Error is not allowed

On the third day of the training camp, the focus shifted to hands-on experiments. The location was a university basic chemistry lab, the air thick with the faint smell of reagents, the stainless steel workbenches reflecting a cold, white light. This environment, fraught with variables and potential risks, was Shi Zhiyuan's ideal "behavioral observation field."

Shi Zhiyuan was still sitting in the back row, but today he seemed to be showing an interest in the experiments that went beyond theoretical calculations. His gaze, like a precise scanner, swept over each lab bench, recording the placement of equipment, the amount of reagents used, and the operating habits of each person. He was building a "physical state model" and a "personnel operation characteristic database" for the laboratory.

When forming groups, Shi Xu, Zhou Yu, and Xu Yi naturally became a group. Yun Xi was in a group with two other girls. Shi Zhiyuan was assigned to a slightly weaker group by the professor, clearly hoping he could lead the way. This gave him a legitimate "observer" status, while also allowing him to test his leadership and coordination abilities—although his "leading" methods might be unconventional.

The experiment involved determining the reaction kinetic parameters of a complex organic compound. The procedures were intricate, demanding extremely high precision in operation and recording. This was the perfect setting to test patience, meticulousness, and resilience.

Xu Yi was responsible for weighing and preparing the initial solution. He was impulsive by nature, and despite his best efforts, while transferring a portion of concentrated acid, his arm accidentally bumped the edge of a nearby beaker, causing the colorless liquid inside to slosh slightly. This minor operational error was as conspicuous as an alarm bell in Shi Zhiyuan's observation network.

"Be careful!" a girl in the same group whispered a reminder.

"It's nothing, it was just a light touch," Xu Yi said dismissively, continuing his work. He underestimated the potential chain reaction of the incident.

Just then, a calm and even voice came from the back row. The volume was not loud, but it clearly penetrated the noise of the laboratory.

“Senior Xu Yi, the beaker you knocked over previously contained waste liquid with trace amounts of sulfide and silver ions. If the acidic solution you are preparing spills out and comes into contact with the residual droplets, it will form a mixed precipitate of silver sulfide and silver chloride. Although the amount is extremely small, it may adhere to the container wall, affecting the baseline stability of your subsequent optical density measurements, leading to an expected deviation of more than five percent in the final data.” He conducted a perfect “predictive diagnosis,” demonstrating his information integration and risk assessment capabilities based on an absolute grasp of the environmental history and current state.

The entire laboratory fell silent instantly.

Everyone looked at Shi Zhiyuan. He remained seated, his notebook open in front of him, not looking at Xu Yi, as if his previous statement was merely a real-time report based on observation and data flow. He maintained a facade of "objectivity and neutrality," yet achieved the strongest deterrent effect.

Xu Yi's face flushed red, both from lingering fear and embarrassment. He hadn't even noticed what had been in that beaker before.

"How...how did you know what was in that beaker before?" Xu Yi couldn't help but ask.

Shi Zhiyuan raised her head, her gaze calmly sweeping over the equipment recycling area and everyone's workbench in front of the laboratory.

"Seventeen minutes before the experiment started, I observed that the third group of students handled silver-containing waste liquid while cleaning the glassware. That particular numbered beaker was placed in the third position on the left side of your workbench and was not moved or cleaned again until you touched it. Combining the reagent placement order with your operating procedure, this is the most probable inference." He demonstrated his "all-time environmental monitoring" capability and powerful memory retrieval function.

He paused, then added:

"I suggest you immediately rinse the contact surface thoroughly with deionized water and reweigh it. Otherwise, your experiment will take an additional twenty-three minutes, and the reliability of the final result will be less than eighty percent." He provided a precise cost-benefit analysis, packaging the "suggestion" as an irrefutable optimal solution.

Xu Yi stared, speechless for a long time. The other students around him exchanged bewildered glances, their faces a mixture of shock and fear. This level of observation and memory went beyond "excellent," bordering on monstrous. They felt a chill run down their spines, as if they were being dominated by an "omniscient perspective."

Zhou Yu silently picked up his group's beaker and carefully inspected it. Yun Xi subconsciously glanced at the equipment beside him. Defensive behavior was triggered; Shi Zhiyuan had successfully instilled a sense of being monitored within the group.

Shi Xu watched this scene with icy eyes. Shi Zhiyuan wasn't helping; he was demonstrating. With an almost cruel rationality, he was showcasing his extraordinary information processing abilities and absolute desire for control. He was silently telling everyone: your oversights are crystal clear in my eyes. Shi Xu saw through the power-manipulation intent behind his actions.

