Although he couldn’t compete anymore, Zhou Xiaotiao still stayed beside the dical area near Li Younan and watched the rest of the competition.
Park Jae-hyun had two gold dals hanging around his neck, standing on the podium, glittering in the sunlight, blinding everyone.
The host shoved the microphone to his mouth, and he uttered so pleasantries. The crowd below went wild with the music, clapping and screaming, like flat beer from the night before, with only a sour aftertaste remaining.
Having soone steal the spotlight at their doorstep left everyone with a thorn in their hearts.
The host was quite adept, his eyes darting around as he shouted to the crowd, "Friends! It’s a carnival, and participation is key! Park Jae-hyun has said he’ll teach soone here to experience parkour! Just so simple moves to feel the thrill! Who wants to try?"
The crowd buzzed, so people pushed forward, others jeered, but no one dared to step up.
The iron fras, the big boxes, they looked intimidating.
Park Jae-hyun shone blindingly.
Li Younan was just mulling over whether the sand would feel softer after the tide receded. Next to him, a guy holding a gimbal cara said regretfully, "Sigh, it feels bad that the one on the podium isn’t from our country..."
Li Younan heard it, fell silent for a mont, then raised his hand.
The host looked like he found treasure: "Great! This brave friend! Please co on stage!"
Jing Chaoyi was stunned for a mont, "Senior?"
Zhou Xiaotiao also furrowed his brows.
This guy... going up there to be the center of attention?
Li Younan pushed through the crowd, suddenly turned back, and said to the guy with the gimbal, "Hey buddy, can you take so footage for to send later?"
The guy was montarily stunned, then nodded subconsciously.
With confirmation, Li Younan slowly walked onto the stage.
Li Younan stood on stage, about a ter away from Park Jae-hyun.
Park Jae-hyun glanced at Li Younan, then put on his professional fake smile.
"Welco, friend! What’s your na?" the host thrust the microphone over.
"Li Younan." Li Younan replied, and the microphone buzzed loudly, almost deafening.
"Great, Younan! Don’t be nervous, let the champion teach you a few simple moves!"
The host turned to Park Jae-hyun, "Park, let’s see if this friend has so talent?"
Park Jae-hyun smiled perfectly, pointing to a short wooden box next to him, "Start with the basics, land and cushion, watch ."
He hopped up and then smoothly jumped down with textbook-perfect bent knees.
"Keep your center of gravity low, use your muscles to absorb the impact. Give it a try?"
Li Younan nodded, walked to the box. Instead of jumping, he just tapped his left toe lightly on the edge and went up as if stepping onto a step.
Standing there, he didn’t bother to bend his knees, just thinking the sand was quite soft, it would be like landing on cotton. As his foot touched the ground, the sand sunk slightly without a sound.
Park Jae-hyun’s fake smile faltered, his mouth twitching like sand got stuck.
Li Younan smiled slightly, seems like his observation skills were spot on.
The host couldn’t perceive anything: "Not bad, pretty steady! Park, how about sothing challenging?"
Park Jae-hyun looked more serious, pointing to a nearby slanted graffiti-covered iron board about a person’s height: "Try running up the slanted wall. Run, push off the wall, grab the edge, steady yourself."
He demonstrated himself, with smooth movents, firmly supported on the wall top.
Li Younan looked at the iron board, the paint was peeling under the sun.
Running up? Too troubleso.
Li Younan directly walked to the base of the wall, less than half a ter away. Without much thought, the angle seed perfect for leverage.
With a twist of his foot, his body shot up, his right foot almost vertically brushing against the wall for a split second like a blink of an eye, his left hand lightly touched the wall top edge like holding a railing, and he was already squatting on top.
Quick?
Li Younan himself didn’t feel it was quick, just smooth, like being blown up by the wind.
"Wow—damn!!"
Zhou Xiaotiao suddenly sat up straight, his eyes almost popping out... but it pulled on his injury, causing him to gasp in pain.
Jing Chaoyi was dumbfounded...
No way... when did Senior learn these things?
He rembers Senior being able to play basketball...
Then... it makes sense!
After all, basketball is a sport, and parkour is also a sport.
"Aweso!!"
The crowd below erupted! The noise was ten tis louder than when Park Jae-hyun won the championship! Whistles, shouts, were louder than the sound system.
Park Jae-hyun’s smile vanished completely, replaced by a hard expression. The gold dals on his neck jingled like two bronze bells, unable to subdue the boiling excitent below the stage.
The host’s mouth was open wide enough to see his molars, and he nearly dropped the microphone: "Li Younan! Friend! You’re definitely not just a regular spectator! Why didn’t you sign up for the competition?! With skills like yours...
The host almost shoved the microphone into Li Younan’s face, his spit mingling with the sea breeze: "Friend! Show us sothing! Just a little sothing! Let everyone see! I’m begging you!"
The crowd below joined in the frenzy, chanting: "Do one! Do one! Do one!" The sound waves hit like a tsunami, making ears buzz.
Park Jae-hyun stood to the side, the gold dals heavy around his neck, his face a bit pale.
Li Younan glanced at the fellow with the cara gimbal below, confirming he was recording.
"Alright then."
