My Soulmate is A Libero
Such a smart move! He had actually prepared for Qin Chunxiao to receive this ball early on, and he glanced at the opponent on the other side of the net.
The opposing team’s main attacker, Mason, had already poised himself with the setter to block the Chinese team’s net, while the opposing team’s libero, Billy, was gathering strength in the back.
Xiaozi had mentioned that Billy was the most efficient player at receiving Dominique’s sets, aside from him. He had the top three efficiency in handling strong attacks worldwide.
If it were another setter, perhaps they would have set the ball backward to avoid the double block in front. However, Er Leng went against the norm. He lightly leaped and passed the ball forward. The volleyball drew a long arc through the air, and Qiao Mingming, who jumped up intending to spike, realized after jumping that the ball was set too far back. Even if Captain Mingming bent his waist to the extreme, his hand couldn’t reach it.
Alright, this ball wasn’t meant for him.
Qiao Mingming adjusted his posture and landed steadily. Behind him, Tong Shulan had already jumped up. This player, who was increasingly robust and also a left-hander like Qin Chunxiao, held his breath and smacked the ball heavily with his left hand.
A loud sound, and the ball hit the ground heavily.
Scored!
Tong Shulan and Qiao Mingming bumped chests, roared, and then asked Qin Chunxiao, “How was my spike?”
Qin Chunxiao gave them a thumbs up.
[Hahaha, these two seem to have a good relationship, right?]
[They’re both members of the Chinese Men’s Volleyball Left-Handers Alliance, just like how Shorty Victims Alliance gets along.]
[Exactly, when Sydney and William participated in the international volleyball event arranged by FIVB, they even discussed on camera how to break through the Eastern Iron Tower, which is my nickname among European and American players.]
However, Qin Chunxiao’s defense combined a wide field of vision, super quick reflexes, powerful explosiveness, and sprinting ability. This combination allowed him to predict opponents’ movements precisely, chase down balls swiftly, and the only way for opponents to break through him was to have a strong setter who could deceive him. If they couldn’t deceive Qin Chunxiao, they could at least deceive the Chinese team’s blocking, making it difficult for blockers to restrict the opponents’ plays and increasing the difficulty of Qin Chunxiao’s defense.
Just like how even mythical attackers could only weaken the efficiency below, but couldn’t completely defend against them, Qin Chunxiao was also an uncontainable player. It was a bit like the realm of absolute defense.
Outsiders might not be able to sense it, but at this moment, Dominique felt like he was trapped in a quagmire. Scoring had become increasingly difficult. He was like a hunter without weapons standing in a wilderness of snow, surrounded by white snow, while a silver-white wolf stood in front of him, blue eyes fixed on him. As long as he made a move, the wolf would tear a piece of flesh from him.
This was the pressure that Qin Chunxiao brought upon Dominique.
So, when Dominique got another opportunity to attack, he did his best to avoid Qin Chunxiao’s spike. The trajectory of the ball was at the farthest corner from Qin Chunxiao, but it was intercepted by Tong Shulan.
The Chinese team organized another counterattack.
Mars noticed something. When the score reached 20:19, with the Chinese team leading by one point, he decisively called a timeout. This couldn’t go on. While he couldn’t speak for others, Dominique’s rhythm had already been controlled by Misha Qin!
“Dom, you can’t avoid Misha Qin. Your attacking speed is the fastest on the South American continent. You need to have confidence in yourself and aim for the spot where you feel you can score the best!”
Then, Mars looked at Joshua: “Joshua, in the next phase, you might need to help Dom with some of the attacking opportunities.”
In the fan community, attacking opportunities were also called “ball possession.” Before the match, the coach would roughly distribute the ball possession based on the situation. For example, the setter might be instructed to give certain balls to someone else if the situation got critical.
Dominique was supposed to be the one to break this situation, but now Mars believed that he alone couldn’t handle China’s wolf cubs.
To hunt down a fierce snow wolf, two hunters were needed together.
However, the opposing wolf pack wasn’t just one wolf.
Mars looked at the Chinese team and noticed that Newton had been substituted for You Ziyu. He remembered that young man; volleyball fans referred to him as the top server in Asia, possessing an uncommonly skillful underhand serve in the volleyball field.
Mars’ adopted son and assistant whispered, “He’s Kristian’s disciple.”
Mars replied, “I remember you’ve clashed with Kristian before.”
Assistant: “Back then, I suffered a miserable defeat. Kristian ruled the beach volleyball scene from 2012 to 2016. When I faced him in 2009, he was still young but already left me with no means of retaliation.”
This assistant was already an aging veteran plagued with injuries in 2009. After that season, he retired for good. There had been rumors circulating that he was retired by Kristian.
When straight male fans were discussing strength in a playful manner, many believed that Kristian was the best server among all volleyball players—be it beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, men’s, women’s, or even sitting volleyball. As long as the word “volleyball” was involved, no one’s serve was better than Kristian’s.
Now, Kristian was also getting older. In his thirties, he was no longer the nearly invincible emperor of beach volleyball during his prime. Yet, he left behind a disciple who made opponents worry in indoor volleyball.
You Ziyu: “I believe in you!”
As this Hubei dialect traveled through the transmission devices to countless households, the ball was served.
You Ziyu scored with his serve, 21:19.
For his second serve, You Ziyu said, “Ah, hit!”
