Chapter 133: Voice of Nature

Since Lin Fei arrived, his life had been nothing but basketball, a monotonous routine consisting almost entirely of games. This was hardly surprising, given his intense focus and profound passion for the sport. Yet, the woman before him now seemed to have made him momentarily forget the game entirely.

When Lin Fei finally snapped back to reality, it was because this fragrant, beautiful woman was calling him onto the court.

"Go for it!" Avril gestured for a high-five. Lin Fei was momentarily stunned, caught off guard.

He reacted quickly, however, meeting her hand with his own. As their palms touched, he finally felt the soft, delicate skin of her hand.

Upon entering the game, Lin Fei realized the Warriors were trailing by 15 points. If they slackened even slightly, the loss would be all but certain. Miraculous comebacks did not happen every day, and even with Lin Fei on the roster, there were few games they could truly turn around from such a deficit.

Lin Fei felt a twinge of self-reproach for his momentary lapse in focus. How had he let the team fall so far behind? He couldn't help but wonder what Nelson was thinking, waiting until they were down by 15 to send him in.

The moment Lin Fei stepped onto the court, the Warriors' momentum shifted. Every player seemed to hold their head a little higher. The Mavericks were tiring, while Lin Fei was fresh and energized; it was the perfect time to mount a comeback.

Lin Fei held the ball, glancing at Avril on the bench—she was truly captivating.

But it was only a glance. By the time he looked back, he had already crossed half-court. With a sharp change of direction, he easily shed his defender. Lin Fei felt as if his body had never been so light. As he passed mid-court, the moment of excitement neared. He reached the Warriors' most lethal range—his own personal killing zone, just slightly past the half-court line. Bargnani was nearby, Kidd was far behind, and Nowitzki, Chandler, and Marion were even further away. Lin Fei rose into the air.

He often thought about what Hanamichi Sakuragi used to mutter—that the area under the basket was his domain. Lin Fei, however, might have claimed that the half-court line was his.

His jump today felt exceptionally buoyant, with a brief, graceful hang time in the air that allowed him to adjust his form. Usually, Lin Fei’s shot was a quick flick, prioritizing speed in both his dribble and his release. Today, however, he felt confident enough to take his time and perfect his angle.

The ball left his hands, spinning rapidly like a stone skipped across a pond, soaring in a perfect arc.

It would have been a sin against nature for such a shot not to go in.

"Wow!" A sharp, piercing cry rang out across the vast arena. Coming from so close by, there was no doubt who it was: Avril. Her pearlescent voice was refreshing and delightful to the ears.

Lin Fei looked toward the bench and flashed a "V" sign to Avril. The typically cold-blooded assassin on the court now looked joyous and radiant, as if he were an entirely different person.

It had been so long since he had heard a girl cheer for him like that—perhaps not since the days of his senior apprentice.

The Mavericks grew visibly tense at the sight of Lin Fei. They knew they were facing an MVP-caliber player, someone who could dictate the game single-handedly, or more accurately, someone who could dominate the court through scoring alone.

The Mavericks missed their next shot.

As Lin Fei took control of the offense again, a song came to his mind—one of Avril’s. He couldn't quite remember the title, but he could hum the melody.

He was now multitasking: winning the game and charming the lady.

This time, the entire Mavericks team focused their attention on Lin Fei. It brought to mind the prehistoric titans of the league—players like Chamberlain or Mikan—who were so unstoppable that defenses had to double or triple-team them. These titans often forced the league to rewrite its rules. To curb Mikan, the lane was widened from 6 to 12 feet; to limit Chamberlain, it was pushed out to 16 feet; Shaquille O'Neal prompted the introduction of defensive three-second violations and the legalization of zone defenses; and Allen Iverson forced changes to the nuances of those zone defenses. It seemed clear that under current rules, even if the Mavericks—or the Thunder, whom the Warriors had already eliminated—doubled their defensive intensity, they still couldn't truly contain Lin Fei.

Lin Fei lowered his body as he crossed the half-court line, dribbling so low it resembled a streetball maneuver. This style made his crossovers faster and more flamboyant.

A defender closed in on his side.

Lin Fei pulled up sharply! Bargnani, trailing him, overran the play. Lin Fei dodged him with a low-slung crossover, followed by a flashy spin move. It wasn't strictly necessary, but Lin Fei was in the mood to show off today. Bargnani, having lost his balance, tumbled to the floor. Lin Fei dribbled twice more and launched the ball—the same shot as before, just from a different spot.

He heard that cheering voice in his ear again, and a sense of profound exhilaration washed over him, as if he had downed several glasses of fine wine.

The deficit was now under ten points. They were back in the safe zone.

Moments later, Lin Fei finally missed a shot, but the attempt still left the Mavericks sweating. As he released the ball, Avril shouted from the sidelines again. When the ball rimmed out, Lin Fei couldn't help but look at Avril; they both stuck out their tongues and laughed. Though the Warriors were still behind, Lin Fei’s expression remained one of absolute confidence. That lighthearted smile was proof of his total belief in the outcome of the game.