Recaps

After watching Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan defeat the Kimchi Combination, Lin Zijun broke through his doubts about mixed doubles and realized that playing too obediently had confined him. He named his new approach the “Heart of Freedom” and prepared to face Hook, determined to play in his own way.

• Lin Zijun watched Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan defeat Che Songxin and Xian Youwen, which overwhelmed him with questions about mixed doubles.
• After five minutes of intense thought, Lin Zijun realized that his rigid obedience to conventional play had held back both his singles and doubles performance.
• Lin Zijun understood that Hook's unorthodox style contrasted with his own strengths and that he needed to break free of conventional methods.
• Lin Zijun told Jiang Peirong and Zhen Jing that he was fine and wanted to play Hook rather than withdraw.
• Lin Zijun named his personal approach the “Heart of Freedom” and resolved to pursue victory while playing in a way that belonged to him.

Lin Zijun used his speed and an adapted blocking technique to disrupt Hook in their German Open semifinal, taking an early lead and forcing Hook to rethink his attacks. Qin Huachang analyzed Lin Zijun’s sudden improvement, but warned that Hook could exploit the weaknesses in his strategy as the match continued.

• Lin Zijun realized he could use his superior speed to block Hook’s attacks close to the table and force a fast exchange.
• Lin Zijun served long to Hook’s forehand again, blocked Hook’s full-power attack, and won the point when Hook missed his fourth shot, making the score 2:0.
• Hook took extra time before serving, then Lin Zijun invited his attack with a casual flick; Hook changed direction and scored, bringing the score to 2:1.
• Qin Huachang told his livestream audience that Lin Zijun had undergone a major improvement in either match philosophy, Extreme Speed Talent, or both.
• Qin Huachang warned that Lin Zijun’s blocking approach remained risky and that Hook could target its weaknesses as the match became a difficult tug-of-war.

Lin Zijun swept Hook 4:0 to reach the final, while Qin Huachang ended his stream after his prediction left foreign bettors furious. Hou Xijia seized the influx of viewers by seeking tactical advice from He Jingping, then tried spoiler-style commentary on Wang Chao and Fan Xiaodong’s semifinal, but his first prediction was immediately wrong.

• Lin Zijun overwhelmed Hook as Hook lost confidence, and Lin Zijun won their semifinal 4:0 in twenty-three minutes.
• Qin Huachang ended his stream in embarrassment after learning that foreign viewers had bet heavily on Hook based on his prediction.
• Hou Xijia gained a surge of foreign viewers and called Wang Chao, reaching He Jingping and asking him for tactical insight.
• He Jingping and Sun Tianlong discussed possible opening exchanges between Wang Chao and Fan Xiaodong, and Hou Xijia recorded their analysis.
• Hou Xijia launched spoiler-style commentary and predicted Fan Xiaodong would serve long to Wang Chao’s backhand, but Fan Xiaodong served short backspin instead.

Fan Xiaodong followed Sun Tianlong’s advice to play by instinct against Wang Chao, then reviewed the first game and shifted toward attacking. Wang Chao won both games, while Hou Xijia’s confident predictions repeatedly proved wrong and left him despairing over his streaming career.

• Fan Xiaodong traded short balls with Wang Chao in the first game, and Wang Chao won the game 11:5.
• Fan Xiaodong reviewed the first game and concluded that he needed to attack because he could neither beat Wang Chao in the short game nor defend against him.
• Fan Xiaodong used sneak long serves and attacks in the second game, but Wang Chao scored consistently whenever he found an opening and won 11:3.
• Hou Xijia predicted that the second game would be close, then compared himself to Wukong and Fan Xiaodong to Rulai after Wang Chao’s decisive win.

Wang Chao swept Fan Xiaodong 4:0 and advanced undefeated to the final, where he would face Lin Zijun, while the chapter shifted to the Tang Dynasty Combination's mixed doubles final against Zhang Benkuang and Hayata Hannah. As Hayata Hannah prepared to receive Wang Chao's serve, Qin Huachang explained why the Sakura Country pair's surprising choice made tactical sense.

