Wang Jiu racked his brains but couldn't make sense of it, his head full of questions.
Zhou Zheng, who had been standing beside him, saw that he still hadn't responded after some time. He stepped closer and whispered something in his ear.
Li Mo noticed that as Zhou Zheng spoke, Wang Jiu's narrow eyes suddenly lit up.
That made Li Mo's heart tighten. For no apparent reason, he felt uneasy, as if he'd been seen through.
Sure enough, Wang Jiu immediately added a new condition. "Then we'll do as you say, but the archery contest must take place on the same boat!"
"Agreed!" Li Mo fell silent for a moment, then consented.
Although Yu Bin didn't understand what Li Mo was trying to achieve, he caught Li Mo's look and called Hong Ming over.
"You want me to compete in archery?" Hong Ming asked, a little surprised as he arrived.
Yu Bin nodded lightly and was about to explain the reason, but Li Mo stopped him.
Li Mo didn't want to put too much pressure on Hong Ming. He patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry. Just shoot and hit the target like you do when you practice."
"Okay." Hong Ming agreed.
Just before they took the field, Li Mo reminded him, "When you shoot later, make sure you let Zhou Zheng shoot first!"
Li Mo didn't explain the reason, and Hong Ming didn't ask.
He walked to the bow of the boat and stood shoulder to shoulder with Zhou Zheng, swaying with the rocking vessel.
"Li Mo, fine, you let Hong Ming compete, but why did you set such generous conditions? Aren't you giving Wang Jiu and the others a chance to take advantage?"
Yu Bin came up beside Li Mo and couldn't help asking what was troubling him.
It wasn't just Wang Jiu who couldn't figure out what Li Mo was up to. They couldn't either.
"If we don't do this, we'll have even less of a chance!"
Li Mo gave a slight shake of his head, then asked, "What do you think of Hong Ming compared to Zhou Zheng?"
Without hesitation, Yu Bin replied, "That goes without saying. The latter is definitely stronger. I reckon even Shen Lin is no match for Zhou Zheng, let alone Hong Ming."
Zhou Zheng had entered the camp several months before the two of them and had long since honed his archery skills until he'd reached the beginner level.
Time had passed since then, and his skills were surely even better now. How could Shen Lin and Hong Ming compare to him?
Li Mo agreed with Yu Bin, then continued, "That's why we have to bring Zhou Zheng's skill down to Hong Ming's level."
"But even so, Zhou Zheng still has a better chance of winning, doesn't he?" Yu Bin asked, confused.
"He does, but Hong Ming has a good chance too. At the very least, he won't lose."
"He won't lose?" Yu Bin was taken aback.
Li Mo explained, "As long as Hong Ming doesn't lose, there'll be a chance to compete again, and then I can take the field without anyone questioning it!"
His voice was quiet, but his words struck Yu Bin like a blow to the head, and suddenly everything became clear.
At last, he understood the deeper meaning behind Li Mo's plan.
He finally understood why Li Mo had told Hong Ming to shoot second. It was to cut off every possible disadvantage for Hong Ming.
As long as Hong Ming kept his composure and drew level with Zhou Zheng, the scales of victory would tip in their favor.
"Brilliant!" Once he understood, Yu Bin couldn't stop praising the plan.
The two said no more, turning their attention to the contest. By then, both sides had taken their positions and were ready.
Hong Ming followed Li Mo's advice. He didn't shoot first, but waited quietly for Zhou Zheng.
Zhou Zheng seemed not to notice. His arrow shot forth like a bolt of silk, flying straight and true to the center of the target.
"Excellent!"
He'd claimed the first hit right out of the gate, and the Second Team instantly burst into applause and cheers.
Zhou Zheng's expression remained unchanged as he looked at Hong Ming.
Hong Ming said nothing. He took an arrow and drew his bow. Before he'd even released it, Li Mo and the others, not far away, were already tense.
Only when that streak of light landed precisely inside the circle did their anxious hearts settle a little.
A faint smile appeared on Li Mo's face.
Hong Ming's first arrow had hit the target, proving he had the skill he needed. That meant half of Li Mo's plan had succeeded.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
For the next three arrows, neither man missed. Every shot found its mark.
