My Soulmate is A Libero
Before the start of the second set, Qin Chunxiao sat on the bench with ice packs on his neck and shoulders. He had temporarily removed his headband and was using a cold towel.
It was the first time he had finished a set and had his forehead covered in sweat.
Newton stood beside him. “How do you feel? Do you think the Russian team is targeting you?”
“In the past, it was usually the opposite hitters who were targeted like this. Letting Roman, the world’s number one opposite hitter, and the genius opposite hitter Franco, target you like this, you’re the first libero to get this much attention among libero players,” Cheng Xiaole joked.
Qin Chunxiao took a deep breath. “Maybe I pressed them too hard in the Russian Super League, so they are taking the opportunity to pay me back today.”
Everyone: “You do realize you were a dominant force in the Russian Super League, right?”
Sometimes Newton would wonder if letting this kid continue to play in the Russian Super League would cast a shadow over the mental state of all the players on the Russian national team in the future.
He didn’t know that there was also a place in Nikolai’s heart that belonged to Qin Chunxiao. After all, at the Hamster Club, Misha Qin had always been one of the tactical cores and had even won the World Club Championship under Nikolai’s leadership. Nikolai’s understanding of him was not inferior to Newton’s.
In any tactical system, Qin Chunxiao had always been the team’s most important guarantee. In times of prosperity, he quietly received passes, and in adversity, he had to constantly chase after balls to create defensive counterattacking opportunities for his teammates. He had shouldered this responsibility from the World Club Championship to the Olympics without ever dropping the ball. Most importantly, as a cornerstone player, Qin Chunxiao possessed a strong influence on the field. Once he hit his stride, he could potentially lead the entire team to a burst of performance.
Empathy aside, if Newton were in Nikolai’s current position, he would also have to exert pressure on Qin Chunxiao to prevent him from bursting into form later, reducing the uncertainty in the game. If it weren’t for the fact that both coaches had strong principles, they would have probably tried to slip something into Qin Chunxiao’s food before the game.
But on the flip side, this was also an opportunity. As long as Qin Chunxiao could hold off Roman, the pressure on the Chinese team at the net would be greatly reduced.
It should be noted that Roman was called the “Number One Mythical Beast” not only because of his strong offensive abilities (in fact, Poland’s mythical beast Sebastian was on par with him in terms of offense), but also because as his skills matured, his blocking was just as formidable!
Let Xiaozai and Roman clash, and the survival environment for everyone else would be a bit easier.
In the second set, the Russian team continued to target Qin Chunxiao, but there were fewer players on the Chinese side on the defensive end. After playing a few balls, some observant viewers noticed that Qin Chunxiao was the only one receiving all the receptions, including the opponent’s spikes, lobs, and blocks, and he was single-handedly shouldering the burden on the defensive end with incredible determination.
Some new fans who had joined the sport in the last two years were already complaining.
[What is Newton doing? Can’t he at least assign someone to help out? Do you want people to run themselves into the ground in just two sets?]
[I can’t believe it! It’s one thing to play solo on the defensive end against other teams, but now it’s against the Russian team!]
[Laughing at the newbies going berserk; Coach Newton has activated the classic Chinese men’s volleyball tactic.]
[This was the norm for the Chinese team in the early years, Guava guys.]
[No matter how strong the Guava team looks now, in the past few years, this team was full of “rough guys.” Back then, who do you think supported the defense and gave the rough guys opportunities for counterattacks without organization, helping them win against stronger opponents?]
[Watch and see, the true utilization of China team’s core player Qin Chunxiao can only be understood by Newton!]
In the Olympic final, there was a stunning scene: the Russian team’s offense was like a raging storm, but Qin Chunxiao was holding his ground. While it couldn’t be said that he defended perfectly, the Russian team was still able to score points, but his defensive efficiency as a lone player was surprisingly close to having teammates to help.
Others might not understand, but Newton was very clear about one thing: when his teammates were rough or didn’t care about defense, Qin Chunxiao’s fighting spirit didn’t diminish, but rather increased.