An excited Bruce Lee fan stood up: “This, this is the sound Bruce Lee makes when he hits someone!”
Don’t underestimate the power in shouting “Ah, hit!” This time, You Ziyu employed a jump float serve.
The ball followed an unpredictable trajectory, much like Er Leng’s thoughts, drifting and floating through the air with a slow yet fast brushing motion, finally twisting in the air like Qin Chunxiao did during driving lessons, gently landing.
Brazil’s libero, Billy Upton, leaped forward with all his might, diving to the ground to dig, but the ball landed 5 centimeters away from his fingertips. Beside him, Captain Caique was also in a prone position.
[My squid’s teasing the Brazilian apes was successful!]
[The ball floated beautifully, even deceiving Caique.]
The score had reached 22:19.
You Ziyu didn’t stop; he continued serving. This time, he used an underhand serve. Brazil’s libero, Billy, finally received his serve this time, but the ball flew.
Billy stood in place, wide-eyed. Seriously? How could an underhand serve have such spin on it, rivaling a powerful jump serve?
23:19.
Brazil called another timeout. They couldn’t let You Ziyu maintain this extraordinary state; otherwise, they really would be served to death.
Don’t think that strong teams were immune to being served to death. In fact, many news stories of a certain player winning matches with a series of serves show that the defeated background team wasn’t weak. The most famous example is the Russian team, after all, their nickname is “Rough Russians.” Their reception level might be a bit lacking, cough cough, and fans had almost gotten used to it.
Only in the past couple of years did the Russian Super League introduce Misha Rat, and with a group of coaches tirelessly seeking defensive talents, the league’s defense had become more formidable.
The Brazilian team didn’t want to join the “Super Server Victims Alliance.”
Their assistant coach stepped forward: “Billy, that player called You Ziyu can’t keep using high-spin underhand serves. This type of serve consumes a significant amount of wrist energy. Kristian’s wrist and elbow injuries stemmed from this serving technique. He even had surgery because of it. You Ziyu never uses this serve in the regular season.”
This wasn’t a standard technique, because high-powered spin underhand serves not only depleted the blue bar but also the red bar. Similar to Misha Qin’s sudden acceleration, it was a taboo-level secret technique.
The Brazilian assistant coach continued, “So what you need to watch out for is him alternating between regular underhand serves and high-spin underhand serves.”
If Billy really got caught off guard by You Ziyu’s serve, that squids-teasing-the-Brazilian-apes-style libero would probably never be forgotten.
After leaving the court, You Ziyu shook his wrist. Wang Yan asked him, “How do you feel?”
You Ziyu replied, “I think I can serve two more.”
Young people naturally had good stamina. You Ziyu was born in 1998, making him just 21 years old this year. Furthermore, apart from Qin Chunxiao, Fu Biyang, and Qiao Mingming, he was one of the players with the fewest injury records on the team. In other words, You Ziyu could endure even more than Kristian.
Returning to the court, You Ziyu executed another high-spin underhand serve.
Billy missed the serve again.
Score 24:19, China was at set point. With just one more point, they could win the third set!
Now, all fans are holding their breath. My goodness, could they really be witnessing the miracle of a Brazilian team being served to death for a set?
[My squid is amazing today!]
[Apprentice, work hard. Master’s reputation is on the line. The next time Kristian’s fans argue about strength, you’ll have something to say. Tsk!]
Regrettably, Brazil didn’t give You Ziyu another chance. When he served again, Brazil had three players ready to receive.
The ball was received, and Dominique seized the opportunity. He took a deep breath, leaped, and prepared to spike the ball onto China’s floor.
Bang.
Was that the sound of the ball hitting the floor? No, it was the muffled sound of the ball hitting a person’s body.
Dominique’s pupils shrank, looking at Li Ling in front of him, grimacing with bared teeth. After landing, he covered his palm and howled in pain, seeking the team doctor.
Since the match was held in the United States, there were commentators present. At this moment, one of them shouted, “Tulengchika used his block to kill the third set!”
Newton revealed a smug smile. Hah, their nerve knife wasn’t only applicable during reception. With an arm span exceeding 10 centimeters above his height advantage, he could be effective in blocking as well.
Just then, the team doctor shouted at a rapid pace, “Brother Niu, Er Leng’s left middle finger is dislocated!”
Li Ling was already in pain, tears streaming down his face. “Brothers, don’t mind me, keep pushing forward!”
Qin Chunxiao laughed and felt sorry at the same time. He lightly tapped Li Ling on the back of the head. “What nonsense are you spouting? It’s not like we’re at war.”
Newton blurted out a curse, “I **!”
Jiang Xiaohai looked at the audio device not far away, turned his head, and decided to completely give up treatment.
Volleyball is such a noisy sport, players shout, coaches shout; it’s all commonplace 【dog head】.
Although Er Leng had quit muddle headed state, this god-like state wasn’t something he could summon at will. Newton had been pushing him from the Australia stage all the way to the finals, only now allowing Li Ling to release his frustration. Yet, Dominique actually dislocated his finger with a single hit?
Even though a volleyball player’s finger dislocation was as common as eating and drinking, just a simple and common injury, athletes who get injured rarely recover their peak state unless they were isolated.
The atmosphere in the Chinese team quieted down. Qin Chunxiao looked at his teammates, took a deep breath, and prepared to step forward to comfort everyone, but Qiao Mingming beat him to it.
