The Brazilian men’s volleyball team was very formidable because they had been the world’s top-ranked team since 2003. It was only this year that the Russian team surpassed them by a tiny margin, pushing Brazil to the second position. However, most people believe that Russia’s rise to the top was due to Brazil undergoing a period of transition between the old and young generation of players, and several key veteran players being sidelined due to injuries, affecting their performance in major competitions. With Brazil’s dominant strength, they only needed to win a few more matches and accumulate points to reclaim the top spot.
The match between the recently crowned Asian champions, China, and the perennial number one, Brazil, is likened to “China’s young players going to fight the final boss as soon as they leave the beginner’s village.”
The scary aspect of the Brazilian team lies in their strong offense and defense. When the score reaches 8:9, Brazil’s defense starts to tighten. At this moment, China had just narrowed the score from 7:9 to 8:9, and the lineup on the court had changed from the beginning of the game.
China’s lineup: No. 4 (You Ziyu), No. 3 (Liu Yuelou), No. 2 (Kong Duojin), No. 5 (Ding Rong), No. 6 (Qin Chunxiao), No. 1 (Qiao Mingming).
As a starter, Fu Biyang was substituted when it was China’s rotation to the back row. Qin Chunxiao, as the libero, remained in the back row and only moved to the front row in the case of an emergency, so he was rotated in and out from time to time.
On the other hand, Brazil’s lineup: No. 4 (Bell), No. 3 (Pedro), No. 2 (Mason), No. 5 (Caique), No. 6 (Billy), No. 1 (Joshua).
At this moment, the public’s opinion in China was that veteran fans were trying to comfort the new fans and provide some preventive measures.
[Everyone, although Gua Team has won against Argentina and Bulgaria, they are still newcomers, and newcomers are often unpredictable. During this period, players tend to be daring and unpredictable in their performance!]
[Hey, let’s watch the game in a friendly manner. Be happy if we win, and don’t scold the players if we lose, okay?]
[“Analysis of the Strength and Style of Brazilian Men’s Volleyball Team,” for those who are not clear about the gap in strength between Brazil and China, you can check out this article pinned on Lu Xuandong’s Weibo.]
The players were unaware of the concerns of veteran fans because it was China’s turn to serve in this round. Therefore, everyone’s attention was on Qiao Mingming at the No. 1 position.
After returning from training in Italy, Qiao Mingming’s jump serve had become more powerful. However, pursuing power too much could sacrifice some stability, and until he improved his jump serve further, occasionally, he would hit an out-of-bounds ball and give away points to the opponent. One could imagine how nervous everyone felt when he served.
Fortunately, Captain Qiao didn’t disappoint today; he served the ball steadily, and it was an applause-worthy good serve, with a speed of over 125 km/h, but it was received by Joshua.
Just as the setter is responsible for setting, other players can also set when necessary. Receiving is not exclusive to the libero. As long as the player’s positioning is appropriate, attackers can receive too. However, most of the time, attackers’ defensive abilities are not as good as specialized liberos.
But Joshua’s defensive ability was quite strong. As Mars put it, “His defense is only slightly worse than his offense, making him the most balanced player in the Brazilian national team.”
Joshua received the ball and quickly organized a counterattack with Pedro at the No. 3 position. Pedro, a post-90s vice attacker, had numerous medals from the Rio Olympics and various major competitions. His attacks were powerful and precise.
Liu Yuelou and Kong Duojin jumped up to block, but Pedro’s powerful spike still went past their hands.
Qin Chunxiao ran to the three-meter line and raised his hands to receive, but he ended up sending the ball flying.
The score was now 8:10, and China was trailing by 2 points.
Next, Brazil gained the right to serve, and Mason walked to the service area. He was another serving specialist in the Brazilian team besides Caique, and he excelled at jump float serves.
Facing Mason’s serves, Qin Chunxiao’s pressure was no less than dealing with Joshua.
On the first ball, Qin Chunxiao received it in the air again, and only managed to catch the second ball. Unfortunately, the team’s attack was blocked by Brazil’s defense.
And then the Brazilian team extended their lead to 8:12, taking a 4-point lead at once! It could be said that Brazil brought an unprecedented sense of pressure to the Chinese team, even more than what the previous Argentina team had given them. Fortunately, Lao Niu had filled the young players with a barrel of inspirational chicken soup before the game, named “The Barefoot Are Not Afraid of Those with Shoes,” emphasizing that winning against stronger opponents would yield more experience even in defeat. They were gaining either way, so they should go all out without worry!
As the saying goes, a mirror is not polished without rubbing, and a strong team cannot be tested without a real challenge.
The back-row players Ding Rong, Qin Chunxiao, and Qiao Mingming exchanged glances, understanding each other’s intentions in their eyes. It was time to strike back.
At this moment, Caique had already rotated to the front row at position 4, appearing shorter than the two attackers beside him. As an old setter who debuted in the 2000s, Caique’s height was not outstanding. He was just 1.9 meters tall. In men’s volleyball, this was considered a slightly below-average height.
After Mason’s serve, Qin Chunxiao did not receive the ball. Instead, the setter, Ding Rong, rushed towards it. As a veteran player, Ding Rong not only diligently practiced setting but also improved his defense to become an all-around player like Joshua.
Feeling the pain as the ball landed on his arm, Ding Rong had a thought flashing in his mind. “Xiao Zai has been receiving world-class serves like this. It’s truly amazing that he can handle them!”
Ding Rong received the ball and, after confirming that his pass was heading towards the three-meter line, he started his run-up. Like You Ziyu, Liu Yuelou, Qiao Mingming, and Kong Duojin, he assumed an attacking posture.
Qin Chunxiao jumped from outside the three-meter line, executing a light jump set. As a libero, he couldn’t set within three meters from the net, but he could set from the back row as long as he jumped from outside the three-meter line, complying with the rules.
Back in the day, Xiao Zai had also started his career as a setter!
The volleyball flew high, and Ding Rong, Liu Yuelou, You Ziyu, and others all faked attacks, while only Qiao Mingming jumped from outside the three-meter line, going straight for Caique’s position.
Brazil had many tall players and formidable blockers, but Caique became the weak point in their blocking when he was at the net. His arms and legs were no longer as agile as in his prime, and he wasn’t as effective at blocking as before. At this moment, it was better to use a strong spike against him than trying to find gaps in the block.
Bang!
The volleyball slammed heavily onto the floor on the Brazilian side.
9:12! China regained the right to serve.
Qiao Mingming turned around and pounded his chest, letting out a ferocious roar, much like Fu Biyang.
“We finally scored, it wasn’t easy!”
“Damn, a jump set from outside the three-meter line by the libero!”
“Damn, our youth is back! Does anyone remember when Wolf was also trained as a setter in the Guangdong Provincial Team!”
“It’s been a while since I saw Ding Team’s serious attacking. He was once one of the top four attackers!”
With this point, China started a counterattack. As long as they could maintain control of their serving rotations, Caique would have to remain at the net, providing a weak point that China could exploit.
Mars on the sidelines quickly sensed something was amiss with his experience. “Caique is being targeted.” He looked in the direction of Newton. Throughout Caique’s tenure as the captain of the Brazilian national team and a world-class setter, when he was in his prime years, everyone intentionally avoided him during attacks. But Newton, this man keenly perceived Caique’s decline and directly used it as Brazil’s weak point. This was such a sharp and daring judgment!
Newton sneezed.
Caique’s teammates also sensed something. When China regained the right to serve and started a new round, Billy swiftly received the ball, Caique set and Brazil’s other main attacker, Bell, made a spike. However, Qin Chunxiao had already moved into position and received the ball.
This time, the ball flew extremely high. Ding Rong ran again, adopting a spiking posture, and Brazil was also ready. Bell and Pedro immediately positioned themselves beside Caique, both raising their hands to assist Caique in blocking.
However, after Ding Rong jumped, he suddenly changed his spiking posture to a setting posture in mid-air. He flicked the ball to the side, and You Ziyu also jumped and performed a beautiful cross attack from the back row!
