Chapter 431: Chapter 113: In One Word, Moneyed!_1
What does it mean to exude dominance?
This statement is the perfect definition of it.
Everyone was in agreement, there was no opposition.
There were two key points Link was concerned about: the elimination system and the accountability system.
In addition, judging by this mission’s original three objectives and the additional three targets, biochemical research appeared to be the key focus.
The ones responsible for biochemical research were only Link himself and Tiffany Colonna.
So, could it be interpreted that the primary targets of evaluation in this mission were Link and Tiffany Colonna?
At that moment, Lanny gave Link a seemingly casual glance, making brief eye contact before quickly moving her gaze away.
How much information could a fleeting glance convey?
All Link could decipher was shock.
Apparently, even though Lanny had made contact with Sandra earlier than Link and had learned about the mission in advance, she was still unaware of what Sandra had just said.
Or, at least, not wholly aware.
That was quite normal.
After all, Sandra was the great-granddaughter of two Great Sages and must have received education in handling people from a young age.
No matter the reasons, Sandra was willing to let Lanny get close to her.
But that didn’t mean Lanny would be let in on every single detail.
Regardless of how important Lanny was deemed or how she was treated like a direct-line subordinate, she was still just a subordinate.
There were hierarchies, and ranks mattered.
Link understood this.
He didn’t blame Lanny, his ally, for not letting him know this beforehand.
Scanning the 11 carefully selected semi-direct line base members of the camp, Sandra said, “We’ve laid out the rules upfront for work matters. But when we’re not working, let’s keep things casual. We need to maintain a lively team atmosphere.”
Having said that, Sandra turned around, gesturing at the holographic projection:
“Back to business.
We haven’t set up a forward base in the mission world, and there are no portals available.
So, we need to depart from this campsite, and travel to the mission world through interstellar navigation.
The interstellar journey will take about three days, as per the time rules of Wizard World Homeland.
We will leave promptly tomorrow. Use the rest of the day to prepare.”
Sandra clapped her hands and asked, “Does anyone want to share any thoughts?”
Link quietly waited for a moment. Seeing that the others remained calm, he refrained from asking the question he wanted to ask.
In an unfamiliar team, it was better not to stand out.
To his surprise, Sandra directed the question at Link and Tiffany, saying, “You two are in charge of biochemical research, which is very important. Start with you, Tiffany. Feel free to share any thoughts.”
“Hmm.”
Tiffany nodded and stood up, speaking loudly, “I want to ask, in this biochemical research, should we work individually, or should we cooperate at every step?”
Instead of answering directly, Sandra turned to Link, “What’s your opinion?”
Link stood up immediately and calmly said, “I think we should do our work separately. We are not familiar with each other and the lack of coordination could lead to mistakes. Also, efficiency might not improve if we collaborate. Instead, we could hold each other back and slow down the mission progress.”
“What’s your opinion?”
After listening to Link, Sandra inquired Tiffany’s view.
“I agree with working individually.”
Tiffany replied promptly.
“Good!”
Sandra made the decision, “Let’s each do our own work. Since we’ll be working separately, we have to compare who’s faster and who’s better.”
She didn’t go on to complete her sentence.
However, everyone in the room knew she had fostered a competitive atmosphere.
And it was bound to be a healthy competition.
The two could only focus on their research, striving to surpass the other in research progress and outcomes.
They wouldn’t dare mess with each other, delay each other’s progress, or sabotage each other’s results.
After all, Sandra had set the rules beforehand.
The eight people responsible for reconnaissance and combat, regardless of subjective or objective reasons, would be held accountable if errors resulting in casualties were made.
Why should biochemical research be an exception?
This was the case for members of the clan of the academy’s headquarters.
Why should there be special treatment for the Storm Sea New Blood and West Coast Pure Blood?
After some thought, Sandra said with a hint of a smile:
“The workload for biochemical research is huge for a single person, so an assistant is necessary to share the load.
Logistics and medical duties aren’t too demanding.
In this case, Lanny could be Link’s assistant, and Fred could be Tiffany’s assistant. By pairing them up like this, they have a balanced team!”
With just a few words, Sandra had settled another personnel arrangement.
With this adjustment, the situation seemed all the more interesting.
It was now a showdown between two Storm Sea New Blood members and two West Coast Pure Blood members.
The eight children from the major clans of the academy headquarters, including Sandra herself, were left as “onlookers”.
The resemblance to an interview and practical test assessment was striking.
Lanny and Link, Fred and Tiffany, these were the two groups sitting for the interview and assessment.
Sandra was the chief evaluator, and the seven members from the major clans of the academy headquarters were also judges.
They would observe, rate, and judge.
Link had a feeling that despite their modest exterior, the wealthy youth were in essence still in a position of superiority. They generously threw out an opportunity to become their followers and enjoyed watching two groups compete for it.
It was reminiscent of the scene in the Flirting Scholar where a position for a pageboy at the Hua mansion could attract many scholars and talents. Despite the risk of humiliation, they would still compete for the job.
However, the wealthy youth never asked about the opinion of the parties involved.
Some might be very willing to compete, like those scholars and talents.