MTL NOVEL Chapter 34: 34.
After a brief warm-up, Gu Ran gradually increased his pace on the testing machine.
At first, his speed was slow—this was to adjust his body's rhythm, regulate his breathing, and allow his muscles to properly prepare for the burst of acceleration.
Compared to an actual match, this test was much simpler.
In a real game, opponents wouldn't give you the luxury of gradually accelerating to reach peak speed.
Having played as a street football striker in his past life, Gu Ran was well-versed in instant bursts of speed and how to execute them effectively. And now, with a strong 17-year-old body, he was confident he could pass this sprint test.
Once his body was fully warmed up, Gu Ran increased his stride frequency.
The room fell into complete silence—all the female students were clutching their chests in anticipation.
Even Professor Maria, who had been calm and composed, pursed her lips slightly and furrowed her brows in concentration.
She had already decided in her mind—even if Gu Ran didn't quite reach the three-second 18-meter mark, she'd still let him pass as long as he was close enough.
After all… Gu Ran was just too charming to fail.
Suddenly, Gu Ran's entire body tensed up.
The muscles in his legs, especially his quads, tightened like thick steel cables being pulled taut in a storm!
Then, like a tsunami crashing against the shore, Gu Ran exploded forward at full speed!
At that moment, he transformed into an entirely different person!
His usually carefree and handsome demeanor was gone—what replaced it was an aura of ferocity, like a predator locked onto its prey!
Gu Ran was no longer just running—he was hunting!
A cheetah in full pursuit of its target!
The female students couldn't contain their excitement—screams erupted throughout the room!
"Go, God Ran! This is insane!"
"Run, hubby! You're amazing!"
Gu Ran sprinted at full power!
One second!
Two seconds!
Three seconds…
Gu Ran pushed forward for a full five seconds before finally slowing down, panting heavily.
Even though it was just a five-second sprint, his entire body was drenched in sweat.
The rush of dopamine made him feel weightless, like he was floating.
This feeling of absolute speed was incomparable!
If only his stamina was better, his strength greater, his speed even faster—then the sprint would have been perfect.
No rush… It's only a matter of time!
Maria quickly tossed Gu Ran a pink handkerchief, concern evident in her voice. "Here, wipe yourself off!"
Gu Ran panted heavily. "Thank you… Professor…"
Maria unconsciously swallowed hard before quickly turning away to check the sprint test results.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
Maria's ocean-blue eyes widened in shock.
"24.85 meters?!"
"Gu Ran, your three-second sprint distance is 24.85 meters! That's… incredible!"
"Wow! God Ran is amazing!"
"Hubby is unstoppable!"
"I knew it! Our hubby is the strongest!"
"Ahhh! I can't breathe anymore…"
The female students erupted into cheers and wild celebrations.
Gu Ran's handsome looks, athletic build, and explosive sprinting ability had completely won them over—he had just gained a room full of fangirls!
Even Gu Ran himself gasped in shock.
24 meters in three seconds—that was the benchmark for professional players.
Yet he, an amateur high school player, had met the standard!
Sure, he was still far from Arjen Robben, who had clocked the fastest sprint in football history… but at this level, he could easily dominate any high school football team!
Hahaha!
This medical exam turned out to be worth it!
At first, he was embarrassed to death, but now?
Thick-skinned or not… he was officially the idol of every girl in the room!
Even Professor Maria called him strong!
While wiping his sweat with the handkerchief, Gu Ran secretly grinned like a fool behind it.
Wait a minute… this towel smells kinda nice.
Could it be… Professor Maria's own towel?!
Gu Ran took a deep sniff.
Oh ho…
At that moment, Maria reviewed his cardiovascular test results.
"Gu Ran, your heart is incredibly strong. Even under intense exertion, your heart rate remained stable within the optimal range."
Maria quickly signed off on the heart examination report and marked the overall assessment: EXCELLENT.
Then, Maria turned to Gu Ran with a warm, encouraging smile.
"Congratulations, Gu Ran. You've officially qualified for the school team roster and can compete in the National High School Championships. I'm looking forward to seeing your performance on the field."
Gu Ran bowed slightly in gratitude. "Thank you, Professor Maria. You're an amazing teacher."
Maria laughed. "You're welcome!"
Gu Ran reached to remove the sensor wires, but Maria quickly stopped him.
"Wait! Don't touch those—if you damage the wires, we'd both have to pay for them."
She then stepped forward and carefully began removing the sensors for him.
Gu Ran's warm breath brushed against Maria's face.
For a brief moment, Maria's expression softened, but she quickly composed herself and continued.
"…All done."
Maria brushed back her wavy hair and handed him the medical report, still faintly carrying her scent.
"Thank you…" Gu Ran quickly put his shirt back on and grabbed his backpack.
The female students let out a collective sigh of disappointment.
Maria, however, knocked on the desk sharply. "Sighing for what? Class isn't over yet! Now, let's review—who can answer today's test questions?"
Taking advantage of the distraction, Gu Ran bolted out of the examination room.
Only after exiting the building did he finally exhale in relief.
Success!
With his hard work, he had finally secured a spot in the National High School Football Championships!
Composing himself, Gu Ran walked toward the training field, his steps calm and steady.
At the moment, the school team was practicing tactical drills.
Some players were retrieving stray balls, while others were still doing conditioning exercises.
From a distance, he could hear Coach Carter shouting like a madman:
"Move forward! Forward! Watergate, what the hell are you doing?! That was a perfect run, and you just stood there like an idiot?! I'm making you my new midfield core, and this is how you repay me?!"
"And you, Sime! Where the hell was your long pass?! Dainty-boy was wide open in the box, and instead, you dribbled into a tackle?! Do you really think you're Messi?!"
"And you! Flower Ronaldo! I know you've been practicing step-overs, but you're a right-back, you idiot! What the hell are you doing step-overs in your own half with no defenders around?!"
"Goddamn useless! Do you guys even want to make it out of the group stage?! Do you even want to win the damn championship?!"
"Even if I dug up my grandma's corpse, she'd play better than you clowns!"
Carter slammed his tactics board to the ground.
"DAMN IT, OLYMPIC DOGS!"
…
Gu Ran nearly burst out laughing.
Wait… did our school team seriously have players named "Sime" and "Flower Ronaldo"?!
What kind of comedy duo was this?!
Shaking his head, Gu Ran approached Coach Carter.
"Coach, I'm back. My medical exam results are in."
Carter snatched the report and skimmed through it.
Upon seeing Gu Ran's sprint test score, Carter's eyes lit up.
"Haha! Excellent! Finally, some good news today!"
"Everyone, gather up! I have an announcement to make!"
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