Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog-Chapter 320: Yin Yang Knights vs. Shizi Dogs (4)

The other boys looked at Kai with wide eyes.

Indeed, he was breathless. It was a rare sight for them. In all of the games they played in the Interhigh Preliminaries, Kai had never looked exhausted.

Was playing with Max Zhou taking a toll on him?

Honestly, even Kai himself didn’t know the answer to the question.

"I’m fine," Kai said, evening out his breathing. It was true that he felt tired, but it wasn’t to the point that he couldn’t play his best.

"There’s only two minutes left," Coach Muchen said. "After that is halftime; you can rest then."

Kai nodded as Lina explained a play for them. Kun was right by his side, and Kai paid greater attention to him.

He seemed to be doing okay, but he also seemed distracted.

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Chunlei watched closely, sensing something that others hadn’t.

"A five-point gap! I believe it’s still doable," Mark exclaimed. "I believe the Shizi Dogs need to maintain this small of a gap if they want to secure a chance of victory."

The game was close, the Knights leading by a slim margin, but Chunlei knew there was more to it. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he focused on Max. There was something about the way Max played, something Chunlei only realized while watching this game.

"I can’t believe I only noticed it now," he muttered, shaking his head in amusement.

Coach Ben and Coach Yixing seemed proud of their analysis, but Chunlei said something that halted their conversation, also capturing the nearby players’ attention.

"You only said three reasons," Chunlei started off.

Coach Ben frowned. "Is there another reason?"

Chunlei nodded. "Yes—a fourth reason."

They turned their gazes to Chunlei while he kept his gaze at the court.

Kai made a move, driving past Yutong and leaping for a layup. The ball bounced off the backboard and into the hoop. "Kai, with a beautiful drive and finish! The Shizi Dogs are clawing their way back! 47-42!"

But before the Shizi Dogs could even celebrate, the Knights had already responded.

Max received a quick pass from Ailun and squared up, launching a three-pointer. The crowd gasped, and Mark’s commentary kept pace. "Max with the three! He doubles the score with ease, assisted by Ailun’s quick thinking! It’s 50-42, Knights."

Chunlei leaned back, eyes locked on Max. He watched as Max played, noting every detail. There was something almost joyful in Max’s movements. Chunlei’s realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.

"Well, are you going to tell us?" Yiming said after a while.

Kexin clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I swear—you’re doing this on purpose. Just say it so we can continue watching the game."

Chunlei crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"He gets more excited the more he struggles," Chunlei finally revealed.

The others around him looked puzzled.

Then, they started making sense of his statement.

Chunlei gestured toward the court. "Look at him. He’s not just playing to win. He’s playing because he loves the challenge. The tougher it gets, the more he enjoys it. That’s why he’s so dangerous.

He thrives under pressure."

On the court, the game continued with the same intensity. Yuze drove hard to the basket, weaving through the Knights’ defense and scoring a smooth layup. The score tightened, and the Shizi Dogs felt a surge of adrenaline.

50-44.

Fabin tried to shoot, but Kai soared through the air and blocked his shot with authority. Fabin clicked his tongue in frustration, but before it could fester, Max was there, clapping Fabin on the back.

Max took the ball down the court, his eyes scanning the defense. He passed to Ailun, who quickly returned the ball. Max faked a pass, then drove to the hoop, finishing with a strong layup. The Knights fans cheered, and the scoreboard flashed 52-44.

Chunlei watched Max’s expression closely.

There it was—that unmistakable glint in his eyes.

"Look at his face," Chunlei pointed out. "That’s the face of a man who’s enjoying what he’s doing."

Kai scored on the next play, a powerful dunk that shook the rim and brought the score to 52-46.

But it was Max who responded again, this time with an undetected shot from the three-point line.

55-46.

The Shizi Dogs felt the pressure mounting. Kai, despite his best efforts, couldn’t keep pace with Max’s scoring.

"Kai scores two points while Max scores three. This way, you are correct, coaches. The gap will continue to increase until the last quarter."

The game plan seemed to be slipping through the Dogs’ fingers, the gap widening just as the coaches had predicted.

It was now 57-46, and Max’s smile was wide.

"Struggling now?" Max smirked as he jogged back on defense, catching Kai’s eye.

Kai shook his head, refusing to be baited. But inside, he felt the frustration bubbling. It was as if they were being toyed with.

The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the second quarter. The score stood at 57-46, an eleven-point gap that felt much larger. The Shizi Dogs walked back to their bench, heads down, trying to catch their breaths.

"And you know the worst part about this is?" Chunlei asked, capturing their attention once more.

Kexin sighed. "Just say it, or I’ll slap the back of your head."

Chunlei chuckled and said the reason.

"I believe the Shizi Dogs wouldn’t be able to notice it because it’s their first time playing with the Knights on the official court."

"Heck," Yiming chuckled. "I’ve also never noticed it before, even though we played multiple times with each other already. I just thought he was a really good player that got better and better the more he played."

Chunlei clicked his tongue and shook his head. "I’ve only discovered it now, too."

"So, what you’re saying is—we need to tell this to Kai?" Zedong asked.

Chunlei chuckled and shook his head.

"No—of course not," he said. "I’m not going to give him a freebie like that. I’ve only learned of my rival’s secret after two years, and you expect me to give it to Kai?"

"But I thought you wanted the Dogs to win?" Yiming asked.

"Not necessarily," Chunlei said.

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"The best player will still win in the end."

"Now, I don’t know if the Shizi Dogs has what it takes just yet."