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As the saying goes, things always come in threes.
All three first-year students who were forcefully promoted as reserves possessed such decent strength.
The situation at Mist City University was truly enviable.
Other schools might only be strong for one season, but looking at Mist City University now, it's likely they'll remain strong for five or six years.
The coach of Lingcheng University sighed, feeling a slight headache.
In the last match, though Hongcheng University lost badly, they still took four points. Even if it was nothing compared to the school's reputation, it was better than nothing.
They were last year's fourth place, but facing a Mist City University like this, they really didn't have much chance of winning.
If only Mist City University were a school with a gap between old and new talent!
Why did someone like Li Xiang, a rule-breaking talent, go to the Big Six?! He should have joined another school to break the existing order!
"Coach? We..."
A student approached him.
"Follow the original plan. The other side will likely surrender voluntarily."
The coach sighed. Encountering such a team was truly disheartening; the gap was too big.
Sure enough, when the second person went up and was only halfway there, Gong Xu decisively raised his hand and surrendered.
Already disliking singles, he acted as if his task was complete—surrender quickly and leave.
He successfully became the third person in the South Summer (Xia-Nan) Division Spring Tournament to voluntarily surrender.
Coach Xu He was somewhat helpless but didn't say anything. He had come to understand Gong Xu's character.
If you gave Gong Xu a doubles spot, he'd do anything you asked.
Singles?
Get lost!
Ahem, of course, it wasn't that intense. Gong Xu, still thinking about doubles, would just finish his match as quickly as possible and then surrender.
'Didn't I finish one match already?! That's already giving face, okay? Don't ask for so much!'
Coach Xu He looked at Gong Xu's somewhat impatient eyes, feeling he could almost translate the guy's expression.
This kid was incredibly arrogant, but he did have the right to be arrogant, given his love for doubles, his wholehearted dedication, and his talent.
The second in line was a senior sister.
Song Jie very gentlemanly gave this chance to someone else, volunteering to take the stage later.
"You actually surrendered."
Li Xiang looked at Gong Xu walking back, feeling rather speechless.
"Huh?"
Gong Xu was momentarily stunned, then raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that? Is surrendering your guys' exclusive skill or something?"
"...That's not what I meant."
Li Xiang shook his head. In the entire Spring Tournament, there probably weren't any others as audacious as the three of them.
Surrendering whenever they felt like it, relying on being first-years.
"Brothers! Brothers! Look! People have given you nicknames." Lu Shu walked over from the side holding a tablet, trying not to laugh.
"Again? Don't these people have anything better to do?"
Li Xiang complained, leaning over to look.
He immediately saw a long list of names.
Things like [Mist City University's White Flag Trio], [Surrender Brothers], [New Century Surrender Youths], and so on.
No one called them deserters or anything, as everyone could see they didn't want to fight, not that they couldn't win.
Three first-year students, with a clear chance to continue winning, decisively surrendered.
They didn't even pretend.
No wonder people gave them nicknames.
"You should have expected this when you did such things."
A bald spot appeared in Li Xiang's field of vision, reflecting the light, shining brightly. It was none other than Coach Xu He.
He looked at Song Jie, the root cause of it all, then glanced at Li Xiang and Gong Xu. "Others want to keep fighting when they have an advantage, but you guys keep humbly declining, one after another."
Song Jie remained noncommittal. He barely even went online and completely didn't care what others said.
Let them talk; it wouldn't make his Pokémon's levels drop.
Would anyone dare say it to his face?
Li Xiang kindly reminded, "Coach, 'Kong Rong giving up the pears' is a term of praise—"
"You want me to use a derogatory term?"
Coach Xu He glared at him. "Don't think just because your talent is outrageously strong, I won't dare to criticize you!"
"Coach, what are you saying..."
Li Xiang laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. Why did this coach have to praise before scolding?
On stage, the battle had already begun.
It wasn't appropriate to continue chatting below, so everyone sat back in their seats, focusing intently on watching the match above.
The entire match lasted twenty minutes.
It ended with their victory. Mist City University wasn't all regular members and then trash; their overall level was undoubtedly higher than other schools.
Thus, in the third round, Lingcheng University sent their main player, the third strongest member of the school team.
This time, that senior sister couldn't win. She was slightly outmatched and unfortunately lost.
It was the turn of another senior sister who had been warming the bench for two consecutive years.
Compared to the previous one, this sixth-year student was clearly stronger. After dragging out and defeating the opponent's first Pokémon and using [Misty Explosion] to take out the second, she decisively used Perish Song to take out the third, achieving a draw, ensuring that, without surrendering, Song Jie could safely take the stage.
Of course, in terms of strength, she was only about evenly matched with that person.
Being decisive and not causing trouble for teammates, securely taking one point was the best result.
At least she contributed.
The white-haired youth then took the stage again.
When the audience saw that Mist City University's fourth player was Song Jie, they immediately understood they wouldn't get to see Li Xiang perform this round.
They couldn't help but feel very regretful.
They still wanted to see if Li Xiang could defeat Lingcheng University's captain, just like yesterday's scene.
On the other side, the Lingcheng University school team, when they saw Song Jie, their expressions were extremely complicated.
The vice-captain who was about to go on stage also quietly sighed in relief.
