dognovel Chapter 64 Another Pufferfish Race Next Year!
Chapter 64 Another Pufferfish Race Next Year!
Seeing how the other person was treating him like a lifeline, he suddenly didn't know what to say.
"Southern Hammer... Mud..."
"Please, Brother Wunian! Help us!"
Seeing the pleading looks in their eyes, he didn't know what to say, even though that was his original intention, so he simply nodded.
"Wow, that's awesome!"
"Wait a minute! I'll get my other teammate's terminal right away!"
"I absolutely have to participate in this year's pufferfish race!"
"Oh, right... go and re-register right away!"
"If you ask about Brother Wunian, just mention my name... The team name will be 'Team Wunian Said'..."
"Once we're almost done, we'll come back and discuss the tactics and stuff again..."
They couldn't stop him, they couldn't stop him at all! The two people in front of him took off running as soon as they saw him nod, afraid that he would change his mind. They couldn't catch either of them!
He withdrew his outstretched hand and could only helplessly pat his forehead.
"What kind of weird team name is this...?"
"Didn't we already say we wouldn't engage in personality cults...? If they're going to say things like that, then they might as well call Ji Yan's team..."
"teacher!"
Feeling his clothes being gently tugged, he looked down and saw Ji Yan's face, filled with unease and worry. Seeing this, he gently patted Ji Yan's head, silently conveying reassurance that everything was alright.
"It's no big deal. The audience won't care whether I'm a 'resonance user' or not, and I haven't fully exposed myself yet."
"Besides, the person in charge this time is Bei Wang, so he can help out to some extent."
If all else fails, he still has Chang Li's contact information in his communications. If someone really wants to threaten him through someone close to him...
That's not his fault.
"Teacher...have you thought about yourself?"
"Of course I do! If I don't cherish myself, who will?"
Looking at Mo Wunian, whose gaze remained fixed on the direction Nan Chui and the other man had left, Ji Yan didn't believe a word he said: anyone would cherish themselves more than the person themselves.
He always lies to others, saying that everything is fine, but if there is any real danger, he is always the first to put himself out of danger.
It was as if... death and injury no longer meant anything to him.
"We're back!"
"The terminal has arrived!"
"The application has been submitted!"
He took the terminal from the other person and examined it thoroughly like a curious child. After all, he wasn't a Resonator and knew very little about such devices. If it weren't for someone else, he would have definitely taken it apart to see what its structure was.
"Does Brother Wunian have any tactical plans?"
Who runs the first leg? Who connects the legs in the middle? And who will run the last leg?
He nearly dropped the terminal, quickly gripping it tightly in his hand. Somewhat confused, he looked up at Nan Chui, who was staring at him expectantly.
"Me? Have you even thought about that?"
"Of course! Every decision Brother Wunian makes is the most appropriate one!"
"Whether it's strategic planning in battle or marching plans... or even the smallest daily matters within the military camp, you can make the best decisions and arrangements..."
"You are already very important to us!"
"And this time, the captaincy is going to be handed over to you, Brother Wunian!"
"The team names are all..."
"Enough! Stop your attempts to flatter and kill!"
"If you ask me, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea for Ji Yan to be the captain and make the arrangements."
Oh no, I've been praised too much! My self-protection system kicked in again, and I quickly reached out to stop the other person's behavior, then pulled out someone who was hiding behind me.
"teacher……"
"Believe me, you have the ability."
"Your teacher is me, after all. Being a team leader is nothing..."
"This team name is so incredibly awkward, and it even uses my name!"
He forcefully pulled Ji Yan out of the picture, then immediately turned back and glared fiercely at Nan Chui and the other man who were still trying to say something. His gaze then returned to normal, looking encouragingly at those who were still trying to decline.
Ji Yan raised his head and looked at Mo Wunian, whose eyes were full of trust. He then shifted his gaze to what was behind Mo Wunian, and seeing the two of them shrug their shoulders, indicating their helplessness, he could only close his eyes and nod in resignation.
"Yes, I will try my best."
"Isn't this right!"
Meanwhile, at the other rendezvous point, the final notifications were being given to those like them who hadn't yet finalized their tactics, reminding them to prepare.
"The race is about to begin. All teams, please assemble at the starting point in 10 minutes to prepare..."
"...Then I'll make some simple arrangements first. If there are any adjustments needed, please let me know after I've finished speaking."
"Nan Chui, you and the other teammate have already practiced together and have relatively good teamwork. It would be most suitable for you two to run the first and second leg."
"At the same time, you are the teacher's adjutant, and I am the teacher's student. Considering this relationship and the amount of time we've spent together, it's more appropriate for the teacher to stay in the third position to ensure a smooth handover for both of us..."
"As for this crucial final leg..."
"Then it's naturally up to Huo Huo!"
