My Soulmate is A Libero
“I want to eat bamboo shoot noodles.”
“Okay.”
“I want to eat wontons.”
“Okay.”
“I want to eat iron plate beef.”
“Okay.”
Although General Lu, in collaboration with several food companies, had taken charge of the delegation’s meals, ensuring that the athletes ate well and drank well even abroad, there were still a few like Qin Chunxiao who liked to order specific dishes.
As for having General Lu personally cooking and serving the food, he was the only one.
During a meeting, Newton even saw Qin Chunxiao nibbling on black pepper-flavored chicken breast in his hand. Because it tasted so good, in the end, everyone just opened his bag and shared the snacks that General Lu had given to Qin Chunxiao.
While chewing, Newton said, “This time, we start with the group stage. Twelve participating teams are divided into two groups, with six teams in each group. The top four from each group advance to the quarterfinals.”
Everyone mumbled their agreement with their mouths full.
After swallowing the food in his mouth, Newton opened the document he had in his hand and sighed, “Oh my, the groupings and schedule for this competition really favor the host nation.”
In the same Group A as the Chinese team were Italy, Canada, the United States, Japan, and Venezuela.
In other words, Russia, Brazil, Poland, Argentina, and France, the five super-strong teams, were placed in the other group, along with Tunisia. It seemed that Japan didn’t want to have all the tough opponents in their own group.
Here’s the key point: typically in round-robin group matches, each team would play against the other five teams. But this schedule clearly showed that all the teams facing Japan on the previous day would face China the next day.
This arrangement made it look like Japan was taking advantage of China’s potential fatigue, as they were scheduled to face China on the last day, probably assuming that China would be at its weakest physically and mentally after competing against several strong teams.
Everyone looked at the schedule in silence for a while. Then, Chang Xiaolei rubbed his chin and said, “What if we talk to the other teams and collectively try to eliminate the notebook in the group stage?”
This plan was quite clever, making it seem as if the Chinese team and the notebook were wielding knives at each other. Regardless of this plan, though, the Chinese team had always been the most proactive in trying to eliminate the notebook.
After all, beating the notebook was a tradition for the national team.
Fu Biyang yawned lazily and said, “No need to talk to them. Looking at this schedule, everyone will want to eliminate the notebook.”
The resentment ran deep.
Sure enough, the next day, when they faced the U.S. team, the American captain, Kady, smiled and said, “Hey, the Japanese team is playing in the next hall, and we’ll be facing them tomorrow.”
Qiao Mingming stepped forward, “We’ll be cheering for you in our hearts tomorrow.”
Kady extended his hand, saying, “For our friendship.”
Qiao Mingming replied, “For the friendship of athletes on the field.”
In this exchange of glances and words, everyone understood that both teams had the same intention – to teach the notebook a lesson.
William, the American Beast, stood nearby with an innocent look. “What are they talking about?”
Tom, the setter, pulled William away. “Good kids don’t listen to these people.”
The opening ceremony was held on July 23, 2020, and the volleyball competition officially started on July 24th. Since the men’s and women’s volleyball events were happening simultaneously, China’s CCTV5 chose to broadcast the women’s volleyball matches, with the men’s volleyball matches scheduled for broadcast an hour after the women’s matches.
After all, the women’s volleyball team had a higher domestic fan base…
Before the Olympics, athletes from almost all strong sports countries were sent for high-altitude training. Even the Chinese team, on their way to training in Hainan Island, had made a detour to a high-altitude location. Nutritionists, physiotherapists, and coaches would all make adjustments to their condition.
The Olympics lasted only a short ten-plus days, but for the athletes participating in this grand event, these were the most intense ten-plus days of their lives, adjusting their peak condition for this moment.
The U.S. team wore white jerseys, the Chinese team wore red, while Qin Chunxiao donned a distinct blue jersey as he joined his teammates on the court.
4 (Qiao Mingming) 3 (Fu Biyang) 2 (Li Ling)
5 (Tong Shulan) 6 (Qin Chunxiao) 1 (You Ziyu)
At this moment, Wu Di and Li Laiheng, both invited as commentators, were present at the venue.
Wu Di had never imagined the honor of coming to the Olympic arena since he started commentating on men’s volleyball matches. It was just like back then, when no one thought the Chinese men’s volleyball team could make a comeback. But now, everything felt like a miracle.
Wu Di nervously wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and took a deep breath. “Good afternoon, everyone. It’s July 24th, 3:00 PM, and we are currently witnessing the men’s indoor volleyball match at the Tokyo Olympics. It’s the group stage match between China and the United States, and I am the commentator, Wu Di.”
Li Laiheng added, “I am commentator Li Laiheng.”
Photos of the starting players from both teams and their jersey numbers appeared on the screen. Qin Chunxiao’s blue jersey, blue headband, and blue eyes made him stand out among his teammates.
A primary school student who was watching volleyball for the first time asked his volleyball-fan mother in front of the TV, “Mom, why is that blue-eyed guy wearing a different color jersey from the others?”
The volleyball-fan mother smiled and replied, “Because he is a libero, responsible for receiving and defending, and when substitutions are made, liberos do not count towards the substitution limit. In short, he’s a special player in the team, so he wears a different colored jersey for easy identification. By the way, liberos don’t need to block or spike, so there’s no height requirement. That’s why you see this guy is a bit shorter than his teammates.”
