score maniac

Chapter 4: The Life of the Party

Slam, slam, slam, slam, slam!!! Three straight two-pointers—all catch-and-shoot, and all taken from the exact same spot. Gu Yu’s offensive choices were downright bizarre, but his accuracy was off the charts—three shots, three makes. He’d been on the court for less than a minute and had already scored six points! “What…?!” Brandon Knight, rushing back on defense, looked utterly stunned as he watched Gu Yu strut past him before shuffling back to his defensive position, his mind in a whirl. I… I didn’t see that wrong, did I? Nate looked down at the spot where Gu Yu had been standing just a moment ago. This Chinese guy—the spots from which he took those three consecutive shots weren’t just “in the same general area.” “It was ‘the exact same spot’…!” If circumstances allowed, Knight would have loved to watch the replay right away, mark all three of Gu Yu’s shooting spots on the screen with a pen, and compare them to see if they were exactly the same. Could there really be such a coincidence in this world? All three cuts led him to the exact same spot? Just what kind of player is this Chinese guy… “Great shot, great shot! That was a beautiful shot, hahaha—!” On the other side of the court, Gu Yu had already scampered back, high-fived the stunned point guard, and excitedly struck a defensive pose, rubbing his hands together in front of him as if he were a fighting game character about to unleash a fireball. “Damn!” On the sidelines, the fans who had just been looking down on Gu Yu had finally switched sides completely. Americans can be simple sometimes—no matter who you are, what color your skin is, or what your background or origins are as long as you’re good, I’ll respect you! “Way to go, Greasy Hair! Give us another one!!” The U. S. team’s shot missed, and Kanter grabbed the rebound. Just as the International Team launched their offense, someone in the crowd actually cupped their hands around their mouth and let out a loud cheer, starting to root for Gu Yu. However… “…W-w-w-what did you just call me?!” Gu Yu clearly couldn’t accept that nickname. With one hand on his hip and the other pointing at the fan, he shouted, “This is clearly a classic slicked-back hairstyle!” “Hahahaha, does it really make a difference, ‘Greasy Hair’???” The fans were amused by Gu Yu’s earnest and straightforward reaction; many burst out laughing, and their impression of him grew even better. “Damn it, of course there’s a difference!” Gu Yu got even more fired up and, standing right by the sidelines, declared with a straight face, “‘Greasy hair’ sounds kind of gross, but ‘slicked-back’ sounds really cool—this is a matter of dignity, okay?!” Right then, a few fans with slicked-back hair took offense. “Come on, come on—can we get back to the game? There’s just over a minute left, we’re down by three—we still have a chance!” The International Team’s point guard couldn’t stand Gu Yu’s nonsense any longer and shot him a fierce glare as he dribbled past half-court. “Mm-hmm, anyway, I’ll just be standing right there.” Gu Yu nodded, tossed out that baffling remark, and then ran off to his position. …What? The point guard froze, staring at Gu Yu’s retreating back, hardly believing what he’d just heard. Did that guy just say… “I’ll just stand right there”?? Is there really such an irresponsible shooting guard in the world?! “Ennes!” Although he was filled with doubts, the International Team’s point guard was, after all, one of the top young players on the international stage. He kept his hands moving, moved up to the frontcourt to direct the offense, and then sent a high lob pass right into Kanter’s hands. Another back-to-the-basket move! On the U. S. side, the players instinctively tried to double-team him. Knight, the perimeter player closest to Kanter, took a step back and reached out, ready to cut into Kanter’s path. “Whoosh—!” Kanter dished the ball out. “…It’s him again! Shoot, shoot!!” As Gu Yu caught the ball, the entire arena erupted with excitement. He bent his knees, locked his elbows, snapped his wrist, straightened his forearm, and took off with both feet. Gu Yu’s shooting form was textbook, but unfortunately, his release wasn’t quick enough—before the ball even left his hand, the lightning-fast Knight had already