Chapter 15: The Next Plan for the Friendly Game

Late at night, a few dozen meters from the streetball court where Lu Shen had just claimed victory.

On a bench sat four people, among whom stood out a massive gang boss with a gold cross around his neck and a short haircut with a bit of gray at the sides.

"That guy keeps surprising me more and more," said Tae Hwan with a smirk on his face.

"Considering how well he brings us money, I completely agree with you," one of the henchmen chimed in.

"He brings the most money to himself. He took a risk by investing in these five games, and if all five games are conducted successfully with the same stakes as the first game, he might become even richer than I am," Tae Hwan's competitive spirit was awakened.

"How is that possible? We also take a percentage from the bets, so how will he become richer than you?" asked another associate with a dragon tattoo on his neck.

"The thing is, when debts are owed by other players from his team, they will pay him back first, and only then us. So unless we sell these guys into slavery, which can only happen if Ming You agrees to it himself, I'll be dead from old age by the time these rookies can pay off their debts, meaning Ming You will profit more than me," Tae Hwan said a bit sadly.

"You're talking about me, aren't you?" Ming You asked slyly as he approached from the basketball court.

"What do you want?" Tae Hwan was not expecting to see Ming You.

"More like what do you want from me? The thing is, these rookies are likely to leave due to their dissatisfaction with the rules of this game, and it would be worse if they complain. So I have a proposal for you," Ming You suddenly changed his indifferent expression to a more cunning smirk.

"Unlike Taek Jung, I've started to get used to your shamelessness, heh. So go ahead, lay out your proposal," Tae Hwan chuckled at him.

"All you need to do is threaten these rookies. I can give you all their information: their addresses, parents, and so on." Ming You's eyes lit up with cruelty, but his face remained indifferent.

"That's quite a useful and profitable proposal. I'm all ears," Tae Hwan spread his arms across the bench, awaiting the information.

Fifteen minutes later, after Ming You had provided Tae Hwan with all the information about the players, Lu Shen and the core team of Yoshido were celebrating a light victory on the well-lit basketball court.

"Well, how's that, you idiots!" Lu Shen shouted triumphantly, pointing a finger at Mei Yu and his team.

"If it weren't for knowing such rules, we wouldn't have let you score a single point!" Mei Yu said angrily.

"To hell with that. We're not going to pay any made-up debts just because some assholes said so. Guys, let's go; consider that this game never happened," So Ho addressed his team as they left the court.

"Exactly! No one told us about such rules, and we're not going to fall for such a setup!" shouted Jen Ryu, giving the middle finger to the core team of Yoshido.

But just as the rookies were stepping out of the light, fifteen people in leather jackets emerged from the shadows, wielding bats and brass knuckles.

"Hey, pussies, where do you think you're going? The losers owe us money," a muscular man said threateningly, holding a bat with both hands over his shoulder.

"What do you care? If you don't let us pass, we'll call the police, and they'll take care of you!" So Ho replied in a threatening tone as well.

The group of gangsters began to laugh loudly, some of them holding their faces from laughing so hard. The rookies looked at them in confusion and disdain.

"Haha, you're pretty brave, So Ho, but your mother, who works as a nurse and lives six blocks away, won't be very happy if you refuse to pay your debts and dump it all on her," one of the gangsters with brass knuckles said after everyone calmed down.

"How do you know…" So Ho couldn't finish as a bat was pointed at his chin.

"You shouldn't give a fuck, but you, other pussies," one of the gangsters removed the bat from So Ho's face, then looked at the entire rookie team and continued, "we know a lot about you too, so either you keep playing, or you can pass all your debts onto your relatives."

The rookies looked at the gangsters in fear, then gritted their teeth.

"Fine, we'll play, just don't touch our families! This is a personal matter between our teams and nothing more," So Ho exclaimed with difficulty.

"That's the spirit we like much better," the gangsters put away their weapons and removed their brass knuckles.

"Alright, you little suckers. You can go and prepare for the games. But if you decide not to show up, we'll definitely find you, and even if by some miracle we don't, we always know where your parents are, heh," one of the gangsters threatened while smirking.

The rookie team silently lowered their heads and walked past the gangsters.

"We'll have to prepare to play at full capacity and not let them take any shots; we should also work on our passes," Jen Ryu tried to motivate the team.

"Then we need to train harder," Mei Yu also encouraged the team.

"Yes! Forward, real Yoshido!" So Ho further motivated the team, after which the entire team picked up his slogan and repeated it three times, raising their fists in the air.

The next morning, at school after classes. So Ho, Jen Ryu, and Mei Yu were making plans for the next game on their way to the gym.

"Maybe we should find out who will play against us?" Mei Yu asked, throwing his hands behind his head.

"Do you really think that cunning bastard will tell us anything?" Jen Ryu said anxiously.

"It's worth the risk; it's better to at least hope to find out who will be playing against us," So Ho remained calm.

The three guys, gritting their teeth in hatred toward the core team, entered the school gym. After that, they opened the door to the locker room, where Ming You was already sitting with his head thrown back over the bench.

"Ming You," So Ho called him.

"Hey, guys, how are you? How's the weather today? Did you make it here okay?" Ming You greeted them sarcastically, lifting his head.

The veins on the foreheads of the arriving rookies bulged, but So Ho calmed down first, so he asked:

"We have a question for you. Who are we going to play against in the next game?"

"Good that you asked. You'll be playing against Jung Ho, our former team captain," Ming You replied, fixing his hair back.

"Thanks, Ming You," So Ho said sarcastically as he and his teammates left the locker room and then the gym.

"Anytime!" Ming You replied slyly.

The rookie team dispersed, and Ming You leaned his head back over the bench, continuing to sleep.

After a while, closer to evening, Ming You gathered his things and headed to the streetball court.

The lights were already illuminating the court, there were no spectators yet, but a group of people led by Taek Jung was sitting on the bench. Ming You approached them and greeted them:

"Hello everyone, I have an interesting proposal for you," he said slyly, waving his hand.

"Hehe, we're all ears," Taek Jung smirked.

"How about making bets on tomorrow's game?" Ming You stretched his smile.

"You really don't mind taking risks, so go ahead, lay it out," Taek Jung was already prepared for another one of Ming You's tricks.

"If the captain's points, meaning one player's points, are a hundred times more than the points of five players, I win a hundred times more money than I bet on one player. But if it's even one point less than a hundred times, then the amount you already bet on five players, I will pay you a hundred times more than the amount you bet," Ming You explained unemotionally.

"Okay, now lay out what trick you're planning, why you're so confidently making such a large bet," Taek Jung started to suspect him.

"Nothing special, I just like to take risks," Ming You was completely confident in himself.

"If I didn't know you, I might have fallen for that, but considering how cunning and shameless you are, I have two theories about your proposal — either you're clearly up to something shady, or you're just a crazy madman. There can be no other options," Taek Jung said with a serious expression.

"You can think whatever you want, but the fact is that I'm completely confident in my player's strength and in my instincts as a gambler. So, are we going to make bets, or are you scared of an ordinary schoolboy?" Ming You slightly pressed him.

"Haha, you and an ordinary schoolboy?" Taek Jung and his henchmen laughed. After everyone calmed down, he continued, "The bet is quite decent, and I also love to take risks. But be warned, if you can't pay the amount a hundred times more than what we bet, death will seem like a consolation for you," Taek Jung became serious.

"So we have a deal?" Ming You extended his hand.

"I advise you to find some jobs to be ready to pay our hundredfold bet," Taek Jung shook his hand, after which Ming You left the court with a sly smile.