10:12!
11:12!
China scored three points in a row, and it seemed like only a moment had passed, yet they had erased the huge deficit.
Mars decisively realized that they couldn’t let Caique be targeted further. He stood up to signal a substitution, replacing Caique with Dominique, and the back-row setter Joshua with another setter.
Newton also looked at Mars and asked, “Two points for three points?”
In volleyball, six players stand in two rows on the court. When the setter is in the back row, there are three attackers in the front row, known as the “three-point” attack. When the setter is in the front row, there are two attackers in the front row, known as the “two-point” attack.
Mars substituted Caique, the setter, with Dominique, the powerful opposite hitter, and also replaced the backup setter with Joshua, which allowed Brazil’s front row to have three strong attackers again. This is called a “two-point for three-point” substitution strategy.
Mars intended to disrupt China’s rhythm with this move. Brazil had a much stronger bench compared to China, and the substitute setters were also seasoned players. Dominique, in particular, was a beastly attacker. After their entry, China lost one point again, but they quickly regained it on the next rally.
The match continued with a back-and-forth rhythm. Brazil kept pressure on China, but the Chinese team seized opportunities to score and quickly closed the gap, just as
Lao Niul had said, grasping every chance to score.
When the score reached 13:13, China managed to tie with Brazil for the first time. Qin Chunxiao, as the libero, was about to be rotated to the front row, but according to the rules, the libero couldn’t attack or block in the front row and would be of no use there. Newton then used Fu Biyang to replace him, allowing him to take a break.
Qin Chunxiao high-fived Fu Biyang and walked over to the coach’s side, taking a big sip of water from his bottle. Newton casually said, “Hey, I used your tactic to deal with Caique, added Ding Rong to the attacking lineup, and had everyone prepared for the feint action to switch from attack to set. But even with all these tricks, it still seems difficult to beat Brazil.”
Qin Chunxiao rolled his eyes and retorted, “Without using tricks, it would be even harder to beat them.”
Newton smiled and said, “True, but Xiaozai, remember this. No matter how many fancy tactics the coach and you come up with, whether you can execute the tactics firmly in the face of strong opponents and achieve tactical objectives is up to the players. Just like the prerequisite for the feint action from attack to set, it depends on your quality of passing as the libero. Your passing must be good enough for your teammates to attack or set, giving them room for variation.”
“Our strategy tonight is to increase the pressure on Brazil by scoring continuously. They are playing at home and definitely do not want to lose. So, when they get anxious, their error rate will be higher than usual. That’s when your chance will come. But to achieve this tactical goal, you need to force Brazil into adversity first. Can you do it?”
With this question in mind, Qin Chunxiao returned to the court. His teammates looked at him with trust in their eyes, and Qin Chunxiao felt that they could do it.
Of course, they could because they yearned for victory and were willing to do whatever it took.
In the first set, Brazil narrowly won with a score of 29:27.
Dominique was gasping for breath and choked a bit while drinking water. Mars asked him with a smile, “How is it? Do you feel the same pressure as when facing Russia, Italy, and Poland?”
Dominique replied, “Yes, I do.”
When they faced China in the Youth World Championship, Dominique already knew they were strong, but this year they were even more challenging to deal with. Playing one set against them was more exhausting than playing two sets against other teams.
Mars kindly said, “Time flows fairly for everyone. While you are growing up, they are also growing up.”
Dominique added, “But some of them haven’t grown at all. I feel like Misha Qin’s heights haven’t changed for ages.”
Billy passed by him from behind and lightly kicked his leg, saying, “Being a libero has nothing to do with height.”
At this moment, many Chinese fans on the internet were wailing.
“Gua Team worked so hard to bring the score close to 30 points. I thought they could win this set.”
“Brazil is also putting up a strong fight. They are playing on their home turf and definitely don’t want to lose.”
“It was so tough for me as a Wolf. It felt much harder to receive balls in the first half of the set. Sometimes, I barely caught up to a ball, but it still flew away.”
“Brazil’s balls are so heavy and have strong rotations. They are not easy to receive. Little Qin is still young, and maintaining such a high reception efficiency is already impressive.”
On the Chinese side, the atmosphere was good. After Newton explained the tactics and arranged the substitutions, he said, “In the next set, Shulan will replace Squid.”
Tong Shulan responded, stood up, and You Ziyu also stood up, eagerly saying, “Coach, my stamina is not a problem.” Ever since the Youth World Championship when he often ended up on the bench due to fatigue, he had been training hard in physical conditioning!
Newton calmly said, “I assure you, Brazil won’t end this match with a 3-0 score. Squid, your teammates will fight to the death to take it to the fifth set. At that time, we will need your serving to gain an advantage, so you must preserve your stamina.”
If he exhausted his stamina now, there would be no one to serve and save the situation in critical moments later.
Tong Shulan moved his wrist and replied, “Yeah, if you take all the spotlight on the court, what am I going to do? Let me also have a go at Brazil.”
Qin Chunxiao sat cross-legged on the ground, with ice packs on the back of his neck and both shoulders. Chang Xiaole and Li Ling massaged his arms on either side.
Chang Xiaole noticed that Xiaozai’s arm muscles were tighter than ever, as if he hadn’t completely come out of the match. He wanted to say something to care for him, but when he saw Qin Chunxiao’s eyes, he was stunned.
The child’s eyes showed no signs of fatigue. Instead, they were incredibly sharp, filled with excitement, like spotting a beloved prey and eager to tear it apart.
He became excited.
Li Ling crouched down and asked, “Xiaozai, are Brazil’s serves hard to receive?”
Qin Chunxiao replied truthfully, “Very hard, but I’m getting better at it. I’m adapting, and they should be adapting too.”
He raised both hands, making a grabbing motion, and said, “I’m getting used to it. Obviously, they should be getting used to it too.”
Starting from the second set, Brazil found that China was even more difficult to deal with, or rather, their libero was more difficult to deal with!
Seventeen-year-old Qin Chunxiao’s physical abilities couldn’t be compared to his peak, as this was a hard limitation of human development. He couldn’t train hard to recover his peak physical condition faster because doing so would only deplete his stamina.
This led to the fact that, in the face of many balls, his mind felt he could receive them, but his body couldn’t actually do it. When he played in the Russian Super League, he was able to maintain a high defensive efficiency because of his teammates and Nikolai’s support. Before each match, they would discuss and plan to block the opponent’s path at the net to facilitate his anticipation and positioning.
Volleyball is a team sport, and defense is not solely an individual’s responsibility. Without the cooperation of teammates, even the most talented libero would reach their limits.
However, the Hamster Club had become familiar with opponents from other clubs, so they didn’t need to adapt to their opponents’ plays. They just went on the court and played. However, China wasn’t as familiar with Brazil, so players like Fu Biyang and Qiao Mingming needed time to observe the strong opponents’ plays.
After dragging the first set to nearly 30 points, they completed their adaptation. From that moment on, Qin Chunxiao’s movements became more relaxed and natural.
At the beginning of the match, Brazil served another high-speed jump serve exceeding 130 km/h, and the audience even had the illusion that this volleyball could break bones.
Qin Chunxiao fearlessly approached the serve. He knelt down on one knee, raised his left hand, and bumped the ball to Ding Rong in front of him. Then, Qin Chunxiao turned and followed his teammates’ movements.
During the live broadcast of the game, the commentators praised him.
Commentator Wu Di said, “We all say that good liberos need to learn to move their legs, to stick close to their teammates, and to keep an eye on any territory that might be lost on the court. Qin Chunxiao is such a libero.”
Li Laiheng added, “That’s right. This is the first time Qin Chunxiao is playing for the national team as a libero, but he’s doing great. As soon as his teammates start an attack, he’s always prepared for the ball to be blocked, ready to block or follow up to ensure the ball doesn’t hit the ground.”
Time and a young physique had shackled Qin Chunxiao, but with the efforts of his teammates, he managed to break free from some of those restraints, and his movements became more relaxed and natural.
