It really was Veronica?

Though Maverick, Penny, and Bonnie weren't AI specialists and couldn't fully comprehend the revolutionary nature of Veronica's paper, they understood one crucial fact—Preston, Niall's advisor, was a towering figure in artificial intelligence.

When someone of his caliber took such interest in a paper—personally messaging Niall to study it thoroughly—it signified something extraordinary.

Add to that Silas's student just announcing that Veronica's paper had created waves throughout the global tech community, with top engineers sacrificing sleep to analyze it.

These facts pointed to an undeniable conclusion: Veronica's paper was genuinely groundbreaking. Yet how could such a monumental contribution come from Veronica of all people?

Silas, unaware of the complicated history between Veronica and the Crystal and Mack families, hadn't read the paper yet.

Nevertheless, learning that it had improved large language model efficiency for long-text processing by more than tenfold was enough to spark his academic curiosity.

He immediately turned toward Dario, asking eagerly, "This engineer Veronica Murray—is she present today?"

"She is," Dario replied with evident pride. He gestured toward Veronica and added, "This is Veronica Murray."

Throughout the entire gathering—both during the Dennis Group meeting and now—Veronica had maintained an exceptionally modest presence, quiet and unobtrusive.

Yet her striking beauty made her impossible to overlook. Even those who didn't know her had noticed her based solely on her remarkable appearance.

No one, however, had imagined she possessed such intellectual prowess.

When it registered that she authored the paper causing such fervor in the AI community, Silas rose from his seat in astonishment, approached her, and extended his hand in respectful greeting.

"Hello, Ms. Murray. I'm Silas Hastings from Sibley University. My research has concentrated on fundamental AI theory and practical applications. It's truly an honor to meet you."

Veronica stood and accepted his handshake, responding, "Hello, Professor Hastings. You're far too kind. The honor is entirely mine."

Silas's humility was unmistakable—so pronounced that observers might have mistaken him for the junior colleague and Veronica for the established expert.

Bonnie, witnessing this exchange, felt a surge of indignation.

Was a single paper really worth this level of reverence?

Penny's expression similarly soured.

At that moment, Dario turned to Niall with a calculated smile and remarked, "Ms. Crystal, you mentioned earlier that you'd be studying this paper intensively.

"Should you encounter any questions, please don't hesitate to approach Ver for guidance."

Niall's lips compressed into a tight line.

Silas, an acclaimed professor at one of the nation's premier universities, was already showing profound respect to Veronica, and now Dario suggested that Niall should seek Veronica's expertise?

Bonnie couldn't contain her outrage any longer.

She struck the table forcefully and rose to her feet, beginning to exclaim, "You're being—"

"You're being absolutely ridiculous! Niall holds a PhD from one of the world's most prestigious universities! Who is Veronica? Just an undergraduate! And you expect Niall to seek her counsel? This is absurd!

"It's merely one paper! How does that establish her superiority over Niall?"

These were the words Bonnie intended to unleash. But before she could complete her tirade, Niall intercepted, stating with practiced composure, "Mr. Reid makes a valid point. Given the opportunity, I would gladly consult with Ms. Murray."

Her adaptability was impeccable.

Dario, hearing this response, internally scoffed.

He was well aware of the longstanding animosity between Veronica and Niall. For him to suggest Niall should seek Veronica's technical assistance was tantamount to public humiliation.

Maverick's expression darkened considerably.

While he didn't grasp the technical significance of Veronica's paper, hearing Dario seemingly belittle Niall provoked the same indignation Bonnie felt.

"So what if Preston himself praised the paper? It's still just one paper. Isn't this excessive?" Maverick thought bitterly.

Penny's demeanor likewise turned glacial.

Bonnie, though incensed at being interrupted, couldn't continue her outburst since Niall had chosen not to escalate the situation.

Just then, Dario's secretary, Ramona, approached discreetly and informed him, "Mr. Reid, Professor Campbell just called. He plans to visit Ophelia within days. He hopes to meet with both you and Ms. Murray personally."

Dario responded dismissively, "Inform him I won't be available for a meeting."

"Understood," Ramona nodded. She then turned to Veronica and added, "Ms. Murray, Professor Campbell mentioned that if Mr. Reid is unavailable, he's willing to make the journey specifically to meet with you.

"He believes your paper contains exceptional insights and hopes to engage in an in-depth discussion with you."

Veronica replied, "I'm afraid I won't have time either. Please convey my regrets."

"Certainly."

At this exchange, Maverick and Bonnie's expressions shifted dramatically.

Preston wasn't merely praising Veronica's work—he was prepared to travel just to speak with her? Could her paper truly be that remarkable?

Niall understood better than anyone present just how influential Preston was in the AI community.

So when she heard that her advisor was eagerly requesting to meet Veronica, her expression darkened even more than the others'.

Nate, meanwhile, was unfamiliar with Preston or his significance in artificial intelligence. But he could easily check current trends online.

Noticing how everyone in the private room was discussing the paper, he discreetly checked his phone to investigate.

What he discovered stunned him—news about Veronica's paper had already climbed near the top of trending topics. The comments section overflowed with effusive praise.

Online commentators declared that Veronica and Dario were breaking Bella's monopoly in AI, propelling Ophelia into uncharted territory, and fundamentally transforming the industry landscape.

He glanced at Veronica with newfound respect, then leaned toward Cullen and whispered incredulously, "Is Veronica truly that brilliant?"