The mood among the two teams shifted in opposite directions.
After witnessing Hong Ming's skill, the Second Team members couldn't help looking grave.
The Third Team members, on the other hand, seemed to glimpse hope and grew expectant.
Zhou Zheng's face was calm as a still lake. His voice was firm. "You go first this time!"
At those words, Hong Ming didn't react, but Li Mo and Yu Bin behind him abruptly changed color.
Both their hearts leaped into their throats. They couldn't help feeling nervous, afraid Hong Ming would agree.
The worst-case scenario unfolded. Zhou Zheng made it clear that if Hong Ming didn't shoot first, he wouldn't shoot at all.
After a brief standoff, Hong Ming gave in.
"What's the kid trying to prove?" Yu Bin grumbled.
Li Mo said nothing, his expression growing ever more solemn.
Just then, Hong Ming's arrow slipped from the bowstring and flew.
As expected, something unexpected happened.
Zhou Zheng struck after Hong Ming, deliberately shooting toward the path of his arrow.
As soon as Hong Ming's arrow hit the target, Zhou Zheng's arrow arrived right on cue, knocking Hong Ming's arrow clean off and sending it tumbling away from the target.
At the sight, the Second Team erupted in cheers, while the people from the Third Team looked as if they'd just received news of a death in the family.
Wang Jiu glanced at Li Mo, a smile tugging at the corner of his eye. He didn't know what Li Mo had been planning, but Zhou Zheng had all manner of ways to counter him.
In the end, this archery contest would still conclude with the Second Team victorious.
Ignoring Wang Jiu's smugness, Li Mo sighed softly.
At this point, the plan had veered off course. Hong Ming's archery had already been inferior to Zhou Zheng's, and now he'd lost his advantage. It seemed there was no turning the tide.
In his mind, Li Mo regretfully pronounced Hong Ming doomed.
His gaze drifted away and settled on the vast river. At least that gave him some comfort.
It was still early. There was still a chance to catch another Treasure Fish.
But just then, he heard a faint gasp beside him, followed by a burst of exuberant applause.
What had happened?
Li Mo turned to look and quickly saw that Hong Ming had once again shot first.
But it seemed the tide had turned.
Hong Ming had shot Zhou Zheng's arrow off the pine tree!
"Again!"
At the sight, Zhou Zheng immediately drew his bow and pulled the string taut.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
From then on, the contest grew more and more intense.
They took turns, each changing tactics and repeatedly shooting the other's arrows down.
Hong Ming displayed an astonishing level of skill, hitting the mark nine times out of ten.
But the situation still didn't improve. After Zhou Zheng loosed his ninth arrow, only one arrow remained on the distant pine tree.
"For the final arrow, how about we shoot at the same time?"
Zhou Zheng looked at the lone remaining arrow and turned to Hong Ming with a smile, as though he could already see victory shining before him.
"Sure!"
Hong Ming agreed more readily than Zhou Zheng had expected.
Zhou Zheng was a little surprised, but he mostly assumed Hong Ming had given up struggling and accepted reality.
Thinking nothing of it, Zhou Zheng drew his bow to a full moon. When he saw Hong Ming do the same, he shouted, "Shoot!"
The moment his voice fell, the arrow burst forth with far greater force than before, slicing through the air with a shrill whistle.
This arrow had no name, but it was certain to hit the pine tree.
No matter how desperately Hong Ming struggled, it would do no good.
The outcome of the contest was already decided. He had won, and the Treasure Fish would soon be his!
Zhou Zheng beamed, his face alight with the joy of winning the prize.
But that joy was wiped away in an instant by Hong Ming's arrow.
Hong Ming's arrow was like a blade, unstoppable. As though it had known what was coming, it cut Zhou Zheng's arrow in half midflight.
Then, with its momentum undiminished, it struck the final arrow on the pine tree with perfect accuracy and knocked it away.
Taking its place, it embedded itself firmly in the pine like an iron nail, making the tree shake violently.
The impact sent the pine's yellowing leaves fluttering down.
The dry leaves drifted through the air, swirling everywhere. They seemed like heavy blows, crashing into everyone's hearts.
At last, the archery contest had reached its conclusion.
Hong Ming hit all ten shots, settling the matter with a single arrow!
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