On the competition stage, Mama Bear seemed unfazed by the barbell before her, exhibiting an air of keen interest.
It was clear Yang Lin had familiarized her with such equipment.
Faced with the imposing 300-kilogram weight, her expression showed no hint of trepidation.
The next second, under countless watchful eyes, Mama Bear, in an upright stance, grasped the barbell with both front paws.
At that moment, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
Beside her, Lü Jun and the other three Olympic champions stared intently at Mama Bear's paws gripping the barbell.
Just then, the weight plates, previously flush with the ground, began to move.
Slowly and steadily, they started to rise.
Witnessing this, everyone was utterly dumbfounded.
Regardless of whether Mama Bear could successfully complete the lift, simply lifting a 300-kilogram barbell off the ground was an feat beyond human capability.
But Mama Bear's next actions made them feel as though they were watching a science fiction film.
As the weight plates lifted, Mama Bear swiftly hoisted the barbell to her chest, then rapidly squatted down, before finally extending the barbell high above her head.
The entire sequence was performed without a single pause, fluid and seamless, mirroring the demonstrations of the Olympic champions with flawless precision.
Even after Mama Bear completed the lift, the audience remained captivated by her astounding display of brute strength.
An profound silence fell over the arena. Judges and spectators alike looked on at Mama Bear with expressions of sheer disbelief.
Mama Bear, sensing the unusual atmosphere, looked around with the barbell still aloft, then turned her gaze to Yang Lin, as if questioning what was happening.
Just as Yang Lin was about to respond, thunderous applause erupted from the crowd, and the four Olympic champions enthusiastically joined in.
Undoubtedly, Mama Bear had become their idol.
"Damn, I've never seen anything like it! A clean and jerk of 300 kilograms, performed so perfectly. What incredible physical strength!"
"Now I finally understand what kind of brutal beating those four wild boars endured. Fortunately, they were wild boars; if it were me, I'd probably be dead on the spot."
"I used to hear that bears could shatter a bull's spine with a single swipe, but I never quite believed it. Today, I finally do."
"No wonder all anyone ever talks about is a bear's strength."
...
Just as everyone thought it was over, Mama Bear slowly lowered the barbell to the ground.
As the 300-kilogram weight settled onto the floor, not even a whisper of sound was produced.
"Judges, we'd like to challenge a heavier weight. I believe this weight is still too light for Mama Bear," Yang Lin said, his voice calm, amidst the judge's bewildered stare.
As if he had misheard, the judge quickly pressed for clarification.
"Too light? How is that possible? That was 300 kilograms."
"That's right. Mama Bear, you said that, didn't you?" Yang Lin asked, turning his gaze to Mama Bear beside him.
Hearing Yang Lin's words, Mama Bear, with remarkable human-like gesture, nodded.
As the judge was about to voice further objections, Yang Lin suddenly asked, "By the way, what is the maximum weight your barbell bar can withstand?"
Startled by Yang Lin's sudden question, the judge seemed momentarily confused but soon provided an answer.
"The barbell bars used in this competition are the same as those used in the Olympics. Their maximum load capacity is 1200 pounds, which is a little over 544 kilograms."
"Why do you ask?"
"544 kilograms, you say? Then load it up to the maximum weight today. We'll challenge that."
Yang Lin's declaration left the judge and the four Olympic champions stunned.
"Load it up to the maximum." Were these words meant to be heard at a weightlifting competition?
Was this something a human would even say?
The audience, both in the arena and watching the broadcast, were too far away to clearly hear Yang Lin's words.
All they saw was Yang Lin speaking, followed by the utterly dumbfounded expressions of the Olympic champions and the judge.
Consequently, they were filled with curiosity about what exactly Yang Lin had said.
"What did Director Yang say? Why are those people wearing such expressions?"
"I don't know. Based on General Jun's expression, it seems like he's having trouble accepting something."
"Damn, this is killing me! Is there anyone who can lip-read? Tell us what they just said!"
"Director, where's the director? Get the cameras and microphones closer!"
...
As the audience grew increasingly impatient, the host of the event suddenly approached the weightlifting platform.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are currently experiencing a slight situation. Our Mama Bear will soon be attempting a 1200-pound clean and jerk challenge."
"This is also the maximum weight that our barbell bar can support. If this challenge is successful, it will mark the most significant moment in the history of weightlifting."
"So, will Mama Bear be able to succeed? Let us wait and see."
As soon as the host finished speaking, a roar of astonishment swept through the entire arena.
They had considered countless possibilities, but this one had never crossed their minds.
The live broadcast viewers were equally electrified, with an outpouring of comments flooding the screen simultaneously.
"1200 pounds! My goodness, are they joking? That's over a thousand jin!"
"To be precise, it's 1088.6217 jin, over half a ton."
"That's like ten of me tied together."
"Stop joking. Even a bear couldn't lift that much weight, surely."
"I seriously doubt an elephant could lift that much."
"An elephant might be able to push something over a ton, but it certainly couldn't lift half a ton. The mechanics of force generation are completely different."
"If Mama Bear is using impact, I think it might be able to exert that much force, but lifting it, I find that unlikely."
"What worries me is whether the barbell bar can withstand such immense weight."
"Don't worry. If it's an Olympic-standard bar, it can definitely handle it."
"If Mama Bear can lift it, then the title of the strongest creature in the animal kingdom, in terms of pure weight, will surely be solidified. Let's not even mention ants; we're talking about raw weight."
.....
Just as many were beginning to doubt the feasibility, the staff had already loaded the barbell bar to its maximum capacity.
With the final weight plate secured, the barbell instantly reached an astonishing weight.
From a distance, it resembled two colossal iron lumps connected together.
And yet, this was a weight that even the Olympic champions dared not imagine. Mama Bear, however, walked towards it with her usual calm demeanor.
At this moment, the eyes of tens of millions of viewers across the nation were fixed upon her.