“The score is now 2:1, we’re already leading by one set. If we can take the fourth set, victory will be ours. If we go to the fifth set, that’s our strongest territory. I swear, we won’t waste our advantage. Today’s victory belongs to the Chinese team!”
Qiao Mingming’s thinking was simple. He was the captain, and the coach had specifically trained him to be a key attacker in crucial moments. Therefore, he had the responsibility to step up and support his teammates when the team was in a tight spot.
Aizimaiti had a fever and twisted his wrist, Li Ling dislocated a finger. Everyone had given their all to get to this point. If they still couldn’t win this match, Qiao Mingming felt like he’d be letting down the folks back in Jiangdong!
The captain’s spirit rose, and the players were all moved.
Gao Depi patted his shoulder. “Mingming, as long as you’re determined, you’re the most commanding captain!”
In this touching atmosphere, everyone heard Li Ling secretly ask the team doctor, “Will this dislocation affect my ability to give someone the middle finger in the future?”
Team Doctor Wang Yan: “It won’t.”
Li Ling: “Yeah!”
The whole Chinese team thought, Er Leng, you really are an Er Leng!
Qin Chunxiao lightly tapped Er Leng’s head again. “Idiot, there are cameras around. Pay attention!”
Barrage comments floated across the screen.
[Cough cough, let me explain. What Er Leng is doing now is called hiding in plain sight. Did you all learn?]
[Learned it, thanks for the explanation, thank you teacher.]
“How should I put it? Although this generation of men’s volleyball is getting stronger and more spirited, they’re not easy to manage either.”
“Ah, tough to handle like a bunch of macho men. Luckily, the leadership of the Sports Bureau tossed Newton, the No. 1 rogue among domestic men’s volleyball coaches, over. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to keep them in check.”
“I still remember the backlash when Newton scoured talent from the provincial teams back then. At that time, I knew this generation of men’s volleyball, from coaches to players, wouldn’t be simple.”
The gaps between matches were always brief. Newton replaced Ding Rong with Li Ling, and the game resumed.
This time, Qiao Mingming’s demeanor and state were different from before.
When Ding Rong passed the ball to him, this top domestic opposite hitter let out a beastly roar, launching the ball with the momentum of a heavy artillery.
During his time at the Barbaque Club, Coach Lorenzo had told Qiao Mingming,
“Positional attacks are fixed. Everyone knows you’ll attack from there, but they won’t be able to block you. When the day comes that you standing in that attacking position makes everyone shudder in fear, regardless of whether your reach is 3.8 meters or not, people will dread you like a formidable beast.”
Qiao Mingming knew his talent was limited. He could never reach the level of players like Roman or Sebastian. Just their presence on the team was enough to make everyone feel at ease, like a stabilizing force.
But he always believed he had better luck than those formidable players. He hailed from Yunnan Province, which wasn’t known for volleyball prowess. Initially, he got into sports because a prestigious local school recruited sports talents. Additionally, his father had a background in sports, so he followed suit. His tall stature led Coach Yang Yun to bring him into higher-level competitions.
Later, Coach Yang Yun retired, but the coaches from the Yunnan Province team still cared for him. When Zhao Youde intensely honed the four main attackers, Qiao Mingming became the first player that the provincial team fought to keep protected. His coach caused a huge scene at the Volleyball Association, offending Zhao Youde’s faction in the process.
When Newton took over, this good coach enveloped him in every way possible. Not only did he get guidance from the esteemed Lorenzo, but he also met people like Xiao Zi, who aimed to be the world’s top defender, and You Ziyu strived to be stronger server and his other teammates.
Left, right, and back, all were his support, so he had to break through the obstacles in front for his teammates.
Qiao Mingming excelled in launching attacks from the third position. It was the most comfortable spot for him. He couldn’t be a super beast, but if he pushed his talent to the limit, he could be a specialized beast in the third position!
Qiao Mingming’s playstyle turned incredibly fierce, charging at the very front.
He targeted gaps in the opponent’s defense, swung his arm, muscles bulging with force, and with a quick pull, the ball was spiked into the ground at an astonishing speed, just like a wolf biting onto its prey’s throat.
“I mean, I’ve never seen Mingming play so aggressively before. Even his eyes are fierce.”
“Qiao Mingming has always been like this. During the World Youth Championship, when he saw Mao Xunfeng get injured, he exploded as well. Today, when Er Leng got hurt, he did it again. Uh, does that mean the harder our teammates get hurt, the fiercer he plays?”
“I’m surprised too. If I hadn’t seen Er Leng get hurt with my own eyes, I’d suspect Mingming took some performance-enhancing drugs. This is too imposing! It’s like he’s reversed his usual gentle and honest image!”
The Chinese team was incredibly united. The injuries to their teammates didn’t weaken their strength. On the contrary, it made them even more ferocious, like a pack of wolves that had tasted blood.
Moreover, the Brazilian team today didn’t suddenly unleash their potential like the American team did during the station matches. So, when China clinched the fourth set and won the game, their fans were even more bewildered than the players on the court.
The Chinese team had huddled up and was bouncing around like a group of rabbits, ecstatic.
Dominique was still in a daze. How did they lose?
Mars fell silent for a moment before beckoning his players over. “Don’t just stand there. This is only the first day of the finals. Tomorrow and the day after, we’ll be facing Poland and the United States. As long as we win those two matches, we can still make it to the top four. Then, in the finals, we’ll take back our due from the Chinese team.”
