svetikya Chapter 66 The Final Battle: A Trial of Steel and Will
Chapter 66 The Final Battle: A Trial of Steel and Will
The locker room during halftime resembled a trench recently bombed, filled with the pungent smell of painkiller spray and a heavy stench of blood. Lin Hao sat shirtless on a bench, while team doctor Lao Zhang wiped the wound on his brow bone with an alcohol swab. The alcohol stung the wound, but Lin Hao didn't even flinch. He just stared intently at a point in the void, as if trying to see through the black veil that shrouded the stadium.
His jersey was torn in the first two quarters, and he is now wearing a brand new spare jersey with the same glaring number 11.
"Haozi," Coach Adijiang's voice was terribly hoarse, his knuckles white from gripping the tactical board tightly, "the referees will continue to be biased in the second half. I've already substituted Daba; if we continue, he'll be sent off. Du Feng, you take his place."
Du Feng suddenly raised his head, his young face filled with determination: "Don't worry, Coach, if I don't break his legs, I'm not a Du!"
"No need to break his legs," Lin Hao finally spoke, his voice as if pulled from an ice cellar, chilling to the bone. "Just beat him into submission."
He stood up, stretched his neck, and made a series of crisp "crackling" sounds.
"Listen," Lin Hao surveyed the entire team, his gaze like a knife scraping across every face, "We lost the first half because of our emotions. In the second half, put away your emotions. If the referee doesn't call it, we'll fight tooth and nail. If they dare to trip us, we'll knock them flying. If I don't leave the field, nobody will win."
[Ding! Host's health points detected: Slightly depleted.]
[Mission Progress Update: Points 18, Assists 4, Technical Fouls 0/0]
[Warning: One and a half minutes remain before mission failure. Please remain absolutely calm.]
Lin Hao sneered inwardly. Calm down? He was like a volcano about to erupt.
The third quarter began, and the storm was brewing.
The referee's whistle sounded like a death knell.
Du Feng serves, facing off against He Shengzhen.
Before the ball was even given to the South Korean team, Ha Seung-jin stomped hard on Du Feng's lower back with his enormous buttocks.
"Ugh!" Du Feng groaned and lowered his body.
The referee made no comment.
The ball was tossed up. Du Feng, relying on his youthful leap, managed to deflect the ball towards Lin Hao.
Lin Hao received the ball, his eyes instantly turning lifeless. He dribbled across half-court, and Fang Chengyun pounced on him like a mad dog smelling blood.
This is not defense, this is murder.
Fang Chengyun's hands gripped Lin Hao's waist tightly like iron hooks, while his knees pressed against Lin Hao's leg nerves, trying to make Lin Hao lose his balance.
"Beep—!"
The referee whistle blows.
The entire audience felt disheartened.
The referee points to Lin Hao.
"White team (China) gets a second dribble! Change of possession!"
"Fuck you!" Zhang Yunsong tore his towel in half on the sidelines. "He was clearly pulled, causing the ball to slip from his hands! Are you blind?!"
Lin Hao stood rooted to the spot, his chest heaving violently. He could feel his fingernails digging into his palms, and blood seeping out between his fingers.
[Technical foul: 0/0]
He gritted his teeth and forced back the mouthful of bloody saliva.
"Okay, very good," Lin Hao thought to himself, "You're not bragging, are you?"
South Korea attacks. Fang Chengyun has the ball and, facing Lin Hao's defense, makes an extremely subtle elbowing motion, aiming directly at Lin Hao's throat!
"Cough cough!" Lin Hao coughed violently, bent over, and felt as if his trachea was on fire.
The referee—still made no comment.
"How about it? China's clowns." Fang Chengyun leaned close to Lin Hao's ear and mocked in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Is this your home turf? The referees aren't even on your side."
Lin Hao straightened up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes as lifeless as a dry well. He didn't talk back, nor did he push anyone; he just stared intently into Fang Chengyun's eyes.
That look sent a chill down Fang Chengyun's spine for no apparent reason.
Lin Hao activated "killing mode".
He no longer orchestrates attacks, no longer passes the ball. Whenever the ball gets his hands on it, it's a one-on-one game, pure physical confrontation.