The Qin Chunxiao who, in 2023, boarded the plane, full of aspirations to rush towards the world during his peak period, finally faced off against the theoretically strongest team in the VNL.
The match had just begun!
Qin Chunxiao focused on the volleyball and those around it. His naturally wide field of vision and keen observation allowed him to see everyone’s movements clearly.
Caique was about to set, and Dominique was in the air. No, wait! Caique’s movements were changing; he wasn’t going to set.
In Qin Chunxiao’s eyes, Caique’s actions slowed down, becoming a decomposable slow-motion.
Snap! Caique gently used one hand to slap the ball to the other side of the net. Then, his actions broke free from the slow-motion, everything returned to normal speed, and Qin Chunxiao slid to the net, receiving the ball.
“Ding Ge!”
Ding Rong said, “Nice receive!”
Ding set the ball high, and Tong Shulan jumped up, pushing the ball towards the empty space in front of him. Tong Shulan ran forward from behind him, his left hand held high.
At the moment when his palm touched the ball, Tong Shulan’s eyes brightened.
Yes, this sensation, he hit the ball at his favorite angle, the best angle to hit a straight-line shot.
Tong Shulan used his waist strength, whipping his left hand like a whip, and sent the ball crashing towards the opponent’s side.
The referee blew the whistle, indicating that China scored.
12:11, China led by 1 point.
The two teams faced each other across the net, panting heavily. Qin Chunxiao was helped up by Kong Duojin, and they both looked at the Brazilian team. Then, they turned around and walked back to their respective positions.
Kong Duojin served the ball, but it was easily received by Billy. Caique set the ball to position 3, where Bell was supposed to jump and attack, but he swung at empty air. Behind him, Joshua had already jumped high.
At the same time, Ding Rong, You Ziyu, and Liu Yuelou all jumped up, vowing to use a triple block to completely block Joshua’s cross-court shot!
Joshua gritted his teeth. Since the start of the game, his opponents had been continuously blocking his cross-court shot, making him extremely frustrated.
This mentally agile player lightly tapped the volleyball, sending it over the net, but what he didn’t expect was that Qin Chunxiao, who was supposed to receive a straight shot, didn’t have time to turn around. However, Qiao Mingming lunged forward and picked up the ball.
Qin Chunxiao once again jumped from beyond the 3-meter line, assuming the stance of a setter. Kong Duojin also followed suit, ready to coordinate with him in the attack.
Then, with a swing of both hands, Qin Chunxiao skillfully placed the ball over the net and scored directly.
Puff!
Some of the spectators who were drinking water spurted it out directly.
The libero could actually make a second attack. Amazing!
Wu Di was already praising loudly, “Everyone, we can see that Qin Chunxiao, this libero, is truly full of vitality! It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a libero with such strong attacking skills!”
Li Laiheng added, “That’s right. The last time we saw such a libero was in the early 2000s, Mars’s favorite disciple, the best libero of the Athens Olympics, Krum. He was the most promising defensive genius when the libero position was first introduced, but unfortunately, he passed away in a car accident in 2005.”
Wu Di continued, “Who would have thought that in 2018, during our game against Brazil, our Qin Chunxiao would make such an attack? I wonder how Coach Mars feels now.”
After seeing Qin Chunxiao’s attack, Mars was somewhat lost in thought.
In the world-class arena, there were always players with vitality, and there was no shortage of outstanding liberos who could score. But Qin Chunxiao was somewhat special. He had a similar height to Mars’s former disciple, but this boy was even more handsome and younger.
At the moment of Qin Chunxiao’s attack, Mars seemed to see a long-lost figure next to him making the same attacking move.
But soon, Mars realized that Qin Chunxiao was just Qin Chunxiao, because the original owner of that figure would never be surrounded by his teammates after a game, knocking heads together in celebration. He had always had a poor relationship with his teammates, his emotions were intense and extreme, and he played with passion, wishing to die on the court.
Mars’s expression relaxed, and he sat amidst the noisy arena, watching the young people running and jumping on the court.
His assistant and also his adopted son, who put his hand on his back and patted him, didn’t mention that name, but they knew that they were thinking of the same person.
Mars smiled and said, “This kid’s style of play is much calmer than his, but the passion is similar. I’ve seen him play in the Russian Super League gold medal match, and compared to that time, he has improved a lot.”
This court always saw new talents emerging constantly, each one so outstanding. Joshua and Caique couldn’t help but feel that this group of Chinese boys was extremely troublesome.
In the second set, China and Brazil also broke through 25 points, wrestling all the way to 30 points.
At this point, the players on both sides cursed the other team for being so relentless, but couldn’t help but feel admiration and the determination not to lose.
China: Take a risk, turn a bicycle into a motorcycle!
Brazil: If we lose to a team ranked outside the top ten in the world rankings on our home turf, how can we hold our heads high in front of our family and friends?
Perhaps the power of family and friends was stronger. Brazil won the second set, and as long as they won one more set, they could end the match!
The players returned to the coach. This time, they were even more exhausted, with almost everyone covered in sweat. The high-intensity exercise made their cheeks red, muscles hot and sore. They all applied ice packs, just hoping to cool down and continue the game.
Newton held a large fan and fanned himself, “You did well. The Brazilian team’s movements were already getting restless. Continue this momentum. Remember, our goal today is to at least play a full five sets.”
Liu Yuelou said, “Coach, I’m going to die from exhaustion!”
Newton waved his hand, “Then I’ll have Ming Yaoyang replace you. Yangyang, come on, get ready to play! Xiao Pi, you go in for Shulan!”
Ming Yaoyang and Gao Debi jumped up, “Here we go!”
Despite being the two players who consumed the most energy on the court, they didn’t utter a word. Qin Chunxiao was still sitting cross-legged, not saying a word, just regulating his breath while holding an ice pack.
Across from him, Billy muttered while holding an ice pack, “Listen up, I’ll do my best to receive all the balls. You guys must seize the chances I give you to score. Don’t be like those softies who can’t score. Otherwise, my hard work will be in vain.”
The Brazilian team responded, “We’re not soft, don’t worry, we’ll definitely be tough.”
The third set began, and then the Brazilian team realized that China’s defense had become stronger again!
Just as Lao Niu said before the match, their battle with Brazil allowed them to accumulate valuable experience in major competitions, especially experience against strong opponents.
In the process of the game, even Qiao Mingming, who had the worst defense, could already receive several balls from the Brazilian team. It could be imagined that after this game, no one would be able to criticize Qiao Mingming’s poor defense anymore.
Qin Chunxiao’s performance surprised everyone. He seemed to be attacking Brazil like a special forces soldier, knowing the Brazilian team’s attacking patterns inside out. It was as if he didn’t go to Russia to study Russian players but had gone to Brazil to study the Brazilian national team.
Moreover, he was putting in extra effort. As long as the ball came over, even if Qin Chunxiao was still lying on the ground, he could spring like a fish to receive the ball. As the Brazilian team’s stamina declined, Qin Chunxiao’s defense became even more impenetrable, and his defensive efficiency increased rather than decreased.
As the defensive core, Qin Chunxiao’s performance naturally drove his teammates. So, once again, in the third set, they struggled to 29:30, with China trailing by one point. The Brazilian team’s ace server, Mason, stepped up to serve again.
What a serve by Mason! He hit the ball with great force, directly smashing it into China’s court. Was China going to lose this set again?
At this critical moment, Lao Niu stood up.
“Referee, Mason stepped on the line. I request a Hawkeye challenge!”
Newton was a cautious person. This was the first time he had used a challenge since the start of the match.
Everyone looked at the big screen, where Mason’s movement was shown in slow motion, and then his feet appeared on the screen.
On the last step of his toss and approach, Mason’s toe overlapped the line by 2 centimeters.
The challenge was successful! China got this point, and the score became 30:30!
Li Ling raised both arms and cheered loudly, “Coach, you’re awesome!”
