Everyone in the room froze for a few seconds. What was going on? Weren't there only three people? How did ten more arrive?
Then, Murong Ba couldn't help but burst into laughter.
He clutched his stomach, laughing, "I remember now. I heard Lu Ming hired a shady agency to recruit ten super talents, all of them unparalleled national treasures. Haha, I thought it was a joke, but I didn't expect it to be true."
Liang Ren's face sank, not looking too good.
So this was Lu Ming's plan all along? Finding a shady agency?
Heh, you might as well have posted on a local job board!
Jiang Mengxin's face turned even uglier, like a pig's liver. She yelled at Lu Ming, "Are you done messing around? What time is it, and you're still putting on a show? Aren't you annoying?"
Murong Ba, however, deliberately stirred trouble. "Hey, President Jiang, how can you speak to your fiancé like that? Regardless, he's just trying to be helpful. Since they're already here, let's see them. Come on, Lu Ming, bring out your ten misfits, oh no, your ten great talents for us to admire."
Liang Ren, with a cold expression, waved his hand. "No need."
Liang Ren was trying to help Lu Ming, not wanting him to embarrass himself further.
But to his surprise, Lu Ming didn't appreciate it at all!
Lu Ming insisted, "Mayor Liang, the ten people I found through a friend are truly unparalleled national treasures. I believe it's very necessary for you to meet them."
Liang Ren felt like crying.
What was going on?
You're giving him a way out, and he's refusing it, insisting that Liang Ren see them?
Fine!
Heaven's mistakes can be forgiven, but self-inflicted mistakes are unforgivable.
He didn't care anymore.
Liang Ren said resentfully, "Alright, since Mr. Lu insists, it would be petty of me not to meet them. Very well, Mr. Lu, bring out the ten talents you've recruited."
"Good!"
Lu Ming stood up and walked out.
Inside the room, each person wore a different expression.
Murong Ba was beaming, eager to see Lu Ming make a fool of himself; Jia Zheng was calm, everything was under his control; Liang Ren was disappointed and frustrated; Liang Jiadong was anxious and angry; Xiao Zhan frowned, very worried about Lu Ming.
As for Jiang Mengxin.
Her face was ashen, her sorrow deeper than death.
Jiang Mengxin had lost all hope. She already guessed what would happen next; Lu Ming would be ridiculed, the 996 project would be scuttled, and she would be expelled from Shanghai.
Everything was arranged, and it was irreversible.
Just as Jiang Mengxin was sinking into sadness, the conference room door opened, and Lu Ming walked in, followed by ten people.
Ten cultured, slightly aged individuals.
Murong Ba, still smiling, sized up the ten people and sneered, "These ten misfits? Lu Ming, in what way do they resemble unparalleled national treasures?"
Lu Ming chuckled. "Murong Ba, you can't judge a book by its cover. You're making wild accusations before even seeing their profiles. Doesn't that make you look like a dog with the eyes of a frog?"
Murong Ba roared, "Scoundrel, are you calling me a dog?"
"Silence!" Liang Ren slammed the table hard, then looked up and carefully observed the ten people.
At first glance, they were unremarkable.
At second glance, each one seemed vaguely familiar, yet he couldn't recall where he had seen them.
At third glance...
Wait, is that?
Liang Ren suddenly stood up, his eyes wide, and looked at an old man in the crowd with disbelief. He exclaimed excitedly, "Isn't this the former president of the Academy of Sciences, Old Master Yang Rongguang? What are you doing here?"
Huh?
Liang Ren's exclamation startled everyone else.
The former president of the Academy of Sciences, that title alone was enough to awe people; seeing Liang Ren's excited demeanor was enough to prove that this Yang Rongguang was definitely not simple.
"Yang Rongguang?" Jia Zheng pondered for a moment, then exclaimed, "The Yang Rongguang who was awarded the National Science Lifetime Achievement Award two years ago?"
From the crowd.
Yang Rongguang smiled faintly and said, "A humble servant, that is I."
Jia Zheng's head was about to explode.
What was going on?
Considering Yang Rongguang's status, he didn't need to work at all. He could live comfortably, earning money every day without lifting a finger.
His achievements were unparalleled in China.
Moreover, Yang Rongguang had countless disciples, any one of whom was a top-tier research scholar in the country.
Did such a person lack money? Lack honor?
No, he lacked nothing.
Then why was he recruited by Lu Ming? There was no reason at all!
Murong Ba coughed and leaned towards Jia Zheng, whispering, "Is this Yang Rongguang very capable? Does he meet the requirements we set?"
Jia Zheng was speechless. He replied softly, "This old gentleman alone is worth three others!"
"That capable?" Murong Ba's smile vanished. He looked at Lu Ming with some confusion, unable to figure out how Lu Ming had managed to recruit such a high-caliber old monster.
However, what surprised him was yet to come.
Lu Ming placed the ten individuals' profiles on the table, and everyone opened them to examine.
It was one thing to not look, but another to be terrified upon seeing them.
Each of these ten individuals, individually, was a renowned and influential super-giant in the scientific community. Magnates of this caliber lacked neither money nor fame, and had no reason to come and suffer.
Recruiting even one would be extremely difficult, let alone recruiting all ten at once.
It was an impossible miracle!
Murong Ba looked at the profiles, his hands trembling uncontrollably. He couldn't quite believe it, saying, "Impossible, absolutely impossible. How could ten talents of such caliber be recruited by a shady agency? It must be fake, their documents must be fake!"
It seemed Lu Ming had anticipated Murong Ba's reaction.
Lu Ming responded with confidence, "Murong Ba, if you don't believe it, you can verify it yourself."
Murong Ba snorted, "I'll verify it whether you tell me to or not! Lu Ming, you can't fool me."
Subsequently, Murong Ba ordered his subordinates to investigate these ten individuals, uncovering every detail of their backgrounds. At the same time, Liang Jiadong, as the head of the police department, cooperated with the investigation, making it easy to look up anyone.
After more than an hour of patient waiting.
The results came out.
The profiles of all ten individuals were genuine, with no trace of forgery.
Not only were they not falsified, but many significant research projects were not even listed. Their capabilities were far stronger than what was stated in their profiles!
Upon seeing these results, Murong Ba was completely stunned. He slumped into his chair, shaking his head and muttering, "Impossible, absolutely impossible, I don't believe it!"