novelraw Chapter 182: What Theory Is This?
Chapter 182: What Theory Is This?
The next morning, the second highlight of the entire exchange event took place in the Yuegang University gymnasium: the taekwondo competition.
Before arriving at Yuegang University, they had been notified that each school was to send 10 players to participate in the taekwondo competition. So Ding Wan’er, along with the entire Yingbo University exchange group, came to the gymnasium to cheer on their competing students.
Her students were all amateurs, with just two of them holding red belts, while the rest were roughly at a blue belt level, and there were even two green belts. With such a team, Ding Wan’er had never expected to accomplish any significant results. Her only requirement was that they didn’t lose too embarrassingly—that was the unavoidable reality since there weren’t many skilled taekwondo practitioners at the school, and those with some level of proficiency were already there.
Leng Mei and Lin Feng were also aware of their own team’s strength and appeared quite relaxed while watching the competition, thinking much the same as Ding Wan’er: do your best, and don’t lose too badly.
Ding Wan’er drew lots and coincidentally pulled the name of a taekwondo team from Yuegang that was said to be very famous because their coach was Wang Meng, a high-ranking black belt ninth dan! Seeing this draw, Ding Wan’er felt utterly speechless—how unlucky could she be? Drawing an average opponent would have been fine, but now they were up against one of the strongest teams. It seemed unlikely they could avoid a crushing defeat.
"Girl Ding, what’s wrong?" Seeing Ding Wan’er’s troubled face on her return, Leng Mei immediately asked, curious about what was bothering her that much.
"Sigh, we drew the strongest opponent," replied Ding Wan’er, shaking her head, her mind filled with worry. Yesterday, Lin Feng had set up such a great start; if they lost terribly today, they would certainly be misreported by the aggressive journalists from Yuegang. Everyone knew just how formidable Yuegang’s news reporters were. If that happened, who knows what would become of Yingbo University’s reputation. Now, there was just one hope: not to lose too terribly.
"Huh? How strong?" asked Leng Mei, puzzled. In the taekwondo event, which was only open to students, everyone should have been more or less on the same level—so how could they be that strong?
"Their coach is a black belt ninth dan master! How strong do you think that is?" replied Ding Wan’er helplessly, indicating the caliber of a team with such a highly-ranked instructor. What to do now? She agonized over how to arrange things so that her team wouldn’t lose too disgracefully.
"There’s nothing that can be done about that, and worrying won’t help," said Leng Mei, equally resigned. She tried to calm Ding Wan’er down, knowing that encountering such situations was beyond anyone’s control. After all, even Yingbo’s Taekwondo Association had only a black belt third dan as a coach. How could they compete with that? There was simply no comparison, and at this point, things would have to play out as they would.
"Worrying now is pointless; we might as well calm down and watch the matches properly," Lin Feng remarked, noting Ding Wan’er’s displeasure and overhearing her conversation with Leng Mei. He knew that today’s competition would be against a very strong team and that their own team’s strength was clear. Worrying now would be futile.
"Ah... that’s all we can do," Ding Wan’er sighed. Although reluctant, she understood what Leng Mei and Lin Feng had said was true—their strength was what it was, and her own worry wouldn’t change anything. While everyone understood the logic, she was the principal of a school, after all, and had to concern herself with its reputation...
Yingbo University lost the first match.
Yingbo University lost the second match.
Yingbo University won the third match.
...
After eight of the ten matches had been completed, with only two remaining, Yingbo University had only managed to win two matches. Those victories had come from the two red belt contestants performing well. Ding Wan’er found this outcome hard to stomach. Although she clearly saw that the students had indeed given their all and simply lacked the strength of the opposition, the gap was still too wide.
Witnessing how the matches were unfolding, Leng Mei felt similarly powerless. Their side was just far too outclassed to stand a chance of victory. With the outcome seemingly predetermined and only two matches remaining, all she could do was heave a sigh.
Having watched the previous eight matches, Lin Feng still showed no reaction, yet in his head, he pondered a question: why did these students’ taekwondo styles lean towards fierceness, while they looked down on routines and techniques, seemingly sharing some connection with grappling and combat?
Seeing his team lose two out of the first eight matches, especially since his students had lost because they were intimidated by the opponent’s momentum, Wang Meng was so furious he almost ran up to kick them both. How could you lose to such trash opponents? Are you even my students? It’s embarrassing even to mention it!
