Top Student: Wasteland Technology Invasion

As a sophomore, Zeng Na knew the value of the project she was participating in, called "Urban Dynamic Road Network Optimization".

In fact, she went to great lengths to secure the opportunity to join the crew.

So that when she applies for graduate school later, she can tell others that she participated in a major project.

However, after joining the crew, Zeng Na realized that she had oversimplified things.

The complexity of this project far exceeded her expectations, and apart from her, the entire project team consisted of male students, all of whom were third-year undergraduates from the School of Information Science and Technology.

As a result, Zeng Na felt somewhat bored spending every day in the lab.

Now that a newcomer has finally arrived, and even the PhD student, Senior Brother Jiao, treats him with great respect, Zeng Na understands perfectly well that a big shot has joined the project team.

Even if he's not as good as He Huaisheng, the NOI gold medalist, he's still someone with connections.

Such a person certainly deserves her to respectfully offer him a glass of water.

Lin Chuan took the cup from Zeng Na, but didn't drink from it. He explained, "Senior, I'm not a senior. I'm a freshman this year."

"Freshman?" Zeng Na covered her mouth, which was agape in surprise. "Wow, that's amazing! I thought you were a senior from the math department, but you're a freshman! Hello, Lin!"

Upon hearing that Lin Chuan was a freshman undergraduate, Zeng Na became even more alert.

For such a large project as urban dynamic road network optimization, admitting a second-year computer science student like her is already the absolute minimum.

Lin Chuan's joining the group as a freshman from the School of Foreign Languages ​​shows that he has exceptional qualities.

We need to find out his relevant information as soon as possible.

……

Before long, Jiao Bolun led Lin Chuan on a tour of the laboratory, and when they returned, Duan Chengye had already tidied up the space.

After escorting Lin Chuan to his workstation, Jiao Bolun said apologetically, "Junior Brother Lin, I'm really sorry. You just started helping out here, and we haven't prepared a new computer for you yet. You'll have to use your own laptop for a while. I'll message my advisor later to see how he can arrange things."

"It's alright, Senior Brother Jiao, you're busy. Thank you."

Once at his seat, Lin Chuan opened his laptop and began to familiarize himself with the "Urban Dynamic Road Network Optimization" project.

This is a key project launched by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in 2012 to promote the integration of informatization and industrialization, and to support people's livelihood areas such as intelligent transportation and emergency management.

Professor Du was not there, and Jiao Bolun did not assign him any work, so Lin Chuan studied the project's technical process on his own at his workstation.

He now has a Level 1 in informatics and a Level 2 in mathematics. In addition, he spent six or seven hours yesterday cramming on computer textbooks in the wasteland world, so he is now working on projects very quickly.

While Lin Chuan was patiently studying, Jiao Bolun was sending a message to his mentor, Du Cheng.

Jiao Bolun: [Director Du, Junior Brother Lin Chuan has joined the crew, and everything is arranged.]

Du Cheng: [Okay, I'll be getting home very late today. Tell everyone not to wait up and to go about their own business. I'll hold a group meeting tomorrow morning.]

Jiao Bolun: [Understood. Director Du... there's something I'd like to ask.]

Du Cheng: [You speak.]

Jiao Bolun: [Here's the thing, Junior Brother Lin joined the group today and needs a computer to run programs, but there aren't any spare computers in the lab right now.]

Du Cheng: [That's easy. Just have Lin Chuan write up a configuration list and send it to our institute's logistics department. They can then arrange one for him.]

Jiao Bolun: [What's the budget?]

Du Cheng: [It's just a computer, what budget are we talking about? Just tell Lin Chuan to get the best parts, something that can handle top-tier mathematical models. Don't try to save money for the group, the funding is enough.]

This……

Looking at the words on his phone that he clearly recognized, Jiao Bolun felt a little dazed and unfamiliar.

Was that really his mentor, Professor Du, on the other end of the phone?

Is this Professor Du who asks about the whereabouts of every single penny of funding?

Has someone cast a curse on me?

Pshaw, that's not what I meant!

Jiao Bolun admitted that his mentor treated all of them, his fellow students, well.

They treated the college students in the project team quite well, often treating them to meals and such.

But is it really appropriate to build a computer without a budget?

Jiao Bolun even suspected that the new junior brother Lin Chuan might have some kind of family relationship with Director Du.

Jiao Bolun still remembers that when he was a master's student under Professor Du, the experimental computer was completely cobbled together.

Apart from the graphics card, which cost less than a thousand yuan and had a slightly better configuration, the CPU, monitor, memory, and hard drive were all second-hand.

How come when it comes to Lin Chuan, an "outsider" in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, the budget is unlimited?

It's true what they say, comparisons are odious.

Of course, as the senior disciple of the sect, Jiao Bolun had the most basic awareness; he didn't ask a single question about things that weren't his business.

He would do his job well and then see what his junior brother Lin Chuan was really capable of.

When Jiao Bolun returned to Lin Chuan's side, he found him scribbling on a draft paper while facing his laptop screen.

Luo Ting had arrived at his workstation at some point, while the other two undergraduates, Zeng Na and Duan Chengye, kept quiet and busy with their own tasks.

Of the five undergraduate students in the project team, only He Huaisheng was absent from the site.

It makes sense, considering that Director Du wasn't here today, and He Huaisheng, a top computer science student, really didn't have much to talk about with the other people in the group.

Let alone them, even Jiao Bolun himself wouldn't dare say that he could say anything to this academic genius.

That guy is way too arrogant.

With that thought in mind, Jiao Bolun patted Lin Chuan on the shoulder.

Lin Chuan turned around. "Senior Brother Jiao is back."

Jiao Bolun nodded. "Junior Brother Lin is so focused. I just sent a message to our advisor explaining your situation. He wants to get you a new computer in the lab and ask you to write a request form."

"Okay, thank you, senior brother. I'll start writing now."

While he verbally agreed, Lin Chuan inwardly harbored doubts.

Is this the true value of the School of Information Science and Technology at Yueyang University?

Is this the profound knowledge and expertise of Professor Du Cheng's mentor?

Undergraduate students newly joined to the research group can get computers freely!

He was about to say that with just a laptop, there were indeed many parts of the mathematical model that couldn't be understood, which might slow down efficiency.

As a result, Professor Du directly maxed out the configuration.

This is how you work comfortably!

Lin Chuan didn't intend to be polite with Professor Du. Anyway, the money would be reimbursed in the end. He just needed to write something positive. When the project was successful, he would get a reward, and everyone else would also benefit.

Fortunately, he had brushed up on his computer skills in the wasteland yesterday, and now he can write configurations with ease.

Click.

Lin Chuan felt as if he could hear the sound of several people's hearts breaking.

He turned to look at Zeng Na, Duan Chengye, and Luo Ting.

The college students smiled and turned their heads to their computer screens.

Both of them were working on projects under Professor Du, but the difference in their treatment was enormous!

Who exactly is this freshman from the School of Mathematics?