Let us continue.

Chapter 159: Let us continue.

How are you doing? My Spanish club owner.

Spain, Madrid. Although Su Feng had been here once before, he was still far from familiar with the club's training ground.

This time, when Su Feng walked out of the airport again, one of the most obvious changes in Madrid was the large number of reporters stationed outside, snapping pictures the moment Su Feng arrived.

Seeing so many journalists came as a bit of a surprise to Su Feng. Based on his previous experience in Madrid, basketball athletes were not particularly popular here—that much was true. He remembered the last time he and Wigner went to book a hotel room, the girl at the front desk even mistook Su Feng for a tourist from England.

"So, are you here in Spain to accompany Robert Henry this time?"

"What do you think of the Cleveland Cavaliers' recent five-game winning streak?"

"What is your take on the Cleveland Cavaliers missing out on the Christmas games?"

Speaking English with a Spanish accent, the reporters thrust their questions toward Su Feng. Su Feng stared at the Spanish journalists in bewilderment. Since when had basketball become so popular in Spain?

In truth, it was not basketball that had suddenly become so popular in Spain, but rather Su Feng's own soaring popularity.

Back in Spain, Su Feng had first emerged as the rookie of the year. But now, he was an elite top-league player! Top-tier league superstars were immensely popular wherever they went. Even in Madrid, a paradise for football, Su Feng commanded a high reputation.

Over the past four years, Su Feng's progress had also been phenomenal.

With the assistance of airport security, Su Feng escorted his mother through the crowd and squeezed out of the terminal. As soon as they stepped outside, the winter scenery of snow and ice in Madrid came into clear view.

Naturally, Su Feng was not distracted by the scenery. At first glance, he saw that Spanish girl smiling and running toward him.

"You're finally here!" Robert Henry jumped with excitement, throwing herself directly into Su Feng's arms. The camera flashes of the reporters flickered intensely, but neither Su Feng nor Wigner cared. Wrapped in a tight embrace, they enjoyed the warm moment that belonged to them alone.

As soon as she stepped out of his embrace, Su Feng felt a bit shy about greeting Wen Xue. And Su Feng? That fellow was currently more nervous than Robert Henry. Because this was not the first time Wigner and Wen Xue were meeting, but rather the first time Su Feng was meeting her parents.

"Well, you're finally here. Vignali talks about you every single day." A tall, grey-haired, mustachioed middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses greeted Su Feng with a smile. He was Wigner's father, an entrepreneur specializing in the wallet business.

Even though he was smiling, the tall, mature man still carried an air of dignity. Su Feng politely shook his hand and offered a sincere smile.

"Dad, why would you tell him that?" Vignali grabbed her father's arm like a dependent bird, her face slightly flushed. It was easy to see the strong resemblance between father and daughter, and Vignali had clearly inherited her height from him.

"Also, welcome to Madrid. The winter here should be even colder than in Dallas." Just as Su Feng finished shaking hands with Victoria's father, a woman dressed in a leather jacket walked up.

A woman with a smiling and noble demeanor, she exuded an innate elegance, perfectly matching the profile of the wealthy middle class. Yet, it still made Su Feng feel even more intimidated than he was around men. Having grown up on the streets, Su Feng rarely made appearances in formal settings, and it was only after ascending to the elite ranks that he truly became a public figure. Thus, Su Feng suddenly found himself unaccustomed to attending formal gatherings.

For some reason, Su Feng was usually quite casual when talking to others, but the moment he spoke with Wigner's parents, his back would involuntarily straighten and his speech would slow down. No one forced him to do it. In truth, Robert Henry's parents were not nearly as serious as Su Feng had imagined—it was entirely a subconscious reaction. Perhaps every man wished to leave a good impression in front of his partner's parents, and even an overbearing fellow like Su Feng could not escape this innate instinct.

Inside her father's car, both sides chatted casually about major travel events. It was evident that Robert Henry's parents were actually quite familiar with top-flight aviation. That was only natural. Although Spain was the kingdom of football, their daughter was a prominent figure in the basketball world. When it came to basketball, the premier league was an absolute topic of discussion that could not be ignored. Aside from watching their daughter's basketball games, Robert Henry's father was also a die-hard fan. In the past, the man did not have a favorite team in the league; he simply watched for the excitement. But now, he was a loyal fan of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He even had several jerseys of Su Feng and William Adams Miller hanging in his house.

The Houston Rockets' center rotation stubbornly stuck to an eight-man system. Its advantage was that it did not disrupt the competitive rhythm of the players on the court; its disadvantage was that when the main players lacked strength, those performing poorly struggled to quickly recover their form.

