Not only were they surprised, Director Tu himself was quite astonished. Zhang Yang's achievements were impressive, but he was simply too young. If Zhang Yang were to join the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), he would become the youngest academician in the history of the institution. He would even be more than a decade younger than the previous youngest member. To be nominated as an academician at the age of twenty, before even graduating, was absolutely unprecedented; the news, once it spread, would undoubtedly cause another sensation.

"Academician?"

Zhang Yang frowned, pondering with his head bowed.

In fact, before the plane crash in his previous life, he had already been nominated as a CAS Academician, but he never received the final confirmation before the accident. In this life, his influence was significantly less than in his past existence, so he couldn't fathom why the CAS would suddenly invite him to become an academician.

In this era, a CAS Academician was not just a symbol of status, but also a profound honor. The medical academicians within CAS totaled perhaps barely a hundred—and traditional Chinese medicine specialists were even fewer. If Zhang Yang accepted, he would become one of those hundred, equivalent to being among the top hundred famous physicians in the country.

"Accept it! Agree quickly!"

Wang Guohai kept shouting internally. He wasn't contemplating the implications; he wished he could accept on Zhang Yang's behalf right then and there. A CAS Medical Academician—what a resonant title! In all of Changjing, there was only one such person, a highly respected elder who lived in seclusion. Nationally, there were about a hundred medical academicians, but most were concentrated in Beijing, Shanghai, and similar major hubs. Ordinary provincial capitals like theirs rarely had one; having even a single one was considered fortunate.

Amidst Wang Guohai's internal clamor, Zhang Yang finally raised his head.

"I want to know, who made the decision to bring me in as an academician?"

Wang Guohai froze abruptly. Zhang Yang was speaking, but his words took him completely by surprise. Zhang Yang hadn't accepted; instead, he seemed hesitant, posing a question. This left Wang Guohai feeling helpless. While inwardly cursing Zhang Yang for being foolish, he also admired Zhang Yang's restraint. Faced with such an immense temptation, Wang Guohai would have agreed instantly without a second thought. Unfortunately, people like him were not what the CAS needed, and such good fortune was never destined to fall upon his shoulders.

Director Tu was also stunned. He, too, had expected Zhang Yang to accept immediately and was equally unprepared for the counter-question. Zhang Yang’s inquiry caused Director Tu to pause. After a lapse of perhaps ten seconds, he managed to reply.

"Naturally, the decision was made by the Academy. It was a suggestion put forward by the leadership. The Academy is currently flourishing with diverse talents, embracing people regardless of convention. Your youth combined with your ability to conquer such a global challenge already provides sufficient credentials to serve as a Medical Academician!"

Director Tu's answer made Wang Guohai nod involuntarily. Conquering this disease did indeed give Zhang Yang the necessary credentials, though perhaps it was slightly premature since the research project wasn't completely finalized. However, having the capital was one thing; many others also possessed such potential.

"The leadership?"

A fresh wave of suspicion surfaced in Zhang Yang’s mind. He was not uninformed about the CAS. In his previous life, he had interacted with CAS members quite a bit. He was acutely aware of the stringent requirements for selecting talent there. If the standards weren't high, how could the population of over a billion yield only a mere thousand-plus academicians? This group encompassed the absolute top talents across all fields nationwide. Precisely because he understood this, these doubts arose. Solving a crucial problem in asthma and curing this disease certainly warranted the CAS's attention, but he found it hard to believe that this single achievement was enough for the CAS to absorb him as an academician. If that were the case, why hadn't he secured the qualification even by the time of his plane crash in his previous life? Becoming a CAS Academician involved many other complex prerequisites, far beyond simply solving one difficult problem.

"Zhang Yang, if you have any questions, please ask them directly!" Director Tu prompted again, feeling even more bewildered now. Which person, upon hearing that the CAS wished to induct them as an academician, wouldn't be overwhelmed with excitement, especially someone as young as Zhang Yang? Zhang Yang’s reaction was, quite frankly, entirely outside his expectations. This prompted Director Tu to actively invite questions; he was genuinely curious about what Zhang Yang was thinking. Facing such a heavenly windfall, he still harbored doubts.

"I don't have any major issues. I just want to know, is there anything I need to do in return for this appointment?"

Zhang Yang shook his head slightly. He knew the CAS well enough not to immediately assume they were recruiting him for some hidden motive. Regarding the research project, it inherently belonged to the CAS. The honor from a successful conclusion would also belong to the institution. Of course, his share of the honor would not be absent; he was the person in charge, the primary researcher, and the greatest contributor to solving the problem. The CAS only held ownership of the project itself. For such a project, who held ownership wasn't crucial; it was merely an honor, and his recognition was assured anyway. Zhang Yang was content to yield the project ownership. That was why he agreed to the proposal in the first place. The truly valuable asset was the patent rights for his medication; that was the key. He even considered whether the CAS might be eyeing his drug, aware of the massive potential profits, and seeking to claim a share.

