Having only spent one night at home, Fang Yuan was once again reminded of the comforts of home.
However, Fang Yuan also knew that this comfort might not last for many days.
Because when he participated in the provincial high school Pokemon battle competition, he would have to return to Jinling, that headache-inducing place.
...
Pingcheng No.1 Middle School Gym.
The six main members and three substitute members of the Trainer School Team were undergoing team training here.
During the break.
A substitute member named Li Zeyan, holding a bottle of ice water he just bought, handed it to Lin Jing who was still training, "Captain, take a break for a while."
Among the three girls in the Pingcheng No.1 Middle School Trainer School Team, Lin Jing and Zhou Xueyao were considered very pretty even when wearing school uniforms without makeup. After training together for so long, many of the boys on the team were smitten, offering various forms of courtship.
"Thanks, but I brought my own water," Lin Jing responded with a smile, prompting Li Zeyan to retract his offer reluctantly.
"Also... stop calling me captain, just call me Lin Jing. After today, I probably won't be the captain anymore," Lin Jing said while stretching her arms.
"Eh?" Li Zeyan was completely confused. Although calling her by her name was more friendly than 'captain', he wasn't used to it. Calling her 'captain' felt more natural to him.
"Hey, Little Li!"
At that moment, Liu Le came over, clapping Li Zeyan on the shoulder with force, "Do you know who's coming back?"
He looked at Li Zeyan with a mix of frustration and reproach. Not focusing on training and instead trying to earn favor, he thought contemptuously, you're good for nothing!
The key point was that Lin Jing and Li Zeyan were definitely not on the same page.
Ever since Liu Le's failed confession to a female classmate who dreamed of being a fashion designer, he had seen through it all.
Girls... they're not as interesting as Pokemon.
"Who...?" Li Zeyan scratched his head.
...
The grade office.
After completing the procedures to return to school with the school leadership, the grade department, and the homeroom teacher, Fang Yuan didn't go back to his classroom. Instead, at the suggestion of his homeroom teacher, he went straight to the gym.
The current trainers in charge of guiding the members of the school team were Director Wu Pingqiu and the various class trainers.
In their efforts to teach these team members well, these Senior Trainers took turns to offer their advice. However, their experience couldn't be fully transmitted to these New Trainers, so whether the students excelled depended largely on their own effort and talent.
Halfway through their break, Wu Pingqiu gathered the nine team members and said, "Wait here for a moment, someone you all know is coming back."
Upon hearing this, only a few people were still puzzled, while the majority had an idea of what was going on.
Not long after, Fang Yuan arrived at the training field with a beaming smile under the guidance of Teacher Bai Ning.
"Long time no see, everyone."
He greeted the nine members who had lined up.
"Holy shit, Fang Yuan!"
"What???"
The uninformed team members widened their eyes in surprise upon seeing Fang Yuan.
The news of Fang Yuan's hospitalization and absence from school was known to many, but the specific reasons were beyond what these students could understand.
Most people thought Fang Yuan would miss the competition within the province, but unexpectedly, Pingcheng No.1 Middle School had still reserved a spot for Fang Yuan on the team, reflecting the school's high regard for him.
Now that Fang Yuan had indeed returned, everyone felt differently. The question that arose was, just how strong was Fang Yuan now?
Liu Le, Lin Jing, and others were aware that Fang Yuan had not wasted his time training during this period, but they were unclear as to how much he had improved, let alone the others.
"Lin Jing."
"Present!"
Director Wu called out to Lin Jing and said, "Starting today, let Fang Yuan take over your position as the team captain."
If Fang Yuan had been an outsider, the team members probably would have protested by now, but before the winter break, Fang Yuan was undeniably the team's NO.1, and he had been the designated choice for the captain. Everyone, including Lin Jing, was mentally prepared for Director Wu's sudden arrangement.
Yet, they hadn't expected the transition to be so abrupt, with Fang Yuan being made the captain as soon as he returned.
The role of the team captain was especially significant in team battles, requiring leadership ability and the capacity to take charge within the team.
In Pokemon battles, captains generally play a decisive role as the tactical core, and if the captain is weak or unstable, the team won't be much stronger.
During a team battle, if an emergency arises requiring a change in tactics, the team usually follows the captain's on-the-fly adjustments.
While Trainers command their Pokemon, the captain is in charge of directing the team members at critical moments. This command structure is common among most teams.
Therefore, the captain's responsibility is significant, entailing many duties and requiring exceptional qualities to fulfill the role.
"Sure," Lin Jing's voice was cheerful, "But Director Wu, shouldn't you let Fang Yuan and me have a battle first?"
After saying this, Lin Jing winked at Fang Yuan. They had already agreed to have a battle during their chat the day before.
Now was the perfect time for a battle. On one hand, Fang Yuan needed to demonstrate his strength to the other team members, and on the other, the outcome could legitimize Fang Yuan's succession as the captain.
"Of course," Director Wu agreed readily, calling over the other class trainers to witness this battle.
While the teachers were preparing, the other team members had already gathered around, eager to inquire about Fang Yuan's situation.