"Stop!"
In less than three minutes, the principal couldn't contain his rage anymore. He swiftly played the holographic recordings from two years ago, though it was merely a brief three minutes. Despite its brevity, the footage covered several months. To everyone's surprise, there was no evidence of Liu Fei sneaking around and stealing anything. Instead, the recordings showed him confidently walking out of the lab with items that seemed to be discarded, even casually interacting with security guards on his way out, far from the demeanor of a thief.
"Bring up the list of stolen items," the principal demanded.
"Yes, sir."
The long list promptly displayed on the holographic screen, packed with items that shocked the onlookers.
"A standard Type 3 screw, a neural circuit, a sensor stabilizer... Good, good. And even a piece of Grade 117 high-quality alloy! Not to mention an optical control rod. With these alone, he could spend a lifetime in jail! Ha ha, it seems like I've done you a favor, Lao Tie, this is your beloved adopted son. I've given you plenty of face this time. Don't blame me for being ruthless later. Ha ha..."
The others exchanged bewildered glances. The principal, who had been visibly angry just moments ago, was now laughing heartily, seemingly pleased.
"Principal..." the middle-aged teacher cautiously spoke up.
"Oh..." The principal snapped out of his laughter, suddenly disappointed. "So, no crime after all. Why did you label him a thief in front of Master Wang?"
"Principal, Su Zijing was appointed by the military, Wu Yuan's father donated five million Zhor coins to the school, and Wang Yizhou is your..."
"Enough. I understand. No spare spots available, is that it?"
"All spots have been allocated already. There's simply no room left."
"Very well. There's no turning back now. I'm afraid I've become a bit too ambitious since becoming principal. I've been righteous my whole life, but now that I'm in this position, I find myself doing things against my conscience. As someone once said, those in scientific research should not get involved in management. But now that I'm this damn principal, I'm caught up in power struggles, neglecting research... It seems there's truth in those words. Oh well, now that Master Wang is disappointed, I can't help but feel ashamed. Truth be told, how many outstanding students entered the lab in those thirty-six hours? I'm sure everyone knows..."
The principal sighed heavily, and the faces of those present were filled with shame.
Yet, despite their remorse, they had to proceed with their plans. After all, this incident was not just about grooming successors for Master Wang; it also involved various power struggles and the future development of the Zuo'er Mech University. Dark dealings were inevitable.
Indeed, the university's status as a leading institution in the Zuo'er Star System owed much to the strong support of the military. Without it, it would have been surpassed and replaced by the Asia Mech University decades ago.
"That's enough for today," the principal declared, sighing once more.
Feeling the weight of their guilt, everyone departed with somber expressions.
"By the way, although we've provided Master Wang with the list, we still hold the initiative. We can organize a group to assist him, allowing some excellent students to benefit from the Master's teachings. It's a way to make amends and soothe our consciences a bit."
"Understood, Principal."
The middle-aged man's spirits lifted, and the others grew excited at the prospect.
Actually, everyone here feels the heavy pressure. Asia Mech University has undergone bold personnel reforms in recent decades, both in terms of faculty strength and student intake, enough to rival Zuo'er Mech University. A culture of excellence in teaching and research has flourished, and there's a subtle sense that the students' learning ethos may even surpass that of Zuo'er Mech University.
In contrast, Zuo'er Mech University is burdened with bureaucracy and institutional bloat. Students are increasingly leaning towards aristocracy, with fewer willing to endure hardship. The overall academic atmosphere is lackluster, and Zuo'er Mech University's students have become synonymous with decadence. This severely hampers the school's development, and if left unchecked, its advantages will vanish in the coming decades.
Aside from retaining some advantages in faculty strength, Zuo'er Mech University has been caught up to by Asia Mech University in many areas. Especially in mech competitions among students, Zuo'er Mech University has been the runner-up for three consecutive years. The annual Zuo'er Star System Mech Challenge, held at the end of summer break, is approaching. If Zuo'er Mech University loses to Asia Mech University again, it would be unacceptable.