This was a peculiar bonus brought about by the mentality of a team leader. Qin Chunxiao’s sense of duty would tell his body, “If I don’t go all out, the city gates will be breached by the enemy,” and then he would defend with all his might, achieving a level of performance that he couldn’t reach under normal circumstances.
Before this game, Newton had already rehearsed the process in his mind. After all, not only did Nikolai understand the Twin Stars, but the Twin Stars’ understanding of Russian players also exceeded the imaginations of many people.
“If I were Nikolai, I would definitely target Xiaozai,” Newton thought. Realizing this, he decided on the tactics for the first half of the game.
Just at this moment, Li Ling started to exert himself. Although he wasn’t the standout player of this Olympics as a setter, he was regarded by many volleyball coaches as the “most practical” setter.
This was because most other setters excelled at creating good attacking opportunities and environments for their hitters, commonly known as “making pancakes” – allowing hitters to take advantage of the balls passed by the setter.
Although Li Ling couldn’t create opportunities for his teammates as skillfully as Mattia did, he consistently delivered balls that were suitable for attacking.
Wu Di, watching the game, exclaimed excitedly, “Li Ling’s second setting is impressive.”
Ever since entering the Olympic arena, Er Leng’s passing has been as precise as ever.
Eighty percent of the balls were comfortable to play with, which was already good in this high-intensity competition. Although his efficiency in tricking the opponents wasn’t at the same level as Mattia, he was at least on par with Tom. Er Leng’s form was also top-notch!
Moreover, Er Leng could handle the ball himself!
The most skillfully made cakes that Li Ling enjoyed were naturally crafted by Qin Chunxiao. Although in such intense finals, Qin Chunxiao couldn’t guarantee that every first pass would be of high quality, allowing everyone to set without any adjustment and then spike the ball. But as long as a pass met the attacking standards, Er Leng had the chance to enjoy this “cake.”
Of course, this wouldn’t be China’s main scoring method, but occasionally, it caused discomfort to their opponents. Thanks to this ability, Li Ling gradually earned a nickname from fans after entering the Tokyo Olympics – “The Assassin.”
He was a setter like an assassin – calm, precise, rarely attacking, but when he did, it was sure to hit the mark. He didn’t need to attack frequently; just standing in front of the net was intimidating enough to make opponents allocate defensive resources to him, thus improving the conditions for the attackers.
In the face of such a formidable Russian team, the pressure that the twin stars could alleviate was limited, but sometimes, all it took was a small change to turn the tide.
Volleyball wasn’t a sport where you needed to establish a huge advantage to win. What players needed to do was to reach 25 points ahead of the opponents by at least 2 points. That’s all.
Qiao Mingming, silently and consistently, became the most reliable artillery for the Chinese team today. He wasn’t just a strong attacker in the third position, as long as he was on the court, he could score again and again. Although his height was not on par with Roman’s, he possessed similar power and a keen sense of timing.
More importantly, he was skilled at protecting his teammates, using himself as bait to create timing for them.
In previous matches, some said that the Russian team could break through any fancy moves with absolute strength and height. Now, the Chinese team was telling everyone that as long as someone resisted the Russian team’s offense, and the whole team maintained a stable mentality, they could resist the power with high-level teamwork and advanced tactics.
The second set went to the Chinese team!
1-1.
“Ah! Mingming has improved! I actually felt that he displayed an attacking ability close to the level of William and Sidney just now! He’s only slightly inferior to Roman, Sebastian, and Dominique.”
“Although everyone isn’t focusing much on defense, when faced with a close ball, they will try to reach out and block. Mingming even received Roman’s ball earlier!”
“This kid grew up before our eyes in Yunnan. During the World Youth Championship, he didn’t pay attention to the path and crashed into Qin Chunxiao with his pectoral muscles while both were going for the ball. But now he’s much more mature. Look at how smoothly he turned and dove to one side just now, not obstructing Qin’s path! He’s really amazing! Well-deserved as Asia’s top outside hitter!”
