Chapter 126: 400-Meter Qualifying Heat

January 16th. Early morning.

Lu Xiaoyu was already up. She prepared breakfast for Lu Su: two mini fried dough sticks, two eggs, and some milk—the contents didn't matter as much as the way she laid them out.

After washing up, Lu Su looked at the spread and asked Lu Xiaoyu what it meant.

"It's 10.10," Lu Xiaoyu said. "That was your final time in the 100-meter dash at the National Games in Nanyue."

"But that only tied the National Games record," Lu Su replied. "Tomorrow, lay out a 10.09. Wish me luck in breaking the National Games record and the national record."

The National Games record was the national record, currently held by a senior athlete from the capital team with a time of 10.10.

...

October 16th.

At 9:00 AM, the 400-meter preliminary heats for the Nanyue Provincial Games would take place. At 6:30 PM, the 100-meter preliminary heats would be held. Both were at the main venue, the Guangzhou Galaxy Stadium.

...

8:50 AM.

As Lu Su stepped onto the 400-meter track, many people in the stadium of ten thousand cheered for him. By now, Lu Su had gained a fair bit of fame in the domestic track and field scene. His mainstream reputation was significant, and the buzz about him on the internet was even greater. Whether the reputation was good or bad, he was finally a known name. Every time someone mentioned "Pan Kai, the number one sprinter in the country" online, someone would inevitably chime in with, "Lu Su, the hexagonal all-around warrior." The social media team hired by Li Yan was diligent, but the results weren't necessarily what they intended, as the public perception seemed to position Lu Su and Pan Kai as the first and second best in the country’s sprinting events.

Today, January 16th, the 400-meter preliminaries were split into two groups, with the final scheduled for 7:00 PM on the 18th. Coincidentally, the 100-meter final was also scheduled for 6:30 PM on the 18th—only 30 minutes apart. Perhaps the organizers assumed few athletes would sign up for both. It was the same at the Olympics; 400-meter events often clashed with the 100 or 200-meter schedules, forcing many athletes to sacrifice one to guarantee success in the other. Before Lu Su earned the nickname "Little White Horse," he had intended to skip the 400-meter final, but now he could handle both.

...

8:55 AM.

The first group of the 400-meter preliminaries officially began.

This was Lu Su’s first official outdoor 400-meter race. His official record in this event had been zero until now. Of course, the time he withdrew from the Pengcheng University Games due to injury didn't count. Outdoor 400-meter tracks were simpler than indoor ones, leading to faster times. Lu Su already had a good grasp of the indoor 400, so transitioning to outdoor should be no problem. Before the race, he spotted Xiao Qiang, who was assigned to the second group. Across the crowd, Xiao Qiang gave him a thumbs-up, and Lu Su returned the gesture.

Lu Su bounced in place, shaking out his body and spirit.

"On your marks!"

At the starter's call, the eight athletes assumed their positions, "gathering momentum" for the start.

Bang!

A world-class start! The power from his "Gathering Momentum" ability covered the first 10 meters, allowing Lu Su to reach his peak acceleration faster. Because he had no previous time, he was assigned to the outermost lane. He put on a show of solitary dominance; from start to finish, no one passed him. His turns were fluid, his straights were elegant, and as he hit the final stretch, his speed never faltered.

Lu Su surged ahead, finishing first to secure his spot in the semi-finals. His time was 46.55 seconds—a full second faster than his indoor personal best. Indeed, running the 400 meters outdoors felt far more satisfying than indoors. After crossing the finish line, he met Lu Jinrong. His pace was not fatigued; he was almost strolling, standing out among the other runners who were bent over, gasping for air. Every spectator who noticed this realized that the athlete had not even used his full strength.

"Good luck!" Lu Su high-fived Xiao Qiang as he passed him on the way to the second heat.

Walking off the track, Lu Su suddenly noticed a figure. Standing at the entrance of the athlete tunnel, despite the heat, the man was wearing a full suit, looking completely out of place among the T-shirt-clad coaches and athletes. Lu Su only caught a glimpse of his back.

Li Yan...

What was he doing at the 400-meter race? Lu Su couldn't help but wonder.

...

Li Yan was not the official coach for any athlete in this event. He was essentially acting as an observer, as was Dong Zijian. The two were sitting in the staff lounge, drinking coffee. Li Yan had just returned from watching Lu Su's race. "Lu Su has the potential to break the national record in the 400," he commented.

"The National Games record is 45.80, right?" Dong Zijian said. "Lu Su ran a 46.55 and seemed to have energy to spare. He’s truly formidable."

Indeed, aside from being formidable, there were no words left to express it. He was good at the 100, good at the 200, and now good at the 400?

"I don't quite get him. I don't understand why he's bothering with the 400," Li Yan said. Dong Zijian knew what he meant; the 400m and 100m finals clashed, making it hard to manage both.

"Maybe he'll drop the 100 for the 400?" Dong Zijian speculated.

That certainly wasn't an option—he couldn't forget about that advertisement deal. Li Yan shook his head. "He probably just needs an official time. After all, he doesn't have an official 400-meter record yet."

"Pan Kai refuses to withdraw..." Dong Zijian brought up the issue again.

"Mm, Pan Kai is very proud. The chances of him agreeing to withdraw are slim, but don't worry, I've already made arrangements," Li Yan said.

"Arrangements? What kind of arrangements?" Dong Zijian asked.

"Coach Dong, do you really want to know?" Li Yan asked with a meaningful look.

"...Never mind," Dong Zijian shook his head. Li Yan was like a black hole, capable of swallowing everyone near him, polluting them with his purely utilitarian philosophy and will. The longer one spent around him, the more terrifying he seemed.

"We must protect the commercial value of Pan Kai," Li Yan said.

"And if we can't?" Dong Zijian couldn't help but ask.

"Then we replace him," Li Yan replied. "I particularly like a saying from your country: 'If you can't change your mindset, you must change the person.' It’s a pity that Lu Su doesn't agree with me. He and I... we should have been the same kind of people."

...

6:00 PM.

The 100-meter preliminary heats were about to begin. The event was scheduled at this time to strike a balance between commercial value and the athletes' peak physical condition. After all, the 100 meters was the most watched event in track and field. There was no exception.

"Are you nervous?" Ruan Mei asked Lu Su.

"You're more nervous than I am," Lu Su said with a smile.