Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog-Chapter 549: Newbies vs. Veterans (2)

Another score was added to the veterans as Marcus dripped up the court.

10-17.

The national team moved like they were a single organism. A human centipede? Not quite! But you get the picture.

Jaw-Long cut to the wing while Muyang darted to the baseline. Meanwhile, Dong and Caleb set up a solid wall.

From the scorer's table, Bam, leaned forward with a grin. "Ah, these kids are going to get destroyed again."

Jie snickered, clapping his hands. "It's even more pathetic because they're actually trying this time."

Kai caught Bam's comment but didn't react.

His eyes stayed locked on Marcus, tracking his every movement. The veterans were definitely playing hard now, but Kai and his teammates exchanged quick glances, a silent confirmation passing between them.

Marcus's frown deepened as he passed to Jaw-Long. Something wasn't right. He could feel it.

Despite the seven-point gap, the younger team didn't look worried at all. Instead, they kept steadily moving, their eyes on full focus.

Muyang sank another three-pointer with precision, and Bam jumped out of his seat. "That's what I'm talking about! They're getting crushed!"

10-20.

But Marcus couldn't celebrate while his teammates did.

As they jogged back on defense, he muttered to Muyang, "Doesn't this feel...off to you?"

Muyang shrugged, flexing his shoulders. "They're just overcompensating. Relax."

Kai nodded to Jian as he moved into position for the inbound. His face was unreadable, but the determination in his eyes was impossible to miss.

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Jimmy caught the ball and quickly passed it back to Kai, who zipped up the court like a blur. His speed forced Caleb to backtrack, but before he could react, Kai crossed him over and launched a pass to Max in the corner.

Max caught it and immediately fired it to Zheng, who had cut to the basket. Zheng finished with a swift layup, the ball bouncing off the backboard and through the net.

"That was clean," Jie admitted, adding to their points.

12-20.

The veterans tried to respond quickly. Marcus signaled for a fast break, pushing the tempo. He darted around Zheng, his eyes searching for an opening. Muyang set a screen on Kai, giving Marcus just enough room to feed the ball to Dong under the basket.

Dong rose for a dunk, but Jian leaped alongside him, his arms stretched to their limits. Jian slapped the ball, causing it to fly out of bounds.

Dong blinked in shock. "He blocked me?"

"Looks like it," Jian said with a small smirk.

Marcus grabbed the ball before Max could, his eyes narrowing as he studied the Elite Five.

This wasn't the same team they'd played before.

"Something's changed," Marcus muttered.

The gap was still pretty large, but the younger team showed no signs of passing.

Kai zipped past screens, intercepting passes and pressuring ball handlers. Jimmy stayed glued to Jaw-Long, denying him clean looks. Jian used his all-rounded skills to contest every shot Dong attempted, and Zheng and Max clogged passing lanes.

Marcus felt the change. The veterans weren't controlling the game anymore—they were reacting to it.

"What's going on?" Jaw-Long asked, breathless after missing a contested three-pointer.

"They've turned it up," Marcus said, his jaw tight.

Kai sprinted down the court with the ball, moving through defenders like a snake through tall grass. Caleb tried to trap him, but Kai spun out of the double-team and found Max wide open at the arc.

Max didn't hesitate, launching a shot that swished through the net.

14-20.

Coach Wu Xei's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Jie stood up, his hands on his head. "Wait...what?"

Bam's grin faltered. "Okay, something's definitely up."

Marcus called for a timeout, and his team gathered at the bench.

"They're playing completely differently," he said, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Muyang frowned. "It's like they've been holding back this whole time."

"They have been," Marcus realized, his eyes narrowing at the younger players, who realized just how tired they were.

However, even then, their conversation in Kai's room replayed in their minds.

"We were in the wrong mindset during the first game," Kai had said the night before. He leaned against the wall of the hotel room, his arms crossed.

Jimmy raised an eyebrow.

Kai's lips quirked up. "We were too focused on proving ourselves. We wanted to impress them, so we didn't actually play our game."

Zheng nodded thoughtfully. "So, what's the plan now?"

Kai's eyes gleamed with mischief. "We give them a baseline. Play hard enough to keep them on their toes but not hard enough to show our hand. Let them think we're maxed out."

Max's jaw dropped. "You mean...sandbag them?"

"Not sandbag," Kai corrected. "Strategic restraint."

Max chuckled. "Oh, now you sound smart."

Kai ignored him. "Once their guard's down, we hit them hard."

"And what if that doesn't work?" Jian asked.

Kai's grin widened. "It'll work. Because we've got one thing they don't and never will."

Jimmy tilted his head. "What's that?"

"Age," Kai said, his tone teasing. "We're young, faster, and we've got more energy. Let's use it."

Back in the present, Kai sprinted down the court after an intercepted pass, his speed leaving Muyang trailing behind. He passed the ball to Zheng, who faked a shot and lobbed it back to Kai.

Kai caught it mid-air and dunked for the second time in the game.

Caleb clenched his fists. "What is this?"

Muyang shook his head. "They're…fast," he breathlessly said.

Jaw-Long glanced at Marcus, his expression proud. "They've been playing us this whole time."

Dong felt a shiver run down his spine and goosebumps arose from his skin, so he ran his hands up and down his arms. "The internet wasn't lying. Kids these days are another breed," he muttered.

Meanwhile, Coach Wu Xei watched the scene with pursed lips. Bam and Jie, who were enjoying seeing the kids get beaten on the court a few moments ago, were now silent.

Kai stole another pass and launched it to Jimmy, who sank a corner three just before the end of the first quarter.

17-20.