• Wang Chao defeated Fan Xiaodong 11:7 in the fourth game to complete another 4:0 sweep and reach the Men's Singles final against Lin Zijun.
• Sun Tianlong told Fan Xiaodong he would practice with him that afternoon after Fan admitted he was upset about losing, while Wang Chao and He Jingping laughed at their exchange.
• Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan entered the arena to face Zhang Benkuang and Hayata Hannah in the mixed doubles final, as Qin Huachang reopened his livestream.
• Zhang Benkuang and Hayata Hannah won the coin toss and chose for Hayata Hannah to receive Wang Chao's serve, surprising spectators.
• Qin Huachang explained that Hayata Hannah was the pair's primary attacker because her height and power complemented Zhang Benkuang's limited strength, making her serve reception a sensible choice.

Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan dominated the opening points against Zhang Benkuang and Hayata Hannah, with Tang Yuanyuan overpowering Hayata’s attacks. Hayata then used a piercing shout during her high-toss serves to disrupt Tang’s receiving, tying the score at 2–2.

• Wang Chao served repeatedly to Hayata Hannah’s forehand, and Tang Yuanyuan counter-looped her attacks to help the Tang Dynasty Combination take a 2–0 lead.
• Qin Huachang explained that Wang Chao had instructed Tang Yuanyuan to challenge Hayata’s power directly, while He Jingping and Sun Tianlong suspected Wang Chao was under pressure from Lin Zijun.
• Hayata Hannah resolved to prove herself and used a high-toss backspin serve accompanied by a sharp shout, disrupting Tang Yuanyuan’s judgment and forcing an error.
• Hayata Hannah repeated the tactic on her next serve, and Tang Yuanyuan’s mistimed return hit the net, bringing the score level at 2–2.

Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan overcame the Sakura Country pair’s disruptive shouting and won the mixed doubles final decisively. After the awards ceremony, the story turned to Wang Chao’s upcoming Men’s Singles final against Lin Zijun, who had declared that he wanted to win.

• Tang Yuanyuan’s focus faltered under Zhang Benkuang and Hayata Hannah’s shouting, so Wang Chao called a timeout and had her block her ears with tissue.
• Tang Yuanyuan and Wang Chao regained the lead and beat Zhang Benkuang and Hayata Hannah in four straight games.
• The chapter recounted how Qin Huachang was blamed by gamblers after his predictions about the result and match duration failed.
• Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan completed the awards ceremony, and Wang Chao rested before the Men’s Singles final.
• A pre-match interview showed Lin Zijun describing Wang Chao as a former goal and declaring that he wanted to win their final.

Lin Zijun publicly challenged Wang Chao, and their German Open final drew worldwide attention. Qin Huachang reasoned through Wang Chao’s last-minute switch to Sun Tianlong as coach, while Lin Zijun prepared to break the running joke about Wang Chao’s bad luck with coin tosses.

• Lin Zijun publicly challenged Wang Chao, drawing attention to their upcoming final as a clash between two eighteen-year-old super rookies.
• Wang Chao entered the arena with Sun Tianlong coaching him courtside instead of He Jingping, and Qin Huachang inferred that Wang Chao had requested the change for Sun Tianlong’s match experience.
• Qin Huachang reflected on his past factional scheming and felt ashamed, then questioned whether Lin Zijun truly posed enough of a threat to justify the coaching change.
• Qin Huachang cautiously called the match hard to predict, and overseas bettors adjusted the odds until the players were considered nearly evenly matched.
• Lin Zijun won the coin toss and the right to serve, but he worried the result meant he was destined to lose and resolved to break Wang Chao’s coin-toss jinx.

Lin Zijun and Wang Chao opened their final with daring short-ball attacks and spectacular counterplay, each winning a point on his own serve. After Qin Huachang judged that Wang Chao had been testing Lin Zijun, Lin Zijun abandoned his risky gambles and began the head-on contest with his Super Speed and Super Block.

• Lin Zijun opened with a short backspin serve, then scored with an explosive forehand flick against Wang Chao's short return.
• Lin Zijun tried a backhand banana flick on his next serve but hit the net, tying the score at 1:1.
• Wang Chao attempted explosive flicks on his service turns, missing once before Lin Zijun answered a successful one with a difficult sideslice.
• Wang Chao read Lin Zijun's sideslice and countered with a forehand power loop to make the score 2:2.
• Qin Huachang concluded that Wang Chao had been playing around and that Lin Zijun's early attacks did not reveal the full contest.
• Lin Zijun stopped gambling, sent a straightforward ball to Wang Chao's forehand baseline, and began their direct exchange as Wang Chao attacked with a power loop.

