My Soulmate is a Libero
At 24-24, the Chinese team was tied, and everyone was filled with excitement.
Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling exchanged glances, but they knew the game wasn’t over yet. The wolf-slaying tactic had not been fully cracked.
The twin stars had their own strengths. Qin Chunxiao was not as proficient as Li Ling in the second pass, and Li Ling was not as skilled as Qin Chunxiao in defense. The position switch was merely a temporary surprise for the opponents. With Qin Chunxiao now in the front row, it was not as convenient for him to make saves. Additionally, Kong Duojin had been moved to the back row, which meant that the height of the block was reduced.
This type of attack and block was known as the weak round, which was played by the back row. And now, it was their weak round.
If the Chinese team failed to score during this round, they would not regain the right to serve, let alone return to the strong round, also known as the card round.
To avoid getting stuck in this round, they had to navigate through the weak round as quickly as possible! With the score tied at 24-24, whichever team scored 2 points first would win the game, indicating that the next game would be even more challenging.
“You’re not good at playing at the net, are you? I’ve watched the World Youth Championships, and you seem to dislike approaching the net. If I were to describe it, I’d say you’re more like a libero.”
Ah Sang’s English, tinged with a Persian accent, resounded behind Qin Chunxiao. Qin Chunxiao understood and turned his head with a blank expression.
Ah Sang continued, “Your first pass success rate is close to 70%, but you average less than 5 blocks per game. That’s a rather disheartening statistic.”
Qin Chunxiao wasn’t angered by the comment. Instead, he calmly replied, “I’ll block at the net.”
Ah Sang paused, looking at Qin Chunxiao and realizing that the other’s trademark wolf-like eyes showed no signs of discouragement. His mindset remained unaffected by Ah Sang’s words. Those bright eyes, with clear whites and bright blue pupils, resembled the surface of a frozen lake when they were calm—cold yet piercing.
Ah Sang immediately understood that Qin Chunxiao was a very composed person.
Seeing Qin Chunxiao took his position at the back, Ah Sang inwardly curled his lips, realizing that dealing with such big-hearted players was the most challenging. They remained stable throughout, and they might just turn things around when they were at their most composed.
Now, I have a small question—may I ask when did the Guangdong Provincial Team lack tall players to cover the net, and which springboard pier had the strongest jumping ability to block at the net, earning a spot among the top three blocking data in the U21 team?
At the start of the new round, the rescuer You Ziyu unleashed a powerful jump serve. The Iranian team’s 1.97-meter secondary attacker attempted to smash the ball, but Qin Chunxiao was already in position, his arms raised high.
His arm was adorned with a black-and-blue armguard, leaving only a strip of white skin exposed between the armguard and the sleeve. He was young, not particularly strong, and his arm muscles were not fully developed. Normally, he would be underestimated on the court, mocked for not being manly enough.
But in this moment, Qin Chunxiao displayed unwavering determination and precision as he blocked the volleyball in front of him, pressing it down with both hands and sending it back to the opposing side, causing a sensation among the audience.
Qin Chunxiao, standing at just 1.78 meters, single-handedly blocked a player who was nearly 2 meters tall and scored a point. The Iranian team and the audience were left dumbfounded by this small yet mighty visual shock.
The ball landed, making it 25-24.
Qin Chunxiao turned around and threw a punch in celebration.
Li Ling waved his arms and shouted, “Xiaozi, awesome!”
Captain Qiao and Deputy Ding rushed over, embracing Qin Chunxiao and jumping up together.
Qiao Mingming joyfully praised, “Xiaozai, that was a great block!”
Ding Rong vigorously rubbed Qin Chunxiao’s hair, pinched the child’s face, adjusted his headband before Qin Chunxiao resisted, and affectionately said, “Well done, Xiaozi, you’re as good as good Er Leng!”
That point was crucial—they successfully surpassed the Iranian team!
Qin Chunxiao raised his head, smiling proudly. “Now that I’m in position 2, it’s obvious that you’re going back to the front row.”
