Chapter 96: The Final Silhouette! A Hero's Twilight!
Kobe's eyes were fixed on Lin Feng; within them lay his final, and total, hope.
"We must find a way to shatter their damn system."
"It depends on you, understand?"
Those words were like a red-hot iron, branded onto Lin Feng's heart.
He watched Kobe turn and limp toward the court, his silhouette carrying a tragic sense of determination.
Lin Feng clenched his fists.
He understood.
This game was no longer a simple matter of winning or losing.
This was the final battle Kobe had staked his entire career on.
He, Lin Feng, was the last card Kobe had pushed onto the gambling table.
"Beep—!"
The whistle for the second half sounded.
Lin Feng received the ball. Nothing else remained in his eyes but the rim.
He was going to use the most unreasonable method to completely tear the Spurs' defense to shreds!
He activated Formless Shot once again, facing Danny Green's tight defense, and threw the ball with an exaggerated fadeaway angle.
In the first half, he had made more than one of these shots.
Clang!
The basketball hit the back of the rim and bounced high into the air.
Lin Feng's body landed, and a burning pain radiated from his chest.
The high-intensity physical contact meant he could no longer maintain that miraculous, steady touch.
The San Antonio Spurs grabbed the rebound. Popovich, standing on the sidelines, simply made a small gesture.
The defensive strategy had changed.
The next possession, when Lin Feng held the ball again.
Danny Green and Leonard didn't even wait for him to make a move; they closed in like two doors, trapping him tightly in the middle.
A resolute, unwavering double-team.
Popovich was forcing him to give up the ball.
Lin Feng was forced to pass the ball to Nash nearby.
Nash caught the ball and tried to organize the offense.
But as soon as he looked up, the San Antonio Spurs' defensive rotation had already surged forward like a tide.
Parker, in front of him, hadn't lost his position at all.
The passing lanes were all sealed off.
Only a few seconds remained on the shot clock.
Nash could only desperately throw the ball to Gasol in the paint.
Under Duncan's interference, Gasol took a hurried shot.
Thud!
The basketball missed again.
The Los Angeles Lakers' offense had fallen into a complete standstill.
Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs continued to tear at the Lakers' defense with their agonizing pace, steadily widening the point gap.
"Give me the ball."
Kobe's voice suddenly rang out.
Dragging his injured leg, he actively ran out to demand the ball.
Leonard stuck to him like glue.
Kobe gritted his teeth, using every ounce of strength to force a turnaround.
He tried to open up the game using the method he knew best.
But every time he exerted force, it felt like hitting an invisible wall.
That numb left leg simply couldn't provide him with enough explosive power.
In the end, he could only rely on his incredible core strength to complete a ridiculously high fadeaway jumper.
Clang!
Another crisp sound of the ball hitting the iron.
The basketball didn't even touch the rim; it hit the backboard directly.
A flash of bewilderment that even he didn't notice crossed Kobe's face.
He looked at his hands, as if asking: why? Why won't my body follow my commands anymore?
The game thus entered the fourth quarter.
The numbers on the scoreboard read 92 to 70.
The Los Angeles Lakers were already trailing by 22 points.
Defeat was certain.
The atmosphere in the AT&T Center became somewhat subtle.
There was no wild joy on the faces of the Spurs fans, only a sense of matter-of-fact calm.
At the commentary desk, the TNT analysts had already begun discussing a harsher topic.
"Will the San Antonio Spurs sweep the Lakers 4-0?"
"Based on these two games, I don't see any possibility of the Lakers winning."
"Kobe has reached his limit, and Lin Feng's individual heroism has been proven ineffective against the Spurs' system."
These voices were like needles, pricking the ears of every Lakers player.
Lin Feng refused to believe in fate.
He wanted to try one more time.
Like a crazed beast, he drove the ball toward the San Antonio Spurs' paint.
He was going to use his body to crash through and forge a path!
Thud!
Danny Green didn't give him the chance.
With a foul so fierce it was almost barbaric, he knocked Lin Feng directly to the floor.
Lin Feng slammed hard onto the hardwood, sliding several meters away.
The referee's whistle blew sharply.
Lin Feng sat on the cold floor, not getting up immediately.
He looked up at the massive, glaring scoreboard above the arena.
98 to 72.
The lead was still growing.
His chest heaved violently, sweat and dust from the floor mixing on his face.
A feeling he had never experienced before slowly welled up from the depths of his heart.
It wasn't anger, nor was it resentment.
It was despair.
A deep despair that no matter how one struggled, the outcome could not be changed.
For the first time, he discovered that basketball could make one feel so powerless.
Only two minutes remained in the game.
This had become the garbage-est of garbage time.
D'Antoni hadn't subbed out the starters; perhaps it was a form of silent punishment.
Kobe was on the court, dragging his leg, making symbolic runs.
Just then, he received a pass.
No one was in front of him.
The San Antonio Spurs had already given up on defending him.
This was a humiliation more cruel than any tight defense.
In that instant, the fire reignited in Kobe's eyes.
He dribbled, accelerated, and used the last bit of strength in his body, like a resolute warrior, to launch one final, tragic charge toward the rim.
He wanted to use a dunk to defend his final dignity.
But at the moment he jumped.
His battered left knee could no longer support his body.
With a soft 'pop' sound.
Kobe's body lost all power in mid-air.
Like a leaf blown down by the wind, he fell powerlessly and heavily beneath the basket.
The entire arena fell silent in an instant.
The Spurs fans, who had been politely clapping moments before, all stood up, their faces filled with shock.
"Kobe!"
"Boss!"
The Team Doctor and the Lakers players rushed onto the court like madmen.
They surrounded Kobe, fear etched on every face.
Kobe lay on the ground, eyes tightly shut, teeth clenched, his entire body trembling slightly.
He didn't make a sound, but his expression, twisted in agony, said everything.
The Team Doctor and Gasol, one on each side, carefully helped Kobe up from the floor.
He couldn't walk on his own.
His entire body weight was leaning on his teammates.
As he was supported step by step toward the player tunnel.
The twenty thousand spectators in the AT&T Center all stood up.
They spontaneously gave their great opponent the highest form of applause.
Kobe didn't look back.
He didn't even glance at anyone.
He simply took a towel from a staff member and pulled it over his head.
He didn't want anyone to see his expression at this moment.
That lonely, staggering silhouette, completely covered by the towel, was broadcast to the entire world.
It was also like a red-hot needle, deeply etched into Lin Feng's pupils.
Lin Feng stood in place, motionless.
His heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible giant hand, hurting so much he couldn't breathe.
He realized he was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
He thought he was here to help Kobe fulfill his dream.
He thought his system and his talent could change everything.
But the result?
Not only had he failed to win a single game for his idol.
Instead, he might have become the culprit who accelerated the end of Kobe's career.
If it weren't to create space for him, if it weren't to share the pressure for him, Kobe might not have needed to take those damn painkiller injections at all.
That heavy, unspeakable guilt submerged Lin Fengcompletely like a tide.
"Beep—!"
The final whistle finally sounded.
105 to 80.
The Lakers were down 0-2 in the series.
Overwhelming criticism and mockery swept across the internet the second the game ended.
"Lin Feng's magic has vanished in San Antonio! He's been completely exposed!"
"It's been proven that that kind of unreasonable circus basketball can never win in the real playoffs!"
"The Lakers are done, just wait to be swept!"
Chapter 97: The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back! The Collapse of Los Angeles!
That lonely, staggering back, completely covered by a towel, spread across the world through the broadcast camera.
It was like a red-hot steel needle, deeply etched into Lin Feng's pupils.
Lin Feng stood in place, motionless.
His heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand, hurting so much he couldn't breathe.
He realized he was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
He thought he was here to help Kobe fulfill his dream.
He thought his system and his talent could change everything.
But what was the result?
Not only did he fail to win a single victory for his idol,
but instead, he might have become the culprit who accelerated the consumption of the end of his career.
If it weren't to create space for him, if it weren't to share the pressure for him, Kobe might not have had to take that damn injection at all.
That heavy, unspeakable guilt submerged Lin Fengcompletely like a tide.
