12dz Chapter 329
Chapter 329
Rong Yu frowned slightly.She spoke coldly, "Senior, the labs at Huaqing have never been assigned by year level. The lab management regulations clearly state that all faculty and students must use the equipment on a first-come, first-served basis according to their scheduled appointments, and no one is allowed to forcibly occupy it based on academic seniority."
The curvature of Jiang Dai’s lips remained unchanged. "Junior, you managed to get S-level lab permissions. Are you saying you’ve followed the rules completely?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a figure appeared in the hallway.
"Jiang Dai, you’re ridiculous, trying to take over a freshman’s lab!" Zhai Weitong, also wearing a research coat, strode over. "Let me give you some inside info—Rong Yu’s project is personally approved and monitored by Academician Lin. If you mess with Academician Lin’s project, you won’t be able to handle the consequences!"
Jiang Dai’s expression finally shifted.
A sneer appeared on his face.
A resource benefactor, another resource benefactor.
Zhai Weitong had a mother who was an academician, and this junior probably had some family connection to Academician Lin too. Otherwise, how could she have gotten lab permissions as a freshman?
He pressed his lips together. "I see. Well, then, I wish you success with your experiments, junior."
He turned around, entered the lab to pack up the various documents he had just taken out, stacking them one by one into his file bag before walking out.
The moment he stepped out, a scream rang out from inside the lab: "Oh no, our experiment data is gone! The drawer shows signs of being pried open—it’s been stolen!"
Zhai Weitong immediately grabbed Jiang Dai by the shoulder. "Did you take it?"
Jiang Dai violently shook off Zhai Weitong’s hand, his usually gentle voice suddenly sharp. "I’ve only been in the lab for half an hour—I haven’t even done anything yet! I never saw any experiment data! You’re deliberately framing me!"
Xue Yun rushed to the workbench, rummaging through the drawers. "It was right here! It’s key data for the aerospace material coating! If this data were just lost, it might not be a big deal, but if it’s stolen and leaked, we’re done for! Senior Jiang Dai, you—"
"I said I didn’t take it!" Jiang Dai fumed. "Check the surveillance footage. We have to check the surveillance!"
Zhai Weitong immediately pulled up the footage. But the screen showed nothing but static noise.
For the first time in his life, Jiang Dai understood what it meant to be unable to defend himself no matter what he said.
---
Inside the international student dormitory,
a paper document lay before Sato. His fingers trembled as he frantically typed, entering the stolen data item by item into an analysis system.
"High-temperature resistance test... 300 degrees Celsius?" He stared at the screen, frowning deeply. "How could an aerospace thermal barrier coating have performance this low?"
He flipped quickly to the next page, his face growing increasingly grim.
"Impact resistance test... withstands force of 50N? That’s worse than ordinary aluminum alloy!"
"Did I grab the wrong file? But the cover is correct—it says ‘Aerospace Coating Test Data.’ Why is it like this..."
The blue light from the computer screen reflected off his pale face. Sweat beads rolled down his temples. He grabbed a cup of water and gulped it down, only to choke and start coughing violently.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
A sudden knock on the dorm room door.
He scrambled to close the laptop and stuffed the stolen file into a bookshelf before standing up to open the door.
As the door swung open, he saw a large crowd standing outside. Nearly ten people flooded in.
His face changed. "Counselor, you all..."
Among the group weren’t just faculty members, but also several students, including all three of Rong Yu’s suitemates.
"Sato," the counselor said coldly, "at 11:53 p.m. last night, did you go to the lab building?"
Sato adjusted his glasses and put on a warm smile. "No, I was in my dormitory all last night reviewing my studies."
"Is that so?" Yu Kexin suddenly raised her phone. "Then who is this person?"
On the screen, a clear video captured Sato’s figure, sneaking into the lab. Shortly after, he tucked something away and hurried off.
Sato froze completely.
He had made sure to temporarily disable all surveillance before entering the lab last night and had checked that no one was around before using a duplicated keycard to stealthily slip in. The whole process had gone smoothly.
Why had someone caught this on film?
Yu Kexin smirked.
They had already anticipated that this little Japanese guy might sneak into the lab late at night, so they had installed a hidden, offline surveillance camera in a dark corner.
"Sato Kenichi!" the counselor barked angrily. "What were you doing at the lab in the middle of the night? You’re not involved in any projects, you don’t have lab access—tell me, what were you doing in there!"
"I, I..."
Faced with irrefutable evidence, Sato was dumbfounded.
Rong Yu looked over his desk and deftly pulled out the file he had hidden. "Aerospace fuel coating heat-resistance experiment data from Base 4. Sato, do you know what this file means?"
"It’s a misunderstanding. You’ve all misunderstood," Sato said, swallowing hard. "I just really admire Rong Yu. I wanted to help share some of your burden. I had no other intentions, really, none at all..."
"Sato, Huaqing gave you the highest level of treatment as an international student, allocated the best teaching resources—and this is how you repay us? By stealing classified documents?" The counselor’s voice was icy. "Your actions violate the principles of international academic exchange. The school will hand you over to the National Security Bureau for investigation..."
"No! I didn’t! I didn’t do anything! On what grounds!" Sato rambled, mixing Chinese and Japanese incoherently. "This document isn’t top-secret material at all! Absolutely not! Rong Yu, you set me up! I’ve been played by you! You Chinese are just cunning and treacherous... I won’t go to the National Security Bureau! I won’t!"
"You duplicated a lab keycard, snuck into the lab late at night, and stole a classified document. You’ve severely violated international regulations. Confess honestly to the National Security Bureau!" Rong Yu smirked. "Decades ago, your people coveted China’s territory. Decades later, young people from your Sakura country are coveting China’s technology. If you lack skill, just practice more. Stop resorting to theft—or are you too weak to keep up?"
Sato howled, "I’m an international student! I’m a noble from Sakura Country! I have diplomatic immunity!"
But no one paid him any attention.
---
Three days later, the school issued a notice. Sato Kenichi was expelled from Huaqing University for espionage-related activities. Furthermore, the university would re-examine the qualifications of all international students, especially those from the Sakura Country.
As soon as the notice was released, countless international students erupted in outrage.
An American student: "On what grounds are you reviewing our files? This is a violation of human rights! An affront to dignity! We American students are doing you a favor by coming to Huaqing!"
A Korean student: "We Korean students have always followed the rules! We’re being dragged down by those Sakura Country people this time!"
A Russian student: "Our KGB warned you long ago that Sakura Country people can’t be trusted."
An African student: "We Tanzanians are poor but proud. We’re grateful to China for this opportunity to study! Check us—we have nothing to hide!"
Other Sakura Country students: "Sato is a disgrace! But reviewing all international students is discrimination..."