My IQ has been increasing year by year.

Chapter 74 Opening Ceremony and Procedures

In June, the morning breeze in Beijing carries a hint of the dryness characteristic of the North.

Unlike the humid heat of the south, the sunlight streamed through the glass revolving doors of the hotel lobby, casting a bright golden hue on the floor tiles.

7:30 in the morning.

The buses arranged by the organizing committee are already parked on the auxiliary road outside the hotel.

Several buses lined up in a row, their engines emitting a deep roar, their exhaust fumes rising in the morning light, creating a slightly distorted cloud of air.

Teams from various provinces were emerging from the hotel one after another, searching for their province's license plates as instructed by their team leaders.

Fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boys, carrying schoolbags and wearing loose summer clothes, gathered in twos and threes.

Some people were discussing the TV programs they watched last night, some were complaining about being sleepy from waking up early, and others were wearing headphones and gently swaying their heads as they walked.

The place was bustling with voices, a mix of dialects from all over the country.

A vibrant energy, unique to this age.

Professor Wang walked at the front, holding the cup steadily in his hand.

A freshly brewed strong tea is being steeped, with a few tea leaves swirling on the surface of the water.

He didn't urge the students behind him, but walked at a leisurely pace, occasionally nodding and greeting acquaintances he passed by.

Chen Zhuo followed half a step behind Professor Wang.

Today he wore a plain white short-sleeved shirt, dark sweatpants, and carried a black backpack (a new one he bought before coming, with patches).

Holding several competition certificates, he was checking the number of participants and their information with the volunteers accompanying him at the car door.

Zhou Kai had his hands in his pockets, his eyes fixed on the line of people waiting to board the bus.

Miao Shi'an walked beside Zhou Kai, holding a bottle of mineral water in his hand, his expression gentle.

He Gui, carrying his schoolbag, followed closely beside Miao Shi'an, his eyes curiously observing the morning street scene of the capital.

Wang Huashao was arguing with Lin Yi.

He pointed to a breakfast stall by the roadside and declared every day that fried carbohydrates were the ladder of human progress.

She squinted and gave a perfunctory reply, her steps slow and deliberate, the rubber soles of her canvas shoes making a soft rustling sound as they scraped against the sidewalk.

"Jiangsu Province Team, Car Number Two."

After checking the information, Chen Zhuo turned around and waved to his teammates behind him.

Several people boarded the bus one by one.

The air conditioning in the carriage was on full blast, instantly shutting out the heat outside.

Everyone found seats in the back of the carriage.

Chen Zhuo and He Gui sat in a row, Zhou Kai and Wang Huashao sat in front of them, and Miao Shi'an and Lin Yi sat in the aisle next door.

It's exactly eight o'clock.

The bus doors slowly closed.

The convoy started moving and smoothly merged into the morning rush hour traffic in Beijing.

The scenery outside the window began to recede into the distance.

The area transitions from a commercial district filled with high-rise buildings to a wide ring road.

The overpasses crisscross, and the traffic flowing beneath them resembles a slowly moving metal river.

The carriage was somewhat noisy.

The groups from other provinces ahead of us were excitedly discussing whether they could sneak out in the afternoon to buy some souvenirs.

Wang, who spoke little, leaned against the car window, looking at the iconic buildings outside, muttering to himself.

Zhou Kai leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and breathed evenly.

The bus traveled through the city for about forty minutes.

The architectural style of the surrounding buildings began to change.

Modern buildings with glass curtain walls and reinforced concrete are gradually decreasing, replaced by rows of tall poplar trees and red brick and gray tile buildings hidden behind their canopies.

A profound and quiet academic atmosphere permeated the air, carried by the wind seeping in through the cracks in the car windows.

The convoy turned into the gate of Peking University.

There were no fancy banners hanging at the entrance.

Only a few security guards in uniform were checking license plate information.

The bus slowly drove along the wide, tree-lined avenue on campus.

Sunlight filters through the lush foliage on both sides of the road, casting dappled shadows on the asphalt surface.

Occasionally, you can see students riding old-fashioned bicycles by the roadside, their baskets filled with thick books.

In the distance, on the playground, people are jogging in the morning.

This is an academic mecca in the hearts of countless students.

Even the air seemed to carry a different kind of sedimentation.

The car eventually stopped in front of a grand hall with a strong European architectural style.

Huge gray columns, towering steps, dark red brick walls.

The marks of time have left mottled marks on this building, but they only make it appear more solemn.

"Get off the bus and take your belongings with you."

Professor Wang stood up and greeted them.

The students disembarked from the bus one after another.

They merged into the flow of people heading towards the main entrance of the auditorium.

Step onto the high granite steps and pass through the heavy wooden double doors.

The auditorium's interior space is surprisingly large.

A row of huge, old-fashioned chandeliers hangs from the high dome, emitting a soft yellow light.

The dark red velvet seats are arranged in a fan shape, extending layer by layer backward to the second-floor stands.

There were already quite a few people sitting inside.

Hundreds of junior high school students from all over the country gathered here.

The sounds of conversation, rummaging, and footsteps mingled together, creating a low, buzzing noise under the empty dome.

A kind of vibrant, yet somewhat expectant, noise.

Chen Zhuo led his team to the designated area belonging to the Jiangsu Province team.

It's located slightly towards the back of the middle.

Everyone took their seats in turn.

