Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The younger players couldn't hide their disappointment as Jian turned them down.

"Aww, what a bummer."

"I want to play with him, too."

Jian held in the urge to sigh deeply. It wasn't like he was obliged to follow through with they said! He came here to train (not really), and he was already immensely regretting it.

Shoulders slumped, the young players exchanged confused and sad glances. For most of them, this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see their idol in action.

Jian, however, remained unfazed. This wasn't the first time he encountered such people. It wasn't that he didn't understand their feelings—he knew exactly how much they idolized him.

He wasn't tired, but he wanted to maintain a distance. To Jian, there was a clear line between who he was on the court and who he was off it. He lacked empathy in moments like these, choosing to keep his emotions tightly controlled.

Chaoxing shook his head in amusement. He was well aware of Jian's feelings. However, he thought it was a punishment for Jian for not joining their training camp from the very first day. He knew he might get hit once they went back to their room, but Chaoxing was way too excited to let the opportunity pass.

With a grin, he turned to the dejected group. "He's tired to play, but he can shoot some shots," Chaoxing declared, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Jian's eyes widened as he turned to Chaoxing, surprise flickering across his composed face. He went closer to Chaoxing and pinched his side.

Chaoxing flinched, but he persisted with his plan.

"What are you doing?" Jian muttered under his breath, yet Chaoxing didn't say anything.

"Jian is very kind," Chaoxing continued. "He loves playing so much that he can't resist when there's a ball in front of him."

Murmurs of excitement were heard in the crowd as more and more people surrounded them.

Jian pursed his lips and slightly glared at Chaoxing, who continued to smile despite Jian's murderous aura.

Then, Jian sighed inwardly, regretting more and more that he had come here in the first place.

"One of the indoor courts is open!" a younger player piped up, eyes shining with excitement.

Before Jian could protest, Chaoxing was already grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the indoor courts. "Let's go, kind man," he said with a smirk, fully enjoying the situation.

Jian shook his head, exasperated. He really had made a mistake coming here.

"Fuck you," Jian spat as Chaoxing continued dragging him to the open court.

Meanwhile, across the football field, the Shizi Dogs were gathered, chatting among themselves, completely unaware of the commotion happening elsewhere. That is until they noticed the growing crowd beginning to move away.

"Why is everyone leaving?" Jinping wondered aloud, looking around with a frown.

Yuze noticed the way some of the non-basketball players were also following the crowd. Something was definitely up. Without wasting any time, he grabbed one of the smaller players, who was hurrying to catch up with the others.

The small athlete's eyes widened when he saw Yuze holding onto him with a slight glare. His hands began to shake in nervousness. Who wouldn't be scared of a 6'6 player with an intimidating expression?

"W–What?" the younger player stammered, startled by the sudden confrontation.

"Where are you guys going?" Yuze asked, his voice calm but firm.

"To the court. Jian's going to play," the small player blurted out before quickly scurrying away, clearly scared by Yuze.

The Shizi Dogs exchanged wide-eyed glances. Even Jinping, who tried not to idolize a high school player, couldn't help the excitement that sparked in his chest. They had all heard about Jian's skills, but seeing him in person was something they wanted to see.

"Let's go," Jinping said, not needing to be asked twice.

"You don't have to ask me twice," Renren smirked, stuffing his mouth with the remaining meat.

The others were also prepared to follow everyone to the court.

"Wait," Andy suddenly spoke up, his eyes scanning the crowd as they began to move. "How about Kai?"

Yuze shook his head. "Let him be. He's big enough already."

"Captain?" Andy asked, surprised that Yuze was just as excited as the other followers.

Andy looked around once more before scratching the back of his neck.

"I also can't pass up on the chance," he muttered.

As they entered the court, they were met with the sight of a large group already gathered. The bleachers weren't full to the brim, but at least a third of those who had been at the barbecue party had made their way over to see Jian's face. However, it seemed like every basketball player at the party had shown up.

All of them had one thought in mind—how good was the number one high school basketball player in their entire country?

While Jian continued to scold Chaoxing at the corner, Jimmy grabbed the ball and made his way to the middle of the court, showing off some of his moves, effortlessly dribbling and executing quick crossovers. The crowd let out appreciative gasps, impressed by the first-year player's talent.@@novelbin@@

That caused Jimmy to smirk in satisfaction.

"Hey, that guy's pretty good," Renren said, pointing to Jimmy.

"Of course, he's good," Jet said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "His parents are from the basketball association."

"Really?" Andy exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Yup," Jet said. "He's famous for being a rich and talented first-year player. He even posted their indoor basketball court on his social media. It's as big as our school." Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire

"Dang," Renren muttered. "I wonder what it would be like to be that rich."

"Ask Yuze," Shang said, earning him a punch from their team captain.

Jimmy continued showing off his moves.

He was good—there was no doubt about that—but everyone knew he wasn't the main event. They were here for Jian.

"Just do a couple shots," Chaoxing said, convincing him. "Do you really want to disappoint so many people that had gathered in this place?"

Jian sighed and shook his head, resigning to Chaoxing.

With that, he stepped onto the court with a light smile. His movements were smooth, almost nonchalant, but those who watched closely could see the precision in every step. He picked up a basketball, dribbling it a few times as he made his way to the center of the court. The crowd quieted, all eyes glued to him.

The difference was immediately apparent. The way Jian handled the ball was something else—there was a sharpness to it, a sense of control that was on a different level. He didn't need to do anything flashy to capture their attention; just the way he dribbled was enough to convey his skill.

Then, without any hesitation, Jian took a step back, positioning himself near the half-court line. He dribbled once more, focused, and then, in one fluid motion, he shot the ball.