Seeing his son nodding, the volleyball-fan mother added, “The blue-eyed guy is really amazing. His name is Qin Chunxiao, and he’s the best libero in China and even in all of Asia. Mom is also his super fan.”
The primary school student asked, “Is he the best libero in the whole world?”
The volleyball-fan mother replied, “One day, he will be. Oh, China just got the serve. Now, the tallest guy standing at position number one is our server, You Ziyu. He’s the best server in Asia and one of the rare servers in indoor volleyball who can perform underhand serves as a lethal weapon.”
Underhand serves?
The primary school student didn’t fully understand that yet, but it didn’t stop him from witnessing You Ziyu use his underhand serve to secure China’s first point at the Olympics.
Then, You Ziyu displayed his exquisite floating jump serve and powerful topspin jump serve to earn another three points at the beginning of the match, only conceding a point on the fourth serve.
This showcased the power of a server. When a team gains the serve, servers have a high chance of scoring consecutive points at the start of a match, giving their team a valuable advantage.
After the U.S. team broke China’s serve, the primary school student’s heart raced, “Oh no, we didn’t get that point!”
The U.S. team quickly launched a counterattack, and a tall foreign player (William) reached over the net to block Fu Biyang.
However, Fu Biyang remained calm. He and Qiao Mingming had formed a blocking partnership to direct William’s spike toward the direction where Qin Chunxiao was positioned.
The volleyball-fan mother clapped her hands, saying, “Got it!”
A blue figure dashed across the court, like a gust of wind, and executed a beautiful diving save. Though he wasn’t particularly tall, compared to the others on the court, he resembled a child who hadn’t grown up yet. However, in this crucial moment, he used a dive to save a seemingly unstoppable spike, and Li Ling quickly set the ball for the second touch.
This rapid sequence of attacks and defenses left the primary school student in awe. As the Chinese team narrowly won the first set, he started to feel an indescribable sense of security when watching Qin Chunxiao. This feeling was something all volleyball fans experienced when they saw a dependable libero on the court.
“Mom, if that blue-eyed guy didn’t receive all those balls, would we have lost?”
The volleyball-fan mother smiled and nodded, “Yes, because reception is the baseline for every volleyball team. No matter how strong your attacking abilities are, if you can’t receive the opponent’s ball, you can’t stop their counterattacks. In the end, you can only engage in a point-for-point battle or hope the opponent makes more mistakes, or you might end up just lying down and letting the opponent score continuously.”
“So, liberos are like guardians. With their dives and runs, they make sure there are so many exciting plays on the court.”
The primary school student exclaimed, “But liberos are usually the shortest!”
He noticed that the libero on the U.S. team was also the shortest among their players, yet their strength determined the team’s baseline and could render the attacks of taller giants ineffective. This was the charm of defense.
The rules of volleyball have always been evolving, giving rise to the saying “new era, new legends.” However, one thing remains constant: the generations of great defenders!
In the final moments of the first set, Qin Chunxiao displayed exceptional touch in his last receive. The ball he sent out didn’t require any adjustments from the second touch setter; the spikers could just jump and attack. Due to Qin Chunxiao’s relatively low height, the American team couldn’t see his movements over the net and had no way to predict the ball’s trajectory.
This might be the biggest advantage of shorter setters. Interestingly, Qin Chunxiao had played as a setter for a brief period before.
Li Ling imitated Bruce Lee’s famous shout. “Ah, hit!”
The ball was smashed over the net by the setter, creating a large arc, and the American team couldn’t defend against it.
Wu Di exclaimed, “Great shot!”
Li Laiheng added, “The cooperation between Li Ling and Qin Chunxiao has once again proven to be powerful.”
[Because the Olympics have attracted many people who didn’t pay attention to volleyball before, it seems like the two commentators are educating the audience with a lot of knowledge.]
[That’s right, long-time fans know the “Twin Stars” well, but newcomers are probably just getting to know this duo today.]
[Also, Captain Qiao Mingming is the “Beast” in position 3, and this joke about him has already become a trending topic on social media. When he stands in position 3, the efficiency of his sets is super reliable!]
[As an old volleyball fan, I’m so happy to see so many newcomers getting into men’s volleyball during this golden era!]
Qin Chunxiao set foot on the Olympic stage for the first time in his life. To many, he was one of the youngest male volleyball players in this edition of the Olympics, a young talent. Conversely, the appearances of veterans like Ding Rong and Tong Shulan were more touching, as nobody knew the struggles Qin Chunxiao faced before getting here.
He had made a firm resolution not to let down his team in any of their matches here. So, he kept running towards the ball, using his defense to build a reliable “mobile Great Wall” for the Chinese team.
As Qin Chunxiao found his form, the American team’s attackers began to feel the pressure. Captain Kaidi remained calm on the surface but clicked his tongue in annoyance.
The tricky part about facing strong liberos was that as long as they could keep receiving, they could continuously organize defensive counterattacks for their team. Moreover, the American team’s starting setters, Tom and Miguel, were friends both on and off the court, having played together from the provincial level to their current club, and their incredible synergy was apparent.
