Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 238: 237 A Sword to the Throat

McLeod was sprinting.

So was Li Wei.

However, their momentum was starkly different.

McLeod, who should have been on the offensive, found himself on the defensive; Li Wei, whose steps had been in disarray and off-balance, erupted with an unmatched offensive fury.

The two figures closed in at full speed, seemingly destined to collide head-on.

McLeod’s skin tingled with the sharpness of the oncoming threat, his hairs standing on end, knees quivering slightly. But gritting his teeth and steeling his heart, he closed his eyes and charged ahead at full speed, pushing strength, speed, and momentum to their limits—

He was ready. Let the impact be even more fierce.

In that moment, McLeod transformed, proving why he had earned the starting spot, charging toward the convergence point like a force unstoppable.

Ah!

Power, burst forth.

Hey, wait, what?

As the imminent head-on collision approached and McLeod’s arms were already poised to tackle, he lunged at empty space.

Li Wei performed an emergency stop.

Half a step was all it took for McLeod, looking like a fool, to brush past Li Wei, gaping as Li Wei slipped by.

Is that it?

Trying to flutter about, McLeod found himself unable to stop, having committed too much force and speed; in the corner of his eye, he helplessly watched as Li Wei made a clockwise spin, moving in the opposite direction along his body.

McLeod flew to his left, and Li Wei also spun to his left. As they misaligned, the distance between them widened further and further.

After a 360-degree spin, the way ahead of Li Wei was utterly clear—

A vast open field.

The entire stadium, hearts stopped, stared dumbfounded at the scene.

And then, Li Wei took off.

"Fly!" The thirty-yard line.

Behind him, the solid mass of the Philadelphia Eagles Defensive group in hot pursuit, like a dark cloud descending, unleashed an incredible speed that was hard to believe, trying to catch up.

"Fly!" The twenty-yard line.

The clawing turbulence behind him was close to catching up to Li Wei, whose steps had briefly slowed after the 360-degree spin, but after a short adjustment, he found his speed again, running faster and faster.

"Fly!" The ten-yard line.

Just as the gap had begun to close, it started increasing again before one could even blink.

Without exception, the entire Arrowhead Stadium could no longer contain its boiling blood, everybody standing up, forgetting to cheer or jump, just watching that red number twenty-three shadow, adrenaline completely ignited.

The storm was brewing.

Without suspense, without surprise, just like that, they watched him cross the end zone—

A straight arrow to the heart.

Boom!

The entire Arrowhead Stadium united in a roar.

"Touchdown!"

The sound waves swelled, the whole world began to shake violently, centered on Arrowhead Stadium, sweeping over Kansas City, hearts bursting with roars, a raging heatwave igniting the sky, unstoppable now.

Bart: … Damn it.

"Li Wei!"

"Li Wei! Li Wei! Li Wei!"

"First, the Philadelphia Eagles scored a twenty-six yard touchdown pass, a powerful declaration of their thirst for victory; then, the Kansas City Chiefs responded with a crushing blow, forcefully declaring that this is their turf."

"Unbelievable!"

"Rookie Running Back Levi tore through the Philadelphia Eagles’ tight four-man defensive fort, displaying his incomparable speed and agility. With a long drive straight to the end zone, he scored a decisive 75-yard touchdown rush, making a mockery of the entire Eagles’ defensive group."

"Wow, that’s absolutely a spine-tingling touchdown run."

ESPN commentator Pash had gone mad. Even though he had witnessed Levi’s progress step by step and had complete faith in him, he still couldn’t contain his excitement when he saw Levi break free from the shackles of being suppressed in the first half to complete such a touchdown."

"God, this is why I love football."

In the end zone,

Levi didn’t roar or bellow; he just stood there, clenching his fists, panting heavily, thoroughly savoring the burning sensation of this moment—

He loved times like this, pushing his potential to the limit, unleashing all of it without reservation, constantly challenging his own limits in a fierce competition, and then witnessing a whole new world unfold before him.

Whoosh.

Levi opened his arms, embracing the crimson tide before him at Arrowhead Stadium.

In an instant, the whole stadium roared.

"Levi!"

"Levi!"

"Levi!"

At the Old Oak Tavern, bartender Charles Vester couldn’t control himself any longer and shouted with raised arms—

It had been too long, indeed too long.

Kansas City had been silent for too long under the gloom of economic recession and unemployment crises. The long and bumpy ride of life seemed to offer nothing but confusion, with no hope or clear future in sight.

They just needed a little bit of uplifting power to keep going, to hold on just a little longer, just a little while longer.

Just like now.

Vester couldn’t suppress it anymore, he felt the fervor in his blood long lost and, with intense emotion, he threw away the rag and raised his clenched fist high.

He thought he was alone.

But he wasn’t.

All the patrons of the Old Oak Tavern raised their fists and cheered with all their might. With a turn of his head, Vester could see radiant smiles blooming on weary and weathered faces—

So what if the storm was fierce?

They wouldn’t surrender, they refused to give up, they would still stand in the mud and gaze at the starry sky, patiently waiting for the dawn’s light to arrive.

Levi, the rookie wearing jersey number twenty-three, clumsily stumbled into the world of football, an Asian kid, a complete outsider to football. But now, he was infusing Kansas City with energy through his actions.

Powerfully, overwhelmingly, the same chants vibrated in the skies above Arrowhead Stadium.

Thousands of souls were calling out the same name at this moment.

Because Levi, with his unparalleled performance, had torn through the Eagles’ iron curtain to complete the 75-yard drive to the end zone. And because at the critical moment when the game was balanced on a knife-edge, everything converged into a mighty force as the Kansas City Chiefs found themselves in a tight spot.

And not just the fans.

The Kansas City Chiefs players also ignited their passion because of Levi’s performance, and one could see everyone on the sidelines raising their helmets and cheering together.

Then, when the Kansas City Chiefs Defense took to the field again, they were ferocious, continuing their tough play from the first half—

Three and out.

The Kansas City Chiefs gave the Philadelphia Eagles Offensive group no chance at all. Sophomore quarterback Wentz, like a flower in a greenhouse, found himself battered by the storm; he left the field in disarray after being hit hard and sacked repeatedly.

The Kansas City Chiefs Defense extinguished the Eagles’ counterattack in the shortest amount of time with the strongest display, allowing their own Offensive group to take the field once again.

The Philadelphia Eagles realized the crisis immediately.

If they couldn’t hold them back this time, the balance of the game might completely tilt towards the Kansas City Chiefs, and the fourth quarter would be in dire straits. The Eagles needed their first-half defense to step up once again.

The tension of the game escalated, the air reignited, and Arrowhead Stadium finally got back its usual splendor as the deafening roar cascaded down.