I Really Am Just a Substitute – CH32

Chapter 32

“BANG!!!”

Yu Bai’s serve had been so fast and so close to the backline that even the first referee wasn’t sure if it landed in. Thankfully, the international court had electronic line technology to determine in/out with precision. After review, the referee signaled — the ball had landed in.

2:0

Yu Bai scored directly off the serve.

Tong Rong, who had studied countless men’s volleyball matches to prepare for her commentary, knew this much:

Yu Bai’s serve wasn’t the fastest, the heaviest, or the trickiest curveball she’d seen—

But when it came to sheer momentum, his serve was unmatched. All the doubt in the chat was obliterated in an instant, and though Tong Rong said nothing, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride.

With a hint of unintentional excitement in her tone, she announced, “Yu Bai, the young outside hitter of the China team, just delivered an ACE! I wonder if everyone still remembers the Asian Championship two months ago — Yu Bai’s debut and the match that crowned him the rising star of men’s volleyball!”

Zhang Kang added in admiration, “Even faster than the serves in our generation. These kids now have unbelievable physical power.”

The commentary reignited the stunned audience, and the chat came alive again:

[Who fired that shot? I’m asking who fired that shot!? /covering ears/]
[Now I understand why the other guy’s jump serves didn’t even make the highlight list… that was just weak in comparison!]
[Have humans outside already evolved this far? /aba aba/]
[Damn, these “punks” are vicious. One hit like that could send me to the hospital…]
[What punks? Show some respect. Call him “brother”! He’s a professional athlete! /threat/]
[What just happened? I didn’t even see the ball, and the point was already over? /confused/]
[Don’t worry, newbies. It’s normal not to see the ball in men’s volleyball — even referees rely on replays.]
[Where are the trash-talkers from earlier? Come out and speak up. /death smile/]
[“Even I could play better than these punks.”]
[I… might’ve joined in the ridicule earlier. Forgive me, Brother Yu Bai — I was young and ignorant! /running away/]

“Woo~ Yu Bai, you’re killing it!”

From the China bench, Nie Feiang shouted in a deliberately shrill voice, twisting his body in exaggerated cheer. Yu Bai, walking back to the service line, almost fumbled the ball when he heard that. He turned his head and shot Nie Feiang a sharp glare.

“Hiss…”

Nie Feiang instantly quieted down, pouting as he whispered his grievance to Ning Zhou, “Zhou Zhou, he glared at me again!”

Ning Zhou patted his arm in casual comfort, “Just… talk like a normal person. Your high-pitched squealing is unbearable. Honestly, even I want to cover your mouth.”

Beside them, Xu Zichang burst out laughing. After the laughter faded, his eyes turned wistful as he looked at Yu Bai, “Man, must be nice… to already be shining so brightly on such a big stage.”

Nie Feiang huffed, “It’s not just Yu Bai. Did you see Ning Yang’s perfect pass earlier? The coaches were all praising him.”

From a quiet corner, Song Hanrun murmured softly, “Must be nice…”

Among the starting lineup were:
Setter: Shao Qiu
Outside Hitters: Du Jun (captain), Yu Bai
Middle Blockers: Chen Wenyao, another veteran
Opposite: veteran player
Libero: Ning Yang

Of the rookies who had fought their way into the national team during the big training camp, only Yu Bai and Ning Yang had earned starting spots.

Nie Feiang slumped his shoulders. “Zhou Zhou, aren’t you jealous?”

“Of course I am,” Ning Zhou replied, his tone calm but his gaze fixed on the court, a quiet sparkle in his eyes.

Of course he was jealous. He had been jealous for two lifetimes. But by now, he’d grown used to watching Shao Qiu’s back… from the perspective of a substitute.

There was actually no railing around the substitute bench. On the ground, a taped line marked the area — and on some courts, there wasn’t even tape. Because the substitute bench didn’t need to be enclosed. The substitutes standing inside couldn’t step out on their own power.

When it was their team’s match, they could only stand to the side, cheer, and pray silently:

Coach, please let me play today…

“Coach won’t let me on today,” Xu Zichang muttered, rare disappointment in his voice. Normally, his smile during practice was dazzling.

“Don’t think like that.” Ning Zhou placed a hand on his back, urging him to stand straight. “Keep your eyes on the court!”

“Why?”