Nikolai covered his forehead and sighed, “I knew it, the twin stars would be trouble for the Russian team.”
The twin stars were the key factor in the Chinese team winning the second set. When playing in the club league, Nikolai had watched Tulengchika’s antics with frustration. He even force-fed the boy, hoping he would grow up and stop acting like a fool on the court. But now, Nikolai wanted to tell Er Leng, “Kid, why don’t you regress to being a nervous wreck? Don’t worry, no matter how erratic you are, the coach won’t mind.”
Qin Chunxiao returned to the bench, vigorously wiping away his sweat with an ice towel, listening to the coach and teammates communicating rapidly.
“At the end of the second set, the Russian team already realized that we were using Xiaozi to contain Roman. In the third set, they’ll definitely change their formation, moving Roman’s focus away from Xiaozi. Xiaozi won’t be able to attack, and if they bypass him, Xiaozi won’t be able to stop them either.”
“No problem, he attacks his way, and we defend ours. As long as we don’t let the ball hit the ground, it doesn’t matter where their focus is.”
In volleyball, players usually spiked the ball to areas where the defenders couldn’t reach, away from the libero. The libero was supposed to cover the entire court.
“Be alert to players other than Roman. The Russian team doesn’t have just one artillery. Aizimaiti, pay attention to aerial defense, Xiaoji, you’re coming in for Duojin!”
Kong Duojin had been the main blocker in the first two sets, and now he was quite tired. Newton believed it was necessary to let him rest for one set to ensure his performance in the following two.
Yes, everyone was mentally prepared for this game to go to a fifth set and last for over two hours. In terms of endurance, the Chinese team and the Brazilian team were the only ones capable of driving the Russian team crazy.
Nikolai also commanded, “It seems we can’t press Misha down, but it’s alright. Roman, victory can only be achieved through scoring. From now on, go ahead and score freely.”
Ruslan clenched his teeth and said, “The Chinese team is shameless! Can you believe they dare to give up on defense in the Olympic finals and leave everything to Misha to handle? Such a spineless move is truly shameless!”
Pah! They’re just relying on Misha’s strength!
Speaking of this, Anton displayed a subtle expression.
Ruslan, you talk like that, but your actions of relying on Misha at the club are quite skillful too. After all, embracing a 25-centimeter spine is quite enjoyable, isn’t it?
In the third set, as both coaches had expected, the opponents changed their formation.
Qin Chunxiao could clearly feel that Roman’s shots were becoming more complex. Just at this moment, Kong Duojin, the oldest and strongest blocker on the Chinese team, was substituted, and Fu Biyang had an injury. Some fans were already banging their chests and stomping their feet, thinking that Coach Niu had made a wrong move.
But in the heart of Qin Chunxiao, Fu Biyang’s longtime opponent, he felt even more at ease.
The Hainan and Guangdong teams, both from southern China, had a good relationship between their coaches, and they played more practice matches against each other than any other provinces. Even Li Ling could shout, “No one understands Fu Biyang better than me!” What’s more, Qin had been clashing with Fu Biyang for a long time.
Others might not know, but the synergy between Qin Chunxiao and Fu Biyang when they played together was second only to Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling. When this handsome guy from Hainan stepped onto the court, Russian team’s vice-attacker Ruslan noticed something.
Their defensive system on the opposite side started running more smoothly.
Ruslan coordinated with his teammates to launch a quick attack. His hand hadn’t even swung yet, but his brain was already warning him not to spike the ball to the backcourt, or it would either go out or be picked up by Misha.
He had to spike the ball to the second position, a bit farther from Misha. This required hitting a sharp angle, but no problem; his wrist was capable of such maneuvers. In a very short time, Ruslan unquestionably coordinated the quick attack with Anton. However, Fu Biyang’s palm had already appeared in front of him.
Bang! The ball was blocked by those iron-like arms and fell into the Russian team’s court.
Fu Biyang landed and excitedly clenched his fist. “I knew you’d spike to our second position!”
