Chapter 88: A Strange Score
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(Today there will be three explosive chapters! Please support me with tips, recommendations, and bookmarks! Also, you're welcome to join Xiao Wu's book club: 168330720!)
Everyone believed that Lin Siyu, Tan Xiaoxiao, and the others had given up on the match, including the classmates from Class One, Grade Three in the stands. No one thought that Class One, Grade Three could pull off a miracle and win under such circumstances.
It was a joke—how could such a chaotic formation and tactics possibly lead to victory? That would be nothing short of supernatural!
“The money is in hand,” Pang Jiahui said, grinning with satisfaction.
To him, the match had already lost all suspense. The only question left was how many points his class would beat Class One, Grade Three by. He stood up, walked to the sidelines, and shouted, “He Juan, don’t go easy just because the opponents have given up!”
Pang Jiahui not only wanted to win—he wanted to win big. Li Sicheng’s earlier disrespectful attitude had left him thoroughly annoyed. He wanted to use a sweeping victory to slap Li Sicheng in the face. Just imagine, when collecting gambling debts, mocking him with this win… How exhilarating would that be!
Unfortunately, Pang Jiahui didn't know that on Li Sicheng’s very first day at Nanshan High School, he had already committed an act of disrespect toward authority. That time, the target of his disrespect had been the recently dismissed former dean of Nanshan High, Ma Kang...
On the court, He Juan nodded and flashed an ‘ok’ gesture.
In truth, even if Pang Jiahui hadn’t said a word, she would never have gone easy.
She had vowed to crush Class One, Grade Three, and she would see it through!
He Juan clapped her hands, gathering the players to her side and instructed, “Listen up, this round will be the final round of the match. I want you to give everything you’ve got. If anyone dares to slack or go easy, I will not let it slide! This round, I want a shutout—I want them to score not a single point!”
With both the homeroom teacher and captain speaking, the players of Class Six, Grade Three naturally wouldn’t contradict. They roared in agreement:
“Don’t worry, Captain! We won’t show mercy!”
“We’ll go all out, shut out the opponent, and set the most lopsided volleyball score in Nanshan High School history!”
“Crush Class One, Grade Three!”
In the stands, the students of Class Six, Grade Three echoed loudly, stirring up a frenzy.
For a moment, the momentum on Class Six’s side soared, their fighting spirit ablaze.
In contrast, the atmosphere among Class One, Grade Three was deathly silent, not a single sound.
Except for Li Sicheng.
He too rose from the substitute bench, shouting loudly, “Go for it, make sure to shut out the opponent!”
His words immediately drew laughter.
Class Six, Grade Three burst out, barely able to contain themselves: “Ha! This guy is cheering for us… Which side is he on, anyway? Maybe he’s actually our mole?”
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On the other hand, Class One, Grade Three was silent as the grave. Everyone stared at Li Sicheng in shock. Some classmates, more hot-tempered, couldn’t help but curse, “Are you even one of us? How can you cheer for the opponent? Is your brain broken?”
Everyone thought Li Sicheng was cheering for Class Six, Grade Three. No one realized his words were meant for Lin Siyu, Tan Xiaoxiao, and their teammates.
Unlike the others, Li Sicheng was brimming with confidence about the outcome of the match.
“Tweet—”
As the referee’s whistle sounded, the third round officially began.
He Juan tossed the volleyball high, leaped up, and with a sharp swing, struck the ball with a resounding ‘thud.’ The powerful blow sent the ball hurtling like a cannonball straight toward Class One, Grade Three’s side.
“What power! What speed! He Juan’s serves are getting more and more impressive.” In the stands, many who understood the game couldn’t help but praise after witnessing such a forceful serve.
Besides ordinary students and parents, there were also a few university professors watching from the stands. After seeing He Juan’s serve, their eyes lit up in unison.
“Among high schoolers, someone with He Juan’s skill is exceedingly rare. Even in university, few surpass her. Hmm... I wonder if she’d be willing to apply to our school. If she is, I could pull some strings to get her some perks.” A professor from Yongcheng University of Technology commented. Their school had a volleyball team and participated in the national collegiate league, but their results were mediocre—they desperately needed fresh talent.
His companion nodded. “That’s right, He Juan really is strong. With a serve like that, the opponent probably can’t even receive it!”
He was right. No one in Class One, Grade Three could block that ball.
The volleyball sailed past several defenders’ hands and… flew straight out of bounds.
A serve out of bounds?
Seeing this, those who had just praised He Juan were stunned.
The once noisy gym fell into a hush.
He Juan herself looked mortified.
Moments ago, she declared she would shut out the opponent, and now she’d handed them a point through an error… It was as if she’d slapped her own face—hard!
“Damn it, how could I make such a rookie mistake?” Clenching her fists, He Juan glared at the jubilant Lin Siyu and Tan Xiaoxiao opposite her, biting her lip in frustration. After a deep breath, she waved her fist and shouted, “Never mind, let’s call this point charity. It's the only one they’ll get in this match!”
At this moment, what else could she say but self-consolation?
The players of Class Six, Grade Three nodded in unison.
It was just one ball; it wouldn’t affect their morale.
The serve now belonged to Class One, Grade Three, with Zhang Xiaoling in position one as server.
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For Class One, Grade Three, the main servers were Lin Siyu and Tan Xiaoxiao. Zhang Xiaoling only got a few turns during rotation. Her skill in serving was far inferior to theirs. But thanks to Li Sicheng’s arrangement, she was positioned at number one—meaning not only was she the main attacker, but also the primary server.
Holding the volleyball, Zhang Xiaoling was visibly nervous.
Tan Xiaoxiao noticed and encouraged her, “Zhang Xiaoling, don’t be nervous—just play like you do in practice!”
Zhang Xiaoling nodded, then tossed the ball and punched it out.
Perhaps because she was too anxious, the serve lacked power, drifting softly toward Class Six, Grade Three’s side.
“That serve was awful, so weak, no force at all.”
“With Class Six’s skill, they’ll easily receive it and launch a strong counterattack!”
“Class One is about to lose a point—the massacre is about to begin!”
The ‘experts’ in the stands began their commentary again.
Sure enough, the volleyball was effortlessly blocked by Class Six, Grade Three, and after a quick pass by the setter, it was set to He Juan.
He Juan leaped high, swinging hard, preparing for a fierce spike.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Midair, the ball’s rotation altered its trajectory. The change wasn’t large, but enough that He Juan’s hand missed the ball entirely.
Smack!
The volleyball crashed heavily into He Juan’s face, then bounced out of bounds.
Class One, Grade Three scored again—two points in a row!
Silence.
The vast gymnasium was utterly silent.
Because at that moment, everyone was stunned.
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