closed in on him. “Don’t force the shot!” The International Team’s point guard’s heart skipped a beat, fearing Gu Yu would make another reckless move, and he hurriedly took a step forward to intercept the pass. But in Gu Yu’s eyes, there was nothing but the basket. “Smack,” “Whoosh—!” Nate hadn’t expected Gu Yu’s determination to shoot to be so intense; he lost his footing for a split second and reached out with his right hand to slap Gu Yu’s shooting hand. “Aaah—!!” The fans on the sidelines had been waiting for the hot-headed Gu Yu to score again and show off, but with Knight’s interference, everyone lost interest, shaking their heads and sighing. Sure, winning the game is important, but letting someone have their moment is important too, isn’t it? He took that shot with such determination—if you can’t stop him, don’t foul him. It ruins the flow of the game—how annoying! “Beep, beep, beep—!” The referee got a clear view, blew his whistle, signaled a shooting foul with an outstretched hand, and announced, “Defensive foul by Team USA. Team International gets two free throws…” “Swish!” As the ball dropped through the net, everyone froze. Wh-what…? Even Chen Mu, standing on the sidelines, stared wide-eyed at Gu Yu, who, after landing, staggered forward and nearly fell flat on his face—as if he were looking at a rough, unpolished piece of jade. That level of tenacity, that reckless determination to take the shot no matter what, that assassin-like killer instinct, that persistence in maintaining a complete shooting form even after being fouled—focusing solely on sinking the shot… “Little Gu has really improved…!” “Whoa—!!!” As Chen Mu muttered to himself, the entire arena instantly erupted. Many fans, their eyes filled with a mix of excitement and disbelief, watched as Gu Yu staggered back to his feet and cheered in unison. “Just like Chen! The way this slick-haired guy is playing today is exactly like Chen five years ago—stepping out from the very back of the bench and suddenly dominating the court!” Seasoned fans excitedly discussed the similarities between Gu Yu and Chen Mu, while many media reporters at the scene also noticed this remarkable coincidence, raising their cameras and video recorders to snap away at Gu Yu. “Less than a minute left—we’re going to win! We’re going to win! Hahahaha!” Gu Yu himself had no idea why he’d suddenly become so accurate. But he was the type who really came alive in the heat of the moment—once the atmosphere was electric, he didn’t have time to worry about any of that nonsense. Laughing triumphantly under the murderous stares of the U. S. team players, he stepped up to the free-throw line. He took the free throw… “Clang” Off the rim. “…Fast break!” The ball bounced off the side of the rim and fell to the floor. The U. S. team grabbed the rebound. Knight, who’d been repeatedly outplayed by Gu Yu, was seething with frustration. He caught the ball, turned, and began sprinting full speed down the court. “Get back on defense! Everyone, get back on defense!!!” The International Team’s point guard shouted urgently, and the players scrambled back on defense. But Gu Yu, the first line of defense, was cleanly beaten by Knight’s nimble between-the-legs dribble, leaving him wide open for a gliding layup straight at the basket. Good! “Our defense is as terrible as ever.” Chen Mu, standing on the sidelines, shook his head slightly. Watching Gu Yu’s determined expression—as if he’d been humiliated and was determined to make up for it—he began formulating a plan in his mind. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, defense…!” The International Team’s point guard was extremely dissatisfied with Gu Yu’s performance. As he walked past Gu Yu, he shook his head repeatedly: “If you’d made that free throw, we would’ve tied the game. Now look—they’ve hit us with a fast break. That’s what you get for showing off! Sigh!” “…Damn it!” Gu Yu cursed himself under his breath, ran a hand through his hair, and was just about to head upcourt to find that elusive green hoop again when he looked up—and was stunned. “Bring it on…!” Brandon Knight was instantly in position, firmly planting his foot on Gu Yu’s shooting spot and clenching his teeth, refusing to give an inch. 480957067, Longji Congee Shop, open 24 hours a day