Chapter 32: Beauty Trap
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Next was Xiao Chen’s sixth shot. It must be said that his condition didn’t seem like he had a three-month hiatus. He followed the target for three-quarters of its path before pulling the trigger, displaying a calm and steady approach.
10.7, quite impressive.
However, Xiao Chen wasn’t satisfied, raising his eyebrows slightly.
Then came Gu Liyu. If he wanted to compete for victory, this shot had to exceed 10.8; otherwise, it would be more challenging afterward. Because there were only three shots left after this one.
However, Gu Liyu’s expression remained unchanged. But the referee behind him, who pressed the targets, found it difficult to swallow, as if an invisible force was strangling his throat.
Gu Liyu pursued the target steadily. When the target had covered half the distance, he briskly pulled the trigger.
This shot demonstrated courage.
10.9, the highest score in the entire competition.
Several coaches on the sidelines were dumbfounded.
“Your club’s Gu Liyu always makes big moves without a word,” Ye Yun’s coach half-joked.
“I don’t know if this is an advantage or a disadvantage for Gu Liyu…” Coach Lin looked at Gu Liyu’s profile and sighed. “This kid, as his coach, I feel like there’s nothing I can teach him. He always figures out his weaknesses before I do, even emotional control and adjustment of state are impeccable.”
“But perfection… also means excessive repression.” Ye Yun’s coach understood Lin Huaien’s concerns. “He’s still young. Even if his life may seem slightly less than satisfactory compared to other players on the field, the real storms haven’t arrived yet. You worry that if something really hits his sore spot one day, this kid will collapse.”
“Or maybe, we’ve all underestimated him. In life, regardless of the ups and downs, what can compare to the wounds inflicted by loved ones?”
After saying this, Lin Huaien made a hushing gesture, even though they all had earplugs, and they should not be able to hear what the coaches were discussing. Some words were better left unsaid.
Finally, it was Ye Yun’s turn. He gathered his focus, and this shot scored 10.5.
This undoubtedly brought immense pressure to the subsequent players.
For example, Xie Huai, who was at the bottom, had his confidence shaken severely. What happened today? Why does everyone seem to be preparing for the Olympics?
As for Xiao Nan, his face turned very unpleasant, and even the coaches’ conversations on the sidelines made him feel as if he were being criticized.
Lin Huaien must be saying that Xiao Nan still has a lot of room for improvement in shooting. He only got third place last season because Ye Yun and Xiao Chen both withdrew from the competition.
Ye Yun’s coach seemed to agree with Lin Huaien’s words, nodding frequently, as if he also felt sorry for Ye Yun losing his spot in the finals last season due to being ambushed.
In the end, they all thought that Xiao Nan’s ranking last season was overrated.
In their view, Xiao Nan not only couldn’t compare to Ye Yun, an omega, but even the disdainful Xiao Chen was beyond his reach.
With the seed of self-doubt planted, continuously taking root and sprouting, even if Xiao Nan wanted to adjust his mentality forcibly, he couldn’t do it in such a short time.
Xiao Nan tried to focus, but the score of 9.9 was too glaring.
Clearly, in a regular competition, a score of 9.9, influenced by one’s mentality, would be considered excellent. However, in today’s practice match, it seemed far from sufficient.
Xiao Nan frowned, cursing countless times in his heart. Unless An Lan made a mistake in the last three shots, Xiao Nan wouldn’t be able to catch up.
The competition continued, and even though each person had only 2.5 seconds, and the entire final would end in less than ten minutes, those not in the top five felt like they couldn’t catch their breath.
This was a Shura field without gun smoke. Their appearance was destined to add to the spectacle for others.
Finally, it came to the last three shots. The scores of the top three were extremely close, and no one knew who would emerge victorious.
Even Lin Huaien, who had experienced countless competitions, couldn’t help but clench his fists.