This was the American team’s first match, and they were not inclined to lose.
“Tom!”
It was time to unleash their secret weapon and boost the team’s performance. Setter!
Tom, the African-American star and the world’s best setter, took a deep breath. If there was any debate about the best setter in Asia, whether it was Ashkan from Iran, Li Ling from China, or Ding Rong, he was undoubtedly North America’s strongest setter.
Being the best, he naturally had his hands full with responsibilities. His serving, spiking, blocking, and receiving abilities all reached a level of 90 or above, with his receiving approaching a staggering 99!
In the previous century, the Chinese men’s volleyball team pioneered the quick attack tactic, which dominated the volleyball scene with the motto “quick and nimble.” As time progressed, all sports disciplines aimed for higher intensity, and volleyball began to evolve towards higher attacks and extraordinary power. Purely relying on quick attacks was no longer viable.
However, the pursuit of “higher, faster, stronger” remained eternal in competitive sports. The quick attack hadn’t disappeared; instead, it had integrated with high attacks and powerful spikes, forming the “high, fast, strong” strategy.
The American team didn’t lack height and power; they had a powerhouse attacker in William, and their middle blockers and outside hitters were also formidable. However, they needed Tom to lead their quick attacks.
The pace of the game began to accelerate as Tom could make almost every American player perform high-quality quick attacks. His sets were incredibly deceptive, making it difficult for even Qin Chunxiao to accurately predict the ball’s path. In other words, Tom’s combination of anticipation, mobility, and defensive abilities couldn’t consistently result in high-quality defensive plays.
If it were the Chinese team of the past, they would have likely been overwhelmed because they had been defeated by this kind of American team before. However, they were no longer the underdogs of yesteryears! They stood firm against the American team’s firepower.
[“Wow! Was that really Mingming who received the ball just now? He actually received it!”]
[“And the ball he received landed in the hands of our middle blocker! He set up a quick attack immediately and scored!”]
[“Did China’s team focus on improving their players’ defensive attributes during this training camp for the Olympics?”]
Even though the
American team won the second set, the morale of the Chinese team didn’t waver. They were like a pack of wolves on the hunt, their eyes locked on their prey.
The Olympics are the ultimate battlefield where top athletes strive for the highest honors. Both the USA and China are world-class teams, and their intense battle during the group stage has been a thrilling spectacle for fans, much to the satisfaction of the Japanese team’s coach, who’s keeping an eye on things.
Well, it seems like Team China has decided to give Team USA a tough time today. They probably want to wear them out before facing Japan tomorrow. The Chinese coach doesn’t know that Team China and Team USA secretly agreed to give him a hard time this Olympics.
Before the start of the third set, Coach Newton thought it would be wise to conserve some energy for the young players. He waved to Huang Mi and said, “Xiao Mi, get ready to replace You Ziyu. Xiao Mao, warm up. You’ll set for the third set.”
Mao Xunfeng is the second setter for the second team, and he has worked together with Huang Mi many times. Newton planned to have him on the court to cover for Huang Mi. Though he had an unconventional playing style, he wasn’t as experienced as the seasoned players and sometimes made unpredictable moves that could catch even the most experienced opponents off guard.
On the other side, the USA team also brought in a new player. He was a recruit from Texas, scouted by their head coach, who was famously known as “The Southerner” with his strong southern accent, representing the quintessential American cowboy. The new player, Sandy, had blond hair, blue eyes, and fit the American standards of attractiveness, earning him the title of “Volleyball’s American Dream.” His authentic southern accent gave him a distinctive charm, and if you were a fan of American TV shows, hearing him speak would make you instinctively imagine him carrying ten shotguns in his pocket.
However, his playing style didn’t quite match his sunny and handsome appearance. Sandy stood at a towering 2.02 meters with a wingspan of 2.14 meters, playing as an opposite hitter. He had powerful jump serves, but he was nicknamed “The Mosquito” because of his ability to suddenly bleed opponents with clever and unexpected shots.
Upon seeing Sandy, You Ziyu turned to his teammates and said, “That kid is from the Beef Burger Club. He has a clean playing style, but his brain works in mysterious ways. He’s almost as strong as Huang Mi.”
In other words, he’s a bit of a loose cannon among outside hitters.
Qin Chunxiao made a hand gesture resembling “k” and said, “I’ll mark him.”
Young opposite hitters tend to have meltdowns when faced with strong defensive players. Don’t ask why Qin Chunxiao knew this so well; he practically raised You Ziyu!
You Ziyu added, “But watch out for the chemistry between Tom and the opposite hitter. It can be unpredictable.”
Qin Chunxiao nodded. He’d keep an eye on that.
The reminder from You Ziyu raised the players’ vigilance, but they still maintained a relatively relaxed mindset. The reason was simple: anyone who knew the Chinese team understood that the later the match went, the scarier they became.
They were the rulers of the fifth set, but starting from the third set, they could gradually find their rhythm.
The excitement of the match escalated in the third set, and once again, the two teams were evenly matched.
In the first half of the set, Sandy and Tom formed a formidable partnership, repeatedly scoring points in unexpected directions against the Chinese blocking players. In the second half, Qin Chunxiao marked Sandy, and the Chinese team seized the opportunity to counterattack, ultimately securing the third set!
