Chapter 23: The Finals Begin!

Early morning. After waking up, Jiang Hong felt a tingling sensation throughout his body and realized that his attempt to "glitch" the system had failed. Originally, he had wanted to see if the training recovery potion would restore the exhaustion caused by playing in matches, but it appeared it only recovered damage and fatigue from training.

However, Jiang Hong quickly adjusted his mindset. After all, being able to train injury-free was already a huge advantage—he shouldn't be greedy. It was a good thing he hadn't neglected his physical conditioning during training; otherwise, he would truly be a man with skills he couldn't put to use.

After washing up and preparing to leave, Jiang Hong was blocked by Li Hua. That guy had sworn up and down that he would witness Jiang Hong winning the championship. Plus, since Yu Lin had promised to treat them to a meal, he could score a free lunch. This was a total win!

Upon arriving at the bus stop near the school, he found Su Cheng waiting for him. Once Yu Lin arrived, the group headed straight for the tennis club. Stepping into the club, Li Hua’s eyes widened at the crowd in the stands. "Why are there so many people today?"

"The finals always draw a crowd," Jiang Hong replied, glancing back at him. "Besides, this match is different from the usual ones."

The first day’s matches were basically amateurs hacking away at each other, nothing spectacular. But the finals were different; while they might not be on par with professional athletes, they were certainly top-tier amateurs. Furthermore, this year's final wasn't the usual clash between the two powerhouses of the Physical Education Institute. It was a surprise upset, with Jiang Hong defeating Lin Yu. No one liked a predictable match, and seeing someone break the Physical Education Institute's long-standing monopoly was naturally a spectacle people wanted to witness. After all, who doesn't love a dark horse underdog story?

"Go Jiang Hong! Win this championship and show the Physical Education Institute that other schools have talent too!"
"Don't go easy on him!"
"That’s right, we even brought our school’s cheerleading squad for you!"

For years, the guys from the Physical Education Institute had bullied them with their semi-professional status, so the other schools had instinctively banded together in shared animosity. Hearing this, Jiang Hong turned to look. The cheerleaders were in uniform, wearing short skirts and holding pom-poms—a very pleasant sight indeed! *Hiss, this brother is a real one!*

Jiang Hong turned to tease Yu Lin. "President, look at them. Can’t our tennis club have cheerleaders too?"

Yu Lin knew the inside story all too well; most university tennis clubs were neglected and ignored. "Hey Gao, you borrowed this squad, didn't you?"

Gao Xin coughed awkwardly at Yu Lin’s question. Then, holding his head high with a "shameless" attitude, he said, "Never mind whose they are! The point is they’re here to cheer for Brother Jiang Hong!"

In reality, the squad he brought actually belonged to the basketball team. He had only managed to secure them after the cheer captain insisted on him paying for three meals for the entire team. But for a wealthy second-generation student like him, that money was just a drop in the bucket. The most important thing was seeing those guys from the Physical Education Institute get beaten.

Jiang Hong didn't dwell on it. Once he stepped onto the court, he had only one goal: to defeat his opponent.

Jiang Hong and Wang Cheng stood on the court. Wang Cheng was feeling a bit annoyed; after all, Jiang Hong had played the role of a novice yesterday, acting as if he didn't even know the basics of training. A player capable of challenging professionals must have been nurtured by a team for a long time. There was only one explanation: Jiang Hong was playing the "pig eating the tiger" card!

"We meet again!" Jiang Hong greeted him with a smile. He still had a decent impression of Wang Cheng, who had even offered him pointers on his technique the day before.

"Yeah," Wang Cheng replied coldly, his tone icy.

Jiang Hong paused, confused as to why the other man had suddenly become so hostile. He quickly thought of a possibility: perhaps he was just getting into the competitive mindset for the match.

They flipped a coin, and Wang Cheng won the serve. "Looks like my luck is a bit off today." It seemed he had only won the serve once this entire tournament.

He returned to the baseline, feet spread, body leaning forward, eyes locked on the ball. Wang Cheng bounced the ball, adjusting his state while contemplating his tactics. Seeing Wang Cheng delay his serve, the audience in the stands grew restless.

"Are they going to play or what? What's with the stalling?"
"Exactly, is Wang Cheng scared?"
"He’s been bouncing the ball for ages..."

Jiang Hong had watched plenty of matches in his past life and knew the opponent was stalling on purpose. If his opponent were a beginner or impatient, it would cause their mental state to waver. For a player, the more anxious they become, the more mistakes they make. But Jiang Hong was a veteran "slacker" who had been hardened by the real world; even if the guy bounced the ball for an hour, he wouldn't feel a thing.

Hearing the noise from the stands, Wang Cheng had no choice but to serve. Having watched Jiang Hong’s match yesterday, he knew his level. He didn't bother with testing the waters and hit a deep-zone ball.

Jiang Hong prepared immediately. He didn't aim for a specific angle, instead returning a deep-zone cross-court shot to the baseline. Wang Cheng adjusted slightly and returned it. As they traded shots, Wang Cheng’s eyes flickered; he suddenly flipped his wrist, and the ball drifted toward the net with side-spin.

"Drop shot!"

Jiang Hong’s eyes narrowed as he accelerated toward the net. *Thwack!* Fortunately, he was fast enough; just before the ball could bounce twice, he opted for a lob. But Wang Cheng was prepared and went for a volley at the net. The shot was fast, and even as Jiang Hong scrambled back, he couldn't reach it.

Wang Cheng took the first point. 0:15!

"Yes!" Wang Cheng pumped his fist. It seemed his theory was correct—Jiang Hong’s net game was indeed his weakness!

"What a pity, he lost that point!"
"Yeah, Jiang Hong had the advantage during the baseline rallies!"
"True, but who knew Wang Cheng would suddenly switch to a drop shot!"

The audience was on edge, worried about a mistake. No one had expected the game to end with Wang Cheng’s sudden variation. Jiang Hong’s expression remained unchanged, his inner thoughts unreadable.

They went back and forth, the match becoming intense and spectacular. The audience held their breath, but the score soon reached 40:15. Wang Cheng had gained a game point, ending a long rally with a drop shot. 0-1! Wang Cheng took the first game.

The students who had been cheering for Jiang Hong gradually fell silent.

"It's over, it seems Jiang Hong is no match for Wang Cheng!"
"Wang Cheng wins every point with drop shots. Jiang Hong's net game doesn't seem up to par. This match is going to be tough."
"I thought Jiang Hong had a chance at the title, but now..."
"It’s normal. Wang Cheng is from the provincial team, after all. It was already incredible that Jiang Hong beat Lin Yu!"

Su Cheng heard the discouraging words from the surrounding spectators, and a sense of unease settled in her heart. After swapping sides, the players stood at the baseline. Suddenly, Su Cheng stood up from the stands. "Jiang Hong, come on! You can win this!"