Target Gold Medal

The schedule for the National Math League Finals was as follows: the preliminary round on the morning of July 3rd, grading and ranking on the afternoon of July 3rd and all day July 4th, and the National Final on July 5th and 6th.

Shen Qi and his teammates entered a short break period starting the afternoon of July 3rd. Whether they would stay or go home was unknown; they could only wait.

Waiting was long and arduous.

On the morning of July 4th, the Chinese Mathematical Society began to gradually release the National Preliminary results for some teams on their official website.

Everyone on Shen Qi's team was in the dorm, glued to their phones, constantly checking for updates on the Chinese Mathematical Society's official website.

At 9:48 AM, the Chinese Mathematical Society's official website updated with the National Preliminary results for four teams:

Ebei Province Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 126 points. Individual scores for each team member are as follows...

Capital Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 113 points. Individual scores for each team member are as follows...

Yushi City Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 102 points. Individual scores for each team member are as follows...

Guixi Province Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 88 points. Individual scores for each team member are as follows...

"This is unbelievable. Ebei Province's Math Olympiad team is so insane, a total score of 126 points! All six of their team members got a perfect score on the National Preliminary!" Qi Jianhong stared at his phone screen, shocked.

"It's normal. Math in that province is indeed insane. The Huanggang Secret Papers are from their province," Shen Qi said, trying to remain calm.

"The teams from Ebei, Beijing, and Yushi performed as expected. It looks like they've pre-booked three tickets to the National Final," Teacher Tian noted down the teams whose results had been published in his notebook.

At 10:54 AM, the Chinese Mathematical Society's official website continued to update:

Xiangnan Province Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 125 points...

Zhedong Province Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 120 points...

Liaodong Province Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 116 points...

Chuan Shu Province Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 104 points...

Sunan Province Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 100 points...

Shanghai City Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 99 points...

Heilonghe Province Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 82 points...

Qiannan Province Math Olympiad team's National Preliminary score: 75 points...

As of 12:00 PM, the Chinese Mathematical Society had published the National Preliminary results for 21 teams on its official website. The current top ten teams were:

1. Ebei Province Math Olympiad team, 126 points 2. Xiangnan Province Math Olympiad team, 125 points 3. Zhedong Province Math Olympiad team, 120 points 4. Liaodong Province Math Olympiad team, 116 points 5. Capital Math Olympiad team, 113 points 6. Chuan Shu Province Math Olympiad team, 104 points 7. Yushi City Math Olympiad team, 102 points 8. Sunan Province Math Olympiad team, 100 points 9. Shanghai City Math Olympiad team, 99 points 10. Ludong Province Math Olympiad team, 94 points

Although the dorm had air conditioning, Teacher Tian broke out in a sweat. "Why hasn't our team's score been released yet? This is not optimistic, not optimistic at all!"

When Teacher Tian got nervous, the team members followed suit. "Ebei, Xiangnan, and Zhedong provinces are too formidable. A total score of over 120 points means their team members could only afford to lose at most one point each."

"Liaodong Province has really risen this time, 116 points, fourth place."

"Shanghai City's performance was a bit off, but they still managed to get 99 points."

"Don't even think about the top nine. Based on my estimation, our team's maximum score will be 97 points, and the minimum is 90. So, Ludong team is our formidable opponent with 94 points. Hopefully, we can surpass Ludong's 94 points," Shen Qi said, though he still felt uncertain.

At 13:42, the Chinese Mathematical Society updated again, this time releasing the National Preliminary results for eight more teams.

Shen Qi and the others' hearts were pounding. In this update, the Jinmen Team surpassed the Ludong Team with 95 points, taking the tenth position in the overall ranking.

However, the total score for Shen Qi's Nan Yue Math Olympiad team had still not been announced. Only three teams' results remained unreleased.

"Damn it, waiting for the results is more torturous than the exam!" Qi Jianhong was on the verge of a breakdown.

"I want to die!" Yang Huan scratched his ears and cheeks, restless.

"Forget it, I'm not looking anymore. Going to sleep," Luo Ming put away his phone and climbed onto his bunk to sleep.

He couldn't sleep, though. After lying there for a minute, Luo Ming got up and continued to refresh the Chinese Mathematical Society's official website.

"Everyone, no matter what happens, you've done your best. We can stay in the Capital for a few more days before heading back. You haven't really explored the Capital much, I'll take you around," Teacher Tian had already prepared for the worst-case scenario. To score over 95 points, all six team members would have to perform at their absolute limit.

"Sigh... we're just not as skilled..." Qi Jianhong sighed.

There was still hope, but it was slim. This was the situation the team was facing now.

However, Teacher Tian felt gratified. The team members' spirits today were better than before. At least they had hope, unlike before, except for Shen Qi.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's posted, it's posted! Holy crap, it's up!" Shen Qi stared at his phone and suddenly shouted, his expression extremely excited. "If the heart is there, the dream is there. Our team's total score is... 96 points!"

"Really?" Qi Jianhong was scrolling through his phone. After he finished, he jumped up. "96, we really got 96!"

"Don't lie to me." Yang Huan scrolled through his phone. After he finished, he let out a long roar to the sky. "It really is 96 points, amazing!"

Teacher Tian scrolled through his phone. After he finished, he went completely wild. "Heaven hasn't abandoned me, heaven hasn't abandoned me! 96 points, we've advanced to the National Final!"

The last three teams' scores announced on the Chinese Mathematical Society's official website were: Nanyue Team 96 points, Jibei Team 92 points, and Diannan Team 80 points.

The Nanyue Province Math Olympiad team, with a slim one-point advantage, edged out the Jinyang City Math Olympiad team's 95 points. They narrowly advanced to the National Final with a tenth-place ranking in the National Preliminary.

"Exciting, so exciting! More exciting than watching the World Cup final! Wuwuwu, I really want to cry!" Qi Jianhong cried and laughed, waving his hands and feet.

"Dad, Mom, I've made it to the National Final, I've made it! Wenwen, I've made it to the National Final! I actually made it to the National Final, hahahaha! If I make it to the National Final, I have a chance to get a Tsinghua-Peking offer. I'm asking you, Wenwen, will you be my girlfriend!" Yang Huan ran out of the dormitory and shouted at the air.

Of the six team members, Yang Huan was the ugliest, but he didn't give up because of his looks. He had become one of the top 60 strongest high school math competitors in China. He was qualified to have a girlfriend. After going home, Yang Huan decided to confess to his beloved Wenwen.

Teacher Tian sighed with emotion. "Eight years, it's been eight years! Our Nanyue Province Math Olympiad team has finally advanced to the National Final again! Young men, you've all done wonderfully. I'm proud of you! Tonight, I'm going to treat you well. I'll take you to the most high-end restaurant in the entire Capital for a big meal."

"On the company's dime?" Shen Qi asked.

Teacher Tian glared at Shen Qi. "Shen Qi, you little brat, you're really a buzzkill. Whether it's on the company's dime or my own, I'm just asking if you're going?"

Shen Qi nodded. "Yes, I'll go."

"Shen Qi, why are you so calm? Look at your teammates, some are crying, some are laughing, some are going crazy. Don't you feel anything inside?" Teacher Tian found it strange. He looked at the details on the Chinese Mathematical Society's official website. The Nanyue team's total score was 96 points, and Shen Qi scored a perfect 21 points, making him the team's number one contributor.

"I already felt it just now. Right now, my goal is tomorrow's National Final." Shen Qi edited a text message and sent the same message to his parents, Teacher Zhang, and Teacher Cao simultaneously. "We've made it to the National Final. The goal is the gold medal. Wish me luck."