"Beep—!"
The final whistle finally blew.
105 to 80.
The Lakers trailed 0-2 in the series.
The atmosphere at the post-game press conference was like frozen ice.
D'Antoni sat on the stage, the wrinkles on his face much deeper than usual, looking as if he had aged ten years.
Kobe did not attend.
Lin Feng sat next to him, expressionless, but his clenched fists betrayed the turmoil in his heart.
The reporters below were like sharks smelling blood, aiming their cameras and microphones at them.
One reporter was the first to attack.
"Coach D'Antoni, how is Kobe's injury? Can he play in the third game?"
D'Antoni's lips moved, his voice incredibly raspy.
"His situation... is not optimistic."
"The Team Doctor is conducting a full evaluation."
"As for G3, his current status is... Questionable."
The word "Questionable" was like a sentence.
Every reporter present understood it was just official diplomatic jargon.
Translated, it meant: Kobe is finished, the Lakers are finished.
The flashes instantly became more intense, all aimed at Lin Feng, who remained silent beside D'Antoni.
"Lin! As the team's second core, how do you evaluate your performance tonight?"
"Did your individualistic style disrupt the team's tactical system? Do you think you should take primary responsibility for this crushing defeat and Kobe's injury?"
The questions were increasingly sharp and heart-piercing.
Lin Feng raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the excited faces below.
He didn't argue, he didn't explain.
He just picked up the microphone, his voice as cold as ice.
"I didn't play well."
After saying that, he put down the microphone and didn't look at anyone again.
This silence was interpreted by reporters as admission and a guilty conscience.
Overwhelming criticism and mockery swept across the internet the second the game ended.
If he was the hero of Los Angeles after the game-winner against the Jazz, now he was the city's sinner.
"Lin Feng's magic disappeared in San Antonio! He's been knocked back to his original form!"
"It turns out that that kind of unreasonable circus basketball can never win real playoff games!"
"The Los Angeles Lakers are finished, just wait to be swept!"
However, that wasn't the worst part.
Worse than the loss was the full-scale backlash from public opinion.
No one knew who started it, but the gossip about Lin Feng's "messy entanglements," which had been suppressed because of his game-winner, was dug up again.
And this time, they were tightly linked to this crushing defeat and Kobe's serious injury.
An influential gossip media outlet published an in-depth report with a definitive tone.
"From L.A.'s Darling to Sinner: How Lin Feng Was Dragged Down by His Private Life?"
The report didn't name names directly, but used highly suggestive writing to involve Yinna, Scarlett Johansson, and even Taylor Swift.
"According to insiders, after arriving in Los Angeles, this Eastern talent quickly fell into complex emotional entanglements with multiple top celebrities."
"One is a top idol from the East, one is a Hollywood sex goddess, and another is even a Grammy-level music queen."
"He is like an energetic hunter trying to capture all the prey, but this has greatly distracted his energy."
"Team insiders complained that his performance fluctuated during key preparation periods, which is not unrelated to his chaotic private life."
"And Kobe Bryant, the veteran burning the last of his career, had to repeatedly fill the holes for his young teammate, eventually leading to that tragic scene."
This report was like a heavy bomb, completely detonating public opinion.
Conspiracy theories were everywhere.
All the dirty water was poured onto Lin Feng at this moment.
"So that's it! No wonder his form dropped so fast! It turns out his body was drained!"
"Scumbag! He couldn't control his lower half, but Kobehas to pay for it!"
"Poor leader, he gave his last hope to this bastard!"
Los Angeles.
The lights in Yinna's apartment stayed on all night.
She was curled up on the sofa in an oversized nightgown, her face pale as she looked at the news on her tablet.
The report had been translated into various languages and was spreading across the global internet.
Her social media account was completely overrun.
The comments were no longer the usual praise and admiration.
"Yinna, leave that scumbag! He doesn't deserve you!"
"Our goddess is so pitiful, to be deceived by such a person!"
"He ruined the Lakers, and he will ruin you too! Wake up!"
These so-called expressions of "sympathy" and "concern" were like sharp knives cutting into her heart.
She knew Lin Feng wasn't that kind of person.
But looking at Lin Feng's cold and exhausted face at the press conference on the screen, and looking at Kobe's lonely back as he was helped off the court,
her heart was also in turmoil.
Meanwhile.
On the team's private plane returning to Los Angeles.
The atmosphere was dead silent.
The players were either wearing noise-canceling headphones or covering their faces with towels; no one wanted to talk.
This plane felt less like it was flying back to their home court and more like it was flying toward a grave.
Lin Feng sat by the window, looking at the pitch-black clouds outside.
His phone vibrated.
It was his Agent, Jeff Austin, calling.
Lin Feng picked up the phone but didn't speak.
On the other end, Jeff's voice sounded frazzled.
"Lin, something big happened."
"Scarlett Johansson's PR team just called me, and their tone was very firm."
"They believe this storm of public opinion has seriously affected Scarlett's public image, making her a suspect for being a 'third party'."
Jeff paused, his voice dropping even lower.
"Also... Taylor Swift's side also expressed similar concerns through their record label."
"Lin, we are very vulnerable right now. This storm is no longer just sports news; it's evolving into a PR disaster sweeping the entire entertainment industry!"
Lin Feng listened silently.
The accusations from the media, the insults from fans, and now, pressure from the teams behind the women he had once crossed paths with.
Unprecedented pressure, like a mountain, pressed down on him alone from all sides.
He hung up the phone.
In his mind, the image of Kobe falling kept replaying.
He took out his phone and subconsciously opened the chat with Yinna.
He wanted to explain.
He wanted to tell her that things weren't as the media said.
He wanted to tell her that he was suffering right now.
But he typed a line and deleted it.
Typed again, deleted again.
What could he say?
Say that he was destroyed by a system?
Say that he failed Kobe's trust?
Say that he was like a stray dog right now?
He couldn't say these things.
Just as he was staring at the blank input box in a daze,
the phone screen suddenly lit up.
A new message popped up.
It was from Yinna.
Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat.
He opened the message.
The content was simple, just a single short sentence.
But it was like the sharpest, ice-quenched blade, stabbing hard into his heart.
"I'm returning to Korea tomorrow."
"Los Angeles... is too tiring."
Chapter 98: The Last Cry for Help! The Only Straw
"Los Angeles... it's too tiring."
On the phone screen, those few words sent by Yinnawere like a sharp, ice-tempered blade, stabbing fiercely into Lin Feng's heart.
The plane's tires made a piercing screeching sound against the runway of Los Angeles International Airport.
The fuselage jolted violently.
Lin Feng's body swayed with it, but his eyes remained fixed, staring deathly at that line of text.
The flight attendant's sweet voice sounded over the broadcast, reminding passengers that the plane had landed.
The teammates around him began to unbuckle their seatbelts one after another, getting up to get their luggage.
No one spoke.
Everyone looked like defeated soldiers, silent and numb, preparing to face the judgment of returning home.
Lin Feng didn't move.
He seemed to be pinned to his seat by that text message.
"Lin, let's go."
Nash walked past him and lightly patted his shoulder.
Only then did Lin Feng snap out of it.
He put away his phone, the screen went dark, but that line of text was etched into his mind like a brand.
He stood up mechanically and followed the crowd off the plane.
Just as he stepped into the arrival hall.
"Click! Click! Click!"
Countless flashes, like a dense barrage of bullets, fired frantically at them.
Several times more reporters than in San Antonio, like madmen, broke through the simple security cordon at the airport and surrounded them.
"Lin! What are your thoughts on Kobe's injury?"
"Do you believe your chaotic private life is the root cause of the team's crushing defeat?"
"Scarlett Johansson and Taylor Swift, who is your actual girlfriend?"
"Do you have anything to say to the fans who are accusing you of being the team's sinner?!"
Sharp questions, mixed with roars in various languages, surged toward Lin Feng like a tide.
He was pushed and squeezed.
For a moment, he even felt like he was about to suffocate.
He lowered his head and said nothing, struggling to move outward under the forceful path-clearing of the team security.
He couldn't hear anything.
In his mind, there was only one thought.
