The candlelight is dim and the figure is solemn.
In the room, thick knuckles kept tapping on the table, showing the owner's impatience.
A gust of wind blew in from the window, rustling the papers on the table. The wind got stronger, and a hand "slapped" on a pile of reports that were about to fly away, making the cups on the table clink.
Xiao Chen pretended not to hear anything, but leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. The office was filled with the smell of instant coffee. Xiao Chen didn't like coffee before, and he didn't like the taste of coffee. But today, he finished a cup and still felt unsatisfied.
This is a hot commodity, and only departments that need to stay up late and work hard can get some. It seems that this team leader Zhou is ready for a protracted war. Is he going to ask something today
"I've read the report. Do you have anything else to add?" Zhou Xiaoren's voice was a little sharp, which didn't quite match his age of more than 40 and his sturdy figure. But the words were very penetrating, as if they were always lingering in your ears, circling around to get to the bottom of it.
"No." Xiao Chen answered simply. He knew that when it comes to investigations, the more you say, the more mistakes you make. This investigation was already a bit weird. The facts were clear, but someone insisted on pursuing it. I really don't know what they were thinking to do such a meaningless thing. Do you think that we refugees have already established a firm foothold and can rest easy
"I've talked to Zhao Rui and Zhang Sicheng before, and their statements are quite different from what you wrote in your report." Zhou Xiaoren said slowly, "Of course, you are still a student, and it is normal that you can't think of a solution for a while when encountering such an emergency. Then let's not talk about the details, and first tell me your overall opinion on this matter."
Xiao Chen looked into the other person's eyes with a calm expression, "In my opinion, this is a pure accident. This incident also gives us some warnings. If we want to further explore the forest, we must strengthen our force."
"You young people are still simplistic in your view of things." Zhou Xiaoren took out a cigarette and motioned Xiao Chen to take it, but Xiao Chen waved his hand to refuse. He lit the cigarette with a lighter, took a deep puff, and then said, "Zhao Rui believes that rushing into the forest, dispersing the team, waiting too long for the reunion, and lack of a plan for attacking the camp are the main reasons for Professor Lin's death. Zhang Sicheng, Ye Zi, and you all participated in the formulation of this plan, so you all have to bear responsibility for Professor Lin's death. Zhang Sicheng feels guilty and has taken all the blame on himself. Now the committee's conclusion tends to be that your lack of ability and internal disagreements led to this accident. Are you convinced? Do you think it's fair?"
"Team Leader Zhou, I think what we want to do today is to clarify the facts, rather than discuss whether personal feelings are fair or not." Xiao Chen said in a deep voice.
"Haha." Zhou Xiaoren laughed twice, pulled the ashtray on the table, and made an unpleasant sound on the table. He flicked his cigarette and continued, "What is the truth? In this world, everything that people get involved in depends on the angle of observation and the voice of discussion. The angle of observation determines what facts you discover, and the voice of discussion will form the attitude of the people around you towards the facts. If you want to continue to do things, you can't act objective and noble, and act as if it has nothing to do with you. Instead, you have to let them see your facts."
"What Teacher Zhou said makes sense. I will be more careful when handling things in the future." Xiao Chen said.
Zhou Xiaoren frowned slightly. He found that Xiao Chen didn't respond to him at all and was difficult to deal with.
He drummed his fingers on the table again, and after a while he said earnestly, "You are the ones who have experienced life and death, and you are the ones fighting on the front line. Even if your on-the-spot judgment is controversial, it cannot be said to be wrong. Who knows if the other choice will bring worse results? Teacher Zhang is an indispensable talent in geology, and you are also a banner for our external contacts. You should not get stuck in something like this."
Xiao Chen remained silent. Looking at the sparks dancing in his hand, he already understood the other party's plan. He was going to use him as a weapon and point the sword at Principal Guo.
At a time like this, they are actually thinking about fighting among themselves. Such short-sighted people are found everywhere.
Sure enough, Zhou Xiaoren said, "You can't just see the trees and not the forest. Why do we have to go? Where do we go? What kind of team should we send? What kind of armed forces should we equip? These are what we need to reflect on. Otherwise, we will just push the responsibility onto the frontline personnel, which is the greatest injustice to you."
The more he spoke, the more excited his tone became. Finally, he stood up and walked behind Xiao Chen, patted his shoulder and said, "We need to make the school aware of this problem and prevent such tragedies from happening again. Someone like you who has personally faced such dangerous situations is the most convincing."
