The countdown tir for the International Physics Olympiad echoed through the hall.
On the massive screen, the submission order for various national teams refreshed one after another:
"Team USA: Submitted successfully, ti taken: 2 hours 31 minutes."
"Team Japan: Submitted successfully, ti taken: 2 hours 33 minutes."
"Team Russia: Submitted successfully, ti taken: 2 hours 40 minutes."
"..."
After submitting their own results, the competitors finally relaxed enough to watch the scores on the big screen.
By comparison, the Chinese team stood out like a sore thumb.
A Russian team mber pushed up his glasses. "The Chinese team was actually fifteen minutes faster than the Aricans. Did they skip the verification process just to get the bonus points for finishing first?"
"Too fast," a French competitor said, narrowing his eyes. "They are either lunatics or geniuses."
Jackson from the USA stared at the screen, a cold sneer playing on his lips. He turned to his teammates and announced loudly, "It seems so people have forgotten the basic rigor of scientific research. In a real physics competition, speed is aningless. Precision is king!"
He dragged out the last word, his voice dripping with undisguised mockery.
The captain of the German team adjusted his glasses, his expression steady. "Our data has undergone triple verification. Our error rate will not exceed 0.5%."
The Japanese captain bowed slightly, his voice laced with hidden sharpness. "Our country’s experintal precision has always been the industry benchmark."
Su Ronghua clenched his fingers until his knuckles turned white. He lowered his voice and spoke to his teammate, Song Huai. "Rong Yu is too conceited... In a competition of this caliber, there’s no point in rushing. Precision is the key. If we are disqualified because of an accuracy error, does she have any idea how severe the consequences will be?"
Song Huai frowned. He didn't agree with the sentint, but he didn't speak up to refute it.
Sheng Ciyuan’s cold voice drifted over. "Student Su, you actually think there will be an error in precision? Or rather, are you hoping for one?"
Su Ronghua was choked for words. He had always been the core of the team, but now, being isolated like this made his expression turn incredibly unsightly.
Once all countries had submitted their results, the display on the screen suddenly changed. It revealed the theoretical exact values provided by the official committee alongside a comparison of each team’s error rate:
"Team China: Error Rate, 0.001%."
"Team USA: Error Rate, 0.1%."
"Team Japan: Error Rate, 0.25%."
"Team Germany: Error Rate, 0.43%."
"..."
"Oh my God, our error is only zero point one!" Jackson’s eyes widened. "This is the lowest error we've had since training began. I knew first place belonged to us..."
"No, I say, you're celebrating too early..." a Russian nearby kindly reminded him. "If you would just move your eyes and look at the Chinese team’s error rate."
"It’s impossible for anyone to be lower than zero point one, what..." Jackson stared, counting the zeros. He suddenly slamd his hand on the table and stood up, his chair screeching harshly against the floor. His face turned bright red, and the veins on his temples bulged. "0.001%? Is that even possible? It’s absolutely impossible! It must be forged data!"
The German leader’s glasses slid to the tip of his nose, but he didn't even notice. He just stared fixedly at the screen. "0.001%... this value is terrifying."
A girl from the French team covered her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. "How did they even design their experint to achieve that?"
The Japanese captain, his shock fading into a cold tone, said, "China used to be our inferior; their education was backward and their physics departnt was pathetic. How could they calculate such a precise value? Either it’s luck, or they cheated."
Jackson strongly agreed with the Japanese captain, shouting loudly, "If the Hong Kong organizers do not investigate this thoroughly, then Hong Kong will lose its qualification to host international academic events in the future!"
Su Ronghua looked miserable. "Rong Yu, you actually faked the data? Do you know that if this behavior is proven, the Chinese team will be banned for at least three years? Do you have any idea what kind of devastating blow this will deal to our juniors in the future?"
Rong Yu spoke calmly. "Since things have reached this point, I don't think there is any need for you to question my ability anymore."
Sheng Ciyuan frowned. "Student Su, be quiet and listen to the judges."
Song Huai pursed his lips and patted Su Ronghua on the shoulder. "Trust the captain. There won't be a problem."
Su Ronghua fell silent.
On the judging panel sat twelve judges from various countries. However, because the competition was held in Hong Kong, the chief judge was a local. He stood up, his face possessing an unquestionable authority.
"The experintal data of the Chinese team has been re-tested by the committee’s instrunts and confird to be correct."
His voice, resonant as a bell, was broadcast into everyone’s ears. The venue fell deathly silent.
The chief judge paused, his gaze sweeping across the room. "This is the lowest error record in the experintal segnt of the International Physics Olympiad in the last decade."
Jackson’s face had turned from bright red to a deathly pale. His lips trembled, but he couldn't make a sound. His mind flashed back to his pre-match mockery of the Chinese team, where he had called Chinese physics "trash." Now, those words felt like a slap delivered directly to his face.
He suddenly turned toward the referee’s bench. "This... this is simply impossible! It’s ridiculous! I demand a re-test! They must have cheated!"
The Japanese leader rose slowly and bowed ninety degrees. "Forgive , judges. Although it is rude to say so, I also believe..."
He appeared polite, but his words were extrely offensive. He was halfway through his sentence when he was coldly interrupted by the chief judge. "If you continue to make groundless accusations, the USA and Japan will be disqualified from the competition."
Jackson’s fists clenched until his knuckles cracked, but he couldn't say another word. He felt as if the entire world was spinning. He saw competitors from other countries casting admiring glances at the Chinese team; he saw the appreciation on the judges' faces; and he saw Rong Yu’s calm yet radiant figure...
Beside him, the Japanese captain looked at Jackson, hoping he would cause more of a scene, but unfortunately, Jackson stayed quiet.
The judging panel began to announce the nas of the twelve countries advancing to the finals.
Rong Yu turned back to her teammates. "We advanced in first place."
Sheng Ciyuan cheered loudly. "Great! That’s amazing! Rong Yu, you are literally my goddess!"
The people who had originally questioned Rong Yu's leadership now spoke up sincerely. "The entire frawork of the plan relied on the captain. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to take first place so smoothly."
These words were effectively a kick to Su Ronghua. He turned around and walked out of the arena without saying a word.
Rong Yu and her teammates packed up their equipnt and headed out the door, only to run straight into the Arican team.
Jackson had already regained his composure. He stood with his hands in his pockets, leaning against a pillar with a mocking curl to his lip. "Congratulations, Team China. Your luck is truly enviable."
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