Chen Jue had no idea what was going on with him.
He'd been pretty nervous while warming up just moments ago, yet somehow, his first three darts had gone unbelievably well!
Wei Jinsheng, his opponent, was dumbfounded. Even Liu Songfu, who was acting as the referee, was stunned.
What the hell!
He'd planned to show off in front of the girls and get a little attention.
Instead, he'd run into someone who might be a pro. Wasn't that just handing over his face for a beating?
Even the club members watching had stirred with excitement when they saw the score of 125, and cries of surprise rang out.
Could I be a tournament player? A natural show-off?
Do I get better the more people are around?
That doesn't make sense! I'm supposed to be socially anxious! Chen Jue glanced up at the scoreboard, then walked over and pulled out his darts, his face full of suspicion.
Tournament players were the kind who performed better when there were more people around and the atmosphere was more charged.
During practice, these players could often manage only a six or seven out of ten. But at a major competition, they were like they'd swallowed gunpowder and gotten a shot of adrenaline, suddenly bursting into top form and dazzling the crowd with a twelve or thirteen out of ten performance.
"Brother Jue! You were amazing!"
"That was so impressive!"
Seeing the score, Lin Ling and Hu Feifei, the two pretty girls, excitedly applauded from the side.
International darts matches moved quickly, especially one-on-one competitions. A match usually took only a few minutes.
After Chen Jue's near-perfect opening three darts had thrown Wei Jinsheng off, his mentality collapsed in an instant.
He knew he'd run into a real expert!
His performance in the next two rounds was mediocre, his shaken nerves costing him dearly. He managed only 210 points after nine darts, a complete flop.
Chen Jue, meanwhile, watched his proficiency soar and got more fired up with every throw. His touch was on fire, and he ultimately scored a whopping 300 points.
The second game went much the same way. He won by a huge margin, 295 to 230.
The rules were best of three, and Chen Jue had won the first two games, bringing the competition to an immediate end.
But what surprised him most was that as soon as the result was decided, the Attribute Panel displayed another prompt:
[ Ding~ ]
[You completed a qualifying skill match and emerged victorious. You have gained some special insights into the sport of darts.]
[Darts proficiency +100]
[ Ding~ ]
[You took part in an informal, in-person competition. You felt the audience's enthusiasm and experienced the appeal of athletic competition. Your mental state, willpower, and concentration received a thorough workout.]
[Spirit attribute +0.01]
A cool, refreshing sensation shot through his head. The competition had taken a great deal of energy.
After staring at the target for so long, Chen Jue's eyes had started to ache, and his temples were throbbing.
But as soon as his Spirit attribute increased, the ache vanished.
"Competing against someone actually has benefits like this?" Chen Jue was stunned.
He suddenly thought of the esports livestreams he enjoyed watching. In addition to intense daily team training, those players regularly took part in competitions of all sizes to maintain their competitive edge and sense of timing.
The more matches they played, the better their skills became.
If they let their practice slide, their skills would quickly deteriorate.
The same principle applied to steel-tip darts. Practicing and competing with others could speed up proficiency gains.
But as soon as Chen Jue's match ended, the club members watching began cheering.
The girl at the front desk had already brewed dozens of cups of coffee. She called over a few staff members, and together they brought the drinks to the competition area on a serving cart.
"Thanks for the coffee, Wei!"
"Come on, Liu, hurry up! We're all waiting for you to treat us to cake!"
Hearing those teasing remarks, Wei Jinsheng's face twitched as he scanned the payment code.
Getting thoroughly trounced was bad enough, but now he was being mocked on top of it. It felt like taking a dart to the chest.
That one really hit home!
When the girl at the front desk told Liu Songfu that the cake was already on its way, he snorted. "We don't know who's going to win yet!"
Then he took off his coat, stepped up to the throwing line, and began warming up with a few practice throws.
But athletic competitions weren't won by talking tough.
The rules were still best of three, and Chen Jue's touch was just as hot. One of his three darts always hit the bullseye. He won the two games with scores of 285 to 255 and 305 to 260, easily taking the match once again.