He skillfully comforted the young players and led them out of the arena.
Years of being ranked first in the world had unknowingly bred arrogance within the Brazilian men’s team. This was why the Chinese team seized the opportunity and snatched victory from them. However, in terms of player strength, Mars didn’t think they were inferior to the Chinese team.
The next summer would bring the Tokyo Olympics. Mars believed that losing to the Chinese team before that wouldn’t be a bad thing.
As for the Chinese team, their Er Leng was gradually displaying the qualities of a starting setter. However, being suddenly substituted out by Dominique today, it remained to be seen whether it would affect tomorrow’s game.
Setting aside the opponent’s perspective, Mars quite liked this team. They were young, spirited, full of vigor, and unity. Most importantly, they occasionally made harmless mistakes on the court, acting as the court’s jesters and amusing the referees and audience. Watching their matches was a real delight for any volleyball enthusiast.
However, what Coach Mars didn’t anticipate was that on that evening, the Brazilian team made it to the online news in a comical way.
As widely known, Chicago was a big city with luxurious hotels and attentive service. Moreover, it was a rare hotel that allowed guests to bring their pets along.
So, one guest checked in with his beloved pet, a non-venomous California king snake. Coincidentally, the Brazilian team stayed on the floor below, while the Chinese team occupied the floor above.
Dominique called the local fire department once again, pleading in accented English for the firefighters to hurry and save him. He was blowing wind on the balcony and talking to his mother on the phone when suddenly, a snake fell from above, landing on the railing in front of him.
On the contrary, Min Yaoyang, Dominique’s “old friend,” was aware of his own vulnerability. He also had doubts about the security of Chicago, known as one of the infamous crime cities in the US. Therefore, he went to bed at 9 o’clock in the evening. Before sleeping, he also called his mom to say goodnight.
In his dream, Min Yaoyang turned into light and soared through the galaxies with Ultraman.
Qin Chunxiao and Lu Xuandong were each occupied in their own rooms. Qin Chunxiao was reading a novel by Hemingway, while Lu Xuandong was texting a certain impoverished county mayor. Recently, Lu Xuandong was collaborating with them to buy high-quality soybeans for making soy sauce.
Qin Chunxiao remarked, “It seems like your younger brother is rooming with Yashenka.”
Lu Xuandong replied, “Let them be.”
Qin Chunxiao asked, “Aren’t you concerned?”
Lu Xuandong said, “Yunzi is an adult now. I don’t care who he’s with.”
As long as he wasn’t with swindlers like Bai Ming, Lu Xuandong didn’t mind whom Lu Yunchen liked. Moreover, Dr. Yashenka was a good person, and considering Lu Yunchen’s inherited traits, it wasn’t easy for Dr. Yashenka to accept him.
Qin Chunxiao didn’t know what misunderstanding Lu Xuandong had about his younger brother and Yashenka when they met at the airport. He just thought Lu Xuandong was quite open-minded.
He sighed, “My sister is the same way. After the match today, she suddenly sent me a message, saying I’m an adult now and can date anyone I want. I don’t need to report to the family, but I should take care of myself.”
Lu Xuandong felt that Qin Chunxiao might have figured something out. He probed, “Why do you think she sent you that message all of a sudden?”
After a pause, Qin Chunxiao didn’t answer. He turned around and patted his shoulder, “It’s a little sore. Can you give me a massage?”
And just like that, the topic changed. Lu Xuandong started massaging his shoulders. The young man had no hint of excess fat on him. He was lean and well-built, yet the muscles in his shoulders and neck were relaxed, not in a state that required kneading.
He was very young and vibrant, his vitality even detectable through his fingertips. Lu Xuandong’s hands stopped on Qin Chunxiao’s shoulder, and he could feel a slight, steady pulsation beneath his touch.
It was a heartbeat.
It was said that exceptional athletes had slower heartbeats than normal people. Lu Xuandong couldn’t discern the difference in heart rate between himself and Qin Chunxiao, but he felt their heartbeats were gradually synchronizing.
Indeed, Lu Xuandong’s heartbeat seemed to grow louder. He could hear it, but he wasn’t sure if Qin Chunxiao could.
The room fell quiet, and the temperature seemed to rise. Qin Chunxiao’s ears turned red.
Stiffening up, Qin Chunxiao felt Lu Xuandong’s hand was warm on his neck. He wanted to move away but also didn’t want to. In the end, he lowered his head slightly, gaze fixed forward, looking almost like a meek animal.
After a while, Lu Xuandong lifted his head. “Xiao, do you hear the sound of a fire truck? Is there a fire nearby?”
Qin Chunxiao picked up his phone and asked his teammates and coach, then replied casually, “No, it’s Dominique from the Brazilian team next door. He got scared by another hotel guest’s pet.”
He didn’t specify the pet’s species, so Lu Xuandong thought the 2.22-meter-tall Dominique had been frightened by a cat or a dog.
Half an hour later, Li Ling burst into the room excitedly. “Xiao, the firefighters caught the snake. Do you want to see?”
Being an animal lover, Qin Chunxiao didn’t need a second invitation. He shot up and dashed out.
Lu Xuandong watched his figure disappear and felt a hint of fleeing. He fiddled with his right finger, not following after him.
