Medical Center
"I'm not doing this for the money..."
Dr. Hibbert said it instinctively.
That's not a bad way to comfort yourself. At least it'll make you feel better.
Adam held back a laugh, keeping a straight face as he nodded professionally. "Sacrifice the lesser self to fulfill the greater self—all for the cause of science.
"Without warriors like you, Dr. Hibbert, tirelessly and fearlessly raising funds for universities to buy one advanced scientific instrument after another—
"How are those scientists supposed to conduct research? With their hands?
"Some of them can only use that hand to get high-speed broadband and go online, at best.
"As for those cutting-edge research instruments that cost millions or tens of millions, they still need professionals like you, Dr. Hibbert.
"Them?
"They can't do it!
"Without you, science could never advance so rapidly!
"You are the men behind science, the mightiest voice standing at the forefront of the age's prostate!"
His tone was far too earnest, his logic far too self-consistent.
"Dr. Duncan, thank you for understanding."
Dr. Hibbert was genuinely moved. He stopped pretending, one hand braced against his lower back and the other against the wall, his eyes misty as he looked at Adam, who understood him.
"Back then, I was also a passionate, ambitious young genius scientist who wanted to make a grand name for myself in academia.
"But reality was cruel.
"There was so little research funding every year, and even less of it reached us.
"The less famous you were, the less funding you received, and the less access you had to research equipment.
"And the less funding and access to research equipment you had, the harder it was to produce results and make a name for yourself.
"It was a paradox.
"I disdained academic fraud.
"So I wasted