Ning Zhou’s gaze sharpened, filled with resilience and defiance, “A substitute has to show a strong presence! Let the teammates on the court know there’s solid backup behind them; let the coaches know there’s someone reliable sitting on the bench.”

Xu Zichang was instantly fired up, his heart surging with emotion. “Zhou Zhou, you sound so experienced. I’ll listen to you!”

Ning Zhou: …

That… hurt a bit.

Soon, several “high-pressure gazes” locked onto the court.

The players currently competing felt heat on their backs.

Especially the attackers, who sensed the invisible pressure and spiked harder, determined to leave a “legend of power” for the China team in the VNL.

The opposing team was keeping up in score, but their momentum had clearly dropped a notch…

[This is terrifying. Even in 1080P, I still can’t see the ball.]
[Several serves and spikes had to be checked with video replay. Doesn’t this prove our men’s team isn’t weak? /so excited/]
[Can’t judge the team’s overall level yet, but that outside hitter, Yu Bai, definitely packs a punch…]
[Right? Yu Bai’s spikes look like they have special effects. You can’t see the ball, but you can feel the air ripple.]
[China men’s volleyball has found its scoring core!]

The flood of praise filled the live chat. Living up to expectations, Yu Bai landed another powerful spike. The opponent’s blockers couldn’t handle his strength, and the ball deflected off their hands, flying out of bounds.

Yu Bai scored another point for China!

The DJ in the stadium blasted music, hyping up the crowd, “Super Spike! Boom! Boom…” (the signature track for massive kills)

The opposing team had no answer for Yu Bai’s attacks and had to call a timeout to adjust their strategy.

“The real-time data from the Volleyball Association shows Yu Bai’s spike success rate has reached 65%! Plus, two service aces!”

Tong Rong sounded thrilled but then grew concerned as she asked Zhang Kang, “Mr. Zhang, Yu Bai’s strength is undeniable. But this is just the first group-stage match. Our upcoming opponents will only get stronger. Shouldn’t we be saving Yu Bai’s stamina for the tougher games ahead?”

The livestream feed cut to China’s coaching bench. Coach Luo was giving instructions to someone, while Yu Bai, standing on the sidelines, seemed completely disengaged.

Zhang Kang noticed this and smirked, “The men’s team trains at very high intensity. This match is a chance to monitor their stamina consumption during real gameplay, so we can plan for bigger, more important tournaments later.”

Tong Rong nodded rapidly. “Ah, I see! And Yu Bai is only 22. The coaches probably want him to gain more experience, so they won’t miss any chance to train him in real matches…”

“He’s not the only one who needs training,” Zhang Kang added, flipping through the documents provided by the production team. His tone was calm but pointed.

“The game is stabilizing. I’d say the coaching team is already thinking about substitutions…”

As if on cue, the moment the timeout ended, there was movement on China’s bench. One of the assistant coaches waved at the substitutes, and the substitution buzzer echoed through the venue…

[A substitution? But the match just started!]
[Everyone’s playing well. Even the setter and middle blocker who were out of sync earlier are running quick plays now. Why change?]
[Don’t ask. It’s strategy. /hands on hips/]
[Didn’t Mr. Zhang just explain? The coaches are testing new players.]
[But what if we lose because of this substitution… /nervous sweat/]
[Let me see which rookie is worth this much attention—]
[!]
[Wait a minute…]
[Someone pinch me, am I hallucinating from missing him so much?!]

A fair-skinned player jogged to the sideline, soft hair swaying lightly with his movement, looking like it would feel plush to the touch.

This rotation was originally Chen Wenyao’s serve, but the coach sent Ning Zhou in to replace him.

Chen Wenyao handed the ball to Ning Zhou, encouraging him, “Xiao Ning, good luck with the serve!”

“Thanks, Brother Chen. Good work out there!”

The assistant referee checked their jersey numbers and signaled the substitution was complete.
Ning Zhou stepped onto the court, passing by Chen Wenyao.

They were the team’s “cutest height gap duo” — one was 210 cm, the other 178, with more than a head’s difference.

Usually, a shorter player next to a tall one looks extra small. But not Ning Zhou.

His posture was straight and confident. The sleeveless jersey revealed arms with smooth muscle lines — balanced and athletic.

