N-A-A Chapter 134 Little Peacock Atobe, You're Dead!
Chapter 134 Little Peacock Atobe, You're Dead!
Wang Yueling pushed open the door, and a black Mercedes was already parked in front. The driver quickly got out of the car, took the things from his hands, and put them in the trunk.
"Young Master, to Jinjing General Hospital?"
"Hmm." Wang Yueling got into the car, leaned back in her seat, and took out her tablet to open a video app.
The screen immediately displayed an image of the Atobe family's private tennis stadium.
Because it was summer and the weather was too hot, Atobe changed the training location to his family's private tennis court.
The stadium has central air conditioning, so the temperature is comfortable, and the facilities are more advanced than those in the school.
More than two hundred boys dressed in Hyotei's gray-blue training uniforms were training in different areas. Each of them wore custom-made weighted wrist and ankle braces by Mochizuki Ryo and carried heavy weighted rackets.
The resounding thud of the racket hitting the ball was clearly and powerfully transmitted through the speaker.
Sweat streamed down their faces, soaking their team uniforms.
Wang Yueling zoomed in on the image and looked at it one by one.
Atobe stood in the center of the court, instructing Hiyoshi on his serve, his tone serious. Kabaji was doing weight training in the adjacent strength area, his bench press with very heavy plates, yet his form remained stable.
Ootori and Shishido were practicing doubles in the adjacent area.
Feng's serve remained powerful, the ball so fast it was almost invisible. Shishido stood at the net, his volleys precise and ruthless, and the two's teamwork was becoming increasingly seamless.
Shinobu and Mukahi practiced receiving multiple serves.
Mukahi's movements remained agile, flipping and tumbling in the air, though he still seemed slightly out of breath upon landing. Shinobu stood opposite him, feeding the ball at a leisurely pace, occasionally pointing out problems with Mukahi's movements.
Jiro stood on the court, racket in hand, eyes half-open, looking as if he could fall asleep at any moment, but whenever the ball flew over, he could always catch it with precise swings.
Wang Yueling looked at the screen and nodded in satisfaction.
After returning from the training camp, everyone's progress was obvious, and the effects of the weight training were already apparent.
However, there are still shortcomings.
The core strength is still insufficient.
Many people don't use their waist to generate power when swinging the racket, relying entirely on their arm strength. This not only results in insufficient power in the shot but also increases the risk of injury.
There is also dynamic vision.
Regular players are okay at receiving serves, but their error rate increases significantly once the ball speed of the serving machine increases or the angle becomes more difficult. Regular players are much better, but they can only consistently receive one serve.
Wang Yueling carefully reviewed each screen, then tapped the screen to bring up the control interface for the stadium's loudspeaker system.
He pressed the call button.
"Everyone, stop for a moment."
The sound came from the speakers around the stadium; it was clear, not loud, but every word was distinct.
The boys who were training shuddered at the same time when they heard the familiar voice, and almost dropped their rackets.
The entire stadium fell silent instantly, with only the sound of the air conditioner blowing.
"Add another set of core strength training, using equipment, 20 reps per set, for 5 sets."
Wang Yueling's voice was completely flat. "Then came the dynamic vision capture training. The ball machine was turned up by double. Regular members received two balls at the same time, while regular members received four balls."
He paused, then added.
"We practiced catching multiple balls during the last training camp, and the starters were already able to catch two. Today, let's try four. It's okay if you can't catch them all, just do your best."
In the video, some people looked pale, while others swallowed hard.
A series of wails then erupted in the stadium.
"No, Coach Dai!"
"Two sets of core training have been completed!"
"How am I supposed to catch two balls?! It's impossible!"
Wang Yueling leaned back in her car seat, listening to the wails coming from the loudspeaker, a smile playing on her lips as she spoke slowly.
"I will be conducting the assessment tomorrow. I hope everyone passes."
He deliberately emphasized the word "passed".
"If it doesn't pass..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but just chuckled.
The laughter wasn't loud, but it carried a slightly eerie quality coming from the speakers.
Many people shrank back in fright.
Wang Yueling released the call button, and the call icon on the screen went out.
-
Inside the stadium.
After the sound from the speakers disappeared, the entire venue was quiet for about three seconds.
The boys looked at each other, their faces filled with despair.
Shinobu wiped the sweat from his face and pushed up his glasses, which had slipped down to the tip of his nose. "Do you think he really did put a spell on us? Is that why he showed up just when we were trying to slack off?"
"I feel like I'm living in a horror novel."
Xiang Ri ran back from the net, her red hair damp with sweat. She collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. "I'm completely dominated by this demon boss. I can't escape him no matter where I go."
"Did you hear that laughter just now?!"
"I feel a chill down my back."
Cilang stood on the sidelines, his reddish-brown curly hair sticking up in a mess, his eyes wide, his lips trembling slightly. "Yesterday I dozed off for 15 seconds and got caught, and I was punished by having to run ten laps. How does Ling know everything?"
Xiang Ri leaned closer, nodding vigorously, his face full of agreement.
"Exactly! And the strangest thing is, Yuushi and I checked this place several times and confirmed there were no surveillance cameras. When did he install the equipment?"
