Study Monster Cultivation System
Chapter 230 - 229 Return to the starting point

Exams are always relative.

The same test paper, when viewed from different perspectives, elicits a myriad of feelings.

Take Li Zheng for example. After doing the first two mechanics problems, his biggest realization was that this was more like a "Calculus Competition for High School Students."

It couldn’t be helped, because mechanics problems are just too classical. It’s hard to make any breakthroughs in terms of concepts and thinking, so one has to stir things up on the mathematical front instead.

And from Shi Yang’s point of view, it was an entirely different world.

For starters, it had already been 20 minutes since the exam began, and he hadn’t even looked at the second problem.

Simply because the problem about "a teacup placed on a table" was somewhat baffling to him—

[What is the optimal height of the tea in the cup to hold as much tea as possible while maintaining sufficient stability?]

What the hell is this question even asking?

Can physical terminology be so imprecise?

Should I try to solve it with a chemical method?

Fill it up and then freeze it into a block of ice? =+-ç÷èø

Bursting out with these bizarre ideas couldn’t really be blamed on Shi Yang.

The main problem was with the person who set the questions—Teacher Sun.

In fact, what this problem was asking was [What is the height of the tea in the cup to make its center of gravity as low as possible.]

If it had been phrased that way, Shi Yang probably could have scored some points.

But described with "as much as possible while maintaining sufficient stability," someone not sufficiently prepared for Physics Competitions might not even understand it.

Thus, after more than 20 minutes, Shi Yang could only look towards the second problem of pushing a cart.

Ha, this one I know.

That was what Shi Yang thought to himself.

He indeed quickly wrote down many mechanics formulas, ready to strut his stuff.

But soon he found himself being baptized by the force analysis of the flat cart and collision analysis.

Just like if someone asked you if you know how to walk.

Of course, you do.

Then that person transforms into an old Physics Competition question setter, offering up a problem with a smile.

"You do? Good, that makes things easier."

"Let’s say your weight is M, the length of your lower leg is L1, the length of your upper leg is L2, and your stride is L3..."

"Please calculate—"

"1: The maximum pressure your knee and ankle joints endure with each step you take."

"2: The maximum angle between your thighs with each step."

"3: Your left foot suddenly sprains, resulting in the contact time with the ground and the pressure it bears becoming one-fifth of the normal state, please recalculate the previous two questions under this condition."

If this happened on the street,

The old question setter would likely get beaten up.

Unfortunately, this was an examination hall.

And Shi Yang, even as a Chem Competitions king, faced with such a scenario, could only sigh in admiration.

Of course, Shi Yang wasn’t the only one sighing at that moment.

Even the seasoned Physics Competitions students were likely to be at a loss when faced with this terrifying second problem.

It felt like the question was just there to be contrarian, as if complaining about the test being too easy and insisting on including a problem nobody could solve.

And even if you managed to solve it, the amount of calculation required could keep you busy for half an hour.

Thus, the second problem, which Li Zheng managed to solve after some effort, had already been dubbed an ultra-difficult problem by most. They wrote a few formulas and ideas before giving up and moving onto the third problem.

This third problem started off quite strikingly—

[A simplified model of a certain electromagnetic railgun is shown in the figure…]

Upon seeing this, half of the people thought of "Cannon Sister," while the other half thought of "Bureau Chief."

And some thought of both.

These individuals, distracted by too many thoughts, typically met a grim end in the exam.

If one seriously studied this model of an electromagnetic cannon, they’d realize it was very similar to the one from the 32nd semifinal. Those who had completely mastered the questions from the past few years would find this to be free points.

If you haven’t done it before, just concentrate on analyzing the super electromagnetic cannon.

The fourth problem on oscillation was slightly less difficult, but as a brand-new problem without any templates, it was the kind that those with a strong foundation would manage to solve.

The fifth problem, concerning optics, was probably the easiest in the entire paper.

But calculus was still necessary, and optical problems were invariably geometric math problems.

Those who could get this far in the paper probably had some understanding.

Although there was still debate over whether physics or mathematics was more awesome,

The attitude of the person setting the questions was crystal clear:

Math is Dad. If you don’t know calculus, just go home.

The sixth question dealt with the Theory of Relativity, discussing the plethora of π mesons flying through cosmic rays.

A true veteran of competitions wouldn’t panic at all upon seeing such stuff.

Based on experience, things that seem especially profound and mysterious often only cover superficial content; they’re quite easy to calculate once understood.

It’s the pushing-a-cart kind of problems that are truly terrifying.

