Qin Libin: “Jiang Fuyue’s innovative use of inequality judgment to determine the concavity and convexity of water surfaces in the experimental section regarding magnetic permeability of water is unprecedented among over two hundred participating countries. This demonstrates innovative thinking. Therefore, I believe the Special Prize should be awarded to her.”
Leader of Country R immediately stood up: “Chiba Tosaki combined the three major theorems of seismic waves—transverse waves and longitudinal waves—in the theoretical section on spring problems, showing interdisciplinary integration and extensive knowledge accumulation. I think the Special Prize should be awarded to him!”
Qin Libin stood up again: “Speaking of the theoretical spring problem, Jiang Fuyue also made innovative considerations in the proof steps of the final sub-question…”
Leader of Country R: “Chiba Tosaki also in this question…”
The leaders of the two countries clashed fiercely, unwilling to yield an inch.
They were all fighting for their country’s honor.
Indeed, the two perfect scores belonged to Jiang Fuyue and Chiba Tosaki!
With scores tied, the focus shifted to the problem-solving approaches, determining who deserved the prize.
This debate continued for nearly two hours.
Qin Libin almost praised Jiang Fuyue to the skies.
The leader of Country R was equally insistent, even more anxious than Qin Libin.
With four contestants from Country R eliminated, only Chiba Tosaki winning more awards could make up for it and suppress China!
To take down the opponent, he even reviewed Jiang Fuyue’s answer sheet multiple times, scrutinizing every step, trying to find deductions to apply for a reevaluation.
This way, no one could compete with Chiba Tosaki, and naturally, the Special Prize would be his.
Unfortunately, after looking for a long time, his eyes were tired and he couldn’t find any mistakes, not even a single symbol.
Qin Libin continued to explain the superiority of Jiang Fuyue’s problem-solving method, articulately and logically.
It seemed like there was too much to say.
It wasn’t because he was bragging, but because Jiang Fuyue’s problem-solving approach indeed had so many surprises!
If not for this public analysis, everyone might never have noticed.
A person’s excellence is not only reflected in the large aspects but also in the small details, just like Jiang Fuyue, who handled even the smallest details perfectly.
Qin Libin couldn’t help but admire the power of his country’s “little cabbage,” no wonder so many people regarded her highly and even foreigners wanted to recruit her.
Finally, under the intervention of the presiding chairman, the debate between the two sides temporarily ceased.
“There is only one Special Prize, this is beyond doubt. Who to award it to and by what criteria, I think this is what we should focus our discussion on. Do you agree?”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The presiding chairman glanced specifically at Qin Libin and the leader of Country R.
The former immediately stated frankly, “Our side agrees.”
The latter, however, frowned tightly, looking dissatisfied. “What else is there to discuss? According to statistics from the World Health Organization, men of the same age group are obviously more inclined towards physical thinking and can better construct physical frameworks. Whether from personal strength, future development of the two individuals, or contributions to the physics community, Chiba Tosaki has an absolute advantage!”
Qin Libin immediately sneered, “I disagree with the leader of Country R! This is gender discrimination!”
Yan Zhenfeng sitting beside him vigorously nodded: That’s right! This guy is talking nonsense!
If his spoken language were as good as Qin Libin’s, he would have wanted to stand up immediately and argue with the other for three hundred rounds!
“Madame Curie, Ms. Mayer, they are all great physicists who have won Nobel Prizes. He Zehui and Wu Jianxiong have also shone in the field of physics. What basis does the representative of Country R have to bring up gender? It’s simply absurd!”
Leaders from various countries expressed their agreement.
“Gender does not determine a person’s physics talent. While physics talent has some influence, it cannot completely determine one’s physics achievements. If gender alone is used as a basis for selection, it will probably make people around the world laugh.”
“Leader of Country R’s remarks are a strong insult to our women. Please forgive me for not being able to continue staying in the same space as him.” With that, she left in anger.
“It took us thousands of years to gradually promote the concept of gender equality, and today, a historical regression occurs in an international formal meeting.”
“Is Country R here to joke?”
“…”
Seeing that emotions were getting heated among everyone, the presiding chairman immediately reprimanded the leader of Country R.
The latter turned pale like an eggplant hit by frost.
