Chapter 35: The Missing Scorer of Siomo

The tip-off.

Jung Ho jumped high and grabbed the ball, easily passing it to Ming You, who, like a dancer, maneuvered around the defender and scored with incredible speed from under the basket. The crowd roared, and his team raised their hands in excitement.

"Hey, did you see that?" shouted Lu Shen, winking at Jung Ho. "I'm having slower sex than he runs! And I have very fast sex!"

"Lu Shen, speed isn't something to be proud of," Jung Ho replied, stifling a laugh.

"I meant I move quickly, not finish quickly!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the court, Siomo's team looked uncertain. Their captain, Guk Chhol, was missing, and it showed. The player with the number 8 on his back, tall and athletic, tried to take the initiative, but his movements were hesitant.

"Where the hell is Guk Chhol?" whispered the player with number 10, standing next to him. His face showed panic.

"I don't know," replied player number 6, who was stationed on the perimeter. "But if he doesn't show up, we won't be able to coordinate."

Siomo began their attack. Player number 8, using his dribbling skills, tried to get past Hong Ren. He made sharp moves, but Jung Ho, returning to defense, blocked his path.

"Are you out of your mind?" shouted Lu Shen as player number 8 passed the ball to player number 10. "He looks like he's in a brothel, not on the court!"

Ignoring the comments, player number 10 took a shot — and scored. The Siomo fans erupted in cheers.

Ming You took the ball again and started moving. He went around player number 5, but immediately collided with player number 6, who set a screen. Ming You quickly assessed the situation, adapted, and sharply passed the ball to Jung Ho.

Jung Ho ran away from the defender before catching the ball. But the defender caught up to him. However, the defender didn't hinder him much; he skillfully maneuvered around defender number 6 and shot — score! The stadium erupted in cheers once more.

"Yes, babe!" shouted Lu Shen, raising his fist. "We're in the game!"

Siomo attacked again. Player number 8, undeterred, received the ball and began dribbling, going around Haru Lin. But he was, as always, ready to back him up.

"Come on, Haru! Don't let him pass!" shouted Jung Ho, watching the game.

"Dream on, weaklings!" shouted the defender opposite Jung Ho.

Player number 8, noticing Haru Lin trying to cover him, passed the ball to player number 6, who was in the key. Player number 6 used his strength and jumped for a shot, but Ming You, like a predator, blocked his attempt.

"Not so fast, buddy," yelled Ming You, raising his hand.

The ball bounced off, and player number 5, who was on the wing, picked it up and passed it back to player number 8. He stepped back behind the three-point line and tried to shoot again. But Ming You rushed at him and attempted to block the shot. He felt the ball brush against his middle finger, but to his surprise, the ball still went in, albeit with a poor trajectory.

"Quite surprising," Ming You quietly said as he activated his strategy again. He received the ball and began moving, going around defender number 5. After passing the ball to Jung Ho, who was again opening up on the wing, he knew his team could score.

Jung Ho, using the screen from Haru Lin as per Ming You's plan, managed to score from the left corner of the three-point line. The Yoshido team erupted in cheers again.

Despite the pressure, Siomo continued to attack. Player number 10 received the ball and, moving across the court, tried to get past Haru Lin. He passed the ball to player number 8, who attacked again.

"Come on, guys, we can do this!" shouted player number 10, but his voice sounded uncertain.

Player number 8, dribbling, went around Jung Ho and attempted a shot—the ball ricocheted off the backboard and went in. But the Yoshido team wasn't about to give up. Ming You organized a press, forcing player number 10 to make risky passes.

"Come on, Haru," Ming You shouted with a grin as he intercepted the ball and returned it to his team.

When Haru Lin passed the ball to Ming You, he quickly gave it to Jung Ho, who used Hong Ren's screen and successfully scored from the perimeter.

"Keep it going!" shouted Lu Shen, winking at Hong Ren.