He wanted to find Yinna.
He wanted to explain everything to her in person.
Passing through the chaotic crowd and getting into the car back to his apartment, Lin Feng returned to his empty apartment as if escaping.
"Bang."
He closed the door, shutting out all the noise from outside.
The apartment was terrifyingly quiet.
He threw his backpack casually on the floor, and the first thing he did was take out his phone.
He looked at Yinna's name on the screen and pressed the call button without hesitation.
"Beep... beep... beep..."
A long, cold waiting tone came from the receiver.
One ring, then another.
It hammered at his already fragile nerves.
No one answered.
The call was automatically disconnected.
Lin Feng didn't give up and immediately dialed again.
"Beep... beep... beep..."
Still no answer.
The third time.
The fourth time.
He was like a drowning man, frantically clutching at this last straw.
But on the other end of the line, there was only that despairing busy signal.
The team's losing streak, his idol's serious injury, and himself being condemned by everyone.
Now, even his only spiritual comfort, the one thing that could give him a sense of warmth, was about to leave him.
A massive, unprecedented sense of loneliness wrapped around him like an invisible net, making it impossible for him to breathe.
He threw his phone hard onto the soft sofa.
He paced irritably back and forth in the living room like a trapped beast in a cage.
Just then, the phone he had thrown on the sofa suddenly rang.
Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat, and he almost lunged for it, grabbing the phone.
The name flashing on the screen, however, was not the one he hoped for.
It was his Agent, Jeff Austin.
Lin Feng swiped to answer, his voice hoarse from extreme disappointment.
"Hello."
On the other end, Jeff's voice came through, sounding frazzled and nearly roaring.
"Lin! Where are you right now?!"
"At the apartment."
"Listen! From now on, stay at home and don't go anywhere! Don't see any reporters! Don't post a single word on social media!"
Jeff's voice was filled with unprecedented seriousness.
"Something big has happened."
"Just now, Scarlett Johansson's PR team sent me a very strongly worded lawyer's letter!"
"They believe our inaction regarding the rumors has seriously affected Scarlett's public image, portraying her as a 'third party' who breaks up relationships in the court of public opinion!"
"They demand that we immediately issue a public statement clarifying that you and Scarlett are just ordinary friends!"
Jeff took a breath, his voice dropping even lower.
"And... on Taylor Swift's side, although they didn't contact me directly, her record label sent word through industry insiders expressing a similar sentiment."
"They all want to distance themselves from you! Do you understand?!"
"Lin! We are in a very passive position right now! This storm is no longer just sports news; it's turning into a PR disaster sweeping through the entire entertainment industry!"
"Your commercial value is plummeting! All the brands are waiting and watching! If you have any more negative news regarding women, everything you have will be finished!"
Lin Feng listened silently, saying nothing.
The media's accusations.
The fans' verbal abuse.
Now, it was the cold pressure from the teams behind those women he once had ambiguity or connections with.
He felt like a prisoner being pushed onto the stand for judgment.
Everyone was anxious to draw a line between themselves and him, for fear of being tainted.
He was like a trapped beast in a magnificent cage, its claws and teeth pulled out, unable to move.
"Lin? Are you listening? Lin!"
"I understand."
Lin Feng hung up the phone.
The room returned to a deathly silence once more.
He sat despondently on the sofa, burying his face deep in his palms.
Time passed, minute by minute.
The sky outside changed from twilight to a deep night.
The lights of ten thousand homes in Los Angeles were just a cold gray in his eyes.
He didn't know how long he had been sitting there.
Until late at night.
As if he had made some sort of decision, he picked up his phone again.
His fingers trembled as he dialed Yinna's number one last time.
This time, he didn't hold any hope.
However.
"Beep—"
It only rang once.
There was a soft "click" from the other end.
It connected!
Lin Feng's heart suddenly tightened.
He could even hear a very slight, suppressed sound of breathing from the other end.
It was him.
And it was her.
Neither of them spoke.
Silence spread through the airwaves.
Finally, it was Lin Feng who spoke first.
His voice was filled with a weariness and hoarseness he hadn't even noticed himself.
He didn't explain the rumors or defend himself.
He just said softly, in a tone that was almost pleading.
"Don't go, okay?"
"Stay."
These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.
After a long silence on the other end, there was a sudden, uncontrollable, faint sob.
Then came Yinna's broken voice, thick with a nasal tone.
"I saw it..."
"I saw all the news..."
"In Korea, in America, everywhere..."
"They say... I'm the one who ruined the relationship between you and Kobe..."
"They say I'm just one of your women..."
"I walk down the street and feel like everyone is looking at me with strange eyes..."
Her crying grew louder, filled with grievance and fear.
"Being here... I don't feel any sense of security at all..."
"I'm like... a disgraceful, negative character in someone else's story..."
"Lin Feng..."
Yinna cried out his name.
"I don't know whether to believe you or those news reports..."
"I only know that every day I'm here..."
"It's very painful."
Lin Feng's heart was wrenched by her words.
He wanted to say something.
"It's not like that..."
"Believe me..."
But his words were so pale and weak.
Yinna's mind seemed to be made up.
No matter how Lin Feng tried to make her stay, the crying on the other end gradually turned into determination.
The call was hung up.
Listening to the "beep-beep" busy tone from the phone.
Lin Feng's world plunged completely into darkness.
Chapter 99: Despair in the Empty Training Hall!
Listening to the "beep-beep" busy tone coming from the phone.
Lin Feng's world had completely fallen into darkness.
The phone slipped from his weak hand.
It fell onto the expensive carpet without making a sound.
Just like his life at this moment.
Falling into an abyss without even an echo.
He sat alone, slumped on the massive sofa.
His body sank into the soft leather, but his soul felt as if it had been drained, leaving only an empty shell.
The apartment was very quiet.
Only the nearby television, which hadn't been turned off, was still making a constant chatter.
It was an ESPN sports commentary program.
Several analysts were speaking animatedly, using the sharpest words to dissect the Lakers' crushing defeat.
"Kobe's Achilles tendon is currently the biggest mystery in Los Angeles! But regardless, he won't be back for the rest of this series!"
"We have to admit that Lin Feng's individual performance was a joke in front of the San Antonio Spurs' precision war machine!"
"His style of play is too physically taxing! Popovich didn't even need to make any special arrangements; he just had Leonard and Green take turns wearing him down until he collapsed on his own!"
"I said long ago that this unreasonable style of play couldn't go far! Basketball is a team sport after all! He thought he was God, but the gods of San Antonio gave him a resounding slap in the face!"
"Now, add in his messy personal life scandals... I bet that at Game 3 in the Staples Center, he'll be greeted by a chorus of boos! He destroyed everything he built with his own hands!"
Those voices—every word felt like a needle stabbing into Lin Feng's ears.
He raised his hand and picked up the remote.
He pressed the power button.
"Click."
The TV screen went black.
The entire apartment fell into absolute silence.
Lin Feng looked around this luxurious yet empty home.
He had never felt so isolated and helpless.
Fans were cursing him.
The media was blaming him.
The women he once had entanglements with were rushing to distance themselves from him.
And now, the only girl he wanted to talk to, the only one who could bring him comfort, had also chosen to leave.
It seemed like the whole world was standing against him.
No.
What was even more terrifying was that the whole world seemed to be laughing at him.
He stood up from the sofa and walked aimlessly around the room like a walking corpse.
He picked up the keys from the table and walked out of the apartment.
He didn't know where he was going.
Subconsciously, he started the car and drove onto the empty streets of Los Angeles late at night.
Neon lights receded rapidly, pulling blurred streaks of light across his eyes.
Finally, the car stopped at the place he was most familiar with.
The Lakers' training facility.
This was where his dream began.
It was the place where he had shed sweat and conquered this city with one miraculous basket after another.
He used his fingerprint to open the door.
After a "beep," the heavy door slowly opened.
A familiar scent—a mix of sweat, disinfectant, and floor wax—wafted toward him.
The lights in the training hall were off, with only the faint light of the city filtering in through the windows.
The massive arena was empty.
Only the rows of basketball hoops stood silently in the darkness like silent giants.