Before the start of the fourth set, Coach Newton clapped his hands and said, “Boys, Team USA still has to face Team Japan tomorrow. Let’s put in extra effort and end this match in the fourth set. We shouldn’t exhaust them too much.” Old Newton still had his sarcastic way of speaking, and Jiang Xiaohai, who glanced at the nearby camera, didn’t seem to mind.
The Wolf Pack responded, “Yes!”
Seeing Sandy suffer under Misha Qin’s defense, the USA coach decided to substitute him with a veteran player.
Sandy was unhappy and argued with the coach, “I can still play, Coach. I promise I’ll find my rhythm in the fourth set.”
“I don’t have time for you to find your rhythm. This is the Olympics, not your practice ground. Since Misha Qin has set his sights on you, it’s too early for you to handle him. Now is not your time.”
William patted Sandy on the shoulder and said, “It’s okay. I’ll handle it for you.”
Did Sandy really want others to help him find his rhythm? He wanted to play on his terms.
As he watched his teammates take the court, Sandy clenched his fist. He had a premonition that if the full-strength USA team couldn’t defeat Team China here, they might not win the Olympics at all. Team China was the biggest obstacle on the path to the championship. Unfortunately, Sandy couldn’t be on the front lines now. He was just 17 years old, and his skills and strength were still too raw. So, he could only sit on the bench for the time being.
But he’s still young, and there are many more games to play. Sandy silently vowed that in the next game, he would give Misha Qin a run for his money!
Coach Newton had a sharp eye and glanced in that direction. He said to Jiang Xiaohai, “The USA team’s new player has a fierce look in his eyes. He seems to have great potential. After this Olympics, the next club season should proceed as usual since the pandemic has gradually receded. Squid, you should observe Sandy closely when you visit Beef Burger Club.”
Jiang Xiaohai replied, “Sure, find his weaknesses, and then Xiao Zai can target them, right?”
Newton nodded, “Exactly, that’s the strategy.”
In the past, there were three renowned coaching legends in the volleyball world: Marls, Nicola, and Lorenzo. Now, Old Newton seemed to be trending as the fourth legendary coach. During this training camp, he had conducted targeted enhancements for all players. For instance, he worked on improving Qiao Mingming’s defense and, well, worked on enhancing the gray matter inside Fu Biyang’s head.
As an explosively talented player, Fu Biyang had always been considered “world-class below the neck.” When he played in the Italian Super League, Lorenzo mainly focused on developing his physical talents. However, physical talent couldn’t last a lifetime, as injuries and aging were inevitable. Fu Biyang’s stamina was noticeably not as robust as Qin Chunxiao’s, so Newton made Fu Biyang watch high-quality matches every day during the training camp and take notes. The result was that Fu Biyang finally learned to read the game and use his brain during matches instead of relying solely on instincts.
This transformation made him a crucial figure in the fourth set.
Middle blockers were also attackers, and they needed to score points. Both Qiao Mingming and Li Ling were closely monitored by the USA team’s blockers and libero. This allowed Fu Biyang to operate in relative secrecy. In the fourth set, Newton replaced him with the experienced Ding Rong and Kong Duojin, having them execute quick attacks with Fu Biyang.
Fu Biyang not only understood every pass from Ding Rong but also executed brilliant combinations. He even used eye contact to mislead the USA team’s blocking players at the net, making them believe he was going to hit to position 5, while he actually attacked to position 1. He also provided cover for Kong Duojin’s attacks and employed timing-based strategies.
Honesty is a great tool for deception, and it certainly worked. Kedi was the one who got fooled, and after landing and seeing the ball on position 1, he was momentarily puzzled.
Wait a minute, isn’t that Biyang Fu, the one who, according to the stereotype, should have a reverse correlation between his looks and his brain? (In the eyes of Westerners, the dark-skinned, athletic Fu Biyang, who even walked the Milan Fashion Week runway during his time in Italy, is considered quite handsome.) Why did he suddenly learn how to use eye contact to deceive opponents?
When Fu Biyang successfully scored the last point for China against the USA in a 3:1 victory, even Tom couldn’t make sense of it.
The game-changer in this match wasn’t China’s star-studded starting lineup, nor was it their notorious defense; it was their middle blockers?
Li Laiheng, a retired volleyball star, naturally knew that the Chinese men’s volleyball team had long struggled with issues in the middle blocker position. For instance, the veteran middle blocker Zhang Feng was plagued by injuries, Kong Duojin faced frequent injuries as well, Fu Biyang lacked a bit of tactical thinking, and Aizimatiti had insufficient offensive capabilities.
However, after the start of the Tokyo Olympics, he was pleasantly surprised to discover that China’s middle blocker position had also become strong.
They had filled their final gap.
Wu Di enthusiastically announced into the microphone, “Ladies and gentlemen, it is now 5:20 PM on July 24, 2020. The Chinese men’s volleyball team has defeated the USA team with a score of 3:1 at the Tokyo Mingyou Sports Arena, securing their first victory in the Tokyo Olympics! Let’s congratulate them.”
“Tomorrow at 3:00 PM, still at the Mingyou Sports Arena, the Chinese team will face Canada in their second group stage match. Don’t miss it!”
