The Love Score || Zhuo Zhi

20: Doesn't Victory Taste Great?

"If you think I'm going to let you win," Buzz-Cut grunted, his voice dripping with venom, "Think again, Sweetheart,"

The way he called me that just enraged me even more. I stayed silent, knowing that trash-talking wasn't going to be the one ending this match. It was his service now, and I anticipated eagerly for the chance to strike back at him. He tossed the ball into the air and struck it down into my court.

I will not let him win.

I've racked up his confidence successfully with the earlier scores. I've tested the boundaries and studied his way of playing. Now I know his tricks and ways, by luck and skill, I will defeat this egotistical scumbag.

That current 2:5 score? It didn't matter any more to me.

I watched the ball as it flew diagonally to my right. As I bounded towards the target, the cogs in my brain began to turn. Buzz-Cut might be strong in the offence, but I observed that he paid less attention to his defence. He liked to stand near the front of the court instead of the back. And his dominant foot was his left one.

I should target the ball to the back of the court, closer to the right.

I swung my racket across, angling it in a way that it the ball would fly in a steady line to the right of his court. I noted how Buzz-Cut would be in his preparation stance for an attack, but seeing my attack against him, he had a sudden panicked realisation. He darted to the back of the court to save my ball but it only missed his racket.

I began using the same attacking techniques for a few more times, slowly but steadily gaining points. My strategy was simple: hit the ball into the areas that he can't reach. His defence of his area was weaker and it was easy to aim into the empty spaces. Ai Qi's cheers in the background were just distantly ringing in my ears as time passed. Buzz-Cut's eyes were as dangerous as a sword, icy and rigid yet burning with rage. I noticed how his lips would form a thin line and his fists would tighten around the handle whenever the ball missed his racket, infuriated by his carelessness. Although I was sure it was not evident in my expression, I felt more and more satisfaction for myself for every ball he missed.

Don't get too cocky with yourself, Yue En. You still have yet to win.

The score was now 3:5 and the pace of the game was changing again. Buzz-Cut might be judgemental and stereotypical, but he wasn't stupid. He began to focus more on his defence game now, straying a little further away from the net to block my attacks. I attempted the topspin again and he managed to return it. I couldn't even try my Returning Bounce Ball properly as the preparation stance made it obvious that I was about to use that tactic. Once he recognised the movement of me holding my racket above my shoulder, he would dash to the front and strike the ball immediately after it bounced up from the ground. Now that his focus was on both defending and attacking, it was difficult for me to find a loophole in his playing style.

I still had one more secret weapon I hadn't used yet.

I drew in a sharp breath as I began to make a show of me ready to lift my racket and attempt a smash. At this, I was aware that Buzz-Cut had seen my movements and he began to advance towards the baseline.

Like greased lightning, I loosened my grip on the handle to adjust its position. Once my arm had swung downwards, my grasp tightened again. The racket face now pointed upwards, tilted slightly towards the net. The ball bounced just perfectly in its middle and it grazed the net, falling across and landing with quiet thumps on the other side of the court.

I chuckled softly as I saw the priceless expression on Buzz-Cut's face. He looked confounded yet shocked at the short turn of events that just occurred, his mouth in a dramatic 'o' shape and his chest heaving. Ah, how the tables have turned.