My Soulmate is A Libero
With two wins already under their belt, the Hamster Club had essentially secured their spot in the semifinals. They were practically confirmed as one of the top four teams. Going against the Lynx Club, they felt minimal psychological pressure and even had the idea of conserving energy by not pushing too hard.
After all, reaching the semifinals meant facing more intense matches. It wasn’t worth going all out against the Lynx Club at this point. Qin Chunxiao had just finished playing against the Barbecue Club the day before, and the Pufferfish Club from the previous day wasn’t an easy opponent either. Qin Chunxiao’s energy hadn’t fully recovered yet.
Of course, given the World Cup’s schedule, his energy wouldn’t fully recover. Sometimes a night’s sleep would recover some stamina, only to expend even more the following day.
The Lynx Club had also achieved victory against the Barbecue Club and was similarly one of the top four teams. The two teams were fighting fiercely, which only benefited the two teams from Group A who had advanced.
As the match against the Lynx Club began, Qin Chunxiao saw Sebastian enter with his usual handsome smile. He was still handsome, but to those familiar with him, he seemed less carefree than usual.
Even some diehard fans whispered to each other.
“Sebastian looks a bit tired.”
“Yeah, he usually blows kisses to the whole arena.”
“He doesn’t seem to be the happiest Lynx in the club today.”
Nikolai, Anton, and Qin Chunxiao exchanged a glance. The two captains understood that winning this match wasn’t essential. They only needed to exhaust the Lynx Club as much as possible.
Before the match started, Lu Yunchen came over with a pair of pants, saying, “Captain Qin, these pants have been washed clean. I also bought a pack of new bitter tea. Could you please pass it on to Doctor Yashenka?”
When he mentioned Doctor Yashenka, his expression noticeably darkened for a moment, but he still politely referred to him as “Doctor.”
Though this young master had quite a few delicate quirks, after Lu Xuandong had ironed them out, his well-mannered appearance left a favorable impression on people.
Qin Chunxiao jiggled the bag, saying, “Do you mind if I take a look?”
Whenever he had to deliver something, he would inspect the goods. It was a lesson he learned from past experiences.
Lu Yunchen hurriedly replied, “No problem, go ahead.”
He thought to himself that Captain Qin was really polite. Clearly not being a girl, he still asked before looking at a pair of guy’s pants and a bitter tea pack.
Qin Chunxiao glanced inside. New pants, new bitter tea, all brand new and even branded.
“What about the old ones?”
Lu Yunchen blushed, “Couldn’t find a laundry shop, so I bought some laundry powder at a convenience store and tried washing them myself. I accidentally ruined them. I explained on my phone, and Doctor Yashenka said he didn’t mind, as long as I return them.”
As for the incident last night, when his own brother had disapproved of how he washed his clothes, Lu Yunchen didn’t retort. He had learned to do laundry back when he worked at the food factory. Last night, he had simply been irritated, washing too vigorously and damaging the clothes. It was his own mistake.
Qin Chunxiao said, “Since you’ve sorted it out, then it’s okay.”
Later, when Yashenka returned with an ice pack and saw the branded pants and tea, he pulled out his wallet in a fit of rage, intending to reimburse the difference. But Qin Chunxiao directly refused.
Can you guys please handle these matters yourselves? I’ve got a game to play! Xiaozai’s got a match to play! I don’t have time to be your middleman!
Yashenka squatted down and tapped on his phone, muttering, “Then I’ll ask him for his bank account.”
Misha face full of speechlessness, went to warm up. He whispered to Li Ling, “Dongzai and I are not this troublesome.”
Li Ling replied, “Oh come on, Dongzai is an adult. He definitely has better control over his boundaries than his little brother.”
Er Leng pondered on his interactions with Xiaozai and Dongzai, firmly believing that these two guys with decent emotional intelligence had no reason not to get along well. However, most people, especially those on the rival team, couldn’t have such an ideal state of interaction. They had to adapt.
In the midst of the conversation, the match officially began.
