Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog

Finally, after what seemed like forever, which was actually around four hours of land and air time, the Shizi Dogs finally arrived at the facility.

The vans rolled to a stop in front of the sprawling beachfront facility, and the scene that greeted them was nothing short of breathtaking.

The sky was a clear, brilliant blue, with the sun hanging low. The wide stretch of white sand glistened under the sunlight, and the sound of waves crashing gently against the shore provided a soothing backdrop to the warm atmosphere.

Kai peered over at the beach as the vans made their way inside the large gates.

"It's been a while," he muttered, recalling the last time he went to the beach. It was when he could still walk, so it had been a long time.

Somehow, seeing the waters comforted him, easing his mind and heart of the events surrounding Lina.

In the near distance, the facility appeared large and imposing.

It was a massive complex, designed to host a variety of sports events and training camps, with courts and fields spread out as far as the eye could see.

The facility was known for hosting numerous games, especially for high school and college athletes, and with the week-long holiday, the place was packed with students from all over.

Jet placed his hand over his heart to calm it down.

"I feel it," he muttered.

Shang turned to him with curiosity. "What?" he asked.

"This is finally the time for me to get a girlfriend," Jet exclaimed.

His teammates in the van turned to him before collectively shaking their heads.

Shang was about to say something more when Kun placed his hand over his shoulder.

"Let the boy dream," he said. "It's the only thing he could do."

From the van, Kai could see groups of athletes entering through different entrances, each heading to their respective areas.

Football players jogged in with their gear slung over their shoulders, volleyball teams clustered together, laughing and chatting as they made their way inside. Tennis players strolled in with their rackets in hand, and cyclists wheeled their bikes towards the open-air tracks.

"Alright, we're here!" Coach Muchen exclaimed. "Thank you so much," he said to the driver before handing him a tip.

Then, the boys went out of the van, getting a clearer picture of the facility.

As they began to unload their items, Kai moved quickly, grabbing his bags from the van.

He glanced at the other van, and he couldn't help but notice that they were taking longer than usual.

Without a second thought, he jogged over to help, reaching for the nearest bag.

But just as his hand touched the handle, he felt another hand on top of his. The warmth of it made him freeze for a moment, and when he looked up, he found himself staring into Lina's eyes.

The contact felt almost scalding, so he pulled his hand back as if he'd been burned.

"I can take it from here," Lina said, her voice causing Kai to step back.

"Sure," Kai mumbled, trying to keep his tone casual, though his heart was still racing.

Before the moment could get any more awkward, they heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind.

"Why did the van drop us off at the gates?"

"I swear—these bags are so heavy."

"Then, you guys should really work on your stamina."

Turning around, they saw a familiar group walking up with confidence.

It was the Feng Foxes.

Chunlei clicked his tongue after Yiming suggested that they worked on their stamina.

"What are you even doing here when you're going to graduate? It's not like we're going to the Nationals anyway," Chunlei teased.

Yiming sighed. "I came here to oversee everything! Besides, this is great training for me, too—especially since I'm eyeing to join a college basketball team."

They continued bantering. However, they quickly stopped when they realized who was in front of them.

"What are you guys doing here?" Kexin asked with a small frown.

"You guys can afford to go here now?" Shilei asked before he could stop himself.

Coach Ben, who came from the back, also stopped in his tracks when he recognized the Shizi Dogs.

"Oh great," he muttered under his breath.

However, just when they thought it couldn't get worse, they all turned around and spotted another group heading their way.

The Xing Stars were striding over, their team logo prominently displayed on their gear. Coach Yixing and Zedong led the pack.

As soon as they saw the Foxes and the Dogs near the entrance of the basketball dorms, Coach Yixing mirrored Coach Ben's expression of exasperation.

"Why did it have to be them?" Coach Ben groaned, shaking his head. "I was hoping for a peaceful week."

"You and me both," Coach Yixing added with a sigh. "Guess we're not getting that."

Before they could lament further, yet another group arrived, and this time it was the Huishi Alligators.

Their arrival was marked by the unmistakable presence of Qiang, who was practically bouncing on his feet with wide eyes as he looked around.

However, he stopped bouncing in excitement when he saw who was in front of him.
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"What are you all doing here?" Qiang asked, his voice filled with frustration. "Is this some kind of reunion?"

Kun shrugged, trying to suppress a laugh. "Guess so. At this rate, all we need is the Yin Yang Knights to show up."

"They're in Beijing," Shang interjected. "Dylan told me they trained here over the winter break. So, they're not going to be here."

A collective sigh of relief was heard from the group.

"Well, at least we're not going to be completely overrun by every team in Jilin," Renren chuckled.

As the words left his mouth, they felt another presence behind them.

A voice, deep and slightly annoyed, spoke up, cutting through their conversation.

"You're blocking the entrance."

Shang was the first one to notice the arrival of the new team, and he quickly covered his mouth with both hands, his eyes also wide with surprise.

Kai raised one eyebrow in inquiry before turning to look at what had surprised Shang so much.

"Oh goodness," Andy muttered.

The group turned around to find themselves face-to-face with a new team.

None other than—the Juren Champions.