Chapter 56: Su, what do you think if I train for the 100-meter dash? (A sudden bonus chapter~)

"Su, how about we run a 200-meter dash?"

After taking a short rest, Bolt suggested.

"Oh, well, um, I suddenly feel a slight discomfort in my calf. Why don't you run with my fellow training partner, Zhou Bing? He is much better at the 200 meters than I am." Su Shen wasn't completely lying; Zhou Bing was indeed currently faster than him in the 200 meters. But most importantly...

Having finally managed to pull off a successful prank on Bolt, Su Shen had no intention of letting himself get "beaten to a pulp" in return so soon.

There would be plenty of future beatings in store anyway.

Missing one wouldn't hurt.

Besides, the gap in the 200 meters between him and Bolt was simply too vast to even bother comparing.

It would be absolute domination by Bolt's sheer power.

Stepping up there would just be a pure invitation to get thrashed.

Su Shen wasn't wearing his defensive gear today, so he decided not to crowd in for the excitement.

That momentous, history-making opportunity of being the first Asian to be "severely beaten" by Bolt was better left to Zhou Bing.

Moreover, Zhou Bing desperately needed a match against Bolt to recognize the gap between them and push himself to train harder. Given the domestic athletic environment, Zhou Bing had grown slightly complacent recently and needed a good jolt of stimulation.

Ordinary people lacked such crystal-clear goals, so the driving force required to spur them on was far greater than what Su Shen needed.

Zhou Bing actually possessed decent talent; with proper training, it wasn't entirely impossible for him to make the national team in the future.

That being the case, Su Shen reluctantly decided to part with this "whhipping" opportunity and pass it along.

...

Seeing that Su Shen had defeated the foreign friend, Zhou Bing wore an eager expression, itching for a go himself.

Hearing Su Shen suggest that he take his place, Zhou Bing agreed without a second thought, accepting the offer immediately.

He even shot a knowing look at Su Shen, as if saying—

*Just watch my performance, bro.*

Little did Zhou Bing know that this was a veritable meteorite crater.

With Bolt currently specializing in the 200 meters, there was absolutely no way Zhou Bing could win.

The "Lightning's" current 200-meter time hovered around the 20-second mark.

He had already broken the 20-second barrier back in 2004.

However, due to injuries, he had only recently recovered his health, and his competitive form had yet to return to its peak.

Estimating roughly, his time should be right around 20 seconds flat.

To consistently break 20 seconds, Bolt wouldn't achieve it until the Lausanne Super Grand Prix next year.

In truth, injuries had stolen much of his time.

If Bolt hadn't suffered injuries during this period, consistently breaking 20 seconds would have happened much sooner, and he wouldn't have had to wait so long.

Yet, if it weren't for these injuries, he probably wouldn't have crossed paths with Coach Glen Mills, nor would he have deeply considered how long he needed to train.

He wouldn't have learned to value his own body so much.

Everything is predestined in the dark.

Whether it was a blessing or a curse was hard to say.

Be that as it may, seeing how excited Zhou Bing was to make a brilliant "international debut," Su Shen held back his laughter for a long time before finally speaking with a serious expression, "Alright, go for it, Ah Bing, I'm counting on you."

After exchanging a high-five with Su Shen, Zhou Bing stepped onto the track and told Bolt to pick his lane, showing that he wouldn't bully his opponent.

Bolt shrugged and said it didn't matter to him, any lane was fine.

This made Zhou Bing think—*Hah, this little bro from abroad sure talks big.*

*Then I won't stand on ceremony.*

*If I don't crush you a bit, you won't know how formidable Grandpa Zhou really is.*

Zhou Bing chose lane four, the one where he found it easiest to produce good results, while Bolt chose lane three, starting right behind him.

"On your marks."

"Set."

"Go!"

Both athletes burst forward swiftly. At first, Zhou Bing wondered if being too fierce and pulling off a double-kill by crushing his opponent in both the 100 and 200 meters alongside Su Shen might be a bit too bullying.

However, he very quickly realized something was terribly wrong.

Since his starting lane was positioned further ahead, he should have maintained a lead for a stretch.

Instead...

Only a few steps into the race, he already felt a massive gust of wind roaring up from behind.

Zhou Bing was slightly stunned before watching a figure dart right past him.

Initially, Zhou Bing tried to give chase, but once they entered the curve... the gap not only failed to shrink, but grew wider and wider.

Usain Bolt had begun his full acceleration.

Faster and faster, faster and faster, faster and faster.

Zhou Bing was also a back-half runner, right? But there are levels to being a back-half runner.

The feeling Bolt gave him was that...

Compared to Bolt, even his older brother Zhou Tao's pace was... absolute trash.

