[Sports] I Really Am Just a Substitute

Ning Zhou regarded being the main setter of Team China as his lifelong pursuit. Yet until the day he retired, he was nothing more than a dispensable substitute.

During the painful days of injury and frustration, he finally came to terms with it:

No one can take your place when you work yourself into illness — true meaning of life is to chill.

Isn’t happy volleyball much sweeter?

When he opened his eyes again, Ning Zhou had returned to his 20-year-old self, his body in perfect condition, right at the turning point of his athletic career…

Ning Zhou: I’m done grinding. Whatever happens, happens!

A young substitute setter joins Team China.

Teammates whisper: “A setter who’s only 1.78m tall? What’s the point of sending him in?”

But after spiking off Ning Zhou’s perfect set, everyone scrambles: “Zhou Zhou, please! Set for me again!”

Later, the substitute setter joins a sports variety show—and blows up in popularity.

Teammates practically want to worship him: “So many sponsors followed Zhou Zhou here. Genius!”

Ning Zhou: ?… I only came because I heard there was money…

Later still, in an international match, Ning Zhou is sent on in a desperate situation with the team trailing by a wide margin. With maxed-out game sense, he outsmarts the opposing blockers and has them running in circles.

Fans and coaches alike are stunned speechless.

But Ning Zhou has no time to celebrate—because the team’s star outside hitter, the man leading the “superhumanization of men’s volleyball” with his thunderous spikes, is tugging at him, sulking:

“Why did you set less to me than to the opposite? Zhou Zhou, am I not the attacker you trust most anymore?”

*

“Slacker Mode” Synopsis:

Ning Zhou holds the Olympic trophy, completely dumbfounded: “But… I’m just a substitute!”

Everyone: “Do you have any idea what kind of ‘substitute’ you really are?!”

PS: Healing-type bottom who just wants to slack off but keeps carrying the team × Cold-faced “War God” spiker on court, clingy boyfriend off court.

Note before reading:

Fictional setting; all characters are original, match systems and selection rules are author’s creation.

The protagonist’s team isn’t peak-level from the start; they will grow step by step. If you only want effortless domination, this isn’t for you.

Tags: Sports Competition | Rebirth | Feel-good | Passion | Variety Show

Keywords: Protagonist: Ning Zhou | Others: —

One-line summary: The God of Variety Shows accidentally became an Olympic champion.

Theme: A positive mindset leads to growth.

[Translator Note: Hi guys! This is my first attempt to translate any Sport Type novel, so if you caught any wrong professional terms please forgive me >.< If you caught any term error, please kindly leave a comment, I will try to fix the error if I see it~]

This novel is dedicated to JulyPaul on KoFi~