"Coach, how did it go?"
At the Seoul University Taekwondo team, Park Eun Hye looked at Kwon Oh Joong returning and asked, "Didn't we investigate before? Wasn't that Kang No Ran only a fifth dan, how did she become a fourth dan now?"
Beside her, a tall and handsome young man named Choi Young Seung said, "Are they trying to compete in a higher rank!"
Competing in a higher rank meant concealing one's actual Taekwondo rank to participate in a competition.
Because the standards for Taekwondo ranks varied by region, with South Korea's standards being the baseline.
However, certain individuals would conceal their ranks to participate in competitions. This had happened frequently in previous years. They, being only fifth dan, would impersonate fourth dan and end up being severely defeated in the matches.
"It doesn't seem like it!"
Kwon Oh Joong shook his head slightly and said, "That Chinese female student doesn't seem simple. And her coach is Zhu Xiang Wen, the champion of the Taekwondo competition held in our country in 2012!"
"Zhu Xiang Wen..."
This time, Park Eun Hye and Choi Young Seung exclaimed in surprise. They were no strangers to the name Zhu Xiang Wen, as reaching the first dan black belt in Taekwondo meant being an absolute master.
"Eun Hye, if you encounter her, be sure not to underestimate her. Give it your all, and win the competition for our Seoul University, understand?" Kwon Oh Joong said seriously.
"Yes."
Park Eun Hye nodded. She looked at Kang No Ran, who was still closing her eyes and adjusting her state on the side, and smiled confidently, "I will defeat her."
"Mr. Park..."
At this moment, in the passageway leading into the gymnasium, a group of young men in black suits and sunglasses suddenly emerged, surrounding a middle-aged man dressed in a suit and appearing as a gentleman as they entered.
Upon seeing him, the teachers from Seoul University all bowed and greeted him. Even the Vice Principal smiled and approached, saying, "Mr. Park, you're here."
"Yes, Vice Principal Kim, I've come to watch Eun Hye's match."
This middle-aged man was Park Sung Won, and Park Eun Hye was his daughter.
No wonder he had asked Ling Xian Zong to negotiate in the afternoon; it turned out Park Sung Won wanted to watch his daughter compete first.
"Hey, Dad, you're here." Park Eun Hye saw her father and happily went to greet him.
Park Sung Won, like a doting father, affectionately ruffled Park Eun Hye's hair and asked, "How is it? Are you confident about winning the match?"
"Yes." Park Eun Hye smiled proudly.
"Very good, then I'll sit here and watch your match."
"Mhm, mhm, Dad, please sit."
Park Eun Hye held his arm. Park Sung Won sat down, then waved his hand, and his entourage of subordinates withdrew, as their presence was too conspicuous.
However, as the vice president of the White Tiger Group, Park Sung Won was very famous in Seoul. Coupled with Park Eun Hye's connection, all the students and citizens present knew him. Seeing Park Sung Won personally come to watch Park Eun Hye compete caused quite a stir.
Thump!
On ring number 2, Qiu Jun landed a straight kick, knocking his Japanese opponent to the ground. The referee immediately raised his flag, signaling the end of the match. However, based on the scores from the three rounds, Qiu Jun was ultimately declared the winner.
On ring number 3, Zhang Guang He was indeed beaten badly by his opponent and was declared defeated. He was reprimanded by Ye Zhen Yang upon his return.
At this moment, on the big screen, the computer system began matching opponents for the fifth dan contestants. Ye Zhen Yang was matched against Seoul University's Lee Kwang Jae on ring number 2, while Noh Zheng Yu was matched against a Japanese contestant.
"Zhen Yang, Zheng Yu, you have to do your best and win a place for us in the fifth dan competition," shouted Zhou Mao Xue.
"Don't worry, Coach, watch me."
Ye Zhen Yang smiled confidently, then turned and walked towards ring number 2.
"Kwang Jae, knock him out directly!"
From the Seoul University team, Choi Young Seung looked at Ye Zhen Yang standing on ring number 2 and lightly patted Lee Kwang Jae beside him, chuckling.
"Mm."
Lee Kwang Jae nodded with a sinister grin, then put on his headgear and walked onto the ring. Ye Zhen Yang also put on his headgear. He had done his homework before coming to face Lee Kwang Jae from Seoul University, knowing that he was a master among the fifth dan Taekwondo practitioners.
"Hey, I'm going to knock you out!"
Lee Kwang Jae used English, making a throat-slitting gesture with his right hand, provoking Ye Zhen Yang.
"Damn it, come at me."
Unable to stand being provoked, Ye Zhen Yang was angered and also beckoned Lee Kwang Jae with a provocative gesture.
"You're asking for it."
Lee Kwang Jae's eyes widened. As the referee announced the start, he charged forward without hesitation, launching a spinning 360-degree kick. The speed was so fast that Ye Zhen Yang didn't even have a chance to block or dodge before the opponent's leg powerfully struck his left ear...
