard: "Then what happened to him..."
"Nothing happened," Zhang Zhe said. "The old Academician wasn't angry; instead, he said that since he dared to speak the truth, he was a good talent."
Li Xiao patted her chest: "Scared me to death, I thought he was going to be blacklisted."
Zhang Zhe shook his head: "This person is different. He may attack people, but he never attacks blindly. What he attacks are places where there are truly problems."
He looked at Lin Mo: "Chief Lin, can our data withstand his questioning?"
Lin Mo was silent for two seconds, then said: "It can."
Zhang Zhe nodded and said nothing more.
In the evening, Lin Mo sat alone in the laboratory, found the papers published by Chen Xueming, and read them one by one.
Three Nature papers, two Science papers, and over a dozen top-tier sub-journal papers. Every single one was solid, with detailed data and rigorous argumentation.
He paid special attention to the papers regarding the Lithium-Sulfur Battery. Chen Xueming's line of thinking in this area was somewhat similar to his; both believed that interface issues were the biggest bottleneck for the Lithium-Sulfur Battery. However, Chen Xueming's method was to use an interface modification layer, while he used the magnetic field of superconducting materials.
Reading until two in the morning, Lin Mo rubbed his eyes, stood up, and stretched.
Outside the window, the moonlight was beautiful. The mountains rose and fell in the moonlight like silent giant beasts.
He remembered Chen Xueming's photo—that face had no expression, but the eyes were as sharp as knives.
This person would not be easy to deal with.
But there was no fear in his heart, only anticipation.
Only a true opponent can test true results.
The next afternoon, Fang Lin came again.
"Chen Xueming has confirmed," she said. "He will come. And he was the first to sign up."
Lin Mo nodded.
Fang Lin looked at him and suddenly asked: "Are you nervous?"
Lin Mo thought for a moment: "A little."
Fang Lin smiled: "A little is normal. Not being nervous at all would be abnormal."
She patted Lin Mo's shoulder: "Prepare well. This person is worth you taking seriously."
In the evening, Lin Mo reorganized all the data again.
He checked every number against the original records. He confirmed the experimental conditions for every curve. He found supporting evidence for every conclusion.
Li Xiao sat beside him, helping him check.
"Teacher Lin," she suddenly asked, "do you think that Chen Xueming will deliberately give us a hard time?"
Lin Mo thought for a moment: "Possibly."
"Then what should we do?"
Lin Mo looked at her and smiled: "Then let him give us a hard time. Our data is real, what is there to be afraid of?"
Li Xiao paused, then also smiled.
"Right," she said, "we are real, what is there to be afraid of?"
Outside the window, the night was deep.
But the lights in the laboratory were shining like a star.
Three days later, Chen Xueming arrived at the base.
Lin Mo did not go to meet him. Fang Lin said that when the review experts arrive, it is best for the protagonist not to appear, to maintain a bit of mystery.
But he stood in front of the laboratory window, watching the black SUV slowly drive into the base.
The car door opened, and a man wearing a dark jacket stepped out. He was in his thirties, of medium height, and wearing gold-rimmed glasses. His movements were quick; after getting out of the car, he did not look around but followed the reception staff inside directly.
Lin Mo only had time to see a profile view.
But that sharp gaze, across a distance of several dozen meters, seemed to make him feel it.
He took a deep breath and turned back to the experimental bench.
Tomorrow, the real test would begin.