Qiao Mingming smiled sheepishly, turned to glance at the Iranian team, his eyes filled with a murderous intent. As the targeted “defense loophole,” he was also furious!
It was time for revenge at the net.
Newton chuckled and said to Liu Yuelou, “I remember Xiaoqin used to block you all by himself during the U21.”
The main attacker, Liu Yuelou, who stood at two meters tall, looked embarrassed. “Yeah, he scored double-digit points in that game through blocking alone.”
Liu Yuelou’s spikes were relatively effective, but Qin Chunxiao possessed excellent vision, hearing, ball sense, and predictive ability. He could anticipate any opponent’s shots in advance and block them, coupled with his super-long Achilles tendon and impressive jumping ability. Not to mention Liu Yuelou, there were very few domestic players who hadn’t been blocked by him alone, and Qiao Mingming had been blocked by him once.
In the U21 offensive scoring list, Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling ranked fifth and seventh, respectively. However, after joining the national team and facing a group of rugged defenders, Qin’s role was reduced to floor mopping, while Li Ling’s exceptional performance made the public overlook the fact that Gemini were among the top ten attackers in China.
Now it was the final ball of the third set.
You Ziyu served again, but this time with a bouncing ball. The Iranian libero received the ball with an overhand pass. Ah Sang quickly set the ball for the attacker, who hit it towards Qiao Mingming as usual.
Qiao Mingming ignored the ball and started to back away with focus, while Li Ling had already shouted, “Save me!” and rushed over. However, his dive was unsuccessful, and he fell to the ground with his whole body, causing the volleyball to bounce off the back of Li Ling’s head.
Qin Chunxiao, accustomed to being stunned, hurried over and lifted the ball up. “Clearly!”
Qiao Mingming ran up from the backline, exerting all his strength in his arms, soared to an astonishing height, and ruthlessly smashed the ball into the Iranian team’s court.
The Iranian team was silent, as they failed to react to the ball.
Ah Sang was stunned. The sensation this ball gave him was similar to that of the American mythical beast, William. The immense height and power made it impossible for anyone to react.
This Chinese player named Qiao Mingming possessed tremendous potential and might be able to reach William’s level in terms of offensive prowess.
He murmured, “The Chinese team is really in trouble.”
Qiao Mingming turned around and embraced his teammates. They were elated as if they had won several major matches, even though they had only won the next set. This round was truly challenging. When Qin Chunxiao’s defense was on the verge of collapsing, everyone’s hearts were tense, but fortunately, they held on.
The Chinese team won the third set with a score of 26-24!
[It’s been a long time since Team Qin attacked and blocked the net since U21. I almost forgot how good his net skills are QAQ]
[Gemini, you rock!】
[The players from Guangdong this year have made remarkable contributions to the Chinese team in the international arena!】
[They never fail at critical moments, and their cost-effectiveness is impressive~]
Er Leng suffered an injury while on duty—the back of his head was hit by a volleyball.
Before the start of the fourth set, team doctor Wang applied an ice pack to the swollen area on the back of Er Leng’s head. While applying it, he sighed, “I’ve lived for so long, and this is the first time I’ve seen a player catch a ball with the back of his head. Er Leng, you’re lucky. My grandpa used to say that the back of the head is one of the most vulnerable areas. It can be dangerous if it gets hit hard. You just have a swollen bump, which isn’t too bad.”
Li Ling groaned in pain and complained, “The staff didn’t clean the floor as well as Xiaozai. There were still traces of sweat on the floor. I slipped when I stepped on it, and that’s how I fell.”
Newton expressed concern, “Er Leng, is the injury serious?”
Wang Yan replied, “It’s not a big deal. Li Ling has experienced worse injuries when dealing with gangsters on the street. But for safety reasons, let him rest for a while. After all, it was his head that was injured. If he doesn’t rest now, it might affect him in the future. What about your IQ?”
Li Ling protested, dissatisfied with Wang Yan’s remark, “Doctor Wang, aren’t you implicating me?”
