"A-Ce, we might have a new player returning to the team today!" On the way to the basketball gym, Shimizu Kanon said excitedly to Qing Junce.
Qing Junce's half-lidded eyes opened slightly, and a trace of curiosity flashed through them. "A new player?"
The figure who looked very much like Miyagi Ryota, whom he had seen yesterday, instantly surfaced in his mind. He tentatively asked, "You mean the person who looked like Miyagi Ryota?"
"Huh? You knew?" Shimizu Kanon looked utterly surprised as she wondered inwardly.
When had her childhood friend become so sharp?
Qing Junce curled his lips, pretending not to care. "So the person I saw yesterday really was him."
Shimizu Kanon's curiosity was piqued, and she pressed on. "That's strange. How did you know about Miyagi Ryota?"
Qing Junce brushed her off casually. "I just happened to know."
There was no way he could confess that he had known everything from watching the anime in his previous life.
If he really said that, the little girl would definitely drag him to the hospital, thinking something was wrong with his brain.
Shimizu Kanon did not pursue the matter. Instead, she recalled the information she had investigated and said, "I looked into Miyagi Ryota. He used to play point guard on the team, and he was extremely fast. Although he wasn't as good as you, he was still outstanding among people his age."
Then her tone shifted, and she sighed regretfully. "Sigh... It's a pity he's too short. Otherwise, he'd be a pretty good assistant for you, A-Ce!"
"Tch!" Qing Junce snorted dismissively. "I don't need anyone's assistance."
Just then, a group of people suddenly appeared ahead and blocked their path.
Qing Junce raised his eyes and saw five delinquent youths surrounding him and Shimizu Kanon in a semicircle.
The sudden situation drained the color from Shimizu Kanon's face. She instinctively pressed herself tightly against Qing Junce's back, her voice trembling slightly. "A-Ce..."
Qing Junce calmly moved Shimizu Kanon behind him, his indifferent gaze sweeping over the uninvited guests before him.
He quickly recognized several of the leaders.
One was a fierce-looking fellow with a crew cut and a somewhat mature-looking face.
Qing Junce remembered that his name was Hotta Norio, and that he was a third-year student.
To Hotta Norio's right stood a slightly plump delinquent wearing glasses, his face full of arrogance and viciousness.
Qing Junce recognized him too, but he could not recall his name at the moment.
He had no impression of the other two.
After giving the group a cursory glance, Qing Junce's eyes landed on the long-haired person standing in the very middle.
Mitsui Hisashi.
He had once been a member of the Shohoku Basketball Club, the MVP during middle school, and an especially renowned three-point sharpshooter.
But later, he injured his leg in an accident and never recovered, sinking into depravity ever since.
"You're on the Basketball Club, aren't you?" Hotta Norio spoke first, his tone carrying a hint of provocation.
Qing Junce's expression remained cold. "Whether I'm on the Basketball Club or not, what does that have to do with you?"
"Kid, do you know who you're talking to?" The bespectacled delinquent shouted angrily at the top of his lungs.
Qing Junce did not even bother looking at him. He stared straight at Mitsui Hisashi and said, "I don't think we know each other. I don't like dealing with strangers. If you're asking for directions, ask someone else. Now move."
"Brat, are you looking for a beating?" The bespectacled delinquent flew into another rage.
"You're really noisy." Qing Junce picked at his ear, his face full of impatience. He looked as though the people before him were nothing more than insignificant ants.
At last, Mitsui Hisashi spoke. "You're a first-year student this year, right? Since you're on the Basketball Club, you should know where Miyagi Ryota is, right?!"
"I don't know." Qing Junce cut him off without courtesy and said coldly, "If you want to find someone, ask somewhere else."
Mitsui Hisashi's expression instantly darkened. Gritting his teeth, he said, "The first-year brats this year are really arrogant!"
Hotta Norio chimed in as well. "Looks like we'll have to teach you how to respect your seniors."
As soon as he finished speaking, the bespectacled delinquent and the other two threw their fists at Qing Junce's face without another word.
"A-Ce..." Seeing this, Shimizu Kanon was so nervous that her heart nearly leaped into her throat.
"It's fine. They're just a few little fleas." Qing Junce comforted her softly.
In an instant, the aura around him changed dramatically.
The lazy, careless air he had worn a moment before was swept away by a biting gale, replaced by a cold, murderous chill.
At that moment, he was like a primordial beast that had lain dormant for ages and was about to devour its prey. A sharp, terrifying aura radiated from him and spread outward like a raging tide.
Mitsui Hisashi and the others felt a chill run down their spines, as though a bloodthirsty beast had locked onto them. It seemed that in the next second, their lives might vanish like a guttering candle in the wind.
