Chapter Eighty-Five: The Grand Final, Part Five

At Wutongsong Gymnasium, more than ten thousand people—spectators, referees, coaches, commentators, players from both teams, even camera operators and security staff—fixed their eyes on Lin Nan.

So did the tens of thousands watching on television.

What kind of body was this? What kind of treatment had Lin Nan just undergone?

No one understood, yet what filled their eyes more than anything else was joy and exhilaration.

Meanwhile, in many high school classrooms, students staring at the text updates on their smart phones were utterly bewildered.

What had happened? Lin Nan was back? He was going in? What on earth was going on?

Hadn't he suffered a severe right ankle sprain?

They were too curious to bear it, so they immediately opened the video stream, only to find it stuttering so badly that it was impossible to watch.

How they wanted to smash that damned phone!

...

On the court, Lin Nan walked up to his teammates with a broad smile.

"I'm back."

Then he glanced up at the score, 100 to 90, and the 60-second countdown, and went on, "We still have a chance!"

The coach and players of First Middle School in Qing River were overcome with joy and tears.

The faces of No. 95, Zhu Bo, Luo Si, Li Qing, Wang Jinsong, and the others all lit up with excitement.

Even Zhao Zhongshi's mouth curled into a faint smile.

The timeout was over.

As Lin Nan stepped onto the court, he once again faced the crowd and made that gesture of extending his right hand and pretending to listen.

The stands on the South China side erupted at once: "Lin Nan! Go! Lin Nan! Go!"

The student section from Qing River First Middle School also began shouting as one.

Though many of them had never shouted so recklessly before, at this moment only the force of their voices could express the excitement in their hearts.

Seeing the red string bracelet on Lin Nan's wrist and the gaze he turned upon her, Si Dong boldly met his eyes. Her little face was flushed crimson, the tears at the corners of her eyes still un-wiped, and she shouted with everyone else, "Lin Nan, go!"

In the VIP box, Yao Ming said to Lin Lang, "As soon as Lin Nan steps on the court, the whole feel of Qing River First Middle School changes."

Looking at the score and the time, Yao Ming continued, "But just wanting to win is still very hard."

Lin Lang replied with a smile, "Didn't you win once already?"

Yao Ming froze for a moment, then a broad, warm smile spread across his face.

The game resumed, and Qing River First Middle School had possession.

After receiving the ball on the baseline, Lin Nan quickly led the team upcourt.

No. 95 did not head toward the basket, but stayed outside the three-point line to help Lin Nan set a screen.

With the combined screens of Zhu Bo, Luo Si, and No. 95, Lin Nan quickly found his opening.

He rose and let fly a three.

The form was picture-perfect, and the ball dropped cleanly through the net.

The score became 100 to 93, a seven-point gap, with 54.8 seconds remaining.

Yangcheng High School inbounded.

Everyone from Qing River First Middle School chased furiously, and the ball had barely been put into Wang Shiying's hands when Lin Nan seized the chance and slapped down on him decisively.

Two free throws, 52.7 seconds left.

Standing at the line, Wang Shiying drew a breath and steadied his emotions.

Then, beneath the eyes of the entire arena, he held his nerve.

He made both free throws, bringing the score to 102 to 93, a nine-point gap.

The spectators from East China burst into shouts.

Qing River First Middle School inbounded, but Yangcheng High School sent five men to block.

Lin Nan darted left and right, shaking off the defender clinging to him. He received No. 95's inbound pass and drove straight upcourt.

Reaching the three-point line, Lin Nan ran right up to Wu Fan and rose into a jump shot from beyond the arc.

Wu Fan naturally lifted a hand to contest.

As he jumped, Lin Nan deliberately drove the ball into Wu Fan's outstretched hand, then, as he landed, relied on his tremendous physical strength to release the shot.

Either three free throws, or a four-point play.

Under the crowd's expectant gaze, the ball struck the back iron at a very low arc and bounced in through the net.

The arena erupted again.