Player number 8, undeterred, received the ball again and began dribbling. He used a screen from player number 6 and tried to drive to the hoop. Jung Ho attempted to close him down, but player number 8 passed the ball to player number 10, who was open on the wing.

"Miss it!" Hong Ren yelled as player number 10 took the shot but missed.

Both players raced for the rebound, and Ming You set a screen on player number 10, allowing Hong Ren to grab the ball and make a quick pass to Ming You, who transitioned into a counterattack.

Ming You rapidly moved toward the hoop, passing the ball to Haru Lin. As Haru maneuvered around defender number 5, he noticed player number 6 trying to block him and passed the ball back to Ming You.

He made a successful shot from the perimeter. The stadium erupted in cheers again. The Yoshido team confidently maintained the initiative.

From the Siomo side of the court, player number 8 received the ball and attacked once more. He dribbled to get around Jung Ho, but Haru Lin shadowed him like a ghost.

"Hey, you!" Hong Ren shouted, watching the game indifferently. "Don't let him through!"

Player number 8 made a risky pass to player number 6, who was under the hoop. He shot, but Ming You, like a hawk, jumped up and blocked the ball, raising his hand and leaving the opponent no chance.

"You can't win," he said calmly.

The ball bounced back to player number 10, who, without wasting time, tried to seize the initiative.

"Come on, don't fall behind!" player number 5 shouted, watching the opponent's actions.

Player number 10 passed to player number 8, who attacked again. He tried to get around Jung Ho, but Jung wouldn't let him budge. Player number 8 stepped back and took a perimeter shot, but missed.

"Are you blind?" player number 10 yelled, unable to contain his emotions.

The ball bounced again, and Hong Ren grabbed it as if it were a matter of life and death.

With 30 seconds left in the first quarter, Ming You received the ball from Hong Ren and began moving, going around player number 5. He passed the ball to Jung Ho, who was opening up on the wing again.

"Don't let me down," Ming You shouted.

Jung Ho, in a comfortable position, took the shot and scored.

The buzzer for the end of the first quarter sounded, and players from both teams gathered at their benches. The Yoshido team looked confident, while the Siomo team tried not to panic over Guk Chhol's absence and focused on giving their all in the game.

"This is a disaster," Siomo's coach said, looking at his players. "We need to come up with something."

"Maybe we should try calling Guk Chhol again?" the manager suggested, but his voice sounded unsure.

"No, he's not answering," one of the players replied, rubbing his forehead. "We just need to focus on the game."

Meanwhile, the Yoshido team discussed their strategies during the break. Ming You, confident in his abilities, looked at his teammates.

"We need to keep it up," he said. "Don't relax until the final whistle blows."

"And don't forget, Lu Shen is always ready to insure you up," Jung Ho added, winking at Lu Shen.

"Hey, I don't always insure your ass; I'm in the game too!" Lu Shen replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "We need to show them what we're capable of!"

"They're pretty tense, by the way. And did you notice their ace didn't show up for the game? Do they really underestimate us this much?" Haru Lin asked everyone.

"Given their tense state, I don't think everyone underestimates us, especially since we're leading," Hong Ren added.

"By the way, we're really lucky their ace didn't show up today. Ming You, did you make him miss the game? If so, thanks!" Lu Shen joked.

Ming You didn't seem worried for a second, as if he had forgotten what he did to Guk Chhol. He calmly turned to Lu Shen and sarcastically replied, "If I planned to take him out of the game, I would have done it with all of you, guys."

"Well then, count on us; we'll always have your back as a team!" Lu Shen replied.

The referee raised the whistle, and the tension in the hall became palpable. The second quarter began, and both teams knew that every move could be decisive.

The ball was in play for the Siomo team. Player number 10, a tall guy with sharp features and quick hands, skillfully received the pass. His dribbling was fast but calculated, each step like a planned move on a chessboard. Ming You, slightly leaning forward, closely monitored his movements.

"You can only run," player number 10 smirked, adding a feint. His sharp turn at the three-point line made the spectators hold their breath. But Ming You was ready: he blocked the path to the hoop, extending his arm. The Siomo player abruptly stopped and made a behind-the-back pass.

