Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 465: 464 Pilgrimage Chapter 465: 464 Pilgrimage “Good morning.”

“Good morning!”

February 4, 2018, Kansas City, clear skies.

Early in the morning, the Old Oak Tavern had already started bustling.

Anderson was busy moving inventory from the stockroom to the front like an ant carrying a load, while West was busy hanging banners and decorating the tavern anew.

Uninvited guests helped willingly by moving chairs and tables to free up space, creating a busy and noisy scene.

It was clearly too early to drink oneself into oblivion, but for the festivities, it was never too early to start warming up.

On the wall, the 75-inch television screen was already on.

The ordinary TV picture had an oppressive impact, creating a sense of being there, and NBC’s all-day live broadcast was playing, allowing everyone to feel the atmosphere early on.

“So, how do you feel today?”

“I have a good feeling.

I don’t want to say it aloud and jinx our luck, but this morning I got up, ate cheesecake, heard a magpie singing, and had a smooth bowel movement—everything’s just perfect.”

“Me too.

I don’t know why, but I wasn’t nervous or anxious.

After getting up this morning, I just felt unusually relaxed and refreshed.”

“That’s because you don’t have to play in the game.

You just sit in the tavern, drink, and curse.

What’s there to be nervous about?”

“Hahaha.”

The bustling crowd mixed discussions with teasing, jokes, and all sorts of complaints.

Then.

Without warning, someone raised their hands high and started shouting out loud.

“Kansas is the champion!

Oh yeah!”

And with a whoosh, everyone else joined in the shouts, as the tavern buzzed with excitement.

After a brief pause, another person shouted.

“I’m not confident, but we’ll win.”

Ha.

Instantly, the group burst into laughter, joy and happiness spreading across everyone’s faces.

Today was the day of the Super Bowl showdown.

In Kansas City, it was a citywide holiday.

The entire city was abuzz, and tens of thousands of fans united in the spirit of the Super Bowl moment.

If possible, every fan’s ultimate dream was to attend the Super Bowl in person.

Minneapolis was not far from Kansas City—just a four-and-a-half-hour drive north, an easy and convenient trip.

However, sadly, they couldn’t.

This year, the unemployment rate in Kansas City remained high, and many blue-collar workers even had to give up their season tickets for home games; they could only watch the games from home or at the tavern.

Not to mention going to Minneapolis.

Aside from the incredibly expensive and hard-to-get Super Bowl tickets, just the cost of accommodations and food during the peak tourist season was a burden too hard to bear for these blue-collar workers struggling to make ends meet, forcing them to give up regretfully.

It didn’t matter; in Kansas City, it was the same—

No matter where they were, they would fight alongside the Chieftain.

One, two…

Full of confidence and striding boldly, just imagining it made their hearts uncontrollably race against their chests.

Everything seemed like a dream.

Just a year ago, during the draft, a group of fans had gathered at the Old Oak Tavern.

Disheartened and hesitant, they were full of frustrations as their confidence plummeted yet again.

Their team seemed to have become a strong one, entering the playoffs three times in four years, finally overcoming their struggles and finding their place in the league.

Yet, their team seemed unable to break through a barrier, repeatedly failing at critical moments in the playoffs and returning empty-handed.

From all indications, the new season did not look any different.

They were discouraged, they were gloomy, they were sad, they were caught by a sense of powerlessness and misery that tightly clung to their ankles, unable to break free; they couldn’t even release their anger, feeling lost and trapped in a land of limbo.

But now—

The TV screen on the wall was already turned on, and the all-day 360-degree panoramic live broadcast by NBC was being displayed, casting them as protagonists.

With a turn of his head, West saw Anderson, who had paused amidst his busyness to glance at the screen, a smile creeping onto his face.@@novelbin@@

West, “Can you believe all this?”

Anderson nodded gently, “I can.”

West was taken aback.

Anderson shrugged, “Remember?

The rookie said, ‘believe in me,’ and I just did.

So, I never doubted for a second.”

In his mind, the scene of their first meeting with Li Wei at the tavern last year emerged.

West chuckled dryly, “I wasn’t that steadfast.

I doubted, I worried, I feared, but I am glad I never left.

And now, we are about to step onto the Super Bowl stage, the Super Bowl!”

Even though it was just two syllables colliding between his lips, his emotions ballooned uncontrollably, shouting to the world—

“Hooray!”

The entire Old Oak Tavern erupted in cheers, the air boiling, faces gleaming with unreserved joy.

From the despair of struggling to win a single playoff game to cutting through thorn after thorn to storm into the Super Bowl – all in just one season.

Kansas City’s wildest, most romantic, and splendid dream had just come true.

“Ha.”

“Hahaha.”

Merely imagining it brought a natural smile to his face.

Dreams really can come true.

And beliefs really can blossom.

West straightened his back slightly, believing in the Chieftain as he believed in life itself, no matter how tough, painful, or torturous, he would persevere and wait for the day when dawn’s light would scatter anew.

“David.”

West said.

“I am content.

No matter the outcome of today’s game, I am already satisfied.

I’m not greedy, this is enough, no matter what happens, I will stand by the team, I will keep fighting.”

The Super Bowl, no matter what, concludes with a result, putting a period on one season, a perfect ending does exist; but real life is not like that.

Perhaps the team will win, perhaps the team will lose, but Kansas City’s economic depression and employment crisis won’t end overnight, they still need to struggle on the edge of survival, and a fairy tale that changes everything overnight won’t play out in reality.

Nevertheless, they saw that silver lining behind the dark clouds, they saw that hint of golden hope at the end of the Abyss.

West, was ready.

Victory, that was a reward.

Defeat, was the start of a new journey.

No matter what, he would not be disheartened nor would he give up, he would continue to persist, to strive, to fight, using his own hands to start again, to rebuild his life.

He would not give up, refusing to surrender.

Anderson’s smile grew, “Since we are already here, let’s fight till the end and see what miracles we can still write.”

“Not confident, but we’ll win, right?” West understood perfectly.

The two exchanged a look, immediately brightening their spirits.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the bar table, West looked up.

“Charles, where’s Chris?”

“How come I don’t see that guy?

He’s not hiding in a corner crying, is he?

I’ve been waiting a whole year just for this moment, finally, I can see that guy’s face, I’m fully prepared to bring it on.”

A roar, a chorus of laughter.