Under his quick-dry uniform shorts, he wore a pair of long black knee pads. The knee pads wrapped most of his legs, making his long, straight limbs look even sharper, his Yu-brand sneakers stepping firmly, exuding an effortlessly cool vibe…

[I didn’t know what Ning Zhou looked like, only heard friends rave about him. But somehow, the second he stepped out, I just knew that was him…]
[Viewers of Sports Forward!, are you eating this well every episode!? I’m never missing another one!]
[He’s gorgeous! Ning Zhou in his jersey is just… divine! Ahhhh—]
[Be honest, everyone: is there anyone more perfect than Ning Zhou to represent Yu-brand sneakers?]
[Ning Zhou, are you here to play volleyball or to sell products? I know where to buy the sneakers, but someone drop the link for those knee pads too!]
[Same! Those knee pads are god-tier. I can’t take my eyes off those legs…]
[Is there a chance that good-looking legs aren’t because of the knee pads?]
[The high-definition cameras in sports arenas are also called “demon-revealing mirrors.” From body flaws to tiny skin breakouts, nothing escapes their scrutiny. /Thinking emoji/]
[Upstairs, I get it now. When Nuwa molded me, she didn’t even put one-tenth of the effort she used on Ning Zhou! /Crying emoji/]

In the commentary room, Tong Rong diligently finished introducing Ning Zhou according to her notes.

When she looked up at the live chat comments—Not a single person was listening to her.

Tong Rong coughed heavily to remind them, “Everyone, your focus is a bit off! Pay attention to the game if you want to understand how well Ning Zhou is playing.”

[How well he plays suddenly doesn’t seem important anymore…]
[Same here. Even if his serve doesn’t clear the net, I’d forgive him—he’s eye candy enough.]
[Hahaha, with looks like that, how could his skills ever outshine his visuals?]
[Prediction for tonight’s trending topic: #AfterSheddingTheVarietyShowVaseLabelHeBecameTheVolleyballCourtVase#]

…

The comments drifted completely off-topic, but on the court, the players stayed focused on the match.

Of all of them, Shao Qiu was the most surprised by the substitution…

Normally, there are two reasons for sending in “the backup setter,” Ning Zhou: Either he goes in alone to replace the current setter, or he comes in under a double-setter strategy.

Coach Luo had never set up a “dual setter” tactic, so having the main setter and backup setter on court together was a first for Team China.

Shao Qiu frowned. “Your serve isn’t exactly threatening, so why send you in as a serving substitute…”

Ning Zhou was just as confused, shrugging. “I’ll try my best to make it a good serve.”

He exchanged a glance with Yu Bai, smiled, and walked alone to the service line…

“Zhou—Zhou—Go, go, go!”

Ning Zhou turned toward the voice—Ning Yang was standing at the bench, fists clenched tight, shouting until his voice cracked.

As a libero, the position’s biggest feature is freedom.

They have no fixed rotation. Every time the middle blocker rotates to the back row, the libero goes on to replace them, ensuring a strong first pass and defense. But liberos can’t serve. When the middle blocker rotates to the service position, they can only wait on the bench until that round ends.

Now that Ning Zhou had replaced Chen Wenyao, the middle blocker at the back-row serving spot, Ning Yang couldn’t step back on court until this serve ended. Ning Yang’s nervousness rippled through the entire bench…

Nie Feiang and Xu Zichang shouted encouragement too, while Song Hanrun went pale, as if he were the one about to serve.

Ning Zhou knew exactly why they were nervous—It was his first time joining the national team, first time on an international court, and as a serving substitute no less…

Volleyball is a team sport, but serving is the most individual part. Every eye in the arena locks onto the server, and the outcome of that point rests entirely on one person.

If he hadn’t been reborn, Ning Zhou thought, he’d probably be suffocating right now, crushed under the weight of that pressure…

“Zhou Zhou! Deep breaths!”

“Oh no, Zhou Zhou isn’t moving—has he frozen up from nerves?”

“Zhou Zhou, don’t die on us!”

Their shouts grew increasingly ridiculous, and Ning Zhou couldn’t hold it in anymore. He lowered his head, shoulders shaking…

“Crap, Zhou Zhou’s crying.”

“Wait, no… he looks like he’s laughing?”

“Zhou Zhou, are you crazy!? J-just serve the ball first!”

“Beeeeep—”

The referee blew the whistle. Eight seconds to serve.

Ning Zhou exhaled deeply, stepped back to his usual serving spot, spun the ball in his palm, and thought: Sorry to disappoint you guys. What’s there to be nervous about?