My Soulmate is A Libero
“I want to eat bamboo shoot noodles.”
“Okay.”
“I want to eat wontons.”
“Okay.”
“I want to eat iron plate beef.”
“Okay.”
Although General Lu, in collaboration with several food companies, had taken charge of the delegation’s meals, ensuring that the athletes ate well and drank well even abroad, there were still a few like Qin Chunxiao who liked to order specific dishes.
As for having General Lu personally cooking and serving the food, he was the only one.
During a meeting, Newton even saw Qin Chunxiao nibbling on black pepper-flavored chicken breast in his hand. Because it tasted so good, in the end, everyone just opened his bag and shared the snacks that General Lu had given to Qin Chunxiao.
While chewing, Newton said, “This time, we start with the group stage. Twelve participating teams are divided into two groups, with six teams in each group. The top four from each group advance to the quarterfinals.”
Everyone mumbled their agreement with their mouths full.
After swallowing the food in his mouth, Newton opened the document he had in his hand and sighed, “Oh my, the groupings and schedule for this competition really favor the host nation.”
In the same Group A as the Chinese team were Italy, Canada, the United States, Japan, and Venezuela.
In other words, Russia, Brazil, Poland, Argentina, and France, the five super-strong teams, were placed in the other group, along with Tunisia. It seemed that Japan didn’t want to have all the tough opponents in their own group.
Here’s the key point: typically in round-robin group matches, each team would play against the other five teams. But this schedule clearly showed that all the teams facing Japan on the previous day would face China the next day.
This arrangement made it look like Japan was taking advantage of China’s potential fatigue, as they were scheduled to face China on the last day, probably assuming that China would be at its weakest physically and mentally after competing against several strong teams.
Everyone looked at the schedule in silence for a while. Then, Chang Xiaolei rubbed his chin and said, “What if we talk to the other teams and collectively try to eliminate the notebook in the group stage?”
This plan was quite clever, making it seem as if the Chinese team and the notebook were wielding knives at each other. Regardless of this plan, though, the Chinese team had always been the most proactive in trying to eliminate the notebook.
After all, beating the notebook was a tradition for the national team.
Fu Biyang yawned lazily and said, “No need to talk to them. Looking at this schedule, everyone will want to eliminate the notebook.”
The resentment ran deep.
Sure enough, the next day, when they faced the U.S. team, the American captain, Kady, smiled and said, “Hey, the Japanese team is playing in the next hall, and we’ll be facing them tomorrow.”
Qiao Mingming stepped forward, “We’ll be cheering for you in our hearts tomorrow.”
Kady extended his hand, saying, “For our friendship.”
Qiao Mingming replied, “For the friendship of athletes on the field.”
In this exchange of glances and words, everyone understood that both teams had the same intention – to teach the notebook a lesson.
William, the American Beast, stood nearby with an innocent look. “What are they talking about?”
Tom, the setter, pulled William away. “Good kids don’t listen to these people.”
The opening ceremony was held on July 23, 2020, and the volleyball competition officially started on July 24th. Since the men’s and women’s volleyball events were happening simultaneously, China’s CCTV5 chose to broadcast the women’s volleyball matches, with the men’s volleyball matches scheduled for broadcast an hour after the women’s matches.
After all, the women’s volleyball team had a higher domestic fan base…
Before the Olympics, athletes from almost all strong sports countries were sent for high-altitude training. Even the Chinese team, on their way to training in Hainan Island, had made a detour to a high-altitude location. Nutritionists, physiotherapists, and coaches would all make adjustments to their condition.
The Olympics lasted only a short ten-plus days, but for the athletes participating in this grand event, these were the most intense ten-plus days of their lives, adjusting their peak condition for this moment.
The U.S. team wore white jerseys, the Chinese team wore red, while Qin Chunxiao donned a distinct blue jersey as he joined his teammates on the court.
4 (Qiao Mingming) 3 (Fu Biyang) 2 (Li Ling)
5 (Tong Shulan) 6 (Qin Chunxiao) 1 (You Ziyu)
At this moment, Wu Di and Li Laiheng, both invited as commentators, were present at the venue.
Wu Di had never imagined the honor of coming to the Olympic arena since he started commentating on men’s volleyball matches. It was just like back then, when no one thought the Chinese men’s volleyball team could make a comeback. But now, everything felt like a miracle.
Wu Di nervously wiped his sweaty palms on his pants and took a deep breath. “Good afternoon, everyone. It’s July 24th, 3:00 PM, and we are currently witnessing the men’s indoor volleyball match at the Tokyo Olympics. It’s the group stage match between China and the United States, and I am the commentator, Wu Di.”
Li Laiheng added, “I am commentator Li Laiheng.”
Photos of the starting players from both teams and their jersey numbers appeared on the screen. Qin Chunxiao’s blue jersey, blue headband, and blue eyes made him stand out among his teammates.
A primary school student who was watching volleyball for the first time asked his volleyball-fan mother in front of the TV, “Mom, why is that blue-eyed guy wearing a different color jersey from the others?”
The volleyball-fan mother smiled and replied, “Because he is a libero, responsible for receiving and defending, and when substitutions are made, liberos do not count towards the substitution limit. In short, he’s a special player in the team, so he wears a different colored jersey for easy identification. By the way, liberos don’t need to block or spike, so there’s no height requirement. That’s why you see this guy is a bit shorter than his teammates.”