Facing Fang Chengyun's defense, Lin Hao was like a runaway bulldozer, directly using his back muscles to withstand Fang Chengyun's pressure. The "thump thump" sounds of their muscles colliding could be heard even through the screen.
One step, two steps, Lin Hao forcefully squeezed into the penalty area. The South Korean center tried to block the shot with his arms outstretched.
Lin Hao leaped into the air, caught the ball with one hand, and slammed it into the basket with all his might over the head of the South Korean center!
"Clang!"
Violent dunk!
Fang Chengyun was knocked so hard he flew off the line and landed on his backside, his eyes filled with terror.
Goal! Additional penalty!
"Beep—!" The referee blew his whistle and pointed at Fang Chengyun—a defensive foul.
The chants for MVP were deafening, almost lifting the roof off the arena.
Lin Hao stood at the free-throw line, sweat streaming down his eyelashes and stinging his eyes. He took a deep breath, and images of Yao Ming sitting in the stands flashed through his mind, along with those regrettable moments from his past life.
"For China."
"Swish!" The first free throw went in.
"For my own sake."
"Swish!" The second free throw went in.
The score was 20 to 23. The difference narrowed to 3 points.
The next few minutes were a one-man war for Lin Hao. He was like a tireless meat grinder, relentlessly devouring the South Korean team's defense.
With 6 minutes left in the third quarter, Lin Hao, despite Fang Chengyun's defense, made three consecutive physical challenges, broke through the defender, and scored a layup! He also got a free throw!
"Beep—!" The referee blew his whistle, and Fang Chengyun committed a foul.
Enraged, Fang Chengyun kept trash-talking Lin Hao in his ear while he was shooting free throws, and even poked Lin Hao's waist with his finger.
Lin Hao calmly converted the free throw. 21-23.
He walked up to Fang Chengyun and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Your whole family will be crying for you tonight."
Fang Chengyun was stunned, a nameless fear welling up in his heart.
In the next round, Lin Hao intercepted Fang Chengyun's pass and launched a fast break. Fang Chengyun chased frantically from behind, but seeing that he couldn't catch up, he stretched out his foot to trip Lin Hao's supporting leg!
This is an action that will definitely cripple a person!
Lin Hao had anticipated this, and he forcefully pulled his leg back in mid-air, twisting his body into an unbelievable angle to avoid the kick. However, he also lost his balance in the process, tossing the ball towards the backboard with one hand.
"Clang!"
Goal!
Lin Hao fell heavily to the ground, even rolling twice and kicking up a cloud of dust.
The entire room fell silent.
Lin Hao got up, dusted himself off, and made a throat-slitting gesture at Fang Chengyun.
Fang Chengyun's face turned pale, and he took three steps back.
The whistle blew to end the third quarter.
China rallied to take a 78-72 lead by 6 points!
Lin Hao scored a whopping 20 points in a single quarter! He was covered in bruises, with gauze on his brow bone and bloody scratches on his arms, but he still stood tall.
[Ding! Mission progress update: Points 38, Assists 7, Technical Fouls 0/0.]
At this moment, the air inside the Harbin Convention and Exhibition Center Gymnasium was so thin it was suffocating. The breathing of the twelve thousand fans seemed to have stopped in unison, leaving only the sound of their hearts pounding violently in their ears.
The Chinese team entered the fourth quarter with a 6-point lead, which should have been the moment to seal the victory, but for this depleted Chinese team, every second felt like torture.
Lin Hao stood near the center circle, hands on his hips, sweat pouring down his lean muscles like a flood. His jersey had been torn to shreds by the first three quarters, with a rip in the fabric on his left shoulder revealing raw, bloody skin underneath. But he stood ramrod straight, like a steel nail driven into the ground.
[Ding! Host's health level detected: Mildly depleted.]
[Mission Progress Update: Points 38, Assists 7, Technical Fouls 0/0]
[Warning: 10 minutes remain until the end of the match. Please remain absolutely calm and complete the mission to unlock "Iron Fortress".]
"Stay calm..." Lin Hao silently repeated these four words in his mind, his tongue pressed against his cheek, tasting only the metallic flavor of blood.
The referee's whistle sounded like a death knell.
China has possession of the ball. Liu Wei passes the ball to Lin Hao.
