TCPUAAV Chapter 100

 

The conference hall was packed to capacity.

 

As Ruan Shiqing stepped onto the stage, carrying his equipment and materials, a murmur spread through the audience. Snippets of whispers could be heard— “He’s so young,” “I’ve never seen him before.”

 

Countless eyes, filled with skepticism or curiosity, focused on him. But Ruan Shiqing remained unfazed, his posture calm and his steps steady as he made his way to the podium.

 

Behind him, a massive virtual screen loomed.

 

Typically, invited scholars would use the virtual screen to present their research, displaying key information for discussion.

 

However, Ruan Shiqing neither activated the screen nor utilized the podium. Instead, he had the main speaker’s podium removed altogether and began assembling a strange-looking device onstage.

 

His unconventional approach only fueled the doubts in the audience.

 

A voice called out from the crowd, “If you can’t deliver a proper presentation, don’t waste our time.”

 

“Exactly! This is an academic exchange conference—a place to present and discuss research, not for cheap tricks.”

 

For many independent mechanics, these academic conferences served as an opportunity to gain recognition. Under normal circumstances, each participant was allotted about an hour to speak, allowing many with promising research to present their work.

 

But this time, an unprecedented five-hour slot had been reserved solely for Ruan Shiqing.

 

This meant that he alone had taken up the time that could have been given to at least four other researchers.

 

Now, seeing that the highly anticipated speaker was nothing more than a young, unfamiliar face—one who had supposedly secured this prime slot through flashy stunts—the resentment in the crowd grew.

 

One by one, the voices of doubt multiplied, their words growing sharper and more unpleasant.

 

But Ruan Shiqing remained unbothered, calmly assembling his device.

 

Dace, on the other hand, was visibly irritated. He scoffed, “Talking so much now—just don’t regret it later.” As he spoke, he gave a pointed look at Harrison, who had been fidgeting anxiously in his seat.

 

Harrison had initially stuck close to Dace in an attempt to curry favor. But when he realized that Ruan Shiqing was the author of the antimatter paper he had previously mocked, he felt as if he had been slapped across the face.

 

Embarrassed, he had wanted to quietly slip away.

 

Unfortunately, Dace had suddenly become extremely friendly, dragging him along to sit beside him.

 

Now, with Dace throwing him a knowing glance, Harrison felt as though he was being roasted over an open flame.

 

Just as the murmurs and complaints reached a peak, Ruan Shiqing finished assembling his device.

 

Straightening up, he turned on the microphone clipped to his chest and spoke without preamble.

 

“I assume most of you are here to find out whether my paper is legitimate.”

 

His gaze swept across the audience, his lips curving into a faint smile.

 

“So, I brought a portable experimental setup with me today. Instead of trying to convince you with words, I’ll simply show you. You can judge for yourselves.”

 

His words were concise, yet they carried immense confidence.

 

The murmurs in the hall gradually faded.

 

Countless pairs of eyes were now locked onto him.

 

Many had planned to expose flaws in his reasoning during the Q&A session. Some had been waiting for him to stumble in his explanations, revealing his paper as a fraud.

 

But no one had anticipated that he would boldly conduct a live experiment—right here, in front of everyone.

 

If his research was fake, how could he have such confidence?

 

The mood in the hall shifted. Regardless of their initial stance, every scholar present now watched intently.

 

Ruan Shiqing retrieved a metallic test tube.

 

The tube, infused with Zerg shell material, was similar to the one he had used in his initial experiments with antimatter—only smaller. He had brought five of them.

 

The device in front of him was a modified engine simulator.

 

Such simulators were commonly used in energy research to test fuel efficiency and conversion rates.

 

“This test tube contains five milligrams of antimatter,” he explained. “And this modified engine simulator has been adapted to contain an annihilation reaction.”

 

After his brief introduction, he inserted the test tube into a designated slot on the simulator.

 

A soft beep sounded.

 

Immediately, the simulator’s virtual display began updating with new data.

 

Several scholars specializing in energy research leaped to their feet, craning their necks to get a better look at the figures on the screen.

 

“Impossible…” someone murmured. “The energy conversion rate can’t be this high!”

 

With current energy sources, an efficiency rate of 30% was already considered exceptionally good.

 

Yet the data displayed on the simulator had already surpassed 30%—and was still climbing.

 

40%… 45%… 50%!

 

The simulator continued to update as the percentage increased.

 

The hall erupted into a frenzy.

 

Exclamations of shock filled the room.

 

Dace, too, was mesmerized.

 

Seated near the front to record the presentation for his teacher, he was able to see everything up close.

 

Unlike the others, he had never doubted Ruan Shiqing’s abilities. But now, seeing the experiment unfold in real-time, he was so overwhelmed with excitement that he completely forgot to keep recording—he directly called his teacher instead.

 

Meanwhile, Garland—who had initially approached Ruan Shiqing at this conference merely to establish a connection—found himself leaning forward, eyes narrowing.

 

He wasn’t an energy specialist, but he wasn’t ignorant about the field either.

 

He had read Ruan Shiqing’s antimatter paper before and had already known he was the author. But even after reading the research, he hadn’t paid it much attention—because theory and practical application were separated by an enormous gap.

 

Bridging the divide between lab results and real-world application was a process that usually took decades, if not centuries.

 

Yet, to his astonishment, Ruan Shiqing had already found a way to implement it.

 

And the device he was using?

 

It wasn’t some specialized, highly customized prototype.

 

It was just a modified standard simulator.

 

That meant this technology… could be applied elsewhere.

 

Garland understood the implications all too well.

 

For a moment, he regarded Ruan Shiqing with a more profound gaze.

 

Meanwhile, on stage, the experiment had concluded. The simulator’s energy conversion rate had stabilized at 99.999%.

