Ch. 1221..1230
Chapter 1221: 1220 Friends Card
The pockmarked-faced man seemed to have anticipated their response. “Oh, then do you have evidence to support that claim? You say he was hit by someone, but who hit him?”
“How would we know who hit him?” Wu Hao’s roommate said, noticeably dissatisfied, “That’s exactly why we need you to investigate.”
Still wearing a half-smile, the pockmarked-faced man replied, “Sorry, but if you can’t provide evidence, the committee won’t initiate an investigation.”
“Are you unable to understand plain speech?” Wu Hao’s roommate couldn’t help but shout, “We’ve just told you that he was knocked down by someone else, and we don’t know who it was. That’s why we need you to conduct an investigation.”
The pockmarked-faced man touched his barely-haired head, putting on a very troubled look, “This is difficult, after all, I am just one of the committee members, not the chairman. There’s a lot I can’t decide on my own. If you want to report it, then go tell the chairman.”
Wu Hao demanded, “Where is the chairman?”
The pockmarked-faced man shook his head, “I don’t know where the chairman is.”
Wu Hao and the others were close to being driven mad by this pockmarked-faced man, “If you don’t help us figure this out, we’ll report you to the State Sports Bureau for the shady dealings in this event.”
The pockmarked-faced man was not afraid at all, and even helpfully pointed them to a way out, “Just head east from here, and you’ll find your way out. Then take the 203 bus, get off after ten stops, and you’ll be at the headquarters of the State Education Bureau.”
Considered to be relatively patient, Wu Hao was infuriated by the man’s behavior. Standing up, he looked straight at the pockmarked-faced man, “Are you going to help us investigate or not?”
The pockmarked-faced man repeated his stance, “If you can provide evidence, then I’ll help you investigate.”
Wu Hao sincerely wanted to bury this committee member in the ground. If he had evidence, would he even be here arguing with this pockmarked-faced man?
“Who says we don’t have evidence?” Li Li stepped out of the crowd, looked around, and continued, “There were so many photographers at the competition, they were practically shooting the athletes the whole time. So, they must have captured who bumped into this gentleman.”
Wu Hao also said, “Right, while I was running, I noticed many photographers following me. They must have caught the person who bumped into me on camera.”
The pockmarked-faced man seemed a bit nervous as he stuttered, “There were so many athletes in the competition, how could they only take photos of you? Moreover, the competition isn’t over yet, and they don’t have the time to answer your questions.”
Li Li said, “We’ll ask them when the competition is over. But, we have to keep an eye on the athletes on the field; we can’t let any of them get away.”
The pockmarked-faced man said nervously, “Do whatever you want, I’m busy and don’t have time to stand here and talk nonsense with you.”
Li Li waved him off, “Take your time leaving.”
The pockmarked-faced man walked away without looking back, making a phone call as he went.
“Thanks for your help. If it hadn’t been for your reminder, I would never have thought of the cameras,” Wu Hao said gratefully.
“Don’t mention it.” Li Li was now brimming with pride, completely forgetting to maintain her ladylike image in front of Wu Hao, “Once we find that person, we should put him in a sack and beat him up.”
Wu Hao’s mouth twitched, seemingly disapproving of her idea.
“Judging by your clothes, you’re also a university student, right? Which university are you from?” Wu Hao asked.
Li Li asked in surprise, “Don’t you remember me? I gave you an energy drink on the basketball court last time.”
Wu Hao tried to recall; indeed, there was a girl who brought him a drink. But that girl was too aggressive – she not only took away his mineral water but also insisted on watching him finish the energy drink, which was truly terrifying.
“I’m sorry, I don’t remember,” even if Wu Hao did remember, he couldn’t admit it, as he had already figured out the girl’s intentions.
Li Li, excited, let her true nature slip out, “How could that be? I’ve been following you for so long; haven’t you noticed?”
Wu Hao said coolly, “Fellow student, stalking is a criminal offense; you better not continue doing it.”
Chapter 1222: Contact 1221
“I’m not stalking you, you should know how I feel,” Li Li said urgently. “Haven’t you noticed my true feelings?”
Wu Hao really felt helpless. He had no idea what about him had attracted this junior girl so much that she followed him around every other day. It was kind of annoying.
He didn’t like girls who were too forward, and although Li Li was very pretty, she wasn’t his type of pretty. If he had to choose, he would opt for a quiet girl. For example, the girl named Lan Ning, standing just ahead to the side, really caught his fancy.
Today, Lan Ning had come to watch Wu Hao compete, and he was very pleased. To show his best in front of the girl he liked, he had persisted in getting up even after falling, though he unfortunately didn’t make it to the end of the race.
Wu Hao stole a glance at Lan Ning, but she wasn’t looking at him. Lan Ning was talking to her friend, and whatever they were discussing made her laugh very happily.