My Soulmate is A Libero
Such a smart move! He had actually prepared for Qin Chunxiao to receive this ball early on, and he glanced at the opponent on the other side of the net.
The opposing team’s main attacker, Mason, had already poised himself with the setter to block the Chinese team’s net, while the opposing team’s libero, Billy, was gathering strength in the back.
Xiaozi had mentioned that Billy was the most efficient player at receiving Dominique’s sets, aside from him. He had the top three efficiency in handling strong attacks worldwide.
If it were another setter, perhaps they would have set the ball backward to avoid the double block in front. However, Er Leng went against the norm. He lightly leaped and passed the ball forward. The volleyball drew a long arc through the air, and Qiao Mingming, who jumped up intending to spike, realized after jumping that the ball was set too far back. Even if Captain Mingming bent his waist to the extreme, his hand couldn’t reach it.
Alright, this ball wasn’t meant for him.
Qiao Mingming adjusted his posture and landed steadily. Behind him, Tong Shulan had already jumped up. This player, who was increasingly robust and also a left-hander like Qin Chunxiao, held his breath and smacked the ball heavily with his left hand.
A loud sound, and the ball hit the ground heavily.
Scored!
Tong Shulan and Qiao Mingming bumped chests, roared, and then asked Qin Chunxiao, “How was my spike?”
Qin Chunxiao gave them a thumbs up.
[Hahaha, these two seem to have a good relationship, right?]
[They’re both members of the Chinese Men’s Volleyball Left-Handers Alliance, just like how Shorty Victims Alliance gets along.]
[Exactly, when Sydney and William participated in the international volleyball event arranged by FIVB, they even discussed on camera how to break through the Eastern Iron Tower, which is my nickname among European and American players.]
However, Qin Chunxiao’s defense combined a wide field of vision, super quick reflexes, powerful explosiveness, and sprinting ability. This combination allowed him to predict opponents’ movements precisely, chase down balls swiftly, and the only way for opponents to break through him was to have a strong setter who could deceive him. If they couldn’t deceive Qin Chunxiao, they could at least deceive the Chinese team’s blocking, making it difficult for blockers to restrict the opponents’ plays and increasing the difficulty of Qin Chunxiao’s defense.
Just like how even mythical attackers could only weaken the efficiency below, but couldn’t completely defend against them, Qin Chunxiao was also an uncontainable player. It was a bit like the realm of absolute defense.
Outsiders might not be able to sense it, but at this moment, Dominique felt like he was trapped in a quagmire. Scoring had become increasingly difficult. He was like a hunter without weapons standing in a wilderness of snow, surrounded by white snow, while a silver-white wolf stood in front of him, blue eyes fixed on him. As long as he made a move, the wolf would tear a piece of flesh from him.
This was the pressure that Qin Chunxiao brought upon Dominique.
So, when Dominique got another opportunity to attack, he did his best to avoid Qin Chunxiao’s spike. The trajectory of the ball was at the farthest corner from Qin Chunxiao, but it was intercepted by Tong Shulan.
The Chinese team organized another counterattack.
Mars noticed something. When the score reached 20:19, with the Chinese team leading by one point, he decisively called a timeout. This couldn’t go on. While he couldn’t speak for others, Dominique’s rhythm had already been controlled by Misha Qin!
“Dom, you can’t avoid Misha Qin. Your attacking speed is the fastest on the South American continent. You need to have confidence in yourself and aim for the spot where you feel you can score the best!”
Then, Mars looked at Joshua: “Joshua, in the next phase, you might need to help Dom with some of the attacking opportunities.”
In the fan community, attacking opportunities were also called “ball possession.” Before the match, the coach would roughly distribute the ball possession based on the situation. For example, the setter might be instructed to give certain balls to someone else if the situation got critical.
Dominique was supposed to be the one to break this situation, but now Mars believed that he alone couldn’t handle China’s wolf cubs.
To hunt down a fierce snow wolf, two hunters were needed together.
However, the opposing wolf pack wasn’t just one wolf.
Mars looked at the Chinese team and noticed that Newton had been substituted for You Ziyu. He remembered that young man; volleyball fans referred to him as the top server in Asia, possessing an uncommonly skillful underhand serve in the volleyball field.
Mars’ adopted son and assistant whispered, “He’s Kristian’s disciple.”
Mars replied, “I remember you’ve clashed with Kristian before.”
Assistant: “Back then, I suffered a miserable defeat. Kristian ruled the beach volleyball scene from 2012 to 2016. When I faced him in 2009, he was still young but already left me with no means of retaliation.”
This assistant was already an aging veteran plagued with injuries in 2009. After that season, he retired for good. There had been rumors circulating that he was retired by Kristian.
When straight male fans were discussing strength in a playful manner, many believed that Kristian was the best server among all volleyball players—be it beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, men’s, women’s, or even sitting volleyball. As long as the word “volleyball” was involved, no one’s serve was better than Kristian’s.
Now, Kristian was also getting older. In his thirties, he was no longer the nearly invincible emperor of beach volleyball during his prime. Yet, he left behind a disciple who made opponents worry in indoor volleyball.
You Ziyu: “I believe in you!”
As this Hubei dialect traveled through the transmission devices to countless households, the ball was served.
You Ziyu scored with his serve, 21:19.
For his second serve, You Ziyu said, “Ah, hit!”
