After the banquet, Chen Mo's speech at the Nobel dinner spread across the world through various media outlets, sparking intense debate among global netizens.
When Chen Mo had published his paper on earthquake warning feasibility, he was mocked by numerous domestic and international experts. Now, those old clips of ridicule were being dug up and widely circulated on various forums.
Debates erupted instantly.
Many people remembered that Chen Mo's paper on earthquake prediction theory was his first and only published academic paper—and widely considered the most absurd one.
When the seismograph was released, the mockery intensified.
Now, the very theory that was once ridiculed had placed Chen Mo on the Nobel stage. The twist in events was nothing short of dramatic—almost absurd.
The experts who had laughed at him back then were now being thoroughly embarrassed.
The videos of those experts—both domestic and foreign—ridiculing Chen Mo were now conveniently deleted or hidden. Those who once mocked him had fallen silent. Some retreated into the shadows, pretending it never happened.
Meanwhile, Chen Mo's loyal supporters were filled with pride. That moment when he stood on the podium? It was China's glory.
Many researchers, however, felt regret. Since that initial paper, Chen Mo had undertaken a vast amount of research, but never again published anything in academic journals. Some wondered if it was because of the humiliation from that earlier backlash.
It was a shame that no one would get to see more of Chen Mo's scientific papers.
...
"The money's to buy my research? Impossible."
"You're robbing me."
"Cooperation? Under what conditions?"
"Get lost."
Dorivitz threw his phone onto the sofa, his face red with rage.
After sitting for a while, trying to cool off, he walked over to a drawer and opened it. Dorivitz removed the necklace he always wore and extracted a tiny memory card from a hidden compartment within the pendant. He inserted it into a card reader.
When the complete data appeared on his laptop screen, he took a deep breath, face grim, and then carefully removed and secured the memory card.
This was the culmination of his life's work. His research was nearing success, and now some greedy capitalists were trying to snatch it from him for the lowest possible price. It was intolerable.
After packing away the laptop and necklace, Dorivitz calmed his emotions, straightened his clothes in front of a mirror, and left the room.
...
"Stick to the plan. Don't act without orders," Lirik's eerie voice carried a chill through the car.
"Understood," the others nodded.
"Once the mission is successful, move the target to the designated location as quickly as possible. Don't expose your identities. Execute with maximum efficiency. This is your last warning—if you provoke unnecessary trouble beyond the target, the mission will be deemed a failure. You know the consequences."
The others understood Lirik's meaning clearly and nodded without hesitation. Their expressions were grim—they knew how critical the task was.
"For the Jihad. We will prevail."
The six men made a pious gesture. Their eyes were filled with zeal—solemn and unwavering.
Once all arrangements were in place, Lirik got out and walked into the Swedish Academy. Ten minutes later, the woman named Aisha stepped out from another car and entered the building as well.
Today, the Swedish Academy was holding a small academic forum featuring lectures from Nobel laureates. It had attracted many experts, scholars, public figures, and media personnel.
Events like this served as excellent platforms for communication and exchange.
After passing the security check, Aisha entered the forum hall. She received the agenda from a student volunteer and calmly found her seat near the front row.
...
Swedish Academy.
Led by Li Ke, Chen Mo entered a reception hall, where several high-ranking members of the Swedish Academy were waiting.
Chen Mo had been invited to give a speech today, and he had accepted without hesitation.
Inside the reception hall, the Director of the Academy, S. Li Yang, was chatting with a few guests. The moment he saw Chen Mo enter, he hurried over with a smile. "Professor Chen Mo, it's an honor to have you here."
Chen Mo understood the politeness in S. Li Yang's words and responded with a gentle nod.
As soon as he stepped in, Chen Mo became the center of attention in the hall. Though not the youngest physics Nobel laureate, he was the second youngest—and notably the first Chinese scientist to win the Nobel Prize in Physics. He was also the founder of the world's most advanced tech company, known for several epoch-making inventions.
It wasn't an exaggeration to call him the next giant of the scientific world.
"You all know Professor Chen Mo, I won't waste words," said S. Li Yang, leading him into the hall. "A rising star in science, a future giant, and one of our keynote speakers today."
Frankly, introductions weren't necessary—everyone here knew Chen Mo. But Chen Mo didn't know all of them.
As he entered, everyone in the room approached to greet him.
Sitting on one of the sofas was Dorivitz. He'd been deep in thought, but upon seeing Chen Mo, he stood up.
Dorivitz, a Canadian researcher working in Austria, was in his 60s. Today he wore a formal suit, looking energetic for his age. Though half his hair had turned white, he appeared younger than expected.
He was the recipient of this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine. His awarded research focused on the immune mechanisms of certain flu and infectious viruses—a discovery applicable to vaccine development for several currently incurable viral diseases.
Chen Mo wasn't surprised to see him here.
"Hello, Professor Dorivitz. I was a bit hasty yesterday. Congratulations on your award," Chen Mo said in slightly accented but clear English—noticeably better than the day before.
Thanks to his powerful memory, Chen Mo's English vocabulary rivaled that of a native speaker. He could read technical papers with ease, but because he rarely spoke English aloud, his spoken skills lagged behind. However, after a lengthy conversation with Princess Xiwei the day before, he'd already improved significantly.
"Thank you. And congratulations to you too," Dorivitz replied with a nod.
"Dr. Dorivitz, would you be interested in doing research with our company? We can offer state-of-the-art medical laboratories, top-tier equipment, and ample R&D funding," Chen Mo said directly.
This forum was packed with experts and scholars—a prime recruitment opportunity he didn't intend to miss.
Just as Zhao Min had recruited talents at international forums before, Chen Mo now followed the same method.
Dorivitz was an authority in immunology and infectious diseases. If he joined Starfish Company, it would greatly benefit their drug development efforts.
"Sorry, I'm afraid that won't be possible at the moment," Dorivitz replied with a hint of regret.
"That's a pity. Here's my business card. If you ever consider coming to China, our company will always welcome you," Chen Mo said, handing over a card from his wallet.
"Alright."
Dorivitz accepted the business card. This act alone drew envious looks—after all, not just anyone got Chen Mo's personal card.
After the brief exchange, Chen Mo continued greeting other attendees.