"It feels like watching a horror movie, especially when the ghost is about to appear."
"We're not watching, we're in a horror movie." Shinobu wiped the sweat from his brow, his voice tinged with despair. "We're just extras, cannon fodder, in this movie, always on the verge of death."
Xiang Ri straightened up, turned his head and looked around, his gaze sweeping across the corners of the ceiling.
"Where did he hide the cameras? I can't see any of them."
"If you could see that, he wouldn't be Mochizuki Ryou." Shinobu sighed.
Several ordinary department members nearby also gathered around and whispered among themselves.
"This is terrifying... The substitute coach isn't even here, so how can he still be monitoring us?"
"You're asking me? Who should I ask? Doesn't he know magic?"
"Everyone says his black cat can climb walls and roofs. No matter where we are or what we are doing, it can see us and then inform him."
"Come to your senses! How can a cat send a message?"
"Then tell me, where is the camera hidden?"
"......I have no idea."
The group exchanged glances, their expressions not looking too good.
"Ever since the Kanto lottery ceremony, the coach has become famous throughout Kanto. People from many schools say he's not normal."
"I've also heard that he can chant spells and punish disobedient people through a screen..."
As Wang Yueling listened to the hushed whispers coming from the speakers, a wicked smile crept onto his lips. He cleared his throat, and his voice came through the speakers again, this time with a sinister tone.
"I heard it perfectly clearly."
The stadium fell silent instantly. Everyone froze in place, afraid to speak or even breathe.
Wang Yueling's voice continued, tinged with a hint of mockery.
"Renji, your backhand is as soft as freshly steamed rice cake. If it were any softer, it would fly away. Add another twenty sets of backhand stationary practice. I'll check tomorrow."
Shinobu's body stiffened, his face instantly fell, and he helplessly adjusted his glasses.
"Xiang Ri, your footwork is slower than a snail's pace; you run like you're walking on mud. Take a weighted racket and do a five-kilometer interval run. Go now."
He slumped his shoulders and lowered his head listlessly.
"Ci Lang," Wang Yueling's tone suddenly became harsher, "sleeping again! I think you're just too sleepy to wake up, aren't you? When I get back, I'll arrange a sleep training session for you so you can sleep to your heart's content."
Jiro jumped in fright, quickly grabbed his racket, assumed a serious training posture, and muttered to himself, "I'm not asleep! I'm thinking about tactics! Really!"
"I saw you yawn. Your volley reaction was a full 0.5 seconds slow, plus thirty more net volleys."
The three of them, with tears welling up in their eyes, silently picked up their rackets and headed to their respective courts.
Wang Yueling snorted, her tone softening slightly.
"However, there are still people who deserve praise."
"As captain, Atobe is self-disciplined and his training attitude is something everyone should learn from. Kabaji has always been well-behaved and has always exceeded his training targets. Ootori and Hiyoshi are also very obedient, their movements are standard, and they don't slack off."
"I'm going back to school tomorrow, and I'll bring you some delicious food."
Atobe stood in the center of the field. Upon hearing this, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and he lightly touched the beauty mark at the corner of his eye with his finger, looking completely at ease.
"Ah, of course I'm the most glamorous."
Feng and Riji exchanged a glance, both of them breathed a sigh of relief, and happy smiles appeared on their faces.
The stadium fell silent instantly, everyone straining to listen.
"As for the other non-regulars... I heard everything you said just now." Wang Yueling paused, deliberately drawing out her words, "When we get back tomorrow, I'll adjust your menu. I guarantee you'll be constantly surprised."
The faces of the non-regulars instantly fell, and they were on the verge of tears.
"Oh, right," Mochizuki Ryou's voice rang out again, turning sinister, "I've already sent a little black cat to observe you from the shadows. You'd better keep your cool and don't let me catch you doing anything wrong. Otherwise..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the threat was obvious.
With a click, the loudspeaker went completely silent.
Panic gripped the stadium.
"A black cat? Where's the black cat?"
"I'm terrified of cats! How could the substitute coach do this?!"
"How come I can't see it? Could it be hidden in the ceiling? Or behind a locker?"
Mukahi and Jiro had somehow ended up embracing each other, trembling.
Mukahi wrapped his arm around Jiro's arm, and Jiro wrapped his arm around Mukahi's back. The two of them looked around warily, as if guarding against something that might jump out from the shadows at any moment.
"Do you think that black cat is watching us from some corner right now?" Jiro asked in a low voice.
"It's definitely there." Xiang Ri's tone was certain. "What Ling says is always true."
"Then we have to find it."
"How do I find it?"
"......have no idea."
The two were silent for two seconds, then continued to look around.
Not only the two of them, but many non-regulars also joined the "cat-finding" effort, standing on tiptoe to look at the ceiling beams, the windowsills, and behind the equipment racks.
Shinobu stood to the side, watching them like this, opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he didn't say anything.
He turned to look at Atobe.
Atobe held his racket, his breathing steady. Kabaji stood beside him, silently waiting with a towel in his hand.
"Kage," Shinobu walked over and lowered her voice, "Aren't you worried?"