Newton smirked, pointed to his eyes, and showed a proud expression.
His eyes were indeed very sharp; he wouldn’t miss any opportunity to challenge for points.
On the court, several players let out a sigh of relief. That was close; they had really been saved by Lao Niu.
Qin Chunxiao wiped away his cold sweat and gathered his focus. Lao Niu had fought for them an opportunity, and they couldn’t let the coach down.
Bang! The new rally began, and both sides launched another offensive and defensive battle.
Some people commented that the players of China and Brazil were out of the ordinary today. They were batting the ball back and forth so fast that the audience could only see afterimages. If they weren’t careful, the ball would fly to the other side. The two teams’ liberos were even more extraordinary because the ball was so unbelievable, yet they were still able to receive one ball after another.
As the offensive and defensive battle progressed, China narrowly secured another point, bringing the score to 31:30.
It could be imagined that the next point would be even more thrilling and exciting because as long as China won one more point, they would take this set!
At this moment, the player walking to the service area for China was their ace server, You Ziyu.
You Ziyu took a deep breath, took the serving posture, and his eyes sharpened.
Bang!
The ball landed, 32:30, and China took the third set, struggling back from the brink!
In the fourth set, the frustration of the Brazilian team became even more evident. During the long-lasting battle of attrition, their stamina declined, their error rate increased, and China seized the opportunity, winning 25:23 to take this set.
2-2, China leveled the score.
Seeing this score, many fans were moved to tears.
[Today, China has created a miracle. They pushed Brazil to the fifth set, something that used to be achieved only by strong teams that stood on the podium in world-class competitions. China did it.]
[My current feeling is like watching Simba in The Lion King gradually growing up. Do you understand my feelings? It’s that feeling of watching a young lion grow into a king, and no one believed in them before!]
[I’m already satisfied. Whatever the outcome, I accept it. 2-2 is enough; they have already exceeded my expectations by too much.]
[The butterfly has waited in the cocoon for decades, and today they finally broke free from the cocoon.]
Qiao Mingming, who had been on the court all the time and crazily attacked for three sets, stumbled when returning to the coach’s bench and almost fell directly.
Qin Chunxiao reacted quickly, using both hands to open up and create a stable stance, supporting Qiao Mingming. It was indeed a challenge for a small kid who was less than 1.8 meters tall to hold up his over 2-meter-tall teammate.
Seeing this, others quickly came over to help, and Qiao Mingming also came to his senses, standing upright. “Xiao Zai, are you okay?”
Qin Chunxiao waved his hand. “I’m fine. How about you? Feeling tired?”
Qiao Mingming grinned. “The most tired one is still you, right? You’ve been keeping an intense focus on the ball all this time. If I had to maintain such high concentration for that long, it would definitely give me a headache. And you’re even sliding and diving all over the ground to receive balls. Doesn’t that hurt?”
Qin Chunxiao was honest. “It does hurt, and my head hurts too.”
He knew he was covered in bruises, but isn’t that what a libero is all about? You get used to it. As for the headache from being highly focused, he experienced that during the Russian Super League and this time, it was less severe than the one during the Russian Super League. It seemed that his mental resilience had grown stronger.
Ding Rong supported one of his arms while Fu Biyang supported the other. “Alright, let’s just finish this match quickly, then go back to the hotel and sleep. My god, I managed to trick Dominique and Mason’s blocks just now. I can brag about this until next year.”
Brazil was at its peak, while the Chinese team was still in its growth phase. Almost everyone could feel the gap in strength between them, but it didn’t stop the Chinese team from challenging Brazil.
Courage sometimes has nothing to do with strength; it’s a mix of passion and recklessness combined with youth, which can trigger an unwavering fearlessness.
Regardless of the tricks they used or the exhaustion from enduring, they still wanted to win. So, they had the strength to stand on the court again.
In the final set, China once again sent out their strongest lineup: Qiao Mingming, Ding Rong, Fu Biyang, Kong Duojin, You Ziyu, and Qin Chunxiao.
Brazil also fielded all their main players for the last set. Everyone understood that Brazil had given China the highest treatment possible, which was to go all out.
Qin Chunxiao looked at Billy from a distance, revealing a provocative smile.
Billy was taken aback for a moment before chuckling. In his heart, he had mixed feelings of fondness and annoyance. He murmured, “I hate these kids who want to challenge anyone they see and don’t know their place.”
With the referee’s whistle, You Ziyu tossed the volleyball.
Bang!
Billy received the ball, and Joshua was standing in front of him. Joshua directly pushed the ball to the other side of the net, and Qiao Mingming used his shoulder to keep the ball in play. The ball didn’t touch the ground but flew out of bounds.
Without hesitation, Qin Chunxiao rushed towards the ball before it landed. Before the ball hit the ground, he pushed it back into the court. However, he flipped over the advertising board surrounding the court and crashed into the spectators’ seats behind. He accidentally pressed down on several big and burly male fans watching the game.
At this moment, many fans realized that the seemingly petite boy on the court was not actually shorter than those burly men. He was even taller and more robust.
But the game on the court was not over yet, and the ball had not hit the ground. Qin Chunxiao quickly got up, shouted “Sorry” in Portuguese, and ran back to the court with red marks on his face from the fall.
Joshua continued hitting the ball, and while playing, he thought about whether Mars had the same feeling. However, in Qin Chunxiao, he saw a familiar shadow—the player he had idolized madly during his childhood. The first person to become the Brazilian league MVP as a libero after the term “libero” was created.
And Qin Chunxiao possessed the same qualities as that person, such as passion, a disregard for his own life when making saves, and the tenacity to never give up until the game was over.
But it seemed that the kid was even stronger than that person because he was not impulsive at all. He maintained absolute composure from start to finish and had even more agility.
Mars, you once said that all attackers in the world should be thankful they didn’t live in the same era as Krum. Otherwise, their attacks wouldn’t be as smooth. He might not have stood on the same court as Krum, but in his era, a stronger Qin Chunxiao emerged!
Joshua hit the ball over the net again and then saw the boy rushing to the net.
He whispered softly, “The world’s stage is never short of talent, but you are definitely the most stunning one I’ve seen this year.”
…
Later, people said that in the 2018 VNL event, the most thrilling three matches occurred in one of the preliminary rounds, namely the match between the Chinese team and the Brazilian team in the Brazil home court.
This match signaled the rise of another world-class powerhouse, reaching the intensity level of a final.
Most importantly, in this three-hour and fifteen-minute match, all the players fought until the very last point without giving up.
In the fifth set, it was 24:26, and China was unfortunately defeated 2-3 by Brazil.
At the moment when the match ended, players from both sides almost collapsed on the ground together.
Qin Chunxiao squatted on the ground, almost unable to distinguish whether his feeling of dejection was due to losing the match or the excessive intensity of the game, causing his breathing to be so rapid. He was finding it hard to stand up.
Right, there was also a bruise on his face from the fall while making a save earlier. Now he felt the pain. Behind him, Qiao Mingming had already wiped away tears.
A shadow fell over Qin Chunxiao’s vision, and he looked up to see Joshua swaying as he walked towards the net. Joshua squatted down and looked at him with a friendly smile, praising him in heavily accented English, “Hey, you played really well.”
Qin Chunxiao gazed at him with a smile in his blue eyes and replied in Portuguese, “You played well too.”
Joshua patted his knee and said cheerfully, “Yeah, we had a good match. Will you come to the finals? I bet you’ll make it to the finals, and then we can have another match.”
This guy was trying to comfort him. It seemed that even if it wasn’t the 2023 version, Joshua’s character hadn’t changed.
Realizing this, Qin Chunxiao stood up, supporting his knee, and pulled Joshua up as well. “I’ll definitely beat you next time.”
As the two players shook hands across the net, Wu Di also wiped the corner of his eye, facing the camera, and smiled, saying, “Everyone, the match is over. It’s been an honor to watch a great game with you all. China’s next VNL event will be held in Ottawa, Canada, on June 9. Looking forward to seeing you again.”
