Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The buzzer echoed through the arena, signaling halftime. The Chinese team jogged toward their bench, sweat dripping from their brows.

China: 45

France: 50

The once insurmountable gap had been reduced to just five points.

The crowd buzzed with energy, half in disbelief, half in awe. Spectators leaned over the railings, their eyes fixed on China's bench as they tried to decipher the source of this miraculous comeback.

At home, Caishen sat frozen on the couch, surrounded by the rest of the Shizi Dogs. It had become their ritual to watch each game of the Global Games that involved the Chinese team.

Lina mentioned rotating through their homes. They didn't expect their country's team to have come this far, so it was Caishen's turn. He actually turned out to be pretty loaded.

As he continued to watch the game unfold, his mouth hung open, an unfinished bag of chips cradled in his hands.

"What…is this?" he muttered.

Beside him, Jet slapped his knee. "That's Kai for you! He has this factor that makes you want to underestimate him because he seems great in all aspects. It would be a cheat if he was good at basketball, too. But he is. He actually is," he said, his eyes fixed on the screen.

Caishen shook his head, still unable to process what he was witnessing. During the start of the Global Games, he had always thought that Kai leaned heavily on his teammates, especially since he was surrounded by veterans.

But today was different. Now, it felt like the complete opposite.

It felt like Kai was carrying the entire team on his back.

Just a few feet away, Lina watched the game with wide eyes and a pounding heart.

Her chest tightened every time Kai made a play, her hands gripping the pillow in her lap.

She was mesmerized.

Her lips parted slightly as she stared at him, her heart racing with every step he took on the court. "So...so handsome," she whispered to herself, her cheeks flushing red.

Back on the bench, Kai sat with his head tilted back, his eyes closed as he caught his breath. Around him, his teammates conversed in hushed voices, glancing at him every now and then.

"What happened to him?" Jaw-Long asked, turning to the younger players for answers.

"I don't know," Zheng whispered back. "But it's like he's possessed."

Max shook his head. "That's how he is when he hasn't played basketball for a given amount of time."

The others turned to him in confusion.

"But he's been playing nonstop. I heard he trained before this game, too," Jian said.

"I told you. The one we played a while back with was Not Kai," Max said, making the others confused.

"You're still going with that agenda?" Zheng asked. "I think he's doing all of this on purpose."

Max pursed his lips. "Then, he's a genius!"

Kai continued to tune them out, his heart racing. Despite his serious expression, he was actually really happy.

However, Coach Xu Wei couldn't hide the unease in his eyes. He knelt in front of Kai. "Kai, do you want to continue playing? Are you really fine after that fall?"

Kai opened his eyes and met his coach's gaze. There was no hesitation in his expression. "Yes," he said, filled with conviction.

Xu Wei's hand trembled slightly as he rubbed his chin. He glanced at Marcus, who gave him a subtle nod. The coach sighed, realizing there was no stopping this firestorm.

"Fine," Xu Wei relented. "But you better not get hurt. You hear me?"

Kai smirked. "Don't worry, Coach. I've been hit by a car twice now. Both times, I survived. I'm sure I can handle a simple fall."

"It didn't look simple," the coach muttered.

The second half began with an intensity that shook the court. The French players returned with more determination than before. They weren't going to let the Chinese team destroy what they had built for the past Global Games.

But Kai was unstoppable.

From the moment the ball was inbounded, it was clear he was in a league of his own. The French team threw everything at him—double teams, traps, physicality—but none of it mattered.

Kai breezed through their defenses. His first play was a crossover that left his defender stumbling, followed by a quick step-back jumper. The ball swished through the net, and the gap was down to three.

The French captain screamed orders to his team. "Don't let him breathe! Stick to him like glue!"

But it didn't make a difference.

Kai's energy was overflying. He darted around the court. One moment, he was dishing out a perfect assist to Max for a slam dunk; the next, he was snatching a rebound out of Lafleur's hands.

"He's not human!" Gina exclaimed from the commentator's booth. "How is he doing this?!"

The crowd grew louder with every play.

Kai's defining moment came midway through the third quarter. The French team had rallied, pushing the gap back to seven points. They were confident they could hold it.

With the shot clock winding down, Kai found himself at the top of the arc, tightly guarded by two defenders. There was no clear path to the basket and no obvious play to make.

Kai dribbled between his legs, faking a drive before pulling back. Both defenders lunged, expecting a shot, but Kai spun away, creating just enough space to launch a three-pointer.

The ball arched high. The gym fell silent as it neared the hoop.

Swish.

The crowd erupted, their cheers deafening. The gap was now four points.

Lafleur slammed his hand against the floor in frustration. "Tighten up!" he yelled at his team. "We're not losing this!"

But deep down, the French players felt it—their grip on a medal of any kind was slipping.

As the game progressed, their movements became slower, and their passes became less crisp. Meanwhile, Kai only grew stronger, and his fire refused to run out.

By the end of the third quarter, the gap had shrunk to just one point. The Chinese Team, led by their unstoppable star, was on the verge of completing an impossible comeback.