Finally, a leader from a certain country in F continent suggested that Jiang Fuyue and Chiba Tosaki be brought to the scene to explain their problem-solving approaches in front of the leaders of various countries and mutually find faults.
This was equivalent to the Challenge Phase, aiming to assassinate each other.
Whoever could find more faults would receive the Special Prize.
Qin Libin and Yan Zhenfeng agreed.
The leader of Country R could only nod: “But what if neither of us finds faults in the other?”
The presiding chairman said, “Then we will choose based on whose problem-solving approach is superior.”
“What criteria define ‘superior’?”
“Simple, practical, and requires the fewest necessary steps.”
If simplicity and practicality were abstract, you could argue either way; however, “requires the fewest necessary steps” was concrete.
At present, Jiang Fuyue’s problem-solving approach was indeed more straightforward and concise than Chiba Tosaki’s.
The audience waited as the tension mounted.
The secretary-general personally went to the hotel to invite them.
…
“Now?” Jiang Fuyue looked at the secretary-general in front of her, who had no hint of joking in his expression, raising an eyebrow involuntarily.
“Yes, please come with me.”
Jiang Fuyue stood up, and Huo Fanjin clenched her fists behind her, shouting, “Captain, go for it!”
But internally, she was shaken by the news she had just heard. Jiang Fuyue had scored full marks and was still competing for the Special Prize against Chiba Tosaki!
This was the IPhO! An international physics competition, and it was even based on questions set by the notoriously difficult Country D! And, she had scored full marks!
Huo Fanjin truly admired her.
Thinking back to how she had provocatively challenged Jiang Fuyue at the opening ceremony, boasting about competing with her in problem-solving, now she felt utterly foolish and ignorant.
“Sigh! Where did my confidence and courage come from?” Huo Fanjin covered her face with both hands.
She probably looked like a clown in Jiang Fuyue’s eyes back then, right?
Too embarrassing…
Back to Jiang Fuyue, she followed the secretary-general to the hotel lobby.
Chiba Tosaki was already waiting at the door, his innocent face smiling warmly.
“Congratulations on the full marks and gold medal,” he offered his congratulations first.
Jiang Fuyue remained expressionless, her tone flat, “Likewise.”
“I heard we’re here for the Special Prize. Who do you think will win in the end, you or me?”
Jiang Fuyue replied calmly, “Without the results, it’s just speculation.”
Chiba Tosaki asked, “Do you think you can find faults in my work?”
The girl smirked, “You’ll know once I’ve tried.”
“There’s an idiom in Chinese—’awaiting with bated breath.’ I think it suits the current situation well, don’t you?”
“I think ‘the outcome remains uncertain until the deer dies’ is more apt.”
Soon, the car arrived.
After they got in, the journey was silent.
Finally, fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the meeting venue.
They were given five minutes by the organizing committee to adjust their state and for the leaders of both countries to introduce the “assassination rules.”
Yan Zhenfeng: “…currently, you have the advantage. If neither of you can find errors in each other’s work, then the prize will go to the side with the fewest necessary steps. I just checked, and your necessary steps are fewer than Chiba Tosaki’s.”
Jiang Fuyue nodded in acknowledgement.
“So, don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
Five minutes later.
The presiding chairman announced, “Please take your positions. The entire Challenge Phase will last fifty minutes. During this period, you can point out flaws or errors in each other’s problem-solving steps. Time starts now—”
Jiang Fuyue received Chiba Tosaki’s theoretical and experimental papers but didn’t start from the beginning. Instead, she flipped through them at a high frequency, almost carelessly turning the pages with a crisp sound in her hands.
Leaders from various countries looked bewildered, exchanging glances.
Even Chiba Tosaki couldn’t help but glance at her, showing a mocking expression.
Yan Zhenfeng and Qin Libin were also stunned, the same question popping up in their minds—
What is Jiang Fuyue doing?
How can she see anything by flipping through like this?
Shouldn’t she be going through each question one by one?
“…Old Yan, why do I feel a bit worried?” Qin Libin nervously unscrewed his bottled water and gulped it down.
Yan Zhenfeng: “I’m even more worried than you are.” His back had already started to sweat, and his hands were trembling unconsciously.
Ten minutes passed, and neither of them had found any mistakes in the other’s work.
Another ten minutes went by, still nothing.
Forty minutes flew by in the blink of an eye, and only the last ten minutes remained…
