To say "academic overlord" is definitely a joke.
A true academic overlord refers to those who, relying on power in academia, monopolize resources, suppress dissidents, and manipulate academic evaluation systems.
Intentionally making it difficult for submissions that compete with one's research direction, suppressing non-affiliated applicants in project reviews, using administrative power to fight for surplus resources for one's faction—these universally criticized behaviors are what constitute the so-called "academic overlords."
What Bai Qinghua mentioned is still within the scope of normal academic competition—at most, more targeted and aggressive.
Of course, in this context, Bai Qinghua saying this with such flair is still impressive.
Only Weng Pinting was very dismissive: "You're not even an academician yet, so don't talk big."
