Chapter Thirty-Three: The Pride of Heaven

Duan Hong and Luo Zhen stood beneath the shade of trees across from the school gate, eyes fixed on the entrance, waiting expectantly. When they saw Wu Tong emerge, the two teachers hurried over to her.

It wasn’t that no students had left after the first session, abandoning the exam, but Wu Tong’s appearance was different—they were certain of it.

Luo Zhenping handed Wu Tong a bottle of water, and together with Duan Hong, led her to the shade. “How did it go? Were the questions difficult? Did you finish the exam?”

“It was alright, I finished everything. Some of the problems in the second round were quite interesting!” Wu Tong replied simply. For her, none of it was too challenging.

Duan Hong and Luo Zhenping didn’t let Wu Tong’s relaxed tone lull them into thinking this year’s exam was easy. If Wu Tong found the problems interesting, the difficulty could only be imagined.

Fortunately, this year they had Wu Tong; they wouldn’t face total defeat. Perhaps she would even achieve something extraordinary! The two teachers escorted Wu Tong to the waiting car nearby, letting her study freely, and then returned to wait for the other students.

When the other students from the training class trickled out, faces weary and bleak, their eyes shimmered with unshed tears at the sight of their teachers. No words were needed—the teachers understood.

Patting their students on the shoulders in comfort, the teachers led them back to the car.

“Chin up, everyone! Regardless of the outcome, you all saw it through to the end—that alone is admirable. Take it as a chance to broaden your horizons and gain experience! Driver, let’s go find a place—lunch is on us teachers today!” Duan Hong called out encouragingly. It was almost one o’clock; they’d eat first, then bring the students back to school.

The results of the competition would only be released in November and would be sent to the school—they didn’t need to wait here.

The day after their return, the third-year group at Xincheng No. 1 High School began the semester’s second monthly exam. This time it was scheduled for the weekend, so no other grades had to vacate classrooms. They just needed to clear the desks during the weekend break.

For the second monthly exam, Wu Tong was once again assigned to the first examination hall. This time, however, she truly sat at seat number one, exam number 0001.

Wu Tong’s results were available the same evening: unsurprisingly, perfect scores in English, Math, and Science; 143 in Chinese, inching ever closer to perfection. Her total was 743—there was not the slightest sign of fatigue from yesterday’s high-level math competition. She pressed on, soaring ever higher!

That such a student had emerged from their own Xincheng No. 1 High! Every teacher who had taught Wu Tong straightened their backs with pride, and the entire third-year faculty shared in the glory.

Two days later, the honor roll was posted, with Wu Tong’s familiar name shining at the very top—full marks, dazzling yet again. The third-year students could only marvel at the unbridgeable gap between mortals and the divine.

The Demon King’s might still left them all trembling with awe!

With the competition over, all the students from the training class returned to their respective classrooms. Wu Tong, too, continued her self-study plan, balancing it with the intense third-year revision.

Her research into mathematics deepened, the beauty of logical reasoning proving ever more entrancing. To advance further, she also began studying college-level physics. If time permitted, she might take up organic chemistry as well, just to broaden her horizons.

In mid-November, another monthly exam for the third years: Wu Tong once again topped the charts with a score of 745. Everyone remarked that, for others, there was a limit to how high they could score, but for Wu Tong, the full 150 in English, Math, and Science seemed a given.

On the day the ranking was released, the principal of Xincheng No. 1 High received a call that brought double the joy.

“This is Xincheng No. 1 High!”

“Student Wu Tong, in this year’s National High School Mathematics League, achieved a perfect score in both rounds—300 points in total—ranking first in the province and, without dispute, first in the country. She has been awarded the provincial first prize and automatically becomes a member of the provincial team. In a month, she will represent the Central Plains in the National Olympiad in Mathematics!” The director from the Education Bureau relayed the news, his voice brimming with delight.

For this small, educationally underprivileged county to produce such a prodigy under his attentive watch—it was a source of immense pride!

“Principal Xiao, such an outstanding student deserves a proper reward!”

Before the papers were unsealed in the provincial capital, everyone speculated which school the perfect score belonged to. When they saw the unfamiliar name of Xincheng No. 1 High, the grading teachers and the provincial mathematics society had to stop and think, finally recalling that Xincheng County was under Tianzhong City, and contacted the local education bureau.

“Yes, Director Sun, absolutely!” Xiao Mingwei replied at once. “Wu Tong’s daily performance at school is equally stellar. She was promoted to third year at the start of September, and has topped all three monthly exams since, each time with perfect scores in English, Math, and Science. Just a few days ago, her total was an astonishing 745, nearly a perfect score!”

With such a talent emerging under his leadership, it was the perfect opportunity to report to his superiors. “She has the makings of a future champion! At the end of the month, there will be a joint exam among five provinces. Please look forward to Wu Tong’s performance!”

“In that case, I must meet this remarkable student!”

“I’ll make arrangements right away. At ten o’clock this noon, we’ll hold an award ceremony!”

...

Tuesday, ten in the morning—the entire student body and faculty were assembled on the sports field in their class lines, gathered before the flag-raising platform. Even the school leaders, rarely seen on ordinary days, stood beneath the platform.

With the sun climbing high, Principal Xiao Mingwei strode up onto the platform, beaming as he announced, “Congratulations to Wu Tong from Senior Three Science Class 1! In this year’s National High School Mathematics League, she achieved the nation’s only perfect score of 300, earning the provincial first prize. Wu Tong is now a member of the provincial team, and will represent Xincheng No. 1 High and our province in this year’s China Olympiad in Mathematics!”

“To this end, our school, together with the Education Bureau, awards her a prize of five thousand yuan as encouragement. Now, let’s invite Wu Tong to the stage to accept her award! May every student follow her example and bring honor to Xincheng and to our nation!”

In the instant of stunned silence that followed, the entire school erupted.

Heavens—300 points, a perfect score?

What did that even mean? Provincial first prize in the national league? Promoted to the provincial team? Competing in the national Olympiad?

Their school’s participants usually barely made a mark—had anyone ever broken a hundred, or two hundred points? Let alone dared dream of a perfect three hundred!

This was a breakthrough from zero for their school. No wonder Principal Xiao looked as if he’d drunk an elixir of youth today!

The teachers could hardly believe it, yet it felt only natural—Wu Tong’s brilliance made such achievements seem inevitable.

The whole student body buzzed. Now, little Xincheng could no longer contain the Demon King’s talents; she’d burst out of Xincheng, stormed the provincial capital, and was now aiming for the national stage. If someone said she could win at the International Olympiad, they wouldn’t be surprised either!