Dominate the Super Bowl

Chapter 718: 717 Never Walk Alone
 

Adversity reveals true friendship, especially in competitive sports.

In times of victory, all the fans and media are singing praises; everything is going smoothly, and the team seems to stand on the summit of Mount Everest.

However, in times of failure and difficulty, those who still believe in the team and steadfastly stand behind it are the true fans.

Annie didn’t want to be a “fair-weather fan.”

Annie liked the Kansas City Chiefs, and she liked Li Wei.

People who liked football often favored quarterbacks, or positions such as defensive ends, wide receivers, or linemen—hardworking, diligent running backs are always the overlooked, underestimated, and ignored players.

But Annie liked Li Wei.

The fundamental reason was that she admired the fighting spirit and determination in him.

It wasn’t because he believed in victory that he gave his all, but he fought for victory because he gave his all.

People always said that Annie was fighting a battle that was doomed to fail.

Annie even heard her mother’s friend comfort her, “It’s alright as long as you’ve tried your best, there’s no need for guilt. In the future, have another and start over.”

Her fate seemed sealed, as if she were a doll that could be readily replaced, forgotten, and completely erased from existence—meaningless, valueless, and without a trace.

Yet she was stubborn; she didn’t want to cry, to be dejected, nor to give up.

She wanted to strive, not because she could change the outcome but because she didn’t want to meekly surrender despite knowing what it would be.

She was a person, a being with a soul, thoughts, emotions, and feelings.

She didn’t want to be wiped away so easily.

So, she liked Li Wei. Even if the end was predetermined, she wanted to give it her all.

So, she had to be there today, to cheer for Li Wei in person. She needed Li Wei to know that not the entire world had turned its back on him, that he wasn’t alone in the dark.

So, she needed to raise her voice, to let others hear and see that even if the outcome was spoiled and disastrous, it didn’t mean the process couldn’t be spectacular.

All along, Li Wei had been the one transmitting this strength to her through his performance on the field; now it was her turn to convey this strength to Li Wei through her actions.

Today, the Kansas City Chiefs would take the team bus to the airport, then head to Seattle to prepare for the crucial upcoming game.

Regrettably, Annie couldn’t be at Arrowhead Stadium to cheer for Li Wei; but at least, she could be there to see him off and tell him in person.

When Annie shared her plan, Felix agreed without hesitation, immediately taking initiative in planning and even helped persuade her mother, promising a bunch of things to assure her of his obedience. Afterwards, they appeared at the entrance of the training facility.

Surprisingly, they weren’t the only ones with the same idea.

The crowd was bustling, a sea of people, a surging tide stretching from the entrance of the training facility, like the Red Sea waiting for Moses.

Three hundred? Five hundred?

No, far more.

Kansas City, having weathered storms and trials, united like never before, facing all challenges actively and positively. They knew the team faced severe setbacks, and they realized the overwhelming negativity on social media was hard to swallow. That’s why they were here.

Although very, very difficult, as long as they stood together, united, there was no need to fear, no matter how big the storm was.

A vast red sea unfolded, indistinguishable from a home game day, even exceeding a couple of thousand people, creating a spectacular scene.

Then.

Li Wei appeared.

In that instant, Annie was overwhelmed with emotion.

Cheering, jumping, the vitality that had been absent for so long surged through their veins, and they shouted Li Wei’s name with all their might, igniting the whole stadium.

“Li Wei!”

“Li Wei!”

The cheers rose and fell, swirling throughout the stadium.

After the recent turmoil and disturbances, Li Wei’s reputation in Kansas City had soared undeniably, making him a true leader.

Some hoped that Li Wei could lead the team to withstand the pressure and get back on track, some hoped he could guide them through difficulties and further their transformation, some cheered purely for Li Wei’s support, and some, through their actions, became a part of the prestige of Li Wei, igniting the passion of Kansas City.

A bustling and rolling heat wave.

Annie felt like a tiny boat amidst the stormy waves, trying her best to raise her voice, only to be engulfed by the stadium’s heat wave in an instant.

This was something Annie had not anticipated.

What to do?

Annie’s brain raced as Li Wei’s figure came into view, drawing nearer.

Closer.

Even closer.

Annie became excited and couldn’t contain herself any longer, bursting into song.

“Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart. And you’ll never walk alone.”

Once. Then again.

As she sang, Annie’s eyes brimmed with tears. She couldn’t distinguish whether it was because of Li Wei, herself, or the seething crowd before her.

Yet, her heart started pounding so clearly, so tumultuously, so powerfully. Singing, a smile spread across her lips, unbridled and blooming.

Alas, her singing was still faint amidst the thundering cheers of the crowd, insignificant enough that only a small portion of the nearby fans could hear Annie’s tiny yet tenacious, fragile yet strong voice, and they couldn’t help but look her way—

This was not a chant for the Kansas City Chiefs but for the Premier League team, Liverpool.

To be precise, it wasn’t originally Liverpool’s. It stemmed from a Broadway play, “Carousel”, and with cover versions by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and others, it had become quite famous. But after being reinterpreted by Liverpool fans, it became an inseparable part of this traditional football powerhouse.

Of course, not just Liverpool, countless other fans also often sing this song.

Felix looked at Annie in surprise, and seeing the radiant and resolute smile on her face, his own mouth curled up in an arc.

Then, he joined in the singing, followed by Karen.

Jenna watched this scene in surprise and bewilderment, even feeling somewhat unsure of what to do, humming along in a tentative and stumbling voice.

Yet Jenna still wasn’t certain; she looked around at the unfamiliar faces bursting with unbelievable passion and actually felt a little scared.

This was her first time attending such an event; she could never understand sports or these fans.

Hurriedly withdrawing her gaze, Jenna’s heart raced uncontrollably as she looked ahead, then saw the familiar and friendly face of Li Wei approaching.

Li Wei stood not far ahead, smiling broadly as he clapped and murmured along with the song, his expression and eyes filled with encouragement and comfort—

Just like the look Jenna had given Annie at her birthday party, encouraging her to sing the birthday song with her friends around the cake, making a wish. That mix of emotion and happiness filled her chest in an instant.

The song came to an end.

Li Wei raised his hands high, leading the applause that filled the stadium, accompanied by cheers and whistles, Jenna’s smile also fully blossomed:

Maybe things weren’t so bad after all.