The three delinquents charging forward to beat Qing Junce froze in place the instant they felt that terrifying aura, as though they had been struck by a paralysis spell.
Their eyes filled with fear as they looked at Qing Junce, as if they were staring at a ghost. None of them dared take another step forward. Beads of sweat rolled constantly from their foreheads and slid down their cheeks.
Mitsui Hisashi stared at Qing Junce in disbelief as well, his body beginning to tremble uncontrollably.
Qing Junce did not even glance at them. He took Shimizu Kanon's hand and calmly walked between the five men.
Not one of Mitsui Hisashi's group dared step forward to stop him.
Only after Qing Junce and Shimizu Kanon had disappeared into the distance did Mitsui Hisashi and the others finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Hotta Norio spoke with lingering fear. "Who exactly is that guy? He looks like someone we shouldn't mess with."
The bespectacled delinquent swallowed, his voice still trembling slightly. "That was terrifying. I really thought I was going to die just now."
At that moment, Mitsui Hisashi's face was so gloomy it seemed capable of dripping water.
He turned around and glared at Qing Junce's gradually vanishing back, his teeth grinding audibly and his eyes filled with humiliation and hatred.
He was the third-year leader of the delinquents, yet he had been frightened into immobility by a first-year brat. It was simply the ultimate humiliation.
"Damn that guy!" he cursed under his breath. "The Basketball Club..."
Meanwhile, Qing Junce soon returned to his usual lazy demeanor after walking some distance away.
Shimizu Kanon also let out a long breath and said with lingering fear, "You scared me to death. I thought you were going to fight them."
Qing Junce looked relaxed, as though what had just happened was nothing worth mentioning. "Even if I had fought them, there would have been nothing to fear."
"But what if you got hurt?" Shimizu Kanon asked worriedly.
Qing Junce waved his hand dismissively. "Those guys weren't even worth considering."
"But it really is surprising that you used that move." Shimizu Kanon spoke thoughtfully.
Qing Junce naturally understood what she meant and replied calmly, "I just thought it would save time."
Shimizu Kanon could not help laughing. "I never thought your move could also be used to 'break up a fight.'"
The corner of Qing Junce's mouth twitched. He complained inwardly, What the hell do you mean, break up a fight? That was intimidation, okay?!
Too lazy to continue dealing with this imaginative girl, the two soon arrived at the entrance to the basketball gym.
The moment they pushed open the door, Qing Junce and Shimizu Kanon froze.
Inside the gym, most of the people were standing on either side of the court.
On the court, two people were sprawled on the floor in an extremely strange position.
They were Sakuragi Hanamichi and Miyagi Ryota. Miyagi Ryota was on top of Sakuragi Hanamichi, his arms tightly wrapped around the other boy's legs.
Sakuragi Hanamichi, meanwhile, had his butt stuck up in the air, his body constantly thrusting forward and his arms stretched as far as they would go, trying to reach the basketball on the floor ahead of him.
Their movements were extremely comical and even somewhat suggestive.
The sight left Shimizu Kanon staring in astonishment.
Even Qing Junce could not help twitching the corner of his mouth.
What the hell are these two doing?
Kogure Kiminobu noticed Qing Junce and Shimizu Kanon entering and took the initiative to greet them. "You're here!"
"Kogure-senpai." Shimizu Kanon replied politely, then asked in confusion, "What happened here?"
"Uh... Well, it's exactly what you see." Kogure Kiminobu helplessly pointed at Miyagi Ryota and Sakuragi Hanamichi on the floor and explained, "That person is Miyagi Ryota. He was hospitalized before, so he couldn't attend the Basketball Club's training."
Ayako added from the side, "He's a problem student too. You'll have your hands full with him from now on."
At that moment, Rukawa Kaede carried the basketball straight over to Qing Junce and said flatly, "Let's play."
The moment he said this, the surroundings instantly grew much quieter.
Several first-year students could not help feeling nervous for Rukawa Kaede.
The scene of Qing Junce crushing Rukawa Kaede the last time remained vivid in their minds.
"Rukawa Kaede really has guts. If it were me, I would've given up long ago," Yamada Tadashi could not help sighing.
"Yeah." Kuwata Toki nodded in agreement.
Qing Junce shrugged and walked toward the other side of the court. "I'm bored anyway, so I'll play with you."
Everyone immediately grew excited.
Their attention had originally been on Miyagi Ryota and Sakuragi Hanamichi fooling around on the floor, but now every eye focused on Qing Junce and Rukawa Kaede. They gathered around the half-court, eagerly awaiting the start of the showdown.
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