Compared to other games, the World Cup had quite a few sponsors, and the floor was vividly colorful. The DJ playing the music was quite skilled, and as the Hamster Club’s athletes entered, they immediately played “Moskau.”
Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling were amidst a group of Russians, all of whom looked towards the DJ. The DJ looked back, receiving signals from the two athletes. He grinned, made a gesture, and then changed the music to the theme song of “Soldiers Sortie”.
If they had played this song yesterday during the Fugu Club match, Qin Chunxiao might have really gotten fired up. However, it seemed that the event organizers didn’t think it was appropriate. So, midway through the music, someone came and escorted him away from the court. They couldn’t be that casual on the international stage, after all, it was just like the classic line from “Yes, Prime Minister”: “If seating is done alphabetically, Iran and Iraq will be seated together…”.
For the sake of peace and harmony, moderation was key when it came to spicing things up.
The new DJ exercised some restraint and played a somewhat lively rhythm. Players from both sides entered the court in a daze, and it was almost time for the Lynx Club to serve.
Sebastian walked into the serving area, holding the ball, his expression turning cold. He appeared far more attractive with this serious demeanor than when he smiled foolishly.
Qin Chunxiao prepared himself.
Among the five male volleyball god-tier players, Sebastian was the most skilled at serving. Both his jump serves and jump float serves were extremely powerful. In the years to come, he would break the speed world record for jump serves and consecutively set and break the record three times.
Receiving his serve was a serious business.
Then, with a loud thud, Sebastian’s powerful jump serve hit the net, giving the Hamster Club a valuable point.
Sebastian opened his mouth wide, his fist clenched near it, his expression appearing somewhat shocked. Qin Chunxiao was also puzzled, but now it was Soso’s turn to serve.
Soso did a few push-ups, tossed the ball, and then let out a wild cry as he served, much like a baboon. The ball he sent was not only powerful but also carried an imposing momentum.
However, the force behind this serve was too much. It barely made it over the net, and the referee signaled for a point. Usually in such cases, the Lynx Club’s coach should stand up and challenge.
But this coach, Paul, didn’t react. Yes, he accepted the point.
This experienced coach was known for his steadiness. Even if someone claimed he was subpar, he truly wasn’t. After all, he had trained quite a few outstanding players.
Yet, he didn’t even challenge a serve like this. It was as if he believed, “Even if the opponent takes a point, my players can still recover on their own without wasting my precious challenge opportunity.” Qin Chunxiao felt that something was off.
At times like this, even if you know there’s a fifty percent chance of failing a challenge, as a coach, you should still show some initiative, right?
And so, the match began in this atmosphere.
Honestly speaking, the Lynx Club was strong, incredibly strong, as they consisted of most members from the Polish men’s national volleyball team. In theory, the Polish men’s volleyball team was the strongest in the Tokyo Olympic cycle, apart from Brazil, Russia, and the United States.
These four teams had a feeling of competing against each other. If the Polish team performed well enough, they had a chance at the Tokyo Olympics gold medal. Unfortunately, throughout the entire Tokyo cycle, they seemed to be stuck in the phase of “I can reach the top four or even the podium in any world-class competition, but I just can’t win the championship.”
After playing against them, Qin Chunxiao somewhat understood why the Polish team was in this predicament. It was because their national team coach was none other than Paul.
In the first two sets, the Hamster Club was nearly overwhelmed by the Lynx Club. Qin Chunxiao struggled to adapt to Sebastian, the beast in his prime. Many of his setups weren’t of high quality.
If it weren’t for Anton and Li Ling’s effective adjustment of their techniques and the defensive support from Li Ling and Grigory, their defense might have crumbled under the Lynx Club’s attack.
Conversely, the Lynx Club displayed high adaptability to powerful serves. They probably had Sebastian practice with them often. Their defense wasn’t weak, making it difficult for the Hamster Club’s offense. The scoring efficiency of Oleg, Ruslan, and Grigory had all been significantly lowered.