"You two, speak! Why did you lose today?" Wang Meng glared fiercely at the two students who had lost their matches, making them feel utterly uncomfortable, and he bellowed loudly at them.
"Coach, we..." The two students, faced with their coach’s ferocious, man-eating gaze, were so frightened they forgot what they were going to say next. In the realm of taekwondo trainees, none isn’t afraid of this ferocious coach, but the coach indeed had the right to be stern—a ninth-degree black belt represented what? Only a few in a country could reach such a level; having him as a coach was the ultimate honor!
Yet today, they had actually lost matches and couldn’t blame the coach for being angry. They should’ve won, but lost because of their own timidity. Strangely, at that moment, they didn’t know what happened, but before they knew it, they found themselves lying on the ground.
"What about you guys, looking for excuses after losing a match? Have you forgotten what I’ve told you before? I really want to kick some sense into you!" Wang Meng admonished his trainees, unable to tolerate them making excuses after losing. Losing meant losing, winning meant winning. If you always make excuses, how many times would you have died on the battlefield by now? He had told his students more than once to never make excuses, but why can’t they remember that?
"It really wasn’t our fault..." The two students were now utterly speechless. There was no doubt both were highly skilled, but bizarrely, they both had zoned out during the match, leading to the missteps in their fights.
"If it’s not your fault, then whose is it? The opponents were so weak, and yet you managed to lose to them. What are you good for?" Wang Meng grew even angrier upon hearing his students actually start making excuses. Such pathetic opponents, and they still lost—how could they have the nerve to find excuses?
"Coach..." The two individuals, seeing how angry the coach was, didn’t dare to speak any further, instead standing obediently and enduring Wang Meng’s scolding. Although they had a thousand objections in their minds, with the coach in a rage, it was definitely not the time to argue and impossible to make a point.
"This is just an ordinary match. If you can lose to such poor opponents, then what excuses are you looking for? If you make excuses now without reflecting on your mistakes, what will you do when facing real combat in the future? Keep making excuses and give up, admitting defeat? Get out of my sight and stand aside! If you talk back, don’t blame me for being unkind." Wang Meng was livid, as the taekwondo team he coached was widely known and acknowledged as the best in Yuegang. He initially thought they would sweep the competition with complete victories, but now the clean sweep was gone, and they had allowed the opposite side to win two matches—an overly disappointing turn of events!
Moreover, the level of the opponents was too poor. If they were any good, he wouldn’t have complained, but how could he not be angry when they lost two rounds to such weak opponents? How would others sneer at him, a ninth-degree black belt coach, and mock his way of training disciples?
"And you two who haven’t competed yet, pay attention as well. No matter what, you must win the remaining two matches for me! With those trashy opponents, if you lose again, don’t blame me for not being kind!" The more Wang Meng thought about it, the more irritable he became. His disciples were the best in Yuegang, while those on the other side—what were they if not absolute trash? By reason, they definitely shouldn’t have lost such matches, but now they inexplicably lost two rounds to such trash opponents—and if that was not infuriating, what was? He couldn’t understand what they were thinking. He would have to deal with them when they got back, but the most critical thing right now was not to lose the following two matches. If they did, he truly wouldn’t be able to face being a coach any longer!
"Yes, Coach, we will definitely win!" The two students who hadn’t yet competed immediately expressed their determination, feeling fearful inside. If they actually lost, who knew what the coach would do to them—the thought alone was enough to make their scalps tingle!
...
"What’s up with that coach, he won’t be satisfied until all of us lose?" Ding Wan’er, overhearing Wang Meng scolding his students, was immediately set ablaze with indignation. How could a ninth-degree black belt coach berate students like that, with no grace or restraint? As if winning against us should be taken for granted, and losing to us is unacceptable, on what basis? Just because you’re a ninth-degree black belt coach, you expect your team to win every time? What a daydream!
And to say ’poor level’ this and ’poor level’ that, as if my students were that bad. Your students may be great, your students may be good, but they still lost two matches to us. What’s there to be so proud of? You wouldn’t be satisfied until we all lost to you?
Now it’s us who have already lost, there’s no need for you to kick us while we’re down. If you weren’t scolding your own disciples, I would have definitely argued with you there and then. What gives you the right to look down on everyone else? As if aside from your people, no one else is capable. What sort of logic is that!