The rims and basketballs all remained quietly in place.
Lin Feng walked to a rack and picked up a basketball.
The familiar, textured feel transmitted from his fingertips.
He walked to the three-point line, his most familiar position.
He raised his arms and took a shooting stance.
He wanted to shoot.
Even if just one shot.
Perhaps the sound of the ball swishing through the net could help him find a bit of his rhythm again.
But.
His arms were so heavy he couldn't lift them.
It was as if they were filled with lead.
His body felt hollow, unable to squeeze out even a shred of strength.
He gave up.
The basketball dropped from his hand, "thump... thump-thump..." bouncing in the empty arena, creating a lonely and hollow echo.
Eventually, the ball rolled to the side and stopped.
Lin Feng held his head and slowly crouched down.
Finally, he simply sat down in the center of the court floor.
Sitting right on that massive, Purple and Gold Lakerslogo.
The cold wooden floor sent a chill through his thin clothing.
His mind was a complete blank.
Victory.
Glory.
The favor of women.
Money.
Everything he had once frantically pursued and obtained in a short period of time felt incredibly illusory at this moment.
Like a colorful soap bubble that would pop at a single touch.
He thought of the System.
He thought of those miraculous skills that once made him believe he was omnipotent.
Eye of the Heavenly Emperor.
It could predict everything and see through all of an opponent's movements.
But in the face of the San Antonio Spurs' fluid ball movement that had no fixed pattern, it saw everything yet could change nothing.
It was like a person seeing a flood coming but only being able to watch helplessly as they were submerged.
Formless Shot.
It allowed him to make a basket from anywhere in any posture.
But this divine skill was built upon massive physical exertion.
When his stamina was completely drained by the opponent's rotation and every shot was accompanied by intense physical contact, that miraculous shooting percentage ceased to exist.
An individual's limit ultimately cannot compete with a perfect system.
Despair spread from the depths of his heart like vines, entangling his entire being.
He even began to doubt.
Was everything he had gained even real?
Could it be that this was just a bizarre dream?
From being drafted by an NBA team, to meeting Yinna, to hitting the game-winner against the Jazz and becoming the hero of Los Angeles... everything was so wonderful it felt unreal.
And now, was the dream about to end?
When he woke up, would he find that he was still that Lin Feng struggling in the D-League, barely able to pay rent?
Once this thought appeared, it could no longer be suppressed.
A massive fear gripped his heart.
He was afraid.
He was afraid of losing everything he now possessed.
He was even more afraid that all of this, from beginning to end, was for nothing.
Just as his will was about to be completely crushed, his spirit at its lowest point, and his entire being swallowed by endless self-doubt and despair.
A sharp, rapid alarm suddenly sounded in his mind.
This sound didn't come from the outside world; it exploded directly in the depths of his consciousness!
[Warning! Warning!]
[Detected severe negative fluctuations in the host's mental energy! The foundation of self-confidence is collapsing!]
[Signs of instability detected in the Charm ValueSystem! Current Charm Value is slowly declining!]
[Charm Value: 95... 94... 93...]
This cold, emotionless system prompt sounded like a taser, stabbing hard into Lin Feng's chaotic consciousness.
Charm Value... is declining?
All of his power came from Charm Value!
A decline in Charm Value meant his basketball strength would also deteriorate!
No!
Lin Feng's pupils snapped wide open in the darkness.
He couldn't lose all of this!
Just as a shred of struggling will emerged from his fear.
The alarm stopped.
In its place was another prompt, even colder yet carrying a certain fatal temptation.
[Prompt: A higher-order form of the 'Generation of Miracles' skill exists—'ZONE'.]
[Unlock Condition: Complete 'deep intimate link' with the corresponding 'first night achievement' target while both the host and the target have reached the state of 'Soul Resonance'.]
Chapter 100: Soul Resonance! The Flame Flying Toward the Airport!
[Hint: The 'Generation of Miracles' skill has a higher-level form—'ZONE'.]
[Unlock condition: Complete a 'deep intimate link' with the corresponding 'first night achievement' target while both the host and the target are in a state of 'Soul Resonance'.]
These two lines of emotionless text were like a real bolt of lightning.
In Lin Feng's pitch-black spiritual world, shrouded in despair and self-doubt, it forcibly split open a blinding light.
His entire being froze in place.
His body, squatting on the cold floor, remained in that posture, motionless.
But his brain began to operate frantically at an unprecedented speed.
Charm Value decrease... because of the collapse of self-confidence... ZONE... higher-level form... Soul Resonance?
deep intimate link?
He took these unfamiliar words and, in his mind, disassembled and chewed over them word by word, over and over again.
He had always thought that his relationship with Yinnahad already reached its peak.
He saved her.
He protected her.
When she was most helpless and in need of help, he provided her with a harbor to shelter from the wind and rain.
He treated her as his most precious treasure, carefully cradling her in his palms and protecting her, not letting her suffer even a bit of harm or criticism from the outside world.
He thought this was love.
He thought this was the "intimacy" the system required.
But now, at this very moment.
He understood.
He was wrong.
Completely wrong, outrageously wrong!
That wasn't the "Soul Resonance" the system spoke of at all!
What was it?
It was just a one-sided giving, an unequal protection.
He looked down from above, treating her like a princess who needed to be saved.
He personally built a safe, warm, and perfect glass cover for her, and then went alone to face the wind and rain of the outside world by himself.
He had never thought about letting her see his pathetic state after being beaten to despair by the Spurs.
He had never told her how much guilt and self-blame he felt in his heart when Kobe fell.
Nor had he ever truly put himself in her shoes to understand how much fear and anxiety she felt as a girl in a foreign land caught in this storm of public opinion sweeping through Hollywood.
He just took it for granted that she should trust him unconditionally.
She should quietly be that perfect goddess who didn't eat the food of mortals within the glass cover he had built.
That's exactly where the problem was!
This wasn't resonance at all!
What is true resonance?
It's two strings being able to vibrate together at the exact same frequency!
It's when he stands at the peak enjoying the cheers of the whole crowd, she can sincerely share his joy, rather than just being a beautiful decoration.
It's when he falls to the bottom and is pointed at by thousands, she can truly feel his pain and then stand firmly by his side, instead of choosing to flee in fear!
It's when she is attacked by rumors and feels afraid and helpless, he can truly empathize with her fear, instead of just lightly saying, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
He had been wrong all along.
What he needed was never a fragile porcelain doll protected behind him.
What he truly needed was a comrade-in-arms who could fight side by side with him!
A woman who, whether he was in the clouds or the mire, was willing to stand with him and bear all the glory and pressure together!
This is "Soul Resonance"!
This is the only key to higher-level power!
Having figured this out, all the mist in Lin Feng's mind instantly dissipated.
The guilt about Kobe that had been weighing him down so much he could hardly breathe.
The sense of helplessness regarding the system that had plunged him into endless self-doubt.
At this moment, they were all completely washed away by an even more burning, more primitive desire!
He craved victory!
He craved to completely crush the Spurs' damn system in the most unreasonable way!
He craved even more to establish that kind of true connection deep within the soul with Yinna, one that could not be destroyed by any external words!
The emotions of despair were swept away.
Replacing them was a scalding flame that rushed from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head!
He suddenly raised his head, his gaze frantically searching the empty and dark training hall.
On the wall, the red electronic clock showed the current time.
4:07 AM.
His hands trembling slightly, he fished out the forgotten phone from his pocket.
The screen was still on the interface of the call that had just ended with Jeff Austin.
Without the slightest hesitation, he opened the browser and his fingers quickly typed in a few keywords.
Los Angeles International Airport.
Flights to Seoul.
On the screen, dense flight information popped up.
His eyes, like a precise scanner, quickly swept over the information.
Got it!
Korean Air, KE018.
Departure time: 7:00 AM sharp.
Departure airport: Los Angeles International Airport(LAX).
Seven o'clock!
Lin Feng glanced at the time in the top right corner of his phone.
4:10.
Driving from here to LAX, if there's no traffic, takes about forty minutes.
It's early morning now; there won't be any cars on the road.
There's still time!
