Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Escalation

Ma Long reveled in the competition. He even taunted Zhao Dong with a smirk, clearly enjoying the fight and almost regretting holding back. This kid was tougher than he anticipated.

"Enjoying yourself?" Zhao Dong countered with a grin, his eyes locked on Ma Long's.

Ma Long, caught off guard, stammered, "More fun coming up?"

In a lightning-fast maneuver, Zhao Dong unleashed a powerful backhand blow. The blow connected with a sickening thud, sending Ma Long doubling over in pain.

"Whoa!" The crowd erupted in a collective gasp.

"This could be bad," muttered commentator Van Gundy, who had just restrained an agitated Oakley. Witnessing the brutal blow, he knew the situation had taken a serious turn.

Furious from the hit, Ma Long attempted to rise. But Zhao Dong was relentless. Another punishing right hook landed squarely on Ma Long's face. The impact sent a jolt through Ma Long's head, momentarily disorienting him.

The crowd held its breath in stunned silence.

Fueled by adrenaline, Zhao Dong followed through with a vicious kick, sending Ma Long sprawling to the floor. He then launched himself onto Ma Long, raining down a flurry of punches to his head.

Disoriented and pinned beneath Zhao Dong's weight, Ma Long could only raise his arms in a desperate attempt to shield himself. Frustrated by the impenetrable defense, Zhao Dong switched tactics. He rained down a series of brutal elbows on Ma Long's arms.

The force of the blows was excruciating. Even with his formidable strength, Ma Long couldn't withstand the punishment. But fear kept him from lowering his guard. He was terrified that any lapse in defense would result in a devastating blow.

Only then did others react. Jazz players swarmed the court, desperately trying to separate the two fighters. But Zhao Dong, in a burst of rage, broke free from their grasp and lunged at the fallen Ma Long, aiming a kick at his head.

The sickening thud of the blow sent Ma Long's head snapping back. He crumpled to the floor, motionless.

Still consumed by rage, Zhao Dong charged forward again. This time, several security guards tackled him to the ground, effectively ending the brutal assault.

"It's over... it's finally over," Zhang Lili and Sun Zhenping on CCTV's live broadcast uttered in a somber tone, the weight of the situation settling in..

Houston Reacts

In Houston, a somber silence hung over Charles Barkley. Finally, after a long pause, he spoke, "That kid, Zhao Dong, deserves Lambiel's spot. Don't mess with him, Maureen."

Maureen, sitting beside him, rolled her eyes. "Charles, just focus on basketball from now on. Leave Zhao Dong alone."

"Hey, I don't fight," Barkley grumbled, patting his chest defensively.

Maureen's eyes narrowed. "Don't fight? Who was it that tackled Lambier and pummeled him then?"

Fan Reactions

Across the NBA, the brawl sparked a firestorm of reactions.

 "Too intense!"

 "Ma Long's been dishing out elbows his whole career, finally met someone just as ruthless!"

 "The league is missing one of its bad boys, but Zhao Dong fills the void perfectly!"

 "The Knicks have two villains now? Let's see who dares to bully us again!"

Aftermath at Madison Square Garden

At Madison Square Garden, the fight finally subsided. Relief washed over the crowd as they watched security restrain a fuming Zhao Dong on the floor.

"Let me go! Now!" Zhao Dong roared at the security guard pinning him down.

"We'll let you go, Zhao Dong," the guard replied, "but calm down. You nearly killed him."

"I can't even move!" Zhao Dong snapped, frustration evident in his voice.

The anger simmered within him. If not for the security guards worried about potential injuries, who knew what might have happened?

Thomas, known as the "Smiling Assassin," had previously endured stitches on his forehead after an elbow from Malone during a layup. This time, the blow landed on the back of his head, a potentially life-threatening injury. With a grimace, he struggled to raise his head and yelled towards the motionless Ma Long lying a meter away, "You'll pay for this, Malone! We're not done!"

Several nearby Jazz players, including Stockton, witnessed Zhao Dong's rage and heard his chilling threat.

Medical Attention

The Jazz's team doctor frantically examined Malone. The blow from Zhao Dong's kick had caused a serious head injury. Blood poured from the wound, painting a gruesome scene.

"He needs immediate medical attention! Get him to the hospital!" the doctor yelled in a panic.

"Get Zhao Dong to the hospital too," another voice chimed in. "His injuries might be worse than that thug Malone's. The elbow blow to the back of his head could cause internal bleeding."

Van Gundy, the commentator, barked, "Get him on a stretcher, now!"

Silent Fury

Jerry Sloan, the Jazz coach, overheard this and nearly exploded. Injured? Where was this injury on Zhao Dong? If anything, he was the one who brutalized Malone! Was this some attempt to save face? But Sloan held his tongue. The critical elbow blow to Zhao Dong's head could very well cause internal bleeding, a delayed injury that might erupt later.

Under security escort, Zhao Dong exited the court. As he left the field, a thunderous applause erupted from the crowd. Reaching the tunnel entrance, Zhao Dong surprised everyone by jolting upright on the stretcher. The security guards scrambled to hold him down.

With a defiant yell directed at the Knicks bench, he roared, "Brothers, avenge me! Crush those Jazz punks! No mercy!"

Oakley, ever the firebrand, immediately roared back, "Let's go! Take down the Jazz!"

Chapter 69 (Continued)

Nearly the entire crowd at Madison Square Garden erupted in unison, chanting, "Get rid of the Jazz!"

Zhao Dong nodded and then lay back down. Once in the tunnel, he suddenly remembered the live broadcast and that his family must have seen the fight. He wondered how they might be feeling. Upon entering the locker room, he heard his phone ringing non-stop. He quickly opened his locker, grabbed it, and saw that it was a call from his family.

Back in Beijing, the Zhao family was in a panic. Li Meizhu had been calling Zhao Dong's phone repeatedly, but no one answered, and she was crying. Finally, the call went through.

"Hey..."

"Mom, it's Xiaodong..."

"Dongdong, you're alive! Oh, thank goodness, you can finally answer!"

"Mom, I'm fine. I'm fine. Don't worry, I'm okay."

"Really? Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine. I knocked him out, that kid's going to the hospital now."

"Oh my goodness, then Dongdong, you should go to the hospital and get checked out. Don't ignore it..."

"Okay, Mom. I'll go to the hospital first. Tell Grandpa and Dad that I'm fine."

"I know, I know. I'll tell them."

Xi Bodu accompanied Zhao Dong to the hospital, and after several reminders, Zhao Dong hung up the phone and got back on the stretcher.

As they got into the car, Thibodeau asked, "Zhao Dong, are you feeling dizzy?"

Zhao Dong touched the back of his head and replied, "It still hurts, and I'm a little dizzy."

Nodding, Thibodeau said, "Rest for now. Sleep for a bit, we'll be at the hospital soon."

He was genuinely worried about Zhao Dong. The elbow strike to the back of his head had him concerned, so instead of going through equipment checks, he took Zhao Dong straight to the hospital. The drive was tense, but after several examinations, the doctors confirmed that there was no major issue.

However, Thibodeau still arranged for Zhao Dong to stay in the hospital for observation and stationed two security guards to ensure no media could disturb him.

(End of chapter)

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