Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The people next to them also started catching on, and they stared at the group of covered men with curiosity.

"Who are they? Why do they look so suspicious?"

"Goodness, I almost didn't notice them because they blended so well in the dark."

"Oh, they're pointing at him now."

"That guy," Chunlei said, pointing toward Kai's way. "Let's have him on our team."

Qiang frowned and squinted his eyes. "Who even is that guy?"

"Oh, you know him," Chunlei said. "You know him really well."

Meanwhile, the other players from the Feng Foxes also scrutinized the man sitting in the corner of the bleachers.

Zedong chuckled in amusement. "Is that—"

"Yes," Yiming said before he could finish his statement. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire

"What are they doing here?" Zedong asked.

"I bet they snuck in," Yiming chimed. "That's why they're in that weird disguise. It makes them look even more suspicious, though."

"You!" Chunlei exclaimed amidst the curious chatters. The court turned silent once more.

Kai silently pointed toward himself.

Chunlei chuckled. "Yes, you," he said. "Come here."

Kai turned to his teammates, who all appeared excited.

"I think they recognize us," Jet said, feeling amused.

"They want you to play," Shang said, nudging Kai's shoulder.

"Do you think they'll tell on us?" Andy asked, feeling a bit anxious.

"Relax," Jet remarked. "Let's watch Kai play first. This just became even more interesting!"

With that, Kai finally stood from his seat. He didn't expect to play today, but he wasn't really complaining.

As he walked towards the middle of the court, all eyes followed his every move.

"He's tall."

"Who is he, though?"

"I can't see his face."

"Well, duh. He's wearing a mask and a beanie. There's nothing that can be seen except for his eyes."

"Is he acting mysterious or something?"

"He's even wearing his pajamas. Why is Chunlei asking him to play?"

Kai passed by the college players, and they observed him well, too.

"This guy?" Donghai couldn't help but ask as Kai stood next to Chunlei.

Next to the other guys, Kai was the tallest. However, his height difference from Donghai's was pretty massive.

"Yes," Chunlei said. "We don't have a choice. We'll take this guy."

Chaoxing scratched the back of his head. "Is he even a player?"

"I am," Kai said, his voice muffled with the mask.

Kevin also appeared hesitant, but he didn't question Chunlei's choice further.

Zicheng looked Kai up and down and noted his outfit. His eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw that he was wearing slippers.

"Can he even play in this state?" he asked, pointing toward his footwear.

The other players also looked down at Kai's feet, making him feel a bit bashful.

Chunlei clicked his tongue. "Don't you have basketball shoes with you?"

"It's in the room," Kai muttered. "I didn't think I would be playing this afternoon."

Chunlei shook his head. "Can you still play?"

Kai smirked underneath his mask and nodded.

"It adds to the challenge, doesn't it?"

Chunlei smiled in amusement before facing the University of Shanghai players once more.@@novelbin@@

"He says he's okay," Chunlei said.

The older players glanced at each other before shrugging.

"Well, whatever you guys want. Don't make this as an excuse if you guys lose, though."

"We won't," Kai said with confidence.

Chaoxing continued looking at him with apprehension. It was clear that he wanted to win, but he wasn't sure if Chunlei had made the right decision.

"Let's start," Donghai said, and with that, the court erupted into murmurs of anticipation.

The players from the University of Shanghai lined up for the start of their 'friendly' game.

Donghai stepped forward with the ball, dribbling it skillfully to show off to the younger players.

Then, he began to state the rules.

"Fifteen minutes on the clock. No breaks. No referee. Just us," he announced with a confident grin. Some players on the side took the initiative to perform such duties.

With that, Donghai passed the ball toward their way.

Qiang caught it with a little bit of a stumble, causing some of the crowd to chuckle.

"What's this?" Qiang asked, wanting to appear unnerved.

"You guys take on the first offense," Donghai smiled. "Everyone knows that you need it more than us."

The group of high school glanced at each other with tensed expressions. Chaoxing's eyes met Kai's, and the former appeared relaxed. Meanwhile, Kai remained nonchalant, making Chaoxing even more curious about the mysterious player.

One of the players on the side blew the whistle, signaling the start of the game.

Qiang, eager to prove himself, started dribbling cautiously. His eyes darted around, trying to anticipate the defense.

However, Jiho, the 'fast hands' of their team, pounced on Qiang's hesitation. With a quick swipe, Jiho stole the ball cleanly.

"Oh no, they're in trouble," Jet muttered. "The hands are coming to get them."

Andy raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

"The hands?" he asked.

"Jiho, the 'fast hands,'" Jet started off. "He's known for having the speed of a renowned pick-pocketer. You don't even notice that the ball is already out of your hands when you play with him!"

"Gotcha!" Jiho grinned as he raced down the court. He spotted Zicheng, known for his precise ball-handling skills, positioning himself near the three-point line. Without hesitation, Jiho passed the ball to Zicheng, who caught it smoothly.

"Zicheng, the 'sticky hands'—known for not giving up the ball. It seems as if he has glue on his palms, so others aren't able to steal it from him."

Zicheng dribbled once, twice, evading Kevin with a quick spin move. He spotted Donghai, their powerhouse center, sprinting towards the basket. With a precise pass, Zicheng fed the ball to Donghai, who caught it in stride. The gym echoed with cheers and gasps as Donghai soared upwards, his large hands clutching the ball tightly.

"And Donghai, the 'strong hands.' His limbs aren't only long, but he also has great strength. A rumor spread that he was able to deflate a basketball with his hands by accident when he just got into the team."

Shang and Andy listened intently, watching as the high schoolers struggled against the older players.

In one fluid motion, Donghai slammed the ball through the hoop with a thunderous dunk. The backboard rattled as the ball passed cleanly through the net.

Donghai shouted triumphantly, his smirk widening as he landed back on the court.

"That's 2-0, baby!"