Chapter 389

Evelyn followed Professor Eleanor Roland into the innermost operating room of the laboratory.

She pulled out a folder and slapped it onto the workbench. "Professor, there's a fundamental flaw in our research direction."

Eleanor opened her mouth to speak, but Evelyn had already flipped open the file. "We pulled an all-nighter this weekend to review the entire project."

"From the initial proposal to experimental design, from preliminary data to interim conclusions—we reanalyzed everything." She looked up, meeting her mentor's gaze. "The delay in Phase Three results isn't due to experimental errors. The entire premise is flawed."

Hannah Flores and Liam Kalmien had both spotted this fatal flaw, but neither dared to speak up.

Only Evelyn had the courage.

Eleanor silently studied the documents.

"I know you," Evelyn said softly. "You've always pursued perfection in research, refusing to admit defeat until hitting a wall."

"Even when something's clearly wrong, you'd use data to prove exactly how it's wrong. That's your academic philosophy."

"But human life is finite, and energy even more so. Is it worth barreling down a dead-end road?"

Like flooring the accelerator at a red light just to experience the crash firsthand.

Eleanor suddenly smiled.

"I've been waiting to see when you'd discover this issue." She traced the folder's cover. "Six months? A year? I didn't expect it so soon."

Not only had they found it—they'd prepared an airtight chain of evidence.

Evelyn's pupils contracted. "You knew all along?"

"You think someone at my level wouldn't notice?"

The problem had existed from the beginning, only becoming apparent as research progressed.

"Then why not stop it?"

Eleanor's eyes dimmed. "I haven't been a proper mentor..."

When the project launched four years ago, her health had already collapsed. Combined with the blow of Evelyn abandoning the combined master's-doctoral program, she'd been bedridden for eight months.

By the time she could return to the lab, the first two phases were complete.

"Students need to graduate. They need papers. They need degrees." Eleanor gave a bitter smile. "Graduate research hinges on participating in major projects."

"By the time I identified the issue, two cohorts had already graduated based on this flawed research."

Now Phase Three was underway, tied to yet another group's academic futures.

"You think I didn't want to cut our losses?" Her voice trembled. "This ship has sailed too far. Even knowing it'll sink, we have to keep going."

Evelyn stood frozen.

"Fortunately," Eleanor gently touched the file, "someone finally had the courage to speak the truth."