Legend of the Cyber Heroes
Chapter 955 - 191 Apprentice Tears

Chapter 955: Chapter 191 Apprentice Tears

[Damn it! Just like this, just like this!] Inzewei got more and more agitated as he spoke, and couldn’t help blurting out: "Those bastards hurt us like this! Just like this!"

Seeing that he was a bit out of control, Inzewei recomposed himself and sat back down.

The others hung their heads even lower.

Inzewei quickly sent two more messages, saying: [Don’t speak of this, don’t provoke old Zhao. He can’t take the provocation now. Look, look, this guy has already gone mad.]

Saying this, Inzewei also sent a voice message, which contained a synthesized heavy sigh.

[Old Zhao, you see, can’t take any provocation now. We, these apprentices, don’t have many chances to prove ourselves, and even fewer make achievements with the opportunities given...]

Through Inzewei’s explanation, Yuki also roughly understood what kind of group Research Knight Apprentices really were.

In the Scientific Knight community, "apprentices" are at the lowest level. The resources of the Scientific Knights are allocated according to "academic years," and each year, the Order of Knights receives a portion of funding. Part of it is used to maintain the operation of the Order, and part can be flexibly allocated, with the majority invested into the Commander’s big projects.

The Commander divides his project into several smaller ones and assigns them to his Vice Captain.

In correspondence, naturally, resources are matched to tasks.

Besides, each Scientific Knight Order also has a sum of "special materials" which cannot be invested into the Commander’s own project, but must be fought over by the apprentices.

If apprentices want to stand out, there are basically only two paths.

First, perform outstandingly to compete for a portion of those "special materials."

Second, align their interest with the Commander’s big project, transforming their aim into a part of the Commander’s grand scheme, thereby acquiring that portion of resources that the Commander can allocate at will.

Beyond this, there are practically no other channels.

The so-called "excel during training period and directly get sponsored by the Great Knight in the Sanctuary," is nearly a legend and can’t be counted as a stable "channel."

It has nothing to do with these people.

However, in this era, the status of Scientific Knights is so exalted, even the children of the Gene Bank Defense Armament can’t help but come to the Scientific Knight Order to polish themselves.

There are too many who bring their own provisions to let the Official Knights exploit them.

For the common people outside, the Scientific Knight Order is even a path.

So the number of "apprentice" Scientific Knights is severely overflowing.

And the number of knights Commanders are willing to officially knight each year is limited.

Mind you, "how many apprentices are knighted as Official Knights" does not factor into the Commander’s final score. His Majesty Yawgmoth only values outcomes—how much result can secure how much funding.

But Commanders must allocate funding to their knights.

Adding one more Official Knight means one more person sharing the funding.

But if this Official Knight cannot contribute to his project, it’s difficult to get funding from the Sanctuary.

Thus, what Commanders value has never been the number of Official Knights, but the quality.

Ideally, they would relate directly to the projects at hand.

If a Commander gets a new project, the Order might knight a bunch in one go.

But such good fortune doesn’t happen often.

Generally, only when an apprentice performs well and leaves an impression on their Knight Instructor, will the Instructor give them a chance—a grant of resources to "test."

If succeeded, a paper could be published, leaving one’s crest in the paper and awaiting official knighting.

If failed...

Then you can only wait for the Instructor to remember you next time.

Oh, also, he has to forget this failure first.

Or, submit a request to the system queue, wait for your proposed plan to be reviewed, approved and then directly submitted to the Commander.

But truth be told, at the apprentice level, the research has limited innovation, often only stepping a little beyond humanity’s knowledge borders. This small step, often anyone could take.

Many apprentices have their research plans thoroughly toyed with by some Official Knight from some planet’s Order during the long review and queue process, only to be informed "innovation insufficient, review rejected."

As for those apprentices who can propose extremely innovative research...

They are the protagonists of "legends," directly the objects of Sanctuary sponsorship, who fundamentally do not require such an application.

For these grassroots Scientific Knights, a "chance to prove oneself" is pretty rare.

Most of them do quite well, failing not due to their own reasons.

Yuki felt somewhat bewildered: "Ah this... But..."

He also switched to messaging, saying: [That Brother Zhao, his failure, wasn’t it due to his Instructor’s unreasonable command?]

[Huh? You dare question your Instructor within the Order of Knights?]

[???]

Yuki fell into deep contemplation.

He knew what kind of person his master was. From the myth circulating in Jianghu, his master was once the most outstanding Scientific Knight, his status even to some extent higher than the present Great Knight Commander...

—Hiss, but saying this doesn’t seem right. The entire Scientific Knight Order is managed by the Conquest Heavenly King, and he was once the Knight Commander under him...

Yuki again sighed at how twisted his common knowledge was. Didn’t realize his master was this great.

In the past, he just thought that no matter how intense it got within the Scientific Knight Order, at most it’s his master treating him with those methods. Considering the privileges revered by the Scientific Knight Order, this treatment really was quite good.

And master still took pride in his identity as a Scientific Knight back then...

But according to Inzewei’s description...

—No, master always claims to be a "scientist"...

—Are scientists and Scientific Knights really so different?

Inzewei waved her hand: [In any case, old Zhao is still thinking about finding his algae group... It’s already become an obsessive thought of his.]

Then, she switched back to normal voice: "We charged into the Restricted Area at the risk of certain death, thinking it wouldn’t be long before a squad of Gene Bank Defense Armament came out and bombed us directly... Up till now, not even a single sea mine... I’m suspecting if there’s some kind of new sea mines beyond our detectors’ capability."

Yuki grinned: "I walked past here with people from my sect, but there was absolutely no defense... Ah..."

Yuki finally realized something.

This place has the Six Dragons Sect.

From known information, the Six Dragons Sect contains a large number of Scientific Knights.

"WTF."