Yang Yi shouted into the microphone in excitement, "And one! And one! There are still 45.4 seconds left, and Qing River First Middle School still has a chance!"

Under the eyes of all, Lin Nan stepped to the line and sank the free throw steadily.

The score became 102 to 97! Just five points between them!

Yangcheng High School coach Xiao Ran immediately called timeout.

He told his players, who had gathered around him, "Don't panic, whatever you do. We must stop Lin Nan from taking a three. Foul him before he gets near the arc, foul him before he even jumps if you have to. Let them score two. With forty-five seconds left, if we control the pace of our offense, they won't get three possessions! The final victory will definitely belong to Yangcheng High School!"

On the other side, the Ape Coach did not draw up any tactics. He knew Lin Nan understood everything, and in ordinary games Lin Nan had always been the point guard.

The Ape Coach only smiled and said to everyone, "Lin Nan recovered from a sprain in ten minutes. What miracle is impossible?"

The timeout ended, and the game continued.

As soon as Yangcheng High School inbounded, they spread out and immediately moved the ball around, giving Qing River First Middle School no chance to commit a quick foul. They delayed for more than ten seconds.

Only when Wang Shiying stepped inside the three-point line, the instant he received the ball, did the lightning-quick Lin Nan force the foul.

Then came the two free throws.

Both went in.

Wang Shiying did not let the East China spectators down.

The score became 104 to 97, a seven-point gap, with only 28.8 seconds left.

Qing River First Middle School inbounded, and after Lin Nan received the ball, he ran upcourt.

Though Wang Shiying desperately tried to foul, Lin Nan's agile left-right changes and blinding speed left him no opening.

Just as he reached the vicinity of the three-point line, Lin Nan sprang straight up and launched another three.

Under the gaze of countless hopeful eyes, the ball actually bounced off the rim and flew out.

In an instant, the players of Qing River First Middle School and the spectators from South China both sensed something terribly wrong.

If this one didn't go in, it would be very hard.

Yet at that moment, a figure leapt from the floor, snatched the ball out of the air with force, and slammed it through the hoop!

It was Luo Si! Luo Si had unleashed the tomahawk dunk he had practiced countless times ever since first learning it!

Another earth-shaking roar rose from the South China stands.

Lin Nan's face was also lit with a smile.

The score became 104 to 99, the margin back to five, with 21.9 seconds remaining.

Yangcheng High School inbounded.

This time, Qing River First Middle School deliberately left Cai Kun open.

The moment Cai Kun received the inbound pass, Zhao Zhongshi slapped at it with lightning reflexes.

Cai Kun stood at the free-throw line: zero makes on two attempts!

His face was full of disbelief, but he could only accept reality.

Not every player has a big heart.

Qing River First Middle School's morale surged.

Lin Nan once again used the speed and nimble footwork he was so proud of to shake off the Yangcheng High School defenders blocking him, successfully received No. 95's inbound pass, and charged upcourt.

At that point, Wang Shiying and Su Yuxiang, standing beyond the three-point line, spread their arms wide and used their bodies to bar Lin Nan, giving him no chance to shoot a three and no chance to draw a foul.

With no other option, Lin Nan could only pass to Zhu Bo, who was open nearby.

Zhu Bo quickly sent it on to Zhao Zhongshi, who was guarded by only one man.

With the ball in hand, Zhao Zhongshi stood beyond the arc and seemed about to drive inside, but then stopped and, without the slightest hesitation, tossed up a hook shot.

Yang Wendong, defending him, never expected such a move and failed to interfere at all.

A three-point hook shot! Can you believe it?

The South China crowd all rose to their feet, while the East China spectators fixed their eyes on the ball flying through the air.

In full view of everyone, the miraculous-hook Zhao Zhongshi sent up this bold shot, and it struck the glass before dropping through the net in a way no one could quite understand.

"It's in!"

"A three-point hook shot goes in!"

Yang Yi shouted excitedly into the microphone, and the crowd roared as well.

The score became 104 to 102, only two points apart! 11.1 seconds remained.

Yangcheng High School inbounded.