Thump!
His body hit the ring, especially his head, which landed heavily on the mat. A buzzing sound filled his left ear, and his vision gradually blurred...
"Zhen Yang..."
This scene startled Zhou Mao Xue, Yang Si Yu, Qiu Jun, and the others. They stood up, staring in disbelief at ring number 2, where Ye Zhen Yang had been kicked down by Lee Kwang Jae's 180-degree sweep kick.
"Ah, he's been knocked out..."
"Kwang Jae senior is so cool..."
Instantly, all the Seoul University students stood up, letting out deafening cheers and applause.
"Quick, get Zhen Yang down..."
Zhou Mao Xue anxiously called out to two students to quickly get Ye Zhen Yang off the ring. They found that he had already fainted. One could imagine how powerful Lee Kwang Jae's kick was.
Kang No Ran, sitting in the rest area, suddenly opened her eyes and stood up. Looking at the knocked-out Ye Zhen Yang, her delicate eyebrows twitched.
At this time, on ring number 4, Noh Zheng Yu also could not defeat the Japanese contestant and was defeated.
For a moment, Kang No Ran's pretty face turned cold, and the team's morale dropped to its lowest point.
Now, besides Kang No Ran who hadn't competed yet, only Qiu Jun had won a match and advanced to the next round of the knockout stage. Ye Zhen Yang, Noh Zheng Yu, and Zhang Guang He had all lost and were completely disqualified.
"The contestants from China are too weak."
"Yeah, they only have one sixth dan contestant entering the next round, it's really pathetic."
"They still have one fourth dan contestant left, I wonder if she can hold on until the end and face senior Eun Hye..."
"Maybe when she gets on the stage later, she'll be defeated by the Japanese contestant Sakata Mari."
"Hahaha..."
In the spectator seats behind Kang No Ran's rest area, several rows of Seoul University students were laughing uncontrollably and without restraint.
This made Qiu Jun, Noh Zheng Yu, and the others glare angrily. Although they couldn't understand Korean, from the condescending and dismissive gazes of these people, they could tell that they were being mocked and looked down upon. This made the defeated Zhang Guang He feel very distressed, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth.
"Why are you all hanging your heads? The competition isn't over yet."
Zhu Xiang Wen scolded them impatiently. Zhang Guang He and Noh Zheng Yu exchanged glances. They felt very guilty and self-reproachful for losing the match.
Ye Zhen Yang over there had woken up with the help of the medical staff but was sent to the resting room behind for recovery.
"Alas, we can only count on senior No Ran."
Qiu Jun sighed. Even if he won his sixth dan match, what was the point? Noh Zheng Yu and Ye Zhen Yang, the fifth dan competitors, had already lost. So, everyone could only place their hopes on Kang No Ran now.
At this moment, on the big screen, the matching for the fourth dan competition had begun. The first pair was Park Eun Hye, facing a fourth dan girl from Singapore. The second pair was Kang No Ran against Japan's Sakata Mari. The last pair was a male, Seoul University's Choi Young Seung, against a male contestant from Thailand.
Three matches were conducted simultaneously on three rings.
Zhu Xiang Wen took out the protective gear and personally put it on Kang No Ran, saying seriously, "Senior sister, you must win this match. Don't bring shame to our China!"
"Mm."
Kang No Ran nodded. Although she appeared very calm, her eyes revealed a sharp aura.
Clearly, being knocked out by Ye Zhen Yang had angered her!
So she walked directly onto ring number 2. Then, the Japanese female contestant Sakata Mari, wearing blue protective gear, also came up. They stood on the ring facing each other, and the referee beside them explained the rules...
"Do you think she can defeat Japan's Sakata Mari?"
The students of the Seoul University Taekwondo club began to discuss.
A male student shook his head, "I've seen Sakata Mari's profile. She is a genuine fourth dan blue belt, belonging to the upper-middle level of fourth dan. So, it's definitely impossible for this Chinese contestant to win against her!"
"Yeah, I agree with Shin Yang's view. Even if this Chinese Kang No Ran is a fourth dan, she's only just been promoted to fourth dan blue belt, so she definitely can't win against Sakata... Ah, what..."
As a result, the Seoul University male student hadn't finished speaking when he let out a startled cry. Instantly, everyone in the gymnasium widened their eyes and stared in disbelief at ring number 2. As soon as the referee shouted "Start," Kang No Ran, with a 360-degree spinning back kick, directly knocked Sakata Mari out!
For a moment, the entire gymnasium fell into a brief silence, utterly quiet...
Kang No Ran, standing on the ring, looked at Sakata Mari lying on the ground, completely unconscious. The referee checked and immediately called for medical personnel to come up...
Then Kang No Ran turned and slowly walked off the ring, taking off her headgear to reveal her calm and majestic face.
This was her most powerful counterattack to everyone!