Two Gazes from the Stands (3)

The second half of Ryonan versus Great Wall officially began.

As usual, the opening jump ball of the second half was contested by the two teams' centers.

Uozumi and Banshen Dahan stood at center court once more. Both bent their knees slightly, leaned forward, and locked their eyes on the basketball in the referee's hand.

Unlike the tentative contest at the start of the first half, Yu Zhu's eyes now held not the slightest trace of relaxation, replaced instead by a sharp, piercing edge.

Chi Tong's instructions still echoed in his ears. He was ready to get serious too.

The referee observed their stances, then lightly raised his arm. The basketball flew straight upward.

Almost the instant the ball left the ground, Yu Zhu unleashed every bit of his strength without holding back.

He stomped off the floor, making the ground seem to tremble slightly. His body shot upward like a tightly wound spring, his leap far greater than it had been in the first half, surpassing Banshen Dahan beside him by a considerable distance. Banshen Dahan's vision blurred. He had only risen halfway when Yu Zhu was already high above him. He could only watch helplessly as the other man's large hand reached for the basketball. Shock filled his heart. Yu Zhu had clearly never displayed such terrifying jumping ability in the first half. Why did he seem like an entirely different person the moment the second half began?

That explosive power had completely exceeded his expectations.

A crisp slap of the ball rang across the court. The instant Yu Zhu's fingertips touched the basketball, he did not grab it outright. Instead, he lightly flicked his wrist, hooking the ball diagonally backward with just the right amount of force.

As though it had eyes, the basketball flew precisely toward