…

Across the net, the opposing players were on high alert. Their coaches had studied Team China in advance. Whether it was veterans like Du Jun or subs like Nie Feiang, the opponents had seen them in the Asian Championship and knew what to expect.

Even Yu Bai, the powerhouse scorer, didn’t faze them—they’d prepared mentally for him. But Ning Zhou? He was a complete unknown.

From the Asian Championship to the VNL, in just a few months, this new face had quietly broken into the national team lineup—and debuted as a serving substitute, no less.

A setter barely 178 cm tall, breaking through China’s sea of talent…

What kind of ability does he have!? Mysterious. Unfamiliar. Unpredictable. These traits are often scarier than sheer power.

What’s more—The opposing players swallowed hard, staring at Ning Zhou behind the service line and whispering to each other, “Is this really his first international match? Why is his face so calm?”

“F**k! He’s smiling while looking down!”

“W-what do we do?”

“Most likely a power jump serve—maybe even stronger than the buzz-cut guy’s serve…”

“Or… some never-before-seen freak serve…”

“S**t! Why do I have to be the one receiving this?”

“I’m drenched in sweat…”

At that moment, in their eyes, Ning Zhou’s strength was immeasurable. Even the ball spinning in his hand no longer looked like a volleyball, but like an energy orb filled with terrifying power. Every receiver on the opposite side tensed, afraid of being shattered by the “energy orb.”

On the Chinese bench, it suddenly grew quiet as they looked at each other:

“Wait, why do I feel like the other team is more nervous than Ning Zhou?”

“What exactly are they so wary of?”

“Seeing their faces so tense… I suddenly don’t feel as worried as before…”

Just as Ning Zhou prepared to serve, his nose tickled, and he sneezed. Sniffling, he thought in confusion: Feels like someone’s talking about me behind my back…
Ning Zhou focused all his attention on his serve.
His starting position was unusual — farther from the service line than for a normal jump float serve, almost as far back as for a jump power serve. No wonder the opponents mistook him for attempting a powerful jump serve…
This farther starting point gave him more steps in his run-up, adding initial velocity to the ball and compensating for his lack of arm strength.
His approach was smooth, carrying a unique rhythm. The moment he leaped, his body stretched out beautifully in the air, almost like a work of art.
Live-stream comments: “Those steps have me completely mesmerized!”
Opponents: “Here it comes! Even if we die, we have to receive this ball!”
Substitutes: “Please, heavens, let it at least cross the net!”
The volleyball, carrying a tangle of emotions, shot from Ning Zhou’s hand into the air.
It was… just an ordinary jump float serve.
Opponents: “Huh!?”
They had been bracing themselves to risk everything for the first pass — and it turned out to be a float?
Compared to Yu Bai’s earlier jump power serves, this ball was noticeably slower. The sudden contrast threw off the receiving players’ timing.
Ning Zhou, still feeling the touch in his palm, grew nervous.
Oh no… my hands are stiff from not playing, the trajectory’s too low…
The ball drifted gently, wobbling side to side, and clipped the white tape of the net.
Like it had stumbled, its speed suddenly dropped and it tumbled over to the opponents’ court. A net-touch serve! Still stunned by the float, the opponents reacted a beat too late.
By the time they dove toward the landing spot, the ball had already hit the floor, bouncing slightly as if mocking their flustered scramble.
Whistle: “Beeeeep—”
Ning Zhou’s serve clipped the net — and scored directly!
The players who had dived for the ball stayed frozen on the floor, stunned, huddled around it in disbelief.
One of them, frustrated, jumped up, grabbed the net, and shouted at Ning Zhou, “Why the hell was that a float serve!?”
Ning Zhou looked troubled. He had spent both lives in sports schools, always focused on volleyball and barely paying attention to academics.
As an adult, he had trained exclusively in China, never studying abroad or practicing with foreign players. In short — he had no idea what the opponent was yelling.
All he could do was reason calmly: after he scored a direct point, the opponent looked emotional (?), so they must be… complimenting him?
With that thought, Ning Zhou put on a polite smile and said in his limited English, “Thank you!”
Opponent: “???”
“3Q (Chinese slang, mimicking the “Thank you” in English) my ass! Even if you didn’t answer, I wouldn’t be this pissed off!”
Realizing only now that the guy was angry, Ning Zhou fumbled for another word in English, “Sorry!”
You don’t hit someone who’s smiling — but that didn’t stop the opponent from gripping the net so hard it warped out of shape.
The line referee blew the whistle and warned, “Do not damage court equipment!”
Forced to let go, the opponent swallowed his frustration and came to a revelation: This substitute server… is not ordinary. He doesn’t crush opponents with strength, but with mind games.
Live-stream comments:
[OMG, he actually scored with that?!]
[Not only does the goddess of volleyball favor Ning Zhou, even Lady Luck is on his side…]
[Some people are just born to be protagonists. /lights cigarette/]
[That was pure luck — the other guy could’ve gotten it, but for some reason, his feet just froze. /scratches head/]
[All the serves have been crazy powerful so far, but Ning Zhou’s serve looked so light.]
[For context: in men’s volleyball, there are two common serves — the jump power serve and the jump float. Power serves demand better physical ability, carry more threat, but also have higher error rates.]
[Got it. Ning Zhou’s not that good, so he uses these opportunistic serves.]
[Pfft, as long as it scores, who cares? Only fools expect a pretty face to have raw strength.]
On the Chinese team’s bench, the substitutes nearly had a collective heart attack.
Ning Yang laughed helplessly, “Zhou Zhou… you’ve never practiced net-touch serves, and now you’re trying it in a match?”
“Lucky you had me praying for you,” Nie Feiang grumbled. “Remember to thank me properly later!”
Song Hanrun’s lips trembled, “Th-this… this isn’t just being clutch anymore…”
Xu Zichang pumped his fist, “Why’d you serve a lucky ball? Use the one you’re best at!”
Ning Zhou gave them an apologetic nod.
“I’ll do it properly next time.”
Whistle: “Beeeeep—”
Back in position, Ning Zhou adjusted his angle and served again.
His signature serve — barely clearing the net by just a few centimeters — shot forward like a dart. The ball seemed almost sentient, targeting the opponent with the weakest passing stats. The opposing team had moved their formation slightly forward, ready for another weak float.
A float serve? I’ve received those a thousand times…
The receiving player positioned himself confidently, tracking the ball’s slow rotation. The best floats don’t spin at all, making their trajectory unpredictable. But Ning Zhou’s serve was spinning lightly, with little visible deviation.
The receiver even sneered under his breath, “So much for being special…”
He locked his arms and prepared to bump the ball cleanly. But just as the ball made contact with his forearms, it unexpectedly shifted course — a subtle but sharp change. Like a sudden headwind, its speed dropped, and it landed slightly shorter than predicted.
“!”
Panicking, the receiver lunged forward, shoulders dropping as his arms stretched desperately toward the ball—He got the pass up, but lost his balance. His center of gravity collapsed, and he fell to his knees right at the first-pass spot.
The players on the court, all elite-level athletes, instantly understood what that meant—One of their attack points had just been eliminated.
“The serve was too ordinary!”

