Section 32: The Heavenly King Subdues the Earthly Tiger

Sima had entered both the men’s 100-meter and 200-meter events, making four races in all if the preliminary heats were included—a severe test of his stamina. After studying the schedule, Coach Zhao Ronghua suggested that he withdraw from the 200 meters. Sima’s advantage was clearly greater in the 100 meters, and there was no need to push himself too hard in an internal competition. Sima readily agreed. Both the preliminary and final rounds of the 200 meters were scheduled for the afternoon, with too little time between them. Competing in both would be exhausting, especially since the men’s 200-meter field at Beizhi University of Physical Education was packed with strong runners. Even at full effort, he might not win.

The men’s 100 meters lasted only a little over ten seconds, after which he could rest, watch the other events, or simply return to the dormitory and catch up on sleep. Sima decided to give it everything he had, both to inspire confidence in Zhao Ronghua and to secure better treatment for himself in the future.

In the preliminary round at nine that morning, he held back slightly and ran 10.55 seconds, advancing to the final as the fastest in his heat. After a two-hour rest, the final began. The men’s 100 meters was the crown jewel of track and field, and everyone’s attention was drawn to its track. The eight finalists bounced lightly as they warmed up. Sima was in Lane Four and was the overwhelming favorite to win.

Deputy Director Chen of the General Administration of Sport noticed him. Tilting his head slightly, he asked the aide behind him in a lowered voice, “Is that him?”

Yang Zirong narrowed his eyes. “Perhaps. Let’s see how he runs first.”

“On your marks—set—beep!”

The starting signal sounded, and Sima shot forward first. His reaction time was 0.154 seconds. He accelerated to top speed within the first twenty-five meters, then held it there, running the entire distance at an almost all-out sprint. He finished first in 10.41 seconds, close to the lower-middle level of international competition.

The whole stadium erupted. Zhao Ronghua was so excited that he nearly jumped out of his shoes. Considering that he had run into a headwind of 1.4 meters per second, the result was extremely impressive, with plenty of room for improvement. Even at the National Championships, he would be a formidable competitor.

Yang Zirong was now nearly certain. Leaning toward Deputy Director Chen, he said, “It’s him.”

Deputy Director Chen nodded faintly, relief washing over him. At least the trip had not been in vain; they had identified their target ahead of time. If they misjudged the situation and made fools of themselves at the National Championships, the General Administration of Sport would lose all face.

After the 100 meters, Sima took a quick shower and watched the competition for a while. By the time lunch approached, he was preparing to enjoy a proper meal when Coach Zhao Ronghua came to find him. The coach’s expression was somewhat peculiar as he said that Deputy Director Chen wanted to meet him.

It was routine for a senior official to take a sudden interest in a champion, shake his hand, offer a few words of encouragement, and pose for photographs while reporters stood nearby—after which they would return to write a glowing article. Sima thought nothing of it.

He followed Zhao Ronghua to the conference room and pushed open the door. The person waiting for him was not Deputy Director Chen but an unfamiliar young man, tall and upright, with inexhaustible power seemingly hidden within his body.

His Spirit-Calling Insect finally sensed the danger and began frantically warning him, but everything was already too late. Sima’s expression stiffened. He had no idea whether he should turn around and leap from the window or pretend to remain calm and walk inside.

“Please close the door. Don’t be nervous. I’m Yang Zirong. We’re comrades. Sit down and let’s have a chat.”

Comrade—a form of address from another age.

Sima closed the door and drew a deep breath. His entire body settled into calm. He turned and smiled at the other man, then walked over and sat on the sofa. He casually picked up a bottle of mineral water, twisted off the cap, and took several swallows. His mind finally caught up with the moment, and he blurted out, “You mean the Yang Zirong from ‘The Heavenly King covers the earth tiger; the pagoda suppresses the river demon’?”

