Chapter 324 Do You Like It?
When Calliope spoke up, she successfully drew everyone's attention to herself.
"What are you doing?" Otis seemed to guess her mischievous intentions and reached out to pull her back.
Calliope shook him off without even looking at him, staring directly at Camilla. "Why aren't you saying anything? Can't answer?"
"So, am I correct in assuming that this laboratory doesn't have proper permits and was built illegally?" she pressed.
Camilla, Hestia, and Royce all smiled.
"What are you smiling about?" Calliope felt inexplicably anxious.
Hestia replied, "Fortunately, Camilla had the foresight to anticipate that once the lab was built, jealous troublemakers would emerge. That's why she insisted we obtain all necessary documentation. Which permits would Professor Ross like to see? I'll get them right away."
"According to Article 7 of the Biosafety Management Regulations for Pathogenic Microorganism Laboratories: For constructing, renovating, or expanding Level 3 or 4 laboratories, or producing or importing mobile Level 3 or 4 laboratories, an environmental impact report must be submitted and approved by the National Environmental Protection Administration. Did you obtain this approval?"
Calliope's lips curled into a smirk. Did they really think she could be fooled so easily?
The new regulations had only been issued last March, specifically to control the number of biological laboratories to prevent environmental burden.
Given these controls, how could approval be granted so easily?
Earlier this year, Professor Magnolia Belle from Cascade College's Biology Department had attempted to apply for an independent laboratory. Her report was barely submitted before the school administration called her in, advising her to put her plans on hold.
After three months of waiting, the school finally agreed to sign off, following procedure by submitting the application to higher authorities, but there was no response.
After waiting a full six months without news, Magnolia pulled some strings and discovered her application had been rejected immediately.
Reportedly, Magnolia hadn't given up and planned to apply again this year.
Calliope had a good relationship with Magnolia and knew the inside story, understanding how difficult it was to obtain approval.
Yet Camilla's team had gone from receiving a fire safety citation to completing their laboratory in just two months—impossible to complete all procedures in such a short time!
Camilla called out, "Hestia!"
"Coming, Camilla!" Hestia went inside and quickly returned with a manila envelope.
"Show Professor Ross properly, so she doesn't spread rumors tomorrow that our laboratory is an illegal structure."
Hestia responded with a cheerful "Yes" and handed over the envelope with a smile. "Professor Ross, please look carefully!"
Calliope accepted it and opened it skeptically.
Thirty seconds later.
"Impossible! How did you get approval? This must be fake!" Calliope said.
Hestia snatched the documents back and repackaged them. "Some people become blind when evidence is right in front of them—no point in showing it!"
Camilla coldly smiled. "Professor Ross, this isn't the first time you've tried to cause trouble for us, is it?"
"From the initial CPRT incident to the recent fire safety corrections, and now fabricating baseless accusations. We overlooked it before, respecting your position as faculty and acknowledging our own issues, but that doesn't mean we lack backbone or will tolerate repeated slander and humiliation!" she added.
With just a few sentences, Camilla publicly exposed their past grievances.
Otis thought, 'This is disastrous!'
Calliope wasn't counterattacking; she was walking straight into a trap.
Just then, a bus arrived, and a group of reporters with cameras emerged.
One look at their credentials showed they were all from mainstream media outlets.
Otis was stunned by this development. "What's going on?"
Camilla was also surprised and looked questioningly at Hestia and Royce, as if asking, "Did you arrange this?"
Royce gestured no and Hestia shook her head.
So who did?
The highly perceptive reporters immediately thrust microphones in front of Calliope, asking increasingly pointed questions.
"What was this CPRT incident Camilla mentioned?"
"Could you elaborate on the fire safety correction situation?"
"Would you consider this academic suppression?"
"Is it true that you've been harassing students and making malicious accusations?"
"Does this involve rivalries between advisors, with students caught in the crossfire?"
Cornered by microphones and cameras, Calliope was backed into a literal corner.
"I... you—stop filming!" she stammered.
The normally articulate Calliope was suddenly speechless, unable to form a complete sentence.
Seeing this, Bronte tried to rush over to help.
But with so many reporters and cameramen, she couldn't get through. Visibly anxious, she kept muttering, "I'm sorry, I didn't know it would turn out like this, I didn't mean to... Auntie."
Otis overheard and pulled her aside. "What are you apologizing for? What did you do?"
Bronte was startled by his shouting, "I just sent tips to two news media social accounts, hoping they might come report. I never expected so many would show up!"
Even more surprising was that Camilla wasn't bluffing—she really had built a laboratory.
Otis snapped, "Who told you to do that? Taking matters into your own hands! Have you lost your mind?!"
Bronte began crying. "Didn't you say the more attention and viewers, the better?"
Otis fell silent.
Indeed, Bronte had only followed their instructions.
Weren't mainstream media outlets more influential than the Campus News?
People around began discussing.
"There must be more to the story behind this laboratory."
"Indeed, what could drive three students to 'strike out on their own'? There must be quite a backstory."
"If you ask me, Harmony College needs some serious housecleaning—they've got all types there."
Bobby and Casey had witnessed the entire spectacle, their expressions already grim.
Now hearing the surrounding chatter, they felt utterly humiliated.
Bobby gave Otis a cold look. "What are you standing there for? How much longer do you plan to embarrass yourself?!"
Otis suddenly came to his senses, pushed through the reporters with difficulty, and led Calliope and her students away.
Irvin turned to Ignatius. "Ignatius, should we leave too?"
Ignatius shook his head. "Don't you want to go inside and see?"
Irvin's eyes lit up. He thought, 'Of course I want to! I even dream about it!'
Just then, ceremonial cannons fired.
Simultaneously, a squadron of drones appeared in the sky, performing an impressive display before arranging themselves to form words: Congratulations on the Laboratory Opening!
Camilla instinctively looked toward Sebastian and Marcus.
Sebastian was quickly ruled out.
He wasn't one for grand gestures or showmanship.
That left only Marcus.
Meeting Camilla's gaze, Marcus silently mouthed, "Do you like it?"
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