Some time later, closer to night, Taek Jung and his crew finished the final preparations. The lights placed around the perimeter of the court cast sharp shadows, creating an atmosphere of tense anticipation. Besides the organizers themselves, a small crowd of spectators had gathered—those who had learned about the upcoming match in advance and didn't want to miss the spectacle.
The silence of the night was broken by the footsteps of approaching players. The first to appear were the five captains, led by Ming You. Their movements were confident, almost silent. Approaching the hoop, they dropped their backpacks a couple of meters away from it, not taking their eyes off the empty court.
But a real buzz arose when the group of twenty-five experienced newcomers to the Yoshido basketball club, led by So Ho, emerged at the opposite hoop.
"Those unpunished bastards..." Jen Ryu said through gritted teeth, looking towards the thugs and spectators gathered around the court. So Ho, having scanned Ming You's team, agreed with him:
"Completely agree, but we still have to beat these assholes."
"Look at them," Mei Yu said with contempt, watching as the crowd eagerly placed bets and handed money to the game referee, Sung Wo. "These scumbags are still making bets on the game."
On the other side of the court.
"So, Lu Shen, you'll play first. Be confident in your victory, because you have a huge advantage," Ming You encouraged him without any trickery.
"What advantage?" Lu Shen nervously ran a hand over the back of his head, glancing at the five opponents. "I'm alone, and there are five of them!"
"Since you're alone and there are five of them," Ming You stretched his deceitful smile, "your shots will be doubled, including three-pointers."
"So my three-pointers are worth six? I really do have an advantage, hehe."
"Dummy, in streetball a three-pointer is worth two. With your advantage, it'll be four points," Haru Lin laughed at him, causing Lu Shen to clutch his head:
"Damn it!"
"Idiot!" Hong Ren slapped him sharply on the back, making him almost stumble. "That's still a huge advantage, so go out there and tear those losers to shreds!"
Lu Shen immediately perked up, his overconfidence flaring up with renewed vigor. He threw his head back and laughed loudly:
"Haha! I could beat them like children even without my advantage!"
The team, except for Ming You, roared with laughter, but Lu Shen paid no attention anymore. With burning eyes and unshakable self-belief, he stepped onto the court.
The five newcomers, captained by Mei Yu, stepped onto the court with equal confidence. They had no idea the game rules had been changed and still believed their numerical superiority gave them an undeniable advantage. Their overconfidence was written on their faces, especially Mei Yu's, who walked ahead of the team with a slight smirk.
When Lu Shen stood opposite Mei Yu, preparing for the jump ball, the latter couldn't resist a taunt. His laughter sounded loud and arrogant:
"Hahaha, you're the dumbest one on this team! The first victory is definitely ours." Mei Yu didn't even try to hide his contempt; his voice sounded as if the match's outcome was already decided.
The opponent's words pierced Lu Shen's consciousness like a red-hot needle. Veins bulged on his forehead, and his gaze ignited with cold fury. He jerked his head sharply towards Mei Yu and hissed through his teeth:
"I'm the most experienced one here! Who's the dumb one now, huh? You're the real loser here!"
"Dummy, dummy♪♪ hehe," Mei Yu sang tauntingly.
"..." Lu Shen's face turned red with anger: "You're just..."
"Bets are closed. And... Jump ball!" Sung Wo announced the start of the game.
Lu Shen didn't get to finish as Mei Yu intercepted the ball from the jump and made a sharp pass.
"Damn it!" Lu Shen shouted angrily.
The tall player, receiving the pass at the three-point line, instantly assessed the situation. His gaze slid over his teammates, noting their slightest movements. Lu Shen, grinding his teeth audibly, gave chase, but his delay was already obvious—the opponent had already reached the corner of the free-throw line.
Unfazed, he made a light jump, releasing the ball from his hands. The leather projectile traced a smooth arc, spinning in the air, and with a soft swish of the net, dropped through the hoop.
"I told you you were dumb!" Mei Yu, grinning widely, high-fived the scorer; their laughter rang loudly across the court.
They exchanged pleased glances and, without losing pace, turned back to their half, leaving Lu Shen alone with his boiling anger.
"I'll show you who's really dumb here!" His voice tore through his strained breathing, fists clenched so hard his nails dug into his palms.
"Ha-ha, come on then, show us your stupidity!" Mei Yu threw his head back, his laughter merging with the team's guffaws, and the sound seemed to pour fuel on the fire.
Lu Shen:
"..."