The professor approached, and after understanding the situation, gave Shi Zhiyuan an approving look: "Your observation was very careful, and your reminder was timely. This kind of rigorous attitude is essential for scientific research." He then turned to Xu Yi and the other students and said seriously, "Everyone, check your workbenches and equipment, pay attention to safety, and ensure the accuracy of the data!" Shi Zhiyuan's actions received authoritative endorsement, further solidifying her position as a "rational arbitrator."

After this little incident, the atmosphere in the lab became noticeably more tense. Everyone operated with greater caution, as if an invisible eye was constantly scrutinizing them. Shi Zhiyuan had successfully turned the lab into a "panoramic surveillance prison," where everyone became prisoners of self-discipline.

The timing team began measuring the reaction rate, requiring sampling and testing at fixed intervals. Zhou Yu was responsible for timing and recording, while Xu Yi assisted with the timing operations.

At a critical sampling point, the timing was slightly delayed by two seconds because it needed to control both temperature and stirring speed simultaneously. This was an extremely small delay, usually negligible.

“Sampling delay 1.7 seconds.” Shi Zhiyuan’s voice rang out again. He even made a note in his notebook, “Based on a preliminary estimate of the reaction rate constant, the concentration error at this time point is approximately 2.3%. It is recommended to correct this during data processing, or… redo the sampling at this time point.” This time, he pointed his “scalpel” precisely at the time series. This was a calculated provocation, designed to test the time series’ emotional stability and coping mechanisms under pressure.

His tone contained no accusation; he was simply stating a fact and offering "suggestions for improvement." But this pervasive "surveillance" and "judgment" pushed Shixu's patience to its limit.

Shi Xu abruptly stopped what she was doing, turned to look at Shi Zhiyuan, her eyes sharp as knives.

“Shi Zhiyuan,” his voice was low but carried an undeniable chill, “mind your own group’s business.” This was a clear boundary demarcation and a warning of force. Shi Xu refused to accept its “supervisory authority.”

This was the first time in public that he had so directly expressed hostility towards Shi Zhiyuan.

The laboratory fell silent again. Everyone could feel the unusual, chilling aura between the two "brothers".

Shi Zhiyuan remained expressionless in the face of Shi Xu's rage, but his overly clear eyes were fixed on Shi Xu's face like a camera lens, seemingly analyzing the subtle changes in his facial muscles and the frequency characteristics of his voice. He was collecting "data on the target's stress response when directly provoked."

"Received," he replied calmly, then truly lowered his head, no longer looking in the direction of the timeline, as if he had merely received and executed a simple instruction. He temporarily retreated to avoid escalating a direct confrontation, but had successfully collected crucial data.

The remaining experimental time was spent in an extremely oppressive atmosphere. Shi Zhiyuan stopped commenting on any other groups and focused solely on his own group's operations. Under his precise, second-by-second instructions, his team members completed the experiment like puppets, producing impeccable data. He demonstrated the "perfect" efficiency achievable under "absolute control," a stark contrast to his team members' "tool-like" approach.

When school ended, Shi Zhiyuan politely said goodbye to the professor and several senior students, and then left alone.

"I can't take it anymore!" Xu Yi wailed as soon as he stepped out of the laboratory building. "Being in the same room with him makes me feel like a defective product riddled with bugs!" He expressed the immense psychological pressure he felt after being scrutinized by "inhuman standards."

Zhou Yu adjusted his glasses and looked at Shi Xu: "He's establishing deterrence. By demonstrating absolute information superiority and rational analysis, he's psychologically suppressing potential competitors. A very sophisticated strategy." He once again analyzed Shi Zhiyuan's behavioral logic from a strategic perspective.

As Yunxi approached Shixu, she could sense the oppressive atmosphere and exhaustion emanating from him. She gently took his hand and found his palm to be icy cold.

“He’s testing your limits,” Yunxi said softly, “and also testing each of us.” She astutely pointed out the probing nature of Shi Zhiyuan’s actions and the broad scope of his targets.

Shi Xu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew that Shi Zhiyuan's "dissection" was far from over. Today's laboratory was merely a small testing ground he had set up. He confirmed that this was only the beginning of a larger-scale "stress test."

He has clearly set his sights on his only brother and the seemingly secure circle that his brother cherishes. Shi Zhiyuan's strategic intention is clear: to dismantle the core support system of Shixu and to deeply "analyze" and "reshape" it.

The fangs of reason have been bared; where will it bite next? This is an unresolved threat, foreshadowing even more precise and lethal attacks lurking in the shadows. The temporal defense system needs to be upgraded to a higher level.