Not only the expert just now, but the others also turned their heads. Many students looked at Guo Wei Ya; most held doubt, while a few displayed schadenfreude. Those gloating felt much like Guo Wei Ya; they desperately wished Zhang Yang’s thesis was based on cheating. If that were the case, Zhang Yang’s achievement naturally wouldn't count, relieving them of immense pressure.

“Impossible! Don't be a sore loser; Zhang Yang couldn't possibly pass off someone else’s work as his own!” Before Guo Wei Ya could reply, Zhao Qiang from Changjing University stood up and shouted loudly. Anger flashed across his face; he had completely sided with Zhang Yang now. These accusations of forgery against Zhang Yang felt worse to him than if they had been leveled at himself.

“How can you be so sure it’s impossible? There’s been research in this area abroad for ages; you’re just ignorant, a frog at the bottom of a well!” Liu Kai also stood up, shouting in support. Guo Wei Ya secretly breathed a small sigh of relief. He hadn't known how to respond, and Zhao Qiang and Liu Kai stepping forward at that moment was perfectly timed, giving him at least a moment to recover.

“Who are you calling a frog at the bottom of a well!” Zhao Qiang yelled furiously. Two teachers from Tongji Medical College immediately approached and pulled both Liu Kai and Zhao Qiang away. Guo Wei Ya’s earlier actions had already put them on edge, and now students openly quarreling showed a blatant disregard for discipline. They needed to react decisively now. It wouldn't lead to them being completely kicked out of the event, but they certainly wouldn't be allowed back in for the rest of the afternoon.

“May I ask a question?” Shi Yan slowly stood up, first addressing the host on stage politely. It was a courteous move. The host glanced at the audience before slowly nodding consent. “I want to ask this student: you claimed there has been research in this area overseas. Which country was it, and where was such a report issued? I presume everyone understands the importance of this topic. If a similar breakthrough truly occurred abroad, how is it possible that no one here in the country knows about it?” Shi Yan spoke slowly, but with absolute clarity. Many expert doctors nodded silently in agreement. Shi Yan was correct; if research with such results truly existed abroad, it would be impossible for no one domestically to know about it. Even if they didn't know, someone else certainly would. Especially those asthma specialists—they couldn't possibly be entirely unaware. While foreign technological blockade was strict, any success would be aggressively flaunted, making the whole world aware. Shi Yan’s questions successfully shifted everyone's attention onto Guo Wei Ya.

Guo Wei Ya began to sweat slightly. Gritting his teeth, he slowly said, “I—I only heard it by chance. American experts conducted research on this. They haven't made it public yet. I have a friend participating in such a project in the US, and they mentioned it occasionally, which is how I recall some details!”

“America? As far as I know, American research on asthma isn't that far ahead. Furthermore, if they were genuinely involved in such a project, they would surely maintain secrecy. Why would they tell you?” Shi Yan let out a cold sneer. Guo Wei Ya’s answer struck her as specious argumentation.

“How do you know America isn't leading? When it comes to asthma, our country is probably even further behind!” Guo Wei Ya shouted angrily. Before his words fully died down, many people looked at him. In asthma research, Europe had consistently been stronger than the US, with Germany being the strongest. However, it was a fact that the US was indeed somewhat ahead of the domestic situation. Everyone knew this, but for him to publicly state that his own country was worse, and so bluntly about it, felt uncomfortable to many. Just because they couldn't compete didn't mean they had to disparage themselves and inflate others’ prestige. Instinctively, many people’s impression of Guo Wei Ya worsened.

“I have finished my questions. This student’s answer has not satisfied me, and I believe it won't satisfy any of the teachers or students here either!” Shi Yan waved her hand and sat down again. Her statement was tantamount to declaring that everything the opponent claimed was slander; she didn't believe it. That was the implication, but phrased differently. Even if Guo Wei Ya wanted to refute her, he had no way to start. A stubborn defense would only deepen everyone’s negative perception of him and make them trust Shi Yan more. Several teachers nodded their heads as well. This female student was not simple; a few sentences //Book Fan Tower Fastest Text Update Not believing Zhang Yang meant that one’s own knowledge base was insufficient—they were ignorant, truly a frog at the bottom of a well.

Zhu Daoqi’s expression eased considerably, and he glanced at Shi Yan with approval. He didn’t regret choosing her as the student representative earlier; she was indeed an extraordinary student—quick-witted and intelligent. Zhu Daoqi even believed that even if Zhang Yang hadn't taken the stage, Shi Yan wouldn't have fared worse than the participants from Jinling University.

