50 Seconds

He watched quietly as Yun Lan easily gripped the edge of the pool and wiped the water droplets from his face. His breathing was not even significantly labored, forming a sharp contrast with the panting teammate who had just arrived beside him.

"What a... terrifying talent." Ryuji Kanzaki whispered to himself, his voice so soft that only he could hear it. His brain was rapidly processing the data he had just observed: entry angle, initial velocity, stroke efficiency, turn duration, estimated final time... Every single metric far exceeded his baseline assumptions about the physical fitness of Yun Lan, a student he had pegged as "calculating."

The commotion by the poolside did not subside with the end of the first heat; instead, it grew even more restless due to Yun Lan's astonishing performance. Students whispered to one another, their gazes constantly shifting toward Yun Lan as he wiped his hair with a towel, their shock and curiosity almost palpable.

The swimming instructor strode over from the timing station in just a few steps, his dark face a mix of incredulous excitement and the joy of having discovered a rare gem. He clutched a waterproof stopwatch in his hand, the numbers on the dial seemingly still dancing before his eyes.

"50 seconds?! 100-meter freestyle, manual timing!" The instructor's voice rose slightly in excitement. He shook the stopwatch and looked at the calm Yun Lan, as if to confirm the reality of the result once more. "And that's with my manual operation, which might have had a slight delay! This student... Yun Lan, right?"

The instructor looked Yun Lan up and down, noting his well-proportioned but not overly muscular physique. A sharp glint flickered in his eyes—the unique look of a veteran coach spotting an excellent prospect. "Your level is far beyond that of an average college student. Many high school athletes who have undergone systematic training might not even reach this time in short-distance bursts! Your entry, stroke rhythm, turn technique... it's practically textbook!"

He stepped closer, his tone becoming incredibly eager, the previous authority of a teacher replaced by a sentiment bordering on "thirst for talent": "Yun Lan, are you interested in joining our school's Swimming Club? No, I should say, you must join! With your talent and foundation, a little systematic training would give you the potential to achieve dazzling results in high school-level competitions! Our Swimming Club needs a core competitor like you!"

The teacher's invitation was direct and fervent, echoing by the poolside and causing many students who heard the result to gasp again. 50 seconds was an unreachable number for most students who treated swimming merely as a required course.

Facing the teacher's burning gaze and an invitation that was almost impossible to refuse, Yun Lan paused in his towel-drying. He wore an expression of perfectly measured regret, his tone sincere yet carrying a clear sense of detachment:

"Thank you very much for your recognition and invitation, sir." He first expressed his gratitude politely, then shifted the topic, tossing out the "shield" he had prepared long ago. "However, it is a pity that I have already applied for and been accepted into the Student Council. According to the regulations, Student Council members are apparently not allowed to participate in the activities of other clubs simultaneously."

Even if I were to compete, it would be for the China national team; what does that have to do with Japan? Yun Lan thought silently, so he prepared to shift the burden elsewhere.

Yun Lan tilted his head slightly, making a somewhat helpless expression as if he felt deeply sorry about this, and then lightly tossed the "problem" back:

"If you truly believe I can contribute to the Swimming Club, sir... perhaps you could try negotiating with our Student Council President, Manabu Horikita? If the President can make an exception, I would... certainly consider it seriously." He said he would "consider it seriously" without giving any definitive promise, leaving himself plenty of room to maneuver.

This move of "shifting the blame" was quite clever. It neither directly refused the teacher (avoiding the impression of being arrogant or uncooperative) nor pushed the decision onto Manabu Horikita, who was known for being strict and uncompromising. Everyone knew that getting that President to break Student Council rules for a freshman's athletic talent was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Upon hearing this, the excitement on the swimming instructor's face did indeed freeze for a moment, and his brows furrowed. "The Student Council? President Horikita?" He had clearly heard of the Student Council President's reputation and style. But as he looked at Yun Lan and then at the stopwatch in his hand, his desire to cherish talent ultimately won out. He gritted his teeth, as if he had made up his mind:

"I will try to negotiate with President Horikita!" His tone became firm again, even carrying a hint of fighting spirit to challenge authority. "For the future of the Swimming Club, and so as not to bury your talent, it is worth a try! Yun Lan, in the meantime, please be sure to maintain your condition, and... please be sure to consider my invitation seriously!"

He patted Yun Lan's shoulder heavily (his palm had quite a bit of force), his eyes solemn as if he were entrusting an important mission, before turning away. Muttering "50 seconds... must write it down quickly..." while shaking his head, he hurried toward the other students waiting for their races, though his mind was clearly already on how to deal with the Student Council.

Yun Lan watched the teacher leave, the regretful expression on his face slowly fading, returning to his usual calm. He knew, of course, that the teacher would likely hit a wall if he tried to negotiate, but this had at least dealt with the situation for now without offending anyone.

He felt a gaze with a strong sense of presence landing on his back. He didn't need to turn around to know it was Ryuji Kanzaki. Presumably, his performance just now and his conversation with the teacher had provided this colleague with quite a bit of confidence.

Yun Lan draped the towel over his shoulder and walked toward the rest area, preparing to watch the upcoming races. The swimming prowess he had seemingly revealed unintentionally was like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake; the ripples it stirred were spreading, not only attracting the teacher's attention but inevitably causing those watching him from the shadows to re-evaluate him.

And this, perhaps, was one of the effects he wanted—to appropriately display some "hard power," which could save a lot of trouble when necessary and make certain people more... wary, or respectful.

The first place in the boys' group was taken by Yun Lan without any suspense, and he received his 5,000 private points as expected. Although he wasn't exactly short on points right now, who would complain about having more?

And I remember there was a special exam in the original story that forced the expulsion of a student. If you can't do it, it seems you lose a massive amount of class points. Honami would definitely never give up on anyone. It's foolish and naive, but I just want to protect that naivety.

Yun Lan shook his head and stopped thinking about things so far in the future.