“Sigh,” Wu Hao let out a light sigh and turned to Li Li, “Junior, we’re really not suited for each other. Please don’t stalk me anymore. If you were a guy and I were a girl, your behavior would be enough to get you a few days in the police station.”
Li Li felt like crying. She really liked Wu Hao, but not only did he not return her feelings, he even talked about sending her to the police station. Her love was over before it even began.
“Haozi, stop obsessing over the stalking issue and report your injury to the committee quickly,” Wu Hao’s roommate urged. “The competition is almost over, and if you wait until the results are announced before speaking up, they might not pay attention to you. After all, this isn’t such a professional event, it’s more like a gathering of amateur enthusiasts. The committee definitely doesn’t want extra trouble.”
Li Li also added, “Senior, you should go talk to them now. Don’t worry about the photographer; I’ll go speak to them right away.”
Wu Hao asked, “Are you close with the photographer?”
“Of course.” Li Li patted her chest confidently, “I’ll make sure to get you the recording; just leave it to me.”
Looking at this enthusiastic and kind-hearted girl, Wu Hao felt a sense of regret. If only her personality suited his own, then she could have been a great partner.
“Junior, thank you.” Wu Hao smiled, “I’ll go talk to the committee about filing a complaint. Thanks for getting the evidence.”
Li Li’s smile shone brightly, “Go ahead, I’ll be right there.”
Wu Hao felt a chill down his spine at the thought of being stalked by her, but this time she was trying to help, so he refrained from saying more.
Tan Rou had been listening to them talk for a while and, not hearing a crucial point, she finally spoke up, “Aren’t you two going to exchange contact information?”
It was as if both of them were suddenly enlightened. They looked at Tan Rou simultaneously, each thinking that her reminder was very apt.
What Wu Hao thought was that if they exchanged contact information, the video evidence could be sent directly via mobile phone, eliminating the need for another meeting.
What Li Li thought was that after adding each other as friends, she could keep tabs on Wu Hao anytime. She could even send him festival greetings, and maybe they’d end up together someday.
“Let’s add each other then.” They both pulled out their phones simultaneously.
As Wu Hao added her as a friend, he glanced over at Lan Ning, who unfortunately was still not looking his way. She was checking her phone, perhaps thinking about adding someone as a friend, too.
If it weren’t for the crowd, Wu Hao would definitely have asked Lan Ning for her contact information. However, Lan Ning and Li Li were good friends. Having just rejected Li Li, asking Lan Ning for her contact now would surely hurt their friendship. Better not, he thought, another chance would come.
After adding each other as friends, Wu Hao was carried away by his roommates. His injury was quite serious, so he was put on a stretcher; the sight was somewhat comical.
“So funny,” Li Li couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Doesn’t he look like one of those ancient kings? Though his palanquin seems a little rudimentary.”
Liang Lu couldn’t help but roll her eyes, “Just now, you were all earnest affection, and he’s hardly out of earshot, now you’re mocking his injury. Do you really like him or not?”
Li Li said, “Of course I sincerely like him, but as you saw, he doesn’t like me at all.”
Chapter 1223: Sportsmanship 1222
Tan Rou and the others were speechless; they were just discussing how to comfort Li Li, only to find that she didn’t need any comforting at all. Instead, she was finding joy in amusing herself. Their worries were truly superfluous.
“Now you see how simple her love life is,” Lan Ning commented calmly. “People say impulse is the devil, but every time her heart flutters, it’s the result of an impulse, and then, in less than a week, her infatuation cools down. By the time the person reappears in front of her, she can’t even remember their name anymore.”
“That’s because my brain capacity is so limited,” Li Li said. “I’ve already used up most of it to remember knowledge, how could I have the space to fit those people in?”
Tan Rou pursed her lips, “In the future, let’s not go watch your male gods anymore. When you have a boyfriend, I’ll definitely give you a big gift. Until then, don’t introduce me to people you’re interested in.”
Li Li chuckled, “Oh, Tan Rou, don’t sweat the small stuff. The people I fancy can very quickly become boyfriends, that’s how yours came about, isn’t it?”
“I’m nothing like you with your fickle heart,” Tian Tian retorted. “I only love my husband.”
“Yeah, I only have eyes for Zhuang Liu too,” Tan Rou added.
Li Li then turned her gaze to Liang Lu, who said in surprise, “Aren’t you very clear about my situation with Mr. Lu?”
Liang Lu had gotten into the habit of calling Lu Qing “Mr. Lu,” while he would call her “Director Liang.” These were terms of endearment.
Thinking it over, Li Li realized that she was the only one who had been single all along, constantly shifting her affections from one person to another, never liking someone for more than a month. To be attracted to someone for a week was already quite an accomplishment for her.
“Forget it,” Li Li resignedly said. “I’ll like someone for as long as it lasts. I would find it exhausting to be with one man for my entire life.”