Qin Chunxiao stood in the backcourt, where positions 1, 5, and 6 were prohibited, and positions 3 and 4 were where Xiaozi could reach with his legs raised. The most challenging to defend was the second position.
Even if Ruslan had developed a unique skill to change the spike direction in mid-air, Fu Biyang didn’t need to read his spike; he just needed to block at the second position. Even if Ruslan’s spike wasn’t aimed at the second position, it didn’t matter because Qin Chunxiao had the other five positions covered!
Ruslan bit his lower lip, looking at Qin Chunxiao’s figure, realizing that his mindset had just been figured out by Fu Biyang.
But Fu Biyang, who blocked him, wasn’t known for playing without a brain but rather being a world-class player below the head!
Seemingly aware of Ruslan’s confusion, Fu Biyang chuckled and said in English, “Blocking a player like you who has partnered with Misha is quite easy because I don’t need to understand your hitting path. I just need to understand myself.”
He pointed at himself.
Both of them were Qin Chunxiao’s partners, and even though they had never met before and were facing each other for the first time in the Olympic finals, they naturally understood each other.
Ruslan took a deep breath. “That’s quite a statement. Do you think understanding yourself is the same as understanding me?”
Fu Biyang replied, “Of course not.” But for athletes, understanding some aspects of the opponent’s mindset was already a big advantage.
Then Fu Biyang rotated to the back row, and Qin Chunxiao was about to rotate to position 1. According to the rules, the libero couldn’t serve, so he went off, and Luo He entered the game.
Luo He, nominally a backup opposite hitter, but in reality, he was another serving specialist besides Yuziyu, coming from the Hubei team. In terms of serving techniques like the jump float, he had reached a level comparable to Yuziyu!
“Yegor is a young player, and he has been playing in the Russian Super League, where there are many rough guys. So Yegor has plenty of experience receiving powerful jump serves, but his ability to handle jump floats may not be good enough. The evidence is that he touches the ball more often during matches, and he rarely uses overhand receives, which are common in handling jump floats.”
Realizing this, Luo He understood why Newton had put him on the court. He patted the volleyball, tossed it into the air, leaped gracefully, and struck the ball in the center of the palm.
The volleyball, in yellow and blue, floated elegantly over the net, seeming slow but quick in the air, and made a sharp turn, skillfully avoiding the Russian team’s defense and elegantly landing.
Christen’s partner, Tim, took off his glasses, wiped them, and put them back on. “This guy’s serving is quite good.”
Although he was only a substitute’s substitute, with few appearances and little time on the court, being able to secure the second-highest position in the Hubei team and being brought to Tokyo by Coach Newton meant that Luo He was no ordinary player.
Even though some new fans might say they didn’t know Luo He, anyone who said Luo He lacked skill would shock even a kitten.
The Chinese team scored with their serve, bringing the score to 13:12.
Luo He once again had the opportunity to serve, not knowing how long he would stay on the court this time. As long as he made a serving error, it would be time for Xiaozi to take the court.
Luo He held the ball and devoutly touched it with his forehead. He wasn’t like Qiao Mingming, Erlang, or Xiaozi, who were considered absolute mainstays and indispensable team members, needing to stay on the court for extended periods. He had never played a core position on both offense and defense. So, while he was still on the court, he tried to do what he could for the team, which was to keep scoring.
The Chinese team scored again, making it 14:12.
However, when Luo He served for the third time, the Russian team successfully broke the serve and quickly counterattacked. Roman scored a point with a powerful diagonal shot, making the score 14:13.
Newton rubbed his hands together, saying, “No problem, we’re still in the lead, Xiaozi!”
Qin Chunxiao replied, “Understood, hold on, right?”
Including his previous life, Qin Chunxiao was already in his early thirties, and at this age, he didn’t mind using the force of a missile launch to kick everyone on the Russian team’s butts for the sake of a gold medal. As for the camaraderie of playing in the same club? Well, ladies and gentlemen, that wasn’t important.
The game continued.
