The Captain's Confirmation

As he spoke, his gaze slowly shifted to the two figures on the court who were about to clash.

The game was about to begin!

He said softly, "Rather than listen to me explain, why don't you see for yourselves?"

Everyone's hearts jolted at his words, and they all turned their attention back to the court.

On the court, Chi Tong and Yu Zhu stood face-to-face, locked in a standoff, their gazes sharp as blades.

In the first round, Yu Zhu attacked first while Chi Tong defended.

Beyond the three-point line, Yu Zhu assumed a triple-threat stance. His muscles tensed as his mind raced, searching for a way to tear through Chi Tong's defense.

After yesterday's game, he knew all too well how terrifying Chi Tong's defense was, so he treated every step with extreme caution.

Yet as the seconds ticked by, he could not find a single opening to break through.

Gradually, large beads of cold sweat seeped from his forehead and slid down his cheeks.

Damn it, he was just standing there. How could he have such an overwhelming presence?

He could not drag this out any longer. Gritting his teeth, Uozumi made up his mind and abruptly turned around, putting his back to Chi Tong as he prepared to overpower him with his body.

Rather than trying to break through with techniques he was not good at, he would simply crush him with his physique.

That was what he thought, and that was what he did.

Very quickly, he backed Chi Tong toward the basket step by step.

It was working!

The upperclassmen at the sidelines immediately showed excited expressions.

However, their excitement froze in the next second, turning into shock and bewilderment.

Just as Yu Zhu charged beneath the basket, convinced that victory was in his grasp and ready to spin for a thunderous dunk, a crisp sound shattered the silence.

Chi Tong's palm had already appeared precisely along the path the basketball would take during Yu Zhu's turn.

The ball was slapped away, bouncing out of control and rolling all the way out of bounds.

The echo lingered through the empty gymnasium, and the entire court fell deathly silent.

Yu Zhu stood frozen in place. Slowly, he turned to look at Chi Tong, his eyes filled with horror.

He had decided on that spin move at the last second. How could this guy have predicted it so precisely?

In the second round, Yu Zhu attacked again, while Chi Tong defended.

This time, Yu Zhu had only just started moving when it seemed as though he had voluntarily handed the ball over. It was directly slapped away by Chi Tong's palm.

In the third round, Yu Zhu changed strategies. He prepared to toss the ball high into the air, rush toward the basket, catch it himself, and finish with a self-assisted dunk.

Yet under everyone's astonished gazes, Uozumi had only just raised the ball.

Chi Tong moved as if he had been waiting for this moment all along, intercepting the ball midway in advance.

Another crisp sound rang out. That speed, that timing, that almost coldly precise judgment made everyone present widen their eyes and unconsciously part their lips.

Fourth round, fifth round—over five consecutive rounds, every one of Yu Zhu's attacks was effortlessly neutralized by Chi Tong, all ending in steals.

This unbelievable sight made every player at the sidelines draw a sharp breath.

A 100% steal rate—was that even something a human could achieve?

Could everything Sendoh had said be true?

Could Chi Tong really see the future?

On the court, the game was not over yet. "My turn to attack."

Chi Tong picked up the basketball from the floor, his voice calm and utterly emotionless.

Yu Zhu slowly recovered from his shock. His gaze toward Chi Tong became increasingly complicated, even carrying a trace of indescribable awe.

"Ah!"

He took a deep breath, reset his stance, and focused all his attention on Chi Tong before him.

Chi Tong slowly dribbled, his eyes fixed directly on Yu Zhu.

He advanced step by step, neither hurried nor slow, as if he were merely taking a stroll.

Yet it was precisely this composure that made pressure surge through Uozumi's heart like a tide. In the blink of an eye, Chi Tong was already in front of him.

Yu Zhu immediately stepped forward, trying to block the route with his body.

But the instant his foot came down, Chi Tong seemed to have seen through everything. He shifted sideways half a step ahead of time, gliding lightly past him as though passing through a phantom.

Yu Zhu's heart jolted, and he immediately stepped back to defend.

Yet when he pulled his foot back, what he saw was Chi Tong, who had already pulled back and was ready to shoot.

What?

He stood there in a daze, his pupils contracting violently. Though they were only one step apart, in that moment, he felt as though the other person stood at the other end of the world, impossibly distant.

The basketball floated lightly from Chi Tong's hand, passing over Yu Zhu's head and tracing an almost perfect arc.

Nothing but net. Chi Tong 1, Yu Zhu 0!

The game continued!

Chi Tong took possession again. His rhythm remained calm and steady, yet it carried an irresistible pressure. He closed in on Uozumi once more. Gritting his teeth, Uozumi moved to seal off the route, but at the instant he acted, Chi Tong had already slipped sideways ahead of him with graceful ease, sweeping past his side as though every step he took had been calculated by his opponent.

Once again, Chi Tong shot calmly, and the basketball went steadily into the net.

Every attack that followed was exactly the same. Uozumi's defense always missed by the slightest margin, as though he was not facing a person, but cooperating in a performance doomed to fail.

Like a child whose every movement had been seen through, he was completely toyed with by Chi Tong.

Everyone outside the court fell silent. There were no cries of surprise, no discussion—only dead silence.

Especially the upperclassmen. By now, stormy waves were churning within their hearts. They knew Uozumi's strength better than anyone, yet the scene before them had completely overturned their understanding. Their trusted captain was utterly powerless before Chi Tong!

They were glad that the team had gained a powerhouse like Chi Tong, yet an indescribable desolation also rose in their hearts.

The final ball went cleanly through the net. The basketball rolled to the ground and slowly came to a stop.

Yu Zhu stood blankly in place, staring at the motionless basketball for a long time without recovering.

He had lost. He had lost completely and utterly, with no excuses and no luck to blame!

Chi Tong was incomparably strong.

Uozumi took a deep breath. Having recovered, he turned around and walked toward Chi Tong.

The aura around him had already faded, and all the unwillingness on his face had vanished.

He held out his hand, a heartfelt smile rising at the corners of his mouth—sincere and open.

"I lost. From today onward, you are the captain of the Lingnan Basketball Team. I hope you will keep your word and lead Lingnan to the championship!"

The crimson-gold glow in Chi Tong's eyes slowly faded, replaced by a pair of steady, confident eyes.

He smiled faintly and clasped Yu Zhu's hand tightly.

"Of course."

At that moment, the two of them seemed to be carrying out some silent handover ceremony.

The Ryonan players stood quietly by, no one disturbing them, as if witnessing a ritual that would determine the team's fate.

Outside the basketball gym, Taoka Moichi had quietly stopped before one of the windows, taking in everything that had happened inside.

The next day, following Coach Taoka Moichi's official announcement, Chi Tong became the new captain of the Ryonan Basketball Team.

The entire gym was silent. No one objected.

Yueye Hongming and Shandao Ryoji, who had once questioned changing captains, were already left speechless after witnessing Chi Tong and Yu Zhu's showdown the previous day.

Even Uekusa Tomoyuki, who had previously stood firmly on Yu Zhu's side, silently lowered his head and accepted the fact.