The moment Lin Hao received the ball, Fang Chengyun, like a venomous snake that had been lurking for a long time, suddenly pounced! He wasn't there to steal the ball; he was there to kill! His right hand gripped Lin Hao's neck like an iron hook, while his left elbow, like a heavy hammer, slammed into Lin Hao's newly stitched brow bone wound!
"Ugh!"
Lin Hao groaned, the intense pain causing his vision to go black. The basketball slipped from his grasp.
"Beep—!"
The referee's sharp whistle rang out.
The hearts of all the fans in the stadium jumped into their throats, waiting for a fair ruling.
The referee stiffly raised his finger and pointed at Lin Hao.
"White team (China) committed a traveling violation! Possession changes!"
"Fuck your mother!!!"
Like an enraged brown bear, Battier broke through the bench fence, trying to rush onto the field to fight. Zhang Yunsong and Guo Shiqiang held him tightly, and the three of them wrestled together, rolling around next to the GG sign.
Lin Hao didn't roar, nor did he rush towards the referee. He simply bent down slowly and picked up the basketball that had rolled to his feet. His body trembled violently with extreme anger, but he bit his lip tightly, forcing back the blood that welled up in his throat.
[Technical foul: 0/0]
He looked at the referee's indifferent face, his eyes devoid of anger, only filled with a chilling stillness. He walked over and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "You'd better pray I don't run into you in the alley."
The referee felt uneasy under their gaze and instinctively took a half-step back.
There is 9 minute and 12 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
South Korea attacks. Fang Chengyun holds the ball, a mocking smile on his face, like a cat playing with a mouse.
"It's no use, Lin Hao." Fang Chengyun dribbled the ball, his body as slippery as an eel. "The referees are ours. This is Asia. Your Chinese team deserves to die."
Lin Hao remained silent, lowering his center of gravity and standing firm like a rock against Fang Chengyun's breakthrough path.
Fang Chengyun made two consecutive changes of direction, but Lin Hao didn't budge. Enraged, Fang Chengyun resorted to physical confrontation! He gathered the ball and slammed his shoulder into Lin Hao's chest!
Normally, this offensive foul should be called. But Lin Hao knew the referee wouldn't blow the whistle.
He didn't hide.
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, Lin Hao was thrown back two meters as if hit by a truck, crashing heavily onto the floor and even sliding a short distance. But the instant he landed, his hands remained firmly gripping the basketball.
The referee made no comment.
"Hahaha!" Fang Chengyun pointed at Lin Hao on the ground, laughing wildly. "This is the captain of the Chinese team? He looks like a dead dog!"
Lin Hao got up from the ground, not even bothering to brush off the dust. He spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, his eyes as cold as the Siberian permafrost.
"Continue," Lin Hao said coldly.
There is 7 minute and 45 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
China is on the attack. Lin Hao dribbles the ball across half-court.
Fang Chengyun led the defense throughout the entire game, even abandoning his defensive position, and directly grabbed the hem of Lin Hao's jersey with his hand, his fingernails digging into his flesh.
"Beep—!"
The referee whistle blows.
It was Lin Hao's foul again.
"Beep—!" Another one.
"Beep—!" The third one.
In this single round, Lin Hao was called for three offensive fouls. Three! Each time it was a traveling violation or a collision for no apparent reason.
Zhao Dabao in the stands was crying and trying to rush onto the field, but was firmly stopped by security. Yao Ming sat in the VIP box, covering his face with his hands, unable to bear watching any longer.
Lin Hao stood at the baseline, ready to serve. The veins on his arms bulged, a sign that he had reached his limit of endurance. Fang Chengyun was right behind him, one hand even choking Lin Hao's neck, like strangling a lamb to the slaughter.
"Serve, you damn dog," Fang Chengyun whispered in his ear.
Lin Hao ignored him. He passed the ball to Liu Wei and then quickly made a run.
Just as Fang Chengyun was running after him, Lin Hao suddenly stopped and leaned back!
This was a textbook example of drawing a foul. Fang Chengyun lost his footing and crashed into Lin Hao.
"Beep—!"
The referee whistle blows.
The entire audience felt disheartened.
The referee points to Lin Hao.
"White team, offensive foul!"