In the third quarter, Kenyon Martin, the champion of the 2000 draft, finally got a chance to step onto the court. However, he had already gone cold, completely worn out by Robert Henry.

Robert Henry stretched the floor from the perimeter. As long as Su Feng delivered the pass, Martin had no choice but to chase him relentlessly. Panting heavily, he ran back and forth between the basket and mid-range, failing to defend effectively while simply wasting his energy. And Robert Henry? He shot three for four, scoring six points. Although he did not post triple-double numbers in the basketball match, having an equivalent impact was already more than enough.

The ten-man rotation operated without any physical issues. Even after Su Feng left the floor, Henry Wells remained, and Wells's performance in the playoffs could not be ignored.

However, Wells clearly did not intend to end the basketball match just like that. In the final offensive possession of the third quarter for the basketball game, Wells drove past Su Feng, used a grand body-fake to elude Haywood's aerial contest, and successfully scored a layup. This hard-earned basket kept the Houston Rockets within a single possession!

Wells's performance earned applause from everyone inside the arena, including Su Feng. But respect aside, victory required winning. Today, the Cleveland Cavaliers' players had no intention of losing.

In the fourth quarter, the "unconscious" scorer shifted from Su Feng to Wells. William Adams Miller's first three basketball games had been quite mild, but Robert Henry's psychological shadow was cast right at the start of the final period.

The German forced Robert Henry to the verge of madness with a variety of jump shots. The moment the ball reached William Adams Miller, his defense seemed to completely dissolve.

After William Adams Miller completed his shot, Su Feng took over the closing stretch of the game, delivering the final blow to the Houston Rockets with his relentless drives.

With 54 seconds remaining in the basketball match, the Houston Rockets trailed by ten points. Robert Henry had already exited the game due to knee pain. Anger burned in Wells's eyes. He wanted to win!

Wells drove past Su Feng in the paint for a one-on-one, executed a sudden spin move, and immediately leaped into the air to throw the ball toward the basket.

Quick to react, Su Feng contested Wells's layup, causing Wells to lose his balance mid-air due to the unstable contact.

Terry received Su Feng's outlet pass and sprinted to the frontcourt.

Having crashed to the floor, Wells remembered he needed to play defense, but bizarrely, as he stood halfway up, his legs gave out and he collapsed again! His injury had worsened, and Wells could no longer bear the pain.

Su Feng stood stunned for a moment. He looked at Wells, momentarily tempted to help him up. But then, catching sight of the frontcourt, he clenched his teeth and sprinted away alone. "This is professional basketball," Su Feng muttered to himself. It would be foolish to delay the offense just to assist Wells!

Left with no choice, Wells had to limp his way back to the defensive end.

"I cannot fall, I cannot fall to the ground!" Wells roared internally to himself.

Without Wells, the Houston Rockets were effectively playing four against five. Su Feng's precise passing easily tore through the defense, and with Wells absent, Terry easily knocked down a three-pointer. With 49 seconds left and a 13-point deficit, the basketball match was no longer in suspense!

At that moment, D'Antoni called a timeout. There were no clever tactical adjustments left that could help the Houston Rockets turn the tide. As the basketball game paused, Wells heard only a single voice.

"Edward Coleman, take a rest. It's all over."

Wells stood frozen. He looked at the scoreboard displaying the score and then down at himself. The fire in the eyes of the Bee King had completely vanished.

"An unbelievable Chinaman!"

After this series concluded, clubs across England bestowed such a title upon Su Feng. The Cleveland Cavaliers had swept the Houston Rockets 4-0. The matchup that was originally expected to be the most suspenseful had long since lost any doubt regarding the outcome.

"I believe the fans of the Houston Rockets will never forget this young point guard-forward who utterly shattered the Houston Rockets' five-year playoff dream."

Watching the red light glow behind the backboard, Wells put on his warm-up gear and pulled his hood over his head. He stared blankly at the giant screen and the scoreboard reflecting his despair. The Cleveland Cavaliers express was rolling on!

It was not the first time Wells's dreams had been shattered, so his face remained expressionless. Yet, deep down, the Bee King felt utterly aggrieved; he had thought everything would start afresh in Cleveland. Little did he expect the final result to remain unchanged.

Watching Su Feng bathed in the adulation of the fans, Wells took the initiative to walk toward him.

Su Feng looked at Wells in surprise. Wells said nothing, simply pulling Su Feng into a brief embrace. After that, he turned and walked away alone.

This was Wells's acknowledgment of his successor, and undoubtedly a challenge as well. "You won this year. Next year, I won't lose again."

"What did that guy say to you?" Wigner walked over curiously and asked Su Feng. Su Feng watched Wells's retreating back and gently shook his head.