Yang Zirong laughed. “That was the name my parents gave me, not a nickname. It’s Yang Zirong on my identity card. I’ve been the source of plenty of jokes ever since I was little. I’m used to it… Your name is interesting too. Sima—not the compound surname Sima, but the surname Si and the given name Ma…”

Sima naturally picked up the thread and told him how his father had grand ambitions of having five children, intending to name them Sima, Sikong, Situ, Sikou, and Sinong. His mother had refused, and in the end, only he had successfully made the journey into this world.

Yang Zirong laughed brightly, genuinely amused, as though he had discovered some shared bond. In a sense, both of them had been troubled by their names.

“Listen, I once knew someone named Yang Zirong. ‘The Heavenly King covers the earth tiger; the pagoda suppresses the river demon.’ Ha-ha-ha… And I also knew someone named Sima. His family name was the same as the great historians and poets Sima Qian, Sima Yi, and Sima Xiangru. But he was simply called Sima. Nothing came after it. Ha-ha-ha…”

Yang Zirong also took a bottle of water and drank from it before getting straight to the point.

“I asked you here to confirm something. You’re an insect sorcerer, aren’t you?”

Sima blinked, and his heart sank.

Of course he knew what an insect sorcerer was. That was the official term. In the underworld, they generally called themselves grass-ghost folk.

Seeing him remain silent, Yang Zirong tapped his own chest and abdomen with a thumb and said sympathetically, “Don’t worry. I’m an insect sorcerer too. I raise a spirit insect inside my body and feed it with my vital essence. It eats a lot and runs very fast, just like you. I’ve read your records. You completely violate the physiological limits of the human body. Whether running 100 or 200 meters, you maintain top speed and sprint all the way to the finish without slowing down. An ordinary person couldn’t possibly do that. It’s a classic sign of physical enhancement by a spirit insect. That’s how we find insect sorcerers.”

Sima finally understood where he had exposed himself. He regretted it. He should have waited a few years and chosen a career as a competitive eater instead of becoming an athlete.

At the same time, he felt a measure of relief. He took the initiative and asked, “Who do you mean by ‘we’?”

“We’re the official insect sorcerers,” Yang Zirong said. “You can think of us as government employees, something like the police. We work for the country, maintain public order, and preserve social stability. So? Are you interested in joining us? We’re short-handed and urgently need fresh recruits. The benefits are excellent—far better than what you’d get as an athlete.

“And, incidentally, insect sorcerers aren’t allowed to compete. Even if they do, their results won’t count. That’s the latest supplement to the Interim Regulations on Prohibiting the Use of Stimulants in Sports. Spirit insects are legally equivalent to performance-enhancing drugs.”

To Sima, this was a devastating blow.

Raising a spirit insect was extremely expensive. At present, the Spirit-Calling Insect was still a larva and remained dormant most of the time, so its consumption was limited and he could barely afford to support it. Once it matured, its daily upkeep alone would become a considerable expense, to say nothing of the special abilities he would need to invoke…

Yang Zirong continued, “We’ve been watching you for some time. Your family background is clean, and you’re intelligent. You’ve already passed the preliminary political screening. Once you complete the employment procedures, you can become one of us and receive the benefits provided to official insect sorcerers.

“For example, you’ll receive a fixed monthly salary, the amount depending on your position. Overtime comes with overtime pay, and field assignments come with allowances. Insect sorcerers have a dedicated cafeteria providing free, highly nutritious meals, along with specialized diets designed to accelerate the maturation of spirit insects. Those, of course, cost money. You’ll receive two medical examinations every year and at least four weeks of paid leave. After serving for more than five years, you’ll be given one opportunity to replace your spirit insect…”

Sima tested the waters. “This is all too sudden. Could I have a few days to think it over?”

Yang Zirong smiled, his meaning unmistakable. “Of course. You should give it some serious thought. If—I’m only saying if—you wanted to become an ordinary person again and live a normal life, we could also help remove the spirit insect from your body…”

First courtesy, then force. It was a naked threat.

But Sima was not frightened. He rose and said goodbye to Yang Zirong, promising to give him an answer in three days.