Wang Yan noted that Er Leng seemed to have become clever in that moment, indicating that his head was indeed fine.
Upon hearing Wang Yan’s words, the players had a question in their minds: Should Li Ling be replaced? What about the Gemini mode?
Maintaining the current offensive strength was challenging for the Chinese team. If they substituted another attacker, their scoring efficiency would further decline, and they might not be able to defeat the Iranian team. However, other attackers were not as agile as Li Ling, and even attempting to replace Qin Chunxiao would be a misplacement.
In other words, after Li Ling was substituted, there was a high probability that the Iranian team would continue to dominate.
Newton remained calm and said, “Alright, you take a moment to recover.”
Fortunately, he had acquired some strong cards from other sources to strengthen the depth of the bench, and now he could finally make use of them.
He turned his head and signaled, “Pippi, come here.”
Gao Depi stood up and walked over slowly, saying, “I’m ready.”
The captain of the Guangdong Provincial Team, known as “Pishen” and formerly the shortest attacker in the national team, now made his grand debut as a collaborator for the national team—Gao Depi!
Everyone was surprised!
Indeed, they had all forgotten that the leader of the Guangdong provincial team was also a formidable player, but he had been benched due to an Achilles tendon injury. However, this guy was far from weak!
Fu Biyang exclaimed in surprise, “Xiaopi changed his mind? Can he also partner with Xiaozai?”
Newton replied, “Why not? He’s also a 3D player.”
It was only natural for 3D players from the same provincial team to play together.
The birth of the twin star model was a wonderful coincidence that Qin Chunxiao only experienced after being reborn.
In his previous life, he and Li Ling formed a serious double-setter combination at first, with Qin Chunxiao as the main attacker and Li Ling providing support. They had to set and attack together. Their partnership was primarily due to Qin Chunxiao filling in when Li Ling was convulsing, but in reality, their roles overlapped to some extent.
Little did they know that the volleyball field had numerous positions, and both Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling were in excellent physical condition. Without trying each position, they wouldn’t know which one suited them best.
After being reborn, Qin Chunxiao had finally decided to specialize in the defensive position. Originally, he planned to quit the net and support setter Li Ling in the back row. However, after the team’s observation, Qin Chunxiao decisively returned to the attacker’s position.
In order to improve the winning rate of the Guangdong Provincial Team, Qin Chunxiao played as a side attacker, which led Chen Aiguo, the renowned coach, to make a decision that defied the traditional system. They decided to drastically change the style of the Guangdong Provincial Team and build a defensive-oriented team together.
Without a height advantage, they were determined to learn from their counterparts and wear down their opponents through strong defense. They aspired to become a team similar to the male version of the “Oriental Witches.”
The entire team dedicated themselves to specialized defensive training. When Newton contacted Chen Aiguo to request players, the Guangdong team was in the midst of practicing diving, with even the coach joining in.
Nowadays, domestic volleyball fans jokingly refer to the Hubei provincial team, where You Ziyu was born, as the “serving team,” while the Guangdong provincial team is known as the “defensive team.”
Therefore, as the third key player of the defensive team, it was expected for Er Leng to excel in receiving the ball.
During the U21 period, it was not uncommon for other Guangdong team players to make desperate digs, Qin Chunxiao to launch wild attacks at the net, and for teammates to receive a pass and make a second pass to Qin Chunxiao.
After playing together, Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling became the so-called 3D players, excelling in offense and defense. At this point, Chen Aiguo had an idea and started having the team members rotate positions from time to time. “You change my position, and I’ll change yours.”
Chen Aiguo’s thoughtful coaching allowed the 3D players to adapt to different positions during challenging situations. They could seamlessly transition from passing to defense, or from defense to offense, catching opponents off guard and changing the course of the game.
After several iterations, the Gemini model emerged and shone on the field, capturing the attention of the astute coach Newton.
3D players were exceptional. Although each player had their own specialty on the field, their versatility undoubtedly enriched the team’s tactical system. These were the players that coaches loved the most.