Xiao Chen gently removed his hand, stood up, turned around and looked at him and said, "I think the school's policy is correct. This is just an accident. Before we set out, the villagers said that the forest was safe and we were well prepared. Yes, we encountered danger, and Professor Lin's sacrifice was a great loss. But we eventually destroyed the camp of the goblin tribe, so that the school knew of the existence of the goblins and would not be caught off guard by the goblins one day. On the way back, we confirmed the location of the iron ore, found a suitable transportation route, and really put self-produced steel on the agenda. I think the benefits of the entire operation far outweigh the disadvantages! This is my clearest and most vivid opinion."
Xiao Chen walked to the door, turned around and smiled, "I don't care what others think of me or how they look at me. If no one objects to something, it must be a trivial and boring thing."
After saying that, he opened the door. When the door opened, he found Luo Ling standing outside, with her hand on the door handle. He looked a little excited because of his long speech, which made her smile. She leaned in and said to Zhou Xiaoren, "Team Leader Zhou, I'm sorry to bother you. There is an emergency meeting that Xiao Chen needs to attend. It's about the trade team that will leave for Suero City tomorrow. Time waits for no one, so I'm afraid I have to delay this investigation. I'm really sorry."
Zhou Xiaoren looked at the two of them helplessly, waved his hand, and went to the window to smoke.
"Beauty is here to save the hero again? I'd like to thank you! I also asked you to create an emergency task." While walking on the road, Xiao Chen clasped his fist to Luo Ling.
"You look like a monkey!" Luo Ling pushed Xiao Chen, "Ah, it seems I am being too nosy. Didn't you come out on your own?"
"If you don't come to save me, I think Team Leader Zhou will get mad. I didn't give him any face just now. Well, I was a little impulsive."
"That's good to know. Don't cause me any trouble. Also, the mission has become real, so just follow me out. Do you have the courage to explore the new world with me?"
"That is what I really want, but I dare not ask for it."
"You still don't dare? Is there really something you don't dare to do?" Luo Ling smiled with her hands covering her mouth.
"That's a lot." Xiao Chen said embarrassedly, "So, we have to find some scrolls to give ourselves courage."
"You mean, go to that study again?"
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Just as Xiao Chen and Luo Ling were heading to the magician's residence through the secret passage, the meeting room on the top floor of the Chemistry Building was filled with people. The leader was Guo Qian, the current chairman of the management committee and the school's top leader. In addition to him, nearly half of the twelve-member committee were present, and the backbones of the technology group and the industrial group were also sitting in the meeting room.
Li Jia stood at the front of the conference room, observing the expressions of the people sitting there. Almost everyone seemed anxious or excited, as if they were waiting for something. Only a guy standing next to him seemed calm and composed.
Morey put his hands on his hips, not paying any attention to the magic circle he had just drawn. Instead, he looked around, taking in the facilities in the conference room.
Today's meeting lasted unexpectedly long. Li Jia had not expected that the meeting to review Morey's alchemy ability would last from the afternoon to the evening, and that these experts and leaders had lost their patience to wait another day and must see the results today. Principal Guo directly requested that the hospital's generator supply power to the chemistry building for use in the laboratory and conference room.
"Success! Success! It's true!" A voice came from a distant corridor. A moment later, Mao Kai rushed into the venue holding a piece of metal. "It has been analyzed with a metal analyzer. The purity is very high, higher than the material stored in the laboratory! We can combine this kind of alchemy with our technology... It's amazing!"
There was a commotion in the meeting room, and many people began to talk, discuss, and even argue. Mao Kai rushed to the center of the meeting room and placed several test reports in front of Guo Qian and others. Immediately, many people gathered around and rushed to check the reports.
Guo Qian quickly scanned the report, exchanged opinions with several committee members around him, then stood up and walked in front of Morey.
The discussion in the room gradually quieted down. Guo Qian looked around the room and finally set his eyes on Morey's face.
Morey took a deep breath and smiled at Guo Qian.
Guo Qian spoke slowly and steadily: "Mr. Morey, your alchemy is amazing and has opened our eyes. We welcome you to bring such technology to us and are willing to share our knowledge with you. However, in that case, you must become a part of us forever. Are you willing to use your abilities to defend this new home? Are you willing to face various challenges with us?"
Morey stared into Guo Qian's eyes, as if he read the sincerity in his eyes. He put one hand on his chest, bowed solemnly to Guo Qian and said, "This is my greatest honor."