After the match, the girl at the front desk cheerfully brought the payment code over to Liu Songfu and thanked him several times. "Thank you, General Manager Liu!"
Since he was treating everyone, the staff were included too. Those on shift each got a free cup of coffee and a delicate little cake.
"No need to thank me. It's just a little money."
"As long as everyone's happy."
"We're all in the same club. Friendship first, competition second!" Liu Songfu chuckled, putting on a generous front and completely abandoning his earlier refusal to admit defeat.
Everyone had a competitive streak. Though Liu Songfu and Wei Jinsheng were polite to each other on the surface, they were both cursing inwardly.
Spending eight or nine hundred yuan on a treat wasn't a big deal to either of them.
The worst part was losing to a new club member in front of everyone and taking a hit to their pride.
And they'd lost in front of the girls they'd both had their eyes on. No matter how they looked at it, it left them feeling bitter.
After exchanging a few complimentary remarks with Liu Songfu and Wei Jinsheng, Chen Jue accepted the coffee and cake from the girl at the front desk and slowly enjoyed them.
While he ate, he began to reflect on the competition.
It had been his first time competing against someone at darts. His opponent wasn't a professional, but the match had still given him a firsthand understanding of the sport.
During the competition, Chen Jue had found that his concentration was sharper than usual, and his movements were more precise.
As a result, his Darts proficiency had shot up.
On top of that, once the match ended and the tension drained away, it felt as though he'd been elevated to another level!
The rush of pressure releasing and emotions spilling out was incredibly intoxicating.
And winning seemed to prove that all the effort he'd put into practicing darts hadn't been wasted!
That sense of accomplishment, of getting something back for what he'd put in, was something Chen Jue had never experienced in all his years of working hard with his head down in the workplace.
Maybe this is the appeal of athletic competition! Chen Jue thought.
When he checked the Attribute Panel again, his Darts proficiency had reached Lv3 (1826/2000).
He was so close to leveling up!
There was still time in the afternoon, so he had to hurry and get some more Darts practice in.
What surprised Chen Jue, though, was that after the two matches, Lin Ling's best friend, Hu Feifei, had completely changed her previously indifferent attitude toward him.
When she came over to congratulate him on winning, she even added him on WeChat and invited him to the training area to coach them.
For a moment, Chen Jue had once again become public enemy number one among the club's lecherous male members.
But this time, he wasn't wearing cloth armor and drawing aggro with a taunt!
After those two crushing victories, Chen Jue was now clad in heavy black-iron armor with +999 defense. He could practically swagger through the club.
For a low-key flirt like him, that little display of skill had been a phenomenal success!
Amid a crowd of envious gazes, Chen Jue began helping Lin Ling and Hu Feifei practice.
One dart from him, one from her—they took turns, happily throwing at the same target.
During practice, Chen Jue would occasionally step in to correct their throwing posture and adjust their technique.
For the two girls, both of whom had trained as fitness coaches, a little physical contact like that was perfectly normal.
But the affectionate gestures made the other members practicing nearby green with envy.
Damn it! Why did other people get to practice with girls?
And why did he get two at once?
Was this what it was like to be an expert?
If looks could throw darts, Chen Jue would've been a ruined target by now.
Fortunately, after around half an hour of practice, Chen Jue finally maxed out his Darts proficiency. His last throw had hit the bullseye of the electronic dartboard.
At that moment, the Attribute Panel displayed another prompt:
[ Ding~ ]
[Proficiency has reached 100%. Skill level increased.]
[Darts Lv3 (2000/2000) → Darts Lv4 (1/5000)]
[Thanks to your unremitting efforts, your steel-tip darts ability has reached professional level. There are no longer any technical secrets in the sport of steel-tip darts for you.]
[Suggestion: You should make some changes. Try different types of darts techniques, or make things more difficult for yourself and challenge the limits of your abilities!]
[Restriction: Normal practice in traditional steel-tip darts can no longer increase your proficiency.]
Second update~
My ideas weren't flowing too well tonight, so I wasn't very productive. I really need to start early, while my mind's clearer during the day.
I'm not going to the gym tomorrow. I'm planning to post more chapters instead. (Heart)
Please keep the votes coming~
Before you continue