On the bench of the China team, Assistant Coach Hou commented bluntly. Since Ning Zhou had been subbed in, Coach Hou had already voiced at least ten criticisms.

Ning Xu had been trying to hold his tongue, but at this comment, he couldn’t help retorting, “Thanks to that serve, the opponent just lost an attacking point.”

“That was pure luck!” Hou snapped back, displeased. “If their receiver wasn’t so weak, what effect would Ning Zhou’s serve even have?”

Ning Xu’s irritation flared. “The fact is, both of Ning Zhou’s serves worked well. What exactly are you questioning?”

Hou shot him a sideways glance. “Why are you so riled up? I’m just questioning Coach Luo’s substitution decision.”

During the match, the head coach usually stood by the sideline, closely observing the game. The assistant coaches, including Hou, stayed on the bench, recording stats and analyzing.

“I just don’t get what Coach Luo’s thinking…” Hou shook his head with a sigh. “There are plenty of substitutes with better serves. Why not just pick one of the jump servers instead?”

His eyes fixed firmly on Coach Luo’s back as he continued confidently, “Chen Wenyao is also a jump float server, but he’s thirty centimeters taller than Ning Zhou. His serve has a better angle. Subbing in Ning Zhou weakens the team’s strength on the court by a huge margin!”

“Did you forget I used to be a libero?”

Ning Xu suddenly spoke up. Hou, caught off guard, frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“All you ever talk about is serving,” Ning Xu said, enunciating each word, “but have you actually considered the deeper reason why Coach Luo brought in a serving substitute? Putting the kid I trained on the court — without a doubt, to use him as a libero…”