Soon a group of people arrived at Seoul University's gymnasium. As the competition was scheduled to start at nine in the morning, it was only half-past eight, yet many people had already gathered. Most were local Seoul University students, along with invited parents and citizens.
Although Seoul University was hosting a Taekwondo exchange competition, it wasn't a formal international Olympic-style event with weight classes.
This was because only a few key universities from Asian countries had been invited, including universities from Huaxia, the Island Nation, the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore.
With a limited number of participants, the competition would conclude within a single morning.
"Students, are you ready?"
In the rest area behind the gymnasium, Director Wang entered and looked at the students who had already changed into their Taekwondo uniforms, their national flags embroidered on their chests.
Despite it being only a university exchange competition, they were going abroad and representing their national university teams, so a more formal presentation was necessary.
"We're ready!"
Kang Nuolan, Ye Zhengyang, Lu Zhengyu, Zhang Guanghe, and Qiu Jun, the five participating students, shouted in unison.
"Good. Coach Zhou, please lead them onto the field." Director Wang turned to Zhou Maoxue and said.
"Alright, let's go in."
He nodded, and along with Zhu Xiangwen, led Kang Nuolan, Ye Zhengyang, and the others out of the rest area and into the gymnasium. Simultaneously, a loudspeaker announced the arrival of the delegation from Huadu University, China...
As Zhu Xiangwen and Zhou Maoxue led Kang Nuolan, Ye Zhengyang, and the team onto the field, the gymnasium, which was already filled with over a thousand people, erupted in discussion as soon as the delegation from Huadu University, China, appeared.
Following them were the university representatives from the Island Nation, with eight participating students, and finally, the university delegations from Thailand and other countries. They circled the five competition rings within the gymnasium before being directed by student staff to their respective team rest areas to prepare.
"Next, we present the Taekwondo club of Seoul University, which has created countless legends, and their participating students..."
Beside them, a row of commentators, holding microphones, excitedly introduced the participating students from the Seoul University Taekwondo club in Korea.
As soon as the words fell, a middle-aged coach, dressed in a Taekwondo uniform with a red and black belt, led a team of twenty students onto the field.
"Wow, it's Eun Hye senior sister..."
"Wow, and Choi Young Seung senior, he's so handsome..."
For a moment, the focus of the entire student body shifted to the Seoul University Taekwondo team, eliciting frenzied screams that almost shattered the gymnasium's glass.
"Koreans really like to put on a show," Ye Zhengyang scoffed with disdain.
"Can't be helped, they are the hosts, after all."
Lu Zhengyu also chuckled. If it were at their own school, they would naturally enjoy such applause and cheers.
Looking at the Seoul University delegation, the first participant following the coach was a girl in her early twenties, wearing a blue belt of the fourth rank.
"Park Eun Hye!"
Kang Nuolan's eyes calmly focused on the tall, exceptionally beautiful girl. Although her face looked somewhat unnatural, clearly having undergone cosmetic surgery, her innate pride overflowed onto her features.
As the Seoul University Taekwondo club team circled the rings, they cast arrogant, disdainful glances at the students from other countries, full of provocation.
"Damn, they're too arrogant."
Ye Zhengyang's eyes widened; he couldn't stand the provocation from these Koreans.
When they returned to the preparation area, Zhou Maoxue pointed at Park Eun Hye, the fourth-rank blue belt, saying, "She is hailed as a once-in-a-century martial arts prodigy of the Seoul University Taekwondo club!"
"Her head coach is Kwon Oh-joong, the 2016 Olympic champion, so don't underestimate them. After all, Taekwondo is Korea's national sport!"
"What's there to be afraid of?"
Ye Zhengyang scoffed, turning to Kang Nuolan with a smile, "Now that Nuolan is also a fourth-rank blue belt, it's anyone's game."
"Exactly, Senior Sister Nuolan, when we compete later, press her to the ground and crush her," Qiu Jun said with a smile.
Kang Nuolan's expression remained impassive. She gazed at Park Eun Hye and said calmly, "I will defeat her!"
"Good."
Zhu Xiangwen, who had returned, smiled and said, "Senior sister, relax your mind. Just perform as you did in training these past few days."
Kang Nuolan nodded, turned, and sat cross-legged on the ground, palms facing upwards. She closed her eyes and began to practice her breathing techniques to adjust her state. Seeing this, Zhu Xiangwen told Ye Zhengyang not to disturb her...
The competition format for this Taekwondo exchange was quite simple: same-level matches, divided into male and female categories, from the sixth rank to the fourth rank.
After all, for university students in their twenties, reaching the fourth-rank blue belt in Taekwondo was undoubtedly the mark of a genius.
Therefore, among the university teams from these several countries, only Park Eun Hye and Choi Young Seung from Korea, and Kang Nuolan from China, along with two fourth-rank female students from the Island Nation and Thailand, and one male student from the Philippines, all with fourth-rank blue belts, were present.
The rest, like Ye Zhengyang, were mostly fifth-rank green-blue belts, while Qiu Jun and Zhang Guanghe were sixth-rank green belts, so the sixth-rank matches were already underway.
The matches were determined by computer matching. Whoever's name appeared on the big screen and their assigned ring number would proceed to compete.
Thus, Qiu Jun and Zhang Guanghe were assigned to ring number two and ring number three respectively. They were to face two male students from the Island Nation and the Philippines, both also sixth-rank green belts.
"Qiu Jun, Guanghe, let's go!"
Ye Zhengyang, Lu Zhengyu, and Yang Siyu waved their fists in encouragement.
Only Kang Nuolan remained seated on the side, silently adjusting her state.
Seoul University's head Taekwondo coach, Kwon Oh-joong, walked over. Seeing this, Zhou Maoxue called out to Zhu Xiangwen beside him, "Teacher..."
Zhu Xiangwen turned and smiled at Kwon Oh-joong, "Kwon Oh-joong, long time no see."
"It really is you, Zhu Xiangwen!"
Kwon Oh-joong's expression was surprised. He said in not-so-standard Mandarin, "Didn't you already quit the Chinese national Taekwondo team? Why are you leading a university team to participate in the competition?"
It turned out that Zhu Xiangwen had been on the national Taekwondo team. In a competition in 2012, he had faced Kwon Oh-joong and won, thus they had met then.
Kwon Oh-joong had trained even harder upon returning, but by the next Olympics, Zhu Xiangwen had already retired from the national team and become a coach. Thus, Kwon Oh-joong missed the opportunity to compete against him again.
"Naturally, it's for my senior sister that I've come to watch!"
Zhu Xiangwen pointed to Kang Nuolan, who was sitting on the ground with her eyes closed, practicing her breathing techniques. Kwon Oh-joong looked at her with astonishment. She was only twenty-two years old and wore a fourth-rank blue belt. He exclaimed, "Are you kidding me? She's your senior sister?"
"Of course, I'm not joking."
Zhu Xiangwen smiled, too lazy to explain his senior-junior relationship with Kang Nuolan to Kwon Oh-joong. He continued, "I know you're still brooding over the 2012 match. Since that's the case, let them have a match!"
He was naturally referring to Kang Nuolan and Park Eun Hye, whom Kwon Oh-joong coached.
"Alright."
Kwon Oh-joong nodded. He glanced at Kang Nuolan and said, "If your senior... sister can last until the end of the competition, she will naturally get to face Park Eun Hye."
Zhu Xiangwen smiled slightly, "I also hope your student can last until the end."
"Naturally."
Kwon Oh-joong smiled confidently and said nothing more. He glanced again at Kang Nuolan, who was sitting beside him with her eyes closed. For some reason, he felt that this Chinese female student was not simple!