Chapter 9: Why Do Your Movements Resemble Those of an Assassin So Much?

The Chinese audience in the stands was cheering wildly, but in the next second, everyone froze as they watched Wang Xiaoming’s actions.

Under the close-up lenses of all the media cameras, Wang Xiaoming had subconsciously begun to perform strange motions with the air pistol in his hands. Wiping the gun, erasing fingerprints, and disassembling it—all done in one fluid motion. He then turned around, intending to dispose of the weapon.

It was only when he turned that he noticed the silence that had fallen over the entire venue. Then, it dawned on him: Right! This is the Olympic stage! He was participating in the Olympic Games.

Maintaining a composed expression, he reassembled the pistol and handed it to the referee with a feigned, polite gesture. This sequence of actions instantly grabbed everyone’s attention and caused an uproar. The spectators, who had just been waving their national flags, were stunned, their eyes filled with confusion and shock.

"Wait, why do these movements look so familiar?"
"Doesn't it look like... that scene from the TV shows I’ve watched?"
"A hitman cleaning up his weapon after a kill..."
"Hahaha, exactly! How did I not think of that? Brother Ming is so cool!"
"Right? It’s going to be hard for us to forget him now!"

It wasn't just the live audience; viewers in the livestream and in front of their televisions were equally shocked by Wang Xiaoming’s display.

"My god, he's so practiced! Cleaning, wiping prints, disassembling—have I discovered something incredible? Doge face..."
"Hahaha, Brother Ming is just being humorous!"
"Do you think this Wang Xiaoming actually has some crazy background?"
"Maybe he’s a secret assassin who came to the Olympics for a mission, but ended up on the competition stage by mistake!"
"Brother Ming must fantasize about being a hitman often, imitating cleaning and wiping prints after his workouts!"
"I never thought Brother Ming was a 'chuunibyou' kid too. I am one as well, so I am Wang Xiaoming!"
"I’m going to write a novel: 'I Worked as a Part-time Assassin During Summer Break, and You Asked Me to Join the Olympics!'"
"Update fast! I’m losing sleep over this!"

This scene spread across the globe, leaving people everywhere stunned, followed by bursts of laughter.

No one was truly foolish enough to believe Wang Xiaoming was an actual hitman. They simply assumed he had a childhood dream of being one and was fantasizing. After all, Wang Xiaoming was only twenty years old! He was still just a kid!

Meanwhile, the shooting team members from other nations were deeply impressed by the scene. Many believed this was the secret training technique of the Chinese shooting team.

"So, does imagining yourself as a hitman actually boost your training?"
"Looks like I should start wiping prints and disassembling my gun after shooting practice from now on!"

The Chinese team’s coaches and shooters were also shocked, but their confusion quickly turned into wild excitement. They swarmed the stage to hug Wang Xiaoming, calling him "Brother Ming" from all sides.

Diao Xiao asked curiously, "Brother Ming, did that last move have a special meaning? Or were you imitating a movie? *Léon: The Professional*?"

When this question was raised, Wang Xiaoming felt a bit awkward. How should he answer? However, the team captain, Zhao An, immediately came up with an excuse for him.

"You idiots, do you finally understand why there is such a huge gap between you and Wang Xiaoming now?"
"Why, Captain?" Diao Xiao asked, confused.

Zhao An continued, "It’s because Wang Xiaoming treats every gun like his own child! Even for these committee-issued competition guns, he cares for them meticulously—wiping them down and removing his own fingerprints. And don't even get me started on the disassembly; it’s all to achieve a better harmony between human and weapon, understand?"

After Zhao An’s explanation, everyone suddenly wore an enlightened expression and gave Wang Xiaoming a thumbs-up.

"Brother Ming, no wonder you’re so badass! Your bond with your guns is so deep!"

Hearing their flattery and Zhao An’s explanation, Wang Xiaoming helplessly pursed his lips, though he figured it wasn't entirely wrong. "I do have the deepest bond with guns; they are like brothers to me."

As soon as these words were spoken, they resonated with all the teammates, and the cameras nearby recorded every word. At this moment, Wang Xiaoming’s image in front of the global audience grew even taller. The idea that "success comes from hard work" was once again deeply imprinted in everyone’s hearts.

The coaching staffs from other countries also began to whisper among themselves, immediately deciding to incorporate this routine—wiping the gun, removing fingerprints, and disassembling—into their future daily training.

At the Chinese Ministry of State Security, the top leader watched Wang Xiaoming on the screen and nodded to himself. "Not bad, not bad. Ding, the person you found is indeed excellent! Such talent, such dedication—we must promote this! He should be a role model for our Chinese youth. To do one thing with complete focus and wholehearted devotion..."

The more the leader spoke, the more enthusiastic he became, while Ding Hao, standing nearby, secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead. Promote him widely? If you knew his true identity, would you still be promoting him? Of course, Ding Hao would not mention that for the time being. He also needed to fulfill his promise to Wang Xiaoming in a timely manner.

Back at the Olympic venue, the roaring cheers of the Chinese crowd once again made the world feel the passion of China. As for Wang Xiaoming, he was escorted by his teammates to give interviews. This was the standard procedure for the finals; whether it was domestic or international media, they would all be questioning the medalists, and the breakout dark horse, Wang Xiaoming, was certainly the focus.

As he walked toward the interview area, his phone vibrated. Opening it, Wang Xiaoming saw that a "small target" (100 million RMB) had been deposited. Below the notification was a message: [Keep it up! One gold medal equals one small target!]

The interview proceeded as scheduled. General questions were glossed over, but the questions the audience most wanted to know followed one after another.

"Hello, Wang Xiaoming. This time, you not only won the first gold medal for China but also broke the world record for air pistol shooting. How do you feel about this?"
Wang Xiaoming said, "I’m very happy, very excited!" Despite his words, his face remained indifferent.

"May I ask, what was the reason you came to participate in these Olympic Games? As far as we know, you are a newcomer, right?"
Wang Xiaoming thought for a moment. "Well, actually, participating in the Olympics is my summer side gig."

"Haha, it seems Student Wang is a very hardworking person who works while studying. May I ask what other side gigs you usually do?"
Wang Xiaoming slowly uttered a few words...