Fu Biyang repeatedly coordinated quick attacks with Li Ling in the following matches. He was a versatile opposite hitter, skilled in both blocking and hitting from various positions. With his beast-like reaction speed, many times, he didn’t need to think and could naturally coordinate with Li Ling to make brilliant plays.
Thanks to their efforts, the Chinese team won the third set. However, Fu Biyang’s dislocated finger was still there, and while he could continue to play, his injury would affect his performance. In the latter half of the fourth set, Newton substituted him again.
The reason for bringing Fu Biyang onto the court earlier was twofold: to activate the Chinese team’s front-line defense and to give Qin Chunxiao a breather. But if Fu Biyang couldn’t perform his duties, he would have to sit on the bench.
Losing Fu Biyang, a strong offensive player, and bringing in Aizimaiti, who relied on impenetrable blocking, further strengthened the Chinese team’s defense.
On the court, aside from the libero, everyone had both defensive and offensive responsibilities.
Aizimaiti’s blocking ability ranked second on the team, but he had always been relegated to the bench behind Kong Duojin and Fu Biyang. He knew this was because of his shortcomings in the offensive aspect. He was solid in defense but lacked offense. This was Newton’s evaluation of him. In domestic matches, he could handle many strong opponents with his blocking, but it wasn’t enough on the international stage.
At some point, Aizimaiti decided to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses, just like Xiaozi. Even if he was not tall enough and his scoring ability seemed inadequate on the international stage, powerful defense could also secure a player’s spot on the team.
After all, not every player treated volleyball as their life’s calling. Aizimaiti came from a good family, and he chose to play because his talent was recognized by a school teacher when he was young. The teacher said he could achieve good results in volleyball, so he regarded it as his livelihood.
For the sake of a better livelihood, he put in high-intensity individual training, studied famous attackers, and improved his competitive abilities. He gave his all.
But even the calmest person would have moments when they set aside their utilitarianism.
Some said Aizimaiti got the chance to play in the Olympic finals because Fu Biyang was injured, and that was fine. He wanted to play, to contribute to his team. That was what he thought when he stepped onto the court.
Fu Biyang exchanged a high-five with him.
“It’s up to you now.”
Aizimaiti lowered his gaze. “Leave it to me.”
This time, Aizimaiti played with great enthusiasm on the court. As long as the setter provided him with opportunities, he would do everything to score. The fiery passion was evident in this usually calm player from Xinjiang.
Even the calmest person would have days when they wanted to burn themselves to achieve victory.
“The Chinese men’s volleyball team has great opposite hitters. Today, all of them are performing well in blocking, and each of them has the ability to score with blocks!”
“The quick attacks are also excellent. The Chinese team is averaging 5 points per set with quick attacks, which is super impressive!”
“Quick attacks were originally a tactic created by China, and now they have developed it into a reliable scoring method. I’m sure the pioneers of quick attacks are proud!”
“Did you know? The Chinese men’s volleyball team has a coach named Yang, who was one of the key players when the quick attack tactic was born. And there’s Coach Niu, who is now standing on the sidelines; he was a player from the Chinese men’s volleyball team during their first golden era, relying on quick attacks.”
“This is the legacy!”
The current lineup on the court was Qiao Mingming, Yuziyu, Tong Shulan, Li Ling, Aizimaiti, and Qin Chunxiao. It was a super offensive lineup, with Aizimaiti being the strongest receiver among them. Moreover, for some reason, Newton arranged for Aizimaiti to participate in the defensive end when he was in the back row.
With the support of his teammates, Qin Chunxiao’s pressure was greatly reduced, allowing him to focus more on observing the opponent.
The Russian team had already found their rhythm, and continuing like this was very dangerous.
Ruslan’s powerful attack succeeded, making it 22:23.
We need to come up with a way to further limit them.
Qiao Mingming made a strong attack from the 3rd position, making it 23:23.
Quickly, Franco responded with an answer ball from the 3rd position, making it 23:24, and giving the Russian team a set point.
