Chapter 33: Pearls Large and Small Falling onto a Jade Plate

Sima returned to his dormitory well past mealtime. His stomach was growling with hunger, but he had no heart to tend to it. He lay on his bed, closing his eyes to rest, yet his mind was in a turbulent state, utterly unsettled. He knew of Yang Zirong—it was rumored that this was not a nickname, but his real name. He was also aware of characters like "Shao Jianbo," "White Pigeon," "One-Tuft-of-Hair," "Mountain-Sitter Eagle," and the Eight Great Vajras. However, in his previous life, he had kept these official "Gu Masters" at arm’s length and had little interaction with them. The person he had dealt with most was their peripheral contractor, "Sang Biao." According to Sang Biao, Yang Zirong was actually a decent fellow who valued loyalty, while the others were stiflingly bureaucratic and "not worth a damn."

Gu insects require "savage growth." Once recruited, one is bound by the rigid constraints of the system. The salaries, bonuses, and benefits are not easily earned, and that is not even considering the role of a "lab rat"—there is no guarantee when you might be "sacrificed" for the greater good. By his own inclination, Sima had no desire to work for the authorities; he preferred the freedom of being on his own, and in a few years, he could have achieved "financial freedom." There was truly no need to shackle himself. The problem was that he had been exposed prematurely. Judging by what Yang Zirong had said, even the "political vetting" had been cleared, and all that remained was for him to report for duty. Now that he had entered the official radar and been targeted by the state apparatus, was escape even possible? Sima felt it was unlikely.

After much deliberation and weighing the pros and cons, Sima realized he was left with only one path: to honestly join Yang Zirong and his colleagues and accept official oversight and management. A stance would be required sooner or later, so it was better to make it sooner. He sat up abruptly and fished a business card from his pocket. Yang Zirong had given it to him before they parted ways. It contained only a name and a mobile number. He had told Sima to keep it safe, that he could call if he had any questions, or use it to confirm his decision if he made up his mind.

Zhou Lingri, 139XXXXXXXX. Sima turned the card over and over, speculating about the person's identity. He picked up his phone and dialed. "Hello, this is Sima."

"This is Zhou Lingri." The person on the other end was a young woman with a beautiful voice, as crisp and melodious as the chirping of orioles among flowers or the sound of pearls falling onto a jade plate.

Sima felt a surge of energy. He told Zhou Lingri over the phone that after consideration, he had decided to accept Yang Zirong's invitation and become a member of the official "Gu Masters." After Zhou Lingri confirmed his decision, she instructed him to go home first and avoid contact with anyone for the time being. He was to report to the Anti-Doping Center at 2:00 PM the following day to complete his onboarding paperwork, and she would meet him at the entrance. Sima then asked two questions: how to explain his inability to compete in the track meet to the university, and how to obtain his degree from Beizhi Foreign Studies University. Zhou Lingri’s answers were concise and to the point: they would handle the explanation, and they would resolve the matter properly.

At 5:00 PM, the competition officially concluded, marking the end of the closed-door training camp. The athletes were given three days of leave, after which they would travel by chartered bus to the venue of the National Track and Field Championships to acclimate and undergo final, targeted training. Zhao Ronghua was summoned to the conference room, where Deputy Director Chen of the General Administration of Sport, along with President Deng and Vice President Song of Beizhi Sports University, were all present. Their expressions were grave, and Zhao felt immense pressure. Immediately after, Division Chief Yang of the Anti-Doping Center stood up to announce that a random test had revealed that Sima, the winner of the men's 100-meter dash, had tested positive for doping.

"Impossible!" Zhao Ronghua jumped to his feet. As Sima’s professional coach, he felt as though he had been slapped in the face by the accusation that Sima used drugs. Did he not know whether Sima had used doping? Did they think performance-enhancing drugs were common street goods that anyone could just pick up?

Division Chief Yang told him to calm down. He explained to the leaders that common prohibited substances are generally categorized into six groups: stimulants, anabolic steroids, diuretics, narcotics/analgesics, beta-blockers, and hormones. Student Sima’s adrenaline levels were significantly elevated, but he had not injected or ingested any hormonal drugs; his case was classified as "physiological adrenaline secretion abnormality." Normal individuals secrete adrenaline when subjected to intense stimulation—such as excitement, nervousness, or fear—but Sima’s condition was unique. His adrenal medulla secreted a massive amount of hormones in a short period, far exceeding normal levels, severely impacting his cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic functions. This was the primary reason he maintained his top speed during the 100-meter race and sprinted all the way to the finish line.

Zhao Ronghua knew about adrenaline; it was indeed effective for sprinting—it was like having a tiger chasing you; you would run fast because being a step slow meant being mauled! But what the hell was "physiological adrenaline secretion abnormality"? That was a freak of nature! How could he be blamed for not being able to secrete adrenaline? His mind was in a mess, and just as he was about to argue on Sima’s behalf, Deputy Director Chen of the General Administration of Sport delivered the final verdict: Sima was disqualified from the National Championships. He could retain his existing Second-Class Athlete certificate, but no further rating applications would be accepted. Sima’s case was not an isolated one; the Anti-Doping Center had discovered similar instances nationwide. To avoid public outcry and controversy, athletes with such physiological hormonal secretion abnormalities would, in principle, be treated the same as those with chromosomal abnormalities.

Zhao Ronghua’s heart sank; he felt a wave of helplessness. Sima’s athletic career had ended before it even began. It was not his fault, nor was it the fault of the Anti-Doping Center—it was just the cruelty of fate and the will of the heavens! President Deng of Beizhi Sports University also stated on the spot that the school would certainly work on Sima’s mindset, properly arrange his studies, and ensure he would not cause trouble for the leadership. Division Chief Yang of the Anti-Doping Center added a final note: "physiological adrenaline secretion abnormality" was extremely rare and a subject of great value. The center might ask Sima to cooperate with a series of tests and research in the future, and he hoped the school would provide convenience and not affect his graduation. These were minor details, and President Deng naturally agreed to everything.

With the matter settled, it was already late. Deputy Director Chen did not stay for a meal, and Presidents Deng and Song escorted them to the parking lot. Zhao Ronghua stomped his feet in frustration and rushed to the dormitory to find Sima, only to find the room empty. Sima had already packed his bags and left Beizhi Sports University, and his phone could not be reached. The whole affair felt suspicious and left one completely baffled. After thinking it over, Zhao rushed to President Deng’s office. Vice President Song happened to be there, so he took the opportunity to mention that Sima was a key student under a joint-training program between the two universities, and Beizhi Sports University could not make unilateral decisions. President Deng frowned slightly and instructed Vice President Song to communicate properly with Beizhi Foreign Studies University to resolve the follow-up issues appropriately, avoiding any shifting of blame that might leave lingering problems.

Vice President Song called Zhao Ronghua into his office to ask about Sima in detail. He decided to find a time to visit Beizhi Foreign Studies University to meet with the vice president in charge of the project and discuss how to handle the situation. He instructed Zhao Ronghua to tip off Lu Youyou in advance so that both sides would be prepared when they sat down to talk.