C17 Basketball Competition

After about half an hour had passed, I found myself at the Ungacy Clothing Group headquarters, specifically in the CEO's office on the top floor.

"A bunch of incompetents! What use do I have for you?" Shi Mingyu sat on the sofa, his expression dark as he bellowed in anger. Mr. T stood to the side, his head bowed, scarcely daring to take a breath.

Mr. T had returned from his encounter with Ye Fan and relayed the events to Shi Mingyu, deliberately omitting the message Ye Fan had entrusted him to deliver. He feared that Shi Mingyu might kill him on the spot if he heard it.

Shi Mingyu had opted not to go home today, instead waiting at the office for their report. He had expected them to bring Ye Fan to him without a hitch, so he could give Ye Fan a harsh reprimand. The reality, however, was a disappointing surprise.

He had never anticipated Ye Fan's impressive skills. It seemed he would have to devise another plan for the future.

"Get out!" Shi Mingyu dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

Mr. T hurried out of the office.

Due to the basketball game, Ye Fan had indulged in a bit of a lie-in that day, waking up around ten in the morning. After getting ready, he hailed a taxi to the Blaland Stadium.

Entering the imposing stadium, he was immediately engulfed by a wave of thunderous cheers.

Basketball seemed to have an unexpected level of popularity and draw in Blaland, a thought that crossed Ye Fan's mind.

Ling Sixue and Mu Qingyu had arrived at the stadium early, but scanning the crowd, Ye Fan didn't spot Su Yurou. It appeared the glamorous CEO hadn't shown up yet.

The stands were packed with spectators brandishing banners and rehearsing chants. Ye Fan could see that the majority were rooting for Ungacy Group, which made sense since Iris International seemed to have a predominantly female staff, and the consensus was that their chances at a basketball victory were slim.

"Manager Ye, you've arrived," Mu Qingyu greeted him as he approached.

Ye Fan nodded in response and then turned to Ling Sixue.

"Look at this turnout, Ling Sixue. Our side seems to be a bit outnumbered, doesn't it?" Ye Fan commented, surveying the scene with a shake of his head.

Ling Sixue gave Ye Fan a playful glare and turned to her colleagues, "Who says we don't have support? Get those signs up. And you two, check on the cheerleaders, make sure they're ready."

"I suspect Shi Mingyu had ulterior motives for organizing this competition. He's just trying to embarrass us, isn't he?" Ye Fan felt a surge of anger toward Shi Mingyu, recalling last night's events.

"Don't worry about it. I've brought in some special assistance this time. Our chances of winning are pretty good," Ling Sixue said with a confident air.

"Special assistance? Why not just ask me? Hehe," Ye Fan remarked with a nonchalant grin.

"You? Do you even know the first thing about playing basketball?" Ling Sixue asked, her expression one of skepticism.

"Just watch. I might just turn the tide today," Ye Fan replied earnestly.

Ling Sixue couldn't help but laugh. Ye Fan really seemed to think he was some kind of basketball deity.

Ye Fan chose not to respond. This girl didn't believe in him, but he'd soon show her what he was capable of.

Before long, Su Yurou arrived at the venue.

"Wow, check it out, it's the Iris International cheerleading squad!"

A wave of cheers drew all eyes to the entrance, where a team of cheerleaders dashed out from behind. Their blue and white uniforms, paired with their short skirts, immediately captured the undivided attention of the male audience. The cheerleaders from Iris International were strikingly attractive and well-dressed.

Their lively dance routine set the venue alight with excitement.

"These cheerleaders are pretty impressive," Ye Fan thought to himself.

Over at the Ungacy Group's stands, the mood was different.

"Listen up, I want today's game score to be as high as possible," Shi Mingyu commanded his team with a stern face.

His initial reason for setting up the match was to get closer to Su Yurou and to keep the score even, which would have allowed him to curry favor with her and improve her opinion of him. However, his plans had changed. The memory of his recent humiliation at the French restaurant filled him with rage, and now he was determined to see Iris International humiliated, even if it was just over a basketball game.

"Boss, you can count on us. How big of a lead do you want? Fifty points or a hundred?" the tall leader of the team, Zhang Ping, inquired. Zhang Ping was a basketball ace that Shi Mingyu had paid for. In Blaland, he was practically a celebrity player.

"The bigger, the better!"

With the sound of the referee's whistle, the match officially kicked off.

"What? Is that Zhang Ping?"

"Yes, that's Zhang Ping. How did he end up in this competition?"

It appeared that Zhang Ping was quite renowned in the basketball community; his appearance on the court immediately drew recognition from many spectators.