If this continues, they’ll lose the game.
23:25, the Russian team won the fourth set, and the game was destined to be decided in the fifth set.
At this point, both sides had played all their cards, from strategy to lineup adjustments, and all the off-court tricks the coaches could use had been exhausted. Now, it all depended on the players’ determination and will.
But if they were to rely on pure strength, the Chinese team… couldn’t win.
As the coach had said earlier, they needed an explosion to turn the tide against the Russian team, or they would still lose, albeit more gracefully.
In the previous four sets, Qin Chunxiao had experienced the most pressure since he started playing volleyball. His mind had gone blank at times, and all his physical functions had been focused on receiving the ball. This wasn’t good, as it limited his potential for further breakthroughs.
Qin Chunxiao tapped his knee. The Russian team’s targeted tactics against him had been effective from the beginning until now, and he had been a bit tense. But he also understood that if they wanted to change the situation, a player had to step up, whether it was to improve scoring efficiency or to contain the opponent.
If he had entered a state of eruption earlier, maybe they could have ended the game in the fourth set, but he hadn’t.
Now the team was pushed to the limit, and he had no way out.
Previously, he had never actively entered that state, and now Qin Chunxiao didn’t even know if he could do it.
Qin Chunxiao turned back, and Newton didn’t expect this kid to suddenly look beyond the court during the big match. However, the old coach immediately made a fist-pumping motion to cheer him on.
Qin Chunxiao blinked, turned his head, and fixed his gaze on Roman.
“Xiaozi, don’t be nervous,” Li Ling’s voice sounded behind him, and Qin Chunxiao smiled.
Qiao Mingming added, “The championship depends on this set, Xiaozi. Relax.”
Qin Chunxiao adjusted his breathing once again.
When the fifth set began, all the players moved, but the movements of the people on the other side of the net were slower than expected, and the details of their movements were extremely clear. Just by watching their actions, it seemed as if one could predict their next moves and the trajectory of their shots.
The eruption of form was here.
At the moment Roman jumped, Qin Chunxiao also began to run. He ran beside Tong Shulan, then twisted his ankle and dashed to the other side of the net. At the same time, Roman waved his hand, and Franco, who was behind him, jumped to spike the ball.
If it were someone else, they would never have expected Roman to pass the attacking opportunity to someone else because he was the world’s number one attacker. Qin Chunxiao had been fooled by the Russian team’s tactics like this before. But this time, he didn’t fall for it. Instead, he positioned himself at the end of Franco’s shot trajectory in advance, and with both hands, he sent the yellow and blue volleyball soaring high.
Erlang joyfully shouted, “Great ball!” and rushed over to set it.
Qiao Mingming began his approach. His arms lifted backward, and the muscles in his legs exerted force, sending him soaring into the sky.
Spike!
Bang!
The ball slammed into the ground, and the Chinese team earned the first point of the fifth set. This play was like a storm that blew away the lingering gloom above the Chinese team.
Nikolai was taken aback. “They’re in a different state.”
Could it be that in the fifth set, the Chinese team could change their spirits and play at a higher level?
Even the Russian team on the court felt that their opponents seemed different. Andrey sighed in his heart and looked at Qin Chunxiao. “He managed to bring out his state.”
Qin Chunxiao adjusted his red wristband, and the blue wolf-like eyes focused on this side. He looked like a snow wolf biting onto the spine of its prey.
“Quick! It’s not over on this side!” A group of tall girls in Chinese team uniforms rushed into the arena. They were the silver medalists of the Chinese women’s volleyball team.
A tall figure mingled among the women’s team; it was Meng Yuqing, who had rushed over after watching the women’s volleyball finals.
They nervously watched the court. The head coach, not young anymore, had run a considerable distance and was patting his chest while adjusting his breathing. “This is the first time the men’s team has reached the finals in so many years. I wonder how they’re doing now.”
Meng Yuqing widened her eyes. “It seems like they’re doing pretty well. The current score is 3:2, and we’re ahead by 1 point!”