Finally, the seventh question, the last one.

Putting everything else aside, just the fact it was worth 70 points was enough to scare someone stiff.

This theory paper, with a full score of only 320, dedicates nearly 1/4 to this one question alone.

So it must be done seriously.

That’s what everyone says, but most people quickly lose the ability to continue taking it seriously.

Because the problem statement of this question takes up an entire page of the paper.

There are no paragraphs, and commas are rare, the page is dense with words and symbols.

Forget a physics exam, if it were on a language exam, it would count as a top-level reading comprehension question.

If counted carefully, this question’s text description alone is nearly 2000 characters long.

It’s longer than some online fiction authors’ chapters.

Undoubtedly, before this becomes a physics question, it is first and foremost a reading comprehension question.

Scores below 120 in language, out you go!

When Shi Yang got to this point, his gaze was blank; he had kicked the bucket.

Only those with meticulous minds, who dominate both language and physics, and also possess extreme endurance, who can grit their teeth and read through without paragraph breaks and commas, might have a chance to get a glimpse of understanding.

And Li Zheng, believed he was such a person.

Around the two-hour mark, he charged towards this ultimate question—

[Lightning is one of the most magnificent natural spectacles on Earth...]

(Get Ready, here it comes~)

[Gamma-ray bursts... thundercloud discharges... tiny ice crystals... cloud-to-ground lightning]

(Did you get that, buddy? If not, read it a few more times.)

[By utilizing... to measure a certain cylindrical space within the thundercloud’s electric field... 0.15 MV/m...]

[With a radius of 2.5 km and a height of 1.0 km. Calculate the electric potential difference between the top and bottom of the region, the total positive charge, and the total electric energy carried...]

[Given the dielectric constant of the vacuum ε=...]

(Come on, you can do it)

[During the charging process, the charges at the upper and lower ends of the thundercloud will exponentially increase over time...]

[When the ground electric field exceeds 1.0 kV/m, cloud-to-ground lightning will occur...]

[As the thundercloud slowly descends from high altitude, until its...]

[Attempt to estimate the surface electric field strength directly below this thundercloud.]

(To be honest, I really didn’t intend for you to understand this; even if you think you did, you really didn’t, and even if you actually understood it, rest assured, you still couldn’t solve it.)

Even Li Zheng, at this point, started to crumble a bit.

What’s terrifying is that this is just 1/3 of the question.

Li Zheng tried to scan quickly over the next 5 questions.

He seemed to see bizarre terms like "ball lightning," "ionosphere," "auroral expansion," and "microwave air voids."

It felt like reading a hardcore science fiction novel.

The problem is, in sci-fi novels, there’s usually a scientist to handle all this stuff, sparing the reader the effort.

But this time, sorry, you are the scientist.

So you think you’re awesome? You love physics, don’t you? Isn’t it your dream to create the future for humanity?

Come on then, here’s a calculator, now you do it.

Most people when they read this question feel their dreams shattering.

Even Li Zheng’s hand began to tremble as he held his pen, sweat accumulating on his forehead as he repeatedly read the question.

Even if his physics score was already nearing 350.

Even though he had nearly done every physics problem under the sun.

But at this moment, he felt as if he were doing Chem Competitions problems for the first time again, being tortured by the questions.

It’s that feeling of recognizing every word, yet having no idea what the question is asking.

That feeling, as you’re reading, of sudden confusion like "Who am I?" "Where am I?" "What am I doing?" "What did it say before?"

It’s the feeling of being crushed by a higher-dimensional force, unable to even struggle.

Li Zheng had almost forgotten that feeling.

But now, it had come back.

The feeling of being tormented by the problem had returned.

As they say—

When the God of Problems returns, he finds that Li Zheng has been randomly solving by picking at his feet.

At his command, a hundred thousand demon problems charge forth!

For Li Zheng, it was like facing the overwhelming pressure of the Buddha’s Palm.

Despair, helplessness, breakdown.

But.

He wasn’t dead yet.

Though he was pressed into the ground, his spine was still straight.

Pushing against it, barely holding on.

Here it comes, the exciting, ultimate challenge!

Li Zheng felt every pore on his body open up.

The demonic nature, once again emerged from his eyes.

God of Problems returns?

Just TM mind your own business!

I’ll kill you.

...

Another examination room.

Lin Yujing also found herself in a tough battle.

There weren’t many problems that could put her into a tough battle.

This was one of them.

Unlike Li Zheng’s approach of tackling the problem head-on, she chose to rewrite the problem statement.

