Persuasion

All eyes fell on Kronos, making this seasoned socially awkward man feel a little uncomfortable.

Professor Portland had already seen him, but he showed no intention of helping him out. Instead, he watched with interest as Kronos looked on with amusement at his uncomfortable expression.

As Portland looked at Kronos, his gaze also fell upon Portland, hoping that Portland could help him out of this predicament. Unfortunately, what he saw was Portland's intrigued expression, and Kronos knew that this man was unreliable.

Fortunately, this uncomfortable period did not last long. As Kask's Secretary finished his report to him, Kask Wolf raised his head.

The board member first clapped his hands to make some noise and attract everyone's attention, then said to Portland, "Professor Portland, you will introduce your student to everyone."

Since Kask had said so, Portland naturally couldn't just stand by and watch anymore, so he cleared his throat and introduced himself to everyone:

"This is Kronos Argel. You are all probably more Message than I am, so I probably don't need to introduce you to the Argel Family or Marquis Argel. I'll just tell you what I know about Kronos."

"Saying that Kronos is my student is not entirely accurate. He is indeed a student at Backlund University, in my department, but he is not a direct student of mine. Our relationship is more of a mentor-student relationship."

"Kronos is an absolute genius. I've hoped countless times that he would stay at the university as a lecturer so I could groom him as my successor. I believe that one day his achievements will surpass mine."

These words sparked a quiet murmur in the conference room, as they had quite shocked everyone present. Portland wasn't referring to status, but to achievements; very few in the world could be considered to have surpassed him in scientific accomplishments.

After working together for a period of time, everyone had a certain understanding of Professor Portland. This professor maintained the personality traits of a researcher, which was that he was direct and never spoke empty words.

If this is true, then the Marquis heir before them must be an unparalleled genius.

Portland continued, "You probably know something about the Ironclad Project. I'm an advisor on this Project, but so is Kronos, not only because of Duke Negan's recommendation, but also because of his own abilities."

"This Project involved more than sixty Scientists from the Backlund Artillery Research Institute and the Pritz Ship Research Institute, as well as many more senior engineers, and I believe that not one of them questioned Kronos's capabilities."

"He now hopes to jointly establish a science and technology Research Center with our reorganized Backlund Technical University, and that's why he's here today. That's why we've gathered you all here to discuss this matter. Everyone is welcome to share their opinions."

After Portland finished speaking, the meeting room fell into a brief silence, followed by a cacophony of voices. No one offered their opinion directly, but everyone was whispering and discussing amongst themselves.

This was Kronos's first time attending such a government meeting, so he didn't know what to do and just stood there dumbfounded.

After letting everyone discuss for a while, Kask clapped his hands again, taking control of the situation.

"My statement does not represent the final decision; it is merely my personal opinion. I believe this is a good thing, as it can significantly enhance the status of Backlund Technical University, which is not a bad thing for us either. Therefore, I still hope this matter will be successful."

Kask Wolf is a board member of the Higher Education Committee and also serves as the head of the restructuring Project for Backlund Technical University, so his words carry considerable weight.

After Kask finished speaking, the room erupted in discussion once again.

Just then, Kronos saw the look Professor Portland gave him, and the unspoken understanding between them made Kronos understand.

Professor Portland urged him to strike while the iron was hot and quickly persuade all the attendees to finalize the matter, otherwise the wrangling could drag on endlessly.

Understanding the look in his eyes, Kronos quickly spoke up, "Ladies and Lady, I only mentioned this suggestion verbally at first, so you may not be fully aware of it yet. Therefore, I would like to explain it to you in detail."

"My Walter Factory has always been dedicated to the research of New Materials. To facilitate this research, I invested in building a materials Research Center. Some time ago, I was invited to become Associate Professor at Backlund Technical College."

"Therefore, my Research Center is open to students in the college, providing them with a place for practice and internships. For outstanding professors, we will hire them as consultants for the Research Center, and for outstanding students, we can also provide them with some job opportunities."

"A few days ago, Professor Portland visited my Research Center. After looking around, he thought our model was quite good, as it provides convenience for the college and allows the Research Center to attract more talent. That's why I made this proposal."

"I can fund the establishment of a large-scale Technology Research Base, which may include Research Center for various disciplines such as materials, mechanical engineering, and biology. In cooperation with the Backlund Technical University, I will provide internship and employment opportunities for the university, and the university will provide me with talent."

Suddenly, someone raised a question, "Then who owns this Research Base?"

This is actually the biggest concern of everyone here. It is obvious how much convenience a Scientific Research Base would enjoy if it were affiliated with a state-owned university.

Kronos smiled and said, "We can jointly hold the shares with Backlund Technical University. The university can own 30% of the shares. If the university is willing to invest, it can also own more shares according to its investment amount, up to a maximum of 49%."

After Kronos finished speaking, even more people questioned him, "Why can't the university own the property? You're taking too much advantage!"

"If the university is willing to fund it, you can establish your own independent Research Center. I don't really have any objections; my family isn't short of such a small business," Kronos said calmly.

Portland has not actually disclosed the budget for this restructuring, but Kronos can probably guess the government's stance: they simply want to achieve a lot with a small budget.

Therefore, as soon as Kronos said this, the discussion immediately stopped.

Kronos seized the opportunity and said directly, "The government could never approve that much funding for you. I don't think the school even has the money to buy that extra 19% of the shares. But since I'm the one who spent the money, I think giving away 30% for free is already pretty good."

"As for the Scientific Research Base, everyone should be able to see how it will benefit the university. From now on, lecturers, Associate Professor, and full professors at Backlund Technical University will all have an extra income, which will greatly help in attracting talent."

"Furthermore, students at Backlund Technical University now have a visible employment path, which is good Message for hardworking individuals. I believe Backlund Technical University will develop rapidly, and although it may not be able to rival Backlund University, it will definitely become a top university."

"Have you all thought about this? After you reorganized a university, it grew into a top-tier university. How much of a help is that achievement? It's an achievement you can be proud of for a lifetime."

When this was said, many people in the room had their eyes light up. What did it matter to them what benefits professors and students might get? Their own interests came first.

"I know you might have some concerns. Entrusting such an important Project to individuals means you'll be responsible for any consequences if problems arise."

This is also true. If one day Kronos were to sever the relationship between its Scientific Research Base and the Backlund Technical University, it would be a major blow to the university, and they would certainly bear some responsibility if accountability were pursued.

Kronos continued, "Actually, you're overthinking it. I'm not an individual who can just run away. I have a family behind me, and I'm the heir. There's no way I can escape. Those who know should know that a Research Center is just a drop in the ocean compared to the Argel Family's assets."

"As for reliability, to borrow a phrase from my friend Philip Negan: ' The Royal Family trusts the Argel Family the most; they even have a stake in the Royal Bank, the Royal Family family's purse!' I feel there's some truth to that. Would I really give up the Royal Family's trust for a Research Center?"

Kronos was not a good speaker, but the arguments he presented were truly persuasive.

So this proposal, which would benefit everyone, was ultimately passed unanimously, thanks to Kronos's speech and the encouragement of Portland and Kask.

Technology Research Base, with Kronos holding 70% of the shares and Backlund Technical University holding 30%, was officially established. Kronos was responsible for its construction, which needed to be completed before Backlund Technical University officially began enrolling students.

Furthermore, the cooperation agreement between the two parties was officially signed on the same day. The Research Center has the right to give priority to recruiting talents from the technical university. The cooperation period is ten years, and both parties have the right of first refusal to renew the agreement.