Chapter 172

“Yeah, Mom. I got it…….”

[…….]

“Don’t worry. I’ll get my salary tomorrow, okay? Graduation’s coming up soon, and once Professor announces his research, companies will start showing interest right away. Then I’ll take the career I’ve built here as leverage to move into a corporate research lab…….”

Clack.

When Adam Professor opened the lab door and walked in, Feng Wei hurriedly ended his call.

Adam Professor was infinitely kind to those he acknowledged, but to anyone who fell short of his expectations, he acted like a cranky old man.

Unfortunately, I was one of the latter. I knew very well that provoking Adam Professor when he was in such a tired state would do me no good.

“N-nothing important, sir!”

“Hm?”

Adam Professor eyed me up and down suspiciously but then dropped into his chair without another word, as though he didn’t even have the energy to pursue the matter. That worked in my favor.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Ah, yes. I came to ask if you could review my thesis.”

“Mmm……”

The thought what a hassle seemed written all over Adam Professor’s face.

Of course, it was only natural. On top of preparing classes and conducting research, he was also handling preparations for the Living Fireworks exhibition, juggling a mountain of responsibilities.

Reviewing a graduate student’s thesis on top of all that must have been exhausting.

Even so, Adam Professor only let out a long sigh and extended his hand without complaint.

“Very well. Let me see it.”

“Yes, thank you!”

As expected, Adam Professor was second to none in diligence.

I rejoiced inwardly and quickly handed him the documents I had prepared.

After receiving the data chip, he uploaded the thesis onto his tablet, put on his glasses, and began reviewing the contents calmly.

“Mmm. Mmm-hmm.”

“H-how is it, sir?”

“Don’t rush me.”

“Ah, yes.”

Quieting me down, Adam Professor returned his focus to the thesis. Page by page, he examined each sentence carefully before asking, still without looking up:

“It’s much improved compared to the last time I saw it. Did you receive someone’s advice?”

“Uh…… well……”

“Forget it. You don’t need to answer. It’s obvious.”

He seemed fully aware that the thesis had been written with Miyu’s help.

I clenched my eyes shut, bracing for a scolding like, What kind of PhD candidate needs help from an undergrad?!

But fortunately, no such thing came. After all, even Adam Professor himself received help from Miyu.

Instead, he posed another question.

“If your dissertation is approved, what are your plans? Do you have a route in mind?”

“I don’t have anything specific decided yet…… but for a while, I’d like to continue researching under you, Professor. At least until I see the research we’ve worked so hard on here in the lab finally presented…… after that, I’ll think about it.”

Of course, I couldn’t very well say out loud what I was really aiming for—leveraging Professor Adam’s academic presentation to get scouted straight into a Megacorp laboratory upon graduation.

I swallowed that thought, wrapped up my half-truth with just enough sincerity, and presented it.

At that, Adam Professor furrowed his brows slightly and spoke as if regretful.

“I’m sorry, but the research is on hold.”

“Sir? What do you mean……?”

“No, to be precise, I plan to delay the academic presentation a little. I was going to mention it later…… but I suppose now is better.”

Taking off his glasses, Adam Professor looked at me and continued.

“If you wish, you can stay in the lab. I’ll even raise your salary a little. Otherwise, I can write you a recommendation letter—it wouldn’t be a bad idea to move to another university or a corporate research lab.”

“W-wait, Professor.”

I asked with a trembling voice.

“I don’t understand. We’re so close to finishing, aren’t we? Why delay it?”

“There are circumstances.”

“C-circumstances……?!”

What circumstances?

I could hear the sound of the future I had drawn in my mind being crumpled to pieces. Outwardly, I forced myself to maintain composure, but inside, I was boiling over.

A recommendation letter? Sure, sounds nice.

It was certainly better than having nothing.

Adam Professor was a respected figure in academia, so his letter would carry weight if I moved elsewhere.

But that would mean leaving the research team without any tangible achievements. Instead of stamping my name in the academic world with solid results, I would be reduced to begging companies for a job with nothing but a single letter of recommendation in hand.

You think I stuck it out under you for just that damn salary?!

My dream was to finish Professor Adam’s research project upon graduation, establish my name in academia, and then immediately be scouted to a Megacorp laboratory.

But with things turning out like this, I’d be left clutching a PhD diploma and one recommendation letter, drifting from company to company in search of a job.

“C-could you at least tell me the reason……?”

“Somehow, I doubt you’ll understand even if I explain.”

With that, Adam Professor closed the document window and removed his glasses. Normally, I wouldn’t have thought anything of that gesture, but now it felt like nothing more than the pretentious habit of an old-fashioned boomer.

