Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

Kai scratched the back of his head as he watched the ball move through a straight motion.

He didn't know what came over him, but his past game of dodgeball suddenly urged him to just throw the ball into the net.

Yuze also glanced at Kai before shaking his head.

"This kid is causing trouble only one minute into the game," he muttered, now following the trajectory of the ball.

'I definitely didn't mean to do that,' Kai thought.

Time seemed to slow down as the ball flew through the air, bouncing off the backboard with a satisfying thud before swishing through the net.

Silence.

Silence reigned in the court.

Then, Kai smirked. 'Or maybe I did intend to do just that!'

Coach Yixing even had to wipe his eyes to see if what happened was real. However, with the signal of the referee, the scorers were left with no choice but to add the first two points to Shizi High's team.

Zeren's jaw dropped as two points were added to their scoreboard.

"What the heck?" he muttered to himself. "How could he even pull that off?"

Meanwhile, Yuze shook his head in disbelief. He was prepared to scold Kai for being so reckless in the game, but now, he couldn't even do that as the ball managed to go in.

Even the robotic students of Xing Academy stopped cheering for a moment, whispering among themselves as they discussed the possibility of such a shot.

"According to Physics, that's impossible."

"I agree. I must bring this up with Professor Neutron."

"It was going through a straight path. How could it just go inside the hoop all of a sudden?"

"Maybe, there's another theory out there that we still haven't learned!"

The students at Shizi High started paying attention to the game, some of them even placing their phones on the empty seats next to them.

"What the heck was that?"

"Are they always this funny when they're playing?"

"Well, that was interesting."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to watch for a while," the die-hard fan of Shizi Snakes said, focusing his gaze on the court.

However, amidst the speculations, Zedong remained calm. He knew there was still plenty of time left to play, so he wasn't about to let one unexpected shot shake his team's confidence.

"Stay focused, everyone," he calmly said to his teammates as he dribbled the ball.

He glanced at the Shizi Dogs and shook his head.

Besides, luck could only take them to such small places. In the end, logical plays were still going to win.

With a swift nod from their coach, Zedong raised his hand in the number-one position, signaling the start of a new play. The other players nodded in understanding, their eyes focused and determined.

Meanwhile, the Shizi Dogs were on their feet, anticipating their play.

However, they didn't have much time to think about it as the Xing Stars executed a series of precise movements, screening almost the entire Shizi team. Zedong saw his opportunity and made his move, driving towards the basket through the pathway that his teammates had created.

The Shizi Dogs' defense scrambled to react, but it was too late. Zedong rose into the air, his form perfect as he released the ball in a smooth arc towards the hoop.

Swish!

The ball sailed through the net, eliciting cheers from the Xing Stars' fans.

Zedong smirked as he watched the ball drop to the ground. His teammates also gave him high-fives and thumbs-ups.

2-2.

As expected, logical plays were the best, and Zedong's execution was flawless.

On the sidelines, Coach Yixing nodded in satisfaction. His team had executed the play to perfection, and it paid off with a score.

Aside from their offense, the Xing Stars' defense, led by Zedong, remained solid, shutting down the Shizi Dogs' offense once again.

Lina watched with furrowed brows as their team struggled to find a response.

"Even Yuze's struggling," she whispered, looking at the tall team captain with furrowed eyebrows.

"What the heck are they doing?" Eva's friend asked.

Eve clicked her tongue. "It's just one score," she defended.

"But it's obvious that the Xing Stars has better teamwork."

Her other friend nodded in agreement. "I think the first shot was just a lucky one."

Meanwhile, the Shizi Dogs increased their defense as Zedong dribbled the ball once again. As their playmaker, he held out the number five sign this time. His teammates immediately understood.

On the other hand, the Shizi Dogs tried to come up with a way to counter the unknown play. Read exclusive adventures at empire

However, it seemed like the Xing Stars had practiced the specific play over and over again, which earned them another score.

4-2.

"Xing. Xing. Shining, Xing!" their cheers got louder, yet it still sounded organized.

The Angs sighed in frustration.

"I don't know why," Aang clicked his tongue. "But competing against those robot-like people is much more annoying compared to their game with the Daxue Dolphins."

Shang nodded in agreement, resting his elbows against his knees.

"What's more frustrating is that we can't really hate the players," he remarked. "They're playing fairly and cleanly."

The other Angs nodded in agreement.

As the Xing Stars prepared to shoot once again, Jet felt a surge of frustration. He knew he had to do something to disrupt their play. With a burst of speed, he rushed to intercept the ball, but his efforts were in vain as Zedong expertly snatched it away.

Jet gritted his teeth, determined not to let Zedong get the best of him. He lunged for the ball, but Zedong's grip remained firm, frustrating Jet even further.

Fortunately, Yuze sprang into action. "Stay with your man!" he shouted to his teammates, preventing the Xing Stars from getting an easy basket.

Just then, Zedong raised his hand once more, showing the familiar number one gesture.

The Shizi Dogs exchanged knowing glances. They were going with the screen-out strategy!

Kun, Zeren, and Jet moved quietly, trying not to be screened by the Xing Stars' players.

But just as they started to adjust their defense, Kai noticed something different.

Zedong's hand flashed another number—7.

Kai's frown deepened.

"17th?" he muttered.

"The 17th play?"