But to maintain this high-intensity offense, the coach needed to strategically manage the players’ court time. Athletes couldn’t be expected to keep performing at their best continuously; they were human and needed rest!
Even someone with good endurance like Qin Chunxiao had his energy bar managed by coaches like Mars, Nikolai, and Newton. They’d occasionally let him rest for a set or even sit on the bench to recover during less important matches.
Sebastian’s physical condition was undoubtedly good. Throughout the Tokyo Olympics cycle, the five volleyball god-tier players were either on the rise or at their peak. No one over 28 was in the lineup. Any decline would have to wait until after the Tokyo Olympics. However, Sebastian’s fatigue was also quite evident.
By the third set, the Hamsters had adapted to the Lynx’s rhythm. Qin Chunxiao’s defensive efficiency improved, and through the adjustments of the libero and the setter, they gained more attacking opportunities. The overall situation improved.
The commentators chuckled, “The Hamsters’ attackers have found their rhythm.”
Usually at this point, the coach would either call a timeout to interrupt the Hamster’s momentum or substitute Sebastian, who was fatigued and being read by the opponent, to make the Hamster Club adapt to the Lynx’s rhythm again.
Qin Chunxiao clearly saw two powerful players from the Paris Olympics cycle sitting on the Lynx Club’s bench. They had potential and had displayed excellent offensive talents in the World Junior Championship and World Youth Championship. Yet, Paul stubbornly refused to use them.
Um, if it weren’t for knowing that Paul had a solid training method for athletes and his tactical system could ensure top-notch performance for the team, Qin Chunxiao would almost suspect that he was a spy sent by Zhao Laogui to Poland.
Didn’t this old guy really understand the difference between playing against ordinary teams and facing a world-class powerhouse like the Hamster Club? Their system didn’t work perfectly against the Hamsters, he needed to adapt!
Someone like Coach Nikolai was excellent at adapting to various situations on the court. When the Lynx Club started performing well, he called timeouts accordingly, disrupting their rhythm. If timeouts ran out, he would challenge, even if he knew it might fail. As long as he could disrupt the opponent’s flow, he fulfilled his role as a coach’s support.
A good coach was bound to excel in providing support!
Considering their strengths, the Hamster Club was at 90, and the Lynx Club was at 92. Moreover, the Hamsters were prepared for a relaxed match, yet they still emerged victorious in this game. The coach’s role was truly significant in this.
At the moment the match ended, Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling exchanged a glance, then looked at You Ziyu, who had finished watching the game and returned to the audience seats. They all felt a sense of melancholy.
But the other players didn’t feel the same way. Anton even hugged Qin Chunxiao and said, “Misha, luckily we held our ground. The Lynx is truly strong.”
Qin Chunxiao nodded and agreed absentmindedly. He thought this was probably what they called being too involved in the situation. After all, not every country’s players had experienced Zhao Laogui’s torment, so they might be especially sensitive to a coach’s abilities.
In any case, on December 12th, this good shopping day, accompanied by the lively music played by DJ No. 2, the Hamster Club, the Lynx Club, the neighboring A Group’s Beluga Club, and the Quinn Club all advanced to the semifinals.
Upon hearing this news from You Ziyu, Li Ling was surprised, “ENEL got eliminated?”
Weren’t those two teams strong? Especially ENEL, they were the champions from last year!
Qin Chunxiao seemed to recall something and suddenly covered his forehead. He remembered now – the DJs for this year’s World Club Championship were all skilled at spicing things up, so…
You Ziyu squatted down, munching on a hamburger and even placed a box of fries in Qin Chunxiao’s lap, saying, “Never mind, you guys probably didn’t know during your match. When Beluga and ENEL were playing next door, their DJ played the Soviet national anthem.”
Qin Chunxiao asked, “Did the DJ get removed?”
You Ziyu replied, “Yeah, they replaced the DJ. In the second half, they played AC/DC rock music all along. It was so exhilarating.”
Qin Chunxiao thought, well, at least the Beluga Club got some payback for losing the gold medal to ENEL last year.