Just then, Franco aimed a spike at the backcourt of the Chinese team. Qin Chunxiao, who had been following his teammates’ movements, decisively turned and sprinted back from the front row. He made a front dive to bump the ball back into play, moving with the agility of a wild animal. Li Ling, with a smile on her face, made a gentle jump and used both hands to push the ball towards the net. You Ziyu then stepped forward to deliver a powerful spike. The entire sequence flowed seamlessly.
“It’s 4:2,” Meng Yuqing muttered.
How should she put it? Before coming here, she had mentally prepared herself to see the men’s team struggling, looking miserable, and tense to the point of deep bitterness. But now, it seemed like the Chinese team’s state was quite relaxed and happy.
Yes, they were happy.
Even from a distance, Meng Yuqing was sure that the atmosphere in the men’s team was relaxed. With reliable defense and creative setting, they functioned like a well-oiled machine. Qiao Mingming, You Ziyu, Aizimaiti, Tong Shulan were like four sharp knives, while Li Ling randomly chose which one to use for attacks.
That’s the feeling the men’s team gave her.
“Their playing style is more open now, with smooth transitions between offense and defense,” the women’s volleyball coach said, gripping the railing. “Teams that have displayed this kind of form in the past have won championships. But the Russian team is also in this state.”
Gao Hanyue was nervous. “What should we do? If they’re both playing at this level, I’m worried for the men’s team.”
Meng Yuqing bit her lower lip. “Let’s watch and see.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the Russian team scored consecutively, tying the score.
In the following time, both teams maintained a tight grip on the game, with one side gaining 2 points and then the other side catching up with 2 points.
In this fierce battle, no one was willing to back down. They were determined to fight to the end!
The score continued to rise back and forth until it reached 12:14, with the Russian team gaining the first match point. At this moment, almost every audience member’s heart was in their throat, and some had even covered their chests.
You Ziyu rotated his wrist, walked to the service area, and prepared to execute his specialty, the high-rotation serve.
13:14.
On the next ball, Andrey received You Ziyu’s serve, Roman made a fake attack and passed the ball to create an opportunity for Ruslan. However, this ball was saved by Qin Chunxiao, and Li Ling made a quick decision, setting up a second attack.
14:14!
Soon, the Russian team took a 1-point lead again, 14:15.
“Oh my, it’s getting intense! They’re fighting for a 2-point lead!”
“Squid, Er Leng, and Xiaoxi are all doing great. They’ve overturned the match point for the Russian team!”
“Help, my heart’s about to give out!”
“Ahhhhh! Roman’s spiking!”
Some spectators screamed, genuinely startled.
But the closer it got to the crucial moment, the harder it became for the Russian team to score. Aizimaiti blocked the ball, and after it touched his hands, it flew out of bounds. Qin Chunxiao rushed to the ball and, in a heart-pounding moment for many, saved it with a well-placed kick.
Li Ling prepared for another second attack, but to everyone’s surprise, he also executed a fake attack and passed the ball to Tong Shulan.
Tong Shulan jumped up and roared as he delivered a spike.
15:15.
The Chinese team once again had a chance to serve, but this time, it wasn’t Yuzi Yu in the first position. Newton sent the server, Luo He, onto the court once again.
Luo He hadn’t expected that he would have to serve at this critical moment. His young heart was pounding like a drum, but his technical execution was perfect. He executed a jump float serve that went over the net. However, the young libero from the Russian team made a mistake under tremendous pressure and failed to receive the ball.
16:15, the Chinese team led by 1 point and gained a match point.
Wu Di stood up. “The Chinese team has a match point.”
At this moment, the players on both teams’ benches, their coaches, assistant coaches, and team doctors all stood up. Even the spectators in the stands stood up to watch. In this Olympics, the Chinese team had been in situations where their opponents had match points several times, but every time they managed to withstand the pressure. However, once they had a match point, they would seize the opportunity and end the game.
This was the terrifying aspect of this team. It wasn’t just the setter with the deadly assassin’s talent; the entire team had this kind of killing power.
