?Chapter 343:


    But what made this moment feel almost unreal was the fact that Hutton had studied under River. That alone carried the weight of legend. For them, it felt like brushing against the summit of AI research. The stakes were clear. If even Hutton couldn’t identify a fix for their project’s w, there was no hope left to cling to. After all, if even River’s protégé failed, then there wasn’t much they could do. It would be pure fantasy to believe they could garner River’s expertise on their problem.


    As the group waited for Hutton to arrive, Lance kept ncing at Dillen, unable to hold back his curiosity. “Mr. Perez, you may not know, but back in college, River was already a legend to us. Professors, ssmates, even visiting lecturers—everyone admired River. Meeting River is my dream. I never thought I’de even this close. Meeting you, someone connected to River, feels like fate doing me a favor.”


    Dillen chuckled, his tone light. “Honestly, I felt the same way. River’s been an idol of mine too. I never imagined I’d get to meet River. But Mr. Tucker pulled it off—he was River’s protégé. Thanks to Mr. Tucker, I got the chance.”


    At the mention of River’s name, Alonso leaned in with sudden enthusiasm. “You never told me any of this, Mr. Perez! If I’d known you had ties to River, I would’ve begged for an introduction long ago.”


    A smallugh tugged at Dillen’s lips as he shook his head. “River isn’t the kind of person you bump into on the street. River is a titan in AI, far beyond our reach. I only caught a glimpse of River when I tagged along with Mr. Tucker. Don’t pin your hopes on meeting River.”


    That much made sense to both Lance and Alonso. Neither of them argued.


    After thinking for a bit, Lance asked, “So, what’s River like, Mr. Perez?”


    A flicker of memory crossed Dillen’s face before he spoke. “About two years ago, Mr. Tucker hit a wall on a project and went to see River for help. I was on the team, so I went with Mr. Tucker. River wore a hat…”


    And a mask the whole time. I never saw her face, but her eyes—those were unforgettable. Sharp. Brilliant. The kind that let you know she wasn’t like the rest of us.”


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    The room fell still. Every person leaned in, drawn closer by the weight of River’s name.


    Alonso, unable to hold back, blurted out, “Does she strike you as some middle-aged woman?”


    That got augh out of Dillen. “River’s a young woman, barely eighteen when I met her. I’m not kidding. Standing in front of her made me feel dwarfed. Talent like that? Age has no say.”


    The air shifted. The group was stunned into silence.


    Lance sat there ck-jawed, struggling to make the image fit. He had always pictured River as a middle-aged person with decades of experience and a permanent seat at the table of geniuses. It never once crossed his mind that River could be a girl younger than him. A real-life prodigy. That’s what she was. To rise to the top of the AI world before even hitting twenty… Just how gifted did she have to be?


    Lance’s gaze drifted across the table, settling on Elliana. She was absently running her fingers along the edge of the table, seemingly lost in thought. ording to Dillen’s description, Elliana was the same age as River, but theparison felt absurd now. Elliana might carry the persona Rosa in the arts, but River? River had carved her ce in a realm where brilliance reigned. In his eyes, no artist could rival that. Not even close.


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