These guys really are a handful.
I was hoping you'd keep Herta busy for a while longer, but it seems you've become the problem instead.
But then again, this kind of thing is normal.
Humans are creatures who argue when their views differ.
Pure arguments are extremely rare; when people express their opinions, they unconsciously include personal attacks against those with opposing views.
More often, the clash of opinions quickly slides into the mud of personal attacks, arguments escalate into physical conflicts, conflicts brew into blood feuds, and blood feuds settle into long-standing generational enmities...
Either one side is completely crushed, or an extraordinary mediator emerges, exhausting themselves to barely mend the rift—then, waiting for the next cycle of arguments.
That's just how people are.
Bai Luan opened his phone, clicked on the group chat with notifications silenced, and sighed as he saw the 99+ messages.
So many, so much to talk about.
Are they all Gatlings?
He started scrolling up, all the way to the day he left, then began scrolling down, searching for how the two senior noobs he brought with him started arguing.
As message after message scrolled by, Bai Luan gradually understood the situation at Herta Space Station.
The origin of this public opinion battle was actually caused by the divergence of views between Stark and Conrad.
Previously, both of them had the opportunity to research projects they were interested in, and both chose mechanical prosthetics as their theme.
Because of this, the teams they led had a strong desire to compete, and often gathered to exchange ideas.
About a month ago, a conflict erupted between them.
Stark believed that since sapient mechanical lifeforms exist, there was no need to control the proportion of mechanical prosthetics in the human body.
Conrad, on the other hand, believed that what made a person human was their innate flesh and blood body.
Mechanical prosthetics were only meant to supplement the deficiencies of the flesh and blood body, not to replace it.
Once these two expressed their views, they started arguing.
Stark believed that the human flesh and blood body had too many flaws.
Conrad countered that sapient mechanical lifeforms weren't much better, leading to the Emperor War.
Stark then said that mechanical bodies could bring humans great improvements in a short time.
Conrad retorted that it was sacrificing the future, as current technology couldn't allow frequent prosthetic replacements; once an irreplaceable prosthetic was installed, even if it was cutting-edge now, it would be a pile of scrap metal decades later.
The two went back and forth, countering each other's moves, and in this battlefield they had carved out, more and more researchers joined in, expressing their opinions.
If one were to describe it in a single sentence, it would be:
The entire Jin-Xi'bei region was in a complete mess.
Bai Luan looked at the messages still constantly popping up.
No wonder Herta asked him to mediate; it was about to escalate rapidly.
If Herta were to handle this, she would either fire them or, being too lazy to deal with it, dump the problem on someone else.
Now it seemed Herta, while preparing to do the former, thought of him and then chose to do the latter.
They argued so fiercely, they must have achieved many results, right?
But the problem was that Bai Luan, as the investor, had not received any progress reports during these two months.
Two months without progress on a new project is normal for a research project, and Bai Luan hadn't paid much attention initially.
Two months without progress on a research project? Normal. But the premise is—during these two months, you must genuinely be working hard, not wasting half your time in long-distance shouting matches!
How could there be any progress like that?!
Bai Luan: @Everyone
Bai Luan: You all are having a great time chatting, aren't you?
Bai Luan: I'll be at the Space Station soon. Let's find a place to gather later and have a good chat. [Smiling face]
As Bai Luan's deathly smiling face was sent, the lively group chat instantly quieted down, with no new messages appearing.
At this moment, all the researchers once again recalled the fear of being dominated by a certain acting Station Master.
Soon, the spaceship carrying Bai Luan arrived at the station. As Bai Luan disembarked, he was surprised to see an unexpected person waiting for him at the reception area.
A Herta Puppet stood with its arms crossed on the platform, looking up at Bai Luan, who had just emerged from the spaceship.
It didn't speak, but its gaze urged Bai Luan to hurry up.
Bai Luan slowly walked off the spaceship, looked at the Herta Puppet, and said:
"Honestly, I'm a little surprised."
"Thank my greatness; even when busy, I'm willing to take time to pick you up."
You don't have to be busy.
I didn't have to be busy either.
Bai Luan muttered inwardly.
Bai Luan: @Everyone.
Bai Luan: I've arrived. Everyone who can make it to the Containment Chamber Section in ten minutes, come. Those who can't, open your communication channels.
