"Could it be that the US also happened to have someone researching this exact topic, studying the same illness, which resulted in similar findings?"

As the hall fell silent, a clear voice suddenly rang out, originating from the Jinling University contingent.

The speaker was a diminutive girl, barely five feet tall, cautiously observing the crowd. Zhang Yang recognized her; she was the one sitting in the front passenger seat of Guo Wei'ya's car earlier.

"I mean, that's a possibility!"

The girl added another sentence, which caused many brows in the audience to furrow.

"That possibility exists, but it is exceedingly slim. He has yet to answer my previous question!"

The expert who had first posed the question spoke with a chilling tone. The girl immediately lowered her head, too intimidated to speak further.

She was Guo Wei'ya's girlfriend. When everyone had been opposing Guo Wei'ya, she was the only one to speak up for him. If nothing else, this fact alone suggested she was quite a decent person.

A flicker of emotion crossed Guo Wei'ya's face, yet the expert's subsequent words instantly brought the sweat back to his brow.

He had absolutely no classmates studying in the United States. He had friends in the UK, France, and Canada, but not a single connection in the US—not even an acquaintance.

At this moment, he was filled with regret for foolishly bringing up America. He knew he couldn't invent a credible background now. He wasn't naive enough to believe that simply naming a university or a person would suffice; these experts wielded considerable influence and could verify his claims with a single phone call.

"I... I can't recall!"

After a moment, Guo Wei'ya managed to stammer out the incomplete reply.

Everyone present froze. The questioning expert’s eyebrows shot up, and he sternly demanded, "You can't recall? Do you think you’re foolish, or that all of us here are foolish?"

This expert offered Guo Wei'ya no quarter, rebuking him directly. His anger stemmed not from defending Zhang Yang, but purely from the blatant dishonesty displayed. This was an academic exchange—a sacred venue. Lying in such a setting, especially to undermine a competitor, was an act he could not tolerate.

"I... I truly cannot recall!"

Guo Wei'ya sweated even more profusely. He dared not admit to lying, so he could only try to bluff his way through.

"Vice President Si, I trust you will handle this matter. However, I hope to see a fair and impartial academic exchange!"

The expert ignored Guo Wei'ya and turned toward a slender man in his fifties wearing glasses, radiating the aura of a professor.

This man was Si Shaohui, the Vice President of Tongji Medical School and the overall coordinator of the event.

"Dean Huang, rest assured, I understand the situation completely. I will certainly provide an explanation to you and everyone here!"

Si Shaohui nodded hurriedly, adopting a highly deferential posture. The Dean Huang who had been relentlessly questioning Guo Wei'ya was no minor figure. He was the Vice Dean of the Provincial Hospital in Hangzhou and held the highest rank among all the experts present. Had he not known Si Shaohui, he would never have been persuaded to attend. Only he dared to speak to Si Shaohui with such bluntness, despite Si Shaohui being the vice president of a national key university, holding a significantly higher rank than many others.

"Student Guo Wei'ya, regardless of whether you truly forgot, I hope you can honestly tell us if you genuinely heard about this research topic before. If you did, please try to supplement it with a little more detail. I doubt that even if an identical study exists abroad, all the research content would be exactly the same, would it?"

Si Shaohui turned back to Guo Wei'ya on the stage, offering him a final chance. If he hadn't been lying, he could still clarify now; if he had been deceiving them, Si Shaohui would certainly not show leniency in handling the consequences.

Guo Wei'ya’s forehead glistened with sweat, a fact noticed by many students in the audience.

Guo Wei'ya nervously wiped his brow and slowly repeated, "I... I really can't remember!"

"Very well then, Student Guo Wei'ya, please step down and take your time to think. When you have clarified your memory and recalled the details, we can discuss your continued participation in the event!"

Si Shaohui waved his hand without hesitation. He had offered the opportunity; since Guo Wei'ya declined, there was nothing more to be done. In doing so, Si Shaohui had shown consideration for Jinling University by not immediately expelling the student, though the outcome was essentially the same. Without a satisfactory explanation, Guo Wei'ya stood no chance of continuing. Judging by his demeanor, most people concluded that he would be unable to provide one. This strongly suggested that he had indeed been falsely accusing Zhang Yang of cheating and plagiarism. His actions seemed self-defeating; even if Zhang Yang were disqualified, Guo Wei'ya wouldn't automatically win first place—the top spot would likely still go to a student from Tongji Medical School. His motive for such behavior left many puzzled.

