Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

The gymnasium practically shook as the different teams entered the court, their captains holding onto flags that contained their school's emblem.

As expected, the 'lower-tier' teams came out first, which meant that Shizi was the third one to enter.

Another thing that was expected was the dramatic increase in cheers once the more popular schools entered.

In Jilin City, there were four teams to look out for.

The Xing Stars.

The Hushui Alligators.

The Feng Foxes.

And last but not least, the Yin Yang Knights.

These four powerhouses always entered the top five, with the first two interchanging ranks every now and then.

So, naturally, they were the last four to enter.

The Xing Stars, clad in their gold uniforms, strode to the court with pride. They were able to snatch the third place in the Interhigh Preliminaries last year, and they were determined to have greater results this time around.

The Hushui Alligators, dressed in red, had serious looks on their faces. They were going to play the first game in the North league, so they couldn't afford to joke around.

As the Feng Foxes entered, the already loud screams became even louder, causing Yuze to cover one of his ears.

"Goodness," Lina said from the sidelines. Shang was right next to her, and he felt bitter watching the team that caused his injury enter with wide smiles on their faces.

"If they only knew their coach's real colors, then they wouldn't be cheering so hard," he muttered.

However, they didn't have time to internalize their thoughts when the last team entered.

As they say, 'save the best for last,' and damn right they did.

The screams became deafening, and the players wondered whether they were in a basketball game or in a K-pop idol concert. People who held banners of another school even cheered for the Yin Yang Knights, making their popularity unrivaled.

The cheers were so loud that Kai found it deafening even when he was still outside.

He was hoping that he'd make it inside the court while the cheers were ongoing so that his entrance wouldn't be too obvious.

Mark Li, the official commentator of Jilin City's tournaments, cleared his throat into the microphone.

"Here we have our beloved teams that will compete in the Winter Cup! We can see how much the city loves basketball with the amount of cheers the players have gotten," he started off.

"Now, with their arrival, let us proceed to the formal ceremony," he said.

"Please stand for the national anthem."

The crowd finally calmed down and stood, ready to give respect to their homeland. Everyone became silent as the music finally started, engulfing the court in a patriotic atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Kai cursed when he realized that the crowd had gone silent just as he was about to enter the door.

Then, the national anthem started, making him close his eyes.

"It would be a bad time to enter now, right?" he asked.

He nodded to himself and decided to just wait for the national anthem to finish. He stood at the door that led through the court, and at that moment, it felt like the longest song ever.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the music stopped, so Kai took the opportunity to open the door and enter the court.

However, at that moment, the door screeched loudly, bringing the audience's attention to the source of the sound.

Kai entered through the door and saw almost all of the players and the audience in the first rows looking at him with curious expressions.

"Who's that?"

"He's from Shizi High? I've never seen him before."

"What is a middle-aged man doing at a high school basketball game like this?"

"I'm surprised that someone from Shizi High is late. Doesn't Yuze hate late people?"

"Kai Guo? THE Kai Guo?"

"Who is he?"

"Didn't he go to our school once?"

"Ours too."

"Ours too! He's been everywhere, I think."

"I know all of this is fascinating and all, but aren't we going to talk about his timing?"

Kai looked around and realized that coming in during the national anthem would have been a better choice. At least then, the public would be focused on singing.

Now, with a Buddhist monk staring at him with narrowed eyes, Kai felt even more ashamed.

They were currently offering a prayer for the opening ceremony!

Lina and Shang covered their mouths to hide their laughter. It only got worse when they made eye contact, the two of them realizing that they were people who shouldn't be together during serious situations.

Meanwhile, Yuze massaged the bridge of his nose while looking at the ground.

Kun shyly scratched the back of his neck and subtly gestured for Kai to line up with them.

Kai quickly made his way to the line, trying his best to stay unnoticed. However, that was practically impossible with his height and physique.

Ailun from Yin Yang High, one of the boys whom Kai met when he delivered onions in the North, leaned closer to Max's ear.

"Isn't he the guy who threatened you?" he asked.

Max sighed. "He didn't threaten me. He just told me that we'll see more of Shizi High this year."

Fabin chuckled and joined their conversation.

"I didn't think we'd be seeing him so soon," he chimed.

On the other hand, Chunlei held onto Yiming's shoulder for support as his shoulders shook in amusement.

"Ah," he said, leaning against Yiming. "This guy's too funny."

"What is he doing?" a pretty girl softly whispered from the audience. Clad in a black hoodie and a mask, the girl appeared to be even more mysterious than a celebrity.

In reality, she didn't want anyone to find out that she came to the opening ceremony of the Winter Cup because she was interested in how their school would play.

"I can't believe I came here just to see this," Suzy said, already feeling that this was a mistake.

Fortunately, the prayer finished without any more mishaps, and Mark Li took the microphone once again.

"As we gather here today, let us remember the words of the legendary coach, John Wooden, who once said. 'Success is never final; failure is never fatal; it's courage that counts.' These words remind us that no matter the outcome, it's the courage to keep pushing forward that truly defines us."

"Today, we come together not only to witness thrilling displays of athleticism but also to celebrate the spirit of sportsmanship. Whether you're a player on the court, a coach on the sidelines, or a fan in the stands, let us embrace the joy and excitement that basketball brings."

"Ladies and gentlemen, basketball enthusiasts and supporters of the game, welcome to the Winter Cup!"