Chapter 205

"Vincent, I need you to run these calculations ASAP!" Natalie slammed a stack of papers onto Vincent Macmillan's desk.

He didn't even look up. "Use the computer. I'm still processing my experiment data."

"Just five minutes!" Natalie stamped her foot impatiently.

Vincent jerked his chin toward the opposite workstation. "Ask Evelyn."

After the last data correction incident, everyone in the lab knew Evelyn Langley's extraordinary mental math skills. Only Camille Valrose stubbornly dismissed it as luck.

"Need help, Natalie?" Evelyn set down her test tube and approached.

Natalie looked relieved. "Calculate these figures for me!"

Evelyn took the documents, her fingers lightly tapping the pages. Two minutes later, she looked up. "Results sent to your inbox."

"That fast?!" Natalie's eyes widened.

Vincent abruptly dropped his pipette and snatched the papers. "Let me see."

Natalie scoffed. "You refused earlier, now you want to verify?"

Ignoring her, Vincent began scribbling calculations. Oliver Lancelot instinctively clicked his stopwatch.

"Done." Vincent set down his pen. "Time?"

"Two minutes three seconds," Oliver announced.

Vincent stared at Evelyn with newfound interest. "You trained in mental math?"

"I learned abacus calculation as a child." Evelyn touched her nose sheepishly. "Around five or six."

The lab fell silent.

Vincent swallowed hard. "That's...it?"

Oliver suddenly jumped in. "Evelyn, how about a challenge?"

All eyes turned toward them.

Vincent perked up immediately. "Brilliant! Oliver's been training with me for eight months—perfect test."

"Whoever solves the most problems correctly in ten minutes wins." Vincent produced paper and pens. "Loser buys lunch for the team."

Oliver cracked his knuckles. "I'm treating everyone today!"

Evelyn smiled faintly. "You might regret that offer, Oliver."

Her rare competitive edge electrified the lab atmosphere.

Camille muttered under her breath, "Such a showoff..." Only Oliver caught it.

Vincent scrawled five problems. "Ready—go!"

Pure calculation questions—a battle of speed and accuracy.

Three minutes in, Evelyn finished two problems. Oliver was already on his third.

Natalie nudged Vincent. "Who's your money on?"

Vincent kept his eyes on the competitors. "Oliver's ahead for now."