419 The Truth That We Need (1/2)

Phillip returned to the locker room, tired from the whole day's training. Gritting his teeth due to the pain, he took off the artificial limb and found that his knee had swollen where it joined the artificial limb.

It hurts so much! Rubbing the swollen part, he suddenly began to miss Dai Li.

When Dai Li was there, Dai Li would give him several minutes of massage after the training ended, and his pain and swelling were quickly relieved. But now, the swelling and pain tortured him every minute, and they didn't leave even after a whole day's rest.

The training made his legs hurt, and he placed last every time he went to a race. Under such circumstances, Phillip couldn't find any motivation to go on. He was beginning to hate being an athlete.

Steven came into the locker room looking happy and excited.

”Good news, Barron! There is a sponsor in Oakland interested in you. I'll go to Oakland tomorrow to meet him,” Steven said.

”Another sponsor, then.” There was nothing happy on Phillip's face.

Steven had often told him that there was a new sponsor interested in him. But after that, Phillip never heard anything else about these sponsors.

Feeling Phillip's listlessness, Steven said, ”Don't worry, Barron. I'll make a deal with the sponsor this time.”

Looking disconsolate, Phillip heaved a sigh and then said, ”Did I make a stupid choice when I left Coach Li?”

”How can that be? The AP training center is much bigger than Dai Li's training center. Here we have more kinds of equipment, the coaching team is more professional, and the training philosophy is the most advanced—” Steven immediately said.

”But my performance declined,” Phillip interrupted, shaking his head. ”I know the training in the AP Training Center is really professional. Their coaching team has made me a very good training plan. I didn't see any problem with their training, but I can feel clearly that I am slower than before!”

”Barron, you aren't in your best shape, that's all. Don't overstress yourself. Relax, you will get your best performance back,” Steven said.

”No. It has nothing to do with my shape.” Phillip shook his head very seriously. ”When coached by Coach Li, I ran very smoothly. Sometimes I didn't even notice that I have artificial limbs, as if they were completely integrated with my body. But now, that feeling has escaped me. Especially when I am in a match, the artificial limbs are so heavy that they are a burden for me. It is so hard to run for even one step.”

”Barron, is it that your artificial limbs are too old? Maybe we should go to Iceland and get the company to make another pair of limbs for you. Maybe they now have even more advanced technology to make firmer and lighter limbs,” Steven said.

”The artificial limbs?” Phillip shook his head. ”When I bought them, the company promised that these artificial limbs would last for two or three decades. The strength of carbon fiber bundles is much higher than steel. They won't deform under continuous pressure. What's more, even if it is due to the artificial limbs, I cannot change them in a short time.”

”Why?” Steven asked.

”They are customized. Everyone's requirements for artificial limbs are different, as everyone is different in terms of figure and bone structure. This kind of artificial limb can never be mass produced. It takes several months to make them, as they need to craft carbon fiber nanotubes.”

After a short pause, Phillip continued, ”When the artificial limbs are made, they need installation and commissioning so that the user can get comfortable with them. It took me one year to get used to this set and walk like a normal person. Do you think I have that much time now to get a new set of artificial limbs and adapt to them?”