Bai Luan: I suggest you be honest and trustworthy. You wouldn't want me to check up on you.
After sending the message, Bai Luan slowly walked towards the Containment Chamber Section.
The Herta Puppet took out its phone, glanced at Bai Luan's message, and let out a short, light chuckle:
"You're quite imposing, aren't you?"
Bai Luan shrugged and said:
"They just know I can make things difficult for them, and they have no way to deal with me."
"What are you going to do?"
"Give them a good scolding, what else? I brought them out, I can't just fire them, can I?"
"Oh?"
The Herta Puppet looked at Bai Luan and asked with a smile:
"You're actually openly favoring them in front of me?"
Bai Luan glanced at the Herta Puppet.
"Then will you fire me?"
"Why would this genius reward you?"
"See, I still have the capital to protect them."
"Not bad, very spirited."
As Bai Luan's designated time approached, he arrived at the Containment Chamber Section, where many researchers had gathered.
Many were still panting, clearly having rushed there.
Poor things.
With the arrival of Bai Luan and the Herta Puppet, several flying cameras immediately flew over. The previously blank broadcast screens now showed images.
Bai Luan didn't pay attention to the cameras circling him, but instead looked directly at the two chief culprits of this great debate.
Stark and Conrad, each with their own team, stood in the most conspicuous spots.
Even here, the two teams remained at loggerheads, glaring at each other, neither willing to yield.
Bai Luan walked step by step to the center between the two, looking left and right.
"Stark, Conrad, you two come out."
Stark and Conrad stepped forward, and by their expressions, neither felt they had done anything wrong.
When the two stood before Bai Luan, he spoke:
"What are you two doing, what's there to argue about!?"
Stark immediately said:
"Station Master! It's mainly Conrad, he..."
Conrad immediately cut him off:
"Station Master, don't listen to his nonsense! He's just a sapient mechanical lifeform fanatic! If you search his room now, you'll still find sapient mechanical lifeform toys!"
"That's a man's nature! Do you dare say you don't have those in your room!?"
"I do, but I wouldn't want to turn myself into one of those things!"
Seeing the two about to argue in front of him, Bai Luan immediately interrupted:
"Stop, stop, stop! I don't want to hear you argue, you won't get any results anyway!
I just ask you, who do you think technology serves?"
"Of course, people!"
Stark and Conrad said in unison, then glared at each other.
"Since technology serves people, the decision-making power on what kind of service to accept doesn't lie with us, the servers, but with the people."
Stark and Conrad looked at Bai Luan, beginning to ponder the point he had raised.
"Instead of arguing whose service is better or superior, it's better to improve the quality of your own service, thereby making people more willing to choose you as their server.
'See! More people think I'm right!'
That is the sharpest attack you can deliver to your opponent."
Bai Luan took out his pocket watch and showed them the rotating hour hand on its face:
"You have been arguing here for a whole month, using the most precious scientific research time of your lives. You call yourselves 'geniuses,' you claim to be followers of Ms. Herta, admiring her supreme academic achievements, and that's why you painstakingly came to this Space Station...
His gaze was like an ice pick, piercing Stark and Conrad:
"So, tell me, in the two months you've been on this Space Station—especially this month of arguing—what have you invented?"
Are you going to tell me that:
'Endless Arguing,' 'How to Precisely Attack Someone Personally in a Debate,' 'On Why My Colleague Is as Stupid as an Uncivilized Rift Creature'
Are these your inventions?"
Stark opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but a lump was in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.
Conrad had already hung his head in shame, not daring to meet Bai Luan's all-seeing gaze.
Bai Luan flicked his wrist, neatly closing the cover of his pocket watch, and said:
"Don't be ridiculous. You call yourselves geniuses. I designed this Space Station in one month. Ms. Herta took two months to make her name famous throughout the entire galaxy.
I don't dare call myself a genius; Ms. Herta calls herself a genius. Are you qualified?
Don't forget why you came to this Space Station: to follow Ms. Herta, and also for your own pursuit of academia.
Do you think your current selves can make the Ms. Herta you wish to follow even glance your way?"
Bai Luan no longer looked only at Stark and Conrad, but at all the researchers.
Then, everyone on the entire Space Station heard an incredibly sharp, fundamentally pointed question.
"Ask yourselves, are you worthy!?"