The battle against the Houston Rockets might have concluded days ago, but William Adams Miller decided to grant the team a day off. Under the current circumstances, physical rest was likely more important than reviewing game tape.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers successfully advancing and given a day off, the England Route Center Stadium instantly emptied out.

Su Feng arrived at the stadium entrance early in the morning, but he was not leading the way today.

"The team isn't reviewing tape today either." Seeing Su Feng standing at the entrance of the practice hall, the security guard old Ian looked a bit puzzled. This athlete understood the value of rest and would not come in to review film when given the day off.

Su Feng turned, looked at the veteran guard, and smiled. "I know. I'm here today for a commercial shoot, taking the cover photos for the video game *NBA Elite*."

"Oh? You're quite busy these days." Old Ian smiled. He had watched Su Feng grow step by step under his very eyes.

From being questioned upon his first arrival in Dallas to seeing his poster now hanging in the center of the England Route Center Stadium, Su Feng's journey far exceeded old Ian's imagination.

"So you're the cover athlete for *NBA Elite* this year!"

"Me, Derrick Rose, and Kevin Durant." Su Feng held up three fingers, expressing a hint of regret that he was not the sole cover star.

"Then I'll definitely have to buy a copy for my grandson this year. He'll surely love it!"

"No need, old Ian. If possible, I'll send you a special collector's edition copy directly."

As the two chatted, the photography crew arrived loaded with professional equipment.

Ian opened the main gates of the stadium for them. It was the first time this veteran guard, who had worked here for decades, had ever witnessed a video game cover shoot taking place in Dallas.

Su Feng waved goodbye to old Ian, then led the photography crew into the practice court to begin the shoot.

Old Ian watched the group walk into the stadium and shook his head with a faint smile.

"Do you know what I was thinking the very first time I saw you here?" Old Ian began talking to himself at the doorway. "I was thinking, another troublemaker has arrived in Dallas!"

Indeed, old Ian had witnessed countless young and talented guards and forwards come through these doors, only to eventually leave with no other choice. Wells was like that, Nash was like that, Harris was like that.

Yet this time... old Ian believed he might never see this young man leave the England Route Center. Just like Wells once was, this Chinese player was slowly becoming the ultimate banner of Dallas.

One day of vacation, and Su Feng finally wrapped up the cover shoot for the video game. The veterans of the Cleveland Cavaliers also used the break to rest their bodies in preparation for the next round of basketball challenges.

Today, the Houston Rockets and the Nuggets were playing their fifth basketball game. If the Nuggets won, the Cleveland Cavaliers would get an even longer rest. If the Houston Rockets won, it meant Su Feng's opponent in the second round would be much tougher.

Therefore, for today's film session, William Adams Miller intended to formulate tactics that fully accounted for the characteristics of the Houston Rockets. Even though the Nuggets fought hard to reclaim a home victory, William Adams Miller knew they ultimately could not defeat the young Houston team.

Inside the locker room, the energetic athletes were busy changing their gear. Following the elimination of the Houston Rockets, everyone was in high spirits. Sweeping the first round easily also demonstrated the smooth transition between the old and new eras of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With William Adams Miller stepping slightly into the background, Su Feng led the team forward in leaps and bounds. But Su Feng's basketball exploits had also significantly reduced old Wells's playing time and exposure.

"Wells, where did you go for your vacation yesterday?" In the locker room, the teammates chatted while changing their equipment. William Adams Miller casually tossed a question to Wells, though no one took it too seriously.

"Yesterday? Stayed home tending the garden—watering, weeding, and all that."

"My God, Wells, are you actually retiring early?" Terry immediately switched into teasing mode, yet the Cleveland Cavaliers' teammates always seemed to overlook one simple fact: Wells was truly getting old.

"Let's go. Come practice with me first." After changing into his practice gear, Wells stood up and bounced twice. As per usual, Wells would invite Su Feng to go out and warm up together. Su Feng never refused; after all, this was the most respected veteran in the entire locker room.

"How is your body feeling lately?" On the way to the court, Su Feng asked Wells once again. By now, Wells was no longer surprised by Su Feng's concern; he had simply grown accustomed to it.

"A forty-year-old athlete isn't doing so great. How should I put it? Still hanging in there, hahaha." Wells forced a laugh to mask his pain. "I just hope I can make it through this year's playoffs safely."

Everything proceeded according to plan. Su Feng and Wells warmed up on the court. Gradually, more and more teammates joined them on the practice floor.

The day after the basketball series concluded, the Cleveland organization attributed the Houston Rockets' defeat primarily to the injuries suffered by Robert Henry and Wells. Injuries served as the perfect excuse when a team's strength fell short.