My Soulmate is A Libero
With two wins already under their belt, the Hamster Club had essentially secured their spot in the semifinals. They were practically confirmed as one of the top four teams. Going against the Lynx Club, they felt minimal psychological pressure and even had the idea of conserving energy by not pushing too hard.
After all, reaching the semifinals meant facing more intense matches. It wasn’t worth going all out against the Lynx Club at this point. Qin Chunxiao had just finished playing against the Barbecue Club the day before, and the Pufferfish Club from the previous day wasn’t an easy opponent either. Qin Chunxiao’s energy hadn’t fully recovered yet.
Of course, given the World Cup’s schedule, his energy wouldn’t fully recover. Sometimes a night’s sleep would recover some stamina, only to expend even more the following day.
The Lynx Club had also achieved victory against the Barbecue Club and was similarly one of the top four teams. The two teams were fighting fiercely, which only benefited the two teams from Group A who had advanced.
As the match against the Lynx Club began, Qin Chunxiao saw Sebastian enter with his usual handsome smile. He was still handsome, but to those familiar with him, he seemed less carefree than usual.
Even some diehard fans whispered to each other.
“Sebastian looks a bit tired.”
“Yeah, he usually blows kisses to the whole arena.”
“He doesn’t seem to be the happiest Lynx in the club today.”
Nikolai, Anton, and Qin Chunxiao exchanged a glance. The two captains understood that winning this match wasn’t essential. They only needed to exhaust the Lynx Club as much as possible.
Before the match started, Lu Yunchen came over with a pair of pants, saying, “Captain Qin, these pants have been washed clean. I also bought a pack of new bitter tea. Could you please pass it on to Doctor Yashenka?”
When he mentioned Doctor Yashenka, his expression noticeably darkened for a moment, but he still politely referred to him as “Doctor.”
Though this young master had quite a few delicate quirks, after Lu Xuandong had ironed them out, his well-mannered appearance left a favorable impression on people.
Qin Chunxiao jiggled the bag, saying, “Do you mind if I take a look?”
Whenever he had to deliver something, he would inspect the goods. It was a lesson he learned from past experiences.
Lu Yunchen hurriedly replied, “No problem, go ahead.”
He thought to himself that Captain Qin was really polite. Clearly not being a girl, he still asked before looking at a pair of guy’s pants and a bitter tea pack.
Qin Chunxiao glanced inside. New pants, new bitter tea, all brand new and even branded.
“What about the old ones?”
Lu Yunchen blushed, “Couldn’t find a laundry shop, so I bought some laundry powder at a convenience store and tried washing them myself. I accidentally ruined them. I explained on my phone, and Doctor Yashenka said he didn’t mind, as long as I return them.”
As for the incident last night, when his own brother had disapproved of how he washed his clothes, Lu Yunchen didn’t retort. He had learned to do laundry back when he worked at the food factory. Last night, he had simply been irritated, washing too vigorously and damaging the clothes. It was his own mistake.
Qin Chunxiao said, “Since you’ve sorted it out, then it’s okay.”
Later, when Yashenka returned with an ice pack and saw the branded pants and tea, he pulled out his wallet in a fit of rage, intending to reimburse the difference. But Qin Chunxiao directly refused.
Can you guys please handle these matters yourselves? I’ve got a game to play! Xiaozai’s got a match to play! I don’t have time to be your middleman!
Yashenka squatted down and tapped on his phone, muttering, “Then I’ll ask him for his bank account.”
Misha face full of speechlessness, went to warm up. He whispered to Li Ling, “Dongzai and I are not this troublesome.”
Li Ling replied, “Oh come on, Dongzai is an adult. He definitely has better control over his boundaries than his little brother.”
Er Leng pondered on his interactions with Xiaozai and Dongzai, firmly believing that these two guys with decent emotional intelligence had no reason not to get along well. However, most people, especially those on the rival team, couldn’t have such an ideal state of interaction. They had to adapt.
In the midst of the conversation, the match officially began.