This thought was like a shot of adrenaline, stabbing hard into his heart!
His body, which just moments ago was lifeless and lacked even the strength to lift an arm, seemed to be injected with endless power at this moment.
He leaped up from the cold floor!
The entire movement was full of explosive power, making him look like a completely different person from the slumped figure of a few minutes ago.
The raging flames were rekindled in his eyes.
In those flames were the craving for victory, the regret for his mistakes, and even more, the unquestionable determination to chase back that only bit of warmth.
He didn't even go to change out of the training uniform that was already soaked with sweat.
He turned, strode out, and sprinted toward the door of the training hall.
The heavy sound of footsteps echoed in the empty arena, like the prelude to the beating of war drums.
He rushed out of the training hall and into the cool early morning air.
In the parking lot, the black sports car was crouching quietly in the night.
He pressed the key.
"Beep beep!"
The headlights lit up like the eyes of a beast opening in the dark night.
He pulled open the car door, jumped into the driver's seat, inserted the key into the ignition, and gave it a hard twist.
"Vroom—Roar!"
The engine let out a roar like a sleeping lion being awakened, the massive sound wave piercing the final silence before dawn.
The sports car, like a black arrow released from a bow, instantly rushed out of the parking lot and merged into the empty city roads of Los Angeles.
Lin Feng gripped the steering wheel tightly and floored the accelerator.
He looked at the endlessly extending road illuminated by the headlights ahead.
Lin Feng knew that what he was going to chase back was not just a woman, but his only hope of reversing the series and even his entire career!
Chapter 101: Fighting for You! The Airport Chase!
The sports car, like a black arrow shot from a bow, instantly sped out of the parking lot and merged into the empty city roads of Los Angeles.
Lin Feng gripped the steering wheel tightly and slammed the accelerator to the floor.
He looked at the endless road ahead, illuminated by the car's headlights.
Lin Feng knew that what he was chasing after was not just a woman, but his only hope of overturning the series and even his entire professional career!
"Vroom—!"
The roar of the engine echoed through the pre-dawn streets like an enraged beast.
With the enhancement of the Eye of the Heavenly Emperor, Lin Feng's brain entered a state of absolute, calm calculation.
Everything before his eyes transformed into a stream of pure data.
[800 meters ahead, intersection, red light remaining time: 12.4 seconds.]
[Passing at current speed of 140 km/h, collision probability: 0.]
[300 meters to the right, police patrol route, passing in 3 minutes.]
His brain processed this information at high speed, and his hands controlled the steering wheel like the most precise instruments.
The car carved incredible trajectories through the sparse traffic on the highway.
Every turn and every lane change was precise to the centimeter.
He wasn't just street racing.
He was racing against time.
Four-thirty AM.
The signs for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) appeared at the end of his field of vision.
Lin Feng drove the car into the parking lot, not even looking for a proper space, and parked diagonally across the lines.
He cut the engine, grabbed his hat and mask from the seat, put them on, and pushed the door open to get out.
The early morning airport already had a few people around.
At the entrance of the terminal, several figures carrying long-focus lenses paced back and forth in the cold wind.
Reporters.
Like vultures, they had caught the scent of failure and scandal.
Lin Feng pulled his hat brim low, revealing only a pair of eyes burning with fire.
[Eye of the Heavenly Emperor, activate.]
[Target: Korean Air KE018, VIP Boarding Gate.]
[Path planning in progress...]
In his vision, the floor plan of the entire terminal instantly became three-dimensional and transparent.
The moving crowds turned into streams of data lines in various colors.
The surveillance cameras on the ceiling with flashing red dots were clearly marked one by one.
The positions and fields of vision of those reporters were framed as dangerous red zones.
A winding'safe path' composed of countless green arrows formed in his mind.
This is it.
Lin Feng stepped forward and blended into the crowd.
He kept his head down, moving quickly yet without attracting anyone's attention.
He moved like a ghost through the airport lobby.
Every time he turned, he happened to evade the rotation angle of a surveillance camera.
Every time he lowered his head, he perfectly avoided the curious gaze of a traveler.
He walked past a mother holding a child.
He wove through a group of tourists dragging suitcases.
He even slipped silently past a reporter on the phone, less than three meters behind him.
That reporter was still excitedly discussing his name.
"Lin Feng is completely finished this time! With Kobe's injury and the scandal in his private life, he couldn't clear his name even if he jumped into the Pacific Ocean!"
Lin Feng heard it.
But he didn't stop.
None of that mattered anymore.
Passing through the security checkpoint, he reached the VIP corridor.
Time: 6:40 AM.
Twenty minutes left before the flight took off.
The boarding gate announcements had already begun urging passengers to board as soon as possible in both Korean and English.
Lin Feng's heart began to accelerate uncontrollably.
Faster.
A little faster.
He quickened his pace, almost breaking into a jog, charging toward the end of the'safe path.'
Rounding a corner.
His footsteps stopped.
He saw her.
Right there in front of the KE018 boarding gate.
The figure he had been dreaming of was standing there quietly.
Yinna was wearing a simple beige trench coat and a pair of sunglasses that covered half her face.
Beside her stood several teammates, also fully disguised, and a woman who looked very capable—likely her Agent.
"Once we arrive in Seoul, the company will immediately arrange a public relations statement to clarify everything."
The Agent was whispering something in Yinna's ear.
"We will shift all the responsibility onto that man."
"You just need to stay silent and act like a complete victim."
"During this time, get some good rest and don't think about anything in Los Angeles anymore."
The Agent's voice carried an unquestionable tone of command.
Yinna didn't speak.
She just nodded silently, again and again.
Under the airport lights, her face was as white as a sheet, without a trace of color.
Her whole being was like an exquisite doll without a soul.
She was at the end of the line, slowly moving toward the ticket counter with the flow of people.
It was her turn.
The ground staff gave a professional smile.
"Hello, please show your passport and boarding pass."
Yinna reached into her bag and pulled out her passport.
She raised her hand, preparing to hand the passport over.
The movement was mechanical and numb.
Lin Feng could bear it no longer.
He didn't want to hide anymore.
He didn't want to be the so-called hero who protected her silently from behind.
He ripped the mask off his face.
With long strides, he walked toward the boarding gate.
He no longer concealed his presence.
His appearance was like a giant boulder crashing into a calm pond.
"Is that person... Lin Feng?"
"Oh my god! It really is him!"
"What is he doing here?!"
Uncontrollable gasps erupted from the surrounding travelers.
Some had even pulled out their phones and aimed them at him.
Yinna's Agent was the first to react; her face changed drastically when she saw Lin Feng walking over with large strides.
Without a second thought, she immediately spread her arms like a mother hen protecting her chick, blocking Yinna.
"What are you doing here!"
"Mr. Lin! Please have some self-respect! Stop harassing our artist!"
The Agent's voice was sharp and full of hostility.
Yinna heard the commotion and the familiar name.
Her stiff body moved slightly.
She slowly turned her head.
Under her sunglasses, her gaze met Lin Feng's in mid-air.
At the very moment she was about to hand her passport to the ground staff.
Lin Feng moved.
His body, like a bolt of black lightning, bypassed the Agent who tried to stop him.
Under everyone's shocked gazes.
He rushed forward.
Recklessly.
And grabbed her cold wrist.
Chapter 102: Soul Resonance! Fighting for You!
The warmth coming from her wrist made Yinna's body tremble slightly.
That familiar heat, carrying a sense of dominance and arrogance, branded itself directly into her heart through her skin.
Stiffly, bit by bit, she turned her head.
Lin Feng's face appeared before her just like that, without any warning.
No mask.
No hat.
That face, which had haunted her dreams for countless nights yet brought endless pain and fear in recent days, was reflected clearly and completely in her pupils.
Yinna's lips parted slightly, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
How could he be here?
How did he dare to come?!
"Mr. Lin Feng! Have you lost your mind? Please let go immediately!"
The first to react was Yinna's capable Agent.
Her face turned ashen instantly, and her voice was so sharp it almost pierced the eardrums.
"Do you have any idea what you're doing right now?!"
"This is a public place! Do you want to ruin our Yinna and yourself as well?!"
