Chapter 315 - 244: The Questioning Controversy
Chen Kai sat beside him, cautiously trying to console him.
The moment he finished speaking, Dr. Qian, the materials expert from the original project team sitting across from them, let out a cold laugh.
"A total mess? I happen to have heard they’re all working their tails off in there.
"I don’t know what that kid Han Feng promised them, but he’s turned them all into workaholics."
"And what good is working hard?"
Engineer Ma adjusted his glasses. "Modern industry is about science, process, and the culmination of countless experts’ wisdom.
"He kicked all of us, the real experts, to the curb, and left a bunch of maintenance workers and some young girl fresh out of school. What could they possibly build?"
"I heard he requested three pieces of Tier Three Upper Grade Black Obsidian Gold a few days ago," Dr. Qian said, his voice dripping with acid.
"What? Black Obsidian Gold?"
Wu Zhen slammed his glass down on the table. "What does he need that for?
"That’s a strategic material used for the cores of Tier Four equipment!
"The Ghost Fighter’s main structure is a Shadow Dragon Lizard bone alloy; it has absolutely no need for such a High Tier conductive material!"
"Who knows? Maybe he’s using it for the main power lines."
Dr. Qian said sarcastically, "After all, the man is the chief technical consultant and an Honorary Major. If he says he needs it, who’s going to deny him?
"He probably took it to forge a weapon for himself."
"Embezzlement! This is a classic case of embezzlement!"
Wu Zhen was trembling with rage. "I’m going to Parliament tomorrow! I’m going to impeach him!"
"Professor, don’t be rash."
Chen Kai quickly grabbed his arm. "Vice Dean Chen and General Li are both protecting him. Even the Speaker has weighed in. If you go now, you’ll just be walking into the line of fire, won’t you?"
Wu Zhen sank back into his seat, his chest heaving violently.
He knew Chen Kai was telling the truth.
But the thought of Han Feng using resources that should have been his, commanding a team that should have been his, made him seethe with hatred.
"Just you wait. We’ll see how long he gets to be smug.
"When the project deadline hits and he can’t produce a single plane that flies, I’d like to see how Chen Beixuan and Li Tiecheng will explain themselves to the Parliament!"
Despite his words, the venom in Wu Zhen’s eyes only deepened.
He picked up his terminal, found an encrypted number, and dialed it.
"Councilor Wang? This is Wu Zhen.
"Yes, it’s about the resource allocation for ’Project Kindleflame’.
"I have some inside information.
"That ’Ghost’ project is full of hot air. I suggest Parliament should intervene and launch an immediate investigation..."
...
「East Sea Fortress City, Central Parliament Building.」
The atmosphere in the resource allocation meeting, sparked by "Project Kindleflame," had dropped to a freezing point.
"Dean Chen, I require an explanation."
A portly man, Councilor Wang, tapped his knuckles against the cold alloy tabletop, each rap a dull thud.
His gaze was like two red-hot probes, stabbing straight at Chen Beixuan opposite him.
Behind him sat several technical representatives with vested interests in the "Deep Sea Titan" heavy Battle Armor project, all of them now wearing grim expressions.
"For that ’Ghost’ project of yours—which is nothing but vaporware—our ’Deep Sea Titan’ project’s quota for Spiritual Energy Coolant has been slashed by a full forty percent!"
"Now my team can’t even conduct the most basic stress tests!"
Chen Beixuan calmly lifted his teacup and blew away the froth on the surface, not even bothering to raise his eyes.
"Councilor Wang, ’Ghost’ is an SSS Level project personally designated by His Excellency the Speaker."
"Priority resource allocation. That is the iron-clad rule."
"Iron-clad rule? What a load of bullshit!"
Councilor Wang slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet, making the glasses jump.
"Some wet-behind-the-ears brat thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he had the brute courage to kill a few Evil Cultists!"
"He kicked Professor Wu Zhen and all the other senior experts—men who have dedicated their lives to East Sea City—to the curb! He replaced them with a gang of maintenance grunts who don’t even have Second Level Engineer licenses and a bunch of dirt-kickers from the Outer City!"
His voice was harsh and his expression severe, every word laced with incitement.
"You tell me: are they building a fighter jet, or are they using ’Project Kindleflame’ as a cover to line their own pockets and divvy up our strategic materials?"
"I heard that he’s already burned through five whole kilograms of the Tier Three Spiritual Material ’Wind Grinding Stone’ alone, all under the pretext of ’coating tests’!"
"Five kilograms!"
"That’s enough to build top-of-the-line heat dissipation systems for the core engines of three Titan Battle Armors!"
Councilor Wang’s words were like a spark tossed into a vat of oil, instantly setting the room ablaze.
"I second the motion!
"I demand an immediate financial audit and progress review of the ’Ghost’ project!"
"A review is mandatory!
"We can’t let some snot-nosed kid squander the hope of our entire city!"
The room erupted in an uproar, with every accusation pointed squarely at the silent Chen Beixuan.