Episode 47: They were struck hard by the news and could not recover their senses for a long while.
First-year students?
He had become captain of a high school basketball team in his first year?
Was this some kind of joke? That guy was only a first-year student!
Mumu Gongyan pushed up his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses nearly popping out of their sockets. To him, this was simply unbelievable.
Yasuda also stood frozen in place, his mouth slightly open and unable to close for a long time. Takenori Akagi's gaze, meanwhile, was as hard as iron, locked firmly onto Chi Tong.
There was no longer mere surprise in his eyes, only deep gravity and confusion.
He slowly turned his head toward Yu Zhu, the man standing among Ryonan's players who should have been the captain—Yu Zhu!
He silently pondered, as if asking a question and thinking it over at the same time.
Anzai Koichi adjusted his glasses, his gaze repeatedly sweeping over Chi Tong as though he wanted to see through him.
After a long while, he slowly revealed his trademark benevolent smile and quietly praised him.
"Oh ho ho ho ho, how remarkable!"
Then, under Taoka Moichi's arrangements, Shohoku's players were taken to their designated locker room, while Ryonan's players began warming up for their final preparations before the game.
Chi Tong stood before the rest area with a jacket draped over his shoulders. His eyes swept across the Ryonan players as he calmly announced, "I won't be playing for the time being, so Tomoyuki, you'll be the point guard!"
"Me?"
Uekusa Tomoyuki froze. He had never expected to get a starting opportunity. He had originally thought that, with Chi Tong around, he would become a bench player.
Taoka Moichi listened quietly from the side without any intention of interfering with Chi Tong's decision. He chose to trust him. Since he had appointed Chi Tong captain, he would let him take full charge.
Before long, Chi Tong continued, "Center Yu Zhu, power forward Chi Sheng, small forward Sento, shooting guard Koshino. For now, that's it." The moment Chi Tong finished speaking, someone noticed something was wrong.
"Wait!"
Yueye Hongming frowned and raised his hand to interrupt him. "If Sento is the small forward—"
"But he isn't here yet!"
Before he could finish, a voice drifted over.
"Hello, everyone!"
A familiar, lazy voice leisurely reached everyone's ears.
Everyone turned toward it. Sendoh stood at the entrance of the gymnasium, one hand in his pocket and the other casually waving. His face wore that signature carefree smile.
"It's Sento. He's here!"
Uekusa Tomoyuki immediately spoke up. "Seriously, you were the only one missing!"
Ikegami Ryoji rolled his eyes, his tone full of helplessness. "Haha, sorry, sorry."
Sendoh smiled and scratched his head before strolling inside with light steps.
Chi Tong's expression did not change. He merely said calmly, "Then there are no problems now, right?"
The others looked at one another before silently shaking their heads.
Yet waves were already stirring in their hearts.
How had Chi Tong known Sendoh would show up at this time?
There had been no news beforehand, yet it was as if he had already predicted it. He had even arranged the lineup in advance. It was truly unbelievable!
For a moment, the Ryonan players looked at Chi Tong with even more awe and mystery in their eyes.
Taoka Moichi finally could not hold back any longer and roared at Sendoh, "You bastard!"
"You idiot, where the hell did you go? Why did you only show up now?"
"Sorry!"
Coach Sento smiled openly and said with a hint of apology.
"I overslept."
Hearing that utterly justified answer, Taoka Moichi's mouth twitched violently several times.
Damn it, he's being so honest that I can't even get angry.
He muttered to himself, but the corner of his eye could not help glancing toward Chi Tong. Why doesn't this guy have any reaction at all as captain?
Shouldn't he do something about it?
"Hey, Chi Tong." Sento walked up to Chi Tong and casually greeted him.
Chi Tong neither reprimanded him nor gave him a cold look. He simply said evenly, "Save the rest for after the game."
"Go change first. You'll be playing shortly."
"All right, got it."
Sento nodded and walked toward the locker room with a smile, still moving at his usual unhurried pace.
Meanwhile, in Shohoku's locker room, the atmosphere was so quiet it was almost oppressive.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Kogure Kiminobu spoke quietly, his voice especially clear in the silence.
Yasuda immediately added, "That captain named Chi Tong... I have a feeling he's not simple."
"What's so impressive about him?" Sakuragi Hanamichi flopped onto a bench, his face full of disdain. "Isn't he just a first-year brat?"
"Why are you all acting like you've seen a ghost?"
"Aren't you a first-year student too?"
Rukawa glanced at him coldly. His tone was mild, but every word struck deep. "What did you say?"
"You damn fox!"
Sakuragi Hanamichi instantly exploded, leaping to his feet and roaring at Rukawa.
Takenori Akagi frowned slightly. Though he felt uneasy as well, this was not the time to talk about such things.
"Whether they're strong or not, we'll only know once the game begins."
He shouted in a deep voice, "Enough. We'll find out during the game. Next, I'll announce the lineup and hand out the uniforms."
An Xiguang flipped open his notebook and slowly began, "Center Akagi, number 4. Point guard An Tian, number 6. Shooting guard Chao Qi, number 8. Small forward Kogure Kiminobu, number 5. Power forward Liu Chuanfeng, Shi Hao."
"Wait a second, why isn't there a spot for me?" Sakuragi Hanamichi shouted.
"Big gorilla, are you messing with me?"
"You clearly put me through special training yesterday! You even told me that whoever controlled the rebounds controlled the game, you idiot!"
"Even if you can't play now, there will be plenty of chances to play later. You're just a substitute for now!"
Their argument carried out of the locker room without the slightest restraint.
Ryonan's players stood outside the door, looking at one another in complete confusion.
"Uh, what exactly is happening in there?"
"It sounds like they're fighting. What's going on in there?"
"Sounds like they're arguing!"
"What are they even doing in there?"
As Chi Tong listened to the commotion coming from the locker room, the corner of his lips quietly curved into a faint smile.
Before long, Shohoku's players changed into their uniforms and filed out of the locker room.
Not long after, the players from both sides were standing at the center of the court.
When Shohoku's players saw Ryonan's starting lineup clearly, Ryonan's side remained perfectly calm, without the slightest reaction.
Shohoku's expressions, however, changed abruptly. Every gaze shot toward Ryonan's bench, focusing on the boy sitting quietly there with his arms folded across his chest. That guy was not playing!
Mumu Gongyan cried out in a low voice, his tone full of shock.
Ayako gritted her teeth in anger. "Damn it!"
"Are they looking down on us?"
Takenori Akagi remained silent, his gaze deep as he wondered what he was thinking about.
Sakuragi Hanamichi did not notice any of this at all. He strode up to Sendoh, raised his chin, and flashed a confident grin. "Hey, Sendoh, I'll take care of you!"
The moment those words fell, the entire gymnasium seemed to freeze.
"Oh no... does he even know what he's saying?"
Ayako held her forehead, looking utterly hopeless.
A vein throbbed at Akagi's temple as dark lines crossed his face. That reckless idiot!
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