Ye Yun’s coach glanced at him and couldn’t help but smile. “Old Lin, you’re quite interesting. The top three are all from your club, and my boy Ye Yun finds it difficult to shake off An Lan. What are you worried about?”
“Them three… have never competed like this before. As their coach, I don’t know what’s happening,” Lin Huaien said.
Ye Yun’s coach blinked, then sighed, “What can make young people go all out? Of course, it’s love.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Huaien quickly covered his mouth because he was choked by his own saliva and almost coughed.
And so, finally, it came to the last shot. The top three remained Xu Xingran, Xiao Chen, and Gu Liyu, and the difference between them was just within 0.1. As for Ye Yun and An Lan, their scores had a difference of over one point compared to the players behind them.
Xu Xingran remained as steady as a rock, with an excellent score of 10.6, putting direct pressure on those behind.
Gu Liyu slightly tilted his head, making people suspect whether his mood had been affected.
However, when he faced the target, he was sharp and cold. In the instant he pulled the trigger, it felt as if a blade had swept through the air, cutting through emotions and desires.
10.8 points!
He surpassed Xu Xingran, temporarily taking the first place.
Xu Xingran’s eyes narrowed, then he sighed in relief.
Gu Liyu finally lowered his gun, and his profile unexpectedly exuded a sense of solemnity and dignity.
As it came to Xiao Chen’s final shot, Xiao Nan couldn’t help but pay attention.
Xiao Nan didn’t understand. A personality as flamboyant as Xiao Chen’s was clearly unsuitable for shooting, but once he picked up the gun, he seemed to transform into a different person—a calm and silent hunter.
This shot was also at its peak, scoring 10.6 points.
He couldn’t surpass Gu Liyu and Xu Xingran, temporarily ranking third, but he proved his capability.
Ye Yun took a final glance at An Lan. He admired this opponent he encountered for the first time.
Clearly, facing so many top-notch opponents on the same stage, An Lan could enter a state that made Ye Yun envious. He forgot about himself, discarded irrelevant information, and had no consciousness other than aiming.
Because of An Lan’s state, Ye Yun was also infected, and his spirit, which had become increasingly scattered due to excessive tension, instantly immersed itself.
For Ye Yun’s last shot, it was so impressive that one would want to whistle and cheer for him—10.7.
He left the pressure for An Lan.
If An Lan wanted to tie with him, he had to shoot 10.8. If he wanted to beat Ye Yun, that would mean reaching 10.9.
Ye Yun turned his face and smiled at An Lan, who was in the aiming state. Regardless of how An Lan’s last shot would turn out, Ye Yun admitted that this guy was genuinely handsome.
This kind of charisma was different from Xu Xingran’s concealed dominance, and it was also distinct from Xiao Chen’s uninhibited and self-centered style. It couldn’t match Gu Liyu’s transcendent and elusive demeanor. An Lan seemed inconspicuous, but when Ye Yun noticed, he had silently taken control of his attention.
At this moment, An Lan showed no signs of tension in his last shot. His posture reminded Ye Yun inexplicably of a small flower blooming in the wind from between the rocks—seemingly fragile but stubbornly indestructible. When you inadvertently noticed it, you would marvel at this non-aggressive and forceful beauty.
This shot hit not only Ye Yun’s heart but also Xu Xingran, Gu Liyu, and Xiao Chen, who had already completed their shots.
They all looked at An Lan, their gazes forming an impenetrable web, as if they wanted to wrap An Lan layer by layer, concealing all his attractive qualities.
However, An Lan used this final shot to burn down this web, like a spreading wildfire, staining the sky with a reddish hue.
—No one could ignore his presence anymore.
Although it was 10.7 points, An Lan lost to Ye Yun, but this calm and undisturbed strength made everyone who ranked ahead of him unable to underestimate him.
An Lan finally put down the gun, exhaling a breath. He lightly tugged at the collar of his shooting suit with his fingers, as if you could almost see his Adam’s apple, but it was completely blocked by the tall collar of the shooting suit.