As she scolded him, she reached out to pry Lin Feng's hand away.
The surrounding travelers had completely erupted into a commotion.
"It really is Lin Feng! I'm not seeing things!"
"Oh my god! What a scene! He actually chased her all the way to the airport!"
"Quick, take a picture! Record it! This is definitely headline news!"
Countless cell phones, like dark muzzles of guns, were all aimed at them in unison.
Camera flashes began to go off one after another.
However, Lin Feng turned a deaf ear to all of this.
He ignored the Agent who was lunging at him like a mad dog.
Nor did he look at the faces around him that were trembling with excitement.
From beginning to end, his eyes were only on Yinna.
Those eyes, which had ignited with flames countless times on the court but had been dim and lusterless last night, now burst forth with a startling brilliance once again.
He applied a slight pressure with his arm.
An indisputable and powerful force transmitted from the wrist.
Yinna's body was uncontrollably pulled toward him.
"Don't!"
The Agent let out a scream, trying to block the space between the two.
But Lin Feng just gave a light nudge with his shoulder, knocking her aside.
He bypassed the final obstacle.
Amidst everyone's gasps.
Under the Agent's murderous gaze.
He opened his arms and directly pulled the still-dazed girl into a tight embrace.
His solid chest, carrying a hint of post-exercise sweat and the morning chill, completely enveloped Yinna.
That powerful heartbeat, through the thin clothing, thudded rhythmically and forcefully against her ear.
At this moment, all the noise seemed to drift far away from her.
Just as her mind went blank and she was at a loss.
Lin Feng's deep, slightly raspy voice, which was filled with an unprecedented power, echoed in her ear.
The voice was very soft, so soft that only she, pressed against his chest, could hear it.
"Don't go."
"Stay."
Those four short words, like a warm current, instantly rushed into Yinna's frozen heart.
Her body began to tremble slightly in his arms.
Her eyes grew uncontrollably hot.
Lin Feng held her even tighter.
His chin rested gently on the top of her head.
He continued to declare word by word in that voice only the two of them could hear.
"Watch me win this war for you."
War!
Not a game, but a war!
These words, like a real electric current, struck the deepest part of Yinna's soul.
She could no longer control herself.
The grievances, fears, anxieties, and longings accumulated over countless days completely burst through the floodgates at this moment.
"Uuu..."
A suppressed sob escaped her throat.
Tears, like pearls from a broken string, poured out frantically, instantly soaking the front of Lin Feng's shirt.
Her hands, which had been hanging stiffly at her sides, suddenly reached up and tightly gripped the clothes on Lin Feng's back.
Lin Feng could feel her trembling and her scalding tears.
He didn't stop.
He knew this wasn't enough.
What he wanted wasn't her tears, but her heart.
The heart that resonated with his and would never again be shaken by any external factors!
"You are my starting point."
"And please, be the witness to my ascent to the top."
This incredibly sincere yet domineering confession was like the final straw, completely breaking down all of Yinna's inner defenses.
To hell with the company's ban.
To hell with the Agent's warnings.
To hell with the rumors and gossip from the outside world.
At this moment, she threw it all to the back of her mind.
She gave up all struggle.
The hands gripping his clothes turned into an embrace with all her strength.
She buried her face deep into his solid chest and began to cry out loud.
That crying was no longer the suppressed and desperate sobbing from last night's phone call.
Instead, it was full of release and the peace of mind that comes from finding someone to lean on.
She finally understood.
What she feared was never those news reports or the finger-pointing.
What she feared was that in his magnificent life, she was just an insignificant supporting character who could be discarded at any time.
But now, he had come.
He had come regardless of the consequences.
He told her she was his starting point.
He told her he was going to win this war for her.
What he needed wasn't a princess hiding behind him to be protected.
But a woman who could stand by his side and witness his ascent to the top!
The moment Yinna hugged him back.
The instant she gave him all her trust and her future without reservation.
Lin Feng felt the entire world go quiet.
The gasps of the surrounding travelers.
The Agent's hysterical shouting.
Those frantically flashing lights.
Everything disappeared.
He could clearly feel every heartbeat of the girl in his arms.
The frequency of that heartbeat was, in an incredible way, overlapping and merging with his own.
Thump.
Thump-thump.
Thump... thump... thump... Finally, the heartbeats of the two people reached a flawless, completely synchronized frequency!
Like two strings tuned to the same pitch, they produced the most harmonious resonance at this moment!
And it was at this very time.
That cold, long-awaited system notification sounded like a revelation in Lin Feng's mind!
[Detected that the emotional connection between the host and the ss-rank charm target 'Yinna' has reached its peak!]
[Mental Field Synchronization Rate 100%!]
[Congratulations to the host for achieving the 'Soul Resonance' state with the target!]
It's done!
Lin Feng's chest heaved violently.
He slowly released the embrace.
He looked at the girl before him, whose face was covered in tears like a pear blossom in the rain, yet whose eyes were startlingly bright.
He reached out and gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks.
Then, he didn't say another word.
Lin Feng took Yinna's hand, no longer paying attention to her Agent or anything else around them, and turned to leave the airport without looking back amidst the frantic clicking of shutters from the reporters who had rushed over upon hearing the news.
Chapter 103: The Eve of the Storm
Lin Feng held Yinna's hand and walked out of Los Angeles International Airport without looking back.
The flashing lights and the shouts of the reporters behind them were completely shut out by the automatic doors.
In the parking lot, that black sports car was still parked diagonally in its original spot.
Lin Feng pulled open the car door, let Yinna sit in first, and then got into the driver's seat himself.
"Vroom—"
The engine let out a low growl once more, and the car smoothly drove out of the parking lot, merging into the early morning traffic.
Inside the car, it was quiet.
Yinna took off her sunglasses, and her eyes, swollen from crying, stared unblinkingly at the scenery receding rapidly outside the window.
The sky over Los Angeles had already begun to turn the color of a fish's belly.
They returned to Lin Feng's apartment.
"Click."
The heavy door was closed.
All the noise of the outside world and all the prying eyes were completely shut out at this moment.
The apartment was very quiet, with only the sound of two people's light breathing.
Yinna stood in the entryway, feeling a bit lost.
Her emotions still hadn't completely settled.
That desperate scene at the airport kept replaying in her mind.
Her heart was filled with an immense sense of being moved.
But following that was an even deeper concern.
She looked at Lin Feng, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't know where to start.
"Lin Feng... we..."
"Is this... really okay?"
Her voice carried a hint of uncontrollable trembling and grievance.
"Those news reports... your team... your Agent..."
"Am I... have I caused you trouble again?"
She was afraid of becoming a burden to him, of being the final straw that broke him.
Lin Feng didn't speak.
He walked up to Yinna, reached out, and gently cupped her tear-streaked face.
His thumb tenderly caressed the corners of her eyes, where tear stains still lingered.
He didn't try to explain the messy news reports.
Nor did he mention the team's predicament.
He just looked into her eyes and spoke in an incredibly serious and unquestionable tone.
"Listen."
"From now on, don't look at any news, and don't listen to what anyone says."
"Trust me."
His voice paused for a moment, and every word was like a brand, etched into Yinna's heart.
"Just like I trust my teammates unconditionally on the court."
"Leave everything to me."
These words were more powerful than any explanation.
Yinna looked at his eyes, which were burning with fire and incredibly determined.
There wasn't a single trace of hesitation or withdrawal in them.
Only absolute self-confidence and unreserved trust in her.
Her heart suddenly settled down.
That's right.
This man was undergoing a war from both inside and outside the court, a war from the whole world.
She shouldn't become his weakness.
Instead, she should become his most solid support.
Yinna slowly and solemnly nodded.
"Mm."
This simple syllable represented all of her determination.
She was no longer the princess who could only hide under a glass dome and needed protection.
She wanted to stand with him.
The atmosphere in the apartment became subtle and heated at this moment.
The previous intimacy between the two was based more on sudden passion and her one-sided dependence on him.
But this time, it was completely different.
This was a true blending of souls after experiencing the frantic suppression from the outside world and the collapse and reconstruction of their own hearts.
