I was a top student in America.

Ethan Walker was the first student from his hometown to make it into USAMO. Hundreds of people in the town were watching his performance closely, hoping he could go even further.

He thought that by buying old textbooks online and doing practice questions on forums, he had managed to score over 700 points, which made him somewhat of a notable figure.

As soon as he entered the UIUC dormitory, Kevin Chen's resume gave him a solid lesson.

Before this, he didn't even know that this thing could be played twice. Doesn't this mean that he was already a top player in the United States during his summer vacation in tenth grade?

He only felt a little better after confirming that Li Ao and Taylor were also here for the first time, but he was hit with another blow by Le again in less than two minutes.

Li Ao actually scored a perfect 740, and he's also a basketball athlete.

Even after deducting part-time jobs and team training, they can still study for fifteen or sixteen hours a day.

Although the two scores differed by only twenty points, he knew in his heart that the other person scored 740 because that was the maximum possible score on the test.

The two are simply not in the same league.

In order to escape his isolated hometown, Ethan spent even his weekends studying old textbooks.

While his classmates went to watch baseball, practice rugby, or talk about their girlfriends, he spent all his time at the town library.

Compared to Li Ao's study intensity of fifteen or sixteen hours a day, my own efforts seem like a joke.

Ethan sighed silently.

My older brother is a ruthless guy, there's no way to compare.

……

Li Ao didn't notice Ethan's unusual behavior and turned to look at Taylor:

How do you know all this?

“The Chicago Tribune,” Taylor answered smoothly. “I’m from Indiana, and my dad loves reading the sports section. The other day he pointed to the paper and told me that a high school guard in Chicago finished a math competition and then immediately went to play in the Greater Chicago Championship.”

"Later, someone on the UIUC student forum also reposted that a basketball star joined the black belt group at this year's summer camp, and that he was a hardcore student who could study for fifteen or sixteen hours a day."

Li Ao suddenly realized, and was somewhat at a loss for words, both amused and exasperated.

He remembered that interview. When the reporter went to the auditorium to take pictures, Principal Smith specially asked someone to straighten the banner, as if he wanted all of Chicago to be able to see the words "Wyndham Light".

He thought it was just a local news story, at most causing a stir in the South District basketball community.

Unexpectedly, after all the twists and turns, he became famous first on the UIUC forum.

No wonder Professor Miller and the senior student in charge of registration gave each other strange looks when we registered today; they probably already read the post.

Kevin, who was standing nearby, also became interested and stopped what he was doing to ask, "You really study for fifteen or sixteen hours a day?"

Students who excel in both arts and sports are not uncommon at summer camps; Taylor is a prime example, but that's far less impressive than studying for fifteen or sixteen hours a day.

"It's not that exaggerated," Li Ao corrected. "I also have to work and train, so sometimes I only study for twelve or thirteen hours a day."

"Twelve or thirteen hours... I'm completely exhausted after track and field practice. You can still study after basketball practice?" Taylor asked suspiciously. "Aren't you tired? Don't you need to sleep?"

Ethan didn't say anything, but he silently stopped writing.

Li Ao didn't think anything was special and casually replied, "It's alright. I'll sleep for a while when I'm sleepy, and then continue doing the problems when I wake up."

He was quite open about it. For him, learning was an addictive process, not to mention watching his stats gradually increase.

"Damn, that's insane!" Taylor's eyes widened. "The Black Belts are all monsters. Is it too late for me to leave and go home?"

He suddenly had a direct understanding of the saying, "Even normal people would be skinned alive if they came here."

Kevin sized up Li Ao for a moment: "With someone like you around this year, it seems we can't afford to let our guard down at all."

After saying that, he sat back down at his desk and opened "Detailed Explanation of IMO Past Exam Questions" without saying a word.

As a "veteran" who has come to the summer camp for the second time, he is determined to secure a spot on the national team this time.

Even if everyone is in the same dormitory, the competition between them must not fall behind.

However, upon further reflection, I realized that I was experienced, and compared to a newcomer like Li Ao, my advantages were quite obvious.

However, this sense of superiority lasted less than five minutes before being shattered by reality.

He had just opened the book when he caught a glimpse of Li Ao taking textbooks out of his bag.

Principles of Mathematical Analysis.

Linear Algebra and Its Applications.

Introduction to Combinatorial Mathematics

There was even a book as thick as a brick called "Introduction to Real Analysis".

Is this what high school students should bring to summer camp?

The IMO tests elementary mathematics. While advanced mathematical tools such as derivatives or matrices can be helpful occasionally, they are by no means essential.

Ordinary competition students would rather spend all their energy on elementary mathematics and hone their skills to the extreme; very few of them would go ahead and tackle advanced mathematics.

But what Li Ao pulled out were all university math textbooks, many of which were even from the second or third year of university.

Kevin couldn't resist any longer. He walked over, picked up the book "Introduction to Combinatorial Mathematics," and casually asked, "Leo, you're already studying real analysis and combinatorics?"

Li Ao nodded: "I just started looking at it a few days ago. It's too boring to keep doing competition problems. Sometimes I need to learn something else to refresh my mind."

Is this thing supposed to help you get a brain transplant?

If you're bored, why don't you play a game?

Kevin mentally scoffed, but said aloud, "With such a packed summer camp schedule, you still have time to look at this? The placement test is tomorrow."

Taylor turned around upon hearing this: "What kind of placement test? There's such a rule?"

"This is an old tradition," Kevin explained, putting down his book. "The exam will last three hours tomorrow afternoon, with six questions and a total score of sixty. The questions are generally at the IMO level of difficulty. Although the red belt and blue belt groups also take the exam, our black belt group has stricter requirements, and the preliminary results will be included in the final score."

"Not only that, but performance in subsequent mock exams, discussion classes, and assignments will also be counted towards the grade."

Kevin shared all his experiences from last year without holding anything back.

Upon hearing this, Ethan immediately tensed up: "Isn't the diagnostic test only to assess a general level? Why are we calculating based on the total score right away?"

Taylor gave up entirely, leaning back in his chair: "Damn it, whatever, the sooner the better. If I do terribly on the test, I'll just go home and prepare for the fall track and field competition."

"You can't get a refund for summer camp without a valid reason and a guardian's signature," Kevin kindly reminded him. "And the bottom-ranked students will be forced to have extra practice sessions every night by the teaching assistants. If you want some free time in the evenings, you'd better not fall to the bottom."

Li Ao understood; the elimination rounds had already begun the moment he stepped into UIUC.

American elite education has never relied on a single exam to determine one's future. To obtain core resources, one must go through the entire process from beginning to end.

If your grades are too poor during the semester, even a perfect score on the final exam won't help.

However, this intense and continuous screening eliminated the element of chance for him, which was exactly what he wanted.

Li Ao was about to ask about the question types from previous years when Kevin offered, "I took the mock exam last year and I remember a few questions. How about we go through them together tonight to familiarize ourselves with the patterns?"

"That's great!" Taylor immediately perked up.

Ethan breathed a sigh of relief: "Thanks, Kevin."

Li Ao naturally had no objections.

It was lunchtime, so the group decided to eat first and then come back in the afternoon to prepare for the battle.

……