Rebirth: Controlled Nuclear Fusion

Part 51：Mental Breakdown

Five minutes and twenty-one seconds to solve the "Death Question"?
This... this is absolutely impossible!
This was the immediate reaction of everyone present. The cameraman zoomed in on Jiang Fan.
Jiang Fan's refined features appeared on the big screen, and everyone stared at this young man with sharp contours and delicate features.
Especially his deep, mesmerizing eyes, which seemed like distant stars in the universe.
At first glance, he might not have been strikingly handsome, but the more one looked, the more captivating he became.
Qiao Yifei fixated on the screen, watching Jiang Fan's faint smile, and suddenly felt her heart race, the beat gradually quickening.
Could this be what it feels like to have a crush?
When Jiang Fan's gaze unexpectedly shifted towards the camera, she hastily averted her eyes, her gaze flickering.
When she realized it was just his image on the screen, she felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her, her face turning red.
"Yifei, what's wrong? Your face is so red!"
Xiao Yu happened to see Qiao Yifei at that moment.
"I... I'm fine!"
Qiao Yifei spoke in a soft, gentle voice, almost unrecognizable from her usual self.
Xiao Yu was taken aback, wondering if this was really her close friend, Qiao Yifei?
It reminded her of the last time she had seen this side of her—back in high school when she was dating!
"Qiao Yifei, are you serious?"
"Serious about what?" Qiao Yifei replied, confused.
"About this new student, have you really fallen for him?"
"Oh my! Stop teasing, he's so young, how could I possibly fall for him? You know I don't believe in love anymore!"
Qiao Yifei insisted with a tough exterior, but her flushed cheeks betrayed her.
"Looks like you're really smitten!"
As the saying goes: "The person involved is oblivious, but the observer sees it clearly."
After more than ten years of friendship with Qiao Yifei, Xiao Yu knew her well.
Although she often acted carefree and flirtatious, when it came to someone she genuinely liked, she became as pure and innocent as a schoolgirl.
At the competition venue, Jiang Fan stood aside, waiting as the senior checked his answers step by step.
Jiang Fan's steps differed slightly from those the teacher had outlined, yet the final answer matched perfectly.
The senior was unable to determine whether Jiang Fan's method was correct.
In the end, the senior had to seek the guidance of the on-site professor.
"Professor Xiao, a freshman has solved the third question. The answer matches yours, but the steps are somewhat different. Could you take a look?"
Professor Xiao, who had been reading under the shade of a tree, finally lifted his head upon hearing his student's call.
"A freshman solved the third question? Let's go, I'll take a look!"
Professor Xiao's face beamed with pride. He had been responsible for evaluating the answers to the third question, yet after almost an entire day, no one had been able to solve it.
Now, hearing that a freshman had managed to solve it, he was elated.
Professor Xiao approached the competition area and began reviewing Jiang Fan's steps.
After ten minutes, he nodded with approval.
"Not bad, this approach is even simpler than mine!"
"Which freshman came up with this answer?"
Jiang Fan, standing nearby, stepped forward and said, "It was me."
"What's your name, and what's your major?"
"Jiang Fan, Space Technology."
"Space Technology?"
Professor Xiao's expression shifted to one of regret. He was well aware that Space Technology was one of the least prestigious majors at Longke University, and future graduates would find it difficult to secure relevant research positions.
From Jiang Fan's approach, however, he could tell the student was incredibly bright, with a rich grasp of mathematical knowledge.
What a pity, if only he had chosen Mathematics or Materials Science, he would have surely made a remarkable future!
Jiang Fan smiled lightly, not commenting on Professor Xiao's regret.
Professor Xiao turned to the student next to him and said, "The answer is correct."
Then, he returned to his shady spot, resuming his reading.
On the big screen, the crowd erupted in excitement when they saw the senior escorting Jiang Fan toward the fourth zone.
"Wow, this freshman really solved the third question! Amazing!"
"Does this mean he's the third person in thirty years to solve the third question at Longke University?"
"Impressive, what's his major again? Does anyone know his name?"
Many people in the audience began asking about Jiang Fan's name and major.
Meanwhile, the student still working on the third question saw Jiang Fan moving on to the fourth question, feeling an overwhelming sense of pressure.
He had started the third question over half an hour before Jiang Fan, and now Jiang Fan had solved it in five minutes and was already moving on.
Had no one solved the third question, he might have felt better, but seeing someone do it in five minutes was pushing him to the edge of despair.
"Student, you have three minutes left!"
"I..."
The student's face turned beet red. Already anxious, he could no longer handle the pressure.
With the reminder from the senior that time was almost up, he completely broke down.
"Wahhh..."
A man's sobs echoed across the plaza.
The students watching the competition were utterly bewildered.
What's going on?
Could this be a case of a student crying over a breakup? But this isn't even the place for that!
As the crowd speculated, the cameraman turned the lens towards the crying student.
Everyone saw the image on the screen.
"Isn't that the student who just solved the third question?"
"Yeah! Why is he crying?"
"Could it be because the question was too difficult?"
"Seriously? Crying over a question?"
Moments later, the sobbing student threw his head back and cried out,
"Why? Why is this question so hard? Wuuu..."
???
Everyone in the audience was left speechless.
This guy is really something—he's crying over a single question!
The senior in charge of timekeeping looked utterly bewildered.
"I... I just told him there were three minutes left, I didn't make him cry."
A few seniors responsible for the event's order swiftly escorted the sobbing student away.
The drama did not interfere with Jiang Fan's progress.
As the cameraman shifted the lens back to him, everyone noticed that Jiang Fan had already filled half the board with his steps.
While everyone marveled at his speed, Jiang Fan placed the chalk down and turned to the timekeeper.
"Senior, I'm done."
The senior, now somewhat numb to Jiang Fan's speed, reflexively glanced at the timer.
But when he saw the time, he couldn't help but exclaim in disbelief,
"What the hell! 03:46! This is the fourth question!"

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