Chapter 77

White walls, blue roofs—this is the standard architecture by the Aegean Sea. As the sun set, the clouds on the horizon turned a deep red, and the waves on the sea sparkled like brilliant gems. The sea breeze carried the scent of olives.

"Quite a view, isn't it!" Zhang Guan couldn't help but exclaim.

This was Prince Sheikh Rashid's villa in Athens, right by the Aegean Sea. The villa, with its typical Greek architectural style, wasn't very tall but covered a vast area, with almost a kilometer of coastline enclosed within its grounds.

Zhang Guan, accompanied by a "translator," walked to the villa's entrance. Before he could take out the golden invitation, a butler-like figure emerged and said to Zhang Guan, "Welcome, Mr. Zhang. I am the butler, Muhammad, of His Highness the Prince. The Prince is waiting for you inside. Please follow me."

"Thank you, I didn't expect you to recognize me. It's a great honor," Zhang Guan said in Chinese, and the person playing the translator translated it into English for him.

The butler clearly didn't doubt the translator's identity and said politely, "This time, the Prince only invited one Chinese guest. When I saw an Eastern face, I knew it must be you."

The butler led Zhang Guan through the front hall, and the sound of intense rock music came from not far away.

At this moment, a young Arab man appeared in Zhang Guan's line of sight. He was dressed in traditional Arab attire: a snow-white and wide robe, a white headscarf, and a black headband. Zhang Guan had already guessed that this was Prince Sheikh Rashid.

"Oh! The fastest man in the world has arrived!" Sheikh Rashid greeted him with a smile.

"Your Highness, it's a pleasure to meet you," Zhang Guan replied immediately.

"I am very pleased to have you here. I just led the fastest swimmer in the world inside, and now the fastest runner in the world has arrived," Sheikh Rashid paused and added, "I'm talking about Michael Phelps. By the way, do you know each other?"

"I've heard of Phelps, but I haven't had the chance to meet him," Zhang Guan added, "Americans stay in five-star hotels, while we stay in the Olympic Village."

"Then it's perfect, I'll introduce you to Phelps! I'm looking forward to bringing together the fastest man on land and the fastest man in water," Sheikh Rashid led Zhang Guan to the backyard.

The heavy rock music filled Zhang Guan's ears, and the scene before him made him a bit surprised.

In the center was a swimming pool, equipped with a wave generator that created waves at regular intervals. Scattered around the pool were men in swim trunks and women in bikinis playing and splashing. On one side of the pool were a row of lounge chairs, and on the other side were white sofas.

A black DJ was spinning records in the corner, and the rock music was coming from there. In front of the DJ, a small open space was lit by colored lights, where men and women were dancing enthusiastically. On the opposite side, there was a marble bar, and a middle-aged bartender was shaking a cocktail shaker. Not far from the bartender was a long dining table, with rows of beer and various fresh fruits already cut and arranged. On the other side of the table were various snacks, and a young waiter stood there, holding a tray with two glasses of champagne and two glasses of red wine.

In another corner, smoke was rising, and an Arab-dressed man was standing by a charcoal grill, manipulating the barbecue. He hummed a tune and occasionally brushed thick sauce on the meat, which emitted a rich aroma as it was heated by the charcoal.

"This is a pool party. I seem to have dressed wrong; I should have worn something more casual," Zhang Guan thought to himself.

A white man walked over from a distance. He was wearing a casual T-shirt and shorts, about the same height as Zhang Guan, but with a slender build. His long face and prominent ears made Zhang Guan recognize him immediately—this was the swimming superstar, Michael Phelps.

"Oh, look who's here, it's our flying man!" Phelps walked over without any reserve and gave Zhang Guan a typical American hug.

"Hello, Michael, it's nice to meet you," Zhang Guan awkwardly used the greeting from his middle school textbook.

"Michael, Zhang is probably new to this kind of event and seems a bit nervous. I'll leave him in your hands; make sure he has a good time," Prince Sheikh Rashid said.

"No problem, dear Prince, there's food, drinks, and beautiful women here! It's like heaven!" Phelps, without hesitation, put his arm around Zhang Guan and said, "Zhang, let me show you around!"

Phelps led Zhang Guan straight to the Arab man grilling, holding up two fingers. The Arab man immediately handed Phelps two large skewers. Phelps gave one to Zhang Guan and said, "This is the best grilled meat I've ever had! This chef is the top grill master in the UAE. Oh, by the way, this is camel meat, freshly delivered from Dubai this morning."

Zhang Guan took a bite. The meat was incredibly fresh and perfectly cooked. The top grill master in the UAE lived up to his reputation, far surpassing the street vendor at the provincial sports center.

The training centers in China have dietary restrictions for athletes, but these are mainly during the pre-competition preparation phase and the competition itself. The pre-competition preparation phase usually refers to the months leading up to the competition, with restrictions mainly on diet. During this phase, athletes are not prohibited from eating out, but they should avoid poultry, pork, beef, and lamb, as well as fermented sauces. Vegetables and well-cooked noodles are allowed.

High temperatures can break down the active components of performance-enhancing drugs but cannot eliminate the residue of clenbuterol. For example, a gymnastics champion once had to eat out for his father's birthday two months before a competition. He didn't touch any of the dishes on the table, only ordering a bowl of green vegetable noodles.

In 2004, the restrictions on eating meat outside were not as strict. Offal was absolutely prohibited, and the ban on beef and lamb was implemented a few years later. By 2012, the ban on poultry was comprehensive, and training centers no longer purchased poultry.