An excited Bruce Lee fan stood up: “This, this is the sound Bruce Lee makes when he hits someone!”
Don’t underestimate the power in shouting “Ah, hit!” This time, You Ziyu employed a jump float serve.
The ball followed an unpredictable trajectory, much like Er Leng’s thoughts, drifting and floating through the air with a slow yet fast brushing motion, finally twisting in the air like Qin Chunxiao did during driving lessons, gently landing.
Brazil’s libero, Billy Upton, leaped forward with all his might, diving to the ground to dig, but the ball landed 5 centimeters away from his fingertips. Beside him, Captain Caique was also in a prone position.
[My squid’s teasing the Brazilian apes was successful!]
[The ball floated beautifully, even deceiving Caique.]
The score had reached 22:19.
You Ziyu didn’t stop; he continued serving. This time, he used an underhand serve. Brazil’s libero, Billy, finally received his serve this time, but the ball flew.
Billy stood in place, wide-eyed. Seriously? How could an underhand serve have such spin on it, rivaling a powerful jump serve?
23:19.
Brazil called another timeout. They couldn’t let You Ziyu maintain this extraordinary state; otherwise, they really would be served to death.
Don’t think that strong teams were immune to being served to death. In fact, many news stories of a certain player winning matches with a series of serves show that the defeated background team wasn’t weak. The most famous example is the Russian team, after all, their nickname is “Rough Russians.” Their reception level might be a bit lacking, cough cough, and fans had almost gotten used to it.
Only in the past couple of years did the Russian Super League introduce Misha Rat, and with a group of coaches tirelessly seeking defensive talents, the league’s defense had become more formidable.
The Brazilian team didn’t want to join the “Super Server Victims Alliance.”
Their assistant coach stepped forward: “Billy, that player called You Ziyu can’t keep using high-spin underhand serves. This type of serve consumes a significant amount of wrist energy. Kristian’s wrist and elbow injuries stemmed from this serving technique. He even had surgery because of it. You Ziyu never uses this serve in the regular season.”
This wasn’t a standard technique, because high-powered spin underhand serves not only depleted the blue bar but also the red bar. Similar to Misha Qin’s sudden acceleration, it was a taboo-level secret technique.
The Brazilian assistant coach continued, “So what you need to watch out for is him alternating between regular underhand serves and high-spin underhand serves.”
If Billy really got caught off guard by You Ziyu’s serve, that squids-teasing-the-Brazilian-apes-style libero would probably never be forgotten.
After leaving the court, You Ziyu shook his wrist. Wang Yan asked him, “How do you feel?”
You Ziyu replied, “I think I can serve two more.”
Young people naturally had good stamina. You Ziyu was born in 1998, making him just 21 years old this year. Furthermore, apart from Qin Chunxiao, Fu Biyang, and Qiao Mingming, he was one of the players with the fewest injury records on the team. In other words, You Ziyu could endure even more than Kristian.
Returning to the court, You Ziyu executed another high-spin underhand serve.
Billy missed the serve again.
Score 24:19, China was at set point. With just one more point, they could win the third set!
Now, all fans are holding their breath. My goodness, could they really be witnessing the miracle of a Brazilian team being served to death for a set?
[My squid is amazing today!]
[Apprentice, work hard. Master’s reputation is on the line. The next time Kristian’s fans argue about strength, you’ll have something to say. Tsk!]
Regrettably, Brazil didn’t give You Ziyu another chance. When he served again, Brazil had three players ready to receive.
The ball was received, and Dominique seized the opportunity. He took a deep breath, leaped, and prepared to spike the ball onto China’s floor.
Bang.
Was that the sound of the ball hitting the floor? No, it was the muffled sound of the ball hitting a person’s body.
Dominique’s pupils shrank, looking at Li Ling in front of him, grimacing with bared teeth. After landing, he covered his palm and howled in pain, seeking the team doctor.
Since the match was held in the United States, there were commentators present. At this moment, one of them shouted, “Tulengchika used his block to kill the third set!”
Newton revealed a smug smile. Hah, their nerve knife wasn’t only applicable during reception. With an arm span exceeding 10 centimeters above his height advantage, he could be effective in blocking as well.
Just then, the team doctor shouted at a rapid pace, “Brother Niu, Er Leng’s left middle finger is dislocated!”
Li Ling was already in pain, tears streaming down his face. “Brothers, don’t mind me, keep pushing forward!”
Qin Chunxiao laughed and felt sorry at the same time. He lightly tapped Li Ling on the back of the head. “What nonsense are you spouting? It’s not like we’re at war.”
Newton blurted out a curse, “I **!”
Jiang Xiaohai looked at the audio device not far away, turned his head, and decided to completely give up treatment.
Volleyball is such a noisy sport, players shout, coaches shout; it’s all commonplace 【dog head】.
Although Er Leng had quit muddle headed state, this god-like state wasn’t something he could summon at will. Newton had been pushing him from the Australia stage all the way to the finals, only now allowing Li Ling to release his frustration. Yet, Dominique actually dislocated his finger with a single hit?
Even though a volleyball player’s finger dislocation was as common as eating and drinking, just a simple and common injury, athletes who get injured rarely recover their peak state unless they were isolated.
The atmosphere in the Chinese team quieted down. Qin Chunxiao looked at his teammates, took a deep breath, and prepared to step forward to comfort everyone, but Qiao Mingming beat him to it.