Seeing his son nodding, the volleyball-fan mother added, “The blue-eyed guy is really amazing. His name is Qin Chunxiao, and he’s the best libero in China and even in all of Asia. Mom is also his super fan.”
The primary school student asked, “Is he the best libero in the whole world?”
The volleyball-fan mother replied, “One day, he will be. Oh, China just got the serve. Now, the tallest guy standing at position number one is our server, You Ziyu. He’s the best server in Asia and one of the rare servers in indoor volleyball who can perform underhand serves as a lethal weapon.”
Underhand serves?
The primary school student didn’t fully understand that yet, but it didn’t stop him from witnessing You Ziyu use his underhand serve to secure China’s first point at the Olympics.
Then, You Ziyu displayed his exquisite floating jump serve and powerful topspin jump serve to earn another three points at the beginning of the match, only conceding a point on the fourth serve.
This showcased the power of a server. When a team gains the serve, servers have a high chance of scoring consecutive points at the start of a match, giving their team a valuable advantage.
After the U.S. team broke China’s serve, the primary school student’s heart raced, “Oh no, we didn’t get that point!”
The U.S. team quickly launched a counterattack, and a tall foreign player (William) reached over the net to block Fu Biyang.
However, Fu Biyang remained calm. He and Qiao Mingming had formed a blocking partnership to direct William’s spike toward the direction where Qin Chunxiao was positioned.
The volleyball-fan mother clapped her hands, saying, “Got it!”
A blue figure dashed across the court, like a gust of wind, and executed a beautiful diving save. Though he wasn’t particularly tall, compared to the others on the court, he resembled a child who hadn’t grown up yet. However, in this crucial moment, he used a dive to save a seemingly unstoppable spike, and Li Ling quickly set the ball for the second touch.
This rapid sequence of attacks and defenses left the primary school student in awe. As the Chinese team narrowly won the first set, he started to feel an indescribable sense of security when watching Qin Chunxiao. This feeling was something all volleyball fans experienced when they saw a dependable libero on the court.
“Mom, if that blue-eyed guy didn’t receive all those balls, would we have lost?”
The volleyball-fan mother smiled and nodded, “Yes, because reception is the baseline for every volleyball team. No matter how strong your attacking abilities are, if you can’t receive the opponent’s ball, you can’t stop their counterattacks. In the end, you can only engage in a point-for-point battle or hope the opponent makes more mistakes, or you might end up just lying down and letting the opponent score continuously.”
“So, liberos are like guardians. With their dives and runs, they make sure there are so many exciting plays on the court.”
The primary school student exclaimed, “But liberos are usually the shortest!”
He noticed that the libero on the U.S. team was also the shortest among their players, yet their strength determined the team’s baseline and could render the attacks of taller giants ineffective. This was the charm of defense.
The rules of volleyball have always been evolving, giving rise to the saying “new era, new legends.” However, one thing remains constant: the generations of great defenders!
In the final moments of the first set, Qin Chunxiao displayed exceptional touch in his last receive. The ball he sent out didn’t require any adjustments from the second touch setter; the spikers could just jump and attack. Due to Qin Chunxiao’s relatively low height, the American team couldn’t see his movements over the net and had no way to predict the ball’s trajectory.
This might be the biggest advantage of shorter setters. Interestingly, Qin Chunxiao had played as a setter for a brief period before.
Li Ling imitated Bruce Lee’s famous shout. “Ah, hit!”
The ball was smashed over the net by the setter, creating a large arc, and the American team couldn’t defend against it.
Wu Di exclaimed, “Great shot!”
Li Laiheng added, “The cooperation between Li Ling and Qin Chunxiao has once again proven to be powerful.”
[Because the Olympics have attracted many people who didn’t pay attention to volleyball before, it seems like the two commentators are educating the audience with a lot of knowledge.]
[That’s right, long-time fans know the “Twin Stars” well, but newcomers are probably just getting to know this duo today.]
[Also, Captain Qiao Mingming is the “Beast” in position 3, and this joke about him has already become a trending topic on social media. When he stands in position 3, the efficiency of his sets is super reliable!]
[As an old volleyball fan, I’m so happy to see so many newcomers getting into men’s volleyball during this golden era!]
Qin Chunxiao set foot on the Olympic stage for the first time in his life. To many, he was one of the youngest male volleyball players in this edition of the Olympics, a young talent. Conversely, the appearances of veterans like Ding Rong and Tong Shulan were more touching, as nobody knew the struggles Qin Chunxiao faced before getting here.
He had made a firm resolution not to let down his team in any of their matches here. So, he kept running towards the ball, using his defense to build a reliable “mobile Great Wall” for the Chinese team.
As Qin Chunxiao found his form, the American team’s attackers began to feel the pressure. Captain Kaidi remained calm on the surface but clicked his tongue in annoyance.
The tricky part about facing strong liberos was that as long as they could keep receiving, they could continuously organize defensive counterattacks for their team. Moreover, the American team’s starting setters, Tom and Miguel, were friends both on and off the court, having played together from the provincial level to their current club, and their incredible synergy was apparent.
