Chapter 19: The Game with Ming You

Ming You stood still, his legs slightly apart, the ball swaying in his hand. He looked at the newcomer, who seemed determined to sink the ball into the hoop. Ming You's gaze was cold, but in his mind, scenarios were already playing out. He knew the newcomer didn't expect that his plan could collapse in an instant.

"Hey, why are you so relaxed?" came the voice of one of the players from So Ho's team, who watched Ming You with confusion. "Aren't you going to defend?"

Ming You merely smirked, not taking his eyes off the ball the newcomer was holding. He felt the tension rising, and it only fueled his gambling. At that moment, the newcomer, unaware of the danger, stepped forward and began his shot.

"Come on, come on!" shouted So Ho, encouraging his teammate.

But Ming You, like a predator ready to pounce, reacted instantly. He shot out of his position, snatching the ball from the hands of the bewildered newcomer.

"What?!" gasped the newcomer, his eyes wide with surprise.

In an instant, Ming You was already at the hoop, and his shot was precise. The ball thudded into the net, and the crowd erupted in applause.

"Wow!" someone in the crowd shouted, clenching their fists in excitement. "How did he do that?!"

"This is unbelievable!" added another spectator, unable to believe their eyes.

So Ho stood frozen, gritting his teeth. He couldn't believe what had just happened. All his expectations that his teammate could score were shattered in an instant.

"What the hell?!" he whispered, looking at Ming You, who returned to his position with a smirk.

"It's just a game," Ming You said, scanning the crowd. "But I'm not going to let you relax because of the scoring advantage."

So Ho's team exchanged glances. The newcomers began to whisper among themselves, their confidence clearly shaken.

"Hey, don't worry," one of them said, trying to encourage the others. "We can do this!"

"Yeah, we just need to focus," another added, but his voice sounded uncertain.

Ming You, sensing that his opponents were losing hope, decided to continue playing at a relaxed pace. He wasn't in a hurry, letting them think they had a chance while he controlled every move.

"Come on, guys," So Ho yelled, rallying his players. "Don't give him a chance!"

The next shot belonged to So Ho. He confidently approached the hoop, but Ming You, as if anticipating his actions, was already nearby. So Ho tried to maneuver around him, but Ming You was too quick.

"You're not getting through," Ming You said, skillfully intercepting the ball.

The crowd erupted in applause again, and without wasting time, Ming You headed back to the hoop. He threw the ball, and it hit the net once more.

"Two points!" the referee shouted, and the crowd responded with enthusiasm.

"This can't go on!" So Ho exclaimed, his voice filled with despair. "We have to do something!"

"We need to regroup," said one of the newcomers, his voice trembling. "We can't let him keep going like this."

"Yeah, let's go!" So Ho encouraged them. "We have to work together!"

Ming You, watching their attempts to regroup, simply smirked. He knew that their team was full of inexperienced players, and his plan was working perfectly.

"So, who's next?" he said, looking over his opponents. "Or are you just going to stand there and watch me score?"

"We won't give up!" shouted one of the newcomers, rushing forward.

He tried to get around Ming You, but Ming You easily predicted his actions and intercepted the ball again.

"That was too easy," Ming You said, throwing the ball into the hoop once more.

The crowd erupted in applause again, and Ming You felt his confidence growing. He knew the game was almost won, and it was only a matter of time before his opponents completely broke down.

"So Ho, unable to watch this, closed his eyes for a moment. He knew that if he didn't rally the team, they would lose.

"Listen," he said, opening his eyes. "We need to be a united team. Don't let him break us!"

"Yeah, we can do this!" the others supported him.

But Ming You, watching their attempts, only smirked. He knew they had no chance, and it only fueled his gambling.

"Come on, guys," he said, throwing the ball into the hoop. "This is just the beginning."

Ming You seemed to be on the verge of exhaustion. He moved slowly around the court, pretending to be tired from the intense game. Each of his shots became less accurate, and his movements more sluggish. So Ho and his team, noticing this, began to feel more confident.

"Look, he's giving up!" whispered one of the newcomers when Ming You missed the hoop.

"Yeah, let's keep this going!" So Ho encouraged his players, feeling that they could take the initiative.

