Chapter 35: The Gold Medal Is Mine; The Foreigners Refuse to Take a Photo? Don't Force Me to Slap You!

Following a brief examination by the team doctor, it was determined that the American athlete was not in any serious danger. However, due to complete exhaustion, he was suffering from mild dehydration and might face lingering aftereffects. But at this moment, no one was paying any attention to him. All eyes were fixed on Wang Xiaoming.

The CCTV commentator offered his congratulations immediately. "Let us congratulate Wang Xiaoming! A final time of 7 minutes, 26 seconds, and 39 milliseconds! Not only is he the champion of this men’s 800m freestyle, but he has also shattered the previous record! And his name is Wang Xiaoming! A gold medal of immense value—let us applaud Wang Xiaoming once again, along with all the other athletes who gave their all!"

Clap, clap, clap, clap! The entire CCTV production booth erupted in thunderous applause. Wang Xiaoming had truly shown everyone the meaning of a miracle. To come from eighth place and fight his way to first for a dramatic victory was the perfect display of individual heroism.

"Whew!" Wang Xiaoming let out a long breath, climbed out of the pool, and waved to the crowd. He had essentially been chasing for the entire 800-meter race. Even Superman would get tired; it was only because of his extraordinary stamina that Wang Xiaoming could still move. Otherwise, he might not have even been able to climb out of the pool.

In an instant, teammates from the swimming squad swarmed him, offering water and towels. Pan Zhanle reached out to hoist Wang Xiaoming’s arm, trying to steady him.

"What are you doing?" Wang Xiaoming shook him off.

Pan Zhanle looked innocent. "Brother Ming, I thought you were about to collapse, I was afraid you’d fall!"

"Get lost!" After giving Pan Zhanle a playful kick, Wang Xiaoming smiled and walked toward the podium surrounded by his teammates.

At that moment, Coach Wang Mu spoke up. "Xiaoming, don't compete this afternoon. You need a good rest!"

Wang Xiaoming shook his head. He never forgot the purpose of his arrival: to win gold medals. How could he skip a race?

The coach insisted, "The afternoon events are also short-distance races. They require explosive power, which isn't your strength. Plus, you’ve exhausted so much energy in this race—don't be stubborn!"

Hearing this, Wang Xiaoming fell into deep thought. His starts were indeed inferior to those of the other international athletes; his specialty was closing the gap. If the afternoon events were all sprints, it really would be disadvantageous for him. What should he do? Should he try to cram some last-minute techniques on starting dives?

He shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside for now. He would deal with that later; for now, he had a medal to collect!

"Let us cheer! The men’s 800m freestyle champion is... Team China! Wang Xiaoming!"

Listening to the host mispronounce his name with a heavy accent, Wang Xiaoming gave a bitter smile and walked onto the podium under the envious gazes of his teammates. Well, he really had become "Crazy Ming" now.

Standing calmly on the podium, Wang Xiaoming watched the Five-Star Red Flag waving in the arena, a surge of pride rising within him. The American athlete in second place could not attend the ceremony due to his condition, so his teammate stood in for him. The Australian athlete in third place stepped onto the podium looking visibly displeased. However, no matter how unhappy they were, they could not show it now, as countless cameras were recording them.

The French officials began presenting the medals. Along with the gold, there was a rolled-up certificate, which included proof of the broken world record.

"Play the national anthem!"

Wang Xiaoming set the certificate down and sang the national anthem with a solemn expression, following the music. The audience in the stands joined in as well. In an instant, the "March of the Volunteers" filled the entire venue.

The spectators from other countries were left bewildered. Such a scene had never occurred in their own countries. Consequently, they could not understand the solemnity and sense of honor found in thousands of people singing the national anthem together. After all, the five thousand years of history and deep-seated national identity of China are not something these smaller nations can compare to.

Another gold medal. When he reached five gold medals in shooting, Wang Xiaoming had unlocked a skill: "Xuanwu Stability," which allowed him to breathe underwater without restraint, essentially turning him into an amphibious creature. If he won this many gold medals in swimming, what skill would he gain next? Wang Xiaoming was filled with anticipation.

When the national anthem ended, Wang Xiaoming lowered his hand. Subconsciously, he prepared to take photos with the other athletes under the watchful eyes of the CCTV cameras, just as he had done during the shooting competition. A great nation must show the grace of a great nation; he wouldn't look down on others just because he won.

However, his gesture was met with a cold shoulder. Just as he turned to find the other athletes, he was given the cold shoulder—they turned to walk away, having no intention of taking a photo with him. Moreover, the Australian athlete even rolled his eyes at him, muttering something under his breath.

Wang Xiaoming’s face turned icy. He had always been polite to everyone at the Olympics, but one should not forget: he was a cold-blooded assassin, ranked eleventh on the global dark web—"Assassin Seven."

Wang Xiaoming took two quick steps, reached behind the two men, and clamped onto their shoulders. With a firm grip, he hauled them back and struck a "cheese" pose in front of the camera.

"Hey, what are you—" they struggled, trying to break free. But when they turned and saw the cold, sharp look in Wang Xiaoming’s eyes, they swallowed the rest of their words. Such a terrifying gaze.

Wang Xiaoming glanced at them briefly, then returned to a smile. "Don't force me to slap you while I'm in such a good mood!"

Although the two didn't understand what he was saying, it clearly wasn't anything nice. Already in the wrong, they could only sulk and give up.

"That's it, come on, smile brighter!" The oblivious photographer snapped several photos of them.

Only then did Wang Xiaoming let them go. His teammates walked over to ask what had happened. Wang Xiaoming just laughed. "Nothing. They couldn't handle losing, got agitated, and cracked under the pressure!"

"Hahaha!"

Next was the interview session with the foreign media.

"Brother Ming, be careful; these media people are all very cunning!"

Wang Xiaoming nodded. "Don't worry, I have experience!"

The group chatted and laughed as they reached the interview area. Facing a sea of reporters and microphones, the first question Wang Xiaoming faced was a hidden trap.

"Hello, Mr. Wang Xiaoming. May I ask what you were just doing with our athletes? They seemed quite unwilling."