This was the American team’s first match, and they were not inclined to lose.
“Tom!”
It was time to unleash their secret weapon and boost the team’s performance. Setter!
Tom, the African-American star and the world’s best setter, took a deep breath. If there was any debate about the best setter in Asia, whether it was Ashkan from Iran, Li Ling from China, or Ding Rong, he was undoubtedly North America’s strongest setter.
Being the best, he naturally had his hands full with responsibilities. His serving, spiking, blocking, and receiving abilities all reached a level of 90 or above, with his receiving approaching a staggering 99!
In the previous century, the Chinese men’s volleyball team pioneered the quick attack tactic, which dominated the volleyball scene with the motto “quick and nimble.” As time progressed, all sports disciplines aimed for higher intensity, and volleyball began to evolve towards higher attacks and extraordinary power. Purely relying on quick attacks was no longer viable.
However, the pursuit of “higher, faster, stronger” remained eternal in competitive sports. The quick attack hadn’t disappeared; instead, it had integrated with high attacks and powerful spikes, forming the “high, fast, strong” strategy.
The American team didn’t lack height and power; they had a powerhouse attacker in William, and their middle blockers and outside hitters were also formidable. However, they needed Tom to lead their quick attacks.
The pace of the game began to accelerate as Tom could make almost every American player perform high-quality quick attacks. His sets were incredibly deceptive, making it difficult for even Qin Chunxiao to accurately predict the ball’s path. In other words, Tom’s combination of anticipation, mobility, and defensive abilities couldn’t consistently result in high-quality defensive plays.
If it were the Chinese team of the past, they would have likely been overwhelmed because they had been defeated by this kind of American team before. However, they were no longer the underdogs of yesteryears! They stood firm against the American team’s firepower.
[“Wow! Was that really Mingming who received the ball just now? He actually received it!”]
[“And the ball he received landed in the hands of our middle blocker! He set up a quick attack immediately and scored!”]
[“Did China’s team focus on improving their players’ defensive attributes during this training camp for the Olympics?”]
Even though the
American team won the second set, the morale of the Chinese team didn’t waver. They were like a pack of wolves on the hunt, their eyes locked on their prey.
The Olympics are the ultimate battlefield where top athletes strive for the highest honors. Both the USA and China are world-class teams, and their intense battle during the group stage has been a thrilling spectacle for fans, much to the satisfaction of the Japanese team’s coach, who’s keeping an eye on things.
Well, it seems like Team China has decided to give Team USA a tough time today. They probably want to wear them out before facing Japan tomorrow. The Chinese coach doesn’t know that Team China and Team USA secretly agreed to give him a hard time this Olympics.
Before the start of the third set, Coach Newton thought it would be wise to conserve some energy for the young players. He waved to Huang Mi and said, “Xiao Mi, get ready to replace You Ziyu. Xiao Mao, warm up. You’ll set for the third set.”
Mao Xunfeng is the second setter for the second team, and he has worked together with Huang Mi many times. Newton planned to have him on the court to cover for Huang Mi. Though he had an unconventional playing style, he wasn’t as experienced as the seasoned players and sometimes made unpredictable moves that could catch even the most experienced opponents off guard.
On the other side, the USA team also brought in a new player. He was a recruit from Texas, scouted by their head coach, who was famously known as “The Southerner” with his strong southern accent, representing the quintessential American cowboy. The new player, Sandy, had blond hair, blue eyes, and fit the American standards of attractiveness, earning him the title of “Volleyball’s American Dream.” His authentic southern accent gave him a distinctive charm, and if you were a fan of American TV shows, hearing him speak would make you instinctively imagine him carrying ten shotguns in his pocket.
However, his playing style didn’t quite match his sunny and handsome appearance. Sandy stood at a towering 2.02 meters with a wingspan of 2.14 meters, playing as an opposite hitter. He had powerful jump serves, but he was nicknamed “The Mosquito” because of his ability to suddenly bleed opponents with clever and unexpected shots.
Upon seeing Sandy, You Ziyu turned to his teammates and said, “That kid is from the Beef Burger Club. He has a clean playing style, but his brain works in mysterious ways. He’s almost as strong as Huang Mi.”
In other words, he’s a bit of a loose cannon among outside hitters.
Qin Chunxiao made a hand gesture resembling “k” and said, “I’ll mark him.”
Young opposite hitters tend to have meltdowns when faced with strong defensive players. Don’t ask why Qin Chunxiao knew this so well; he practically raised You Ziyu!
You Ziyu added, “But watch out for the chemistry between Tom and the opposite hitter. It can be unpredictable.”
Qin Chunxiao nodded. He’d keep an eye on that.
The reminder from You Ziyu raised the players’ vigilance, but they still maintained a relatively relaxed mindset. The reason was simple: anyone who knew the Chinese team understood that the later the match went, the scarier they became.
They were the rulers of the fifth set, but starting from the third set, they could gradually find their rhythm.
The excitement of the match escalated in the third set, and once again, the two teams were evenly matched.
In the first half of the set, Sandy and Tom formed a formidable partnership, repeatedly scoring points in unexpected directions against the Chinese blocking players. In the second half, Qin Chunxiao marked Sandy, and the Chinese team seized the opportunity to counterattack, ultimately securing the third set!