During the competition, the restrictions are much stricter. Athletes are not allowed to eat or drink anything outside, and any beverages they carry must remain within the sight of the athlete or coach. For athletes like Liu Xiang, once a bottle of mineral water is opened, it cannot be used again if it leaves their hands, and a new bottle must be opened each time.

After the competition, as long as they pass the urine test, athletes are generally not restricted in their diet. They can eat and drink as they please, and even alcohol is allowed. It's common to see news of top European and American athletes going to nightclubs and bars after competitions.

Some might wonder, what if there's a random or follow-up test after the competition?

The athlete's urine sample is divided into A and B samples, essentially the same sample in two bottles. The A sample is tested, and the B sample is stored. If a retest or follow-up test is needed, the B sample is tested, not a new sample from the athlete. For example, if an athlete's A sample tests positive, the B sample is checked. If the B sample also tests positive, the athlete is directly found to have used performance-enhancing drugs, and no new sample is taken.

Others might worry about being intentionally drugged while eating out.

The performance-enhancing drugs used by athletes are mainly of a few types. Stimulants and blood-boosting drugs are short-acting and are usually taken before the competition. If used, they will definitely be detected, and their metabolism is fast, possibly finishing in a dozen or twenty hours, so drugging before the competition is meaningless.

Another widely used performance-enhancing drug is anabolic steroids, which require long-term use to be effective. Occasional use is ineffective, and they are metabolized within a few days. However, if used long-term, the body will react, and even after stopping for several days, they can still be detected.

Diuretics, though not direct performance-enhancing drugs, can reduce the metabolic products of performance-enhancing drugs, making it difficult to detect them in tests, so they are also banned.

...

Phelps continued to lead Zhang Guan forward.

A waiter approached with a tray of champagne. Zhang Guan was about to take a glass but was stopped by Phelps.

"Our flying man doesn't need this girly drink! We need something stronger," Phelps pointed to the marble bar and said, "See that bartender? His name is Heinz. He's the most famous bartender in Austria, and the Prince paid a lot to bring him here."

Phelps pulled Zhang Guan to the bar and sat down, then said to the bartender, "Heinz, I've brought a new friend. Zhang from China, who recently won the men's 100-meter sprint and broke the world record! What do you think, isn't it incredible that our Chinese friend broke the 100-meter world record?"

The bartender, Heinz, smiled and nodded at Zhang Guan, then said to Phelps, "Michael, you'd better stay away from me. I don't like people chattering while I'm mixing drinks."

"Heinz, our new friend seems a bit nervous. Why don't you mix him something to cheer him up?" Phelps suggested.

The bartender hesitated for a couple of seconds but finally nodded. He then added various liquids and powders to the cocktail shaker, and a dark green liquid appeared in front of Zhang Guan.

"Try it, dear Zhang, this is good stuff! This drink is worth a car," Phelps said with a smile.

Zhang Guan didn't know if Phelps meant a luxury sports car or a tricycle, but if Phelps said it was expensive, it must be. He took a small sip and savored the taste.

"A bit sour, a bit bitter," Zhang Guan said.

"This drink isn't meant to be sipped. You should drink it in one go," Phelps pointed to the glass.

"Alright," Zhang Guan followed Phelps' advice and drank the entire glass in one gulp.

"Sorry, I don't seem to be used to this taste. Can I have something else?" Zhang Guan asked the bartender.

"This drink isn't meant to be drunk," the bartender said as he started mixing a second drink for Zhang Guan.

Zhang Guan clearly didn't understand the bartender's meaning, but Phelps explained, "The main ingredient in that drink is a special herb from Africa, so it doesn't taste good."

"African herb?" Zhang Guan felt a sense of foreboding.

"Yes, an African herb that men particularly like. It can make you excited, forget pain, and act like a beast in front of beautiful women!" Phelps said, glancing at a nearby bikini-clad woman, who noticed his gaze and gave him a flirtatious look.

Phelps then turned back to Zhang Guan and continued, "In some African tribes, they hold competitions every year. The warriors take this herb before the competition, making them much braver in battle! Now, this herb is more expensive than gold and can only be found by the royal families in the Middle East."

Phelps lowered his voice and added, "But they don't use it for battle; they use it for three hundred rounds with beautiful women!"

Zhang Guan's face changed. "Michael, this thing isn't...?"

"Don't worry, it's not a performance-enhancing drug! Scientists have analyzed this herb and found a special component, but the name is too long for me to remember. I've tried it before and had a drink just now. This herb has no side effects, a very short duration, and disappears from the body the next day. Even as athletes, we can use it without worrying about drug tests."

After hearing Phelps' explanation, Zhang Guan wanted to drag him out and beat him up. Thinking about the negative reports about Phelps in the future—visiting nightclubs, dating models, frequenting casinos, drunk driving, and even smoking marijuana—Zhang Guan found Phelps even less reliable.

"How do you say 'I promise not to kill you' in English?" Zhang Guan thought, feeling helpless.

"Alright, you should be full of energy now! It's time to find some beautiful women," Phelps pointed to a few bikini-clad women nearby and said to Zhang Guan, "All European models, top-notch figures. These girls will definitely like you, a strong and young guy. See that door? There are many guest rooms inside. If you like, you can take a few girls in. Even if you don't, the generous Prince might have a surprise for you!"

Zhang Guan naturally knew what Phelps meant by "surprise" and felt a bit uncomfortable with the situation.

"Michael, you go ahead. Heinz is still mixing a drink for me," Zhang Guan looked at the bartender.

"Alright, come find me later. I'll introduce you to some beautiful women!" Phelps, unable to resist the temptation, walked toward the bikini-clad woman who had given him a flirtatious look.

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Chapter 1 delivered, a 4200-word chapter. I beg for your recommendations! Thank you.

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