Chapter 52: Is This Still a Scientific World?

The Coaster pulled out of the school gate, the scenery along the street constantly receding, yet Wang Qi Zhi's face grew darker and darker.

Back when he was at the Cultural Relics Bureau and the Baoji Bronze Museum, this was the thing he hated most, which was why he applied to transfer to the university.

But he discovered: even in an ivory tower, such things were still unavoidable.

Then he thought back to last night, when he had been emboldened by alcohol and patted his chest while bragging to Lin Sicheng: "With me around, you can walk sideways in this school from now on."

As it turned out: he was the one who had to walk with his tail between his legs first?

Lin Sicheng suppressed a laugh: "Maybe you're overthinking it; it should be a coincidence!"

It was indeed a bit, but not absolutely.

Wang Qi Zhi didn't speak, but gestured toward the back.

Aside from the School Office director who was handling the administration, there were six professors: two for Calligraphy and Painting, two for Ceramics, and one for Jade and Stone Carvings; he was the only one who specialized in Bronze.

It just so happened that Xida had the most professors researching bronze. So, before he arrived, were bronzes not being appraised?

"At most, it counts as passive sabotage," Lin Sicheng said with a straight face. "Put yourself in their shoes: you snatched their project, occupied the school's largest laboratory, and you don't want them to have any feelings about it?"

Wang Qi Zhi was speechless.

Forget it, let's seek peace through struggle!

He sighed, preparing to give a symbolic pep talk, but just as he turned his head, he was subconsciously stunned.

Immediately, his mood improved significantly.

All six professors had brought assistants—some brought one, some brought two—filling up more than half of the Coaster.

The professors were fine, perhaps already used to it. But those teaching assistants and graduate students were either whispering or constantly glancing forward.

Their expressions varied: there was envy, there was jealousy, and even more so, there was disdain.

Could they be looking down on him, the Youth League Committee Deputy Secretary?

Of course, they were looking down on Lin Sicheng, the academic underachiever: "Is it another backdoor deal by Professor Lin?"

Otherwise, how could an undergraduate like him, who didn't even have the qualifications to carry a bag, be following Professor Wang in such a grand manner?

Good-for-nothing... shameless... a piece of trash that can't be molded...

Wang Qi Zhi could imagine how these assistants were cursing Lin Sicheng in their hearts, and the more he thought about it, the more amused he became.

"Lin Sicheng, don't you think we make a pretty good pair as master and apprentice?"

Lin Sicheng was confused: "Why?"

"We're both people with connections!" Wang Qi Zhi gestured toward the back. "If you don't believe me, look behind you!"

Lin Sicheng turned his head: those who were whispering stopped, and those sneering also controlled their expressions.

But their gazes remained direct.

Lin Sicheng smiled indifferently: "Only a true man can endure heaven's trials; if you aren't envied by others, you're a mediocrity!"

Even with Wang Qi Zhi's thick skin, he couldn't help but blush slightly: these were the words he had said to Lin Sicheng last night while patting his own chest.

He was, of course, bragging about himself...

The Municipal Bureau was right next to the Drum Tower, and the drive took about half an hour.

The contact had been rushed, and the arrival even more so, but the bureau took it very seriously: a Deputy Bureau Chief, the Appraisal Center director, and two deputy directors were waiting downstairs early on.

The other professors had been here many times and were very familiar with each other, so Guan Xingmin focused on introducing Wang Qi Zhi.

It was exactly the same as it had been at the College Office: the leaders wore smiles, shook hands repeatedly, and kept saying "long admired," while inwardly grumbling: "Good heavens, how much did he drink?"

Could this Secretary Wang be a heavy drinker?

Wang Qi Zhi forced a smile, his face red from start to finish, wishing he could slap himself twice.

Let that be a lesson for being greedy for a drink; you've lost face, haven't you?

After a brief introduction, the two deputy directors led the way, and just as they stepped onto the stairs, Guan Xingmin waved his hand.

Then, he leaned in a little closer: "Director Chen, Director Zhang, this is Lin Sicheng..."

Fearing the two leaders wouldn't remember, he specifically reminded them: "City Cultural Relics Company, Inverted Pot!"

It was no exaggeration; in an instant, the four eyes of the two leaders lit up. At the same time, the Deputy Bureau Chief reached out his hand.

Because of this young man, how many scoldings had they endured over the past half-month? Every time, they had been berated until they were drenched in shame.

But if it weren't for this young man before them, they wouldn't just be getting scolded; they would be losing their jobs. And losing them in droves...

The Bureau Chief shook his hand once, then again, his face no longer wearing a formulaic smile, but showing a bit more sincerity: "Student Lin, thank you for your hard work!"

He shook it for a long time before letting go, not forgetting to praise Guan Xingmin: "Director Guan is still the most thoughtful!"

Although the possibility wasn't very high, what if?

What if the Evidence Center also had some kind of Radioactive Source... haha!

Lin Sicheng finally understood what Guan Xingmin meant by "just right" back at the College Office.

It was just right for him to come and see if the Evidence Center also had something similar to the Inverted Pot.

He smiled: "You are too kind, leader!"

The professors were baffled: Does Lin Zhangqing have that much influence?

Enough for the Municipal Bureau leaders to specifically shake hands with Lin Sicheng, and for so long?

That shouldn't be right, should it?

Several teaching assistants also secretly curled their lips: "Tsk, it's nice to have a grandfather who is a Dean..."

Wang Qi Zhi, however, was struck with a sudden shock: when Director Guan introduced Lin Sicheng, he didn't even mention Professor Lin's name, so it had absolutely nothing to do with Professor Lin.

The key was the attitude of the two leaders: admiration mixed with a bit of astonishment, and sincerity mixed with a few traces of gratitude.

And don't say Lin Zhangqing is only a Deputy Director and already retired; even if he were the President of the university, his grandson couldn't possibly receive this kind of treatment.

So, what did Lin Sicheng do?

The two deputy directors led the way, with the two leaders and Guan Xingmin accompanying them, as the group entered the Appraisal Center.

Just as they sat down, Wang Qi Zhi turned his head back: "What did you do?"

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "I cannot say!"

Firstly, the case had not yet been solved, and secondly, the impact was too severe; Guan Xingmin had even specifically instructed that it must not be spread around, let alone in a place like this.

Wang Qi Zhi was startled again: nine times out of ten, it was a major case?

Otherwise, Lin Sicheng would not have been so direct.

Thinking about it further: he must have contributed a great deal to it, and it basically had nothing to do with Professor Lin, which was why the leaders were so enthusiastic when they saw him.

But what kind of case could it be?

The more he thought, the more curious he became; while the Appraisal Center was briefly introducing the specific details of this request for support, Wang Qi Zhi found an excuse and went outside the conference room to make a phone call.

He reached out to an acquaintance, and the information came back very quickly; Wang Qi Zhi gripped his phone, his expression twisting bit by bit.

So, this joint construction guidance today was all because of Lin Sicheng?

The problem was... that was a radioactive source; was that something one could see with the naked eye?

Wang Qi Zhi felt as if his own understanding of the world was about to collapse.

And compared to this, all of Lin Sicheng's previous excellence, all of his uniqueness, were so insignificant:

What did knowing Iron Protection Technology count for?

Knowing Blue Pointing and Artifact Restoration for Enamelware was even less worth mentioning.

Knowing how to operate Purple Infrared and how to operate the X-ray Machine was not even worth a single hair.

Relying on visual appraisal to identify a radioactive source... is this still a scientific world, damn it?

Through the door of the conference room, Wang Qi Zhi looked at his newly accepted disciple, his gaze as if he were looking at a deity.