Wang Shiying managed to burn two seconds, but was still fouled by Lin Nan.

The clock stopped at 8.7 seconds.

Standing at the free-throw line, Wang Shiying's heart began to thud wildly; he was no longer as composed as he had been on his previous trip to the line.

He knew perfectly well that if he made both, Qing River First Middle School would have no chance left at all.

He took a couple of dribbles, and missed the first free throw!

The second, too, missed!

The South China stands immediately filled with boos. They had just been respecting the fairness of the game and had not made a sound while Wang Shiying was shooting free throws.

Now that he had simply missed on his own, everyone could not help but mock him afterward.

At the center of the storm, Wang Shiying fell into deep self-doubt.

In this national high school basketball league, his free-throw percentage had been as high as ninety percent, yet he missed both of the most crucial free throws!

Why?

Perhaps because the moment Lin Nan went out and he had to stay on the floor for the championship, he had already lost in spirit.

He did not believe his teammates could beat Qing River First Middle School, without Lin Nan, if he himself was not there.

That lack of trust in his teammates led to a hidden lack of trust in himself.

Wang Shiying's iron nerve had found a crack.

The players of Yangcheng High School also sensed that something was terribly wrong.

Though only 8.7 seconds remained, a single three would turn the game around for Qing River First Middle School.

And if even Zhao Zhongshi's three-point hook could go in, not to mention Lin Nan, how were they supposed to defend this?

Looking at the players on the court, as though their souls had been drained away, coach Xiao Ran of Yangcheng High School shouted from the sideline, "Don't you want the championship anymore?"

Those words jolted everyone awake.

Yes. No matter what, I want the championship!

Wang Shiying and his teammates came to themselves and rekindled their fighting spirit.

Qing River First Middle School inbounded.

Despite Yangcheng High School's desperate resistance, the nimble Lin Nan still received the pass.

Yangcheng High School hurried back on defense, and Qing River First Middle School pressed forward in full force.

Lin Nan burst left and feinted right, and the moment he found a suitable position, he leaped without hesitation.

Just as he was about to release the shot in midair, he suddenly thought of the previous three that had bounced off the rim.

Lin Nan sensed trouble and did not shoot.

He hurriedly searched for a teammate and saw Zhao Zhongshi trapped between two defenders, while Luo Si and No. 95 were both inside the arc.

Only Zhu Bo—God Bo—stood in the corner beyond the three-point line.

Lin Nan remembered what God Bo had once told him: "My shot is just average, but I'm especially accurate from the corners."

Without hesitation, Lin Nan flung the ball hard toward him and shouted, "Captain!"

The commentators and spectators in the arena were utterly puzzled. Why wasn't Lin Nan shooting it himself?

And hearing his words, they only then realized that Zhu Bo was actually the captain of this team!

Unbelievable.

And Zhu Bo, too, could not help doubting himself.

Once, he had been Qing River First Middle School's "God Bo," the God Bo who broke the school record!

But after stepping onto the stage of the national high school basketball league, the undersized Zhu Bo faded into the crowd.

He did not have Lin Nan's genius skill, nor No. 95's height, nor Zhao Zhongshi's miraculous abilities. He didn't even have Luo Si's presence.

And yet, he was the captain of this Qing River First Middle School basketball team!

Lin Nan's single word, captain, made Zhu Bo feel the trust of his teammate.

He knew Lin Nan had always respected him deeply!

So now, he could not betray that trust and respect.

Receiving Lin Nan's pass, Zhu Bo shot without hesitation, with no defender nearby.

Two seconds, one second, zero.

The clock expired the instant the ball rose into the air.

Everyone held their breath, staring at the basketball flying toward the hoop.

With a soft swish, the ball went down cleanly through the net.

Yang Yi tore at his throat as he shouted in celebration:

"Game winner! Captain Zhu Bo of Qing River First Middle School has sealed the victory with the final shot!"

"The score is now 104 to 105! Qing River First Middle School wins! Qing River First Middle School are the champions of the inaugural National High School Basketball League!"