Li Younan’s voice wasn’t loud, but amplified by the microphone, the crowd fell silent instantly, even the music paused for a beat, leaving only the wind blowing.
Li Younan walked to the starting point of the track, ignoring the pile of iron scaffolds and containers, as well as Park Jae-hyun beside him, focusing only on the warm sand beneath his feet. There was no route map in his mind, just a sense that these things were like a child’s building blocks, easily stepped over.
He moved.
No sprinting, no buildup, just a lift of the foot and he was gliding away, fast as a shadow skimming over the sand.
The first short wall wasn’t so much jumped as "flowed" over—the tip of his foot touched the wall’s edge, and his body slid down against the wall like rcury, landing as lightly as a feather touching the ground.
The audience was dead silent, not even breathing.
Next ca the stack of containers.
This was where Zhou Xiaotiao turned himself into a ss, trying out a move here.
Li Younan reached the side of the container, right at the spot where Zhou Xiaotiao had strained his ankle through exertion. Without stopping, he placed his right foot casually against the rough iron surface—not with a forceful push, but with a clever leverage, like stepping on a springboard.
His body shot up instantly, flipping backward! Fast! Much faster than Zhou Xiaotiao, and much more agile! The wind in his ears was a brief whistle, the world spinning, but the axis was steady as if welded to the spine.
One spin! Two spins! Three spins! His body extended smoothly without a hint of lag, his hands positioned precisely, as if casually placed, gripping the edge of the container’s top.
The entire move was fluid, without a struggle, without a shred of effort, even carrying a leisurely air of an afternoon stroll.
Hanging there, his body was steady as a rock, without a single shake.
Zhou Xiaotiao was petrified.
"Whoa——!!!"
Below, it wasn’t just an exclamation, but an explosion! A tsunami! A hysterical outpouring! The afternoon’s pent-up frustration and dreariness were ignited and blown into a sky full of fireworks by this seemingly effortless, almost miraculous maneuver!
People jumped up, so frantically slapped the person beside them, others yelled at the top of their voices.
Li Younan, hanging there, looked down at Park Jae-hyun, who was gazing upwards with his mouth slightly open, the champion’s pride and poise shattered to pieces.
The gold dals on his neck still reflected the light of the setting sun, but that glow seed hollow and dim.
Instinctively, he raised a hand, pinching the edge of one of the dals, his knuckles turning a bit white.
It wasn’t over yet.
Li Younan let go, his body naturally descending, still landing quietly and effortlessly, like a leaf blown down by the wind.
The instant he touched down, his toe pointed on the sand, and his body shot out like an arrow released from a bow, heading toward the three-ter-high, graffiti-covered finish wall!
The distance closed quickly! A wall kick! Not a standard, forceful push like Park Jae-hyun’s, but more like his foot swiftly "scraped" the wall surface for leverage! The body soared, the height astonishing! His posture in mid-air was relaxed, carrying a lazy elegance, as if taking a leisurely walk in the air.
At the peak, his body drew a perfect arc, his hands securely, magnetically locking onto the wall’s top edge. Hanging there, the golden glow outlined his silhouette, the sea breeze lifting the hem of his old T-shirt, fluttering loudly.
Ti seed to freeze for a second.
Then ca the utter, uncontrolled, mountain-moving madness! The entire Guanyin Mountain beach turned into a lit fuse of a powder keg! Screams, whistles, applause, stomping, inflatable sticks beating wildly... all sounds mixed into a destructive sound wave, surging straight to the sky!
Park Jae-hyun stood there, as if nailed in place by this massive sound wave, his gaze complex as he looked at the casual silhouette atop the wall, the gold dal in his hand seemingly growing unbearably heavy.
Li Younan hung at the top of the wall, listening to the boiling sea of noise below.
So noisy.
But, the sand warm from the sunset, the salty sea breeze on his face, felt quite comfortable.
Li Younan released his grip, his body descending freely, as he neared the crash mat, his core tightened montarily, tucking, rolling, dissipating the force, rising again, his movents as seamless as breathing, raising barely any dust, patting nonexistent dirt from his shorts, and turning to walk toward the edge of the stage.
The host rushed over like a madman to block Li Younan, his voice hoarse and trembling: "Great master! Wait! Wait! Why aren’t you competing?! Why?! With skills like yours..."
The microphone was once again in his face, along with the host’s hot breath.
Li Younan turned his head slightly to avoid the spittle.
He glanced at the host, nearly fainting with excitent, then scanned Park Jae-hyun, standing stiff as a statue, his gaze lastly sweeping over the audience, looking out to the vast, sunset-gilded sea in the distance.
"I’m just a traveling strear, not keen on competing. If you all like , you can search for my page on Douyin and follow , hmm... searching for Li Younan should work."
The voice wasn’t loud, yet seed magically to make the feverish crowd pause for half a second in silence.
"Huh?" The crowd looked at each other in confusion.
Having said that, Li Younan gently pushed the microphone away. The host froze in place as if under a spell.
Li Younan took a few steps to the edge of the stage, not high, and easily jumped down, never looking back, his figure blending into the retreating tide, quickly vanishing beyond the vibrant, flickering lights of the festival and the still boiling crowd.
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