Thus, after the U21 tournament, Newton handpicked the three most renowned players from the Guangdong provincial team and brought them to the national team, forming a 3D combination.
Qin Chunxiao: Initially, he played as a setter. Later, he transitioned to the main attacker and then to libero. Currently, he was playing in a supportive role.
Li Ling: He was originally a setter, but at times he turned off the playmaking mode and focused on attacking. His first pass had been diligently practiced with his partner and the coach.
Gao Depi: Due to his height, he started as a libero, but his exceptional jumping ability led him to become a main attacker. After suffering an injury, he transitioned to a supportive role.
Newton said to Gao Depi, “You and Xiaozai should alternate between offensive and defensive passing to see if you can handle the opposing setter. I think that kid is holding back a lot of tricks.”
Gao Depi was eager to give it a try and responded, “Okay.”
Seeing Qin Chunxiao and Li Ling shine so brightly, Gao Depi couldn’t contain his excitement as a senior from the same provincial team.
Newton exchanged a smile with the coach of the Iranian team next door.
“If you’re going to bully Xiaozai with your wolf-killing tactics, then I’ll have Xiaozai’s teammates find a place for him. If you have the ability, continue slaughtering wolves,” Newton remarked.
The Iranian coach snorted, dismissing the challenge. “Whoever is afraid, let them be!”
At that moment, the commentator Wu Di chimed in, saying, “Oh, the average height of the original starting team was 2.02 meters, excluding Qin Chunxiao, and it becomes 1.98.5 meters with Qin Chunxiao included. Now, with Gao Depi, Qin Chunxiao, and Du Xiaofeng taking the stage, their average height is only 1.89 meters.”
Li Laiheng commented, “You’re good with numbers.”
Wu Di replied, “Of course, my mother sent me to learn abacus and mental arithmetic since I was a child.”
The audience erupted in laughter upon hearing their banter.
[Don’t worry about Wu Di, but let’s talk about the height of our Pishen and Xiaozai. They didn’t intentionally lower the average height, LOL.]
[What’s wrong with being short? Aren’t the Guangdong boys, who are 1.84 meters and 1.78 meters tall, already several centimeters taller than the average height of males in our country?]
[Focus is what matters! Look how awesome our Xiaozai is!]
[This is the first time I’ve seen the top and second players of Guangdong Province playing hand in hand, and with Du Xiaofeng, darling, they’ve set up three shields on the field.]
[Three-sided shield, five-point attack. The defensive team is fielding highly offensive players, so Du Xiaofeng, as a libero, won’t be able to attack.]
The debut of the new lineup changed the atmosphere of the game.
Gao Depi adjusted the Pikachu-patterned wristband and cupped his hands to Qin Chunxiao, saying, “I’ve played many practice matches, but this is the first time we’re fighting side by side in an official match. Thank you for your guidance, Xiaozi.”
Qin Chunxiao also cupped his hands in response, saying, “Brother, please take care of me as well.”
Unlike Li Ling, who was originally from Shaanxi but later joined the Guangdong team when his parents relocated, the two of them were from Cantonese-speaking areas. Communicating in Cantonese before the game was also a form of mutual encouragement.
The teammates remembered that despite Gao Depi having a shorter Achilles tendon and Qin Chunxiao being shorter in height, their physical conditions were very similar, and they both had Chen Aiguo as their enlightening coach. After all, the two were discovered by the same person, making them like fellow apprentice brothers.
If someone were to claim that these two couldn’t play together, no one would believe it.
In the fourth game, it was the Chinese team’s turn to serve.
Qin Chunxiao stood in the front row with his arms raised beside his ears. This position not only protected the back of his head but also obstructed the opponent’s view, making it easier for the server behind him.
Gao Depi, positioned in area 1, stood on the serving spot and spun the blue and yellow volleyball in his hands. As soon as the referee blew the whistle, he tossed the ball into the air and took off.
“Take this!”
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.
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