The Brazilian men’s volleyball team was very formidable because they had been the world’s top-ranked team since 2003. It was only this year that the Russian team surpassed them by a tiny margin, pushing Brazil to the second position. However, most people believe that Russia’s rise to the top was due to Brazil undergoing a period of transition between the old and young generation of players, and several key veteran players being sidelined due to injuries, affecting their performance in major competitions. With Brazil’s dominant strength, they only needed to win a few more matches and accumulate points to reclaim the top spot.
The match between the recently crowned Asian champions, China, and the perennial number one, Brazil, is likened to “China’s young players going to fight the final boss as soon as they leave the beginner’s village.”
The scary aspect of the Brazilian team lies in their strong offense and defense. When the score reaches 8:9, Brazil’s defense starts to tighten. At this moment, China had just narrowed the score from 7:9 to 8:9, and the lineup on the court had changed from the beginning of the game.
China’s lineup: No. 4 (You Ziyu), No. 3 (Liu Yuelou), No. 2 (Kong Duojin), No. 5 (Ding Rong), No. 6 (Qin Chunxiao), No. 1 (Qiao Mingming).
As a starter, Fu Biyang was substituted when it was China’s rotation to the back row. Qin Chunxiao, as the libero, remained in the back row and only moved to the front row in the case of an emergency, so he was rotated in and out from time to time.
On the other hand, Brazil’s lineup: No. 4 (Bell), No. 3 (Pedro), No. 2 (Mason), No. 5 (Caique), No. 6 (Billy), No. 1 (Joshua).
At this moment, the public’s opinion in China was that veteran fans were trying to comfort the new fans and provide some preventive measures.
[Everyone, although Gua Team has won against Argentina and Bulgaria, they are still newcomers, and newcomers are often unpredictable. During this period, players tend to be daring and unpredictable in their performance!]
[Hey, let’s watch the game in a friendly manner. Be happy if we win, and don’t scold the players if we lose, okay?]
[“Analysis of the Strength and Style of Brazilian Men’s Volleyball Team,” for those who are not clear about the gap in strength between Brazil and China, you can check out this article pinned on Lu Xuandong’s Weibo.]
The players were unaware of the concerns of veteran fans because it was China’s turn to serve in this round. Therefore, everyone’s attention was on Qiao Mingming at the No. 1 position.
After returning from training in Italy, Qiao Mingming’s jump serve had become more powerful. However, pursuing power too much could sacrifice some stability, and until he improved his jump serve further, occasionally, he would hit an out-of-bounds ball and give away points to the opponent. One could imagine how nervous everyone felt when he served.
Fortunately, Captain Qiao didn’t disappoint today; he served the ball steadily, and it was an applause-worthy good serve, with a speed of over 125 km/h, but it was received by Joshua.
Just as the setter is responsible for setting, other players can also set when necessary. Receiving is not exclusive to the libero. As long as the player’s positioning is appropriate, attackers can receive too. However, most of the time, attackers’ defensive abilities are not as good as specialized liberos.
But Joshua’s defensive ability was quite strong. As Mars put it, “His defense is only slightly worse than his offense, making him the most balanced player in the Brazilian national team.”
Joshua received the ball and quickly organized a counterattack with Pedro at the No. 3 position. Pedro, a post-90s vice attacker, had numerous medals from the Rio Olympics and various major competitions. His attacks were powerful and precise.
Liu Yuelou and Kong Duojin jumped up to block, but Pedro’s powerful spike still went past their hands.
Qin Chunxiao ran to the three-meter line and raised his hands to receive, but he ended up sending the ball flying.
The score was now 8:10, and China was trailing by 2 points.
Next, Brazil gained the right to serve, and Mason walked to the service area. He was another serving specialist in the Brazilian team besides Caique, and he excelled at jump float serves.
Facing Mason’s serves, Qin Chunxiao’s pressure was no less than dealing with Joshua.
On the first ball, Qin Chunxiao received it in the air again, and only managed to catch the second ball. Unfortunately, the team’s attack was blocked by Brazil’s defense.
And then the Brazilian team extended their lead to 8:12, taking a 4-point lead at once! It could be said that Brazil brought an unprecedented sense of pressure to the Chinese team, even more than what the previous Argentina team had given them. Fortunately, Lao Niu had filled the young players with a barrel of inspirational chicken soup before the game, named “The Barefoot Are Not Afraid of Those with Shoes,” emphasizing that winning against stronger opponents would yield more experience even in defeat. They were gaining either way, so they should go all out without worry!
As the saying goes, a mirror is not polished without rubbing, and a strong team cannot be tested without a real challenge.
The back-row players Ding Rong, Qin Chunxiao, and Qiao Mingming exchanged glances, understanding each other’s intentions in their eyes. It was time to strike back.
At this moment, Caique had already rotated to the front row at position 4, appearing shorter than the two attackers beside him. As an old setter who debuted in the 2000s, Caique’s height was not outstanding. He was just 1.9 meters tall. In men’s volleyball, this was considered a slightly below-average height.
After Mason’s serve, Qin Chunxiao did not receive the ball. Instead, the setter, Ding Rong, rushed towards it. As a veteran player, Ding Rong not only diligently practiced setting but also improved his defense to become an all-around player like Joshua.
Feeling the pain as the ball landed on his arm, Ding Rong had a thought flashing in his mind. “Xiao Zai has been receiving world-class serves like this. It’s truly amazing that he can handle them!”
Ding Rong received the ball and, after confirming that his pass was heading towards the three-meter line, he started his run-up. Like You Ziyu, Liu Yuelou, Qiao Mingming, and Kong Duojin, he assumed an attacking posture.
Qin Chunxiao jumped from outside the three-meter line, executing a light jump set. As a libero, he couldn’t set within three meters from the net, but he could set from the back row as long as he jumped from outside the three-meter line, complying with the rules.
Back in the day, Xiao Zai had also started his career as a setter!
The volleyball flew high, and Ding Rong, Liu Yuelou, You Ziyu, and others all faked attacks, while only Qiao Mingming jumped from outside the three-meter line, going straight for Caique’s position.
Brazil had many tall players and formidable blockers, but Caique became the weak point in their blocking when he was at the net. His arms and legs were no longer as agile as in his prime, and he wasn’t as effective at blocking as before. At this moment, it was better to use a strong spike against him than trying to find gaps in the block.
Bang!
The volleyball slammed heavily onto the floor on the Brazilian side.
9:12! China regained the right to serve.
Qiao Mingming turned around and pounded his chest, letting out a ferocious roar, much like Fu Biyang.
“We finally scored, it wasn’t easy!”
“Damn, a jump set from outside the three-meter line by the libero!”
“Damn, our youth is back! Does anyone remember when Wolf was also trained as a setter in the Guangdong Provincial Team!”
“It’s been a while since I saw Ding Team’s serious attacking. He was once one of the top four attackers!”
With this point, China started a counterattack. As long as they could maintain control of their serving rotations, Caique would have to remain at the net, providing a weak point that China could exploit.
Mars on the sidelines quickly sensed something was amiss with his experience. “Caique is being targeted.” He looked in the direction of Newton. Throughout Caique’s tenure as the captain of the Brazilian national team and a world-class setter, when he was in his prime years, everyone intentionally avoided him during attacks. But Newton, this man keenly perceived Caique’s decline and directly used it as Brazil’s weak point. This was such a sharp and daring judgment!
Newton sneezed.
Caique’s teammates also sensed something. When China regained the right to serve and started a new round, Billy swiftly received the ball, Caique set and Brazil’s other main attacker, Bell, made a spike. However, Qin Chunxiao had already moved into position and received the ball.
This time, the ball flew extremely high. Ding Rong ran again, adopting a spiking posture, and Brazil was also ready. Bell and Pedro immediately positioned themselves beside Caique, both raising their hands to assist Caique in blocking.
However, after Ding Rong jumped, he suddenly changed his spiking posture to a setting posture in mid-air. He flicked the ball to the side, and You Ziyu also jumped and performed a beautiful cross attack from the back row!