The ball ended up with player number 6, a hefty forward with broad shoulders. He powerfully pushed Haru Lin back, causing him to stagger. The sixth player paused for a moment, assessing the space, and took a shot. The ball traveled in a perfect arc and swooshed through the net. The Siomo bench erupted in support.

Yoshido immediately seized the initiative. Lu Shen skillfully avoided his defender and, smirking, whispered, "Let's see how you handle this."

His quick pass reached Ming You, who was already at the three-point line. He instantly moved to the left, drawing defenders away, and sent the ball to Jung Ho.

The center, despite being double-teamed, managed to turn and slammed the ball down with incredible power.

The game continued to pick up pace. Player number 7 from Siomo, slender and incredibly fast, made a swift dash across the court. His sharp changes in direction confused Hong Ren, and he broke free to the three-point line. With a light jump, he released the ball. It seemed to fly for an eternity before it hit the rim with a dull sound and fell in.

Ming You squinted at the scoreboard.

"Lu," he said, stepping back, "stay closer to number 10. They're playing through him."

Lu Shen grinned, throwing a usual jab: "Don't teach dad how to make kids, Ming."

But Ming You's words were true: every subsequent move from the Siomo team went through their number 10, who, despite the team's panic, skillfully distributed the ball among his teammates.

Midway through the quarter, after another interception by Ming You, Yoshido began to set up plays. Haru Lin, finding himself on the edge of the court, tried to push toward the hoop, but he was stopped by player number 8 from Siomo. Haru pivoted, faked the defender with a shoulder move, and passed to Hong Ren. Hong didn't hesitate and took a long shot. The ball hit the rim several times before slipping inside.

The whistle blew for a timeout.

During the break, both teams were pushed to their limits. Siomo gathered in a tight circle, their coach took the floor.

"Play tighter, don't let them breathe. Bom Su, keep number 44 under constant pressure," his voice was quiet but firm as he looked at player number 10 — Bom Su.

In Yoshido, the atmosphere was entirely different. Haru Lin laughed, teasing Lu Shen about his missed shot.

"Your shot is like sex with you: everyone waits, and in the end, nothing," he threw out.

"Funny, Haru, just like your height," Lu Shen retorted, sipping water.

Ming You, standing aside, carefully studied Siomo's behavior.

"They're going to start playing more aggressively," he quietly told Jung Ho. "Be ready for drives to the hoop."

The whistle sounded to start the third quarter.

After the break, Siomo indeed began to apply pressure. Player number 7, an athletic guy with a high jump, actively worked on rebounds. His aggressive style put Yoshido in a tough spot. Each of their attacks was accompanied by tight defense, every movement met with loud shouts from the bench.

Despite the pressure from Bom Su, Ming You continued to showcase his skills. One of his steals ended in a swift drive to the hoop, where he spectacularly finished the attack with a turnaround shot.

Meanwhile, Lu Shen tried to execute complex plays, but Siomo's defense denied him space. Midway through the quarter, Hong Ren suddenly seemed to come alive. He made two accurate long-range shots in a row, one of which came right before the buzzer.

The whistle blew for the fourth quarter.

In the final quarter, the tension reached its peak. The score on the scoreboard was nearly even, and each attack turned into a battle. Bom Su tried to suppress Ming You, constantly colliding with him on the court. But Ming, remaining unfazed, repeatedly stole the ball.

With three minutes left in the game, Yoshido took the lead thanks to a powerful dunk from Jung Ho. However, Siomo refused to give up: player number 8 executed an incredible three-point shot, restoring the tie.

The final seconds became the climax. Lu Shen, drawing the defenders away, passed the ball to Ming You. Ming You, making a feint, tossed it to Jung Ho under the hoop. With incredible power, Jung finished the play, bringing victory to Yoshido.

The hall erupted in applause. In the Yoshido locker room, they discussed every moment of the game.