"If Robert Henry and Edward Coleman hadn't gotten injured, we would have been the ones advancing!"

"Edward Coleman's injury came at the worst possible time; otherwise, how could we have possibly lost?"

"This was just the Houston Rockets' first time playing in this level of basketball series, and they still have a long way to go. Believe in the future, the Houston Rockets will do better!"

Cleveland fans and the organization used various narratives to numb their nerves. They simply refused to acknowledge one simple truth: Su Feng and the Cleveland Cavaliers were genuinely, overwhelmingly strong!

Shielded by these excuses, Robert Henry comfortably began his vacation. And Edward Coleman Wells? He paid no heed to the organization's nonsense. On the very first day of the break, he resumed his training regimen.

The confrontation with Su Feng had a profound impact on Wells. If he failed to work hard and stagnated, he would sooner or later be replaced by the rising stars!

Before the series, the organization had hyped the matchup as the "most suspenseful" basketball series, only for it to end in a 4-0 sweep. This forced people to reconsider whether the outside world had underestimated the Cleveland Cavaliers' resurgence, or if the entire Cleveland team's play had simply surpassed normal standards.

After battling the Houston Rockets, the Cleveland Cavaliers finally earned a breathing spell. Meanwhile, the second seed in the West and the seventh-seeded Nuggets were locked in a fierce battle. The victor of that series would become the Cleveland Cavaliers' next opponent in the basketball playoffs.

At present, the Houston Rockets held a 3-0 lead, and their performance had not surprised the organization in the slightest.

If a year ago the Houston team was merely viewed as a collection of young, promising talents, they had now grown into an absolute powerhouse in the Western Conference.

Finally, William Adams Miller blew his whistle, gathering everyone together. After briefly outlining the day's tasks, everyone set to work.

Su Feng focused primarily on practicing driving layups under heavy contact, with three assistant coaches acting as defenders to deliver physical bumps and simulate intense pressure. Su Feng had to secure successful driving layups amidst this high-intensity physical contact.

Without a doubt, this practice was specially tailored to prepare Su Feng for facing Westbrook. Westbrook was one of the most formidable guards in the league, and if Su Feng wanted to defeat him, he first had to adapt to the feeling of high-intensity physical clashes.

As for Wells, Su Feng's substitute, he simply practiced basic footwork drills. For a veteran, over-training was a luxury he could no longer afford.

Following the individual drills, William Adams Miller organized a full-contact scrimmage among the teammates. Only close-to-game-speed scrimmages served as the ultimate test of results.

Despite the competitive nature of the scrimmages, the Cleveland Cavaliers' players rarely injured each other during these sessions. After all, they were a cohesive unit; they knew how to protect one another and strictly avoided malicious fouls.

Facing Wells as he came to challenge him with the ball, Su Feng refused to go all out defensively. The intense schedule of the basketball season was a form of torture for an "aging" athlete, and various nagging injuries frequently knocked at his door. Back, calf, and groin strains had already caused him to miss numerous basketball games. Su Feng did not want the veteran to suffer another injury under his watch.

However, Wells's body was already fragile. Sometimes, the thing that injured him was not an opponent, but himself...

During a defensive sequence, Su Feng executed a sudden burst of speed, easily stripping the basketball from Wells's hands. Eager to apply pressure on Su Feng, Wells instinctively pivoted and immediately turned to chase him down in transition. Because Su Feng was too fast, Wells had to push himself to the absolute limit to ensure he kept pace before expending his remaining energy.

Precisely because of this excessive effort, combined with the sweat on the practice court, the veteran suddenly slipped and fell hard to the floor, pulling his thigh muscle in the process!

"Ah!"

Wells let out a sharp cry of pain, clutching his thigh as he collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat and gritting his teeth in agony.

Su Feng immediately tossed the basketball aside, sprinted toward the medical staff, and shouted for assistance. William Adams Miller also rushed onto the court with his fists clenched tightly.

Earlier, Wells had told himself he wanted to retire after this basketball season. Last year, William Adams Miller had used Su Feng's development to persuade Wells to stay. But this year, William Adams Miller found no reason left to stop Wells.

Wells knew his own physical condition, and William Adams Miller understood Wells's thoughts. If this injury proved to be serious...

If it was serious, then Wells's career in professional basketball might truly be coming to an end.

Wells, it shouldn't have ended like this. Throughout his entire basketball career, he had only ever won a single championship, and that was achieved near the very twilight of his playing days.

He had spent the better part of his life moving from place to place, mastering how to run off screens orchestrated by coaches, how to execute cuts without the ball, how to create isolation opportunities, how to play lockdown defense, and how to persevere through every hardship...