10:12!
11:12!
China scored three points in a row, and it seemed like only a moment had passed, yet they had erased the huge deficit.
Mars decisively realized that they couldn’t let Caique be targeted further. He stood up to signal a substitution, replacing Caique with Dominique, and the back-row setter Joshua with another setter.
Newton also looked at Mars and asked, “Two points for three points?”
In volleyball, six players stand in two rows on the court. When the setter is in the back row, there are three attackers in the front row, known as the “three-point” attack. When the setter is in the front row, there are two attackers in the front row, known as the “two-point” attack.
Mars substituted Caique, the setter, with Dominique, the powerful opposite hitter, and also replaced the backup setter with Joshua, which allowed Brazil’s front row to have three strong attackers again. This is called a “two-point for three-point” substitution strategy.
Mars intended to disrupt China’s rhythm with this move. Brazil had a much stronger bench compared to China, and the substitute setters were also seasoned players. Dominique, in particular, was a beastly attacker. After their entry, China lost one point again, but they quickly regained it on the next rally.
The match continued with a back-and-forth rhythm. Brazil kept pressure on China, but the Chinese team seized opportunities to score and quickly closed the gap, just as
Lao Niul had said, grasping every chance to score.
When the score reached 13:13, China managed to tie with Brazil for the first time. Qin Chunxiao, as the libero, was about to be rotated to the front row, but according to the rules, the libero couldn’t attack or block in the front row and would be of no use there. Newton then used Fu Biyang to replace him, allowing him to take a break.
Qin Chunxiao high-fived Fu Biyang and walked over to the coach’s side, taking a big sip of water from his bottle. Newton casually said, “Hey, I used your tactic to deal with Caique, added Ding Rong to the attacking lineup, and had everyone prepared for the feint action to switch from attack to set. But even with all these tricks, it still seems difficult to beat Brazil.”
Qin Chunxiao rolled his eyes and retorted, “Without using tricks, it would be even harder to beat them.”
Newton smiled and said, “True, but Xiaozai, remember this. No matter how many fancy tactics the coach and you come up with, whether you can execute the tactics firmly in the face of strong opponents and achieve tactical objectives is up to the players. Just like the prerequisite for the feint action from attack to set, it depends on your quality of passing as the libero. Your passing must be good enough for your teammates to attack or set, giving them room for variation.”
“Our strategy tonight is to increase the pressure on Brazil by scoring continuously. They are playing at home and definitely do not want to lose. So, when they get anxious, their error rate will be higher than usual. That’s when your chance will come. But to achieve this tactical goal, you need to force Brazil into adversity first. Can you do it?”
With this question in mind, Qin Chunxiao returned to the court. His teammates looked at him with trust in their eyes, and Qin Chunxiao felt that they could do it.
Of course, they could because they yearned for victory and were willing to do whatever it took.
In the first set, Brazil narrowly won with a score of 29:27.
Dominique was gasping for breath and choked a bit while drinking water. Mars asked him with a smile, “How is it? Do you feel the same pressure as when facing Russia, Italy, and Poland?”
Dominique replied, “Yes, I do.”
When they faced China in the Youth World Championship, Dominique already knew they were strong, but this year they were even more challenging to deal with. Playing one set against them was more exhausting than playing two sets against other teams.
Mars kindly said, “Time flows fairly for everyone. While you are growing up, they are also growing up.”
Dominique added, “But some of them haven’t grown at all. I feel like Misha Qin’s heights haven’t changed for ages.”
Billy passed by him from behind and lightly kicked his leg, saying, “Being a libero has nothing to do with height.”
At this moment, many Chinese fans on the internet were wailing.
“Gua Team worked so hard to bring the score close to 30 points. I thought they could win this set.”
“Brazil is also putting up a strong fight. They are playing on their home turf and definitely don’t want to lose.”
“It was so tough for me as a Wolf. It felt much harder to receive balls in the first half of the set. Sometimes, I barely caught up to a ball, but it still flew away.”
“Brazil’s balls are so heavy and have strong rotations. They are not easy to receive. Little Qin is still young, and maintaining such a high reception efficiency is already impressive.”
On the Chinese side, the atmosphere was good. After Newton explained the tactics and arranged the substitutions, he said, “In the next set, Shulan will replace Squid.”
Tong Shulan responded, stood up, and You Ziyu also stood up, eagerly saying, “Coach, my stamina is not a problem.” Ever since the Youth World Championship when he often ended up on the bench due to fatigue, he had been training hard in physical conditioning!
Newton calmly said, “I assure you, Brazil won’t end this match with a 3-0 score. Squid, your teammates will fight to the death to take it to the fifth set. At that time, we will need your serving to gain an advantage, so you must preserve your stamina.”
If he exhausted his stamina now, there would be no one to serve and save the situation in critical moments later.
Tong Shulan moved his wrist and replied, “Yeah, if you take all the spotlight on the court, what am I going to do? Let me also have a go at Brazil.”
Qin Chunxiao sat cross-legged on the ground, with ice packs on the back of his neck and both shoulders. Chang Xiaole and Li Ling massaged his arms on either side.
Chang Xiaole noticed that Xiaozai’s arm muscles were tighter than ever, as if he hadn’t completely come out of the match. He wanted to say something to care for him, but when he saw Qin Chunxiao’s eyes, he was stunned.
The child’s eyes showed no signs of fatigue. Instead, they were incredibly sharp, filled with excitement, like spotting a beloved prey and eager to tear it apart.
He became excited.
Li Ling crouched down and asked, “Xiaozai, are Brazil’s serves hard to receive?”
Qin Chunxiao replied truthfully, “Very hard, but I’m getting better at it. I’m adapting, and they should be adapting too.”
He raised both hands, making a grabbing motion, and said, “I’m getting used to it. Obviously, they should be getting used to it too.”
Starting from the second set, Brazil found that China was even more difficult to deal with, or rather, their libero was more difficult to deal with!
Seventeen-year-old Qin Chunxiao’s physical abilities couldn’t be compared to his peak, as this was a hard limitation of human development. He couldn’t train hard to recover his peak physical condition faster because doing so would only deplete his stamina.
This led to the fact that, in the face of many balls, his mind felt he could receive them, but his body couldn’t actually do it. When he played in the Russian Super League, he was able to maintain a high defensive efficiency because of his teammates and Nikolai’s support. Before each match, they would discuss and plan to block the opponent’s path at the net to facilitate his anticipation and positioning.
Volleyball is a team sport, and defense is not solely an individual’s responsibility. Without the cooperation of teammates, even the most talented libero would reach their limits.
However, the Hamster Club had become familiar with opponents from other clubs, so they didn’t need to adapt to their opponents’ plays. They just went on the court and played. However, China wasn’t as familiar with Brazil, so players like Fu Biyang and Qiao Mingming needed time to observe the strong opponents’ plays.
After dragging the first set to nearly 30 points, they completed their adaptation. From that moment on, Qin Chunxiao’s movements became more relaxed and natural.
At the beginning of the match, Brazil served another high-speed jump serve exceeding 130 km/h, and the audience even had the illusion that this volleyball could break bones.
Qin Chunxiao fearlessly approached the serve. He knelt down on one knee, raised his left hand, and bumped the ball to Ding Rong in front of him. Then, Qin Chunxiao turned and followed his teammates’ movements.
During the live broadcast of the game, the commentators praised him.
Commentator Wu Di said, “We all say that good liberos need to learn to move their legs, to stick close to their teammates, and to keep an eye on any territory that might be lost on the court. Qin Chunxiao is such a libero.”
Li Laiheng added, “That’s right. This is the first time Qin Chunxiao is playing for the national team as a libero, but he’s doing great. As soon as his teammates start an attack, he’s always prepared for the ball to be blocked, ready to block or follow up to ensure the ball doesn’t hit the ground.”
Time and a young physique had shackled Qin Chunxiao, but with the efforts of his teammates, he managed to break free from some of those restraints, and his movements became more relaxed and natural.
