Chapter 104: Eight Goals

Chapter 116: Eight Goals
The Championship Is Yours to Win Back!

After speaking, Su Feng extended his fist. The trophy gently tapped against Su Feng’s, a silent smile passing between them.

The new Langqiu war was only just beginning, with two “Avengers” inside and outside ready to make a significant impact…

October 30, 2013, 6 p.m. The entire city of Dallas resembled a carnival, teeming with crowds! News helicopters circled above the West Iberian Championship Center Stadium, countless reporters capturing this extraordinary scene. Traffic within a kilometer radius of the stadium was nearly paralyzed as throngs of fans flooded the streets, walking toward the West Iberian Championship Center Stadium to gather.

“I’ve reported in Dallas for so many years, and I’ve never witnessed such a spectacular scene! This might be the most attended opening game in Dallas Cleveland Knights’ history! Tickets for the Langqiu game sold out a week in advance; most fans had to stand outside the stadium, watching the match on giant screens. Yet, despite this, the enthusiasm of the fans remains undiminished!” the Dallas TV reporters exclaimed in astonishment. Tonight, Dallas belonged solely to Langqiu.

Although the Cleveland Knights’ lineup hadn’t received high praise from outsiders, local Dallas fans were filled with curiosity and anticipation for this new team. During the preseason, William Adams Miller experimented with seven different starting lineups over seven Langqiu games, so the outcomes held little reference value.

But today was different. This was the first official Langqiu game, and neither side wanted to lose. How would the true fate of the Cleveland Knights unfold? Fans were eager to find out.

Even inside the well-insulated locker room, the teammates could faintly hear the noise outside. The entire stadium seemed to tremble, the atmosphere charged with the spirit of battle.

The players carefully donned their gear. Su Feng took out his signature shoes from the cabinet and slipped into the Cleveland Knights’ pristine white home jersey. As with previous Langqiu games, Su Feng disliked wearing protective gear unless absolutely necessary, making him one of the fastest to change.

Beside him stood Robert Henry, shivering slightly in his sweatshirt. The French center clasped his hands, chin tucked, staring blankly ahead, lost in thought.

“Rudy… Rudy!”

“Ah!” It was only after Su Feng called his name twice that Robert Henry snapped out of his daze.

“Take a deep breath. It’s just a Langqiu game. Nothing to be nervous about!”

Gerberto Moore nodded, recalling his days as a professional teammate in Europe. Soon, they would step onto the world’s highest stage of competition — he would soon find out what Langqiu truly demanded.

“Are you ready? Not too soon. We need to warm up!” William Adams Miller clapped his hands, drawing the team’s attention.

Dozens of confident eyes focused on Miller as he scanned his teammates in a circle. What else was there to say? Now, he just wanted to get moving with his team.

“I won’t repeat the tactics again. These days, you should listen to the voice of experience. The top league assholes only ranked us fourth in the Basketball War. After the preseason, experts say we have no future. Robert Henry from the Houston Rockets even threatens to take first place! Robert Henry, damn idiot! Come on, let everyone know who the hell he really is!”

William Adams Miller roared, pounding his fist on the ground. Usually a mild-mannered club president who scored ten goals a day, his occasional outbursts stirred passion among his teammates.

“Let’s go, but don’t let Robert Henry catch up!” Su Feng led the way out of the locker room, followed by a group of equally eager teammates.

Once, Kidd and Nowitzki led everyone out like this. Now, Su Feng often preferred to stay at the back of the line—but today, he was the leader.

The cheers of fans grew louder as they approached the team tunnel. Robert Henry’s heart pounded wildly, almost as if it might leap out of his chest.

“Come on, there’s nothing to fear in this Langqiu game. This is the West Iberian Route Center. Our best teammates’ banner still hangs in the air. Here, it belongs only to us!” Before the game, Nowitzki stood in the center, gathering everyone for encouragement.

