But he showed no sign of panic. Instead, as though his hidden potential had been awakened, a surging force suddenly erupted within him.
Every muscle in his body tensed, their knotted contours standing out beneath his jersey. His explosive power erupted like a dormant volcano as he drove both feet hard into the floor and shot toward Chi Tong like a cannonball, the wind whistling around him.
His heavy footsteps rang out across the court, each one seeming to land on everyone's heartbeat.
Chi Tong had only taken a few strides when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He keenly sensed the fierce rush of air behind him.
He did not look back, but instincts honed through years of basketball instantly sounded the alarm. Danger was closing in fast!
In just two seconds, Sun Zhongkuan had already closed most of the gap.
His massive figure loomed over Chi Tong like a shadow, radiating an undeniable pressure, as though he would swallow Chi Tong whole in the next instant.
Chi Tong abruptly stopped. His mind raced, and without a moment's hesitation, he swiftly moved the basketball behind his back. His fingertips precisely adjusted the force as he spotted Yueye Hongming near the three-point line to his side.
The basketball slipped out from behind Chi Tong, tracing a low, precise arc as it sailed toward Tsukino Hiroaki like an arrow loosed from a bow.
The entire movement flowed seamlessly, without the slightest wasted motion.
Yueye Hongming was delighted to see the basketball coming. He immediately adjusted his position, stepping half a pace forward and fixing his eyes on the approaching ball as he prepared to receive it.
But the instant Chi Tong released the ball, a palm suddenly appeared in its path. That large, calloused hand slammed