Lin Feng lowered his head.
He kissed her.
This kiss was different from any before.
There was no wild plundering, nor any urgent demands.
It was filled with cherishing, filled with soothing, and even more filled with an unspoken promise.
Yinna closed her eyes and responded to him clumsily but forcefully... That night.
In Lin Feng's apartment, the curtains were drawn tight.
The lights of the city were shut out.
Inside the room, a complete union of soul and flesh was taking place.
Lin Feng could clearly feel it.
A mysterious, scorching energy was frantically flowing between their closely connected bodies.
That energy originated from Yinna and also from himself.
They blended with each other and intertwined with each other.
Ultimately, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, it all poured into the depths of his body.
It nourished every one of his cells and strengthened every inch of his muscles and bones.
Just as they reached the most harmonious peak of life.
Lin... Feng didn't know.
At this moment of their isolation from the world.
The outside world had already been completely turned upside down because of his actions during the day.
#Lin Feng Causes a Scene at the Airport to Win Back His Girlfriend#
This explosive hashtag, with an all-consuming momentum, rose to the top of the trending lists on all social media worldwide.
The video and photos of that embrace at the airport spread frantically across the internet like a virus.
The sports world exploded!
The entertainment world also exploded!
"Crazy! Lin Feng is absolutely crazy! With the team on a two-game losing streak and himself mired in scandals, he actually has the mood to go to the airport and pull off this kind of scene!"
"Has he completely given up on himself? Is he even going to play G3?"
"Is this the'sinner of the team' you all were talking about? He doesn't even care about his career for the sake of a woman?"
"You upstairs, what do you know! This is a real man! Even with the whole world against him, he still goes to get his lover back! I declare that from today on, I'm a die-hard fan of Lin Feng!"
"So romantic! This is practically a real-life idol drama!"
"So, Yinna is the official girlfriend? Then what do Scarlettand Taylor count as?"
On the internet, arguments, curses, and support mixed together, forming an unprecedented storm of public opinion.
Jeff Austin's phone had been completely blown up by various media outlets and brand sponsors.
The PR teams for Scarlett Johansson and Taylor Swiftwere so angry they almost smashed their offices.
All of Los Angeles, all of North America, and even the entire world were waiting.
Waiting to see what kind of miserable end Lin Feng, the young man who had stirred up all this trouble, would eventually face... The next morning.
A ray of sunlight stubbornly squeezed through a gap in the heavy curtains, casting a long, thin spot of light in the room.
Lin Feng opened his eyes.
He felt his body was lighter than ever before.
His five senses had also reached an unprecedented peak of sharpness.
He could hear the faint friction of tires as cars drove past on the street outside.
He could smell the faint scent of dust floating in the air.
That ray of sunlight shining on his eyelids didn't bring any stinging sensation; instead, it was a warm and cozy feeling.
He slowly turned his head and looked at Yinna, who was still sound asleep beside him.
She was like a docile kitten, curled up in his arms, her face wearing a peaceful and tranquil expression.
Lin Feng's heart was at peace.
He knew that a storm sweeping through the league was brewing.
And this time, he would no longer be alone.
Chapter 104: Gods Domain! Absolute Accuracy!
Lin Feng carefully withdrew his arm from under Yinna's neck.
His movements were gentle, not disturbing her in the slightest.
He quietly got out of bed, didn't put on shoes, and walked out of the bedroom barefoot.
In the living room, the basketball he had brought back from the training hall was lying quietly on the floor.
Lin Feng walked over, bent down, and reached out a finger to gently touch the surface of the basketball.
The moment his fingertip made contact with that familiar grainy texture.
An indescribable, wonderful feeling surged into his heart.
He felt as if a blood-linked connection had been established between him and this basketball.
It was as if this basketball was no longer an inanimate object.
But rather an extension of his own body.
And at that very moment.
In his mind, that cold yet highly anticipated system voice rang out solemnly!
[Ding!]
[Detected that the host has completed a deep intimate link with the ss-rank charm target 'Yinna' under the 'Soul Resonance' state!]
The system's voice paused, as if performing some final determination.
A few seconds later, an even more high-pitched notification sounded!
[Link Completion: Perfect!]
[Emotional Bond Level Upgraded!]
[Congratulations Host, the SSS-rank skill [Shintaro Midorima's Full-Court Three-Pointer] has successfully evolved into—]
[—[Shintaro Midorima's ZONE]!]
It's here!
Lin Feng's heart gave a violent thud!
Immediately after, a detailed skill description, like a stream of data, flooded into his mind!
[Skill Name: Shintaro Midorima's ZONE (Gods Domain)]
[Skill Status: Active Activation]
[Status Description: Can be actively activated when the host enters a state of absolute focus.]
[Once activated, stamina consumption rate increases by 100%.]
[However, [All-Range Three-Pointer] will receive the following absolute bonuses:]
[1. Release speed increased by 100%!]
[2. Anti-interference ability increased by 100%!]
[3. Shooting percentage infinitely approaches 100%!]
[4. Skill range covers the entire half-court!]
Watching those lines of large golden characters shining in the depths of his consciousness.
Lin Feng slowly closed his eyes.
He spread his hands, held them up before his eyes, and examined them carefully.
These hands were no different than before.
But Lin Feng knew that everything had changed.
A shooting percentage infinitely approaching 100%!
A range covering the entire half-court!
And that doubled release speed and anti-interference ability!
The Spurs' war of attrition?
The tight defense of Leonard and Danny Green?
In the face of absolute power, all tactics will lose their meaning!
This was the only answer given by the system!
This was his ultimate weapon against the Spurs' precision war machine!
Lin Feng's chest heaved violently.
A powerful confidence, almost bursting through his body, surged from the bottom of his heart!
He clenched his fists tightly.
Spurs.
Popovich.
Wait for me.
This war has only just begun!
Just then, the bedroom door was gently pushed open.
Yinna walked out, wearing his white shirt and rubbing her sleepy eyes.
The hem of the shirt just covered her thighs, revealing a pair of straight, slender legs.
She saw Lin Feng standing in the middle of the living room, shirtless, holding a basketball, emitting a powerful aura that made her feel a bit of awe.
"You're awake?"
Yinna's voice carried a hint of laziness from just waking up.
Lin Feng turned around, and that sharp edge on him instantly vanished without a trace.
A soft expression appeared on his face.
"Yeah, did I wake you?"
"No."
Yinna shook her head, walked up to him, and naturally reached out to tidy his messy hair.
"Hungry? I'll go make breakfast."
"Okay."
Lin Feng nodded.
There weren't many words between them.
They didn't even mention the storm fermenting outside, enough to overturn the entire sports and entertainment circles.
But a single exchange of glances was already better than a thousand words.
Yinna walked into the kitchen.
Soon, the sound of eggs sizzling in the pan and the aroma of toasted bread came from the kitchen.
Lin Feng sat at the dining table, watching her busy figure in the kitchen.
His heart was filled with unprecedented peace and tranquility.
He knew.
From today on, this girl would be his most solid harbor in this world... That night.
Los Angeles, Staples Center.
Western Conference Playoffs First Round, G3.
The Los Angeles Lakers hosted the San Antonio Spurs.
It had been a long time since this arena had been packed to capacity like today.
An hour before the game started, the entire arena, inside and out, was already crowded with media reporters from all over the world.
Cameras and microphones almost blocked every entrance and exit.
Everyone knew this wasn't just a do-or-die game for a team trailing 0-2 returning home.
This was more of a public trial for Lin Feng!
"Good evening, viewers! This is TNT's live broadcast of the NBA Playoffs!"
At the commentary desk, Charles Barkley looked at the mountain-like, tsunami-like atmosphere on-site with a complex expression.
"To be honest, I've been commentating on games for over twenty years, and I've never seen a scene like this."
"An ordinary first-round G3 is receiving more attention than a Game 7 of the NBA Finals!"
Kenny Smith nodded in agreement beside him.
"That's right, Charles. The eyes of the world are focused on that young man wearing number 24."
"The chase at the airport, the romantic declaration... he responded to all the external doubts and abuse in the most incredible way."