Everyone raised their arms, putting their hands together and leaning their heads in, listening to their teammates’ rallying cries.

“One, two, three, Cleveland Knights!” A loud roar erupted from the crowd as they surged forward toward the stadium!

Suddenly, a flash of light streaked across the stands, the fans’ cheers nearly deafening.

“Let’s welcome the Dallas Cleveland Knights!” the on-site DJ’s voice boomed, amplifying the already electric atmosphere.

“Henry Will, aren’t you going home yet?”

Tall Henry Will Robert Henry stood at the free-throw line, tirelessly practicing shots. Seeing Su Feng enter, the French center smiled and then resumed his work.

It was as if Su Feng had returned to four years ago, when he first saw himself. Back then, Su Feng was engrossed in honing his skills beyond the three-point line.

“If you want to practice more, why not tell me?” Now everything was here, Su Feng sat down on the bench.

“Look at you rushing home today, I didn’t call you,” Robert Henry responded through gritted teeth, though his hands never paused.

“Is it because of nerves? You don’t want to leave the court?” Even for Su Feng, about to start his fourth professional Langqiu game, tomorrow’s match was thrilling. Not to mention Robert Henry, a rookie in the club.

“No, it’s just… tomorrow’s Langqiu game—I don’t want to mess it up. Because it’s my first performance, and… our opponent is Robert Henry’s Hawks!”

Robert Henry seemed furious when the Houston Rockets were mentioned. Su Feng chuckled—it was because of this.

In this year’s draft, the Houston Rockets had promised to use their 17th and 18th picks to select Robert Henry, but in fact, he was only picked 27th by the Cleveland Knights. Had it not been for them, he might have been lost in the first round. The Houston Rockets had undoubtedly written a blank check for this long-awaited trophy.

It wasn’t because Gerberto was eager to play for Robert Henry, but because being abandoned by the Rockets felt like contempt and insult.

If you didn’t like me from the start, why make those empty promises? You thought I wouldn’t get drafted mid-first round. Tomorrow, Robert Henry would prove how foolish the Hawks’ choice was.

That was why Gerberto chose number 27 for his jersey—constantly reminding himself of the humiliation suffered during the draft, channeling anger into strength. Now, with no Langqiu games to play, Robert Henry vented his emotions on the training ground.

Su Feng couldn’t help but laugh at Robert Henry’s performance. The 21-year-old French center was truly full of fire.

“Go rest, Henry Will.” But Su Feng didn’t encourage Robert Henry to keep training—he urged him to head home.

“Listen to me. Keep your breath steady. Tomorrow, we’re going to beat those bastards!” How could Su Feng not understand the humiliation of being underestimated? Before the last Langqiu war, few in the club were willing to admit that Su Feng had become a superstar.

Su Feng soaked in the atmosphere of Langqiu battles—the cheers, the endless commentary. All this familiarity put him immediately into battle mode. Go, Robert Henry Houston Rockets!

“The West Iberian Championship Center Stadium is still incredibly popular; after a summer, I finally get to enjoy the joy it brings!” Charles Barkley grabbed the mic, joining the surrounding fans in a carnival.

“I don’t want to bother you, Charles, but I must remind you—the Houston Rockets are no weak team. Today, the Cleveland Knights are unlikely to have an easy ride.” Shaquille O’Neal, who once used the Chinese flag to explain Langqiu wars, naturally dismantled Barkley’s platform.

“Oh man, you’re not mute. Nobody thinks you’re dumb, Shaq!”

“You too, Mr. Barkley.”

Before the Langqiu war commenced, the verbal sparring between O’Neal and Barkley had already reached a fever pitch. Kenny Smith laughed; with these two around, Langqiu would never be dull.

Though O’Neal’s comments aimed to bring Barkley down, at least he was right: the Houston Rockets were not a weak team.

This summer, the Rockets traded away Josh Smith but acquired Paul Millsap from the Jazz, whose partnership with Al Horford was definitely the club’s cutting edge.