In the first half of the game, So Ho's team managed to exploit Ming You's weaknesses, and despite his confidence at the start, they began to score points. Each time Ming You missed a shot, his smile grew more strained.

When the whistle sounded to end the first half, Ming You headed to the bench, his face hiding his cunning. He knew that it was just his plan to confuse his opponents and his confidence was at its peak.

"I wonder who you bet on, Taek Jung," he said to him.

"I don't make bets; I just win. You played well, but did you really tire out so quickly?" Taek Jung replied, although he himself felt the game wasn't going according to plan.

"Of course I did," Ming You replied sarcastically, leaving Taek Jung puzzled.

The break was filled with tension. So Ho and his team gathered in a circle, discussing their successes and new strategies.

"We did it!" shouted one of the players, his voice full of enthusiasm. "Ming You is tired, and we can use this to our advantage!"

"But don't relax," So Ho said, his face focused. "He might start playing at full strength again. Maybe this scoring advantage was his plan to give us false confidence, and after we lose the balls, we'd be in greater despair. We need to be ready for anything against a bastard like him."

"We should keep acting as we have been," another player added. "He won't be able to maintain this mask of fatigue for long."

Meanwhile, Ming You stood aside, watching his opponents. He knew his plan had worked, and now they weren't expecting him to start playing at full strength again.

When the game resumed, Ming You returned to the court, but now his confidence seemed to be at its peak. He began to move slowly across the court, as if he were still tired, but in his eyes, a fire burned.

"Well, friends," he said, looking over his opponents. "This is just the beginning."

So Ho, noticing that Ming You looked more confident, felt his own confidence begin to waver. He knew Ming You could take the initiative again.

Ming You started with slow, unhurried movements, making his opponents think he was still tired. But then, in an instant, he activated the 'Four-Headed Spider' technique.

His movements became sharp and unexpected. He maneuvered around defenders, creating the illusion that he had multiple heads, arms, and balls. With each of his movements, the opponents became lost, unsure of where he was heading or what he was about to do.

"What's happening?!" shouted one of the newcomers as Ming You skillfully dodged him and sank the ball into the hoop.

"Is this his trump card?" So Ho thought to himself.

"Alright, guys, come on, don't let him do it again!" he yelled to his team, but his voice didn't sound as confident as before.

Ming You continued to use his technique from time to time. He moved so quickly that it seemed like he had eight arms and four balls. Each time he scored, the crowd erupted in applause, and the newcomers' confidence plummeted, opening the path to despair.

"He just can't be that fast!" one of So Ho's team members exclaimed as Ming You zipped past him again.

"We have to stop him! Don't forget about our advantage!" So Ho shouted, but his team had already begun to panic.

With each new shot, Ming You felt the pressure mounting on his opponents. They were losing focus, and his confidence was growing. He knew that now they couldn't handle his technique.

"This is just unbearable!" one of the newcomers said, his voice trembling with fear. "We can't stop him!"

"We have to regroup!" So Ho shouted, but his words sounded like a cry in the void.

Ming You, seeing his opponents falter, continued to attack. He used his technique, making them think he could do whatever he wanted. Each of his shots was precise, and with each new point, So Ho's team lost confidence.

"We can't lose!" shouted one of the players, but his voice sounded less confident.

"He's just not giving us a chance!" another added, his face twisted in despair.

With each new shot, Ming You felt his opponents starting to panic. He knew they couldn't stop him now.

"You guys can't stop me," he said coolly, throwing the ball into the hoop. "Your defeat is inevitable."

The crowd erupted again, and Ming You knew victory was already in his hands.

When the final buzzer sounded, Ming You raised his hands, accepting the crowd's enthusiastic applause. So Ho and his team, standing on the court, felt that their efforts had been in vain.

"We tried," one of the newcomers said, his voice sounding dejected.

"Yeah, but it felt like we never had a chance," another added, clenching his fists in despair.

"This is the end," So Ho said, his voice filled with exhaustion. "The scoring advantage didn't matter when the ball always ended up in Ming You's hands.

Ming You, turning to his opponents, said with a sinister smile:

"I wish you good luck losing gracefully in the next games, heh heh."