Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

”Here it is.”

With Jiang Xia’s very down-to-earth announcement, the Huaxia Team submitted their answer.

”Why is it so thick?”

”They must have used the wrong method, the stupidest possible one.”

”Looks like their luck has finally run out.”

”Yesterday was just a fluke.”

At that moment, the other eleven qualifying teams were united in their ridicule of the Huaxia Team.

The judges initially thought the same. Although they had praised Huaxia’s four solutions, they didn’t believe it was possible. Or rather, they thought it was utterly impossible.

It was impossible for anyone to write out four different solutions in just a few minutes.

If An Ning had known what they were wondering, she would have wanted to reply, ’You’re right.’

She hadn’t actually written all four solutions from the start. She had scribbled them down while everyone was expressing their disbelief and she was bantering with Jiang Xia. Her handwriting was a bit messy because she had been in a slight rush.

But if you were going to put on an act, you had to make it grand and impressive, to a level no one else could hope to reach.

As the saying goes, if you’re going to beat someone, beat them so thoroughly they never challenge you again.

”Is this for real?”

”It looks like it. It all seems to be correct.”

”How is that possible!”

”Don’t talk!”

One judge loudly snapped at the other two who were talking. But not only did they not argue back, they joined the first judge, their heads huddled together as they stared at the thick stack of papers.

The eleven competing teams looked at each other in confusion, not understanding what was happening.

Why were all the judges looking only at the Huaxia Team’s answer and not theirs?

Why did the judges seem so agitated? What were they so agitated about?

And why hadn’t the six qualifying teams been announced yet? Were they going to wait until tomorrow?

Unconsciously, the teams’ gazes fell upon the host, who finally had no choice but to go up and ask.

”Gentlemen—”

”Shut up!”

”Quiet!”

The host’s expression turned ugly, but he didn’t dare press the matter. He just returned to his spot and said, ”Let’s just wait.”

The other teams grew inexplicably anxious. The Huaxia Team’s answer...

Everyone looked around for the Huaxia Team, only to realize they had already sat down.

While the other teams anxiously awaited the announcement, the Huaxia Team was casually sitting down and resting. Some members even had their heads down on the table, dozing off.

The one dozing off was none other than An Ning.

’I wrote so much. My arm is a little sore. I don’t want to move.’

The competition ended at one o’clock, but all the teams waited until five in the afternoon. The judges were still at it.

Finally, the waiting teachers and the event organizers couldn’t sit still any longer. At the risk of being yelled at, they roused the engrossed judges.

”Gentlemen, everyone is waiting for you to announce the results.”

”Could you please announce the six qualifying teams? They haven’t had lunch or dinner yet.”

The interrupted judges all wore sour expressions. Annoyed, they roughly announced the qualifying teams.

”The Huaxia Team qualifies.”

”The Huaxia Team qualifies.”

”The Huaxia Team qualifies.”

All the judges said this in unison. Only after the host reminded them did they remember there were five other teams.

It was also at this moment that they realized they hadn’t even finished looking at the other teams’ answers.

”Well, wait a moment then. We’ll look at them now.”

The other answer sheets, which had been pushed to a forgotten corner, were brought over by the judges. They gave them a cursory glance and finally announced the other five qualifying teams.

The stark difference in their attitude left everyone feeling unconvinced.

”I demand you release the answers! We question the integrity of this competition!”

”That’s right! We seriously doubt the fairness and impartiality of this competition.”

The temporary captains of several teams stepped forward one by one, acting as if they had suffered some great injustice.

One of the judges, who was eager to get back to studying the solutions, stood up impatiently and questioned the organizers, ”Are we the judges or not? Why are students allowed to question us so easily?”

The organizer was at a loss for words. Handling this well was his job; failing to do so would be a professional mistake.

”That’s not what they mean, that’s not it at all. They just want to see the other teams’ answers so they can learn from them. They want to learn.”

The judge shot the organizer a harsh glare before turning his gaze to the questioning students.

”We were just as disbelieving as you. But sometimes, we must admit that some people are simply a cut above the rest.”

The judge looked toward the quietly waiting Huaxia Team and sighed inwardly. ’Huaxia truly is a magical country.’

’Just like those people years ago who risked their lives to return to their motherland... I think I’m starting to understand why.’

”Since you all want to see, then go ahead and take a look.”

The judge, knowing full well what they wanted, took out the Huaxia Team’s answer and displayed it for the other teams to see.

”This is the team you all *really* wanted to see, isn’t it?”

The question left the other team captains speechless.

’But did you really have to ask so bluntly? Couldn’t we have just left it unsaid?’

As it turned out, they couldn’t.

The Huaxia Team’s answer was put on display. The handwriting was neat, the problem-solving process was clear, and the explanation was so concise and straightforward that anyone could understand it at a glance.

Just the solutions to the first two problems were enough to silence some of the disgruntled teams.

’Their methods are better than ours.’

”I don’t understand. Why does Huaxia get to qualify in first place? Our answers aren’t bad either.”

One of the captains spoke up. After getting a nod of agreement from his colleagues, a judge took out three sheets of paper and reluctantly placed them down.

”With your skill level, you can probably understand up to this point.”

’What does that mean?’

Several captains stepped forward again. When they saw the first of the three pages, they gasped.

”Is this...? Impossible!”

”Is this real? How could it be? That’s a famous unsolved problem in mathematics! It’s not something that can just be solved.”

The captains’ words made everyone in the outer circle realize that something incredible had happened.

The Huaxia Team solved one of the world’s great mathematical problems? How is that possible?

Could it be that they had already solved it back in Huaxia and just hadn’t published it?

But could anyone really resist publishing such an achievement?

They asked themselves and knew they couldn’t.

In academia, one might not care about money or fame, but if you solved one of the world’s great problems, you would still want the world to know.

”Let me see!”

”Let me see!”

”Oh my god, it looks like it’s real.”

”How would you know it’s real? You can’t even solve it.”

”Exactly! How do we know this answer is correct?”

One question after another was raised, but the people they were asking gave no reply.

An Ning, who had rested until she felt weary, finally stood up. She led the Huaxia team forward. This time, no one blocked them; in fact, a path was cleared for them.

”Um, sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if the competition is over? We’re hungry.”