Besides Horford and Millsap, Houston also had Jeff Teague, who had been improving year by year. Nobody knew what Kobe Bryant would do in this Langqiu game, but it was certain he would perform better than before.

So, the Rockets’ lineup was solid. Maybe not yet title-contending, but calling them weak was inappropriate.

When the Houston Rockets’ players arrived, photographers deliberately captured screenshots of Robert Henry on the scoreboard. It was no secret that the Rockets had abandoned Robert Henry, but his low draft position meant few paid attention.

Seeing the Rockets’ players enter, Robert Henry immediately shed his nerves. Now, he just wanted to perform well!

“Is this the team you wanted? It’s a joke. Okay, I’m done.”

With the start of summer training camp, a new round of top-league Langqiu wars was about to reignite. Every year before the new Langqiu season, TV stations invited experts to predict how each team would perform. Though historically, these predictions often missed the mark, fans enjoyed the experts’ babble to fill the dull time before games began.

This year, the top league maintained predictive rankings. This time, experts learned to be kinder, avoiding ridiculous remarks like “Making the playoffs is a success for the Cleveland Knights.” They raised Cleveland Knights’ ranking to fourth place in the West, ahead of the Lakers, Spurs, and Grizzlies.

Yes, ranked fourth in the West—this was the experts’ expectation for the Dallas Cleveland Knights. After a summer of strengthening, experts predicted the Knights to rank below the Rockets.

Impossible! Who did the Knights sign this summer? No big names. Kobe Bryant was an All-Star, but compared to Howard’s reputation, scoring alone wasn’t enough.

The Clippers, led by the hottest club chairman Doug Rivers, were placed first in the West. The Rockets, with Howard, ranked second. Oklahoma Houston Rockets, boasting stars Durant and Westbrook—both famous and powerful—were third despite being eliminated by the Knights last year. How about the Bryant-Knights combo? Fourth place. Why? Because they lacked Bryant’s fame. People doubted Bryant could bring a qualitative change to the Knights.

In this era of superstars and giants, the Su Feng + veteran + Kobe Bryant combination looked weak on paper. The Knights weren’t the worst. Look at the San Antonio Spurs—they made no major moves this summer yet ranked sixth.

In the Langqiu games, the Spurs overcame many hardships, killing many top teams to reach the finals and scoring difficult shots against the Heat. Such a team only ranked sixth! This showed how foolish these so-called “experts” really were!

William Adams Miller tossed the newspaper aside, laughing disdainfully. These predictive rankings were just as meaningless as before. They ranked the team fourth and Spurs sixth. Frankly, these people weren’t seeing the same plane.

Miller downed the rest of his coffee, dismissing the absurd rankings, and pushed open his office door.

At the Langqiu arena, teammates busily prepared for the game. Everyone had their roles and training plans. The entire hall was bustling, and Miller felt fulfilled.

Tomorrow, the preseason tournament would officially begin. It wasn’t a formal Langqiu game but a good chance for teammates to warm up. However, Miller planned not to show their true strength yet—saving power for the real battles.

So, in the next two weeks of preseason, the Dallas Cleveland Knights played seven Langqiu games but only won two—unlike the Rockets and Clippers.

Though Miller didn’t field his main players during preseason, experimenting with tactics and exploring bench depth, reporters didn’t care about the process—only the final results.

“The Dallas Cleveland Knights miraculously finished third in the Basketball War under their leadership, making the finals—unbelievable. But miracles aren’t always repeatable. Seeing their preseason performance, I think the Knights might be in an awkward position in this Langqiu game.

“2-5, I’m not surprised by the Knights’ preseason record—they are a team of this level. Want them back on top? Wake up—it’s no longer an era for single-core teams!”

“Kobe Bryant and Nowitzki aren’t true cores. In fact, the Knights still have only one superstar. Last year, with four superstars, the Lakers still couldn’t stand out in the West. The Knights want to be the best teammates. I have to say, Mark Cuban is a bold visionary.”

