"Director, did the higher-ups really say that? That we should make up a story?" the young researcher asked Director Wang in disbelief.
"Mm..." Director Wang nodded. "We've more or less figured out the Cube's origins. We just need to polish our original speculations a little before submitting them. Once we do, the publicity department will keep revising it. What the story ends up becoming then will have nothing to do with us..."
The young researcher's expression grew even more helpless as he listened to Director Wang.
"But there's no evidence... Isn't this deceiving the public? How can we do something like that?"
His consistently rigorous scientific training made this difficult for him to understand. Ever since childhood, he had been taught that "proving something requires a complete chain of evidence," yet everything happening now was shattering his original beliefs.
"Director, we can't do this. This is deception... Give us a little more time, and we'll find the evidence. There's no need to rush."
The researcher still stubbornly struggled against his own understanding.
Seeing how obstinate the researcher was, Director Wang sighed. Once upon a time, he had been exactly like this young man.
He patted the researcher on the shoulder. "Times have changed... There's no need to be so hung up on certain things. Close enough is good enough."
"You're still young. Do your job well, and you'll receive the rewards you deserve. As for why we have to do this and what consequences it may bring, someone else will think about it for you and bear the responsibility."
"The higher-ups need a research report, so we give them a research report. They need data, so we give them data. They need a logically coherent story, so we give them a story. What comes afterward isn't for us to worry