239: I just believe you.

"Back out? Not a chance!" the short-haired girl waved her hand dismissively. "But Lin Xiaoya, don't you go dreaming either. The champion is definitely going to be Zhao Xue. Just wait and see."

"Wait and see it is!" Lin Xiaoya snorted, turned on her heel, and left. She was going to find Lei Jun.

Watching Lin Xiaoya's angry retreating figure, those few girls continued to laugh and gossip in low voices behind her: "She's really been completely bewitched by Lei Jun."

"Exactly, table tennis isn't that easy."

"Let's just wait and see, we'll see how she tries to save face then."

Lin Xiaoya jogged the whole way and found Lei Jun reading a book downstairs of the teaching building.

She blurted out the earlier argument and those people's "bet" all at once, her little face flushed with excitement.

"Sister Lei! They're so infuriating! Every single one of them thinks you can't win the championship, saying Zhao Xue is a second-level athlete and you're definitely no match! They even made a bet with me! It's driving me crazy!" Lin Xiaoya said with a pitiful tone.

Lei Jun closed the book in her hand and listened calmly.

She wasn't surprised by her classmates' private gossip and doubts, nor was she particularly angry.

That's just human nature. When faced with people and things they don't understand, people tend to make judgments based on appearances and existing preconceptions.

She was relatively low-key at school and hadn't shown any particular prowess in sports before, so it was normal for others not to have high expectations of her.

It was Lin Xiaoya's unreserved trust and defense that stirred a slight feeling in her heart.

"No need to be angry," Lei Jun handed Lin Xiaoya a cup of water. "What others think is their own business."

"But what they said was so mean! And they laughed at me!" Lin Xiaoya took the water but still felt aggrieved.

Looking at her, Lei Jun asked curiously, "Xiaoya, why are you so confident in me? Table tennis is different from other sports; it requires specialized technique and training. That Zhao Xue does sound pretty formidable."

Without a second thought, Lin Xiaoya blurted out, "Because you're Sister Lei! I feel like there's nothing you can't do! Flying a plane, bungee jumping, fighting, studying... you're amazing at everything! Table tennis definitely won't be a problem! I just believe in you!"

Her eyes sparkled, filled with pure trust and admiration.

Lei Jun couldn't help but chuckle.

This girl's logic was simple and direct.

Since Lin Xiaoya was so expectant and those classmates had made a "bet," then... she might as well take it a bit more seriously.

Coincidentally, she had just seen a newly refreshed mission in the system interface.

[godly tycoon mission: Showcase athletic prowess in the campus sports meet. Please, host, win at least one event championship. Mission reward: 2000 godly tycoon coins.]

The table tennis championship would perfectly fulfill this mission.

Lei Jun smiled and said to Lin Xiaoya, "Alright, since you have so much faith in me, then I... will try to win this championship."

Her tone remained even, but her words carried a matter-of-fact confidence.

Hearing this, Lin Xiaoya immediately turned her anger into joy, jumping up excitedly.

"Really? Sister Lei, you agreed! That's fantastic! I knew it! Go Sister Lei! You can definitely do it!"

It was as if she could already see Lei Jun standing on the champion's podium; her earlier frustration vanished completely.

Watching her exuberant display, Lei Jun shook her head and went back to reading her book... Soon, the sports meet officially commenced.

Colorful flags fluttered across the campus, rousing music played over the broadcast system, and youthful figures were everywhere.

Due to the considerable number of participants, the table tennis competition schedule was relatively tight, adopting a single-elimination format.

It's worth mentioning that to demonstrate the importance placed on physical education and to discover promising student-athletes, the President of Modu University specially invited a senior coach from the Modu City Table Tennis Team to observe the matches.

This Coach Chen, who had nurtured quite a few promising talents, was also currently scouting for potential candidates for the upcoming City-wide University League and higher-level competitions.

He sat in a specially designated seat beside the main stage, ready to assess the level of Modu University's students.

Events proceeded one after another: shouts from the track and field, collisions on the basketball court, splashes in the swimming pool... the atmosphere was electric.

The table tennis venue also gathered quite a crowd, especially the women's competition, which attracted more spectators than usual due to the presence of Zhao Xue and Lei Jun.

Zhao Xue, as the acknowledged favorite to win, arrived at the court early to warm up.

She had a well-proportioned build and moved with agility. Even during warm-ups, a few simple swings and footwork movements revealed solid fundamentals and traces of professional training, exuding a strong presence.

Many of her supporters, including those girls who had earlier doubted Lei Jun, gathered around to cheer her on.

Lei Jun, in contrast, appeared much calmer.

She wore simple sportswear, her silver hair tied into a neat ponytail. Holding the standard competition racket, she waited quietly to the side.

Lin Xiaoya had made a small handwritten sign that read "Sister Lei Must Win" and held it up high.

Those girls, spotting Lin Xiaoya, deliberately shot her provocative and amused glances.

The competition officially began.

Lei Jun's first-round opponent was a slightly nervous girl with average technical skill.

Lei Jun didn't even employ many techniques, merely using steady pushes and a few simple changes of direction to win easily 11:3, 11:2. The process was uneventful, revealing little about her true depth.

Zhao Xue's match was even more of a rout, with two swift 11:1 victories.

As the competition progressed and opponents grew stronger, Lei Jun began to display some technique.

Her serves started incorporating spin and placement variations. Her returns were extremely steady, with few errors, and the quality of her shots was high.

However, her playing style didn't seem aggressive. It appeared to focus on control and counter-attacking defense. The pace wasn't rushed, yet she always managed to return the ball to precisely the spot most uncomfortable for her opponent, forcing errors or weak returns, which she would then capitalize on for a point.

This style of play, while not as visually spectacular as Zhao Xue's fierce attacks and beautiful loop drives, was highly efficient, giving off a feeling of unfathomable depth.

Many spectators who knew a bit about table tennis began whispering among themselves: "This Lei Jun... seems to have some skill?"

"Her fundamentals are very solid; her defense is like an iron wall."

"She just lacks offensive initiative. I wonder how she'll fare against aggressive attackers."

Zhao Xue also noticed Lei Jun. After watching for a bit, she thought Lei Jun's movements were standard and her mental fortitude good, but her offensive firepower was insufficient, posing little real threat.

She had absolute confidence in her own attacking prowess.

Soon, the competition reached the semi-final stage.

Lei Jun's opponent was a girl known for her speed, employing a fierce playing style with aggressive attacks in the first three strokes.

In this match, Lei Jun slightly increased her tempo. Her footwork was swift and precise, always anticipating her opponent's attack lines in advance. Then, with seemingly effortless redirection of force or a clever change of direction, she would neutralize her opponent's fierce assaults and score with a counter.

Her reaction speed was astonishingly fast, rescuing the ball several times from seemingly impossible situations and returning shots of remarkably high quality.

Ultimately, she won 3:1, advancing to the finals.