Squatting down beside the other person, listening to their rational analysis of each position, he couldn't find any problems after a brief thought.
He turned his head and gazed at the child's lips, which trembled slightly with nervousness, before gently taking over the rest of his words.
"Friendship first, competition second"
"While we all strive for the best in everything, there's no need to put too much pressure on ourselves."
"The most important thing about this event is to have fun. There will be other opportunities next year."
He stood up and patted the man, who was still frowning, on the shoulder. Although he also had a competitive spirit, he didn't want to put too much pressure on those around him; if anything, he was the one who was truly uneasy.
He somehow managed to change the plot again, and then inexplicably filled that vacant spot... Thinking back to the original storyline where they seemed to have won first place or even broken a record, he felt a pang of unease.
"Yes! This was originally a temporary team that I put together with you guys..."
"It was expected that we wouldn't achieve good results; in fact, it seems to be putting pressure on you now."
"I also have to say sorry..."
"Hey~ What are you doing~ Brother Wunian..."
He gave the person next to him a sharp flick on the forehead, who was already somewhat deflated before even opening their mouth, and looked at them with exasperation, feeling utterly disappointed.
"You're already boosting their egos before it even starts!"
You have to try everything to know the outcome.
"There's a huge difference between regretting doing something and choosing to do nothing!"
"At least... I won't panic the next time something similar happens."
Let's do it first and talk about it later!
He reassured the three people beside him, and seeing the others already gathering at the riverbank, he quickly nodded to them, and the four of them finally followed.
"The last squad has arrived... but I heard it was put together at the last minute..."
"Indeed... two people left before the competition, and I don't know where they came from to get together again..."
"Pity……"
Upon arriving at the competition venue, they heard the surrounding chatter. Turning around, they saw several people clearly affected, sighed, and pulled the three to their side.
"Don't listen to that, just do what you're supposed to do."
Don't let others influence you.
"Listen to your heart and give yourself an ending without regrets."
He patted the people around him, feeling nervous himself, but at least for now, he needed to give these three people a sense of security.
"..."
After finishing up here, I hurriedly headed to my seat, but in that instant, I was suddenly jolted awake. I quickly looked up and saw a white figure flash across the river.
It felt familiar, but he wasn't entirely sure; looking around, he saw no one.
"...That's strange."
"All contestants, please double-check your items! Ready!"
"Oh well!"
Never mind all that, let's prepare for the competition first! Given his current status, there's no way that person would come.
As the final notification sound faded, Bei Wang, who was in charge from above, picked up his equipment and prepared to begin the competition.
"Thank you all so much for coming to this year's Pufferfish Relay Race!"
"The match is about to begin! All unrelated personnel are requested to move to the stands for viewing purposes only!"
"All team members, please get ready... Check that your terminals are in good working order. If any unexpected situation occurs during the competition, immediately call for medical assistance..."
While giving pre-match instructions, Bei Wang's gaze couldn't help but linger on Mo Wunian, who was still fiddling with the terminal:
The other party wasn't a Resonator, and although he didn't know how they could control afterimages, since the Chief Secretary had said to let them have fun, he didn't intend to say anything.
"You're really lucky, kid..."
"Not long ago, I was appreciated by General Geshu, and now I'm receiving so much attention from the Chief Secretary..."
While skillfully handling the tasks at hand, a quiet sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion or reflection) welled up within me. However, this感慨 also contained a genuine joy—
That being, who had once despaired of the world yet deeply loved everything, has finally found a reason to stay. How could he not feel fortunate in the face of such a turning point?
"everything's ready!"
"Starting players, please proceed to the starting line..."
"Ready - run!"
A deafening roar erupted from both sides of the river, instantly igniting the atmosphere. Amidst this surging sea of people, everyone tensed involuntarily, their eyes eagerly focused on the point of handover for the second leg.
"Excellent! It's clear that the pufferfish from each team are now roughly on the same starting line..."
"Team Wunian seems to be taking the lead."
......"
"But the next point is a long hurdle, which is not only a good opportunity to widen the gap, but also the exchange of batons between the first and second runners will happen very soon after..."
"Oh no! The first and second baton exchanges went wrong! They've been overtaken now!"
"It seems the temporary team still lacks cohesion... What a pity."
Hearing Bei Wang's somewhat anxious voice, I turned around and indeed found that Nan Chui and the others hadn't quite connected during the handover, perhaps due to nervousness, which caused He Fu to briefly lose control.
Feeling a little flustered, I looked back at the team that had already begun their final sprint, and finally fixed my gaze on the figure in blue.
He met the person's tense and anxious gaze.
"..."
"Brother Wunian! Sorry for being late... We made a mistake during the handover..."
Ignoring the sighs coming from both sides of the strait, he hurriedly switched the frequency to cover the Gugu pufferfish, picked up the terminal, pretended to do it, closed his eyes, and made up his mind.