Tan Rou and the others swore never to accompany Li Li on her wild excursions again, because she wasn’t serious about pursuing anyone; she just thought someone looked handsome and wanted to look at them a bit longer. Once she’d had her fill, her interest faded.
But Li Li still had some feelings for Wu Hao; after all, he was excellent in so many ways, especially his handsome face, which was enough for her to appreciate for a few more days.
“Tan Rou, could you help me ask Tao Zheng if the video is ready?” Li Li looped her arm through Tan Rou’s and said affectionately, “I’ll treat you to a meal.”
Curiously, Tan Rou asked, “You can see for yourself in the group chat. Besides, he already rejected you, why do you still want to help him get the video?”
“It’s not like I don’t like him, so I think I can still try,” Li Li replied. “And since I’ve already promised him, I can’t go back on my word.”
“Okay,” Tan Rou nodded. “I’ll ask for you.”
Photographers didn’t all work at the same time; they each followed for about half the track. Generally, at any given time, there were only four photographers shooting simultaneously, much like a relay race—an exchange where one photographer’s shooting session would end and another would take their place, taking turns to rest.
When some of the photographers had downtime, they had the opportunity to post the videos in the group chat.
Tan Rou and Li Li had also been added to the group by Tao Zheng in advance because he found it too troublesome to forward videos and was also uncertain about what Li Li wanted, so he simply added her to the group to pick for herself.
A photographer uploaded the processed videos to the group, and one of them said, “While shooting, I noticed something. Some of the contestants didn’t seem to have their minds on the long-distance running; they were deliberately causing trouble inside. I saw a short contestant constantly bumping into others.”
Another photographer added, “I saw it too. Those people have no sportsmanship at all. If it were in our competitions, I would have reported them already.”
Li Li asked, “Is there any video footage? Could you post more about the bumping incident?”
Immediately, many videos and photos were shared in the group, with some clearly showing the person bumping into others.
“Thank you all,” Li Li responded.
A photographer commented, “We’re just photographers this time, and it’s not our place to say anything. If you need the video, just leave a message in the group and we will shoot more.”
Chapter 1224: 1223 reporting is useless
Li Li said gratefully, “Thank you all. I will definitely make good use of these videos, and I won’t allow those rule-breakers to place in the competition.”
They all thought that as long as they handed the videos over to the committee, the committee would disqualify those who broke the rules, but several hours had passed, and still, no one had replied to them.
Li Li asked Wu Hao if he had reported those people, and Wu Hao said he had, but when he did, the person in charge seemed very impatient, as if they didn’t want to deal with the issue.
“It’s really strange, why isn’t anyone handling this matter?” Li Li couldn’t understand, “It’s a city-wide sports meet, isn’t it? Shouldn’t the committee handle this immediately if they find someone causing trouble? Why are they dragging their feet and not taking action?”
Lan Ning speculated, “Perhaps the committee is worried about affecting this afternoon’s race, the women’s 3000 meters is about to start, and they might not have the time to deal with rule-breakers.”
Li Li expressed her dissatisfaction, “But the results for the men’s group have already been announced. Although those who collided with others didn’t place, many athletes who could have placed were disqualified, which is unfair to them.”
“You should eat something first.” Lan Ning pushed the food toward Li Li. “We’ve submitted the evidence, whether or not they deal with the rule-breakers is up to the committee. Even if we are in a hurry, we can’t solve this issue.”
Li Li had no choice but to sit down to eat, but after just two bites, she became restless again, “No, I have to go to the committee myself and urge them to handle this quickly. If the same kind of people appear in this afternoon’s race, won’t Tan Rou be in danger?”
Lan Ning, a bit slow to catch on, said, “Then let’s quickly warn Tan Rou, to prevent her from getting hit as well.”
Tan Rou hadn’t joined Li Li and the others for the meal because Zhuang Liu had come to find her. He would be with her throughout this afternoon’s race.
Concerning Zhuang Liu’s behavior, Tan Rou only wanted to say, “You really don’t need to be so worried. It’s just a long-distance run, not some special forces competition. You’re making me so anxious I’m scared to even go running.”
Zhuang Liu’s brow furrowed as he said honestly, “The swimming competition is one thing; you just swim 400m and reach shore. But the long-distance race is 3000 meters, and I really don’t want you to participate.”
Tan Rou spread her hands, “Well, it’s too late for you to stop it now because I’ve already submitted the form. The race is in three hours. Unless you blow up the stadium right now, I’m definitely going to compete.”
Zhuang Liu coldly stated, “I really do want to blow up the venue, but that would be too dangerous, and there’s a risk of hurting others.”
Tan Rou covered her mouth and laughed, “Ah, Mr. Zhuang, would you stop being so childish? How is your behavior any different from that of the school kids who don’t want to go to school and talk about blowing it up?”