Exiting the curve, Bolt had already accumulated a massive advantage. Zhou Bing originally intended to make a push during the final straightaway.

Little did he expect that this section was merely the beginning of the other person's show.

Zhou Bing could currently run around 22.33 seconds, a huge improvement compared to a few months ago.

His goal for this year was to reach the national first-class athlete standard in the 200 meters as well.

Yet, compared to this guy's speed—

Honestly speaking.

It felt entirely like the tortoise and the hare.

And this was a hare that refused to take a nap.

It was only because Bolt was still recovering his competitive form; otherwise, breaking 20 seconds would be an absolute breeze for him.

Yes.

Breaking the 20-second barrier, something the domestic track and field scene had long anticipated, wasn't even something the guy needed to think twice about.

Bolt was, after all, the first super 200-meter prodigy in human history to shatter the 20-second barrier while still in the youth athlete category.

Especially his homestretch finish—it was the very definition of invincibility. His 100-meter performance actually couldn't even unleash the full terrifying power of his back half.

Only the 200 meters was his absolute domain.

As the first monster in human history to break 20 seconds as a minor, Zhou Bing—no, forget Zhou Bing, unless you brought out a peak Xie Zhenye, absolutely no one else could defeat Bolt at this moment.

And this was still talking about the underage "Lightning."

Once he reached adulthood, even if everyone rushed him at the same time, they would merely be racing against his clock.

At this point, you should understand why Su Shen couldn't be bothered to run.

Because it was entirely meaningless.

You couldn't even survive the first half of the race, leaving you to eat dust and stare at his heels the entire way back.

Watching Bolt's back recede further and further away, Zhou Bing began to doubt his worldview. Could this... really be a 19-year-old?

Isn't this just a bit too exaggerated?

*Whoosh————*

Bolt easily crossed the finish line. By hand-timing, breaking 20 seconds was unquestionable: 19.88 seconds.

And this was even with him clearly pulling off a "classic Bolt ease-up" at the very end.

Otherwise, he would have been even faster.

When Zhou Bing finished, his hand-timed result was 22.10 seconds.

He had performed quite well; with good electronic timing conditions, he probably could have dipped under his personal best of 22.33 seconds.

Yet this gap of over two seconds... represented a dimensional difference.

When Zhou Bing walked over and saw the time, his jaw nearly hit the ground.

19.88?!

Just like that...

An ordinary 19-year-old foreign kid casually ran a time that countless domestic 200-meter masters spent their entire lives trying to break?

20 seconds? He shattered it just like that, effortlessly?

Even if it was hand-timed, isn't that a bit too outrageous?

Zhou Bing began to doubt reality.

Clearly, Su Shen had won relatively easily just moments ago; why did everything change the second it was his turn?

Were these two conspiring to trick him?

"Su, your friend still has a gap compared to you; he needs to practice more." Bolt still assumed Su Shen's 200-meter prowess was just as exceptional as his 100 meters. If Zhou Bing could understand English, he would have desperately wanted to retort—

*His 200 meters is even worse than mine!*

Unfortunately, Zhou Bing didn't understand English and could only stare blankly.

"He certainly needs more practice." Su Shen chuckled inwardly. After chatting for a few more moments, Bolt and his group prepared to leave.

He had to head over to his junior training partners' side.

Su Shen nodded, shook his hand, and exchanged contact information, expressing that they would stay in touch.

As Bolt was leaving, he suddenly seemed to remember something, turned back to find Su Shen, and asked straight out:

"Su, what do you think if I also run the 100 meters?"

Su Shen: ???

Bolt's words left Su Shen momentarily frozen.

Seeing that Su Shen didn't answer immediately, Bolt scratched his head, "Anyway, I have a feeling we'll cross paths again in the future. Hopefully, next time we can run the 200 meters together."

Su Shen nodded, but in his heart, he certainly didn't want this guy starting 100-meter training this early.

Who knows, if he did, 2007 might just turn into the Year of Bolt.

There wouldn't even be any need to wait for 2008.

At least give me some time to catch up!

Don't enter the arena in such a rush.

The rest of us possess mere "mortal talent"; we can't take ten steps at once.

As for "mortals"...

Compared to Bolt, every other sprinting master in the world could rightfully call themselves a mortal without a shred of doubt.

Later generations often spoke of the Five Tigers of sprinting, but in truth, Bolt existed as a transcendent entity among them.

He simply wasn't in the same tax bracket as everyone else.

...

Regardless, the tiny wings of this little butterfly had fluttered right here, just a gentle flap.

Who could predict what the future romance of track and field would look like?

Anyway, Su Shen planned to head back and watch a video of himself "bullying" young Bolt to calm his nerves.

And wake his mind up.