“The score is now 2:1, we’re already leading by one set. If we can take the fourth set, victory will be ours. If we go to the fifth set, that’s our strongest territory. I swear, we won’t waste our advantage. Today’s victory belongs to the Chinese team!”
Qiao Mingming’s thinking was simple. He was the captain, and the coach had specifically trained him to be a key attacker in crucial moments. Therefore, he had the responsibility to step up and support his teammates when the team was in a tight spot.
Aizimaiti had a fever and twisted his wrist, Li Ling dislocated a finger. Everyone had given their all to get to this point. If they still couldn’t win this match, Qiao Mingming felt like he’d be letting down the folks back in Jiangdong!
The captain’s spirit rose, and the players were all moved.
Gao Depi patted his shoulder. “Mingming, as long as you’re determined, you’re the most commanding captain!”
In this touching atmosphere, everyone heard Li Ling secretly ask the team doctor, “Will this dislocation affect my ability to give someone the middle finger in the future?”
Team Doctor Wang Yan: “It won’t.”
Li Ling: “Yeah!”
The whole Chinese team thought, Er Leng, you really are an Er Leng!
Qin Chunxiao lightly tapped Er Leng’s head again. “Idiot, there are cameras around. Pay attention!”
Barrage comments floated across the screen.
[Cough cough, let me explain. What Er Leng is doing now is called hiding in plain sight. Did you all learn?]
[Learned it, thanks for the explanation, thank you teacher.]
“How should I put it? Although this generation of men’s volleyball is getting stronger and more spirited, they’re not easy to manage either.”
“Ah, tough to handle like a bunch of macho men. Luckily, the leadership of the Sports Bureau tossed Newton, the No. 1 rogue among domestic men’s volleyball coaches, over. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to keep them in check.”
“I still remember the backlash when Newton scoured talent from the provincial teams back then. At that time, I knew this generation of men’s volleyball, from coaches to players, wouldn’t be simple.”
The gaps between matches were always brief. Newton replaced Ding Rong with Li Ling, and the game resumed.
This time, Qiao Mingming’s demeanor and state were different from before.
When Ding Rong passed the ball to him, this top domestic opposite hitter let out a beastly roar, launching the ball with the momentum of a heavy artillery.
During his time at the Barbaque Club, Coach Lorenzo had told Qiao Mingming,
“Positional attacks are fixed. Everyone knows you’ll attack from there, but they won’t be able to block you. When the day comes that you standing in that attacking position makes everyone shudder in fear, regardless of whether your reach is 3.8 meters or not, people will dread you like a formidable beast.”
Qiao Mingming knew his talent was limited. He could never reach the level of players like Roman or Sebastian. Just their presence on the team was enough to make everyone feel at ease, like a stabilizing force.
But he always believed he had better luck than those formidable players. He hailed from Yunnan Province, which wasn’t known for volleyball prowess. Initially, he got into sports because a prestigious local school recruited sports talents. Additionally, his father had a background in sports, so he followed suit. His tall stature led Coach Yang Yun to bring him into higher-level competitions.
Later, Coach Yang Yun retired, but the coaches from the Yunnan Province team still cared for him. When Zhao Youde intensely honed the four main attackers, Qiao Mingming became the first player that the provincial team fought to keep protected. His coach caused a huge scene at the Volleyball Association, offending Zhao Youde’s faction in the process.
When Newton took over, this good coach enveloped him in every way possible. Not only did he get guidance from the esteemed Lorenzo, but he also met people like Xiao Zi, who aimed to be the world’s top defender, and You Ziyu strived to be stronger server and his other teammates.
Left, right, and back, all were his support, so he had to break through the obstacles in front for his teammates.
Qiao Mingming excelled in launching attacks from the third position. It was the most comfortable spot for him. He couldn’t be a super beast, but if he pushed his talent to the limit, he could be a specialized beast in the third position!
Qiao Mingming’s playstyle turned incredibly fierce, charging at the very front.
He targeted gaps in the opponent’s defense, swung his arm, muscles bulging with force, and with a quick pull, the ball was spiked into the ground at an astonishing speed, just like a wolf biting onto its prey’s throat.
“I mean, I’ve never seen Mingming play so aggressively before. Even his eyes are fierce.”
“Qiao Mingming has always been like this. During the World Youth Championship, when he saw Mao Xunfeng get injured, he exploded as well. Today, when Er Leng got hurt, he did it again. Uh, does that mean the harder our teammates get hurt, the fiercer he plays?”
“I’m surprised too. If I hadn’t seen Er Leng get hurt with my own eyes, I’d suspect Mingming took some performance-enhancing drugs. This is too imposing! It’s like he’s reversed his usual gentle and honest image!”
The Chinese team was incredibly united. The injuries to their teammates didn’t weaken their strength. On the contrary, it made them even more ferocious, like a pack of wolves that had tasted blood.
Moreover, the Brazilian team today didn’t suddenly unleash their potential like the American team did during the station matches. So, when China clinched the fourth set and won the game, their fans were even more bewildered than the players on the court.
The Chinese team had huddled up and was bouncing around like a group of rabbits, ecstatic.
Dominique was still in a daze. How did they lose?
Mars fell silent for a moment before beckoning his players over. “Don’t just stand there. This is only the first day of the finals. Tomorrow and the day after, we’ll be facing Poland and the United States. As long as we win those two matches, we can still make it to the top four. Then, in the finals, we’ll take back our due from the Chinese team.”
