"Dang, you're even much better than I thought," Zheng said as the two of them disengaged in the game. They played for a few minutes, with Zheng assessing Kai's skills.

    It was true—the things he heard.

    There was a player who could possibly enter the Elite Five in his first year once again—just like Jian and Fang.

    "Thanks," Kai smiled. "That means a lot coming from you."

    Zheng shook his head. "Thanks, though. Now, I know how to stop you once we play against each other."

    Kai chuckled and shook his head. Then, his mind strayed to the possibility of the Shizi Dogs playing against the Ying Eagles.

    It would only happen if the two of them entered the top four and won against their respective rivals—the Eagles with the Champions and the Dogs with the Knights.

    Kai's expression darkened. "Promise me that we'll meet in the finals," he said, holding out his pinky for the older player.

    Zheng was surprised. "Well, that's a bold promise." Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

    Kai smiled in amusement. "Come on," he said. "We can do it, right? I've always wanted to play with you."

    "You don't want to play with Jian?" he asked.

    Kai thought about it before shaking his head. "The two of you had been rivals since your first year, right? Isn't it your duty to be the one to surpass him?" Kai cheekily asked.

    Zheng shook his head. "Fine," he said. "We'll see you at the finals."

    "Until when are you guys going to flirt with each other?" Suzy impatiently asked, capturing the attention of the two players.

    Kai shook his head while Zheng chuckled in amusement.

    "We're done," Zheng said. "I'm heading back to the Water Court. You guys coming with?"

    Kai shook his head. Suzy, too, didn't agree. "I have cheer practice in half an hour."

    "Alright," Zheng said. "I'll see you in the next games, then."

    With that, the three of them parted ways.

    By the time they were finished, the game of the Yin Yang Knights had just entered the third quarter.

    Kai walked out, leaving the echoes of the court behind him. Beside him was Suzy, casually keeping pace.

    Kai glanced at her, half-listening, as she rambled about something that had happened during their cheer practice. He found himself nodding absentmindedly, his focus shifting between the noise of the game and the stillness outside.

    As they approached the entrance ramp that led back into the court, something caught Kai's attention.

    A boy roughly his age was struggling to wheel himself up the ramp.

    He felt something tug at his heart. He felt that the situation was too familiar to him.

    The front of the wheelchair tilted ever so slightly as the boy strained to push forward. His arms were trembling from exertion as he tried to move himself up the incline, but the slope was just too steep.

    "Damn architects and engineers," Kai muttered.

    Suzy kept talking, oblivious to the scene unfolding in front of them. Kai stopped in his tracks, his body moving instinctively before his mind even registered it.

    "Hey, where are you—" Suzy began, but before she could finish, Kai was already sprinting toward the boy.

    Suzy frowned, momentarily confused, watching as Kai jogged over and immediately took hold of the wheelchair's handles, gently pushing the boy up the ramp.

    "You alright?" Kai asked, his voice kind as they reached the top.

    The boy looked up, a bit startled by the sudden help. He was sweating from the effort but managed a small, sheepish smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry for that."

    Kai chuckled, shaking his head. "Why are you apologizing? There's no need for that. No worry at all."

    The boy's eyes widened, realizing who was standing beside him. "You're Kai Guo!

    Kai blinked, surprised. "You know me?"

    The boy nodded enthusiastically, his excitement bubbling up. "Of course! You're the unstoppable guy from the game with the Giants! You scored 48 points! You almost beat Jian's record."

    Kai tilted his head, the name 'Jian' bringing a flicker of confusion. "Huh?"

    The boy grinned, shaking his head like it was no big deal. "Can I please get your autograph?"

    Kai scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed by the request but ultimately agreeing. He signed the back of the guy's phone case. sea??h thё ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    "Here you go," Kai said, handing the autograph over with a shy smile.

    "Thanks," the boy said, his voice filled with sincerity. He held his phone like it was some precious artifact. "I just know this will increase in value as time goes by."

    Kai raised an eyebrow, curious. "How so?"

    The boy's expression turned serious. "Because you're going to make it."

    The comment hit Kai harder than he expected. He gave a small, awkward smile, unsure of how to respond.

    To change the subject, Kai asked, "You here for the game?"

    The boy nodded. "Yeah, I'm curious to see how the game with the Guardians will turn out. Big matchup, right?"

    "You go to their school?" Kai asked, a small frown tugging at the corners of his mouth.

    "Yup," the boy replied nonchalantly, though there was a flicker of something in his eyes that Kai didn't miss.

    Kai's frown deepened. He knew the nature of Huolan High. It was tough. Strict. Competitive to the point of cruelty.

    "How is it?" Kai asked.

    The boy hesitated, glancing down at his hands gripping the wheels of his chair.

    "Peachy," he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. It was clear that it wasn't as rosy as he tried to make it sound.

    Kai's concern deepened. "What year are you in?" he asked, genuinely curious now.

    "Second," the boy said, wheeling himself in a slow circle as they continued talking.

    Kai frowned even more. He didn't know every student at their school, but he should've noticed a guy like this before.

    "Anyway, I should get going," Minyu said.

    Kai nodded but felt reluctant to let him leave without knowing more. "What's your name?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

    "Minyu," the boy responded, offering a small wave before beginning to wheel himself toward the entrance.

    Kai watched as Minyu made his way toward the court, feeling a strange connection to the boy he'd just met. Without thinking, he jogged up toward Minyu to help him navigate through the entrance.

    "Kai!" Suzy shouted behind him, but he ignored her.

    However, before Kai could reach where Minyu was, there was a familiar scream that made him stop in his tracks.

    "Watch it!" Rui's voice snapped from nearby, venom laced in his words. "You ran right over my foot!"

    Kai halted to see Rui glaring at Minyu, his hand rubbing his foot dramatically. Rui's face was twisted in annoyance, and he continued to spit demeaning words to Minyu.

    "What are you even doing here, rolling around like a sad excuse for a fan? This court's no place for someone like you."

    "Pathetic," Rui spat, taking a step closer. "Maybe you should just stay at home where you belong, watching on TV like the rest of the weaklings. At least there, you won't be in the way."

    Kai heard every word, and his blood boiled as he stepped forward to stand between them.

    Minyu looked up at Kai with wide eyes while Rui turned to him with furrowed eyebrows.

    "I see," he muttered. "You're still the same."