Of course, Adam Professor couldn’t possibly know what I was thinking. He simply shook his head slightly and continued.

“Anyway, I’m sorry. Still, your dissertation itself has improved considerably. If you just refine the final section a little more, you could finish your doctorate soon enough.”

“……Thank you.”

No.

No. This couldn’t be happening.

Even as my mind echoed with such cries, polite words slipped from my lips. Adam Professor rose from his seat and patted my shoulder gently in encouragement.

“Good. Just hold on a little longer.”

“……Yes. Then I’ll be going now.”

“Very well.”

I bowed, then left Adam Professor’s office. Clack—the door closed naturally behind me as soon as I stepped out.

“Ah…….”

All that stretched before me was a dimly lit corridor.

The Academy’s undergraduates were all likely back in their dorms resting by now. No, perhaps some were still hanging around late into the night, preparing for the upcoming festival.

‘Why the hell would the old man suddenly…….’

No, there had been signs.

Until recently, Adam Professor had shown near-manic passion and strictness toward his research. But lately, he had grown indifferent.

‘Now that I think about it, he even had me organize the research materials recently…….’

I thought it was simply for compiling data as the research neared its conclusion, but it turned out he meant to stop the project altogether.

‘Damn it, what should I do…….’

Should I stick by the Professor?

Or should I take his recommendation letter and start job hunting?

What was I supposed to tell my family?

Things were bad enough as it was……

“I guess I’ll just head back to my place…….”

My lodgings were a rented room near Trinity Academy. Usually, I slept in the lab because of ongoing research projects and such, but since I suddenly had free time, returning to my room didn’t sound like a bad idea.

I took the staff elevator down to the first floor. After showing my ID to the guards at the main gate and completing the DNA check, the gate opened.

‘Now they check everything, huh.’

Just half a year ago, the guards would wave me through with a smile. But considering the terror attack had happened not long ago, it made sense security had gotten stricter.

Lost in such idle thoughts, I returned to my apartment and checked the mailbox stuffed with papers. Overdue bill notices—sheets only sent to long-term delinquents.

“Shit.”

I barely even lived here, spending most of my nights in the lab, yet the rent drained out regularly. It was infuriating.

But there was nothing I could do.

The Landlord held all the power, and I was just a penniless engineering student. Anger welled up in my chest, and I crushed the bills into a crumpled ball.

Shaaak!

I threw them aside carelessly, then slumped down in the hallway. I should’ve just opened the door and gone inside, but for some reason, I didn’t want to.

If I breathed in the suffocating air of that tiny room now, I’d surely go insane.

“Shit……”

I had dreams.

I had goals, hopes.

I had faith.

Faith that if I just overcame this one hardship, a radiant future awaited me.

Crouching in front of my door, I buried my face in my hands. Sure, I could cover these bills once my assistant stipend came in, but that wasn’t the real problem.

“Life’s a fucking joke……”

I was simply exhausted.

No matter how hard I worked, something always squeaked out of place. My life was pathetic.

“……”

I sat there in silence for a long time. Perhaps Anti-Rain had passed yesterday, for the outside temperature was unnaturally low. The chill from the concrete floor began to creep up into my body.

“…Ha. Guess I’d better go inside.”

If I caught a sickness sitting out here in the cold, I’d only suffer for it. With no insurance, even a single day in the hospital would mean those thief-in-disguise doctors bleeding me dry with fees.

Groaning as I forced myself to my feet—

Click-clack, click-clack.

Someone was approaching me from the far end of the hallway. I thought, Just some stranger, and turned toward my door.

“Mr. Feng Wei?”

“Yes?”

Startled, I turned my head.

I hadn’t noticed from afar, but it was a woman.

No—an Android in the form of a woman.

The LED Choker wrapped conspicuously around her neck made it clear. Still, this one looked unlike any commercial model I’d ever seen.

And her clothes—what the hell?

A designer jacket I’d only ever glimpsed in department stores, trousers that screamed luxury fabric.

Why would an Android like this approach me?

As I stood there in confusion, the stranger spoke abruptly.

“……You need money, don’t you?”

“W-what the hell?”

“……”

Thud.

A bundle of cash dropped at my feet.

Yellow bills—each sheet was worth 10,000 Credits. Which meant that pile amounted to at least 1,000,000 Credits.

My eyes locked onto it, and the Android spoke again.

“There’s an easy way to earn this much money…… would you like to try?”

“W-what is it……?”

“It’s simple.”

The Android placed a bag in front of me.

“All you have to do is bring this inside the Academy.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep