Chapter Thirty-Eight: Rallying the Spirits

Coach Zhang Ping, who had called Wu Tong to the stage to solve the problem, was momentarily at a loss for words. He had intended to gauge her ability, not to have her dismantle the entire process and strip the table bare! Well then, now he understood—this new, meteoric talent, the provincial champion who had surpassed all others, was truly formidable. He had heard she had skipped directly from freshman to junior year, teaching herself the entire high school mathematics curriculum. To handle the Lagrange Mean Value Theorem with such ease, it seemed she had thoroughly mastered advanced mathematics—perhaps even beyond that!

To reach this level through self-study, her talent in mathematics was nearly unmatched among the students he had encountered. If not entirely unprecedented, it was certainly rare; perhaps she could even be compared to last year's extraordinary IMO perfect scorer.

Whatever the case, the student was outstanding. For the Central Plains provincial team, her arrival was nothing short of a blessing—a star descending from the heavens.

“Excellent, Wu Tong, you may return to your seat. Just don’t disrupt the lessons; otherwise, do as you wish. Remember, for the Olympiad exam, don’t use university-level methods for the big questions!” Otherwise, she’d have to first prove the Lagrange Mean Value Theorem before applying it, which would be a waste of time.

“Everyone else, please look at the blackboard. Taking advantage of Wu Tong’s solution, I’ll briefly go over the Lagrange Mean Value Theorem and dissect this problem!” They were all high school students; regardless of how convoluted the high school method was, they still had to solve problems within the exam syllabus.

He reviewed the theorem for the other students, just to broaden their horizons. A few might have encountered this material, but surely none could handle it as deftly as Wu Tong had just done. If there were several more such prodigies, he could retire right now as head coach!

Wu Tong returned to her seat. Given the permission to arrange her own studies, she didn’t hesitate. She pulled out the elementary number theory she was currently researching, flipped to yesterday’s section, and began to work out derivations with pen and paper.

Students who glimpsed the cover of Wu Tong’s book reacted as if struck by lightning—it was a deeply advanced university textbook, wasn’t it? While they were still struggling with high school material, she was already venturing into university-level research. Once more, the chasm between mortals and the divine was apparent.

No comparison, no comparison—they now hoped the competition would begin quickly, so this genius could unleash her abilities on the national stage.

But time would not pass more quickly because of anyone’s anticipation, nor would it linger for anyone’s reluctance.

That evening, Coach Zhang Ping led the team, assisted by Young Zhang, to a pre-competition morale-boosting dinner for the ten squad members. Afterwards, both teachers personally escorted the students back to the dormitory area, with Young Zhang ensuring the students entered their rooms.

Wu Tong and Feng Yueyue entered their dorm together. They were only nodding acquaintances, having barely interacted before. After exchanging greetings, they each washed up and rested.

Truth be told, before meeting Wu Tong, Feng Yueyue had been rather unwilling to accept her own defeat. She was also a girl, both her parents university professors, who had been exposed to mathematics since childhood under her family’s guidance. She believed few could match her. But after being outperformed, trailing by a full forty points, her pride was shattered. She resolved to recover her standing during training.

Yet, to her surprise, Wu Tong hadn’t even participated in the training. Today’s display made it clear that the gap between them was real and substantial. While Feng Yueyue struggled to derive solutions, Wu Tong glanced at the problems and immediately produced answers. She truly experienced what it meant for there to always be someone better, for the sky to extend beyond the sky. She needed to work harder still.

Wu Tong was already studying elementary number theory; Feng Yueyue needed to finish advanced mathematics quickly and catch up.

Early the next morning, under Young Zhang’s call, everyone got up, packed, and boarded the prearranged minibus, which took them to Shangdu Airport. They boarded a flight to Qiong Province.

They first flew to Yecheng, the provincial capital, then took a coach to Qiongyai High School in Donghai City, the competition venue. This year’s National High School Mathematical Olympiad (CMO) was hosted here, near the headquarters of the Boao Forum for Asia. Wu Tong remembered that the Boao Airport hadn’t yet opened, so there was no direct route to Donghai.

Qiongyai High School, with a century of illustrious history, had survived wartime relocations, steadfast in its mission, its educational traditions unbroken, its revolutionary spirit enduring. Their group arrived by afternoon, checked into the designated CMO hotel, registered, and began to rest.

On the morning of the 13th, the Chinese Mathematical Society and Qiongyai High School held the opening ceremony. Guided by the organizers, they toured the school—most striking was the ancient, elegant, and imposing Red Building.

The Central Plains provincial team took a group photo in front of the Red Building, which would be archived as a record of this year’s team. During the tour, Wu Tong snapped distinctive photos and sent them to the family QQ group, sharing her fresh impressions with relatives anxiously awaiting news from afar.

The day before, upon arrival at the hotel, Wu Tong had already assured her family she was safe.

Qiongyai High School, as a top-tier school in Qiong Province and a key institution in an economically robust city, was supported by famous alumni and donations. Its facilities were comprehensive: a grand multi-purpose building, a renowned teaching block, advanced sports and arts halls, a richly stocked library, comfortable and elegant classrooms…

Such conditions made Wu Tong’s alma mater, New City No. 1 High, seem utterly shabby by comparison. Even teammates from other Central Plains key schools were full of envy. Shangdu No. 1 and No. 7 were prestigious old schools, but their buildings, though venerable, couldn’t match the affluent and modern facilities of Shangdu Foreign Languages Academy, let alone the cutting-edge amenities here.

Many contestants, feeling a pang of resentment, resolved to perform well, to use their achievements to overshadow those born to privilege, and to prove the value of their own austere, hardworking style.

Back at the hotel, Zhang Ping gathered the students for a final motivational meeting.

Looking at the ten students before him, he spoke with solemn earnestness: “Students, you are the elite selected from the Central Plains. I have no doubt about your abilities and talents, which will allow you to thrive in mathematics even after you enter university.

Now, as a battle-hardened force, I hope you will uphold our party’s victorious spirit, show your true skills, fight this campaign brilliantly, and display the style of our Central Plains. Let Central Plains be proud of you!”

“No problem!” the ten contestants replied in unison, resolute and full of longing.

“Huang Donghui, be careful when solving problems. Read the questions thoroughly—I’ve seen your league papers, and if you were a bit more meticulous, your scores would be even higher! ... Li Zihan, when tackling problems, make sure your thinking is flexible and quick—mathematics is a game of logic, so clarity is essential! ... Feng Yueyue, during the exam, keep your mindset steady and balance your sense of gain and loss!” Zhang Ping went through each contestant’s points of attention one by one.