Chapter 909: Chapter 603: Master Sliver [12] Nora Scott: I Deserve to Be Called Grandma [09 Update]

"So when are you going to call me ’grandma’ online?"

The experts: "..."

Only at this moment did they realize—they’d worked so hard to dig a pit for themselves, then buried themselves in it.

When Nora Scott said they weren’t worthy, they didn’t believe her;

When Nora Scott said they couldn’t understand, they didn’t believe her.

The result was, not only were they repeatedly pissed off to the point of spitting blood, they even had to lose face!

—And it was nationwide humiliation!

"No rush. Suddenly recognizing relatives, I still ought to give you some time to prepare." Nora Scott benevolently held up a piping hot saintly heart and, before it cooled, added in time, "Within three days then. Otherwise I’ll just publish the promises you all personally wrote. Same difference."

The experts: "..."

As I witnessed your talent, I also saw the pitch-black heart inside you.

How unfair this world is. Why are there no young people both virtuous and capable?

But speaking of young people—

Gradually, some people shifted their attention to Daniela Esteves.

?

This so‑called grandmaster they’d praised to the skies, ranked number one in the entire Mechanism Arts Circle, seemed... a little watered down...

You don’t know until you compare, and once you compare, you’re scared stiff.

None of them had ever touched this Mechanical Techniques business before. They’d all been led around like newbies by Daniela, thinking that solving difficult problems with Mechanical Techniques was already amazing, that she truly deserved to be number one. And then Nora Scott alone spent a week or two and sliced through every single problem like it was nothing...

The experts’ livers ached.

"Miss Esteves, this ’Master Sliver’ title of yours seems a bit unworthy of the name."

Before the experts had time to voice their doubts, Thomas Langley, who’d been practically nonexistent in a corner, suddenly spoke up, saying exactly what everyone was thinking.

Daniela Esteves’ breath hitched.

Back when Nora Scott first started explaining, she’d already sensed something was off. As it went on, her panic only grew; she couldn’t even hear what Nora was saying anymore, just felt her heart in complete chaos.

And now, a certain suspicion hovered over her heart, on the verge of breaking out.

Nora Scott had targeted her from the start, never once acknowledging her identity as "Master Sliver." Could it be—

No.

Daniela bit her lip, taking slow, measured breaths, forcing herself to calm down.

Impossible.

Her grandpa said this Master Sliver had to be at least fifty or sixty, someone who’d studied Mechanical Techniques for many years to produce such exquisite works.

In any case, she could not admit it.

"It’s just that my knowledge is shallow. In the field of Mechanical Techniques, I’m far inferior to Miss Scott." Her lips were yanked into a smile by sheer force; even though the smile was stiff, she didn’t let a hint of guilt show.

She’d racked her brains to gain Ryan Ford’s trust, by any means necessary squeezed herself into this circle—how could she possibly confess because of one Nora Scott?!

With her saying that, the experts couldn’t very well pile on.

—All they could say was, there’s always a higher sky, always someone better. What else could they say?

Daniela did have ability.

"But what I said is true."

Nora Scott smiled, just as arrogant as ever, but didn’t elaborate.

She didn’t pursue it.

This, however, left Thomas Langley unhappy—sure, Daniela had lost face, but he still wanted to puncture her fake identity.

He frowned, about to expose her, but the instant he opened his mouth, Pedro Langley, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, turned around and shot him a cool look, carrying a faint warning, clearly telling him to "shut up."

Thomas Langley was baffled.

"It’s one in the afternoon now, everyone must be hungry. Let’s eat first." Deputy Llewellyn cut through the tense atmosphere and said, "Food is heaven for the people. Whatever needs doing, we can talk after we eat."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Let’s eat first."

"We’ll talk after we eat."

...

The experts all nodded along in agreement, cooperating to disperse the awkward stiffness in the air.

Ryan Ford gave Nora Scott a look laden with meaning.

Nora Scott didn’t spare him so much as a glance.

Ryan Ford frowned.

From all his recent contact with Daniela, he’d dug up way too many suspicious points, but he’d never dared confirm—faking being Master Sliver... that was a bit too bold.

Not until he’d watched Nora Scott "teach" for two hours did Ryan realize: this Master Sliver persona of Daniela’s might really be fake.

A Master Sliver hailed as the ceiling of the Mechanism Arts Circle couldn’t possibly be so easily surpassed by some random person.

There were only two reasons:

One, Daniela really wasn’t that good;

Second, Nora really was too impressive.

But Ryan couldn’t make up his mind.

*

"Sister-in-law, you know so much about Mechanical Techniques?" Thomas looked at Nora with great interest.

"Not really." Nora wasn’t as arrogant as she’d been in front of the expert group. She explained, "I’ve worked on planning two seasons of Escape Room. The audience liked them, so I guess my level is okay."