"What are you worried about?" Atobe didn't look at him, but took a towel from Kabaji and wiped the sweat from his face.
"The assessment is tomorrow. He said 'if you don't pass'..."
"Then it's approved." Atobe interrupted him, his tone flat. "Which part of the training menu he gave us is impossible to do? It's just that some people are used to being lazy."
He glanced at the members who were still searching for the cat, his eyes filled with speechlessness.
"A bunch of idiots." He tossed the towel to Kabaji and said in a low voice, "After all this time, you're still scared by such childish tricks."
"But Minister..." Mukahi timidly pulled Jiro closer to him, "Wasn't it him who ordered the monkeys in the peach grove last time? Maybe he really does have a black cat."
Atobe was too lazy to explain to them, so he raised his hand and clapped his hands, his voice cold.
"Quiet down!"
Everyone immediately stopped wailing and looking around, and turned to look at Atobe, standing ramrod straight.
Atobe's gaze swept over everyone present, his tone serious.
"Tomorrow and the day after are the selection matches for the main team of the Kanto Tournament. All members must participate to select seven main players and one substitute."
He paused, his eyes sharpening. "Anyone who dares to slack off can get out of Hyotei Tennis Club!"
"Hyotei doesn't keep useless people!"
He pointed to the field.
"From now on, following Mochizuki Ryou's instructions, add one set of core strength training and one set of dynamic vision tracking training. Regular members will catch two balls at the same time, and regulars will catch four."
"Double the training volume until completion."
"yes!"
Everyone responded in unison, their voices loud and clear.
Then they quickly dispersed and returned to their own courts, the sound of metal clashing echoed again in the equipment area, the ball machines started running, and the sound of tennis balls hitting the ground rose and fell.
The panic and complaints from before have all turned into a surge of fighting spirit.
Atobe walked to the sidelines, took the water the butler handed him, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. The cool water slid down his throat, dispelling much of the heat.
Just as he was about to turn back onto the field, the butler handed him his phone again.
"Young Master, this is a message from Young Master Wangyue."
Atobe took the phone and turned on the screen.
What came into view was a string of flattering compliments.
[Number One in the World]: Minister, the way you were giving that speech just now was absolutely stunning! Handsome from every angle!!!
[Number One Under Heaven]: With his aura fully unleashed and kingly demeanor, he is simply the pillar of Hyotei!
[Number One in the World]: With you here, I have complete peace of mind about Hyotei's training!
……
At the end of the message was a series of emojis, all of them in a cute, cartoonish style.
It has a round head, purplish-gray hair, a beauty mark at the corner of its eye, two feathers on its hair, and a long peacock tail trailing behind it.
Some were making heart shapes with their hands, some were putting their hands on their hips, some were swinging their rackets, some were snapping their fingers, and some were holding up signs that read "Best Minister" or "Gorgeous King".
Atobe's face instantly darkened.
He slammed his fingertips into the screen, typing with such force that it seemed he wanted to pierce it.
[The Grandpa with a Glamorous Image]: Wang Yueling! When did you create all this tacky stuff?! Delete it right now!
The other party replied almost instantly.
[Number One in the World]: No way~ It's so cute.
[Number One in the World]: I spent an entire night making this, and I'm only showing it to you; I won't share it with anyone else.
[Number One in the World]: Besides this set, I also made a set of peacock versions for a relaxing vacation, which are also super cute. Want me to send them to you?
[Image][Image]...
Atobe didn't even need to click to see a chibi version of himself wearing a floral shirt and sunglasses, lying on the beach drinking coconut juice, with peacock feathers floating behind him, accompanied by the words "Do Not Disturb on Vacation".
The veins on his forehead bulged, and he felt his blood pressure soaring.
[The Grandpa with a Glamorous Demeanor]: Delete it! Delete it all!
This time, the other party did not reply immediately.
A few seconds later, a chibi version of Mochizuki Ling was sent over, with dog ears on her head, tongue lolling out, turning around, wiggling her butt, wagging her tail at him, and looking smug.
Then nothing happened.
Atobe was so angry at the smug chibi version of Mochizuki Ryo that he almost crushed his phone.
"Wang Yueling!" he gritted his teeth and growled in a low voice.
The butler beside him, seeing his face flushed with anger, asked worriedly, "Young Master, are you alright? Should we call a doctor? I think you're smoking."
Atobe gripped his phone tightly.
"Need not."
He handed his phone to the housekeeper, picked up his racket, and walked back to the baseline.
"I don't need a doctor."
His voice was low and laced with a gritted teeth tone, "What I need is to sew that guy's mouth shut."
The butler stood there, watching his retreating figure, shook his head helplessly, picked up his phone, glanced at the emojis, and couldn't help but laugh.
Atobe stood at the baseline, juggling the ball twice in his hands. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes briefly, and then opened them.
"Spending too much time with that guy will either make you age faster or drive you crazy."
He tossed the ball up and swung his racket.
The ball hit the corner of the opposite field, bounced twice, and rolled to the wall.
"Wang Yueling, just wait until tomorrow, and see how I deal with you."