He skillfully comforted the young players and led them out of the arena.
Years of being ranked first in the world had unknowingly bred arrogance within the Brazilian men’s team. This was why the Chinese team seized the opportunity and snatched victory from them. However, in terms of player strength, Mars didn’t think they were inferior to the Chinese team.
The next summer would bring the Tokyo Olympics. Mars believed that losing to the Chinese team before that wouldn’t be a bad thing.
As for the Chinese team, their Er Leng was gradually displaying the qualities of a starting setter. However, being suddenly substituted out by Dominique today, it remained to be seen whether it would affect tomorrow’s game.
Setting aside the opponent’s perspective, Mars quite liked this team. They were young, spirited, full of vigor, and unity. Most importantly, they occasionally made harmless mistakes on the court, acting as the court’s jesters and amusing the referees and audience. Watching their matches was a real delight for any volleyball enthusiast.
However, what Coach Mars didn’t anticipate was that on that evening, the Brazilian team made it to the online news in a comical way.
As widely known, Chicago was a big city with luxurious hotels and attentive service. Moreover, it was a rare hotel that allowed guests to bring their pets along.
So, one guest checked in with his beloved pet, a non-venomous California king snake. Coincidentally, the Brazilian team stayed on the floor below, while the Chinese team occupied the floor above.
Dominique called the local fire department once again, pleading in accented English for the firefighters to hurry and save him. He was blowing wind on the balcony and talking to his mother on the phone when suddenly, a snake fell from above, landing on the railing in front of him.
On the contrary, Min Yaoyang, Dominique’s “old friend,” was aware of his own vulnerability. He also had doubts about the security of Chicago, known as one of the infamous crime cities in the US. Therefore, he went to bed at 9 o’clock in the evening. Before sleeping, he also called his mom to say goodnight.
In his dream, Min Yaoyang turned into light and soared through the galaxies with Ultraman.
Qin Chunxiao and Lu Xuandong were each occupied in their own rooms. Qin Chunxiao was reading a novel by Hemingway, while Lu Xuandong was texting a certain impoverished county mayor. Recently, Lu Xuandong was collaborating with them to buy high-quality soybeans for making soy sauce.
Qin Chunxiao remarked, “It seems like your younger brother is rooming with Yashenka.”
Lu Xuandong replied, “Let them be.”
Qin Chunxiao asked, “Aren’t you concerned?”
Lu Xuandong said, “Yunzi is an adult now. I don’t care who he’s with.”
As long as he wasn’t with swindlers like Bai Ming, Lu Xuandong didn’t mind whom Lu Yunchen liked. Moreover, Dr. Yashenka was a good person, and considering Lu Yunchen’s inherited traits, it wasn’t easy for Dr. Yashenka to accept him.
Qin Chunxiao didn’t know what misunderstanding Lu Xuandong had about his younger brother and Yashenka when they met at the airport. He just thought Lu Xuandong was quite open-minded.
He sighed, “My sister is the same way. After the match today, she suddenly sent me a message, saying I’m an adult now and can date anyone I want. I don’t need to report to the family, but I should take care of myself.”
Lu Xuandong felt that Qin Chunxiao might have figured something out. He probed, “Why do you think she sent you that message all of a sudden?”
After a pause, Qin Chunxiao didn’t answer. He turned around and patted his shoulder, “It’s a little sore. Can you give me a massage?”
And just like that, the topic changed. Lu Xuandong started massaging his shoulders. The young man had no hint of excess fat on him. He was lean and well-built, yet the muscles in his shoulders and neck were relaxed, not in a state that required kneading.
He was very young and vibrant, his vitality even detectable through his fingertips. Lu Xuandong’s hands stopped on Qin Chunxiao’s shoulder, and he could feel a slight, steady pulsation beneath his touch.
It was a heartbeat.
It was said that exceptional athletes had slower heartbeats than normal people. Lu Xuandong couldn’t discern the difference in heart rate between himself and Qin Chunxiao, but he felt their heartbeats were gradually synchronizing.
Indeed, Lu Xuandong’s heartbeat seemed to grow louder. He could hear it, but he wasn’t sure if Qin Chunxiao could.
The room fell quiet, and the temperature seemed to rise. Qin Chunxiao’s ears turned red.
Stiffening up, Qin Chunxiao felt Lu Xuandong’s hand was warm on his neck. He wanted to move away but also didn’t want to. In the end, he lowered his head slightly, gaze fixed forward, looking almost like a meek animal.
After a while, Lu Xuandong lifted his head. “Xiao, do you hear the sound of a fire truck? Is there a fire nearby?”
Qin Chunxiao picked up his phone and asked his teammates and coach, then replied casually, “No, it’s Dominique from the Brazilian team next door. He got scared by another hotel guest’s pet.”
He didn’t specify the pet’s species, so Lu Xuandong thought the 2.22-meter-tall Dominique had been frightened by a cat or a dog.
Half an hour later, Li Ling burst into the room excitedly. “Xiao, the firefighters caught the snake. Do you want to see?”
Being an animal lover, Qin Chunxiao didn’t need a second invitation. He shot up and dashed out.
Lu Xuandong watched his figure disappear and felt a hint of fleeing. He fiddled with his right finger, not following after him.
