In Director Zhang's office in the provincial sport bureau, Xuexi Zhuang looked at his uncle desperately.

"Uncle, you have to help me! I already told others that I would be joining the national team and almost everyone knows about it. Now it looks like I have failed, and it is so embarra.s.sing. I cannot stay on our team!"

Director Zhuang was speechless. He stared at Xuexi Zhuang unhappily.

"Can you give me a break? Grow up, will you? How many times have I helped you the past few years? And you, what did you do? You loser!"

Still angry, Director Zhuang continued, "Just take a few days ago as an example: you asked me to move you to the shot put team, saying it was better for your career development. And what was the result? Where is the medal? The long jump team you were on developed a genius who was picked up by the national team at the age of sixteen! You are the one who has good connections, yet you are the one at a disadvantage! What is wrong with you?

"You said you wanted to go to the national team to get trained, so I recommended you to them, but what happened? They don't even know you! I have asked others about this Dai Li that is on the list. He was the one you stole the shot put team from, right? And he was the one who trained that long jump genius, right? He has worked in the Beikou Training Center before, under Jihai Ding, and has also been part of Feixiang Lin's training…"

For a deputy chief in the provincial sport bureau, it was not hard to get all this information.

"Dai Li has just been lucky!" Xuexi Zhuang mumbled. He got angry when he heard Dai Li's name.

"c.r.a.p!" Director Zhuang shouted, "Lucky? Are you saying Jihai Ding is a fool? If Dai Li was a loser like you, do you think Jihai Ding would welcome him to join Feixiang Lin's training? That was Feixiang Lin! Only the best coaches can get involved in his training. Speaking of being lucky, how many chances have I given you? Why can't you 'be lucky' just one d.a.m.n time? Just one time! Not even once!"

Xuexi Zhuang could feel his uncle's anger. He put his head down and stayed silent.

"That Dai Li, he is something—at least, he is way better than you. That is why the national team wants him. When can you grow up? Your name is Xuexi Zhuang, why can't you study harder and get better some better results? I may be your uncle, but I can't take care of you forever! Once I am retired, what will you do if you are still like this!" Director Zhuang looked very upset.

"Uncle, I understand what you're saying. That's why I wanted to be trained by the national team. I want to learn under a higher-level coach. Even if they only teach me a little, I can learn a lot, and you won't have to worry about me," Xuexi Zhuang said, trying to sound sincere.

Of course Director Zhuang could tell that Xuexi Zhuang did not mean it. The reason he wanted to go to the national team was only to brag about it.

However, giving it some more thought, Director Zhuang began thinking that it would be really nice if Xuexi Zhuang got an opportunity to study on the national team. Even f he only learned a little, he could be ahead of everyone else when he returned to the provincial team.

"You are my only nephew, what can I say?" Director Zhuang shook his head. "I've got some resources in the national sport bureau. Let me see what I can do. But listen—if you get in, you have to study hard as h.e.l.l. You are not causing me trouble anymore!"

Director Zhuang had some power, so he could probably use it to get an extra spot on the list for Xuexi Zhuang.

Once Dai Li heard about this, he was not surprised. While a freshman in this field like him could only seek help from Jihai Ding, it was much easier for Director Zhuang to pull a few strings and get Xuexi Zhuang an extra spot, as he had been working for the government for decades.

Dai Li felt it was wrong to do this, though, as more people meant a higher cost. Even though it was the national team, it did not mean that they had endless resources. They had to bring up coaches who were really talented and promising. Dai Li knew Xuexi Zhuang well, so he thought it would really be a waste to bring up Xuexi Zhuang.

Dai Li arrived at the national track and field team three days in advance.

It was the first time Dai Li had gone to the capital city. The reason why he had come early was because he wanted to get a tour of the area.

There wa enough s.p.a.ce on the national team for people to stay. Here, where every inch was a lot of money, the head sport bureau had a ma.s.sive area for temporary dormitories, or rest houses. This area was big enough to house over 500 or 600 people during the Olympics, so it was easy to arrange the living s.p.a.ce for only a few dozen people, including Dai Li.

Three days later, everyone arrived. The national team sent two buses to pick them up and bring them to the training base.

Dai Li roughly counted the number of people present. The capacity of one bus was around thirty people, so the total number of the people had to be over sixty.

We've got a lot of people here, over sixty I think. They must be the most talented ones from all over the country! Dai Li suddenly thought of Xuexi Zhuang. They had not come here together.

Maybe there are some people like Xuexi Zhuang who pulled some strings to be here. Then Dai Li laughed to himself as he remembered he had also utilized a connection in Jihai Ding.

It took about two hours before the buses arrived at the destination. Dai Li did not know if they were in Huajin or in another city. The bus drove into a compound.

Huajin police training base? Dai Li read the words on the black and white billboard, feeling confused. The bus was already inside.

"This is a police training base, why are we here?" someone next to him asked.

"Is it the so-called 'development training' stuff? I heard this is the new trend that they just started doing," another one said.

"Anyone here break the law? Put your hands up and confess to your crime! Otherwise the policemen will be here to catch you," someone said jokingly.

"Silly, this is the training base. If someone makes a mistake, they will surely be sent to prison."

The bus stopped while they were still talking.

"Here we are, let's get off the bus!" The leader of the national team got off the bus and walked to the dormitory building while the others followed. He then arranged the place for everyone.

Compared to the rest house in the head sport bureau, this was much worse. Eight people would be sharing one room with four bunk beds, as well as the shower room and toilet. The living conditions were worse than the dormitories in college.

This was a police training base, after all. They did not come here to enjoy life, so it was understandable.

Once everyone was settled, they were all called to the conference room. After all sixty of them sat down, the leader of the national track and field team walked into the middle with a middle-aged guy in camouflage.

"That guy is wearing camouflage, is he the coach here? Is he going to train us?"

"No way, this is the police training base. Are we really going to have professional police training? With fighting and gun shooting? I haven't touched a real gun my entire life!"

Suddenly, someone said delightfully, "It would be great if we could touch a real gun. I would die to just touch it and take two or three shots!"