Lin Zijun and Wang Chao traded unconventional attacks and defenses as Lin Zijun tried to find a way through Wang Chao’s technique. Lin Zijun tied the score with a newly devised Super Speed offensive shot, and Wang Chao declined Sun Tianlong’s offer of advice.

• Wang Chao repeatedly attacked at reduced power while Lin Zijun blocked, and Lin Zijun realized that Wang Chao was letting him take the initiative.
• Lin Zijun began attacking, but Wang Chao copied his blocking style and then used a Niuwa Xiaoxi-style sideslice to win the point and lead 3:2.
• Lin Zijun countered Wang Chao’s next explosive rush with a close-table Unreasonable Shot, tying the score at 3:3.
• Qin Huachang identified Lin Zijun’s shot as an offensive application of Super Speed that Lin Zijun had just invented.
• Wang Chao understood Sun Tianlong’s offer to explain Lin Zijun’s tactics and shook his head, indicating he needed no timeout or advice.

Wang Chao disrupted Lin Zijun’s rhythm with deliberately varied attacks, forcing Lin Zijun into an error and taking a 4:3 lead. During Lin Zijun’s timeout, Sun Tianlong realized Wang Chao might have asked him to coach for reasons beyond needing tactical advice.

• Wang Chao varied the timing and force of his attacks until Lin Zijun’s attempted forehand loop went into the net, giving Wang Chao a 4:3 lead.
• Qin Huachang explained that Wang Chao had used rhythm to make Lin Zijun uncomfortable and compared the tactic to the method Wang Chao had taught Luo Jiu against Hook.
• Lin Zijun called a timeout to adjust after realizing his mentality and form had been disrupted.
• Sun Tianlong told Wang Chao he felt unnecessary, and Wang Chao reassured him that Lin Zijun might reveal new abilities later.
• Sun Tianlong suspected Wang Chao had another reason for asking him to coach, but stayed quiet so he would not affect Wang Chao during the match.

Wang Chao used precise, constantly changing rhythms to disrupt Lin Zijun and take a 5:3 lead. Sun Tianlong recognized Wang Chao’s approach as the same rhythm-based style that had once let him defeat the era’s strongest specialists, and realized Wang Chao did not need his coaching.

• Wang Chao varied his serves and short-game returns, then switched between loops, chops, and flicks until Lin Zijun struggled to find a reliable attack.
• Wang Chao disrupted Lin Zijun’s rhythm through an extended rally, and Lin Zijun eventually gave away the point with a long backhand flick, putting Wang Chao ahead 5:3.
• Lin Zijun delayed his serve to think through a response, while Qin Huachang predicted that understanding Wang Chao’s open strategy would only make Lin Zijun despair.
• Wang Chao kept probing Lin Zijun’s limits with changing pace, spin, placement, and attack patterns, driving Lin Zijun toward impatience and unforced errors.
• Sun Tianlong recognized Wang Chao’s rhythm-based tactics as a method he had used to overcome past champions and concluded Wang Chao could read the match as well as he could.
• Sun Tianlong wondered whether Wang Chao had invited him only to repay him for helping secure his place on the team.

Wang Chao won the German Open Men's Singles final 4:0, completing an unprecedented sweep of both his events and winning praise as an Olympic singles contender. Qin Huachang guessed Wang Chao had used the victory to undermine Lin Li's Olympic chances, but Wang denied scheming, leaving Qin to accept that Chinese table tennis might need Wang's cunning.

• Qin Huachang told his livestream that Sun Tianlong had given Wang Chao two chances to pursue an Olympic singles place, and that Wang had repaid him by giving him a coaching victory.
• Wang Chao's 4:0 victory over Lin Zijun completed the German Open, where Chinese players swept the titles and Wang won both Men's Singles and mixed doubles without dropping a game.
• Ye Hongye praised Wang Chao's unprecedented performance and declared he would not watch the Olympic Men's Singles event if Wang did not compete.
• Lin Zijun accepted the silver medal, recognizing that Wang Chao had neutralized both his defense and his newly developed offense.
• Qin Huachang concluded that Wang Chao had arranged the final to damage Lin Li's Olympic prospects, but Wang denied it and said He Jingping had asked Sun Tianlong to fill in because he was unwell.
• Qin Huachang ended the call in anger, then decided Wang Chao's cunning could benefit Chinese table tennis in the years ahead.