Before the start of the fourth set, Coach Newton clapped his hands and said, “Boys, Team USA still has to face Team Japan tomorrow. Let’s put in extra effort and end this match in the fourth set. We shouldn’t exhaust them too much.” Old Newton still had his sarcastic way of speaking, and Jiang Xiaohai, who glanced at the nearby camera, didn’t seem to mind.
The Wolf Pack responded, “Yes!”
Seeing Sandy suffer under Misha Qin’s defense, the USA coach decided to substitute him with a veteran player.
Sandy was unhappy and argued with the coach, “I can still play, Coach. I promise I’ll find my rhythm in the fourth set.”
“I don’t have time for you to find your rhythm. This is the Olympics, not your practice ground. Since Misha Qin has set his sights on you, it’s too early for you to handle him. Now is not your time.”
William patted Sandy on the shoulder and said, “It’s okay. I’ll handle it for you.”
Did Sandy really want others to help him find his rhythm? He wanted to play on his terms.
As he watched his teammates take the court, Sandy clenched his fist. He had a premonition that if the full-strength USA team couldn’t defeat Team China here, they might not win the Olympics at all. Team China was the biggest obstacle on the path to the championship. Unfortunately, Sandy couldn’t be on the front lines now. He was just 17 years old, and his skills and strength were still too raw. So, he could only sit on the bench for the time being.
But he’s still young, and there are many more games to play. Sandy silently vowed that in the next game, he would give Misha Qin a run for his money!
Coach Newton had a sharp eye and glanced in that direction. He said to Jiang Xiaohai, “The USA team’s new player has a fierce look in his eyes. He seems to have great potential. After this Olympics, the next club season should proceed as usual since the pandemic has gradually receded. Squid, you should observe Sandy closely when you visit Beef Burger Club.”
Jiang Xiaohai replied, “Sure, find his weaknesses, and then Xiao Zai can target them, right?”
Newton nodded, “Exactly, that’s the strategy.”
In the past, there were three renowned coaching legends in the volleyball world: Marls, Nicola, and Lorenzo. Now, Old Newton seemed to be trending as the fourth legendary coach. During this training camp, he had conducted targeted enhancements for all players. For instance, he worked on improving Qiao Mingming’s defense and, well, worked on enhancing the gray matter inside Fu Biyang’s head.
As an explosively talented player, Fu Biyang had always been considered “world-class below the neck.” When he played in the Italian Super League, Lorenzo mainly focused on developing his physical talents. However, physical talent couldn’t last a lifetime, as injuries and aging were inevitable. Fu Biyang’s stamina was noticeably not as robust as Qin Chunxiao’s, so Newton made Fu Biyang watch high-quality matches every day during the training camp and take notes. The result was that Fu Biyang finally learned to read the game and use his brain during matches instead of relying solely on instincts.
This transformation made him a crucial figure in the fourth set.
Middle blockers were also attackers, and they needed to score points. Both Qiao Mingming and Li Ling were closely monitored by the USA team’s blockers and libero. This allowed Fu Biyang to operate in relative secrecy. In the fourth set, Newton replaced him with the experienced Ding Rong and Kong Duojin, having them execute quick attacks with Fu Biyang.
Fu Biyang not only understood every pass from Ding Rong but also executed brilliant combinations. He even used eye contact to mislead the USA team’s blocking players at the net, making them believe he was going to hit to position 5, while he actually attacked to position 1. He also provided cover for Kong Duojin’s attacks and employed timing-based strategies.
Honesty is a great tool for deception, and it certainly worked. Kedi was the one who got fooled, and after landing and seeing the ball on position 1, he was momentarily puzzled.
Wait a minute, isn’t that Biyang Fu, the one who, according to the stereotype, should have a reverse correlation between his looks and his brain? (In the eyes of Westerners, the dark-skinned, athletic Fu Biyang, who even walked the Milan Fashion Week runway during his time in Italy, is considered quite handsome.) Why did he suddenly learn how to use eye contact to deceive opponents?
When Fu Biyang successfully scored the last point for China against the USA in a 3:1 victory, even Tom couldn’t make sense of it.
The game-changer in this match wasn’t China’s star-studded starting lineup, nor was it their notorious defense; it was their middle blockers?
Li Laiheng, a retired volleyball star, naturally knew that the Chinese men’s volleyball team had long struggled with issues in the middle blocker position. For instance, the veteran middle blocker Zhang Feng was plagued by injuries, Kong Duojin faced frequent injuries as well, Fu Biyang lacked a bit of tactical thinking, and Aizimatiti had insufficient offensive capabilities.
However, after the start of the Tokyo Olympics, he was pleasantly surprised to discover that China’s middle blocker position had also become strong.
They had filled their final gap.
Wu Di enthusiastically announced into the microphone, “Ladies and gentlemen, it is now 5:20 PM on July 24, 2020. The Chinese men’s volleyball team has defeated the USA team with a score of 3:1 at the Tokyo Mingyou Sports Arena, securing their first victory in the Tokyo Olympics! Let’s congratulate them.”
“Tomorrow at 3:00 PM, still at the Mingyou Sports Arena, the Chinese team will face Canada in their second group stage match. Don’t miss it!”