It seemed like someone sighed regretfully, and it seemed like someone instinctively swallowed saliva.
An Lan turned his face and noticed that many people were looking at him.
Ye Yun raised his thumb, his smile filled with admiration.
Xu Xingran’s smile was warm, Xiao Chen’s mouth shaped the words “you lost to me,” and as for Gu Liyu, he just nodded slightly.
After the other players finished their final shots, today’s practice match came to an end.
Some people wore smiles, some remained calm, and others were unwilling but unable to save face.
Lin Huaien announced the results of today’s competition.
“First place, Gu Liyu. Not bad, I originally thought you would be suppressed by Xu Xingran all the way, but unexpectedly, you overtook him.”
Gu Liyu still had an expressionless face, as if victory or defeat was not important to him.
But the referees following him did not think so. Gu Liyu’s desire for victory and defeat today was almost released as pheromones.
“Second place, Xu Xingran,” Lin Huaien looked at him very approvingly, nodding, “10.8 points, quite impressive.”
But this high-level performance did not make Xu Xingran’s smile more apparent.
In his view, such results were expected, and he just nodded calmly.
“Third place, Xiao Chen. Now that you’re back, I think we should have a good chat,” Lin Huaien said, but Xiao Chen turned his head away, clearly not wanting to chat with Coach Lin.
“Fourth place, Ye Yun. Played very well.”
“Unfortunately, someone played better than me,” Ye Yun answered frankly, “He chased too closely, making me a bit distracted. I had to adjust my mindset several times.”
An Lan looked at Ye Yun in surprise, completely unaware that he had made Ye Yun lose focus.
“Yes, fifth place, An Lan,” Lin Huaien’s gaze held approval, “When you completed the slow target shooting, I wanted to shake you up. Unexpectedly, it didn’t affect your state at all.”
“Shake me up… are you referring to the ‘slow to warm up’ issue?”
“Yes,” Lin Huaien admitted with a nod, a mischievous smile on his lips.
An Lan immediately looked at Gu Liyu. If it weren’t for Gu Liyu telling him not to treat “slow to warm up” as his own weakness, An Lan might still be bothered by this issue.
“Sixth place, Liu Qingyang.”
Liu Qingyang was quite satisfied with his performance.
“Seventh place, Xiao Nan.”
This result was unexpected for Xiao Nan. Even if he couldn’t surpass Ye Yun, he didn’t expect to fall behind An Lan and Liu Qingyang.
Xiao Chen approached Xiao Nan, and Xiao Nan thought this guy was going to mock him. He was prepared to counter, but Xiao Chen walked past him and casually draped an arm over An Lan’s shoulder.
An Lan swayed a bit.
“Little guy, see the gap in strength between you and me? If you want to take my place, you need more practice,” Xiao Chen said with a smile, his slender fingers dangling in front of An Lan.
An Lan felt that Xiao Chen looked like artillery on a watchtower, ready to explode at any moment in the world. However, deep down, he wasn’t a battle maniac.
An excellent shooting athlete wouldn’t ignite at the slightest provocation.
An Lan pursed his lips and chuckled quietly.
“What are you laughing at?” Xiao Chen’s eyebrows furrowed, and the arm on An Lan’s shoulder exerted more pressure, as if intentionally oppressing An Lan.
“When you were choking me in the classroom, it was a bit scary. It seemed like you genuinely didn’t like me being invited to participate in the practice match,” An Lan said.
“I genuinely didn’t like it,” Xiao Chen’s gaze paused for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.
“But actually, you knew that there’s some alpha with a not-so-great temperament coming. If I performed better than him, you were afraid he would make things difficult for me.”
This “alpha with a not-so-great temperament” naturally referred to Xiao Nan.
Xiao Chen released An Lan, muttering, “Don’t flatter yourself.”
“Just treat it as me flattering myself.” An Lan replied nonchalantly.