She simplified the descriptions, which resembled scholarly papers, into clear steps and condensed language.

She broke down a super difficult problem into several ordinary questions to be solved one by one.

But she soon realized that she couldn’t do it.

The problem statement couldn’t be condensed or broken down.

This problem seemed to have many redundant descriptions, but in the truly crucial parts, not a single word could be removed; it simply couldn’t be simplified into simple questions.

It was comprehension; this problem was testing comprehension.

When a groundbreaking paper, unfamiliar to you, is placed in front of you.

Whether you can understand it, and how long it would take you to understand.

In other words, this problem was essentially about on-the-spot learning, testing learning ability.

Presenting you with a set of new theoretical knowledge, to learn on the spot and to solve the problem on the spot.

Upon reaching this realization, Lin Yujing’s pen stopped.

Like Li Zheng, she seemed to have come full circle.

It was the helplessness she felt in the second grade of elementary school when she first saw high school functions.

It was the awe when she first learned about the Schrödinger Equation in the first year of middle school.

It was the marvel upon reading a Nobel Prize-winning physics paper for the first time during the summer of her freshman year in high school.

At this moment, she put aside her arrogance.

She returned to that initial self, the girl who thirsted for knowledge.

...

About half an hour later, Shi Yang finally began to read the problem.

Unlike the first two, his inner world was surprisingly pure, with only a few words—

The person who set this problem, I fuck your mom!

Without a doubt, this was also what most people were thinking, regardless of gender.

In the examination room, as the teachers watched the students’ expressions change drastically like a roller coaster, the three invigilators were very understanding.

They had seen the test paper and knew the difficulty of the questions.

Encountering difficult problems in the New Year isn’t a bad thing.

This semi-final would definitely widen the gap significantly; the sharp ones would become sharper, and the average ones would become more average.

One of the male teachers chuckled, "I can roughly imagine the scene during the submission of the test papers."

"Problems 2 and 7 are really difficult..." the female teacher sighed, "Problem 2 requires a lot of calculations, just doing them would take 20 minutes, and Problem 7 just reading it would take 20 minutes, and it’s very hard to understand..."

"Problem 2 is indeed a bit dull." Teacher Sun Xiubin, the low-end version, shook his head, "Afraid of high scores, the question setter just inflated the calculation work, showing limited capability."

"Is Problem 7 of a high standard?" The male teacher also hummed in agreement, "Is this test about language or physics?"

"Exactly, exactly," the female teacher chimed in, "An entire page is just the problem statement, such a waste of time."

"Sun Xiubin," however, raised his glasses calmly and said.

"I don’t think so."

"Problem 7 is the one that truly tests learning ability."

"You know, in the stages of graduate and doctoral studies, many times there are no textbooks."

"Those most recently published papers, those most obscure scholarly articles, become your textbooks."

"Top-level papers usually require several people working together, nibbling at it for a month, to grasp some understanding."

"This is the lack of learning ability, the gap between a problem-solving machine and a scholarly powerhouse."

"And this problem is testing that very ability."

"Put simply, this problem statement is a mini paper, a segment of minor scholarly work."

"Whoever can devour and comprehend it within the allotted time will get the 70 points and will be the individual that the physics competition seeks to select."

"As far as this problem is concerned, it’s entirely testing your own thinking capacity and comprehension ability. No amount of training or guidance from famous teachers will have any effect."

"On the contrary, students who are self-taught have an advantage."

Both the male and female teachers nodded repeatedly, whether truly convinced or just going along with it.

"As expected of Teacher Sun, your perspective is deeper than ours."

"I had almost forgotten that such exams are meant to select academic talents."

Sun Xiubin simply raised his hand and smiled.

"Of course, this problem has its issues."

"It should have appeared in the finals."

"Putting such a problem in the semi-finals, I’m afraid the students won’t be able to handle it."

He had barely finished speaking.

When Shi Yang suddenly raised his hand, his face full of urgency.

Unlike Li Zheng.

Every time he raised his hand, he really meant to do that thing.

In some respects, he was just like Li Zheng and Lin Yujing, as if he had also returned to the very beginning.

The point where the difficulty of the problems scared the shit out of him.

...

At 12 o’clock sharp, the bell rang.

Not a single person in the entire Jijing semifinal exam hall had handed in their papers early.

Even Li Zheng had only finished the seventh question three minutes earlier.

And there was no guarantee it was correct.

The moment "Sun Xiubin" and the others collected the papers and announced the end of the exam,

wails of anger and despair filled the entire classroom.