“The innocent will clear themselves. Thank you for the teachers’ kind attention. I will release my contact information publicly later. Let’s not delay the progress of the event; the students waiting below are eager!” Zhang Yang spoke with a smile then. He didn't attempt to defend himself, nor did he see the necessity. What is real is real; what is false cannot be made real by trying. To fabricate such a thesis would be seeking his own demise. Everyone had only been momentarily stunned by Guo Wei Ya’s words; they would figure it out later. This disturbance had already wasted ten minutes. Personnel from Tongji Medical College rushed in to restore order, urging Zhang Yang to return to his seat so the event could proceed.

Finally escaping the encirclement, Zhang Yang returned to his seat. As soon as he got back, Zhao Qiang gave him a thumbs-up, and the others leaned in to ask him questions in excited whispers.

“Next, we invite Guo Wei Ya, a student from Jinling University!” The event finally resumed, and the host quickly read out the next name with great speed. Enemies are enemies indeed. Upon hearing the name of Jinling University, the people from Changjing immediately froze. Then, many broke into smiles. The impact of Zhang Yang's presentation was terrifyingly strong, having captivated all the experts and doctors. They were certain that the Jinling University participants could not possibly surpass that standard. This time, they were destined to step on Jinling University.

Guo Wei Ya stood there, his face alternating between shades of green and white; Shi Yan’s words had cornered him. Hearing the host call his name, he stiffened. At this moment, Wang Jinhui also urged him to hurry onto the stage. Wang Jinhui’s face wasn't pleasant either. The Changjing University contingent had enjoyed too much glory earlier, fueling his envy and hatred. He also wanted one of his own students to bring honor to his side. His hope, now, rested entirely on Guo Wei Ya, though he understood the likelihood of Guo Wei Ya surpassing Zhang Yang was extremely slim. This was just wishful thinking, like buying a lottery ticket—knowing it’s unlikely, yet still dreaming of winning.

Guo Wei Ya slowly walked onto the stage. Only then did Zhang Yang and the others learn this person’s full name—"enemy" fittingly described the situation, as even Zhang Yang had to admit that Changjing and Jinling were generational rivals. Guo Wei Ya had just questioned and slandered him, and now he was the next to present. Everyone understood the immense pressure placed on the subsequent speaker when the preceding one performed so exceptionally well. Guo Wei Ya was destined for a tragic performance.

“Respected teachers, esteemed students…” Guo Wei Ya tried to compose himself, but his voice still trembled slightly, a stark contrast to Zhang Yang’s earlier composure. Many people enjoyed comparison, and this contrast further lowered Guo Wei Ya’s standing in their eyes. He also presented a thesis, but it was a minor topic concerning inflammation, perhaps even less significant than the one presented by the Tongji Medical College student. Moreover, Guo Wei Ya clearly hadn't settled down at the beginning, making his delivery slightly disjointed. It took him a good five minutes before he found his stride and began speaking more smoothly. Strictly speaking, his presentation wasn't poor. Zhu Daoqi listened carefully for a while and realized he had been overly optimistic earlier; Shi Yan had discussed experience, not a formal thesis. While rich in experience, it might not necessarily be inferior to Guo Wei Ya’s presentation. Fortunately, they still had Zhang Yang. After Zhang Yang’s speech, his achievement was unmatched by anyone else; no matter how well Guo Wei Ya spoke, he posed no threat to Zhang Yang. Zhang Yang’s presentation had genuinely startled all the experts.

“Beep beep beep!” Halfway through Guo Wei Ya’s presentation, the pagers in the expert seating area suddenly began sounding. An expert doctor’s expression changed drastically, and he hastily grabbed the pager on his belt.

“I apologize, I turned off my phone but forgot my pager. I’ll quickly…” The expert apologized repeatedly. Most of the doctors present had mobile phones; they were generally famous experts from major hospitals, holding some status, making it easy to acquire a cell phone. While apologizing, he tried to switch off the pager, but subconsciously, he glanced at the message first. After just one look, he froze, and the words he was saying trailed off unfinished. A moment later, he looked up, scanning everyone around him, and slowly stated, “The Chinese Academy of Sciences just issued a document. They have approved eight specialized research projects this time. Three are in the medical field: the ‘Domestic Avian Influenza Emergency Response…’ from Beijing Huada Hospital; the ‘Modification and Development of Paclitaxel Injection…’ from Dongshan Pharmaceutical Technology Research Institute; and the ‘Improvement and Cure of Multiple **-Type Asthma’ from Changjing Third People’s Hospital!” This expert doctor was the representative from Beijing Huada Hospital. No university from Beijing was participating this time, but two experts had come; since this was a national event, Beijing couldn't be entirely absent. His colleague had tried calling him with the good news but couldn't get through, so the pager message had been sent instead. The hospital being approved for a specialized research project by the CAS was cause for great celebration, and this expert doctor was a member of that project, so he should have received the happy news immediately. He was indeed very pleased, but more so, he was surprised.