Zhuang Liu replied seriously, “Those school kids don’t have wives, but I do.”
Tan Rou couldn’t help but shake her head, “Are you really comparing yourself to them?”
While they were talking, Li Li and Lan Ning hurriedly came over. Seeing them, Zhuang Liu’s face showed a hint of displeasure.
Noticing his expression, Tan Rou said, “My participation in the long-distance race has nothing to do with them. Moreover, Li Li signed up after seeing me do it; you can’t blame them.”
Zhuang Liu was aware of this, but he felt that as Tan Rou’s friends, they should have discouraged her from running the distance. But if he began to blame others, Zhuang Liu himself was the most responsible; as Tan Rou’s husband, if he couldn’t stop her, how could anyone else?
With this in mind, Zhuang Liu felt a bit more at ease.
“Tan Rou, you can’t take part in this afternoon’s long-distance race,” Li Li said anxiously. “There are shady dealings behind this sports event, a number of athletes have already been harmed. If you compete, you are definitely going to be injured too.”
“What happened?” Tan Rou asked.
Li Li showed her phone to Tan Rou. “Senior Wu Hao and I heard that not just one athlete was injured during the competition. They have reported it to the committee as well, but it was futile, and there’s been no action taken till now. If you run this afternoon, it’s very likely that an accident will happen.”
Chapter 1225: 1225 prizes
The sports event is a public welfare project, and generally, such public welfare projects receive national investment, and this sports event is no exception.
The government will only invest a portion; the rest comes from business investments. Businesses advertise at the sports event, and the water the athletes drink or the clothes they use all bear the logos of various businesses.
The Zhuang family never invests in these projects because their business doesn’t need advertising. The Tao family also doesn’t need the income from advertisements, but the old master of the Tao family has always invested in public welfare projects, so the Tao family continues the tradition every year, investing a lot in charitable activities.
This time, the matter was handled by Tao Zhi, and when he got involved, he discovered the issue with the prizes, but those prizes didn’t mean much to Tan Rou, so he didn’t mention it to her.
“What kind of physical prizes will be there in the next competition?” Tan Rou asked.
“Each event has different prizes,” Tao Zhi recalled, “In the long-distance running event you’re participating in, the first prize is a three-bedroom, two-living room apartment within the Fourth Ring of the Capital, second place gets a one-bedroom apartment, and third place gets a car.”
Tan Rou was shocked, “Can that be? Are the sponsors real estate companies and car manufacturers? How come they are rewarding such valuable items? You know, even Olympic champions aren’t necessarily awarded apartments in the Capital.”
Tao Zhi wasn’t clear about the trickery inside, “That I don’t know, I only know that this year the country poured quite a bit of money into the sports event and our batch of sponsors was also not small, maybe these apartments really are sponsored by real estate companies.”
“So what did our family sponsor?” Tan Rou asked, “Cars?”
“Money,” Tao Zhi replied, “as well as some small robots, the latest version.”
Tan Rou was speechless, “Big brother, have you been brainwashed by someone? Why use robots as sponsorship prizes?”
Tao Zhi didn’t wish to sponsor these either, but Mayor Guo had said that if they provided valuable items for sponsorship, then during this year’s land tender in the latter half, they would be given concessions. Naturally, Tao Zhi couldn’t pass up this opportunity, so he personally took care of this matter, all for the sake of getting preferential rights in the land tender.
After hearing this, Tan Rou understood Tao Zhi’s thoughts, “So are those sponsors also investing for the sake of the land?”
“I guess that’s the case,” Tao Zhi sneered, “I have to say, Mayor Guo really is a cunning one; not only did he coax us to invest, but he also fooled other companies. Land in the Capital is worth its weight in gold; even if you have the money, you’re not necessarily able to buy land. Since Mayor Guo said so, we can’t not come, can’t let others take the lead.”
“If it were just a medal, surely some would be willing to go all out,” Tan Rou analyzed, “But if you tell those young people that once they win first place, they could get a three-bedroom, two-living room apartment within the Fourth Ring of the Capital, they would participate even if it ran them to death.”
“Hmm,” Tao Zhi said, “The intention is good, it’s just a pity that some are being taken advantage of.”
“So how did those people get the information?” Tan Rou curiously asked, “I didn’t receive any news, how did they get it?”
Tao Zhi chuckled, “Didn’t you just say, the evidence has been submitted to the organizing committee, yet no one has dealt with it, so who do you think is causing trouble behind the scenes?”
Suddenly, it all clicked for Tan Rou, “Still such an interesting affair!”
Aside from the organizing committee and the sponsors, no one knew about the actual physical rewards for this competition, and within the sponsorship businesses who are all very wealthy, this point in rewards wouldn’t matter.
But it’s different for the organizing committee; many of them are public servants on fixed salaries who couldn’t afford a house in the Capital even if they worked hard all their lives. Now with a chance to make extra money, how could they resist?
