Human Genius? Sorry, I’m a Deviant-Chapter 139: An Ant Trying to Shake a Tree

Liu Ziming slapped his thigh: "If you ask me, we should just expose this online! Social media platforms are so developed these days - we could post something and hit trending searches in minutes!"
"Are you stupid?"
Xu Hao directly interrupted: "The headline would definitely be 'Vermilion Bird Academy Students Resist Investigation' - we'd be in the wrong even if we're right."
Xie Xi frowned and added: "Plus, if Dean Ye really approved the investigation order, wouldn't making a scene like this be slapping the academy in the face? How would we survive here after that?"
"Public opinion is a double-edged sword - you hurt the enemy a thousand but lose eight hundred yourself."
Su Zhan nodded: "Not to mention we don't have any solid evidence right now. If we just claim Qin Bai is going to use coercive interrogation without proof, why would internet users believe us?"
Doberman was the perfect example.
Moreover, Doberman's status and position back then far exceeded his own.
And now their situation with Qin Bai was precisely the opposite.
Qin Bai was literally the model example for the official Aberrant Purge Division.
So Qin Bai would more or less have official backing.
Trying to play the public opinion game against official forces?
It was like an ant trying to shake a tree!
"Then we can't just sit here waiting to die, can we?"
Liu Ziming scratched his head anxiously: "How about... we leak the story anonymously to the media?"
Xie Xi rolled her eyes: "Do you think Qin Bai is incompetent? With his official connections, he'd trace the IP back to us in minutes."
"This doesn't work, that doesn't work..."
Xu Hao spread his hands: "We can't really just sit here praying Dean Ye doesn't approve, can we?"
The room fell into silence.
Feng Jue spoke up: "Go directly to Dean Ye."
"Huh?"
Xu Hao nearly slipped off his crutches: "Go to the dean? Are you crazy? That's an Ocean Realm expert!"
Xie Xi's eyes lit up: "Right! Qin Bai's investigation authority comes from Dean Ye's approval. If we can persuade the dean..."
"Wait, wait, wait."
Liu Ziming waved his hands: "Do you guys even know where Dean Ye's office is?"
Xie Xi touched her chin: "I delivered documents there once before, it's on the top floor of the administration building, but... what reason would we use to see the dean? You need to your purpose for meeting the dean - we can't just say 'Qin Bai is targeting us'."
Feng Jue said: "Academic questions."
"What?"
"Say we have academic questions about the 'Mist Creature Atlas'."
A sharp light flashed in Feng Jue's eyes.
Liu Ziming slapped his thigh: "Brilliant! We can both legitimately enter the dean's office and naturally steer the conversation toward the disappeared Bone Eroder corpse!"
Xu Hao timidly raised his hand: "Then... who will be the main spokesperson?"
Four pairs of eyes simultaneously turned to look at Xie Xi.
"Why are you looking at me?!"
Xie Xi was stunned.
"Obviously."
Su Zhan grinned: "You're the only one here who's had tea with the dean."
Actually, this was just about finding an excuse.
Finding a legitimate reason to see Dean Ye.
Though Dean Ye would definitely recognize it as an excuse, the excuse still needed to exist.
What was this called?
The surface formalities still had to be observed.
Xie Xi opened her mouth, then deflated: "That time was because my dad forced me to deliver New Year gifts..."
"Enough nonsense!"
Liu Ziming made a cheering gesture: "Go for it, Sister Xie!"
The group immediately got to work.
They quickly arrived at the administration building.
Amid everyone's encouragement and urging,
Xie Xi took a deep breath and approached the teaching assistant at the front desk: "Hello, our team has some academic questions about specific mist creatures in the 'Mist Creature Atlas' and would like to request ten minutes for consultation."
The teaching assistant's gaze swept over the five of them: "Wait a moment."
He turned to use the internal phone.
Every second of waiting felt extremely long.
Xu Hao muttered: "This excuse is too fake! Only a ghost would believe the dean would buy it..."
Liu Ziming suggested: "How about we say we discovered a new Bone Eroder variant?"
"Even faker!"
Xie Xi bit her lip: "The dean would see through it immediately."
Su Zhan leaned against the wall, expression calm.
This was just the necessity of surface formalities.
Like how ancient ministers had to submit memorials before seeing the emperor, or how modern people need to fill out application forms for everything.
This clumsy academic consultation excuse was merely to give both sides a dignified opening.
What kind of person was Dean Ye? How could she not see their true purpose?
But rules were rules - some acts had to be performed seriously even when everyone knew they were just performances.
The teaching assistant finally put down the phone: "The dean says..."
All five held their breath simultaneously.
"She can give you fifteen minutes."
"Holy shit, it actually worked?"
Xu Hao seemed unable to believe the answer.
Perhaps he had already prepared himself for rejection.
"Fifteen minutes... is that enough?"
Liu Ziming frowned: "Should we try to..."
"Shut up!"
Xie Xi smiled kindly at the teaching assistant: "Thank you, teaching assistant. We'll go up now."
In the elevator, the five crowded together.
Xu Hao lowered his voice: "Do you think the dean has already guessed?"
"Who cares."
Liu Ziming shook his head: "This is Dean Ye! The only person in the whole school who can pressure Qin Bai."
Su Zhan watched the constantly changing floor numbers and said softly: "Remember, discuss the academic topic first, then gradually steer the conversation elsewhere."
"Understood." x4
Everyone spoke in unison.
Inside the office.
Dean Ye's red hair cascaded down her shoulders.
Her fingertips lightly tapped the desk, and a set of holographic images appeared.
It was precisely the energy spectrum of the Bone Eroders they had just discussed: "So, your questions about the Bone Eroders are?"
Xie Xi braced herself and spoke: "Regarding the energy decay rate, our actual observations show some discrepancies with the data in the book."
"Oh?"
Dean Ye flicked her finger, and the image switched to a dynamic model: "Explain specifically."
Feng Jue stepped forward: "The corpse disappearance speed - in actual combat, Bone Eroders turn to ash within 36 hours after death, which is completely different from the several years mentioned in the book."
"Interesting."
Dean Ye narrowed her eyes: "You discovered this during the industrial zone mission?"
The five held their breath.
"Yes."
Su Zhan seamlessly took over: "This is also what Commander Qin told us. He seems particularly concerned about this abnormal phenomenon."
Good, now they had successfully steered the topic to Qin Bai.
Although the transition was somewhat forced, they had managed it.
Dean Ye knew their real purpose for coming.
She also knew the academic questions were just an excuse.
So she was waiting for them to bring the conversation to their true objective.
All things considered, although this transition was rather abrupt, it wasn't a major issue.
"Qin Bai..."
Dean Ye smiled lightly: "He's always been obsessed with anomalies."
Xu Hao interjected: "But his investigation methods are too aggressive."
Dean Ye took over the conversation: "The hunting team's duty is to eliminate all unstable factors related to aberrant species, including... special cases."
The room temperature seemed to drop suddenly.
Xie Xi quickly changed the subject: "Dean, we're just worried that routine inspections might delay our final exams..."