Of course, there's even greater pressure than Asia Mech University, causing the school's management to feel a sense of crisis. This year, Zuo'er Mech University has dropped from eighth to eleventh in the rankings of schools across the Seven Star Systems, mainly due to increasingly stringent measures from the military.
In this era of interstellar warlordism, school rankings are essentially a reflection of power struggles among warlords. Behind every school, there's a force supporting it. Higher rankings imply higher technological levels and overall strength of the supporting force. Therefore, support for higher education institutions is unwavering in every star system.
Amid internal competition and external pressure, Zuo'er Mech University's management is not as rosy as it seems. Most senior officials are afflicted with anxiety due to the heavy pressure. Including the principal, the management is attempting reform. However, bureaucratic tendencies are deeply ingrained, and intricate personnel relationships impede progress. Just like the recent incident of Master Wang grooming a successor, various departments, including the education department, finance department, government departments, and even the military, have called, and the list was determined even before the announcement. This is an unchangeable fact because no department can be offended.
Of course, amidst this environment of danger and change, reform is still ongoing, albeit slowly and imperceptibly. Just like the recent attempt to organize an elite student group to approach Master Wang, it's an attempt to change the status quo.
Cultivating outstanding talent for society is the true mission of a school!
Liu Fei didn't know he narrowly avoided a prison sentence by bringing home some trash. By now, he had already rushed home early.
Today, Liu Fei didn't follow his usual habit of carving wood or finishing the eagle sculpture. Instead, he inputted the recorder into his makeshift light brain. If the principal were to see this light brain now, he would immediately recognize that most of its components were from the stolen items list.
After inputting the recorder, Liu Fei began checking the information copied from the Embroidered Needle-111 mech. Most of the data didn't interest him, as he had already obtained it during metal analysis. This left Liu Fei feeling indifferent.
"Huh... combat records!"
Flipping through the directory, Liu Fei's heart skipped a beat when he found that the Embroidered Needle-111 had recorded holographic combat images.
Feeling his heart tighten, Liu Fei's heart pounded intensely. He was too excited!
Residing within the mech, Liu Fei's exposure to mech combat could be traced back to his childhood. However, he had never truly experienced mech combat. Even watching was limited to edited, somewhat theatrical combat holographic images.
From the battered body of the Embroidered Needle-111, Liu Fei could ascertain that it had endured fierce battles. The mech had recorded its battles using the holographic imaging function!
With bated breath, Liu Fei opened the holographic images. From the timestamps, he realized the Embroidered Needle-111 had been recording for over a month. This meant the mech's owner hadn't cleared its information for over a month.
Liu Fei patiently watched the recordings in chronological order. Perhaps because the mech was always in motion when the holographic recording function was activated, the captured data wasn't very clear. Most of the time, the holographic images showed the mech and another one similar to the Embroidered Needle-111 practicing shooting in the vastness of space. Occasionally, they engaged in close combat or played among asteroids. It was a typical blend of learning and entertainment.
Such incredible speed!
Watching the blue-and-white mech in the holographic recordings speeding through space, Liu Fei was amazed not only by its velocity but also by its agile and versatile movements. In the dense and hazardous asteroid field, the blue-and-white mech moved with ease and grace, appearing completely at home...
Even though Liu Fei knew little about romantic relationships, he could tell that the pilot of the blue-and-white mech was likely in a relationship with the Embroidered Needle-111's pilot. Most of the recordings showed the two mechs sparring playfully, with affection overflowing from the holographic screen.
Occasionally, a massive black interstellar battleship appeared in the recordings, likely the Embroidered Needle-111's mothership. However, due to angles and the dynamic nature of the mech during recording, the images were blurry. It was impossible to see the battleship's identification or determine its origin star system. Nevertheless, based on the Embroidered Needle's origins in the Pangu Star System, Liu Fei deduced that the battleship also belonged to Pangu.
Liu Fei lost track of time