Even if they can’t participate in the competition themselves, they can have their relatives and friends join. For those without family or friends, the information can still be sold for a profit.
“All I can do is probe around for you, but if my reporting touches their interests, I doubt they will care,” Tao Zhi said.
Tan Rou nodded, “Mm, I got it.”
It’s uncertain how much uproar this sports event could cause.
Chapter 1226: 1224 Sports Meet Scandal (1224 Leak)
“Make your point clearer, what do you mean by saying that reporting is useless?” Tan Rou said, “Didn’t you get the evidence in the chat group? If you submit the evidence, does nobody care about it?”
Li Li shook her head and said, “I have already sent the video to the organizing committee, and they said they would deal with it as soon as possible, but it’s been nearly three hours and still no statement has been released from the committee. Plus, many athletes with great potential have been injured during the competitions. They reported to the organizing committee, but received no response.”
Lan Ning said, “I’m worried you might also get hit from behind this afternoon, so I came to remind you. Tan Rou, are you still going to participate in the competition this afternoon?”
Zhuang Liu immediately said, “Shouldn’t we just not go? If there’s someone messing around inside, then the race is meaningless. Plus, there’s a chance you might get injured, and I don’t want to see you hurt.”
Yet Tan Rou said, “This matter is indeed a bit strange, but now that we are aware, we can’t just ignore it. I’ve trained for this race, and if I don’t run, wouldn’t my training have been in vain?”
Zhuang Liu was still very worried, “Tan Rou, I don’t want you to be in danger.”
Tan Rou squeezed Zhuang Liu’s hand, “I’ll be careful, could you just accompany me in the stands, okay?”
If it weren’t for the fact that Zhuang Liu couldn’t compete, he would have accompanied Tan Rou to run as well.
Tan Rou decided to run because she had trained for it, and also because the sports event was sponsored by their family. Every sponsorship was an investment, and she couldn’t let her family’s business suffer.
After lunch, Tan Rou rested for half an hour and then went to find Tao Zhi. Tao Zhi had just come back from dining with the organizing committee members, still wearing a hint of tipsiness on his face.
“Big brother, I have something to tell you.” Tan Rou said, “You should wash your face first and sober up.”
The tipsiness on Tao Zhi’s face immediately vanished, and he asked, “What’s up?”
“Take a look at this.” Tan Rou showed Tao Zhi the video, “This was recorded by a photographer this morning.”
Tao Zhi could tell at a glance that someone was causing trouble on purpose, “He’s bumping into people.”
Tan Rou nodded and said, “It’s not just him, there are several people causing trouble inside. They specifically target athletes with potential, and several who could have placed were injured by them.”
“Did you report this to the organizing committee?” Tao Zhi asked.
Tan Rou replied, “The committee doesn’t seem to want to deal with it. We reported it this morning, but there has been no response till now.”
“What do you want me to do?” Tao Zhi asked directly.
“You could probe the committee members, see who is behind the troublemaking.” Tan Rou suggested.
Tao Zhi suddenly remembered another matter, “Do you know what the real purpose of holding this sports event is?”
“Hmm?” Tan Rou voiced her confusion, “Isn’t it to satisfy the inspections from authorities?”
In response to the national call, the city held a sports event every year, encouraging people to exercise and improve their physical fitness.
Tao Zhi chuckled, “That’s part of the reason, but not the main one. Haven’t you noticed that there are a lot of participants in this sports event?”
Of course, Tan Rou had noticed. Just their school alone had forcibly included many students. Graduate students usually didn’t need to participate, but this year, all graduate students received invitations, and every department had to have graduate students sign up.
Tan Rou and Li Li were coerced into coming; even if they did not sign up, their professors would find ways to make them come.
“There are indeed lots of participants this year, and there are many like me and Li Li who were pushed by our tutors to join, while there are also quite a few who signed up voluntarily.” Tan Rou said.
“This year, those who achieve results in the sports event will not only receive medals but also some tangible prizes.” Tao Zhi said, “Otherwise, why do you think the organizing committee wanted us as sponsors?”
Tan Rou suddenly realized the issue. While there had been sponsors for the sports event in previous years, this year, there were many sponsors, and the sponsorship amount was very large. The Tao family’s sponsorship was about the same as in previous years, but it only accounted for forty percent of the total sponsorship amount.
To say that holding the sports event was a business deal wasn’t wrong at all.
Chapter 1227: Continue the competition in 1226
“Are you still going to continue in the competition this afternoon?” Tao Zhi didn’t really want Tan Rou to participate, since he had already figured out those people’s purpose, he couldn’t put Tan Rou in danger.
Tan Rou was determined to participate, but this time her goal wasn’t to win the championship, but to directly identify those who were sabotaging from inside. She believed that there would definitely be problems in the women’s 3000-meter race.