At this moment, Ye Yun walked over, placed his arm around An Lan’s shoulder. He had a similar tall and slender physique, but when he touched, it wasn’t as heavy as Xiao Chen’s. “You’re quite interesting. Let’s add each other as friends.”
An Lan immediately took out his phone. “I was thinking of adding you as a friend. Didn’t expect you to come to me first.”
The greatest gain from this practice match, apart from competing with opponents like Xu Xingran, was getting to know Ye Yun.
After accepting Ye Yun’s friend request, the first thing they did, almost simultaneously, was check each other’s moments.
“So, you also like Kristin Daven’s detective novels?” Ye Yun asked.
“And you like Han Suhua’s jazz?” An Lan suddenly felt a sense of finding a kindred spirit.
Then, in unison, they said, “Let’s go watch ‘Giant Waves Surge’ this afternoon!”
After two seconds of silence, they burst into laughter together.
“We are a perfect match,” Ye Yun said with a smile, rubbing his chin.
At this moment, Ye Yun’s coach walked behind them and said, “An Lan, since you and Ye Yun share common interests, why not join our Junhe Club? That way, you can train and have fun together.”
Junhe Club was one of the top clubs in the shooting world, and An Lan never expected to receive an invitation from them.
Lin Huaien, at this point, had a face turning green.
He coughed.
Xu Xingran was still discussing shooting details with Gu Liyu. Lin Huaien coughed again, drawing the attention of Xu Xingran and Gu Liyu.
“Coach, what’s wrong? Is your throat acting up?” Xu Xingran asked.
Lin Huaien had a pained expression and a bit of resentment.
“Didn’t you see that Junhe Club is about to use a beauty trap to snatch An Lan away? Why aren’t you stopping it!”
“Beauty trap…” Xu Xingran followed Lin Huaien’s line of sight and saw An Lan’s head almost touching Ye Yun’s. Ye Yun was laughing heartily, and An Lan was vividly expressing something.
That atmosphere… why don’t they just get married on the spot?
Xu Xingran smiled helplessly and walked over.
He went behind the two, only to find out that they were discussing the popular manga currently being serialized, debating what the villain’s divine skill could be.
Xu Xingran lightly hooked his finger on An Lan’s shooting suit collar.
“An Lan.”
“Huh? Class Monitor!” An Lan turned around. “What’s up?”
“Well, as your Class Monitor, I still need to remind you about some social matters,” Xu Xingran’s expression seemed serious, but An Lan could tell he was joking.
“What social matters?”
“You see, if you want to switch clubs, your only choice is Observing Mountain and Sea, understood?”
“Not understood.” Before An Lan could speak, Ye Yun interjected.
“Firstly, I’m your Class Monitor. If you don’t follow your Class Monitor and go against me by joining another club, then I’ll have to make things difficult for you during school.”
After Xu Xingran finished, An Lan couldn’t help but laugh. Xu Xingran was never someone who held grudges publicly, and in his eyes, both teammates and opponents were acceptable outcomes.
“Secondly, if Xiao Chen finds out you didn’t choose Observing Mountain and Sea but went to Junhe instead, wouldn’t that be disrespectful to him?”
“Um…”
This point seemed… valid.
“Later, he’ll probably put you on his desk as a lucky charm. What will you do then?”
Saying this, An Lan wasn’t scared and actually laughed.
“Hahaha, me? A lucky charm? Hahaha!”
Beside them, Gu Liyu remained silent. An Lan couldn’t help but be curious.
“Gu Liyu, should I join Junhe or Observing Mountain and Sea?”
Gu Liyu replied, “You really like ‘Above Cloud,’ so neither Junhe nor Observing Mountain and Sea.”
His tone was quite certain… and that indeed reflected An Lan’s true thoughts.
Author’s Note:
Coach Lin is in trouble. I only have three old Alphas, how can I use the beauty trap when the other side has Ye Yun! How can I form a group of four As!
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