 

The conference hall fell into a stunned silence.

 

After a long pause, someone finally blurted out, “If this simulator was custom-built, then its data accuracy is questionable.”

 

“That’s right! The device was modified—who’s to say it wasn’t tampered with?”

 

Murmurs of doubt rose once more.

 

Several distinguished scholars seated in the front row exchanged glances but chose to remain silent.

 

Though they didn’t believe this young man would commit outright fraud, they were still curious to see how he would address the concerns about the simulator’s credibility.

 

Ruan Shiqing, however, remained unperturbed.

 

“The simulator was only modified with a special coating to withstand the annihilation reaction of matter and antimatter. This does not affect its ability to measure conversion efficiency. If anyone has doubts, feel free to test it with other energy sources.”

 

The host had been waiting for these words.

 

Upon hearing them, he immediately signaled to the assistants, and soon, various commonly used energy sources were brought onto the stage.

 

Each energy sample was contained in a standard metal test tube.

 

Ruan Shiqing stepped aside, tilting his chin slightly in a gesture that clearly said— Go ahead, test it yourselves.

 

One by one, the test tubes were placed into the simulator’s slot.

 

The testing process for conventional energy sources was much faster, as their conversion rates were significantly lower. In fact, testing all five energy sources combined took only slightly longer than the antimatter test.

 

The results displayed on the simulator’s screen were precise and consistent.

 

The audience fell into a stunned silence once more.

 

After the initial shock wore off, what followed was pure fervor.

 

They knew now—antimatter was real, and a near-100% energy conversion rate was achievable.

 

And that meant… everything else in his paper was real, too.

 

When the Q&A session began, nearly every hand in the audience shot up at once.

 

Despite the earlier skepticism—even outright hostility from some—Ruan Shiqing remained composed, addressing each question with meticulous detail.

 

His attitude was calm and courteous, his explanations precise and thorough.

 

Many of the scholars who had previously ridiculed or doubted him found themselves filled with shame.

 

Although skepticism was the cornerstone of scientific progress, they were well aware that their doubts had been tainted by arrogance and bias.

 

Now, face to face with undeniable proof, they could only offer sincere apologies.

 

Ruan Shiqing accepted them graciously, his expression unchanged.

 

This conference session, originally scheduled for five hours, ended up lasting until 8 PM—three hours longer than expected.

 

Even with three scheduled breaks, almost no one was willing to leave the hall.

 

Many scholars sat hunched over their notes, furiously cross-referencing them with Ruan Shiqing’s paper, eager to digest every last bit of information.

 

Even opportunistic figures like Harrison, who had previously mocked the idea of antimatter, now shamelessly pushed forward to ask for guidance.

 

—Because everyone had realized that Ruan Shiqing had set into motion a scientific revolution.

 

And if they wanted to keep up with it—or better yet, lead it—they had to act fast.

 

The true shockwave came when Ruan Shiqing announced—

 

He was relinquishing all patents and making his core research publicly available.

 

This meant anyone could build upon his theories, using his findings as a foundation for further discoveries.

 

The amount of fame and wealth hidden within this opportunity was staggering.

 

Even the most research-driven scholars couldn’t ignore such an irresistible temptation.

 

As soon as the conference ended, Ruan Shiqing was instantly surrounded.

 

Everyone wanted to recruit him.

 

The offers came flooding in—some promising unlimited funding, some offering positions at the most prestigious institutions, and others even pledging direct access to imperial resources.

 

There were simply too many invitations for him to handle.

 

But Ruan Shiqing declined every single one.

 

He repeatedly stated that he had no intention of accepting any offers and was not currently considering any collaborations.

 

Still, the crowd refused to disperse.

 

Amidst the chaos, Dace and Garland found themselves pushed to the outer edges of the throng.

 

Frowning, Dace clenched his fists and muttered, “My teacher explicitly told me—I must get Master Ruan to visit the lab. We cannot let someone else steal him away!”

 

With that, he plunged headfirst into the mob, using his height to his advantage as he fought his way toward Ruan Shiqing.

 

Ruan Shiqing glanced at the time, considering how to tactfully escape this overwhelming crowd.

 

But just as he was about to speak—

 

He felt a powerful grip close around his wrist.

 

Turning around, he saw a tall, unfamiliar man striding directly toward him.

 

With effortless strength, the man parted the swarm of people, pulling Ruan Shiqing straight into his embrace and shielding him as he led him away.

 

Ruan Shiqing instinctively resisted, only to hear a deep, familiar voice murmur into his ear—

 

“It’s me.”

 

Startled, he hesitated—then relaxed, allowing himself to be led away.

 

The scholars left behind were furious.

 

One of them demanded, “Who are you?!”

 

At that moment, the man turned back—his gaze sharp, his expression dark.

 

It was the Crown Prince in disguise—having waited impatiently at the hotel for Ruan Shiqing’s return, only to eventually put on a disguise capsule and come looking for him.

 

His voice was cold and cutting.

 

“I’m Master Ruan’s family. I’m here to take him home.”

 

Then, his golden eyes narrowed as he sneered.

 

“We already have our own company and research lab—so you all can stop worrying about his future.”

 

After all—He had heard every single word these shameless old men had said outside.

 

They actually dared to poach his Ruan Shiqing?!

 

Absolutely not.

 

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Do not play with Rong Rong!!! He will not share his husband scientific breakthrough be damned lmao

 

I hope you enjoyed the double update! I can’t believe we’ve already reached the 100th chapter mark :’)))) there are now only 51 chapters + 3 extras left, so if everything goes well, less than two months of updates ;_;

 

Thanks for reading!

For every three ko-fis, I will upload a bonus chapter~