Tao Zhi respected Tan Rou’s decision, “Okay, I’ll keep an eye on the organizing committee on your behalf. If they make any move, I will use my power to pressure them.”
After all, the state’s investment was a small part, and the real prizes were provided by these sponsors. Although Tao Zhi’s sponsorship amounted to only forty percent, he had also provided many service robots. If he decided to withdraw his funding, it would create big trouble for the organizing committee, perhaps even halting the sports meet altogether.
If the people at the organizing committee didn’t want to offend Tao Zhi, they would need to think twice before making their move.
At 2 p.m., the women’s 3000-meter race officially began. Each time, there were about twenty-five people in the race, and with close to a hundred participants in this event, it had to be divided into four races, just like the men’s division that morning.
Each race took about half an hour to complete; otherwise, the committee wouldn’t have set aside a whole day for the long-distance races.
Tan Rou was placed in the second group, and she was quite satisfied with this grouping because while the first group was racing, the members of the second could wait around the field, which made it convenient for her to spot those who were there to cause trouble.
The expressions of those who came to sabotage the race were different from those who came to compete. Every competitor was full of confidence, moving their muscles to get ready for the race.
But those who were there to mess with the race were also stretching, yet their movements were very casual, and their eyes continuously wandered over the other athletes, as if assessing their levels.
“Are you a student from Capital University?” A girl wearing a red vest and black shorts came up to Tan Rou, smiling brightly, “I didn’t expect Capital University students to join the competition too!”
Tan Rou wore a specially designed Velcro logo from Capital University for this race, so she wasn’t surprised that the girl recognized her school. However, she still didn’t quite understand what she meant by “Capital University students also come to compete,” as her school sent participants every year, didn’t they?
“Can’t Capital University students participate in sports meets?” Tan Rou responded without much warmth.
The girl’s smile stiffened, then she apologized, “I’m sorry, I misspoke. I meant I thought Capital University students were only good at academics; I didn’t realize you were also good at sports.”
As she spoke, many people around them turned to look, and Tan Rou, noting some of their glances, said loudly, “I didn’t want to come either, but my advisor forced a registration form on me, claiming that if I didn’t attend, he would dock my credits. Don’t worry, I’m just making up the numbers. I can’t even run 800 meters during physical tests, how could I possibly run 3000 meters?”
The girl seemed skeptical and asked, “If you can’t run 3000 meters, why did you agree to come?”
Tan Rou glanced at her, “My advisor randomly wrote names, and mine was drawn. Even if I don’t want to come, it’s not an option. When it’s my turn to go on the field, I won’t run; I will just walk to the finish line.”
After hearing Tan Rou’s explanation, the girl smiled and said, “Oh, have fun then.”
Afterward, Tan Rou noticed that those who had been watching her had vanished. She immediately understood that this girl was just probing; she asked the questions while others observed, eliminating those with no chance of winning. Those left would be closely watched, and then eliminated on the field.
The first race had already started, and indeed, an athlete fell on the track. Since it was a 3000-meter race, it was normal for some to not endure, so other people didn’t find anything amiss.
However, Tan Rou and her team had known about the underhand dealings inside, so they kept a close watch on the field and asked the cameraman to take more videos, as evidence.
Chapter 1228: 1227 is being watched/targeted
The first race ended, and after the athletes in the second group finished warming up, they took their places at the start line. Normally, athletes would look ahead at the track and think about how they were going to run, but those who had sneaked in were thinking about whom they would knock down later.
Tan Rou had already spotted two troublemakers. They had set their sights on a very tall girl, who wore a sporty outfit and had muscular calves, making it evident that she was quite athletically gifted.
The tall girl seemed oblivious that she had become a target; she had a smile on her face and was looking straight ahead, fully prepared to run.
Tan Rou didn’t go over to warn her. If Tan Rou approached the girl now and said, “You’re going to be in danger soon,” not only would the girl not appreciate it, but she would also call Tan Rou crazy.
The starter reminded them, “Competitors, check your clothing and shoes to make sure they don’t affect your running.”
Tan Rou didn’t look; she adopted an indifferent attitude, even showing impatience on her face, as if she was about to abandon the race and leave any second.
As expected, her act worked. The last person watching her moved away, probably thinking that Tan Rou posed no threat and didn’t want to waste time on her.
Tan Rou walked to the last position, which enabled her to observe the actions of the other competitors, especially those who were there to cause trouble.
The race started, some sprinted out quickly, while others started off slowly without any hurry.
A long-distance race tests endurance. Those who sped up at the very beginning were certainly not going to last until the end, so there were basically no competitors around them.
However, those who maintained a steady pace from the start were clearly trained; their speed was very steady, their breathing was regular, and they had a high possibility of winning. Plus, their pace wasn’t that fast, which made it easier for them to be caught up to.
