Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The tall, sleek building of the National Basketball Committee stood against the morning sky, its glass windows reflecting the busy world outside.

Inside, the atmosphere was energetic, bordering chaotic.

The high school basketball department was filled with people moving from one desk to another, papers in hand, laptops open, and all engrossed in their tasks.

The Nationals were only four days away, and there was still much to be done.

Sir Wang entered the bustling office, appearing relaxed. He was greeted with respectful nods and hurried greetings as he made his way to his room.

He arrived at his office, where his very competent assistant, Ashley, was waiting for him. She was seated behind her desk, typing furiously on her keyboard, her face lit by the screen. As Sir Wang entered, she looked up, her fingers pausing over the keys.

"Good morning, Sir Wang," Ashley said, even standing to show her respect.

"Afternoon," Sir Wang replied curtly, placing his briefcase on his desk. He sank into his chair, exhaling slowly. "How are the preparations going?"

"Everything's on track," Ashley replied, glancing at her screen. "We're finalizing the players' accommodations, making sure the game schedules are airtight, and double-checking the brackets. There's still a lot to do, but we're moving forward."

Sir Wang nodded, though his expression remained stern. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Good. We can't afford any mistakes."

Ashley nodded in agreement, but before she could say anything, Sir Wang continued, his tone sounding sad. "You know, Jimmy has been working himself to the bone lately," he said, reading his thoughts out loud. "He's been so overworked from all the games and training. I had to buy him a new car just to keep his spirits up."

Ashley raised an eyebrow, but she kept her thoughts to herself. Instead, she simply nodded, knowing better than to interrupt when Sir Wang was in this mood.

"Pull up the latest player rankings," Sir Wang instructed, turning to the white wall behind him.

Ashley quickly complied, pulling up the list on her screen and turning it on so Sir Wang could see. His eyes scanned the names, his frown deepening when he saw where his son, Jimmy, was ranked.

Kai Guo's name still stood above Jimmy's. Sir Wang's lips thinned into a tight line.

"My son's hard work is futile," he muttered, his voice laced with frustration. "Why is this unknown first-year above him? I can't even search much about him except that he's a decent-looking kid. Is that the reason why he's ranked so high? My Jimmy is even more handsome."

"The ranking is not based on extraneous factors, sir," she said. "It's just based on their stats from the official matches of the academic year. By the end of the Nationals, we will reset it once again."

"Ah, you're talking too much. My head is hurting," Sir Wang said, massaging his temples.

Ashley pursed her lips and focused her gaze on the screen. She had seen the rise of Kai Guo and knew the impact it was having on the rankings. But she also knew there was little she could say that would appease Sir Wang at this moment.

"Do we have the brackets for the Nationals ready?" Sir Wang asked after a moment, his tone annoyed.

Ashley nodded, handing him a printed copy. Sir Wang took the paper, his eyes scanning the matchups. As he read, his frown deepened, and he shook his head in disapproval.

"This can't be right," he said, more to himself than to Ashley. "Bring me a pen. I'll revise this."

Ashley hesitated for a split second before handing him a pen, watching as Sir Wang made several adjustments to the brackets. She could see the changes he was making, and while she knew they were significant, she also knew better than to question his decisions.

"Implement these changes as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir."@@novelbin@@

***

Despite the school year ending, Juren High was still filled with people—sportsmen, academically-pressured students, and some who just wanted to hang out with their friends.

The Juren Champions were in the middle of their final preparations for the Nationals. With four days left, they continued to train, even though, for most of them, the result was already obvious.

Jian, as always, was noticeably absent. The team and their coach didn't bother scolding him anymore, knowing that it would only put him in a bad mood.

They didn't want Jian to be in a sour mood before the Nationals.

As the team worked through their drills, the sound of the gym door opening caught everyone's attention. Chaoxing looked up first and let out a low whistle of surprise.

"Look who decided to drop by," Chaoxing said, amusement heard in his voice.

The others turned to see who had entered, and whispers quickly spread through the gym. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

The younger players, especially those fresh from the lower grades, couldn't help but stare. It wasn't often that someone like Kimmy showed up at their practices.

Jimmy, who had been focused on his drills, noticed the sudden change in the gym's atmosphere. He turned to see his twin sister standing there and immediately felt a surge of irritation.

Without a word, he jogged over to where she stood.

"I told you not to come here," Jimmy said in annoyance.

Kimmy rolled her eyes, unfazed by her brother's irritation. "It's not like I wanted to," she replied, her tone matching his. "Dad told me to bring this to you. You forgot your herb concoction that supposedly supports bone and brain health."

Jimmy grumbled under his breath as he snatched the tumbler from her hand. "Thanks," he muttered. "Now leave."

"Gladly," Kimmy said.

As Kimmy turned to leave, the whispers among the team picked up again. Several of the younger players murmured compliments about how pretty she was, their voices just loud enough for Jimmy to hear.

"Back off," Jimmy snapped, glaring at his teammates.

Chaoxing, who had been watching the exchange with a smirk, couldn't resist adding his own comment. "Yeah, you guys should back off. After all, Kimmy likes Jian."

"She doesn't," Jimmy shot back quickly.

"Oh?" Chaoxing raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Is it me, then?"

"No," Jimmy muttered, his frustration evident. "I wouldn't let her out of the house if it's you. Your face would tarnish our family tree."

"Ouch," Chaoxing said, placing his hand over his heart. "It's already ruined when you were born."

Jimmy glared at Chaoxing once more, so the older player raised his hands in surrender, finally dropping the topic.

"Who is it, then? I thought she liked Jian for a while now."

Jimmy shrugged as he made a shot.

"It's another guy. She won't tell me who."