"Is this an exhibition game?!" The commentator slammed his fist on the table in anger in the broadcast booth. "Is this a brawl on a basketball court? Lin Hao was choked, knocked away, and all those were good plays! The referees are all biased!"
Lin Hao stood rooted to the spot, his chest heaving. He looked at the referee, at Fang Chengyun's smug face, and at the group of jubilant monkeys on the South Korean bench.
He slowly raised his right hand, held up one finger, pointed to his own eye, and then pointed to the referee's eye.
I'll keep an eye on you.
[Technical foul: 0/0]
There is 5 minute and 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The point difference was narrowed to 2 points.
Lin Hao activated "Death Mode." Since the referee wouldn't let him win, he would end the match in the bloodiest way possible.
He dribbled past Fang Chengyun, who pulled him down. No foul called. Lin Hao forced a jump, lost his balance in mid-air, and tossed the ball towards the basket with one hand.
"Whoosh!"
Goal! Additional penalty!
Lin Hao stood at the free-throw line, sweat streaming down his eyelashes and stinging his eyes. He took a deep breath, and images of regret from his past life flashed through his mind, along with the blood and tears he had shed along the way.
"For China."
"Swish!" The first free throw went in, making it 81-79.
"For my own sake."
"Swish!" The second free throw went in, making it 82-79.
There is 3 minute and 55 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The South Korean team launched a furious counterattack. Bang Sung-yoon hit a difficult three-pointer, bringing the score difference back to 1 point.
82:81.
The entire room fell silent.
Lin Hao dribbled the ball across half-court. Time ticked away. He stopped passing the ball and calling for plays. He was like a lone wolf, dribbling and attacking one-on-one.
Fang Chengyun pressed his guard, and the two bodies collided violently again.
"Bang!"
Lin Hao staggered from the impact, but he used the recoil to launch himself like a spring! He charged into the penalty area, facing Ha Seung-jin who was covering for him.
Ha Seung-jin stood in his way like a wall. Lin Hao didn't dodge; he met Ha Seung-jin's defense head-on, grabbed the ball with one hand, and slammed it down with all his might towards the orange ball!
"Clang!!!"
A tomahawk dunk!
The basketball was smashed into the hoop, and Lin Hao's body crashed heavily into He Shengzhen, and the two fell to the ground together.
"Beep—!"
The referee whistle blows.
The entire audience suffered cardiac arrest.
The referee pointed at Ha Seung-jin – blocking foul.
Lin Hao lay on the ground, panting heavily. He stared at the light on the ceiling, feeling his life force slowly draining away. But he still got up and walked towards the free-throw line.
"This shot is for Yao Ming."
"Swish!" The first free throw went in, making it 83-81.
"This goal is for Adu."
"Swish!" The second free throw went in, making it 84-81.
There is 1 minute and 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
China leads by 3 points.
South Korea attacks. Fang Chengyun has the ball, and Lin Hao is pressing him closely across the field.
Fang Chengyun tried to use cover to get away, but Lin Hao clung to him like a leech, squeezing past the cover.
Fang Chengyun had no choice but to force a three-pointer.
"state!"
The basketball hit the back of the rim and bounced out!
Battier grabs the rebound!
"Beep—!"
The referee whistle blows.
The entire audience roared in despair.
The referee pointed at Battier – a defensive foul.
"Another foul?!" Zhao Dabao cried out in despair from the stands.
Battier fouled out and was sent off the field.
Fang Chengyun stepped to the free-throw line. If he made both free throws, the difference would be back to one point. If he scored just one more, the South Korean team would have a chance to force overtime.
First penalty.
"Whoosh!" It goes in. 84 to 82.
Second penalty.
Fang Chengyun took a deep breath and made his move—
"state!"
The basketball bounced off the rim!
The Chinese team defended all the South Korean players, preventing them from grabbing the rebounds! There are 1 minute and 05 seconds left in the game!
China leads by 2 points, 84-82.
Coach Jiang Xingquan frantically waved his arms and called a timeout.
Lin Hao lowered his head and walked towards the bench. His legs felt as heavy as lead, but he knew that this last minute would be the longest minute of his life.
[Ding! Warning: Host's stamina is below 10%. Please end the match as soon as possible.]