I object

"No! I object!"

A grating voice rang out in the conference room.

Jiang Yongxing turned toward the voice.

When he saw who had spoken, his pupils contracted slightly.

It was him!

"Mao Jinquan, what do you mean by that?"

Jiang Yongxing frowned deeply as he asked.

Mao Jinquan scoffed. "What do I mean? Don't you know perfectly well?"

"This is a complete fraud! A sophomore undergraduate could write a proposal of this caliber? My esteemed dean, could you please use your brain and think about whether that's actually possible?"

"If you ask me, he's just a young man trying to grab attention!"

"As far as I'm concerned, what we need to do now isn't report this to the higher-ups, but track down that attention-seeking brat! Sandao Kou University doesn't welcome students who try to game the system!"

Jiang Yongxing's frown deepened.

"Associate Dean Mao, setting aside whether it's possible, we should base our judgments on facts as researchers."

"Tell me, have you found any flaws in this proposal?"

Mao Jinquan's expression shifted slightly. After a moment's thought, he said, "Flaws?"

"Isn't the flaw obvious enough?"

"Where would a sophomore get this knowledge?"

"Besides, I read the derivation for that new material. A few strokes of the pen, and a new material just appeared on paper? What a joke!"

"Where's the experimental data? Without experimental data, how is this proposal any different from a fantasy?!"

Mao Jinquan's words gave quite a few of the professors present pause.

Indeed, the proposal looked perfect, but its greatest flaw was the complete lack of supporting experimental data!

To put it bluntly, this proposal was nothing more than an exercise on paper!

Jiang Yongxing gave a cold laugh. By now, he was getting angry!

To him, this was nothing but arguing for argument's sake!

"Associate Dean Mao! Tell me, where is a sophomore undergraduate supposed to conduct experiments and gather data?!"

"As a researcher, you should never simply dismiss something as impossible!"

Standing nearby, Fang Xu could no longer bear to listen either. He rose to his feet and challenged him directly. "Associate Dean Mao, did you just say this proposal lacks experimental data?"

Mao Jinquan naturally nodded.

As associate dean of the Nuclear Physics College, he believed he had every right to question a proposal written by a mere undergraduate!

Fang Xu gave a cold laugh. "Do you realize this proposal is even more complete than the one from my Nuclear Physics Laboratory?!"

"Do you realize how many experiments went into producing our laboratory's proposal?"

"You know nothing. All you can say is that it's impossible! As an associate dean, you haven't shown me the slightest trace of a researcher's spirit!"

Fang Xu spared Mao Jinquan no consideration whatsoever.

After all, as head of the Nuclear Physics Laboratory, Fang Xu did not fall under Mao Jinquan's authority!

Mao Jinquan turned to Jiang Yongxing with an ugly expression. "Dean Jiang, you..."

"Enough!"

Jiang Yongxing sighed softly and waved a hand, cutting Mao Jinquan off before he could finish.

"That's enough, Associate Dean Mao. You look tired. Go home and get some proper rest for a while. For the time being, you won't need to concern yourself with the college's affairs."

Mao Jinquan's pupils contracted sharply.

He stared at Jiang Yongxing in disbelief, then laughed in anger. "Dean Jiang? You're going to take action against me, your associate dean, over a sophomore undergraduate?"

At those words, the disappointment in Jiang Yongxing's eyes deepened.

He slowly shook his head. "Mao Jinquan, I'm not taking action against you over a sophomore undergraduate."

"I'm doing it for scientific research, and for Xia Country's future!"

"Yes, this proposal has no data to support it. But tell me, if it proves genuine, how great a loss would Sandao Kou University... no, Xia Country suffer if we handled it your way?!"

Mao Jinquan's expression grew uglier still. He nodded resentfully, then left his seat and headed for the conference room door.

"Hmph! Let's see whether you can solve controlled nuclear fusion with this sophomore undergraduate!"

After throwing out those parting words, Mao Jinquan pulled open the conference room door and walked out.

Bang!

A dull thud rang out as the conference room door shut.

Jiang Yongxing shook his head with a rueful smile. "Fang Xu, sorry you had to witness that..."

Fang Xu shook his head thoughtfully. "Jiang, it's high time you put your Nuclear Physics College in order. Even the associate dean has no interest in research anymore. What kind of way is that to run things?"

Jiang Yongxing fell silent for a moment, then nodded and turned his gaze toward the professors and researchers seated before him.

Under Jiang Yongxing's meaningful gaze, every professor and researcher lowered their head, burying it in the sand.

Some of the more senior professors felt a flicker of apprehension.

It seemed the Nuclear Physics College was about to face quite an upheaval!

"All right, I assume everyone has finished reading the proposal?"

"If you have any questions, feel free to raise them."

After several minutes without a response, Jiang Yongxing chuckled. "Since no one has any questions, let's proceed to a vote."

"Naturally, we're voting on whether to submit this proposal to Parliament."

An hour later.

Jiang Yongxing brought Fang Xu to his office.

He walked straight to his desk, picked up the landline receiver, and pressed a special button.

A few seconds later, a voice came through the receiver.

"Hello, Professor Jiang. How can I help you?"

"Please put me through to the Xia Kingdom Parliament. I have something to report regarding controlled nuclear fusion."

"...Of course. One moment, please!"

"..."

The wait was brief before a steady male voice came through the receiver.

"Hello, Dean Jiang. This is Hong Qiming, minister of the Xia Kingdom Ministry of Science and Technology."

A flicker crossed Jiang Yongxing's eyes.

The minister of science and technology, Hong Qiming himself, had answered the call!

It seemed controlled nuclear fusion was becoming increasingly important to Xia Country's top leadership!

"Hello, Minister Hong. There's something I need to report to you..."

Jiang Yongxing recounted the entire incident from beginning to end.

"Dean Jiang, are you serious? A sophomore undergraduate wrote a highly feasible proposal for controlled nuclear fusion on a blackboard?"

Jiang Yongxing smiled ruefully and turned to Fang Xu beside him.

He had anticipated exactly this reaction, which was why he had specifically brought Fang Xu along!

Fang Xu hurried forward and took the receiver from Jiang Yongxing. "Minister Hong, this is Fang Xu."

"...That's right. It's all true!"

"I can guarantee that this proposal is highly feasible!"

"Understood!"

Fang Xu returned the receiver to its cradle, ending the call.

"What did he say?"

Jiang Yongxing looked at Fang Xu anxiously.

Fang Xu's expression was grave. "Minister Hong said this is a matter of great importance. He needs to report it to the First Parliament Chairman!"