Tan Rou lingered at the back. She could have sped up, but her goal was not just on running.
Three meters ahead of Tan Rou, there was a strong competitor, each of her steps stable and equally spaced, a clear sign that she had received long-distance training.
However, she was followed closely by several others, two of whom intentionally moved in close to her, occasionally leaning their arms toward her.
The competitor didn’t notice her surroundings at all, her focus entirely on the track, never suspecting that someone might bump into her.
By the third lap, the athlete’s breathing was still quite smooth, but the ones following her were different—they appeared to be struggling to keep up, their pace slowing.
Just when everyone thought the two followers were about to fall behind, those two competitors suddenly sped up and sandwiched the athlete in front from both sides.
The athlete in front had no chance to notice the situation behind her and was suddenly struck by them.
The two troublemakers purposefully fell down, landing on top of the girl, who couldn’t move and had no choice but to give up the race.
Yet the competitors who had caused the collision didn’t stop; after a while, they got up and switched targets.
Tan Rou witnessed their tactics firsthand and devised a plan.
They only targeted the more promising runners, preferring to sacrifice a few laps of their own race to eliminate others. If Tan Rou could speed up and make them realize she had potential too, would they also come after her?
No sooner said than done, Tan Rou stopped holding back and started running at her normal pace. Her regular runs started at five thousand meters, so three thousand was nothing to her.
After she picked up the pace, someone immediately took notice of her. They seemed surprised by Tan Rou’s sudden acceleration, as her earlier performance had been uninspiring, as if she really were just filling a spot.
However, her acceleration revealed she had been bluffing, so they quickly adjusted their focus and started following Tan Rou.
Tan Rou knew she was being pursued. She deliberately ran towards less crowded areas—if others ran on the inside, she ran on the outside; when someone caught up on the outside, she switched to the inside. Her aim was simply to prevent anyone from getting close to her. With fewer people around, the saboteurs dared not act, well aware that it would be easy to get caught.
Tan Rou’s running strategy baffled everyone watching. Who would run on the outside in a long-distance race?
Chapter 1229: 1228 Strange Behavior
Tan Rou’s behavior of running in the outer lane perplexed the professional athletes, with several professional athletes who had come to watch the competition discussing her behavior in the stands.
“What’s going on? This is the first time I’ve seen someone run in the outer lane,” said one male athlete. “This is a competition, even if it’s just an amateur one, it’s about ranking, doesn’t she care about her position at all? Then why did she come to compete?”
“Her behavior is indeed a bit strange,” said a female athlete, “but don’t you think the behavior of the few people next to her is even stranger? As soon as she ran to the outer lane, immediately three people also followed her outside. Surely those three can’t be her bodyguards, right?”
“Indeed, the behavior of those three is even more suspicious,” said the male athlete.
It wasn’t only the professional athletes who spotted something amiss—the citizens who came to watch the competition also felt something was off.
Citizen A said, “Are my eyes deceiving me? Why are there so many people running in the outer lane in this race? Even if they want to showcase their strength, there’s no need to run in the outer lane. And they’re not trying to overtake others on the outside, they just keep running there—they’re already close to half a lap behind.”
Citizen B said, “That girl who started running in the outer lane is amazing. I’ve been keeping an eye on her speed. It’s only the fourth lap, and not only is she not slowing down, she seems to be intending to speed up; you can see she has widened the gap with the others significantly.”
Citizen C said, “Something doesn’t seem right, more people are moving to the outer lane. I’ve been watching that number eleven; she hadn’t even completed three laps and didn’t look like she could make it to the finish, but now she’s also headed out.”
“What’s going on?” a hot-tempered male citizen shouted. “We’re here to watch a long-distance race, not to see them show off their running skills. They’re all moving to the outer lane, do they think they’re really that great?”
His wife next to him tugged at his sleeve, “Stop making a fuss, let’s just watch quietly for a while.”
That male citizen seemed to be aware that there were physical prizes for the sports meet. “With the way they’re running, don’t they want to win the final prize? It’s a house in the Capital…” he said.
Before he could finish, his wife immediately covered his mouth and took him down from the stands, “Let’s go quickly, don’t talk nonsense here.”
Li Li and her friends heard what those people said, especially the words of that last man.
Li Li said, “Turns out only we few fools didn’t know about the physical prizes. I wonder what the prize for the long jump is. If I had known about the prize earlier, I would have definitely competed seriously.”
Lan Ning said, “Even if there were prizes, you wouldn’t have been able to get them.”
Li Li replied with a laugh, “Prizes are what motivate us; who would compete so hard without them?”
“Stop talking, a few more people have charged towards Tan Rou; now there are six people around her,” said Liang Lu, frowning. “Among them, two are coordinating very well and have already eliminated two official competitors.”
Li Li also noticed this and said nervously, “So, how do we warn Tan Rou?”