The Qin Chunxiao who, in 2023, boarded the plane, full of aspirations to rush towards the world during his peak period, finally faced off against the theoretically strongest team in the VNL.
The match had just begun!
Qin Chunxiao focused on the volleyball and those around it. His naturally wide field of vision and keen observation allowed him to see everyone’s movements clearly.
Caique was about to set, and Dominique was in the air. No, wait! Caique’s movements were changing; he wasn’t going to set.
In Qin Chunxiao’s eyes, Caique’s actions slowed down, becoming a decomposable slow-motion.
Snap! Caique gently used one hand to slap the ball to the other side of the net. Then, his actions broke free from the slow-motion, everything returned to normal speed, and Qin Chunxiao slid to the net, receiving the ball.
“Ding Ge!”
Ding Rong said, “Nice receive!”
Ding set the ball high, and Tong Shulan jumped up, pushing the ball towards the empty space in front of him. Tong Shulan ran forward from behind him, his left hand held high.
At the moment when his palm touched the ball, Tong Shulan’s eyes brightened.
Yes, this sensation, he hit the ball at his favorite angle, the best angle to hit a straight-line shot.
Tong Shulan used his waist strength, whipping his left hand like a whip, and sent the ball crashing towards the opponent’s side.
The referee blew the whistle, indicating that China scored.
12:11, China led by 1 point.
The two teams faced each other across the net, panting heavily. Qin Chunxiao was helped up by Kong Duojin, and they both looked at the Brazilian team. Then, they turned around and walked back to their respective positions.
Kong Duojin served the ball, but it was easily received by Billy. Caique set the ball to position 3, where Bell was supposed to jump and attack, but he swung at empty air. Behind him, Joshua had already jumped high.
At the same time, Ding Rong, You Ziyu, and Liu Yuelou all jumped up, vowing to use a triple block to completely block Joshua’s cross-court shot!
Joshua gritted his teeth. Since the start of the game, his opponents had been continuously blocking his cross-court shot, making him extremely frustrated.
This mentally agile player lightly tapped the volleyball, sending it over the net, but what he didn’t expect was that Qin Chunxiao, who was supposed to receive a straight shot, didn’t have time to turn around. However, Qiao Mingming lunged forward and picked up the ball.
Qin Chunxiao once again jumped from beyond the 3-meter line, assuming the stance of a setter. Kong Duojin also followed suit, ready to coordinate with him in the attack.
Then, with a swing of both hands, Qin Chunxiao skillfully placed the ball over the net and scored directly.
Puff!
Some of the spectators who were drinking water spurted it out directly.
The libero could actually make a second attack. Amazing!
Wu Di was already praising loudly, “Everyone, we can see that Qin Chunxiao, this libero, is truly full of vitality! It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a libero with such strong attacking skills!”
Li Laiheng added, “That’s right. The last time we saw such a libero was in the early 2000s, Mars’s favorite disciple, the best libero of the Athens Olympics, Krum. He was the most promising defensive genius when the libero position was first introduced, but unfortunately, he passed away in a car accident in 2005.”
Wu Di continued, “Who would have thought that in 2018, during our game against Brazil, our Qin Chunxiao would make such an attack? I wonder how Coach Mars feels now.”
After seeing Qin Chunxiao’s attack, Mars was somewhat lost in thought.
In the world-class arena, there were always players with vitality, and there was no shortage of outstanding liberos who could score. But Qin Chunxiao was somewhat special. He had a similar height to Mars’s former disciple, but this boy was even more handsome and younger.
At the moment of Qin Chunxiao’s attack, Mars seemed to see a long-lost figure next to him making the same attacking move.
But soon, Mars realized that Qin Chunxiao was just Qin Chunxiao, because the original owner of that figure would never be surrounded by his teammates after a game, knocking heads together in celebration. He had always had a poor relationship with his teammates, his emotions were intense and extreme, and he played with passion, wishing to die on the court.
Mars’s expression relaxed, and he sat amidst the noisy arena, watching the young people running and jumping on the court.
His assistant and also his adopted son, who put his hand on his back and patted him, didn’t mention that name, but they knew that they were thinking of the same person.
Mars smiled and said, “This kid’s style of play is much calmer than his, but the passion is similar. I’ve seen him play in the Russian Super League gold medal match, and compared to that time, he has improved a lot.”
This court always saw new talents emerging constantly, each one so outstanding. Joshua and Caique couldn’t help but feel that this group of Chinese boys was extremely troublesome.
In the second set, China and Brazil also broke through 25 points, wrestling all the way to 30 points.
At this point, the players on both sides cursed the other team for being so relentless, but couldn’t help but feel admiration and the determination not to lose.
China: Take a risk, turn a bicycle into a motorcycle!
Brazil: If we lose to a team ranked outside the top ten in the world rankings on our home turf, how can we hold our heads high in front of our family and friends?
Perhaps the power of family and friends was stronger. Brazil won the second set, and as long as they won one more set, they could end the match!
The players returned to the coach. This time, they were even more exhausted, with almost everyone covered in sweat. The high-intensity exercise made their cheeks red, muscles hot and sore. They all applied ice packs, just hoping to cool down and continue the game.
Newton held a large fan and fanned himself, “You did well. The Brazilian team’s movements were already getting restless. Continue this momentum. Remember, our goal today is to at least play a full five sets.”
Liu Yuelou said, “Coach, I’m going to die from exhaustion!”
Newton waved his hand, “Then I’ll have Ming Yaoyang replace you. Yangyang, come on, get ready to play! Xiao Pi, you go in for Shulan!”
Ming Yaoyang and Gao Debi jumped up, “Here we go!”
Despite being the two players who consumed the most energy on the court, they didn’t utter a word. Qin Chunxiao was still sitting cross-legged, not saying a word, just regulating his breath while holding an ice pack.
Across from him, Billy muttered while holding an ice pack, “Listen up, I’ll do my best to receive all the balls. You guys must seize the chances I give you to score. Don’t be like those softies who can’t score. Otherwise, my hard work will be in vain.”
The Brazilian team responded, “We’re not soft, don’t worry, we’ll definitely be tough.”
The third set began, and then the Brazilian team realized that China’s defense had become stronger again!
Just as Lao Niu said before the match, their battle with Brazil allowed them to accumulate valuable experience in major competitions, especially experience against strong opponents.
In the process of the game, even Qiao Mingming, who had the worst defense, could already receive several balls from the Brazilian team. It could be imagined that after this game, no one would be able to criticize Qiao Mingming’s poor defense anymore.
Qin Chunxiao’s performance surprised everyone. He seemed to be attacking Brazil like a special forces soldier, knowing the Brazilian team’s attacking patterns inside out. It was as if he didn’t go to Russia to study Russian players but had gone to Brazil to study the Brazilian national team.
Moreover, he was putting in extra effort. As long as the ball came over, even if Qin Chunxiao was still lying on the ground, he could spring like a fish to receive the ball. As the Brazilian team’s stamina declined, Qin Chunxiao’s defense became even more impenetrable, and his defensive efficiency increased rather than decreased.
As the defensive core, Qin Chunxiao’s performance naturally drove his teammates. So, once again, in the third set, they struggled to 29:30, with China trailing by one point. The Brazilian team’s ace server, Mason, stepped up to serve again.
What a serve by Mason! He hit the ball with great force, directly smashing it into China’s court. Was China going to lose this set again?
At this critical moment, Lao Niu stood up.
“Referee, Mason stepped on the line. I request a Hawkeye challenge!”
Newton was a cautious person. This was the first time he had used a challenge since the start of the match.
Everyone looked at the big screen, where Mason’s movement was shown in slow motion, and then his feet appeared on the screen.
On the last step of his toss and approach, Mason’s toe overlapped the line by 2 centimeters.
The challenge was successful! China got this point, and the score became 30:30!
Li Ling raised both arms and cheered loudly, “Coach, you’re awesome!”
