Chapter 38: Reward Skill [Turbo Duck]! Charge, young man!
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[Congratulations, Host! You have broken Phelps’s record from his first year!]
[The reward is now being drawn.]
[Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the skill “Turbocharged Duck”!]
[Turbocharged Duck, Level 1: When activated, it instantly increases your acceleration at the moment you enter the water! No matter how powerful your lungs are, nothing beats a turbocharger! Charge, young man!]
Damn!
Wang Xiaoming froze.
What was going on? How had he completed a quest without even realizing it?
And the reward was yet another swimming-related skill.
Could all his future rewards be related to swimming?
With that thought, Wang Xiaoming suddenly turned to Pan Zhanle and the others.
“What was Phelps’s result in his first Olympics?”
Pan Zhanle thought for a moment. “Phelps’s first Olympics? I think he didn’t win anything.”
The coach beside them walked over and added, “That’s right. Phelps was fifteen when he competed in his first Olympics, and he didn’t win a single medal that year.”
No wonder!
Wang Xiaoming understood at once.
Had he not just broken Phelps’s record, then?
In his own first Olympics, he had already won a gold medal.
“What about the second time?” Wang Xiaoming asked.
He was not particularly familiar with Phelps.
Pan Zhanle, however, had once been a fan and answered without hesitation. “I know this one. That year, he won six gold medals and two bronze medals by himself!”
At that, Wang Xiaoming began to laugh.
That Phelps was truly an idiot—and rather adorable, too!
Wasn’t he practically handing over rewards for free?
“I’m not training with you this afternoon, Zhanshuo. I’m going to get used to things on my own. I’m a little tired, so I’ll head back and sleep later.”
With that, Wang Xiaoming left the cafeteria.
He was heading to the swimming pool to familiarize himself with his newly acquired skill, Turbocharged Duck.
Zhang Zhanshuo, who had heard him, was deeply disappointed.
It was a pity that he would not get the chance to compete against an Olympic champion.
Wang Mu watched Wang Xiaoming’s departing back and called out, “Xiaoming, I haven’t taught you those little tricks yet—”
Before he could finish, Wang Xiaoming waved his hand.
“It’s fine. I’ve already learned all the movements from watching the other swimmers!”
“You…”
Helpless, Wang Mu could only let him go.
After Wang Xiaoming left, Pan Zhanle picked up his phone and asked Wang Mu, “Coach, what do you think we should do about this Phelps situation?”
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“What should we do?” Wang Mu stroked his chin. “Let’s wait and see for now. We’ll deal with whatever comes our way. I’ll contact our people when the time comes and have them handle it. Making baseless accusations comes with a price!”
The moment he finished speaking, he felt a pair of hands settle on his shoulders.
“Xiaoming, why are you back again?”
The person who had returned was indeed Wang Xiaoming.
He had come back because he had suddenly thought of something.
With a smile, he said to Pan Zhanle, “Help me reply to a post!”
“The gist should be this: Tell Phelps to train harder. At the next Olympics, he should set a few more records in swimming. The records he has now aren’t enough for me to break this time!”
Arrogant!
Everyone’s mouths fell open, and for a moment, nobody knew what to say.
They had known for a long time that Wang Xiaoming was audacious, but they had never imagined he could be this outrageous.
“B-Brother Ming, I’m posting it now…”
Pan Zhanle finished editing the message and was about to send it when he noticed something beneath Phelps’s post.
It seemed that someone from their country had already replied.
“Huh? Brother Ming, it looks like one of your fans is arguing with Phelps on your behalf!”
“Oh? Who is it?”
Pan Zhanle sounded out the username. “It seems to be called… Awei Is Already Dead!”
“Awei Is Already Dead? What did he say?” Wang Xiaoming asked curiously.
Wasn’t that username his classmate, the chubby Zhang Wei?
Pan Zhanle slowly read aloud the reply from Awei Is Already Dead.
“You dog, what are you barking about?”
“Ming is your father!”
“Uh…”
Before long, the Phelps incident began spreading explosively across the internet.
In an instant, it swept across the entire world.
After all, Wang Xiaoming’s popularity was simply too high at that moment.
Anything remotely connected to him would be hyped into the heavens.
And this time, the person involved was none other than Phelps, once known as the god of swimming.
Wang Xiaoming’s popularity reached its peak.
Chinese netizens everywhere personally joined the battle against Phelps.
They had endured one slanderous accusation after another from people overseas.
Wang Xiaoming’s response, meanwhile, was particularly thought-provoking.
Everyone had assumed that his claim about entering every event was merely a joke.
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But he was actually serious?
Was he really going to compete that afternoon?
The other swimmers who had taken part in the 800-meter event would not be competing again that day.
The 800 meters had drained nearly all their strength.
They had to rest in the afternoon and prepare for their other events.
“We admit that Wang Xiaoming is incredibly strong in the 800 meters, but this afternoon’s events are the 4x100-meter relay and the 200-meter butterfly! Are short-distance races really your strength?”
“That’s right. Have you even seen how he swam the 50 meters? He only came fourth!”
“And he should know better than anyone how he won that 800-meter gold medal!”
“Hmph. Just look at his acceleration in the second half and the stamina he displayed. I refuse to believe he wasn’t using drugs!”
“Exactly! He must have been doping. I never thought Wang Xiaoming was that kind of person!”
The internet’s attitude changed in an instant because of a single post from Phelps.
Foreign spectators once again began attacking Wang Xiaoming from all sides.
They had already been displeased that he had taken their country’s gold medal.
Now that an opportunity had appeared, how could they not kick him while he was down?
Many even planned to report him to the Olympic Committee, demanding a thorough investigation into his alleged drug use.
Thus, during the preparations for the afternoon events, several ill-intentioned reporters began making their moves.
“Mr. Wang Xiaoming, what do you think about the rumors about you that are being frantically circulated online?”
Wang Xiaoming sneered. “I’m looking at them on my phone, of course. What else would I use?”
“Uh…”
The foreign reporter clearly had not expected that answer, but he continued. “Have you undergone urine tests over the past few days?”
Wang Xiaoming’s expression shifted slightly. He looked straight into the camera.
“What do you think? Do you really believe the Olympic Committee is less professional than you?”
“Or, if you don’t believe them, shall I fill a cup right now and have WADA test it in front of all of you?”
The reporter froze.
He had never expected Wang Xiaoming to be so blunt in front of so many cameras.
All he could do was lower his tone. “But Phelps said online that…”
Wang Xiaoming smiled. “Phelps? Does that make everything he says true?”
“He’s the god of swimming!”
“A god? Sorry, but that title will belong to me very soon!”
With that, Wang Xiaoming turned and walked away.