Nearby, Linden and a couple of others weren''t paying much attention to


    Mirabe''s expression. They were flipping through their project proposals, but their minds were clearly elsewhere.


    Jessie closed her proposal and looked up, turning to Linden and Kason. "Do you think the professor can secure the research funding again?"


    The reallocation of the department''s research funds wasn''t a secret. Starting a new research project required a significant investment just to update and upgrade equipment, not to mention the ongoing costs.


    Kason had also lost the focus to keep reading. The excitement he had felt at finally getting a research topic seemed to have been frozen by the funding issue. He sighed, "It feels pretty doubtful."


    Linden pursed his lips and said firmly, "Let''s trust the professor. He''ll definitely manage to get an opportunity for our research group."


    "Fingers crossed," Jessie replied with a wry smile. If they could really establish the research group, their career paths would be on a whole new trajectory.


    But after all these years, if their subdivision could have been established, it would have been by now, instead of ending up in a situation where they didn''t even have research funding.


    Jessie shook her head and didn''t say anything more, lowering her gaze to continue reading the proposal in her hands.


    Mirabe, who had been quietly listening, suddenly asked, "What research group?"


    As soon as she spoke, the three of them turned their heads to look at her, clearly surprised.


    Linden was the first to recover, his cheeks twitching. "You don''t know about the research group, freshman? Didn''t Mr. Zane tell you about our project?"


    Mirabe shook her head. Since her arrival, Zane had been busy introducing everyone to her, without ever mentioning the research group, let alone asking if she wanted to join.


    Jessie, Linden, and Kason exchanged nces, clearly shocked that Mirabe waspletely in the dark and had been directly brought in by Mr. Zane.


    This was...


    Linden coughed and said, "It seems your talents must be exceptional." Other than that, he couldn''t think of any other reason.


    "So, freshman, what''s yourputer proficiency level?" Kason asked.


    There were four levels ofputer proficiency, with level four being the highest. And to be part of Zane''s Artificial Life AL system research group, one essential condition was considerableputer proficiency, at least above level two.


    Kason had just passed level three recently. Jessie and Linden had also passed level three this year. Both were curious about the question Kason raised.


    Facing their gazes, Mirabe shook her head and answered honestly, "I don''t know, I''ve never been tested."


    The three of them: "...."


    "It''s okay,puter levels aren''t that important," Linden said, breaking the silence. He remembered what Mr. Zane had said earlier, that the freshman was strong in data calction, which might not necessarily meanputer science.


    Kason snapped back to reality and nodded in agreement, "Yeah, the three of us can handle it."


    Nearby, Jessie straightened her back, assuming the role of a senior, and patted Mirabe on the shoulder warmly, "If you have any questions in the future, you can ask me. I can teach you."


    Mirabe, who had suddenly received a bunch of inexplicablefort: "?"


    Had the three of them misunderstood something?


    Touching her nose and under the caring gaze of the three, Mirabe nodded.


    After that, they didn''t ask her anything more and continued to look at the proposals in their hands.


    Half an hourter, Zane returned from Mr. Calvin''s office.