Guo Wei'ya's face turned ashen as he slowly walked off the stage. He did not return to his seat but was led directly out of the small auditorium. Having forfeited his right to continue, he obviously could not remain.

"Teacher Wang, I want to go out and check on him!"

His girlfriend, the girl who had defended him earlier, whispered her request to Wang Jinhui, showing concern for Guo Wei'ya.

"You are not allowed to go anywhere. Sit down!"

Wang Jinhui shot her a glare, startling the young girl into sitting bolt upright. Wang Jinhui was a leader within the college, someone she dared not offend for fear of future repercussions. Wang Jinhui’s face was also pale; Guo Wei'ya's removal was not just a personal embarrassment but a profound humiliation for all of Jinling University, especially in front of the contingent from Changjing University. He deeply regretted letting Guo Wei'ya present. Had someone else gone, even with a slightly lower score, this disaster might have been avoided.

After Guo Wei'ya left, the event resumed.

Next up was a student from another university. His presentation was competent and earned applause, but it felt conventional—falling short of the initial Tongji University student and incomparably less brilliant than Zhang Yang's.

The presentations continued on stage, but the experts asking questions were noticeably fewer now. They were still preoccupied with Zhang Yang’s topic. Since the Chinese Academy of Sciences had approved it, the research was undoubtedly real, containing much material worth studying. Those specializing in respiratory diseases were particularly eager for the event to conclude so they could approach Zhang Yang for discussions, or perhaps build rapport to see if Zhang Yang needed collaborators for his project. If a senior leader from the Third Hospital had headed the research, they would have had no chance; the hospital would naturally use its own staff. However, since Zhang Yang was the principal investigator and had explicitly stated his separation from the Third Hospital, there was a chance to vie for inclusion. Joining this project, apart from potential financial rewards upon success, offered immense prestige. A successful outcome would instantly transform them into recognized authorities. They could proudly claim to have co-authored the research and collectively conquered these diseases. Such glory was compelling enough to fight for, even if the odds were slim; failing to try would be a disservice to themselves, leading to future regret.

Zhang Yang's and Guo Wei'ya's presentations had consumed some time, but Guo Wei'ya's abrupt departure saved a bit, allowing the afternoon sessions to conclude largely according to schedule.

The moment the afternoon session was officially declared over, Si Shaohui cheerfully began walking toward the seats reserved for Changjing University. Zhang Yang, so young yet possessing such profound talent, merited his close attention. Si Shaohui entertained the thought of recruiting Zhang Yang to his university after graduation. Whether Zhang Yang wished to pursue graduate studies or take up a teaching post, the school would agree and pave the way for him. The possibility of attracting Zhang Yang was not zero; after all, Tongji was one of the top medical schools in the nation, and any subsequent success Zhang Yang achieved would reflect glory upon their institution. Si Shaohui was already contemplating what kind of terms might sway Zhang Yang.

Unfortunately, he had only taken two steps before his smile froze in place. He was not the only one with such thoughts. The experts from various hospitals shared the same ambition, as did leaders from other universities. While the university leaders maintained a degree of composure in front of the students, the medical experts threw caution to the wind.

The instant the session ended, these experts surged toward Zhang Yang’s area in a swarm, terrified of being too late to secure a spot. In the blink of an eye, they surrounded Zhang Yang, pressing so close that the other students couldn't move out. This spectacle stunned many observers.

At the end of the morning session, some students had approached these experts for questions or autographs, hoping to network. The experts had mostly responded with professional smiles, embodying the image of distinguished academics. The students present at that time could hardly have imagined this frenzied side, which was far more exaggerated than that of the students themselves.

"Zhang Yang, ah, don't push me!" "Student Zhang, do you have a moment for a private chat?" "Zhang Yang, come work at our hospital! We'll offer you a formal position with priority in all future promotions!"

The experts, whether close or far, shouted their offers, their behavior startling many more onlookers. Even Zhang Yang was momentarily stunned, having underestimated the sheer impact a project of this magnitude could generate.

After a flurry of commotion, Zhang Yang was finally extracted from the experts' "clutches" under Si Shaohui’s management. Upon his escape, he immediately returned to his hotel. However, the experts had not given up and pursued him there. Forced into a corner, Zhang Yang could only take refuge in Long Feng's room.

Unable to find Zhang Yang, the crowd finally quieted down momentarily, only to descend upon Zhu Daoqi next, relentlessly inquiring about Zhang Yang. Their persistent questioning and enthusiastic demeanor afforded Zhu Daoqi a bittersweet experience—he couldn't evade them as Zhang Yang could, so he stayed put, calmly providing explanations. (To be continued) RQ