He glanced at her, then suddenly lowered his voice and asked sneakily, "Do you happen to know Master Sliver?"

"..."

Nora slanted a look at him, at a loss for words.

Thomas analyzed, dead serious, "I just keep feeling you two are really close."

"...Something like that." Nora sighed.

Thomas’s eyes lit up. He wanted to pump Nora for more information, when Frank suddenly opened his mouth at the most inopportune time, "Thomas, Master Pedro, did you get what Nora was talking about in that lecture?"

Frank had coasted through college and gone to grad school in geology. He had absolutely no idea what Nora had been talking about.

Aside from the parts that touched on his own field.

Thomas: "..."

Pedro Langley: "..."

"They didn’t." Nora quickly supplied the answer, then asked with a smile, "Why?"

"Oh." Frank nodded, sighing with feeling, "Seeing those experts in front of you was like watching elementary school kids. I kind of underestimated them. But if even Thomas and Master Pedro didn’t get it and they at least understood, that still proves they’ve got some chops."

The three: "..."

It was, in fact, hard to argue with that logic.

Still, the very fact they’d been qualified to join the project team proved that in this field, they were already operating at a level far above most people.

—And precisely because of that, they had such a big problem with Nora.

If it hadn’t been for the fake Master Sliver, Alexander Vaughn hiding in the shadows, and all the rest, if it were just because they looked down on Nora, she actually wouldn’t have been this pissed at them. But pissed was pissed; after all, they really did look down on her, and even ganged up to spread rumors and smear her...

Call it even.

*

According to the original plan, there’d be a meeting in the morning, then on-site inspection in the afternoon.

Because of the unexpected situation on Nora’s side, the meeting ended two hours later than scheduled. They didn’t eat until one, so the afternoon itinerary had to be pushed back.

The experts were proud and arrogant, but also hungry to learn. After some private discussion, they wanted to cancel the afternoon schedule and keep the meeting going—they had a lot of questions they wanted to consult Nora about.

Ryan didn’t agree right away; he asked Richard Carter to go ask Nora.

"I’ve got plans this afternoon, no time." Nora turned them down, and her reason wasn’t perfunctory.

At three in the afternoon, she had to deal with Alexander Vaughn.

Two transaction locations, same transaction time, both at three p.m.

Nora was waiting on news.

Whatever it was—good or bad—she wasn’t in the mood to discuss engineering issues with these experts.

"Nora, these experts wanting to consult you means they think highly of you. Don’t be so ungrateful. Who exactly are you putting on this big act for?!" No one knew where Richard Carter’s resentment came from. The moment he got Nora’s answer, his face fell and he snapped at her.

He didn’t like Nora.

And he did like Daniela Esteves.

Today Nora had completely stolen the show, while Daniela had lost all face. Add that to the grudges he’d built up with Nora multiple times before, and Richard had been bottling up a bellyful of anger. Right now, seeing Nora acting so high and mighty, he exploded on the spot.

What the hell did she think she was?!

No degree, no status, no title, no research output—just some half-baked Mechanical Techniques, and she strutted around throwing her weight in people’s faces, acting like she was the center of the universe... Fucking begging for a slap-down.

Nora, Pedro Langley, Thomas, and Frank were sitting at one table.

Everything had been fine; suddenly, when they heard Richard Carter’s tirade, they all stopped what they were doing, their brows going cold as their gazes swept over to him in unison, sharp edges flashing in their eyes.

And this little commotion also startled quite a few experts; one pair of curious eyes after another turned their way.

Ryan was talking business with someone nearby. Hearing the noise, he turned his head to look over.

His expression was a bit stiff. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

At the same time, Nora put down her chopsticks and lifted her gaze. It slid past the eyesore that was Richard Carter and landed straight on Ryan. She asked, enunciating each word, "Captain Ford, you’re going to let this assistant of yours provoke me again and again like this—is that your stance?"

Once on the way here.

And now, once again.

Did she look that easy to push around?

Ryan’s face changed slightly as he walked straight over.

His eyes grew colder with every step. Nora’s expression remained lazy, but there was a chill under it as she went on, "Even if I didn’t have any real skills, I’m still part of the engineering team. He’s just an assistant, and yet he dares to act all high and mighty in front of me. If one day he can’t stand someone else, is he going to be this rude to anyone he doesn’t like?!"

Richard Carter’s expression stiffened.

He was just dissatisfied with Nora, but with that one speech she’d made it sound like he had no respect for any of the experts!

This woman had a sharp tongue and twisted black-and-white!

He licked his lips, thinking about whether to explain or snap back, when Ryan had already reached his side and spoke in an icy voice, "Apologize."