Volume One, Chapter 65: Defense

“Is Mr. Lu joining as well?” At the competition venue, Xia Nuan stepped forward with concern. “Would you like to join our defense team? We’re short of strong players; everyone else went to the offense.”

Lu Wenzhou said nothing, merely accepting the protective gloves she handed him.

Seeing this, Xia Nuan smiled at the other teammates. “Mr. Lu has joined us. Our team is saved.”

Although no one yet knew how skilled Lu Wenzhou was, his mere presence was already rallying spirits.

“Hmph, look at him getting all the attention.” Shen Xinghe watched, grumbling to Jiang Wan as he plotted, “Let’s team up and make sure he doesn’t catch a single disc. What do you think?”

He raised his brows, clearly enjoying the prospect of trouble.

Jiang Wan, however, simply gave him a cool glance, tore off her gloves, and walked away.

“I never said I’d play in the second half.”

“Huh? You’re not playing? You…” Shen Xinghe’s words trailed off as Jiang Wan left him with nothing but her retreating figure.

She handed her gloves to another staff member.

The teams reorganized, continuing the match from the previous score.

Among the crowd dressed for leisure, Lu Wenzhou, stripped of his suit jacket and left in only dress pants and a white shirt, stood out like a sore thumb.

Yet wherever he stood, the aura followed. It was a mismatched attire, but somehow, on him, it felt natural.

He unbuttoned his collar, rolling up his sleeves halfway. Even through the fabric, the lines of his muscles were plain to see.

His figure was tall and lean, not cumbersome; just standing there, he gave his teammates an indescribable sense of security.

The defense team, which had been at a disadvantage, suddenly found their morale soaring.

The pressure shifted to Shen Xinghe’s newly reinforced offense.

Of the current six points, four were earned by Jiang Wan alone.

With her absent, the team’s confidence faltered.

“What’s the panic? You still have me,” Shen Xinghe scoffed, holding up his index finger. “Don’t forget, the only point the defense scored was mine.”

Yet, not a soul felt consoled.

The match was about to begin.

Even Lu Wenzhou was participating now.

Ji Jiali not only approached Lin Zhi, but gently tugged her sleeve: “Lin Zhi, there’s no protection here. The flying discs are whizzing around—it’s too dangerous. Let’s stand farther away.”

Her concerned words were clearly overheard by Jiang Wan nearby.

“It’s fine, Auntie. I want to cheer for Wenzhou,” Lin Zhi replied with a soft smile. “Go sit with my dad under the marquee. It’s safer there.”

Seeing her mind was made up,

Ji Jiali promptly gave up persuading and walked toward Lin Hongguang.

Jiang Wan stood at the edge of the field, watching with several other employees.

But as soon as Ji Jiali left, Lin Zhi moved closer to Jiang Wan.

She approached purposefully, and the staff, sensing her intent, politely made room at Jiang Wan’s side.

The two of them stood on opposite sides of the field’s center line.

Lin Zhi smiled, her fox-like eyes curling. “Which team do you want to win, Jiang Wan?”

Her voice was calm and gentle, but Jiang Wan found it grating.

“No matter who wins, it’s a victory for Jiang Group,” she replied firmly, eyes forward.

“True enough. Then I hope the defenders manage a comeback and win this battle,” Lin Zhi said, her words double-edged with barely concealed hostility.

Others didn’t catch the deeper meaning, but Jiang Wan understood perfectly.

She curled her lips into a slight smile, offering no reply.

At that moment, the organizer blew the whistle, signaling the teams to take their positions.

Led by Shen Xinghe and Lu Wenzhou, both teams spread out, the match on the verge of eruption.

A dozen people raced around the field, passing the flying disc to their teammates.

Most of the original players had been replaced.

Almost all on the field now were new members, stumbling through the chaos without any real coordination.

Except for one.

Lu Wenzhou alone commanded the entire field.

Every position he chose allowed him to evade the opponents’ attempts seamlessly.

While his colleagues were still sorting out friend from foe, he was already pinpointing his teammates, signaling for the disc, and in ten short minutes, managed to tie the score.

Then, in the next round, he led a successful reversal.

“Wonderful!” Lin Zhi cheered from the sidelines, her face alight with joy. “Wenzhou! Go for it!”

She clapped her hands high above her head, the picture of a supportive family member.

The match continued.

Once the score was surpassed, Shen Xinghe rallied his team harder.

As the teammates grew more in sync, the scores stayed neck and neck, always separated by a single point.

On the field, the competition was fierce.

Off the field, the watching colleagues were tense, but some noticed something and began to discuss.

“I finally get it. To win, you have to anticipate the route.” She analyzed seriously, “Look at Mr. Lu’s scoring moves—his tactics and positioning are almost identical to the three consecutive points scored by President Jiang earlier.”

“Hey, now that you mention it, I see it too. Is this a universal skill in the flying disc game?”

A few looked curiously at Jiang Wan, waiting for her answer.

“Yes,” Jiang Wan replied, though the light in her eyes had dimmed considerably.

Back when she was studying abroad,

Jiang Wan had already been acquainted with the sport.

At first, she was like everyone else on the field—dashing about like a headless chicken.

Later, it was Lu Wenzhou who taught her.

He showed her everything: positioning, anticipation, tactics for offense and defense.

After that, whenever they teamed up, they played with flawless coordination, winning by a landslide.

Those memories flashed through her mind in quick succession.

Jiang Wan stood stunned, lost in recollection.

Her nostalgic look did not escape Lin Zhi, who watched beside her.

The smug smile Lin Zhi wore vanished without a trace.

She bit her lip in frustration,

Radiating a hostile aura.

Just then,

Shen Xinghe’s sudden cry pierced the commotion of the match.

“Look out—!”

The spectators reacted quickly.

All except the dazed Jiang Wan.

By the time she snapped back to herself, the spinning disc was hurtling straight toward her.

Jiang Wan’s eyes widened.

Her mind registered the danger, but her limbs felt rooted to the spot.

They wouldn’t obey.

The disc was about to strike her—

In that split second,

Two dark figures shot from opposite directions like arrows loosed from a bow.

They collided heavily at the center line; one of them intercepted the disc successfully.