Ye Fan glanced at Ling Sixue next to him and inquired, "Who's Zhang Ping? He seems pretty impressive."

"What? You claim to play basketball and yet you don't know Zhang Ping?" Ling Sixue gave Ye Fan a dismissive look.

"Uh, haven't you heard that there are masters hidden among the ordinary folks?" Ye Fan replied, scratching his head in slight embarrassment.

Ling Sixue didn't want to entertain the conversation further. She turned to Su Yurou and commented, "Director Su, it looks like we don't stand a chance in this game. We were already the underdogs, and now they've brought in a pro like him. They're clearly trying to embarrass Iris International."

Su Yurou's brow furrowed slightly. "No worries. As long as the score isn't too embarrassing, we'll be fine."

She wasn't overly concerned about the outcome of the match, but a significant loss could dent the confidence of her employees, which she preferred to avoid.

Zhang Ping, Blaland's star player, did not disappoint. His leadership transformed Ungacy's team play into a fluid and exhilarating display. Each offensive play was executed with the precision of a legendary hitman, focusing on teamwork over flashy solo performances.

Right from the start, they capitalized on a swift break, piercing Iris International's defenses to score an easy two points.

Following that, they demonstrated excellent teamwork beyond the three-point line, sinking the ball for another three points...

Their seamless strategy and incisive offense took Iris International by surprise. The game's tempo was firmly in their control. Within less than ten minutes, the scoreboard read thirty to zero, with Iris International yet to score a single point.

The Iris International supporters who had come to cheer were visibly disheartened and lacked enthusiasm.

Ye Fan observed Mu Qingyu and Ling Sixue beside him, noting their disappointment. Even Su Yurou's expression had soured at the unfolding events.

"Put me in for the second half," Ye Fan said as he rose to his feet, addressing Su Yurou.

"You? Don't make a scene. Isn't it embarrassing enough already?" Ling Sixue interjected before Su Yurou had a chance to respond.

"Xuexue, I... I have faith in Manager Ye... He's capable," Mu Qingyu unexpectedly defended Ye Fan.

Ling Sixue was momentarily taken aback, then fixed Qingyu with a wide-eyed stare. "Qingyu, what has this guy been feeding you? Listen to me, you need to watch out for him. He's a real creep, he..."

"Enough, Xue. Let's give Ye Fan a chance. Things can't get much worse," Su Yurou cut off Ling Sixue's tirade.

"Oh my god, Director Su, you... it's over. The world has gone mad."

Ling Sixue was utterly flabbergasted. Even Su Yurou was putting her trust in this guy? What on earth had he done?

On the court, Iris International was in a dire state. Tactical flaws, mediocre skills, and waning stamina were all contributing to an ever-increasing deficit.

By the end of the first half, the score was 10 to 60, leaving Iris International trailing by 50 points.

The second half began with the sound of the referee's whistle.

"Damn! That kid has the nerve to play?" Shi Mingyu spotted Ye Fan immediately and, struck by a sudden idea, approached their team's coach.

In a hushed tone, he instructed, "Later on, target that new kid on the court. Hit him hard. Whether we score or not doesn't matter, just ensure we win."

"Understood, boss."

Back on the court.

At last, a teammate passed the basketball to Ye Fan.

Ye Fan watched the ball's trajectory and bent his right elbow. As the ball bounced off the ground, he slapped it with blinding speed, making it seem as though it was tethered to his hand.

Just moments before, Ye Fan had reluctantly expended a significant amount of energy to fully master the sport of basketball. Coupled with his innate warrior skills, he was able to handle the ball with such finesse.

As the crowd rushed to the opposite side of the court, they were astonished to see Ye Fan leap into the air. Everyone froze in disbelief. What was he up to? Jumping from beneath his own team's basket?

Could he possibly make the shot? That was the question on nearly everyone's mind.

"Swish!"

The sweet sound of success echoed as the basketball swished through the net.

It was a goal straight out of a dream!

Across the court, Zhang Ping's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. Was this guy even human? After playing basketball for over a decade, he had never seen anyone shoot a three-pointer like that. Did he not need to gauge the basket's position? To just casually toss it without a second glance?

He rubbed his eyes vigorously, yet disbelief still clouded his vision.

"Who is that? He's too cool."

"Wow, Manager Ye is so cool. I love you."

"Ye Fan, I want to have your babies!"

In the stands, the ladies from Iris International went wild with excitement. Their cheers ebbed and flowed, a cacophony of adoration for the man of the hour.