"But he chose the hardest path. Tonight, if he can't give a response on the court, then everything he did during the day will only become a huge joke."
By the court.
Kobe Bryant, wearing a sharp black suit, his right foot in a thick cast, sat slowly on the Lakers' bench leaning on crutches.
He didn't pay attention to the frantically clicking shutters around him.
His gaze crossed the entire court and landed on the entrance of the visiting team's player tunnel.
There, the Spurs players were filing out under the leadership of Popovich.
Every person's face carried a cold, machine-like expression.
Kobe's expression became incredibly solemn.
He knew better than anyone how terrifying this Spursteam was.
And tonight's Lakers didn't have him.
There was only Lin Feng, who had been pushed to the center of the storm, carrying all the pressure alone.
Above the arena's dome, the giant electronic screen showed the Lakers' starting lineup for tonight.
Point Guard: Steve Blake.
Shooting Guard: Lin Feng.
Small Forward: Artest.
Power Forward: Pau Gasol.
Center: Dwight Howard.
When Lin Feng's name lit up, the entire Staples Centererupted in an extremely complex wave of sound.
There were boos.
There were insults.
But even more so, there were deafening cheers carrying a certain kind of expectation!
The eyes of the world were focused on him.
To see how he would face this game that, in everyone's eyes, was a lost cause with no chance of victory.
Chapter 105: A Last Stand! Public Trial!
When Lin Feng's name lit up, the entire Staples Centererupted in a wave of incredibly complex sound.
Boos.
Verbal abuse.
But even more so, there were deafening cheers, carrying a certain sense of expectation!
These sounds mixed together like a thunderstorm on a sweltering summer afternoon, rolling and circling above the arena.
Everyone inside could feel that extremely suppressed energy, on the verge of exploding.
The live broadcast director clearly knew what the audience wanted to see.
A massive close-up shot focused on Lin Feng by the sidelines.
He stood there with a calm expression, not even twitching an eyebrow at the mixed reception.
But everyone knew what kind of undercurrents were hidden beneath the calm surface.
"Good evening, viewers! This is TNT bringing you the live broadcast of the NBA playoffs!"
At the commentator's table, Charles Barkley looked at the overwhelming atmosphere with a complex expression.
"To be honest, I've been commentating on games for over twenty years, and I've never seen a scene like this."
"A regular Game 3 of the first round of the playoffs is receiving more attention than a Game 7 of the NBA Finals!"
Kenny Smith nodded in agreement beside him.
"That's right, Charles. The eyes of the world are focused on that young man wearing number 24."
"The chase at the airport, the romantic declaration... he responded to all the outside skepticism and abuse in the most incredible way."
"But he has chosen the most difficult path."
Kenny Smith's voice grew a bit heavier.
"Tonight, if he can't provide an answer on the court, then everything he did during the day will only end up as a massive joke."
Just then, the broadcast director's camera panned.
It focused on a seat in the front row by the court.
An Asian girl, wrapped up tightly in a baseball cap and a face mask, appeared on the big screen.
Despite her best efforts to keep a low profile, her outstanding figure and aura still made her the focus of the crowd.
It was her.
Yinna.
The live camera swept across her face without lingering too long, but it was enough for everyone to understand.
She was here.
When the whole world thought she would choose to hide, she appeared here.
She appeared at the scene of this public trial of her man.
Yinna sat there quietly, her hands tightly clasped together on her lap.
She could feel the various gazes coming from all around.
There was curiosity, inquiry, disdain, and also envy.
Fine beads of sweat broke out on her palms.
But her back was straight.
She looked up, her gaze passing over the surging crowd and the cameras, landing firmly on the back of the man in the center of the court.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the court.
The Spurs players were conducting their final pre-game warm-ups.
Duncan was practicing bank shots in the low post.
Tony Parker was practicing teardrops.
Ginóbili was stretching his body.
Every one of them had a cold, machine-like expression on their face.
They were deaf to the overwhelming atmosphere around them.
It was as if this wasn't the hostile home court of the Staples Center, but some quiet training facility in San Antonio.
Their head coach, Gregg Popovich, didn't even have a clipboard.
He just stood by the sidelines with his arms crossed and an expressionless face, like a cold bystander.
Everything was under control.
This powerful confidence, rooted in their system, made the clamor of the Staples Center seem somewhat hollow.
In front of the Lakers' bench.
Kobe Bryant, leaning on crutches, limped over to Lin Feng's side.
He didn't give a long speech.
He just reached out and gave Lin Feng's shoulder a firm pat.
"Don't worry about what others say."
Kobe's voice was low but carried an unquestionable power.
"Play your game."
After saying that, he turned and slowly walked back to his seat.
Lin Feng nodded.
He felt the lingering strength from Kobe on his shoulder.
He slowly scanned the arena.
He saw the fans booing and hurling abuse at him.
He saw the fans holding up signs of support for him.
He saw the cold faces of the Spurs players.
Finally.
His gaze crossed the entire court and met the eyes of the girl in the front row of the stands.
No words.
Just an exchange of glances.
But at that moment, Lin Feng's heart settled completely.
All the surrounding clamor and pressure turned into nothingness at this moment.
In his world, only three things remained.
The hoop.
The basketball.
And the woman who was watching him.
"Beep—!"
The referee's whistle blew, announcing the official start of the game!
Jump ball at center court.
Howard used his excellent vertical to tip the ball to the Lakers' side.
Blake controlled the ball, slowly advancing to the frontcourt.
The Spurs still used that suffocating defensive system.
Man-to-man, but ready to switch on defense at any time.
Blake didn't find a good opportunity and passed the ball to Gasol.
Gasol was facilitating from the high post, also being hounded by Tiago Splitter.
The twenty-four-second shot clock was ticking away rapidly.
Eventually, the ball returned to the point guard, Blake.
As the shot clock was about to expire, he hurriedly opted for a three-point shot.
"Clang!"
The basketball hit the front of the rim and bounced high.
Under the basket, Duncan firmly boxed out and grabbed the rebound.
Transition.
The Spurs' offense surged forward like a tide.
Tony Parker, like a French Sports Car, advanced rapidly with the ball.
Without any extra movements, a simple crossover shook off Blake's defense as he charged into the paint.
Howard immediately stepped up to help on defense.
Without even looking, Parker flicked his wrist, passing the ball from under Howard's arm to the other side.
There, Tim Duncan had silently appeared in the most comfortable position.
Catch, lift, bank shot.
The movements were seamless, simple to the extreme, yet effective to the point of perfection.
"Swish."
The basketball went through the net cleanly.
2:0.
A suppressed sigh echoed throughout the Staples Center.
It was like this again.
The exact same start as the previous two games.
That fluid, unstoppable team offense made the heart of every Lakers fan sink.
Lakers' possession.
This time, after several passes, the ball finally reached Lin Feng's hands.
As soon as he caught the ball.
A black figure stuck close to him.
Kawhi Leonard.
No emotion could be seen on that expressionless face.
But those long arms were like two giant iron pincers, blocking all of Lin Feng's possible offensive routes.
At the same time.
The Spurs' other perimeter defensive stalwart, Danny Green, also quietly moved to Lin Feng's flank.
He crouched slightly, like a lurking cheetah, ready to pounce at any moment to form a double-team.
This was the defensive trap Popovich had custom-made for Lin Feng.
It was to use two DPOY-level defenders to completely lock him down.
The air in the entire arena seemed to freeze at this moment.
Everyone's eyes were focused on Lin Feng.
To see how he would break this deadlock that appeared unsolvable to everyone.
Lin Feng dribbling the ball.
He could feel the rock-solid physical contact from Leonard.
He could hear the faint sound of Danny Green adjusting his breathing nearby.
He could hear the countless voices in the arena, either supporting or cursing him.
He slowly closed his eyes.
All the boos in the arena.
The cheers.
The defender's breathing.
The sound of his teammates' movements.
At this moment, all of it was blocked out by his brain.
The world fell into an absolute silence.
The next second.
His eyes snapped open!
A flash of light, invisible to the naked eye, flickered deep within his pupils!
In his heart, he silently recited word for word.
"ZONE, activated."