Chapter Eighty: Friendship? Competition!

Time swiftly passed, and it was now February 16, 2017.

Just yesterday, the entire Tiancheng Polytechnic University basketball team completed their second shooting accuracy assessment. The requirement this time was that each player must achieve a shooting accuracy rate of at least 39%. Except for substitute power forward Lin Zhiling and substitute center Li Jing, who failed to reach the target, all other players passed without trouble.

Poor Lin Zhiling and Li Jing almost got kicked off the team for their shortcomings. In the end, after much pleading, their devilish coach, Yu Manman, granted them one last chance: they must raise their shooting accuracy above 39% by March 15, 2017, or else leave the basketball team.

The school had already begun its winter break back on February 7. Nevertheless, Yu Manman, under the pretext of preparing for the 2017 National College Basketball League, forced all team members to stay at Chen Zhi Gymnasium and continue training, even booking train tickets for everyone to leave on February 17. (Note: The Spring Festival falls on February 19.)

As usual, at six in the morning, the players began a new day of training.

Training continued until eight o’clock, when Yu Manman called everyone together. “I have an announcement… Today you’ll be playing a friendly match against Wanlong University of Transportation.”

“Wanlong University of Transportation?!” Captain Meng Lang looked utterly shocked.

The other players were equally surprised, except for Geng Haoshi.

“What’s Wanlong University of Transportation? Are they any good?” Geng Haoshi, who had only joined the team the previous September, was still unfamiliar with the powerhouse college teams across the nation.

Xu Gaofeng adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. “At last year’s National College Basketball League, Wanlong University of Transportation ranked twenty-third nationwide. It’s the highest-ranked university in the Eastern District.”

(Note: The nation of Huaxia is divided into four districts: east, west, south, and north. Tiancheng Polytechnic University is located in the Eastern District.)

“The best in the East is only ranked twenty-third?” Geng Haoshi scoffed, “Looks like the East lacks any real champions!”

His words left the other teammates awkwardly silent, since last year their own team ranked dead last in the national league.

“Alright, go have breakfast… Training as usual this morning. The friendly match against Wanlong University starts at three in the afternoon.”

“Coach, shouldn’t we come up with some strategies against Wanlong University before the match?” Seeing Yu Manman about to leave, Meng Lang hurriedly asked. After all, the opponent was ranked twenty-third nationally, and as captain, Meng Lang felt uneasy.

“It’s just a friendly match. Show what you’ve learned in training and respond accordingly.” Yu Manman turned to look at Meng Lang, “You’re the captain, aren’t you? Try to show some backbone.”

As captain, Meng Lang was no stranger to criticism.

Geng Haoshi walked up to Meng Lang and patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Captain! This time, you’ve got me!”

No one knew where Geng Haoshi’s confidence came from… The other players shook their heads; they all understood what being ranked twenty-third in the nation meant.

...

At 2:21 that afternoon, a bus pulled up outside Chen Zhi Gymnasium.

A group of tall university students, all above 185 centimeters and wearing basketball uniforms, stepped off the bus. These were the players of Wanlong University of Transportation, here for the friendly match.

“No wonder they’re the richest university in the East—their basketball court looks just like an NBA arena!” said a lanky player in jersey number 6, looking around in awe.

“They just have money, that’s all,” scoffed the student in jersey number 1. “Too bad, no matter how much cash they have, they can’t escape their fate as bottom-ranked losers.”

“Exactly,” chimed in the student in jersey number 3. “If it weren’t for the twelve-thousand-yuan prize for the winner of this friendly match, the coach would never let us play against such a hopeless team!”

So, it turned out that the leadership of Tiancheng Polytechnic University had used the lure of prize money to bring Wanlong University of Transportation here for a “friendly” match—the real purpose was for their own team to spar with a strong opponent ahead of the national league.

Wealthy indeed! To offer twelve thousand yuan as prize money for a single university friendly match.

This proved the saying: If money can’t solve the problem, it simply means you haven’t offered enough money yet!

Because the Wanlong players made no effort to lower their voices, Geng Haoshi and his teammates heard all their mocking and contempt.

“No wonder they agreed to play us,” Meng Lang muttered, still unable to lift his spirits despite the taunts.

“Damn! So they’re only here for the money!” Zhu Di cursed loudly, not caring whether the others heard him.

Geng Haoshi’s eyes sparkled. “What’s wrong with coming for the money? If we beat them, the twelve-thousand-yuan prize is ours! That means each of us gets a thousand yuan!”

Excited, Geng Haoshi imagined already receiving the prize money—plus the five thousand yuan he’d earned winning the fall sports championship among ten universities, he’d have a total of fifteen thousand! Ha! With fifteen thousand yuan, he could return home in glory… To Geng Haoshi, anyone with over ten thousand yuan was already part of the rich elite.

The more he thought about it, the more fired up he became. Turning to his teammates, he shouted, “Hey! Brothers! That twelve-thousand-yuan prize is as good as ours! Don’t drag me down!”

“Drag YOU down? You’re more likely to drag US down!” Zhu Di, quick-tempered as ever, couldn’t stand hearing that from a newcomer.

“Brother Zhu Di, I’m not worried about you dragging me down,” Geng Haoshi pointed at the other players. “Look at them—so gloomy, as if they’ve already lost before the game even starts!”

He sighed and shook his head, as if deeply disappointed.

“Who says we’ve already lost!”

“We’re going to win!”

“No one’s afraid of them!”

“Let’s go get them!”

A classic provocation—and it worked! Seeing his teammates’ spirits rising, Geng Haoshi secretly rejoiced.

Yu Manman, who had just emerged from the gym dormitory, overheard Geng Haoshi’s speech. Watching her players’ mood transform from dejected to spirited, she thought: That kid really knows how to boost morale!

Seeing his fired-up teammates, Geng Haoshi cleared his throat and decided to fan the flames even higher. “Brothers, to hell with...”