Nikolai roared, “Don’t let them win the game!”
So when Luo He served again, their libero gritted his teeth and managed to receive the ball. In the next instant, the ball flew out of bounds, but Andrey, without hesitation, kicked the ball with precision to the perfect position for Roman to attack.
All of this happened within a short 2 seconds. Yet, in these 2 seconds, the Russian team’s players showcased their peak athletic abilities, be it the libero or the clever setter, Andrey. Their sole desire was to block the Chinese team’s points, bring the game back to their advantage, and then win the match!
With the hopes of all his teammates on his shoulders, Roman leaped into the air. As the world’s most powerful attacker, he was always the one responsible for critical moments in the game. He had never let his teammates down before, and this time would be no different.
Roman executed a resolute spike, but soon he saw the figure of a formidable opponent. Qin Chunxiao – this tricky young man deftly used both hands to deflect the ball, but he landed on the ground himself after being hit by the ball. Nevertheless, the volleyball soared high above the net.
This was a perfect opportunity for someone to poke the ball over the net and equalize the score. Roman prepared to jump from his spot, but in the next moment, Qiao Mingming jumped from his position and used a single hand to block the ball over the net.
The ball made contact with the floor, creating a moment of silence in the arena.
Qiao Mingming adjusted his collar, wiped his chin, and looked at the referee with a calm tone. “Did we win?”
The electronic scoreboard already displayed 17:15. The referee seemed to find it hard to believe that the Chinese team had defeated the Russian team and won the Tokyo Olympics Men’s Volleyball Championship. It was a miraculous feat even for seasoned fans, but the referee’s professionalism led him to announce the result.
“The match is over. China wins.”
Thunderous applause and cheers erupted in the arena. Fans waving red flags embraced those around them, and other spectators joined in the applause.
Amidst the noisy celebration, Qin Chunxiao got up from the floor. Before he could react, Li Ling embraced him, followed by You Ziyu, Luo He, Tong Shulan, and Qiao Mingming.
Oh, by the way, Qiao Mingming, who had calmly spoken to the referee earlier, had already started crying. Then came Newton, Chang Xiaole, Jiang Xiaohai, Huang Mi, Liu Yuelou, Min Yaoyang, Aizimaiti… Everyone from the Chinese team rushed over, forming a huddle with Xiaoqin at the center.
Qin Chunxiao found himself squeezed among these sweaty chest muscles. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Regardless of winning or losing the game, he couldn’t escape the fate of being bumped around by chest muscles, could he?
Then he burst into laughter, and the hot droplets of sweat trickled down his face. He looked towards the spectators’ stands. Through his blurry vision, Qin Chunxiao saw many familiar faces.
There were Lu Xundong and his younger brother, Meng Yuqing, and the women’s volleyball team, along with many fans who had watched them play in numerous matches.
Qin Chunxiao smiled and raised his hand adorned with a red wristband high into the air.
Now, he thought with immense joy, did you all see that? We won. The championship is ours.
The lights descended from the dome, kissing every face filled with smiles and tears.
They had walked a long road, climbed countless peaks, and finally, under the watchful gaze of the goddess of Olympus, dreamers embraced their dreams.
Youth & Bittersweet Aftertaste
Link Ke Bacaan
Serina merupakan siswi SMA penyendiri dan memiliki kompleksitas karena demam panggung. Karena trauma masa lalu, Serina yang suka menari terlalu takut tampil di depan umum. Walau begitu, ia memiliki identitas lain yang tidak diketahui oleh siapa pun. Dia merupakan pemilik akun di balik sosok misterius ‘kelinci_putih’, tiktoker yang kontennya berisi video-video dance cover dengan satu juta follower. Menjadi tiktoker membuat Serina lupa dengan sosok pecundangnya di dunia nyata. Namun, demi menggaet hati cowok paling populer di sekolah, Serina memutuskan masuk ekskul dance untuk mengatasi demam panggungnya dan membangun kepercayaan diri.
Tojoillust 