"Rapid progress?"
Hao Liang said, "Sequence Awakening has only been around for five years, yet you wasted two of them."
"That puts you forty percent behind me."
"Besides, research during the first three years of Sequence Awakening mostly involved finding a direction. Actual progress was limited."
"Li Tianming, you can't even imagine how much progress I've made these past two years."
"I'm afraid you won't close that gap in your lifetime."
An incredibly radiant smile spread across Hao Liang's face.
"Old Li, you can't beat me."
Li Tianming remained silent, smoking with his head lowered.
Guo Jiuxiao was telling the truth.
A two-year gap really was hard to close.
The other professors couldn't refute him either.
But Qin Siyang, standing nearby, spoke up.
"Old Li, professors, you're letting your concern cloud your judgment."
"Xiao Qin, what do you mean?"
"He's Guo Jiuxiao, your sworn enemy. Why are you believing everything he says?"
Chang Tianxiong explained, "Xiao Qin, you've never done research. Honestly... there's nothing particularly wrong with what Guo Jiuxiao said."
Xiao Qin shook his head. "I might not understand research, but I've got a brain. I can think."
"Maybe it's precisely because I'm not involved that I can see things more clearly than you professors."
Then he looked at Hao Liang. "Professor Guo, there's something I'm not sure I should say."
Hao Liang said coldly, "If you're not sure you should say it, then don't."
Qin Siyang nodded. "All right, I'll say it, then."
"..."
"Professor Guo, there's one thing about me: I can't stand people showing off in front of me."
"Hmm?"
"You just said Old Li and the others couldn't even imagine your progress, and that the gap couldn't be bridged."
"You've been doing research for the past two years, so the information Old Li has is