Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
In the office of Martial Arts Club, there was not only veteran players, like Lou Cheng and Lin Que, but also new members, like He Zi, Mu Jinnian, and Wang Dali, who had only been training for two weeks. Even Shu Rui was there guiding the cameraman to record the daily life in the club.
It was late October, so the weather has gradually turned cold. Shu Rui, who often came here recently, was wearing a casual thin sweater and a skirt that went down to the knees, instead of something more professional. Dressing in such a youthful style made her look like a college student, causing Li Mao, Wang Dali, and the others to glance at her occasionally.
“Take it easy, don’t worry about the camera. Just pretend that you don’t see us and keep chatting like you would usually.” Looking around with her sharp eyes, Shu Rui was trying to find topics for them.
However, no one took her words seriously. They all wanted to show a good image to the people who watched this interview.
While all the new members like He Zi were so nervous that they kept moving slowly to hide behind someone’s back, Geezer Shi, who was still enjoying his wine and spicy peanuts, didn’t seem to care about the reporter at all. On the other side, Lin Que was standing quietly with his hands in his pockets. From this angle, Shu Rui could see his sharp profile and stoic expression.
On the computer screen, those several special guests were still making their boring speeches.
Leaning back in his seat, Lou Cheng took out his cellphone to text Yan Zheke, who was sitting next to him. He typed, “I feel so uncomfortable in front of the camera,” followed by a crying emoji.
Having been informed in advance that Shu Rui would come to take videos of them, Yan Zheke even applied makeup before she went to the martial arts club today. While keeping her makeup simple, she was wearing a cotton skirt and silk stockings, which made her as pretty as a picture in the interior light. Lou Cheng had been praising her as a little fairy.
Noticing what her boyfriend was doing, Yan Zheke also took out her cell phone. After replying to Lou Cheng with a “laughing behind hand” emoji, she wrote, “Isn’t it weird? Why can’t we chat face to face?”
“We have no choice since the reporter is staring at us!” Lou Cheng sent a painful emoji.
“Can’t you keep quiet for a while instead of annoying me?” Yan Zheke replied with a “looking upwards” emoji, pretending to get angry. But she was actually feeling happy.
Lou Cheng replied with finality. “I can’t!”
Yan Zheke arched her eyes and eyebrows and sent a “touch your head” emoji. “Okay, let elder sister take care of you~!”
“Hehe, you’re so cute when you call yourself senior sister.” Lou Cheng “giggled”.
“Really? Is that the only time you think I’m cute?” Yan Zheke replied with a “sit and wait for praise with a lovely face” emoji.
“Not exactly. You are even cuter when you call me Pervert!” Lou Cheng replied with a sinister smile.
Puff... Yan Zheke bit her pink lip as soon as she saw the text. Her body was trembling because she was having trouble stifling a laugh and resisting the urge to give her boyfriend a supercilious look, as well as a kick. Gnashing her teeth, she typed with great force.
“I’ll call the police!”
Lou Cheng’s mouth twitched with laughter unconsciously, and it took him great effort to control his facial expression. In the eyes of Shu Rui, and everyone else who didn’t know they were flirting, the two of them were just playing with their cell phones as a retreat from the boring speech.
After a while, Lou Cheng suddenly remembered something, so he sent an emoji with a question mark above its head.
“Ke, isn’t it said that when someone reaches the Inhuman level, his foundation will gradually change and his offspring might be born with a supernatural ability? Why hasn’t your cousin awakened any abilities?”
He had been considering how to decrease Lin Que’s vulnerabilities, due to low stamina, when the question occurred to him.
Zheke’s grandpa, Ji Jianzhang, was an elder of Shushan Study, who had already reached First Pin with physical invulnerability decades ago. Zheke’s grandma, Dou Ning, was also an elder of Shushan Study, so there was a great possibility that their kids might awaken a supernatural ability.
“Stupid Cheng, just as you said, it’s a possibility, not a certainty~” Yan Zheke replied with an emoji laughing with tears, “Besides, the foundation change at the inhuman level is actually small and unstable, so most kids are unable to inherit a supernatural ability unless their parents had both become physical-invulnerability warriors before giving birth. My uncle and aunt were born while my grandpa was at a low-level Dan stage and inhuman level, so neither of them inherited any supernatural abilities unless their abilities just haven’t appeared yet. My mother was the only child born after my grandparents had both gained physical invulnerability, and that was why she awakened a supernatural ability.”