Liang Lu suggested, “Let’s go over to the railings. When Tan Rou comes around, we’ll all shout together and see if she can hear us.”
With many people in the venue cheering, Liang Lu could only use this method to alert Tan Rou, hoping she would hear.
Li Li took out her phone, “I need to message the photographers in the group to keep a close watch on Tan Rou and those with her, to capture as much as possible of the movements of the people around her. We can’t miss any detail.”
Liang Lu nodded in agreement, “Yeah, try to capture as much evidence as possible. After the competition, we will unite all the eliminated athletes and confront the organizing committee together.”
Tian Tian added, “We can also put pressure on the organizers together with the sponsors.”
Liang Lu made the arrangements, “Tian Tian, you handle this. You’re in charge of contacting Tao Zhi, tell him what’s happening on our end, and then have him persuade those sponsors.”
Tian Tian immediately went to contact Tao Zhi, “Okay, I’ll talk to Ah Zhi right away.”
Li Li praised, “Director Liang, your coordination skills are getting better and better.”
Liang Lu smiled, “Thank you for the compliment, but now’s not the time for that. Let’s hurry down; Tan Rou is coming around soon.”
Chapter 1230: Siege of 1229
Although Tan Rou had been running on the outer track, her speed was not slow at all; in fact, she was much faster than the athletes running on the inner track.
Originally, she had run one lap less than the fastest athlete, but now that the fastest athlete had been eliminated, Tan Rou sped up, making her the person who had run the most distance.
Many people gathered around Tan Rou, some behind her, some to her left, all of them slower than Tan Rou. However, there were also people slowing down in front of her, gradually moving ahead, effectively blocking her on three sides.
Liang Lu and the others were anxious as they watched from the sidelines. Whenever Tan Rou came close to their side, they would all shout together, “Tan Rou, watch out around you!” After repeating it three times, Tan Rou had run off again.
The person running in front of Tan Rou wasn’t fast. Instead, she was two laps behind Tan Rou and was deliberately waiting for her here.
Tan Rou realized she was surrounded. Although those behind her couldn’t catch up, the ones in front could slow down, and if they suddenly did, Tan Rou could collide with them due to momentum. And if she collided with someone, it would be difficult to maintain her advantage.
She needed to break through the encirclement quickly; otherwise, once they surrounded her, she would be at a disadvantage.
She wasn’t worried about the people behind her. Instead, she needed to be cautious of those to her left and in front of her, who were close and continuously narrowing the circle, apparently intending to eliminate Tan Rou together.
Tan Rou adjusted her breathing, then slightly slowed down, waiting for the people in front and to her left to come closer.
The approaching runners thought Tan Rou was scared, so they sped up towards her, especially the one to her left, who seemed eager to collide with her and force her out.
Many competitors gathered around Tan Rou, all of them showing a tendency to move closer to her. Anyone in the audience with eyes could see this very strange phenomenon.
Some felt amused by this phenomenon, took out their phones to film, and others started live broadcasting from their phones, showing the scene on the sports field to their viewers.
One of the streamers was a sports enthusiast. Although he missed the competition due to an injury, he watched every match. He had thought this long-distance race offered little to see, but when Tan Rou began running on the outer track, he knew it was time to start his live stream.
With a significant following online, the streamer’s broadcast drew many viewers as soon as it began. Seeing so many people running on the outer track, these fans immediately began discussing the phenomenon online.
Zhuang Liu noticed the online discussions about the race right away. Sensing an opportunity to use the power of entertainment, he had some people analyze the situation in trending search items, igniting even more public interest. The more people who paid attention, the less the organizing committee could ignore the issue; they had to make a statement explaining why some competitors were being targeted.
Tan Rou was unaware of the online discussions. Right now, all she needed to do was to shake off the people surrounding her; otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to keep running.
The six closest to her closed in, with the nearest almost in front of Tan Rou. At the right moment, as they lunged towards her, she dodged to the outside of the track and immediately accelerated, rushing forward.
Her move silenced both the spectators at the venue and the online viewers. It was the first time anyone saw someone overtaking from the outside. It wasn’t that her move abided by the rules exactly, but there was no rule against overtaking from outside the track.
The judges were baffled by her. If Tan Rou had gone through the grass inside the track, she would have clearly broken the rules. But since she was already running on the outer track, moving even farther out increased the difficulty, and even from the outside, the officials couldn’t deem her actions as a violation.
Moreover, the judges weren’t blind; they had long noticed the strange behavior of the people around Tan Rou. Had she not moved to the outside, she likely would have been impacted by them.
After breaking out of the encirclement, Tan Rou didn’t continue on the outer track. Because the few who were chasing her were now behind, they couldn’t threaten her anymore. So, after running for a bit on the fourth lane, she directly moved to the innermost circle and started running at a steady pace.
It was going to be much harder for anyone behind her to overtake her now.