Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

Kai glanced at the timer and saw there was still a little bit over three minutes left.

"This is enough," he muttered.

"What are you yapping about?" Jinping asked, sounding frustrated.

Kai sighed and stood straight. The look on his face turned even more serious.

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"I know this is hard to believe," he started off.

The others attentively listened to him, sensing the seriousness in his voice.

"But I know those plays," he continued, making his teammates silent. Then, a chuckle bubbled up from Renren's chest, which created a domino effect among the team.

"Sure, Kai," Andy said while shaking his head. "You know I admire you a lot, but you sound ridiculous right now."

"I know," Kai said. "But you have to believe me on this. The reason why I didn't go all out in the first two quarters is because I had to make sure."

"Make sure of what?" Yuze asked with a small frown.

"If he's using the same order I wrote it in," Kai muttered, making the others unable to hear him.

At first, Kai was hesitant.

When he met Rui in the public restroom and saw his notebook fall from his pocket, Kai already knew he was going to use it against them. Rui was desperate like that.

However, he didn't expect him to follow through with what he wrote in a chronological order.

That stupid boy!

Or maybe it was June's fault for overestimating his brain capacity.

With that, June began to disclose the Guardians' plays to the team. From the other side of the bench, Rui, too, was disclosing 'his' plays. The two of them mirrored each other. However, the difference was that Kai knew about it, while Rui was completely clueless.

"This next play will secure our momentum. Henry, you're the linchpin. You'll initiate the drive—use your speed to disrupt their spacing. Fang, you'll hang back a little longer than usual. Once they commit to Henry, that's your moment," Rui instructed.

Fang nodded, his sharp gaze focused on Rui.

"Your special move—Fangs by Fang. Use it again, but this time, disguise it. Make them think you're going for the pass. Their defense will collapse, and by the time they realize what's happening, it'll be too late."

"Tingtai, you're in for Jackson. We need fresh legs on the court to keep up with their pace. Play tight, but don't foul. Let them tire themselves out. And remember, this is our game now."

As the buzzer signaled the end of halftime, the Guardians stood tall, ready to execute the plan.

Jinping was swapped with Jet for this half. As the team took their places on the court, Jet gave Kai a nod, fully believing in him.

Kai walked to the center, his gaze locking with Fang's. Fang's expression was unreadable, his face a mask of calm confidence. But Kai knew better—Fang wasn't the type to show his cards too early. This was going to be more than just a physical matchup. Fang was everything Kai had once aspired to be, and that made this moment all the more personal.

As the game resumed, Henry took the ball and immediately executed the plan Rui had crafted. He moved quickly, cutting through the Shizi Dogs' defense with the agility of a snake, which was very fitting for his personality. His dribbling was tight and controlled, and for a moment, it seemed like the Dogs were scrambling to catch up. Henry was fast, much faster than anyone anticipated.

Kai's eyes narrowed as he watched the Guardians' play unfold.

"They're trying to draw us out," he muttered.

The Shizi Dogs could see it clearly now. Henry was the bait. But Fang was the trap.

Kai quickly signaled Jet, who picked up on the shift. Fang was hovering near the three-point line, pretending to be disengaged from the play.

But Kai knew better. He had seen Fang's game too many times to be fooled by this act. Fang wasn't waiting for a pass—he was waiting for the moment to strike with his signature move.

As Henry closed in on the basket, the Dogs' defense shifted towards him, just as Rui had predicted. But Kai didn't move. His eyes stayed locked on Fang. Henry had no intention of going all the way.

And there it was—the moment Fang struck. With a quick step, Fang dashed forward, ready to perform his 'Fangs by Fang' move. He feinted a pass, pulling the defense toward the phantom pass before spinning out of their reach and launching a flawless jump shot. It was a move that had left many defenders speechless, and this time was no different.

Except for Kai.

Kai had seen it coming. The moment Fang launched his signature move, Kai moved into action. He didn't try to block the shot—he knew it was too late for that. Instead, he positioned himself in the perfect spot to grab the rebound, his timing impeccable. The ball ricocheted off the rim, and Kai was already there, his hands snapping it up before anyone else could react.

Now was their chance.

Jet broke free from his defender, darting down the court as Kai scanned the floor. In an instant, Kai saw the opportunity. He launched a precise pass to Jet, who took it without missing a beat, drawing two defenders toward him as he crossed into the Guardians' half of the court. Kai trailed behind, watching as the Guardians struggled to recover from their missed shot.

Fang rushed back, determined to cover the ground they had lost, but this time Kai was faster. Jet, seeing the defense close in, passed the ball back to Kai just outside the arc. The crowd held its breath.

With Fang now in front of him, Kai gripped the ball, his mind racing. This wasn't just about the game anymore—it was about proving that Fang's idolized image in his mind wasn't untouchable. He had been chasing Fang's shadow for so long, but now, here he was, ready to surpass it.

Fang lunged at him, but Kai was already moving. With a quick, explosive step, Kai shot past Fang, crossing into the paint. Tingtai tried to block him, but Kai spun around him in one swift motion, his feet barely touching the ground as he took flight.

The crowd screamed as Kai rose high above the defenders, his body suspended in the air for what seemed like an eternity. He dodged Henry's desperate attempt to block the shot, and with perfect form, he released the ball.

37-46.