After Wang Chao’s German Open success, Chinese table tennis temporarily split him and Tang Yuanyuan to satisfy a politically driven request from the Beautiful Country, while Wang Chao also earned a place as a World Cup team-event substitute. The chapter ends with Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan traveling to Houston, where they were expected to pair with Beautiful Country players.

• Tang Yuanyuan gave a speech crediting Wang Chao’s instructions for their mixed-doubles success, prompting Wang Chao to suspect that the speech was compensation for her being overshadowed.
• Cai Guodong explained that a General Administration resolution required Chinese champions to cross-pair with Beautiful Country players, and said Lilith had specifically requested Wang Chao while Tang Yuanyuan would partner with Kazik.
• Wang Chao received a World Cup invitation after rising to ninth in the world rankings, and Sun Tianlong stepped aside so Wang Chao could join China’s five-player team roster as a substitute.
• Wang Chao boarded the plane to Houston on August 3, and Tang Yuanyuan traveled with the team because of the planned mixed-doubles pairings.

Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan agreed to deliberately underperform at the Brazil Open, but Wang Chao’s first day with his devoted fan and doubles partner Lilith left him torn about honoring the promise. After Tang Yuanyuan knocked Kazik down during training, Wang Chao reassured Cai Guodong that he and Lilith were working well and began considering whether he should help her reach the quarterfinals.

• On the flight to Houston, Tang Yuanyuan asked Wang Chao whether deliberately losing early would fulfill their mission, and they pinky-swore to slack off and get eliminated together.
• Lilith and Kazik met Wang Chao and Tang Yuanyuan at the airport; Lilith took Wang Chao away, revealing in private that she was his enthusiastic fan and had teamed up with him to meet him.
• Lilith spent the day taking Wang Chao to Chinatown restaurants, Miller Outdoor Theatre, and a movie before bringing him to the training hall that night.
• Tang Yuanyuan deliberately planted herself in Kazik’s path and knocked him over, prompting Cai Guodong to call Wang Chao about the incident.
• Wang Chao told Cai Guodong that he and Lilith were training smoothly, while Lilith assured Cai they would achieve a good result.
• Wang Chao worried that deliberately losing would harm Lilith, whose sincerity made him consider helping her reach the quarterfinals.

China swept Nigeria 3–0 in the World Cup team event, while Wang Chao noticed Lin Li’s fierce desire for revenge. During the break, Tang Yuanyuan confronted Wang Chao about practicing with Lilith, then left angrily after calling him a puppy, leaving him to reconsider how he handled their relationship.

• China’s men’s team was drawn against Nigeria and Austria, then opened the tournament by beating Nigeria 3–0 as Luo Jiu, Xiao Fei, and Lin Li each won 3–0.
• Wang Chao observed that Lin Li played with unusual ruthlessness, driven by his earlier loss to Wang Chao at the German Open.
• Tang Yuanyuan told Wang Chao she had deliberately refused to cooperate with Kazik because she wanted to remain partnered with Wang Chao.
• Wang Chao explained that he had practiced seriously with Lilith, but Tang Yuanyuan accused him of falling for her sugar-coated bullets and called him a puppy before walking away.
• Wang Chao realized Tang Yuanyuan was hurt and began to understand that he could not manage every part of life as neatly as a table tennis match.

After the team draw, Tang Yuanyuan asked China’s women’s players to defeat Lilith, and Ge Miao decided to question Wang Chao about his mixed-doubles plans. Meanwhile, Wang Chao told Lilith that they were a poor match as partners and began making a dubious technical case for ending their pairing.

