On the dragon boat of Changqing Academy, everyone felt they had the will but not the power, as that previous stretch had already consumed most of their energy.
They also saw that Baiyun Academy's dragon boat had already caught up, and everyone started to feel anxious and restless.
The drummer, feeling a moment of panic, sped up the beat, causing the rowing actions to fall out of sync, disrupting the entire rhythm.
For a while, the speed slowed even more, and watching as Baiyun Academy's boat was nearly just half a boat length behind, they became increasingly flustered.
The drummer's beat became disordered, and the rowers couldn't find the rhythm. If this continued, it would be no surprise for Baiyun Academy to overtake them.
In the stands, Old Granny Zhang slapped the railing anxiously, "What's going on? Does that drummer know what he's doing? Listening to his messed-up drumming, I'm better at pounding clothes than he is!"