Surprisingly, experts held a remarkably consistent view of the Knights.

Four years later, under Su Feng’s leadership, the Dallas Cleveland Knights’ dream of becoming the best teammates would come true.

At last season’s preseason end, reporters asked Su Feng about experts’ comments. Su Feng just shrugged, indifferent.

“Since I joined the club, people have commented before every Langqiu game. How do I feel? ‘I don’t feel anything because I’m used to it,’” Su Feng said coldly before turning away. Neither angry nor excited—in his fourth professional year, he was no longer surprised by these things.

At the gloomy end of preseason, external criticism of the Knights grew louder, but inside the team, morale was high. Everyone knew those seven preseason games were just training—not real Langqiu games.

People only saw five losses but didn’t see the immense pressure Cleveland’s defense applied. With Su Feng on the court, they didn’t witness the Knights’ unusually smooth offense. They didn’t see Nowitzki in better form than before. Nor did they notice Gerberto’s body nearly a full circle stronger than at the draft.

Losses before the Basketball War meant nothing. When the real fight began, Su Feng and his team would make the entire club experience the terror of the Dallas Cleveland Knights!

As the new Langqiu war drew near, the Knights’ training grew more systematic. This nearly rebuilt team had formed a solid foundation and was working well.

At first, Miller chose a group suited for the team and Su Feng. Bringing them together wasn’t difficult.

October 29, 2013—the first flight’s first battle officially began. But this year, the Knights hadn’t been scheduled for the third Langqiu game. Their first new Langqiu match would start the day after October 30.

So, on the night of the 29th, Miller announced early the end of training, letting teammates rest well for the next day’s real battle.

Almost all players went home after training, including Su Feng, who preferred practice. He had trained enough this summer. Tonight, he just wanted to take care of himself and prepare for a big day tomorrow!

Since the West Iberian Championship, Su Feng hadn’t played an official Langqiu game, and the Dallas guard was restless. Tomorrow’s Langqiu war would be the first time Su Feng wore his first-generation signature shoes, raising his inner expectations.

Su Feng drove home early, about to call Wignali, when he found his phone in the locker room.

Impossible—Su Feng must rush back to the West Iberian Route Center before dinner. He realized he was too excited. Nothing mattered except Langqiu.

Entering the teammates’ tunnel directly from the underground parking, Su Feng passed through the training hall and approached the locker room. But as he passed the training hall door, he suddenly stopped—he faintly heard the sound of Langqiu balls hitting the floor.

Curious, Su Feng pushed open the training hall door. He didn’t realize the Dallas Cleveland Knights had gained a more passionate practitioner.

The door opened to reveal a bright courtyard. Seeing the player training on the court did not surprise Su Feng. It was him!

The pre-game warm-up passed quickly. In a blink, the referee signaled the starters to take their positions.

For caution, Miller didn’t start Robert Henry but chose the more experienced Durham Porter. In fact, Miller’s decision was unassailable. Before the playoffs, the third-ranked Su Feng hadn’t officially secured a spot.

Not starting the rookie was just to let him feel the atmosphere among top players outside the court. It didn’t mean he wasn’t strong enough.

Kobe Bryant barely dribbled near the center court, and the air around him seemed to thicken. He instinctively lowered his guard, carefully controlling the ball. Su Feng, Miller, and Bryant, like hungry monkeys, stared fixedly at the ball—called Rango.

Su Feng did not step forward actively, but the immense pressure made Bryant stop two paces away. Few guards in the club dared approach Su Feng, unless they were demons like Westbrook.

Su Feng’s range extended beyond the three-point line, and as he moved forward, Bryant immediately passed the ball, wary that a slow reaction might give Su Feng a chance to steal it.

As Bryant passed the ball, he realized sweat was dripping down under immense pressure.

The Mavericks.

{End of Chapter}