A week later, the internal selection to decide the final team lineup took place at the school's gymnasium. The atmosphere was quite tense. The entire school board and many curious students had come to watch.
On the stage, Captain Hoang Long, a tall and muscular young man, was demonstrating powerful Taekwondo kicks, the sound of his feet whistling through the air. Le Van Hung was fluid and graceful with his beautiful Vovinam techniques. Both were experienced martial artists, the undisputed pillars of the team.
The problem lay with the third position.
Tran Tuan, with his title of city Judo champion, was incredibly smug. He strode onto the stage, his condescending gaze sweeping over the two remaining reserve members, finally settling on Lam Minh.
"Teacher Hoang, I don't think we need to waste time with a selection," Tran Tuan said loudly, deliberately making sure everyone could hear. "Everyone knows I'm the most suitable person for the third official spot. It's better than letting some amateur, who got lucky saving someone and is now deluded about his own strength, affect the whole team's performance."
His words were clearly aimed at Lam Minh.
Lam Minh just let out a lazy yawn, not bothering to respond. His indifference made Tran Tuan even more furious.
Teacher Hoang stepped onto the stage, his expression unchanged. "Talk is useless. Prove it with your strength. Do Manh Cuong, you're up first."
Do Manh Cuong, the other reserve member, was a tall and sturdy 11th-grade student specializing in freestyle wrestling. He stepped up, his face quite tense.
"You two, one match. Whoever is left standing will fight Lam Minh," Teacher Hoang stated the rules.
Tran Tuan smirked. "Five minutes."
"What?" Manh Cuong asked, bewildered.
"I said, I'll take you down in five minutes," Tran Tuan said, his voice dripping with arrogance.
The match began. Manh Cuong charged in, trying to use his strength to wrestle Tran Tuan to the ground. But Tran Tuan, with his masterful Judo techniques, easily neutralized the attack. He moved like an eel, then suddenly grabbed Manh Cuong's sleeve and, with a beautiful Ippon Seoinage (one-arm shoulder throw), slammed his opponent onto the mat.
BAM!
Manh Cuong lay sprawled, unable to get up. The match was over in less than two minutes.
"See?" Tran Tuan stood up straight, dusted off his hands, and shot a challenging look at Lam Minh. "The weak have no place on this stage."
The entire gymnasium erupted in murmurs of admiration. To Quyen, sitting in the coaching staff section, frowned worriedly. She knew Lam Minh was mysterious, but Tran Tuan was genuinely strong for a high school student.
"Lam Minh," Teacher Hoang called. "It's your turn."
Lam Minh sluggishly stepped onto the stage, looking as if he had just woken up.
"Hey, I'll give you a chance," Tran Tuan said in a patronizing tone. "Admit defeat yourself. It'll save you the embarrassment in front of the whole school."
Lam Minh said nothing, merely holding up three fingers.
Tran Tuan frowned. "Three fingers? What does that mean?"
"Three seconds," Lam Minh replied calmly.
"WHAT?"
Not just Tran Tuan, but everyone in the gymnasium was stunned. Had this guy gone mad? Tran Tuan had just defeated a strong opponent in two minutes, and now this guy was saying he would take down Tran Tuan in three seconds?
"You bastard! How dare you insult me!" Tran Tuan roared, his anger clouding his judgment. He charged forward like a bull, intending to grab Lam Minh and use his signature throw.
Lam Minh stood still.
Second one.
When Tran Tuan was just a step away, Lam Minh leaned slightly, as gracefully as a leaf avoiding a pouncing beast.
Second two.
He reached out his hand, not to attack, but simply to place a single finger on the shoulder of the charging Tran Tuan.
A small stream of "qi" from his Mid-stage Qi Refining Realm was channeled through his fingertip.
Second three.
Tran Tuan felt an irresistible force pushing from his shoulder. His entire body lost its balance, spun once in the air, and then fell right off the stage.
THUD!
He landed in a heap on the floor, eyes wide, completely unable to comprehend what had just happened.
A deathly silence fell over the gymnasium.
No one understood. No one saw it clearly. They only saw Tran Tuan charge in, and then suddenly fly off the stage. It all happened too fast, too bizarrely.
Only two people saw it clearly.
Teacher Hoang 'Iron Hand' was frozen in place. His professional eyes had seen Lam Minh's divine lean and finger placement. That wasn't martial arts; it was something far beyond his understanding.
Quynh Nhu, perched on the highest row of seats, let out a soft, intrigued "Oh." The sharp eyes of a special forces operative allowed her to realize that Lam Minh's push was not simple at all. It contained a strange kind of energy.
"This is getting interesting," she murmured, the corner of her mouth curling into a smile.
Lam Minh stood on the stage, dusting off his hands as if he had just done something trivial. He turned to look at Teacher Hoang, who was still petrified.
"Sir, is that it? Can I go back to sleep now?"
His voice pulled everyone back to reality. Whispers and discussions began to erupt.
"What just happened?"
"I didn't see anything! I just saw Tuan suddenly fly out!"
"Lam Minh... how did he do that?"
Tran Tuan finally scrambled to his feet, his face alternating between red and green. He had been humiliated, utterly and painfully.
"You... you cheated!" he screamed.
Lam Minh just glanced at him, his eyes cold. "If you lose, accept it. Don't be a sore loser."
That sentence was like a knife stabbing straight into Tran Tuan's pride.
Captain Hoang Long and Le Van Hung walked over, looking at Lam Minh with completely different eyes. They were martial artists; they knew Tran Tuan's fall was not simple.
"You..." Hoang Long hesitated. "What kind of martial art was that?"
"Oh, just a style I made up myself," Lam Minh answered casually.
Down below, To Quyen covered her face with her hands, but a radiant smile could be seen through her fingers. She knew it; this guy was anything but ordinary!
"Ahem!" Teacher Hoang finally came to his senses. He cleared his throat twice to regain his composure. "The result is clear. The official team for Tran Hung Dao High School in this year's tournament will be: Hoang Long, Le Van Hung, and... Lam Minh."
He deliberately emphasized Lam Minh's name.
The gymnasium erupted. It was a result no one could have ever expected.
Hung 'fat' sat in the stands, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit a goose egg. He rubbed his eyes several times, unable to believe what he had just seen.
"Minh... Brother Minh... what in the world did he just do?"