“What? Your mother has a supernatural ability?” Lou Cheng wrote while slightly dazed.
Yan Zheke replied with a “Cheers!” emoji, which was preferred by those aged ones. “Bingo!”
“Since she never paid much attention to martial arts and supernatural ability training, she’s at most an eighth-pin fighter now... ” Yan Zheke said and then added, “My aunt was born in the period when my grandparents were both at the Inhuman level, so she might have inherited the superior foundation, and my brother might awaken a supernatural ability one day... Sigh, though I’m also capable of awakening a supernatural ability, being congenitally deficient might prevent me from inheriting it... ”
Lou Cheng replied to her with a “hug” and replied, “Don’t worry. Your technique and Martial Arts are both developing, and it’s likely that your condition will be cured one day!”
“You are copying me~!” Yan Zheke complained.
“I’m actually reviewing coach Yan’s instruction!” Lou Cheng seized the opportunity to praise her.
Yan Zheke put both hands on her hips and shook her head to show her pride, then she sent another “laugh behind one hand” and wrote, “Actually it doesn’t matter now because I’ve already become used to it and let it go. To be honest, I even feel a little lucky.”
“Why do you feel lucky?” Lou Cheng asked in confusion.
“Hehe, I’ll tell you later~” Yan Zheke replied with a soft voice and lowered eyes.
If she hadn’t been born congenitally deficient, she would have lived a different life, in which it is unlikely she would have stayed in Xiushan during senior high and come to Songcheng. They would remain unfamiliar with each other, never getting the opportunity to encounter, hug, and kiss each other.
It’s the luckiest thing for me to meet you in the best years of my life.
When our hair turns grey and we are still together hand in hand, that’s when I’ll tell you.
Finally, the performance on stage came to an end with the guests finishing their speeches. Then, the mighty one of physical invulnerability, who was invited to draw the lots for this ceremony, stepped onto the stage.
She was Qian Hui the Witch, who had just reached the physical-invulnerability level in the first half of the year. This 27-year-old girl was the leading player of Haiyuan Club, a second-class club that was aiming for first class.
Qian Hui was closely related to the University Martial Arts Competition, and that was why she was invited by the committee to attend the ceremony, even though she was a new mighty one.
Before Peng Leyun, Ren Li, and the other talented fighters flooded into the university martial arts circle, Qian Hui was already the representative character in this circle. She was one of the rare examples who were able to climb to the top of martial arts, step by step, after graduating from university. Her successful image was of great importance to the junior brothers and sisters following her.
Qian Hui cropped her hair in a brush cut, which gave her the appearance of a feminine boy, but her eyes were as deep as the ocean and full of magical charm. Even the hostess was afraid to make eye contact with her, causing her to look away unnaturally while reading the rules.
The most popular rumor about the Witch was that she would hypnotize anyone who dared to look into her eyes.
While Qian Hui was making her short speech, the television camera turned to the stands to catch the top two teams in the last competition, Shanbei University Martial Arts Club and Sanjiang College Martial Arts Club.
Peng Leyun was leaning back in his seat with unfocused eyes, relaxing in his imaginary world. While those familiar with him knew it was just part of his personality, anyone who didn’t know him well might think of it as arrogant behavior that meant he was looking down on his opponents and the ceremony.
Xu Wannian, who was still wearing heavy pouches, as usual, straightened his body unconsciously while focusing on the upcoming ceremony. The one sitting beside him was Fan Zhirong, a good-looking boy with a freckled face, was currently wearing a ferocious expression.
In Sanjiang College’s area, Qu Hui was wearing a tailcoat, looking both poised and composed. But he had changed the position of his hands unconsciously, locking his fingers in front of his stomach, giving away how anxious he was.
It wasn’t long before Qian Hui turned the subject to the committee’s adjustment to the University Martial Arts Competition this year.
The first part of the competition, four groups with four seeded players, remained unchanged. The other teams would then draw lots and join in two or three knockout rounds before finally entering the corresponding group. The teams who drew the left position would compete at home. Group competition also adopted the single round robin system, and only the first two would remain in the competition.
Then there would be cross duels. The first would fight against the second as part of the knockout for the top-eight, and only four of them would remain in the arena.
In the previous competition, the top-four groups joined in another knockout round, and the winner went to the capital. However, there was a chance promising teams might encounter each other in the advancing competitions, losing the chance to advance. Because of that, the committee adjusted the rules. The top-four teams would still adopt the round robin system, but the top two teams would go to the capital for the National Finals.