On one hand, they were afraid Li Xiang would come up and replicate yesterday's feat, trampling them into the mud. On the other hand, they felt that being afraid of a first-year new student was simply a disgrace.
But there was no helping it. Who wanted to end up like Hongcheng University?
Both the regular member and the captain were defeated by a new student. In a tournament watched by millions, they had lost all face.
It was believed their admissions quality this year would drop to an unprecedented level.
—[Your school team got crushed by a first-year student.]
Who wanted to hear that?
Lingcheng University didn't want to become the second Hongcheng University.
However, Song Jie's strength was also worth paying attention to. Based on the strength he had shown before, he wasn't worse than their regular members.
It turned out, their worries were correct.
Even though Song Jie's solid strength was clearly inferior to their vice-captain, he still took out two of his Pokémon.
His final ace, Aggron, lost to a No Guard Machamp.
Divine powers are no match for natural laws.
Four hands are just more advantageous than two. With its two hands restraining Aggron's claws and a third hand pressing down its head, Machamp used all its strength and, with the fourth hand, threw out a Dynamic Punch.
There really was no way to counterattack, causing Lingcheng University to win the fourth battle.
When the referee blew the whistle, Lingcheng University started cheering. Their anxious hearts finally settled down.
They were so afraid Song Jie would replicate Li Xiang's great feat and defeat their vice-captain.
When the fight above was intense, the people below were more nervous than the two on stage.
Now it was fine.
They still had a vice-captain and a captain, two chances to face Mist City University's guaranteed player.
What if they won?
Then, Lingcheng University would step over Mist City University to rise up! The glorious path was right before their eyes!
The match ended.
When the white-haired youth came off stage, the air around him was so cold it seemed about to freeze.
Someone wanted to go comfort him, but Coach Xu He stopped them.
"Let him cool down on his own."
Losing in the Junior World Tournament was normal. The key was how to adjust your mentality after defeat.
Comfort could only play a supporting role, and sometimes it could have the opposite effect. It mainly depended on the student himself.
Li Xiang didn't have so many reservations. Seeing Song Jie return with a gloomy face, he actively stepped forward and patted his shoulder.
"Your team is just a bit lacking."
Although weather effects had been infinitely weakened, weather teams were still one of the mainstream strategies in this world.
In Song Jie's team, Pupitar existed as the weather core for a sandstorm team. But compared to its evolved form, Tyranitar, Pupitar still fell into the unqualified category.
If Tyranitar had been among the Pokémon sent out just now, Song Jie might not have lost.
Song Jie looked up, his expression neither sad nor happy, silent.
"Why aren't you saying anything? Dazed from losing?"
Li Xiang was somewhat puzzled. This white-haired guy had been acting strange since yesterday; who knows what he went through.
"...No."
Song Jie rubbed the space between his eyebrows, feeling slightly irritated, but still relaxed his brow, returning to his usual calm.
"Alright, I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
Li Xiang glanced at the others and pulled Song Jie to a spot near the tunnel. "Just say what's on your mind. Why so indecisive? Can't you tell me anything?"
He shamelessly put on the airs of an understanding big brother.
Hearing this, Song Jie remained silent for two seconds, then explained about arguing and the cold war with his dad during the gathering and not answering his dad's call the night before.
Li Xiang listened dumbfounded.
He said speechlessly, "You really... I truly don't know what to say to you."
Song Jie: "?"
Li Xiang said in a low voice, "If he doesn't call you, you call him back! He's your dad! There's no grudge held overnight between father and son! Just call him and get it over with!"
"But..."
"But what? Do you hate him?"
"Not really..."
"Then call! You, a straightforward guy, also have such indecisive days? Be quick and decisive!"
"..."
"Give me your phone!"
Seeing Song Jie hesitant, Li Xiang directly snatched his phone from his pocket, quickly opened the unlocked screen, found 'Dad' in the contacts, and directly called.
Song Jie was momentarily stunned and hurriedly tried to grab it back.
But how could he match a serious Li Xiang? Moreover, the call had already connected.
A male voice came from inside, "Hello?"
"Here."
Li Xiang handed the connected phone back to Song Jie.
Song Jie took it with a complicated expression, put it to his ear, and before he could say anything, was pushed into the tunnel.
After doing all this, Li Xiang stepped back outside, not eavesdropping.
To be honest, he didn't really like interfering in others' personal lives, nor did he feel he had any right to.
But the other party was Song Jie. Seeing this guy dared not even call his own dad, he really couldn't stand by.
As for how Song Jie's father treated him, Li Xiang had asked Zhao Jie and the others, and even inquired with Anya.
Well, it was undeniable that Song Jie's father was busy with official duties and didn't give Song Jie a lot of personal affection, but that didn't mean he didn't love Song Jie.
From the information Li Xiang obtained, it wasn't hard to see he loved Song Jie very much.
It's just that fathers often find it difficult to express their love to their children. And Song Jie, who seemed mature, was actually just a small adult in disguise.
Entering adolescence, there was an invisible barrier between him and his dad.
Li Xiang couldn't help much.
He himself wasn't mature enough to see through everything. He could only give Song Jie a gentle push when he was hesitating.
If the outcome was perfect, then that would be all the better.