Compared to other games, the World Cup had quite a few sponsors, and the floor was vividly colorful. The DJ playing the music was quite skilled, and as the Hamster Club’s athletes entered, they immediately played “Moskau.”
Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling were amidst a group of Russians, all of whom looked towards the DJ. The DJ looked back, receiving signals from the two athletes. He grinned, made a gesture, and then changed the music to the theme song of “Soldiers Sortie”.
If they had played this song yesterday during the Fugu Club match, Qin Chunxiao might have really gotten fired up. However, it seemed that the event organizers didn’t think it was appropriate. So, midway through the music, someone came and escorted him away from the court. They couldn’t be that casual on the international stage, after all, it was just like the classic line from “Yes, Prime Minister”: “If seating is done alphabetically, Iran and Iraq will be seated together…”.
For the sake of peace and harmony, moderation was key when it came to spicing things up.
The new DJ exercised some restraint and played a somewhat lively rhythm. Players from both sides entered the court in a daze, and it was almost time for the Lynx Club to serve.
Sebastian walked into the serving area, holding the ball, his expression turning cold. He appeared far more attractive with this serious demeanor than when he smiled foolishly.
Qin Chunxiao prepared himself.
Among the five male volleyball god-tier players, Sebastian was the most skilled at serving. Both his jump serves and jump float serves were extremely powerful. In the years to come, he would break the speed world record for jump serves and consecutively set and break the record three times.
Receiving his serve was a serious business.
Then, with a loud thud, Sebastian’s powerful jump serve hit the net, giving the Hamster Club a valuable point.
Sebastian opened his mouth wide, his fist clenched near it, his expression appearing somewhat shocked. Qin Chunxiao was also puzzled, but now it was Soso’s turn to serve.
Soso did a few push-ups, tossed the ball, and then let out a wild cry as he served, much like a baboon. The ball he sent was not only powerful but also carried an imposing momentum.
However, the force behind this serve was too much. It barely made it over the net, and the referee signaled for a point. Usually in such cases, the Lynx Club’s coach should stand up and challenge.
But this coach, Paul, didn’t react. Yes, he accepted the point.
This experienced coach was known for his steadiness. Even if someone claimed he was subpar, he truly wasn’t. After all, he had trained quite a few outstanding players.
Yet, he didn’t even challenge a serve like this. It was as if he believed, “Even if the opponent takes a point, my players can still recover on their own without wasting my precious challenge opportunity.” Qin Chunxiao felt that something was off.
At times like this, even if you know there’s a fifty percent chance of failing a challenge, as a coach, you should still show some initiative, right?
And so, the match began in this atmosphere.
Honestly speaking, the Lynx Club was strong, incredibly strong, as they consisted of most members from the Polish men’s national volleyball team. In theory, the Polish men’s volleyball team was the strongest in the Tokyo Olympic cycle, apart from Brazil, Russia, and the United States.
These four teams had a feeling of competing against each other. If the Polish team performed well enough, they had a chance at the Tokyo Olympics gold medal. Unfortunately, throughout the entire Tokyo cycle, they seemed to be stuck in the phase of “I can reach the top four or even the podium in any world-class competition, but I just can’t win the championship.”
After playing against them, Qin Chunxiao somewhat understood why the Polish team was in this predicament. It was because their national team coach was none other than Paul.
In the first two sets, the Hamster Club was nearly overwhelmed by the Lynx Club. Qin Chunxiao struggled to adapt to Sebastian, the beast in his prime. Many of his setups weren’t of high quality.
If it weren’t for Anton and Li Ling’s effective adjustment of their techniques and the defensive support from Li Ling and Grigory, their defense might have crumbled under the Lynx Club’s attack.
Conversely, the Lynx Club displayed high adaptability to powerful serves. They probably had Sebastian practice with them often. Their defense wasn’t weak, making it difficult for the Hamster Club’s offense. The scoring efficiency of Oleg, Ruslan, and Grigory had all been significantly lowered.
