The research base officially launched

"Professor Yang, what exactly is going on?"

"Yes, Professor, what exactly do you mean?"

"Pan Qiwu, what did you do to upset the professor?"

The researchers talked among themselves, and several kept trying to stir up trouble.

Professor Yang shot the troublemakers a fierce glare, then went straight up onto the platform. Pan Qiwu had no way to stop him.

"Everyone, I fully support the relocation to Shimen County, and I hope you will support it too."

"Professor, is someone coercing you?"

"Yes, Professor. If something's wrong, tell us. We'll all stand by you."

"Professor Yang, what is it that you can't tell us?"

"You... all of you."

Professor Yang looked furious, but he soon forced himself to calm down.

"Fang Jinwei, Li Xiwen, I don't know what you two are plotting or what you hope to achieve, but you're doomed to fail. Zhang Hongxing from Shimen isn't some well-connected nobody like you imagine. His abilities are far beyond anything clowns like you could comprehend."

"And you, Xiao Wu. You've truly disappointed me. I put you in charge of the Research Center because I hoped you could lead everyone in their research more effectively, not so you could learn to fight for power and personal gain. Have a few scheming scoundrels sweet-talked you into forgetting who you are?"

Professor Yang's scolding, which called out the culprits by name, finally helped the researchers at the Research Center understand something of what was going on.

"Professor Yang, I understand what you mean. I'll cooperate with the relocation."

"So will I."

"Me too."

In the end, most of them agreed on the spot to cooperate with the relocation. It wasn't just because of Professor Yang, but also because of the research funding.

When Huang Sheng had said that those who refused to cooperate would not receive a penny of research funding, many of them had already given in. But with everyone else opposing the move, they had felt awkward about being the first to speak up.

Now that Professor Yang had given them a way out, they naturally seized it.

"All right. Since no one has any objections, let's disperse. Once the notice comes through, everyone can cooperate with the arrangements."

The crowd began to disperse. Even the two troublemakers who had been named left. Only Pan Qiwu remained rooted to the spot, his face flushed.

"Xiao Wu, everyone recognizes and admires your talent for research. Don't throw it away for a little short-term gain."

"Professor..."

"Ah, perhaps I was wrong. I should never have pushed you into this position."

"Professor, I..."

"There's no need to say anything else. Go to Shimen County if you want to. If you do, put all other thoughts aside and devote yourself to research. If you don't want to go, then follow your own wishes."

Professor Yang left decisively, yet there was something lonely about his departure.

With no children of his own, he had always nurtured Xiao Wu as though he were family.

Unfortunately, things in this world did not always turn out the way one wanted.

That afternoon, the Xinzhou City Government and the Xia Kingdom Academy of Sciences jointly issued a notice announcing the relocation of the Maglev Research Center from Xinzhou City to Shimen County.

Once the notice was issued, the matter was settled.

Whether the people at the Research Center protested or not, they could no longer change the decision.

After the notice was released, the rumors circulating online and the reports filed under real names quickly began to die down. Although some people with ill intentions continued to stir things up, they could no longer have much impact.

Public attention gradually shifted entirely to America and its followers joining forces to suppress the Xia Kingdom's technological development.

Naturally, the people of the Xia Kingdom were filled with righteous indignation.

But a small group of brainwashed people, smug and convinced of their own superiority, kept posting one absurd opinion after another.

For instance, the Xia Kingdom should take the lead in eliminating its nuclear weapons. That would reassure every country in the world, and once they were reassured, they would stop suppressing the Xia Kingdom.

Or the Xia Kingdom should fully adopt the systems of America and certain other countries. By learning from them, it would become one of them. Once they were all one big family, there would naturally be no more suppression.

Or the Xia Kingdom should abandon all high-tech research and simply buy finished products from other countries.

Most people naturally held such opinions in contempt.

Yet there were always people with various agendas cheering them on.

Some even kept liking, sharing, and imitating those posts for the sake of a pittance.

But none of this was enough to affect the Xia Kingdom as a whole.

Faced with suppression from so many countries, the Xia Kingdom gave only one response.

[The Xia Kingdom never starts trouble, but it never fears it either.]

That powerful declaration represented both the Xia Kingdom's confidence and its culture.

And as the international climate grew increasingly tense, the maglev research base in Shimen County finally began to take shape. Originally expected to take six months before it could be put to use, the Research Base progressed several times faster thanks to the relocation of the entire Maglev Research Center from Xinzhou City.

In just one month, the Research Base had completed facilities for preliminary research.

That day also marked Zhang Hongxing's official arrival at the Research Base.

The researchers transferred from the Xinzhou Research Center were already waiting in the laboratory. Pan Qiwu was among them.

At the sight of Zhang Hongxing, the researchers wore all sorts of expressions.

He had a resolute, cold gaze, neatly slicked-back hair, a sharply chiseled face, thick but tidy stubble, and a rather retro suit.

Nothing about him looked like a scientific researcher.

He really is an outsider.

Ah, it looks like we really made the wrong choice this time.

I hope he doesn't start giving us arbitrary orders. Otherwise, there really will be no hope for the Maglev Train.

No one actually voiced those thoughts, but the distrust on their faces gave them away.

Zhang Hongxing naturally saw it clearly.

"Who was in charge of you before?"

Zhang Hongxing's sudden question left everyone confused. No one stepped forward voluntarily, and in the end, Pan Qiwu was pushed to the front once again.

"You're the one in charge here?"

"Hello, my name is Pan Qiwu. I was the acting director of the former Xinzhou Maglev Research Center."

"Good. Having a leader is better than being a disorganized mess."

Zhang Hongxing looked Pan Qiwu up and down for a moment before continuing, "Since they've put you forward, you'll continue leading the team here. I have only one requirement for you: cooperate with me unconditionally."

"What if there's a disagreement over the research?"

"I said cooperate with me unconditionally. Do you understand?"

"With all due respect, this kind of domineering behavior will never produce any scientific results."

"That isn't something you need to worry about."

"Then I..."

Pan Qiwu was about to announce that he was quitting, but recalling Professor Yang's earlier words, he forced himself to hold back. He wanted to see just what Zhang Hongxing was capable of that made Professor Yang think so highly of him.

Zhang Hongxing regarded the hesitant Pan Qiwu with interest, then turned to the others and said loudly:

"The same goes for all of you. Whatever research and development tasks I assign, you must carry them out even if you have doubts, unless I overturn my own instructions."