Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

Chapter 270 Huishi Alligators vs. Shizi Dogs (2)

The gymnasium was silent as Kai smirked at his teammates, who were also looking at him with wide eyes.

"Told you I'm better now," he said to Jet, who felt like he was hit with lightning.

"This kid," he muttered.

Although Kai was already a normally steady player, he seemed to have transformed after the Winter Break. His movements were more swift and precise, catching the attention of everyone in the stands and on the court.

It was clear something changed within him.

Max bit his lips. "Has he always been good?" he muttered.

Qiang found himself frustrated early on.

"You alright?" Kris asked, concern seen on his face.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Didn't see that coming, but I can handle him."

With that, the ball found its way into the hands of an Alligator, who spotted an open shot. Andy, who was guarding him, quickly sprang into action.

However, his efforts were futile this time. Just as the Alligator prepared to release the ball, a figure launched from behind Andy like a towering spiker, swatting the ball away with a thunderous slap.

"Woah!" the crowd exclaimed.

Lina's jaw dropped as she saw Kai land lightly on the ground. He had momentarily stopped guarding Qiang to block another player!

Coach Muchen scratched the back of his head.

"Is this the result of not being able to play for a week?" he asked. "I think we just created a monster."

Lina shook her head in disbelief. She knew that Kai was a monster in the making, but to see it happen before her eyes was another story.

"He's... he's so good," she muttered, feeling her heart race inside her chest.

Despite the amazing block, the crowd didn't have much time to react as the ball landed in Yuze's hand.

He dribbled past his defender and eyed an opportunity to advance toward their basket.

However, Kris abruptly cut off his path, whose defensive stance forced Yuze to reconsider. With a quick pass, Yuze redirected the ball back to Kai, also curious if he could score three consecutive points.

As Kai received the ball, Qiang planted his feet firmly.

He smirked as he unleashed a unique defensive maneuver—stomping left and right to unsettle his opponents. Qiang had been compared to a sumo wrestler the moment he came to the court, so he owned the nickname and made use of this particular skill.

The rhythmic stopping of sumo wrestlers served to confuse his opponents as to which direction he was going.

Qiang braced himself, knowing Kai's charge would invite physical contact—possibly even a foul. He had positioned himself strategically. With his current speed, there was no way that Kai would be able to escape his wall!

However, Kai, unfazed, pressed forward with an almost reckless determination.

Qiang's confident expression fell as Kai charged closer to him. For a second, he felt some kind of fear, which was strange since Kai was smaller than him in build.

He closed his eyes, waiting for the impact.

However, in a blink, Kai sidestepped Qang's defensive ease and went past him with deceptive ease. With a burst of speed, Kai soared towards the basket, evading another defender's grasp.

The crowd erupted in awe as Kai's lay-up connected smoothly, adding two points to their score.

6-0.

The cheerleaders were momentarily silent, with Suzy being the most surprised. The series of plays from Kai had led her to become speechless, and for a good minute, the only thing she could hear was the beating of her own heart.

"Suzy," Yani said, nudging her friend's shoulder.

Suzy snapped out of her reverie and turned back to her team before holding up the number that they were going to perform.

The gym was filled with cheers for the Shizi Dogs, most of them in disbelief at what was happening.

"Six points solely from Kai Guo!" Mark exclaimed. "I still remember the first time I watched this rookie. He has improved so much that I don't even know what to say."

On the sidelines, Coach Muchen nodded approvingly, recognizing Kai's hard work.

Meanwhile, Coach Yixing was sobbing on the bleachers, being comforted by his captain, Zedong.

"I lost him," he said. "We could have gotten someone like him," he sniffed.

Zedong pursed his lips, also finding it a waste.

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"What can we do?" Zedong asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"I'm curious, though," he whispered. "Is this all? Or is he still hiding some skills?"

Meanwhile, on the court, Qiang gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling beneath his calm exterior.

He wasn't used to being outmatched, especially not by someone who had previously been a solid, but not spectacular, player.

"He must have trained all break," Qiang muttered to himself, eyes narrowing as he tracked Kai's movements. "No way he just got this good overnight."

As the game progressed, Kai's improvement became even more apparent. He darted across the court with a speed and agility that left the Alligators scrambling to keep up. The ball moved fluidly between his hands and his teammates', creating an offensive onslaught.

He was like a caveman who hadn't eaten in ten days and was finally being granted a meal.

The Alligators' coach called for a timeout, the whistle piercing through the air. The players huddled together, their breathing heavy and face slick with sweat.

"We need to shut Kai down. Qiang, you stick to him like glue. Don't give him an inch," he said.

Qiang nodded, feeling more determined. "Got it, Coach. He won't get past me again."

However, it was obvious in his breathing that Qiang was getting tired even though it was only the first quarter.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kris asked, nudging his shoulder.

Qiang clenched his jaw. "Stop asking me that."

The gap was much larger than they had expected, so Qiang knew that he couldn't afford to slack.

Then, he focused his gaze on Kai once more.

"It's just been a while," he said, assuring himself.

"I shouldn't be scared of him."

"There's nothing to be scared of."