• China’s men’s team drew Sakura Country in the quarterfinals, while Mizutori Hato regretted refusing Sakura Country’s call-up as he watched from Germany.
• Tang Yuanyuan asked Jin Ling, Liu Wen, and Zhu Lingling to beat Lilith, explaining that she resented Lilith for drawing Wang Chao’s attention.
• After learning what Tang Yuanyuan believed Wang Chao had said, Ge Miao resolved to find him with Cai Guodong and clear up the misunderstanding.
• Wang Chao told Lilith that they were not suited to play mixed doubles together and claimed their compatibility and chemistry could not be improved through practice.
• Lilith doubted Wang Chao’s explanation, while he calmly prepared to persuade her with questionable table-tennis theory.

Wang Chao tried to persuade Lilith that Tang Yuanyuan was his irreplaceable doubles partner, unaware that Tang Yuanyuan and Ge Miao overheard him. The World Cup continued with China defeating Sakura Country and Sweden advancing after K. Michel’s dominant wins, leaving Michel on China’s list of Olympic threats.

• Wang Chao praised Tang Yuanyuan’s strengths and their partnership to persuade Lilith, while Tang Yuanyuan and Ge Miao listened from the entrance.
• Lilith deliberately revealed Tang Yuanyuan and Ge Miao, then invited everyone to a late-night Sichuan meal without exposing Wang Chao’s plan.
• China defeated Sakura Country 3–0, with Bai Feng beating Zhang Benkuang 3–0, and Tang Yuanyuan defended Wang Chao when Bai Feng glared at him.
• Sweden and Kimchi Country reached a deciding match after Morad lost by default for tearing off his racket rubber during his match against Zhu Shixian.
• K. Michel beat Li Zhengzhi 11–0, prompting Cai Guodong to add Michel to the opponents China would closely monitor for the Olympics.

After the World Cup, the Chinese coaching staff reviewed their rivals and debated how to assess Sweden’s K. Michel and Morad without violating the unspoken rules surrounding Wang Chao’s Olympic singles bid. He Jingping proposed sending the strongest players to the next Open, then argued that the Olympic singles spot should go to whoever proved strongest in competition.

• China returned from the World Cup with gold, and the coaching staff reviewed Lin Li’s loss to Hook and Germany’s victories over Sweden.
• The coaches discussed how little they knew about K. Michel’s revamped play and Morad’s form after his suspension.
• He Jingping proposed sending the main players to the next Open so they could face Michel and Morad directly.
• The coaches hesitated because Wang Chao had earned special consideration by passing Cai Guodong’s demanding German Open test, leaving Lin Li and Bai Feng fewer chances to compete against him.
• Cai Guodong asked He Jingping what he was thinking, and He Jingping said the strongest player should earn the Olympic Games men’s singles spot.

Sun Tianlong supported giving Lin Li another chance to face Wang Chao, while the Chinese team sent its main lineup to the Brazil Open to test Wang Chao. Wang Chao received a favorable singles draw but was paired with Lilith against Xian Youwen and Che Songxin in mixed doubles.

• Sun Tianlong decided to support Lin Li after He Jingping proposed giving him another chance to prove himself.
• Cai Guodong announced that China would send its main lineup to the Brazil Open, where Wang Chao needed to win the title to pass the coaching staff’s test.
• Tang Yuanyuan met Lilith and Kazik in Brazil, then considered deliberately losing so she could go sightseeing.
• Wang Chao drew Xiao Fei as his main challenge in the singles bracket, while Bai Feng, Lin Li, and Fan Xiaodong landed in the other half.
• Wang Chao and Lilith drew Xian Youwen and Che Songxin in mixed doubles, while Tang Yuanyuan and Kazik drew a rookie pair from Luxembourg.

The Brazil Open advanced through the Men's Singles quarterfinals, where Wang Chao, Fan Xiaodong, Xiao Fei, and Lin Li reached the semifinals. Lin Li's victory over Bai Feng set up his challenge to Wang Chao, and the chapter ended as Wang Chao and Xiao Fei prepared to face each other.

• Wang Chao and Lilith lost their Mixed Doubles match to Xian Youwen and Che Songxin, while Tang Yuanyuan and Kazik advanced before losing to Ichikawa Mima and Niuwa Xiaoxi.
• Wang Chao shut out Zhang Benkuang 4:0 in the Men's Singles quarterfinals.
• Fan Xiaodong swept Pike 4:0, while Xiao Fei defeated Morad 4:2 and drew criticism from Cai Guodong for not winning more decisively.
• Lin Li defeated Bai Feng 13:11 in the deciding game after a nearly two-hour match, then publicly challenged Wang Chao.
• Wang Chao and Xiao Fei began the first Men's Singles semifinal the following morning.