But to maintain this high-intensity offense, the coach needed to strategically manage the players’ court time. Athletes couldn’t be expected to keep performing at their best continuously; they were human and needed rest!
Even someone with good endurance like Qin Chunxiao had his energy bar managed by coaches like Mars, Nikolai, and Newton. They’d occasionally let him rest for a set or even sit on the bench to recover during less important matches.
Sebastian’s physical condition was undoubtedly good. Throughout the Tokyo Olympics cycle, the five volleyball god-tier players were either on the rise or at their peak. No one over 28 was in the lineup. Any decline would have to wait until after the Tokyo Olympics. However, Sebastian’s fatigue was also quite evident.
By the third set, the Hamsters had adapted to the Lynx’s rhythm. Qin Chunxiao’s defensive efficiency improved, and through the adjustments of the libero and the setter, they gained more attacking opportunities. The overall situation improved.
The commentators chuckled, “The Hamsters’ attackers have found their rhythm.”
Usually at this point, the coach would either call a timeout to interrupt the Hamster’s momentum or substitute Sebastian, who was fatigued and being read by the opponent, to make the Hamster Club adapt to the Lynx’s rhythm again.
Qin Chunxiao clearly saw two powerful players from the Paris Olympics cycle sitting on the Lynx Club’s bench. They had potential and had displayed excellent offensive talents in the World Junior Championship and World Youth Championship. Yet, Paul stubbornly refused to use them.
Um, if it weren’t for knowing that Paul had a solid training method for athletes and his tactical system could ensure top-notch performance for the team, Qin Chunxiao would almost suspect that he was a spy sent by Zhao Laogui to Poland.
Didn’t this old guy really understand the difference between playing against ordinary teams and facing a world-class powerhouse like the Hamster Club? Their system didn’t work perfectly against the Hamsters, he needed to adapt!
Someone like Coach Nikolai was excellent at adapting to various situations on the court. When the Lynx Club started performing well, he called timeouts accordingly, disrupting their rhythm. If timeouts ran out, he would challenge, even if he knew it might fail. As long as he could disrupt the opponent’s flow, he fulfilled his role as a coach’s support.
A good coach was bound to excel in providing support!
Considering their strengths, the Hamster Club was at 90, and the Lynx Club was at 92. Moreover, the Hamsters were prepared for a relaxed match, yet they still emerged victorious in this game. The coach’s role was truly significant in this.
At the moment the match ended, Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling exchanged a glance, then looked at You Ziyu, who had finished watching the game and returned to the audience seats. They all felt a sense of melancholy.
But the other players didn’t feel the same way. Anton even hugged Qin Chunxiao and said, “Misha, luckily we held our ground. The Lynx is truly strong.”
Qin Chunxiao nodded and agreed absentmindedly. He thought this was probably what they called being too involved in the situation. After all, not every country’s players had experienced Zhao Laogui’s torment, so they might be especially sensitive to a coach’s abilities.
In any case, on December 12th, this good shopping day, accompanied by the lively music played by DJ No. 2, the Hamster Club, the Lynx Club, the neighboring A Group’s Beluga Club, and the Quinn Club all advanced to the semifinals.
Upon hearing this news from You Ziyu, Li Ling was surprised, “ENEL got eliminated?”
Weren’t those two teams strong? Especially ENEL, they were the champions from last year!
Qin Chunxiao seemed to recall something and suddenly covered his forehead. He remembered now – the DJs for this year’s World Club Championship were all skilled at spicing things up, so…
You Ziyu squatted down, munching on a hamburger and even placed a box of fries in Qin Chunxiao’s lap, saying, “Never mind, you guys probably didn’t know during your match. When Beluga and ENEL were playing next door, their DJ played the Soviet national anthem.”
Qin Chunxiao asked, “Did the DJ get removed?”
You Ziyu replied, “Yeah, they replaced the DJ. In the second half, they played AC/DC rock music all along. It was so exhilarating.”
Qin Chunxiao thought, well, at least the Beluga Club got some payback for losing the gold medal to ENEL last year.
