Chapter 574 Academic Qualifications!
When Johnson heard this, he frowned, snorted coldly, and said sarcastically, “An elementary school certificate?”
There might have been experts in ancient times who lived as hermits, but self-taught? In this current age and time? Without the relevant certificates and academic qualifications, that was nothing more than a joke!
Even some of the wealthy and n.o.ble were pursuing academic qualifications these days. Most of them were Ivy League graduates.
The moment Johnson said that, though, Morris pulled a long face and said, “Captain Johnson, you were the one who taught me in the past that we must always present evidence when making a case, and that we must always be careful in how we do things. But now that you’ve lived past your days, it seems like you have forgotten all of that!”
When Johnson first joined the department, Morris had treated him as his mentor.
But Johnson had put Morris down time and again in everything. Morris wasn’t stupid, how would he possibly not know what he was thinking?
Following how each and every time Johnson made trouble for him, he had gradually become utterly disappointed in him. He no longer regarded the man as the mentor who had initiated him into the industry.
He had never been a man of forbearance since the start, so he hit back at him directly.
His words made Johnson choke and he reprimanded, “Morris, I know you’re the acting director of the special department, but even so, surely you shouldn’t be talking to me like that, right? No matter what, I am still your mentor! Besides, are you behaving like this because you’re upset at being called out?”
Morris cast his eyes down. His gaze swept across everyone present and he merely said coldly, “My external appointment of Ms. Smith is in full compliance with all of the special department’s regulations and can stand the test of any investigation! Do a thorough investigation before you speak next time, Captain Johnson!”
Johnson scoffed huffily, “Full compliance with the regulations? The minimum education requirement for external personnel is a college degree. Did she pay for a college degree certificate?”
Morris, however, did not reply to him. He merely looked at Ruth frostily and said, “One’s abilities are what matter in the special department. Academic qualifications are useless! I’d advise certain people not to do unnecessary comparisons. You guys shouldn’t use academic qualifications… to humiliate yourselves!”
After saying that, he turned and left.
It was only after Morris left that Johnson finally came back to his senses. He looked at Nora furiously and then at Ruth. “Humiliate yourselves… Aren’t you using the wrong words? In my opinion, you are the one who needs to study more! How are academic qualifications not important? If they aren’t important, then why is everyone trying so hard to further their studies and obtain higher qualifications?”
When Ruth heard this, she let out a soft laugh and comforted him. “Don’t be mad, Captain Ford just said that in a moment of anger. But if he says that Ms. Smith’s academic qualifications are in compliance with the rules, then they must be in compliance with the rules…”
As soon as she said that, Johnson sneered, “He probably just means that she meets the minimum academic qualifications requirements in the regulations, right? I heard that she lived in another country for five years, yet she can’t even translate a doc.u.ment…” Ruth continued to persuade him. “Living overseas is not like how you think it is. I heard that there are areas in every country where immigrants from certain countries tend to congregate, and the people living there all speak in their native language. Thus, there is no need to use the country’s native tongue for communication at all. It’s no different from a reduced version of certain countries. So, even though a lot of people claim to have lived overseas in order to make themselves seem more impressive than they really are, in truth, they were just staying there instead. When they return to the country two years later, they self-proclaim to be people who have undergone ‘foreign education’. How amazing!”
As soon as Ruth said that, Johnson sneered again and said, “Such returnees are impressive on the surface, but rotten inside. The special department does not need useless good-for-nothings like that!”
He looked at Nora again and said, “Nora, seeing how you are still young, don’t always come late and leave early. If you have the time, it’s better if you study more instead! Do you think that just having a degree is enough? Even the lowest college degree required to join the special department is a Bachelor’s degree. There are even several people with Master’s degrees here! I heard that Damon is an MIT Computer Science graduate!”
Damon scratched his head at once, a little embarra.s.sed.
The Ma.s.sachusetts Inst.i.tute of Technology was one of the best universities in the world. MIT’S courses focused on science and engineering, and their computer science department was the best in the country! Damon’s academic qualifications were indeed very impressive, and he was indeed a rare talent in the special department.
He hurriedly said, “Captain Johnson, that’s nothing much to be proud of. Throw a stone randomly in New York and it would probably hit an MIT student.”
“Look at how humble he is!” Johnson pointed to Damon and said insinuatingly, “Everyone should learn from Damon!”
Damon became even more abashed. “What’s there to learn from me? No matter how great my computer skills are, they don’t even amount to one-tenth of Q or Y’s capabilities. I still have lots more to work on. Even if I am not as amazing as them, I should still at least maintain the gap between us, lest they leave me in the dust.”
Damon was a straightforward man. His words were sincere and came from the bottom of his heart.
However, he didn’t know that his words only gave Johnson even more of an excuse to reprimand Nora. He said, “Look at him, now that’s what I call the hope of the United States! If every single one of you is lazy, glib, and lacking in ambition, then how is the special department going to improve? How will we be able to crack the cases we were tasked with?!”
Everyone stopped talking.
Ruth spoke up again. “Captain Johnson, you can’t use an isolated incident to make demands of everyone.”
Johnson sneered, “Why not? As they say, geniuses are not scary. What’s scary is when the geniuses work even harder than you! Never mind that some people don’t have any academic qualifications, but shouldn’t they then put in even more effort to learn from their highly-educated co-workers? And ask them for advice? Do they think that they are already at the top of the world just because they’ve mastered a certain skill? There is no limit to learning! If you don’t advance, you will only fall behind. If you don’t pursue further studies, I’m afraid that your position as the number one surgeon will be replaced by someone else in a year or two!”
The front half of his words was only alluding to Nora’s ident.i.ty, but the latter half had directly singled out Nora.
Nora picked at her ears and looked at Johnson. She lifted her cat-like eyes slightly and said directly, “You might as well just straight-up call out my ID number.”
Johnson: “?”
Nora looked at him and marveled, “Are you really Morris’ mentor?”
Johnson frowned. “Of course I am!”
Nora heaved a silent sigh. “In that case, the fact that Morris could become the cautious man he is today must really be some kind of genetic mutation!”
Johnson: “?”
Nora glanced at him and scoffed, “Morris has already said just now that one should not belittle others when they don’t know any better. Captain Johnson, if your eyes are bad, I can change them to another pair for you. If possible, please go to the archives and take a look at my file before you make such a ruckus.”
After speaking, she turned and walked out. “What a huge din.”
Everyone: “?”
Everyone could only watch as Nora stepped through the main entrance and left. Johnson was infuriated. He pointed at her from the back and snapped, “What does she mean? Is she saying that I’m blind? She’s too arrogant! Even though her academic qualifications are low, she sure has a huge temper!”
“How dare she even tell me to take a look at her file! Hah, then I shall go and take a look!”
Johnson then took out his cell phone, logged in to his account, and accessed the archives.
He would take a look at that woman’s academic qualifications in front of everyone today so that all of them would know what exactly she was like!
The furious man connected the cell phone to the projector in the hall and displayed her education history on the wall.
Johnson then opened the file containing Nora’s personal information.
Nora looked cool and distant in her photo in the personal data section. The girl’s almond-shaped eyes looked straight ahead as if her gaze penetrated right into one’s heart through the screen, making one feel a little alarmed.
Position: External forensic doctor
Age: 25
Date of birth…
At last, Johnson looked at the section detailing Nora’s academic qualifications… When he did, he was stunned.
Next to him, the smug smile on Ruth’s face also froze.