Wang Chao faced Xiao Fei in the Brazil Open, expecting to control their match through his superior short game, but Xiao Fei repeatedly attacked first and took an early lead. The chapter revealed that Xiao Fei had secretly prepared to defeat Wang Chao, driven by a long-suppressed desire to prove himself, while Zhu Zeshi supported his effort.

• He Jingping urged Wang Chao to stay calm before the match, and Wang Chao unexpectedly won the coin toss against Xiao Fei.
• Wang Chao and Xiao Fei traded short returns until Xiao Fei launched a sharp flick and followed it with a Great Python Turn smash to win the first point.
• Xiao Fei attacked first again in the next rally, beat Wang Chao with a series of forehand attacks and a sudden backhand change of direction, and went up 2:0.
• Wang Chao realized Xiao Fei was repeatedly finding a way to attack first, while Zhu Zeshi watched his reaction with satisfaction.
• Qin Huachang explained that Xiao Fei had been studying Wang Chao with Zhu Zeshi's help and wanted to prove himself by defeating him, partly to protect Wang Chao from renewed Olympic selection pressure.

Xiao Fei exploited his unusual forehand flick to take the first three points, while Wang Chao adapted by targeting Xiao Fei’s backhand. Xiao Fei then answered from far behind the table with a devastating counter-loop, leaving Wang Chao down 4:0 as the match continued.

• Xiao Fei repeatedly attacked Wang Chao’s short returns with forehand flicks, using tiny placement differences and his flexible wrist to create openings.
• Xiao Fei followed his flicks with fast attacks and his Great Python Turn to win the point and take a 3:0 lead.
• Wang Chao recognized Xiao Fei’s pattern, placed his short returns toward Xiao Fei’s backhand, and opened the next rally with a fast backhand twist.
• Wang Chao kept pressing Xiao Fei’s backhand with powerful forehand loops, but Xiao Fei retreated and struck a powerful counter-loop from mid-to-long distance to win the point, making it 4:0.
• Ge Miao told Tang Yuanyuan that Wang Chao would have to withstand Xiao Fei’s once-famous Opening Three Axe Slashes.

Wang Chao called an early timeout after Xiao Fei’s opening attacks exposed how difficult his signature three axe slashes were to read and return. As Wang Chao studied the four points, Sun Tianlong explained that Xiao Fei could defeat unfamiliar opponents almost inevitably, leaving the match’s outcome uncertain.

• Xiao Fei used his Opening Three Axe Slashes to take the first four points against Wang Chao.
• Qin Huachang explained that Xiao Fei’s devastating strengths and serious weaknesses made him difficult to defeat, then questioned whether Wang Chao could break his attacks.
• Wang Chao called his only timeout, ate a banana, and replayed Xiao Fei’s attacks in his mind to find a way to counter them.
• Sun Tianlong told He Jingping that a normally performing Xiao Fei was guaranteed to win against any opponent the first time they met, including Sun himself.
• Sun Tianlong explained that repeated experience had let him adapt to Xiao Fei, while He Jingping worried that Wang Chao might lose and resent Zhu Zeshi’s decision to arrange the match.

Wang Chao struggled to handle Xiao Fei’s Great Python Turn, falling behind 6:0 in the Brazil Open semifinal. As Xiao Fei savored what he thought was a decisive lead, Wang Chao smiled back and left the outcome uncertain.

• After returning from his timeout, Wang Chao broke Xiao Fei’s short-game pattern and attacked, but Xiao Fei saved the point with a desperate defense, making the score 5:0.
• Cai Guodong concluded that Wang Chao could not overcome Xiao Fei’s distinctive attacking system and believed the match was already decided.
• Xiao Fei pushed Wang Chao deep to his forehand, then used Great Python Turn to force Wang Chao’s return off the table and extend his lead to 6:0.
• Xiao Fei smiled at Wang Chao and considered retiring after what he believed would be a perfect victory.
• Wang Chao smiled back, making Xiao Fei wonder whether he had truly won.