The wooden armrests of the seats have been worn smooth, revealing the wood grain underneath.

He Gui sat in his seat, looking around curiously.

He looked at the rows of students in the front, all wearing the same school uniform, and whispered a question to Chen Zhuo next to him.

"Captain, which province are they from?"

Chen Zhuo followed his gaze and glanced at him.

"Judging from the color of the name tag, it should be from Beijing or Shanghai."

He Gui nodded, looked away, and placed his hands neatly on his knees.

Nine o'clock sharp.

The lights in the auditorium gradually dimmed.

The somewhat noisy buzzing sound, like the receding tide, quickly diminished and eventually subsided.

The lights on the podium came on.

A long table covered with red velvet, a few chairs, and several standing microphones.

There was no host to introduce the program, and there were no artistic performances.

Several elderly people with gray hair came out from backstage and sat down behind the long table.

Some of them were dressed in neat Zhongshan suits, while others wore ordinary jackets.

He looked like an ordinary retired old man taking a walk on campus.

The elderly man sitting in the middle adjusted the angle of the microphone.

"Welcome to Beijing, students."

The old man's voice resonated throughout the entire auditorium through the huge speakers on both sides.

His voice was a little hoarse, he spoke slowly, and had a slight regional accent, but his pronunciation was very clear.

The students below the stage unconsciously sat up straight.

The old man turned to a page in front of him.

"I am the head of the question-setting team for this competition, and I am very happy to see so many young faces below."

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the auditorium.

"The fact that you are sitting here shows that you have a talent and work hard in physics that surpasses your peers."

"In your respective schools, you may be used to getting perfect scores and having a standard answer for every question."

The old man's tone became somewhat serious.

"But today I want to tell you that true physics often has no standard answers."

"Our country is currently in a stage of rapid development. Our industry, our aerospace, our semiconductors, all require the support of basic science."

"We need not only people who can solve problems, but also people who can raise questions and solve practical problems."

The old man didn't spout any empty platitudes.

He was talking about the reality of physics, the nation's thirst for basic science, and the daily perseverance in those tedious laboratories.

These are pragmatic, even somewhat somber, words.

A wonderful resonance was created in this historically rich auditorium.

The junior high school students in the audience listened quietly.

No one made a loud noise, and no one seemed impatient.

This grand and authentic narrative reflects the unique sense of honor that belongs to their group.

For once, Wang Huashao didn't lose focus; he looked at the old man on the stage, lost in thought.

Zhou Kai leaned forward slightly, listening intently.

Chen Zhuo leaned back in his chair.

He looked at the senior figures on the stage.

Their words contained no emphasis on grades, only reverence for the truth.

This atmosphere gave Chen Zhuo a long-lost sense of comfort.

The old man's speech lasted for about twenty minutes.

Finally, he closed the page in front of him.

"Alright, I won't go on with the grand principles."

A gentle smile appeared on the old man's face.

"The time from now on belongs to you."

He turned to look at a middle-aged man sitting next to him.

"The Secretary-General of the Competition Organizing Committee will now announce the specific schedule for the next two days."

The middle-aged man pulled over the microphone.

Good morning, students and teachers.

He went straight to the point without any preamble.

"This national finals is divided into two parts: individual competition and team competition."

"Tomorrow, we will have the individual competition."

Everyone in the auditorium pricked up their ears.

The specific arrangements are as follows.

"The individual written theory test will be held tomorrow morning from 9:00 to 12:00, and the test will last for three hours."

There are two hours for rest and lunch at noon.

"From 2 PM to 5 PM, there will be an individual experimental operation exam, which will also last for three hours."

"The team competition will be held the day after tomorrow."

A low, barely suppressed buzzing sound suddenly filled the huge auditorium.

Wang, who was sitting in front of Chen Zhuo, couldn't help but turn his head and mutter something in a low voice.

"Damn, another one-day-and-afternoon exam? I thought it would be split into two days."

A boy from another province nearby quietly chimed in.

Zhou Kai did not participate in the criticism.

He frowned slightly and glanced at his watch.

My mind has already started automatically calculating how to allocate my time tomorrow, and how to most effectively recover my energy during those two hours at noon.

Lin Yi waved his hand dismissively.

"The sooner you die, the sooner you'll be free. You'll be liberated at 5 PM. That's great."

Chen Zhuo sat in his seat, his expression unchanged.

For this group of people who had been tormented by Professor Wang day and night for half a month in Nanjing, six hours of high-intensity output a day was not really an extreme challenge.

He turned his head and looked at He Gui beside him, whose brows were slightly furrowed and who seemed a little nervous.

"Return to peace."

Chen Zhuo's voice was gentle, carrying a soothing power.

"After lunch tomorrow, whether I can sleep or not, I will close my eyes and doze off for twenty minutes in my chair."

"By forcing your brain to shut down for a while, you won't feel tired during the afternoon's experiments."

Upon hearing Chen Zhuo's words, He Gui's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and he nodded earnestly.

"Okay, I've got it."

The secretary-general on the podium tapped the microphone, signaling everyone to be quiet.

"That's the schedule. I hope everyone can manage their energy wisely."

"The opening ceremony is now over. At 2 p.m., the organizing committee will arrange for each team to go to the examination room to get used to the laboratory in advance."

"Please make arrangements for the students' lunch and rest."