"No, you don't need to do anything. You will be expected, like any other academician, to report any promising research topics for the Academy to support your studies, or to contribute your effort if the Academy requires assistance in any area. That's all!"

Director Tu shook his head, his own confusion deepening.

"Just that?"

Zhang Yang asked again. If that were the case, his role would be no different from any other academician—these were the standard duties required of a CAS Academician. After a moment of thought, he suddenly broke into a self-deprecating laugh.

"Director Tu, thank you for the Academy's trust. It is a great honor to become one of you!"

After laughing briefly, Zhang Yang directly agreed. By then, he had managed to rationalize the situation. The idea that the CAS was scheming for his drug patent, he concluded, was improbable. The CAS received billions in research funding annually. Even if his drug yielded phenomenal profits, achieving tens of millions in a year would be considered excellent, considering it was a single medication, and Zhang Yang couldn't monopolize its production and sales—he could only profit from patent licensing fees. That amount of money simply wasn't significant enough to capture their attention. With that worry dismissed, Zhang Yang genuinely couldn't find a reason to refuse. Becoming a CAS Academician was, after all, one of his past aspirations, and for that alone, he would not decline. He decided not to dwell on the underlying reason for the Academy's invitation. Joining the CAS carried no disadvantages for him; things that offered no harm should not be overanalyzed, as excessive thought only tired the mind.

"Welcome to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Academician Zhang!"

Director Tu stood up and proactively extended his hand once more. Once Zhang Yang agreed and signed a few documents, he would officially become a Medical Academician of the CAS. His credentials would be delivered later, along with a monthly salary—a sum that would be substantial for an ordinary person but ultimately negligible to Zhang Yang.

"Thank you, Director Tu!"

Zhang Yang reached out his hand. Wang Guohai’s face was flushed crimson with excitement; he truly hadn't expected the CAS delegation's visit to be an invitation for Zhang Yang to become an academician. Had he known this earlier, he wouldn't have worried; he would have been overjoyed! Zhang Yang was his respected junior colleague, and the better Zhang Yang's achievements, the prouder Wang Guohai felt. He was genuinely thrilled for him now.

"Director Tu, I have one small request. I wonder if it might be possible?"

As he was signing the papers, Zhang Yang suddenly looked up and spoke softly.

"Please state it!"

"Could my induction into the CAS be handled discreetly? I mean, keeping it from too many people. Given my lack of prior major accomplishments and my youth, with my only research project still ongoing, I prefer not to attract excessive public attention!"

Zhang Yang explained slowly. This sudden induction felt somewhat peculiar to him, and he felt it better to maintain a low profile.

"That should not be a problem. Rest assured, we consider the reasonable requests of every academician and usually comply," Director Tu pondered for a moment before nodding. His role was specifically to serve the academicians, and many had peculiar demands. Compared to those, Zhang Yang’s request was relatively mild. Simply not making the appointment public knowledge was entirely feasible. Moreover, Director Tu knew a little about the situation: Zhang Yang’s path to academician status wasn't entirely smooth. The Academy President had put the proposal forward directly, but others had objected, citing Zhang Yang’s youth and inexperience as major drawbacks. It was only through the insistence of the President and a few supporters that Zhang Yang secured the title of Medical Academician. Under these circumstances, before Zhang Yang could present truly earth-shattering, universally accepted achievements, a low-key induction posed no disadvantage to the Academy.

"Thank you, Director Tu. That puts my mind at ease," Zhang Yang smiled faintly and signed the document. From this moment, he was one of the Medical Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. This was also the first genuinely influential title he had attained.

Having concluded the formalities, Director Tu and his three colleagues declined the invitations from Wang Guohai and Zhang Yang to stay, taking some documents with them as they departed Changjing. Their previous report had been thorough; this visit was mostly ceremonial. Their primary objective had been to finalize Zhang Yang’s entry into the CAS. With their mission accomplished, there was no need to linger.

Upon exiting the building, Director Tu immediately called a superior to report on the progress. The Director of the Academician Affairs Bureau, after hanging up Director Tu's call, immediately phoned the Academy President. The President acknowledged the report with a few nods before hanging up. After ending the call, the President paused for a moment, then picked up his phone and dialed another number.

In Changjing, Cai Zheliang rushed through the courtyard, presenting his phone to Elder Qi, who was leisurely practicing Tai Chi. Taking the phone, Elder Qi listened to the President’s report, and a faint smile slowly returned to his face. After a short while, he nodded, indicating that he had received the outcome. After concluding his report, the President hung up, a flicker of doubt briefly crossing his expression before he was drawn back into his other duties, abandoning further thought on the matter.