The main Yoshido team:
"..."
The twenty remaining newcomers on the bench:
"..."
The spectators, referee, and organizers:
"..."
After a minute of laughter from the newcomers' team and a minute of stunned silence from the spectators, Lu Shen, slightly crouching, picked up the ball. He started dribbling. His palm forcefully slapped the ball, each bounce crisp and fast. He moved forward, torso slightly leaned, shoulders relaxed, but his eyes—sharp, scanning the defenders.
When he crossed the half-court line, two players—Mei Yu and the very guy who scored the first point—moved in sync, blocking his path. Their stances were aggressive: legs wide apart, arms out, ready to lunge at any moment. Mei Yu, smirking, stepped forward, his gaze expressing contemptuous confidence.
"Think we'll let you through? Dumbass!" he shouted, laughing.
Lu Shen didn't answer immediately. Instead, he sharply accelerated to the right, forcing the defenders to instinctively shift, but then, without slowing down, he brought the ball behind his back, abruptly changing direction. The ball landed cleanly in his left hand, and he immediately executed a crossover, sending the projectile between his legs—quick as a snap. The defenders jerked, trying to guess his next move, but he had already jumped back, beyond the three-point line.
"Hehe." His chuckle was quiet, but it held unshakable confidence.
The two defenders exchanged glances, momentarily speechless: "Is he really that dumb or is this some kind of absurdity?" flashed through their minds.
But before they could react, Lu Shen had already raised the ball, his wrist softly sending the projectile on its flight. The motion was smooth, almost lazy, but the ball traced a perfect arc, spinning in the air, and without touching the rim, dropped cleanly through the net.
"What an idiot you are..." Mei Yu started, but his laughter got stuck in his throat when the clear sound of a perfect swish rang out.
Lu Shen, not waiting for a reaction, was already turning and running back to his half of the court, only glancing over his shoulder to throw back:
"So who's the idiot now, huh?"
Lu Shen was confidently leading the score, but the newcomers, unable to see the scoreboard, mistakenly believed the lead was only by one point. This illusion fueled their competitive spirit, and they played with doubled energy, completely unaware of how far behind they actually were.
The game continued, and Lu Shen masterfully used his advantage. He seemed to toy with the defense, repeatedly sending the ball into the basket from long range—his three-pointers were almost unstoppable: the ball, tracing a high arc, cleanly swished through the net, leaving the opponents just shrugging. But despite this, Mei Yu's team didn't give up. They responded with fast counterattacks: Mei deftly dribbled past defenders, embarking on risky drives with sharp changes of direction, and his passes under the hoop helped his partners score easy points.
It seemed like the newcomers were about to seize the initiative—their accurate shots and aggressive defense created the illusion of an equal fight. But Lu Shen, even allowing for rare misses, remained cool-headed. He demonstrated virtuoso play in the paint: deceptive moves, sharp spins, and soft finishes under the hoop negated all the opponents' efforts.
When Lu Shen intercepted the ball near the opponents' free-throw line, instantly assessing the situation, he felt the pressure intensifying around him. Mei Yu, fast and tenacious, immediately rushed towards him, followed by another defender, cutting off his escape routes.
But Lu Shen didn't panic. Slightly leaning his torso, he made a sharp lunge to the left, faking a drive—the defenders bit the fake and rushed after him. In the same instant, he sharply changed direction, bringing the ball behind his back and bursting to the right. The opponents, fooled by his move, froze for a moment in an awkward jump, while he slipped between them, leaving them behind.
Lu Shen powered towards the hoop, feeling the asphalt vanish beneath his feet. At the last moment, he slowed down slightly, confusing the arriving center, then jumped sharply, extending his arm with the ball upwards. The shot from under the basket was precise and irresistible: the ball, barely touching the backboard, softly dropped through the net without even touching the rim.
"Dude, what idiots you are!" Lu Shen exclaimed, running back.
Mei Yu, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, sharply passed to the nearest teammate without even looking in his direction. His movements were abrupt, almost rough—he was clearly unhappy with the game.
The player who received the ball charged forward, deftly dribbling past the defense: first a sharp burst to the left, then a swift acceleration to the right, leaving Lu Shen behind. Completing the swift drive, he sent the ball into the net with a precise shot under the crossbar.
At first glance, they had scored, reducing the deficit, but the truth was, the newcomers thought they were winning by a lead, since no one had told them the rules.
"We're ahead!" one of the newcomers shouted. "Lu Shen isn't as strong as he seems!"