Newton smirked, pointed to his eyes, and showed a proud expression.
His eyes were indeed very sharp; he wouldn’t miss any opportunity to challenge for points.
On the court, several players let out a sigh of relief. That was close; they had really been saved by Lao Niu.
Qin Chunxiao wiped away his cold sweat and gathered his focus. Lao Niu had fought for them an opportunity, and they couldn’t let the coach down.
Bang! The new rally began, and both sides launched another offensive and defensive battle.
Some people commented that the players of China and Brazil were out of the ordinary today. They were batting the ball back and forth so fast that the audience could only see afterimages. If they weren’t careful, the ball would fly to the other side. The two teams’ liberos were even more extraordinary because the ball was so unbelievable, yet they were still able to receive one ball after another.
As the offensive and defensive battle progressed, China narrowly secured another point, bringing the score to 31:30.
It could be imagined that the next point would be even more thrilling and exciting because as long as China won one more point, they would take this set!
At this moment, the player walking to the service area for China was their ace server, You Ziyu.
You Ziyu took a deep breath, took the serving posture, and his eyes sharpened.
Bang!
The ball landed, 32:30, and China took the third set, struggling back from the brink!
In the fourth set, the frustration of the Brazilian team became even more evident. During the long-lasting battle of attrition, their stamina declined, their error rate increased, and China seized the opportunity, winning 25:23 to take this set.
2-2, China leveled the score.
Seeing this score, many fans were moved to tears.
[Today, China has created a miracle. They pushed Brazil to the fifth set, something that used to be achieved only by strong teams that stood on the podium in world-class competitions. China did it.]
[My current feeling is like watching Simba in The Lion King gradually growing up. Do you understand my feelings? It’s that feeling of watching a young lion grow into a king, and no one believed in them before!]
[I’m already satisfied. Whatever the outcome, I accept it. 2-2 is enough; they have already exceeded my expectations by too much.]
[The butterfly has waited in the cocoon for decades, and today they finally broke free from the cocoon.]
Qiao Mingming, who had been on the court all the time and crazily attacked for three sets, stumbled when returning to the coach’s bench and almost fell directly.
Qin Chunxiao reacted quickly, using both hands to open up and create a stable stance, supporting Qiao Mingming. It was indeed a challenge for a small kid who was less than 1.8 meters tall to hold up his over 2-meter-tall teammate.
Seeing this, others quickly came over to help, and Qiao Mingming also came to his senses, standing upright. “Xiao Zai, are you okay?”
Qin Chunxiao waved his hand. “I’m fine. How about you? Feeling tired?”
Qiao Mingming grinned. “The most tired one is still you, right? You’ve been keeping an intense focus on the ball all this time. If I had to maintain such high concentration for that long, it would definitely give me a headache. And you’re even sliding and diving all over the ground to receive balls. Doesn’t that hurt?”
Qin Chunxiao was honest. “It does hurt, and my head hurts too.”
He knew he was covered in bruises, but isn’t that what a libero is all about? You get used to it. As for the headache from being highly focused, he experienced that during the Russian Super League and this time, it was less severe than the one during the Russian Super League. It seemed that his mental resilience had grown stronger.
Ding Rong supported one of his arms while Fu Biyang supported the other. “Alright, let’s just finish this match quickly, then go back to the hotel and sleep. My god, I managed to trick Dominique and Mason’s blocks just now. I can brag about this until next year.”
Brazil was at its peak, while the Chinese team was still in its growth phase. Almost everyone could feel the gap in strength between them, but it didn’t stop the Chinese team from challenging Brazil.
Courage sometimes has nothing to do with strength; it’s a mix of passion and recklessness combined with youth, which can trigger an unwavering fearlessness.
Regardless of the tricks they used or the exhaustion from enduring, they still wanted to win. So, they had the strength to stand on the court again.
In the final set, China once again sent out their strongest lineup: Qiao Mingming, Ding Rong, Fu Biyang, Kong Duojin, You Ziyu, and Qin Chunxiao.
Brazil also fielded all their main players for the last set. Everyone understood that Brazil had given China the highest treatment possible, which was to go all out.
Qin Chunxiao looked at Billy from a distance, revealing a provocative smile.
Billy was taken aback for a moment before chuckling. In his heart, he had mixed feelings of fondness and annoyance. He murmured, “I hate these kids who want to challenge anyone they see and don’t know their place.”
With the referee’s whistle, You Ziyu tossed the volleyball.
Bang!
Billy received the ball, and Joshua was standing in front of him. Joshua directly pushed the ball to the other side of the net, and Qiao Mingming used his shoulder to keep the ball in play. The ball didn’t touch the ground but flew out of bounds.
Without hesitation, Qin Chunxiao rushed towards the ball before it landed. Before the ball hit the ground, he pushed it back into the court. However, he flipped over the advertising board surrounding the court and crashed into the spectators’ seats behind. He accidentally pressed down on several big and burly male fans watching the game.
At this moment, many fans realized that the seemingly petite boy on the court was not actually shorter than those burly men. He was even taller and more robust.
But the game on the court was not over yet, and the ball had not hit the ground. Qin Chunxiao quickly got up, shouted “Sorry” in Portuguese, and ran back to the court with red marks on his face from the fall.
Joshua continued hitting the ball, and while playing, he thought about whether Mars had the same feeling. However, in Qin Chunxiao, he saw a familiar shadow—the player he had idolized madly during his childhood. The first person to become the Brazilian league MVP as a libero after the term “libero” was created.
And Qin Chunxiao possessed the same qualities as that person, such as passion, a disregard for his own life when making saves, and the tenacity to never give up until the game was over.
But it seemed that the kid was even stronger than that person because he was not impulsive at all. He maintained absolute composure from start to finish and had even more agility.
Mars, you once said that all attackers in the world should be thankful they didn’t live in the same era as Krum. Otherwise, their attacks wouldn’t be as smooth. He might not have stood on the same court as Krum, but in his era, a stronger Qin Chunxiao emerged!
Joshua hit the ball over the net again and then saw the boy rushing to the net.
He whispered softly, “The world’s stage is never short of talent, but you are definitely the most stunning one I’ve seen this year.”
…
Later, people said that in the 2018 VNL event, the most thrilling three matches occurred in one of the preliminary rounds, namely the match between the Chinese team and the Brazilian team in the Brazil home court.
This match signaled the rise of another world-class powerhouse, reaching the intensity level of a final.
Most importantly, in this three-hour and fifteen-minute match, all the players fought until the very last point without giving up.
In the fifth set, it was 24:26, and China was unfortunately defeated 2-3 by Brazil.
At the moment when the match ended, players from both sides almost collapsed on the ground together.
Qin Chunxiao squatted on the ground, almost unable to distinguish whether his feeling of dejection was due to losing the match or the excessive intensity of the game, causing his breathing to be so rapid. He was finding it hard to stand up.
Right, there was also a bruise on his face from the fall while making a save earlier. Now he felt the pain. Behind him, Qiao Mingming had already wiped away tears.
A shadow fell over Qin Chunxiao’s vision, and he looked up to see Joshua swaying as he walked towards the net. Joshua squatted down and looked at him with a friendly smile, praising him in heavily accented English, “Hey, you played really well.”
Qin Chunxiao gazed at him with a smile in his blue eyes and replied in Portuguese, “You played well too.”
Joshua patted his knee and said cheerfully, “Yeah, we had a good match. Will you come to the finals? I bet you’ll make it to the finals, and then we can have another match.”
This guy was trying to comfort him. It seemed that even if it wasn’t the 2023 version, Joshua’s character hadn’t changed.
Realizing this, Qin Chunxiao stood up, supporting his knee, and pulled Joshua up as well. “I’ll definitely beat you next time.”
As the two players shook hands across the net, Wu Di also wiped the corner of his eye, facing the camera, and smiled, saying, “Everyone, the match is over. It’s been an honor to watch a great game with you all. China’s next VNL event will be held in Ottawa, Canada, on June 9. Looking forward to seeing you again.”