"Fuck!"

"It was hard enough last year, how the hell is it even harder today?"

"What the hell kind of bullshit is question seven?"

"Question three, the electromagnetic cannon, dammit, my head is all filled with A Certain Scientific Railgun, totally messed up."

"Question two is the real sick joke, did anyone solve it?"

"Three years of prep, just for a one-day tour..."

"It’s over, all over..."

Unlike the girls who did poorly in the Chem Competitions,

the boys didn’t cry.

They either cursed or stared blankly.

Only Li Zheng, Fuzzy-Head, and Shi Yang, the match-three combo, seemed relatively composed.

Shi Yang’s composure was mostly due to having emptied his stomach and being drained of energy.

Also, he was only there for a day trip and didn’t have any pressure or expectations.

With that, he twisted around and lay sideways on the desk, looking over Fuzzy-Head at Li Zheng, "Feeling good, Zheng...?"

Shi Yang didn’t finish his sentence when he sat up again quietly.

From his appearance, his Brother Zheng definitely had a blast.

His school uniform jacket was off at some point, with the sleeves of his shirt rolled up aggressively to his shoulders.

His hair was wet and sticky, as if he had just played a football match.

On his face, he wore an expression of someone who had been sucked dry.

"Feeling good..." Li Zheng lifted his arm, his hands still trembling, "That problem was intense."

"Fuck..." Shi Yang swallowed, "You look messed up like that... that problem must have been really something. Looking at it this way, at least I solved half of it; maybe I still have a chance to piece together a Dragon Ball, right?"

"Stop blabbing..." said Li Zheng as he shakily began to pack up his things, "I’m going to meet Lin Yujing for lunch and to compare answers."

"Take your bro with you, man," Shi Yang said, rubbing his stomach. "I’m so hungry I’ve got no strength left."

"Go back where you emptied it to eat," Li Zheng cursed.

"Don’t be like that, bro, I seriously want to join in on comparing answers. I swear I won’t say anything about you and other girls."

"Shut up!" Li Zheng turned and said, "Fine, now tell me the answers to question two and seven, and if they’re reliable, you’re in."

"Ha, the very questions you’re asking about are the ones I hardly wrote anything for," Shi Yang laughed.

"And you’re proud of that?" Li Zheng waved him off with disdain, "Go back and review for the Chem Competitions. Not everyone can go and compare answers, at least make some headway on question seven."

"Question seven..." Fuzzy-Head, who had been quietly observing the drama the whole time, suddenly seemed to remember something and mused aloud, "I remember, the volume of the Helium Balloon was... 380m³, right?"

Li Zheng’s eyes widened, "You’re just guessing, right? My result was 1900m³."

"Ha..." Fuzzy-Head rubbed the back of his head foolishly, "You must be the one who’s wrong."

"???" Li Zheng’s eyes widened even more.

I must be the one who’s wrong?

Young man, for so long,

only one person has dared to speak to me like this.

Just as he was about to say something, Fuzzy-Head suddenly brandished his fist, "I’ve got it, you must have calculated the density incorrectly at a distance of 12 kilometers above ground, it couldn’t be 1.53, could it?"

"?!" Li Zheng’s eyes could widen no further.

"It really is..." Fuzzy-Head wagged his finger with a smile, "Think carefully, did you get careless when calculating ln earlier?"

Li Zheng was so startled he instantly began to check his draft paper.

Soon enough.

"Ah!!!" Li Zheng clutched his head angrily, "How could I be so stupid!"

"Don’t worry, don’t worry..." Fuzzy-Head waved his hand soothingly, "Was it when you were working on this part and that fierce teacher reminded you there were only 10 minutes left to hand in the papers? Did it break your rhythm?"

"..." Li Zheng turned woodenly, his eyes already incapable of widening any further.

This guy was spaced out 80% of the time, barely lifting his pen...

At that thought, Li Zheng’s brain tensed up.

Could it be... this was mental calculation?!

With such complexity... all these integrations and differentiations...

Even a Math Competition champion might not be able to do it, right?

This guy, so young, looking like a middle schooler...

How could he possibly be better than a Math Competition champion...?

At this thought, Li Zheng’s scalp began to tingle, and he slowly uttered each word, "What... is... your... name...?"

Fuzzy-Head smiled as he extended his right hand, "Gu Jianfeng. Yes, that’s ’Gu,’ as in ’return,’ ’Jian,’ as in ’see,’ and ’Feng,’ as in ’wind’."