The next day.
Professor Li and Old Dong were busy with the inauguration of the "Xunfeng Laboratory."
With Old Dong's prestigious reputation, there were no obstacles from relevant departments; everything was approved smoothly.
Most importantly, Old Dong presented the sum of one hundred billion yuan in investment to the relevant departments. Upon seeing such a benevolent donor, or rather, a philanthropist, willing to contribute to Dragon Country's archaeological endeavors, they had nothing more to say.
Not to mention, Ying Chen voluntarily handed over all unearthed artifacts and the operating rights of the scenic spots after the excavation of the tomb to the state.
This almost brought tears of gratitude to the eyes of the relevant departments.
They were even preparing to present Ying Chen with a commemorative banner!
By the end of the day, the procedures for Xunfeng Laboratory were largely completed, with only the official announcement pending.
However, before Ying Chen and Old Dong could decide on an announcement date, a trending news item that evening disrupted their plans.
The leader of the Archaeological Institute had accepted a media interview and revealed some previously unknown inside information!
This insider information instantly caused a huge uproar.
It not only led to criticism from peers in the archaeology circle towards Professor Li and Old Dong but also earned them the moniker of "money-grubbing experts" from the general public!
"Tsk, it's truly an era that praises wealth and ignores moral decay! I never thought this rotten trend would spread to the archaeology circle, causing even a respected figure like Old Dong to lose his integrity and ruin his reputation in his later years."
"I used to praise Professor Li for his simplicity and dedication solely to archaeological work. Turns out I was too naive. Professor Li's demeanor was merely a facade, waiting for a higher bidder. Now that he's satisfied, congratulations to him!"
"Whether it's Professor Li or Old Dong, I must give them a title – money-grubbing experts! They betrayed the institute that nurtured them and ultimately defected to a private laboratory for money. Such behavior deserves scorn! Otherwise, the atmosphere of academia will be ruined! No one will be willing to conduct research honestly in the future!"
"Academic pursuits being ultimately defeated by money is a tragedy, a tragedy unique to our Dragon Country. In contrast, scholars across the ocean on the other side are not blinded by money but focus wholeheartedly, remaining unaffected by external circumstances. They are our role models!"
"If you like the other side of the ocean so much, then get out! As if scholars in the US don't jump to private laboratories. Little do you know, this trend was started by them!"
...
Netizens debated heatedly, their comments filled with condemnation.
Under Liu Bin's guidance, Professor Li and Old Dong's reputations plummeted.
Especially Old Dong, who was previously seen as a touching story of an old horse yearning to gallop.
At his age, he was unwilling to rest on his laurels but wanted to press forward and continue contributing to archaeology.
However, it was revealed that Old Dong left the institute for money.
This stark contrast enraged countless deceived peers and netizens in the archaeology circle.
The attacks on Old Dong were the most intense.
Someone even threw a Molotov cocktail into Old Dong's house, nearly causing a fire!
Although the perpetrator was apprehended, it was like opening Pandora's box, leading more people to threaten similar offline attacks on Old Dong!
Old Dong and his wife were forced to move into a hotel, temporarily evading potential dangers.
In a hotel.
Ying Chen, Old Dong, and Professor Li sat together.
Old Dong's phone suddenly rang.
He instinctively answered, and a familiar voice immediately came from the other end: "Old Dong, I went to your place, why wasn't anyone there?"
Judging solely by the words, an uninformed person might think it was an old friend of Old Dong, calling to offer condolences upon hearing of his troubles.
But in reality, the person on the other end was none other than Liu Bin!
This sycophant who had previously fawned over Old Dong, addressing him as "Old Dong" with constant flattery, had now directly changed his address to "Dong," fully displaying his true colors.
Old Dong suppressed his anger and said, "Why are you looking for me? I don't think we have anything to discuss."
"Tsk, no need to be so harsh! You might not have anything to discuss with me, but you have something to discuss with the leaders! I'm just passing on a message from the leaders: everyone makes mistakes, especially at your age, it's easy to become senile. Acknowledging one's mistakes is the greatest virtue. As long as you publicly apologize, the institute is willing to take you back and clear your name."
"Alright, message delivered. Please consider it carefully, no need to reply immediately."
"I'll hang up now, I still need to call that guy surnamed Li."
After speaking, Liu Bin was about to hang up.
Professor Li, standing beside Old Dong, frowned with anger. He took the phone and said, "You don't need to call me. We have nothing to say! And I will never bow down to you and return to the institute!"
Unexpectedly, Liu Bin on the other end of the line began to laugh upon hearing Professor Li's words: "You're here too? Brothers in misfortune seeking comfort, that's good, very good. But you might have misunderstood. I'm not calling you to return to the institute, but to officially inform you: you have been completely removed from the institute! From now on, you won't be able to utilize any resources from the institute, and you won't be able to achieve anything in the field of archaeology in your lifetime!"
"And Old Dong, the same applies to you. If you refuse to apologize, you will also be blacklisted by the institute! From now on, forget about major historical tombs or famous ruins; you won't even be able to excavate a small unmarked grave! Don't forget, all clues and excavation permits for tombs, relics, and ancient ruins in Dragon Country are held by our institute!"
Bang!
Old Dong finally lost his temper and slammed the table.
"Get lost! I, Dong, would rather starve to death than accept your charity from the institute! We'll just wait and see if I, Dong, can achieve anything after leaving you!"
Old Dong then hung up the phone.
He did not give Liu Bin an opportunity to gloat further.
However, the air then fell silent.
The reason was simple: despite Old Dong's outburst, Liu Bin was correct. All recorded tombs and relics in the country were under the control of the institute.
The excavation permits had long been monopolized, making it impossible for outsiders to get involved.
For Old Dong to achieve anything significant enough to prove himself would be as difficult as ascending to heaven!
"Alas! We seem to be trapped in a vicious cycle. To prove ourselves and wash away their slanders, we need to present solid achievements as a rebuttal; but those solid achievements are all controlled by them."
"It's unsolvable!"
Professor Li also sighed and shook his head.
"It's alright, there are always more solutions than difficulties! At worst, starting tomorrow, we'll go without food or drink, 24 hours a day, exploring famous mountains and rivers, and find clues to a brand new tomb! The excavation permit for a brand new tomb wouldn't be in their hands, would it?"
Old Dong gritted his teeth and said.
However, given his age, completing such a high-intensity task would likely lead to his collapse before he even found a new tomb.
The two, filled with worry, did not notice the faint smile on Ying Chen's lips beside them.
He seemed entirely unbothered by Liu Bin's threats.