It added an extra round to the competition this year, and that was why the district contest for the martial arts competition was being held a week earlier than the previous year, which was on the same week as the end of the Professional Ranking Event.
“Good news!” Cai Zongming said with a big smile.
It meant that Songcheng University Martial Arts Club was still likely to get a spot in the national finals, even if they encountered Shanbei University’s team before the national finals.
“It seems we’ll fight against Shanbei University at least once.” Li Mao said and then sighed.
The top-four teams would fight in the single round robin system!
Exchanging a look and a smile with Yan Zheke, Lou Cheng turned his gaze towards Lin Que, his Brother-in-law, and gave him a victory sign while clenching his fist.
Peng Leyun came, as expected!
Withdrawing his hands from his pocket, Lin Que returned the same gesture to Lou Cheng with a fire burning in his eyes!
Geezer Shi let out a ‘heh’ and poured the last drop of wine down his throat.
“Group A, Shanbei University... Group B, Haiyuan School... Group C, Shannan University... Group D, Sanjiang College... ” Qian Hui drew the seed groups first.
These dominant teams were also the top-four last year.
As the lot-drawing continued, groups were picked one by one. While some of them immediately appeared to be happy, some of them were instantly depressed.
“Group C, the fifth Knockout, Home Field, Songcheng University Martial Arts Club!” The special guest said as eyes immediately lit up.
Lou Cheng and Lin Que were both well-known warriors!
“Fight against Shannan University in the group competition... ” Murmuring to herself, Yan Zheke smiled and showed her dimples.
While Shannan and Haiyuan were both weaker than Sanjiang, Sanjiang was also weaker than Shanbei.
Failing to keep a serious face in light of the good news, Li Mao and other team members began giving each other a high-five to celebrate their good luck in front of the television camera.
Lou Cheng cleared his throat and said as a warning to them,
“Shannan is not as weak as you think since they have three Professional Ninth Pin warriors this year with Mu Yu as the leading player. Mu Yu was also a warrior with a supernatural ability. He is called Bane and known to be a tough opponent.”
“Yes!” Several members of the Martial Arts Club agreed gladly.
Why should we be scared of Bane as long as you and Lin Que are with us?
...
In the area of Shannan University, the team members also gathered together to wait for the drawing result.
Hearing that Songcheng University was in Group C, they immediately held their breath and froze along with the atmosphere.
“Nothing serious, we are still able to take second place even if we lose to them.” Mu Yu said, after a long pause, breaking the silence with comforting words.
Because Mu Yu Looked like a man in his forties, which is twice his real age, he got the nickname Old Fellow Mu from his companions. His supernatural ability was Misfortune and it caused all of his opponents to be unlucky during the match. But the use of his supernatural ability came at the expense of fortune of those around him. For each time he won a match, one of his friends would be a bit unlucky in the following three days.
That was why there was no coach or counselor in Shannan University Martial Arts Club...
“Maybe we can win against them? Captain, although I used to believe in science, now you are my only faith!” said Lin Xiaozhi. As another leading player in their Martial Arts Club, she was attempting to cheer the others up.
Though Lin Xiaozhi’s ponytail gave her a fresh and clean look, the way she dressed was actually awkward and funny. She was wearing a necklace strung with a Taoist amulet, a string of blessed Buddhist beads on her left wrist, and a small and exquisite cross in her right hand. Even her clothes were embroidered with Arabic prayer words. Obviously, she was trying methods from many different religions to resist the misfortune caused by her dear captain.
“Let’s give it a try, and then we will know the truth!” Mu Yu said while clenching his teeth and fist.
...
“The fifth knockout, Opponent’s Field... ” The special guest drew out the Songcheng University’s opponent in the first round of the knockout, “Guannan School.”
“Guannan School!” In Songcheng University Martial Arts Club’s office, Li Mao, Sun Jian and Cai Zongming were stunned but immediately began cheering.
They lost to Guannan School last year, missing the opportunity to advance, which they would never forget!
Now they had a chance to get revenge and prove every dog has its day!
Blinking his eyes to calm down, Lin Que put his right hand back into his pocket and clenched the fist secretly.
Lou Cheng was instantly cheered up by the news and gave Yan Zheke a joyful look. Then he gave the television camera, which had just turned towards him, a big smile.
What a good opponent!
They would rise from the place where they had once fallen down!