Chapter 163: New Heights of Abuse

What does it mean to be in a dilemma? What does it mean to have an arrow on the string, knowing it must be shot? What does it mean to not die, even when suicide seems like the only way out?

Of course, the last line is directed at Justin Bieber, but Jiang Hai is truly feeling troubled right now.

Imagine having a personal grudge played out in front of tens of thousands of people—how overwhelming is that?

Jiang Hai is really stuck in a dilemma now. If he doesn't go up, can he still face anyone?

But if he does go up, he's gripped with guilt and fear, not knowing what to do.

"Hey, come up, you're not scared!" Justin Bieber, noticing Jiang Hai's hesitation, taunts from the side, waving his arms to provoke him, all the while dribbling the ball and showing off fancy moves on the court.

The crowd on the sidelines is confused. All they see is Justin Bieber making provocative moves as though asking someone to join him. Watching the spectacle and knowing that booing Bieber is always the right thing to do, they join in. The jeers make Jiang Hai's legs grow weaker and weaker.

This is the first time in his life that Jiang Hai has felt so cowardly. But, holding onto the principle that he would rather die standing than live sitting, he grits his teeth, slaps his legs, and mutters under his breath, "Damn it, let's die!"

He stands up, steadies himself, and walks toward the court. When Justin Bieber sees him getting up, he claps his hands in delight, while the camera nearby zooms in, trying to capture this unknown player who's dared challenge Bieber. Unfortunately, Jiang Hai is no star and far from handsome, disappointing the crowd. They had expected a celebrity showdown, but it seems more like Bieber putting on a solo performance.

"Hey guys, looks like there's a bullfight going on down there. I didn't expect dessert before the game starts," one of the broadcasters jokes, as the pre-game setup continues.

Up in the booth, the four TNT commentators are chatting or distracted by their phones. Kenny Smith, sitting in the corner, hears the commotion and looks up, spotting what looks like a "bullfight" on the court.

"What the hell? Someone's fighting a bull?" Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal immediately rush over to see what's going on. The two giants squeeze past Kenny and lean in close to the glass to watch.

"It looks like Justin Bieber is stirring up trouble again," Uncle Amy chuckles, joining them.

"Hey, Shaq, I don't think I've seen this guy before. Is he a Chinese star? You always go to China; you should know him!" Charles asks, eyeing Jiang Hai on the court.

"I don't think I know him either... Anyway, let's see. By the way, Charles, who do you think will win?" O'Neal shrugs, clearly unaware of Jiang Hai.

"Although Bieber's a troublemaker, I still think he'll win," Charles says confidently.

Seeing Charles bet on Bieber, O'Neal is a bit speechless and immediately counters, "Damn, you can't bet against the mysterious man. You can tell from his skin that he's Asian, maybe from China. He could know martial arts. If he's from Japan, maybe ninjutsu..."

Charles isn't having it. He glances at O'Neal and smirks, "You're so confident in him, why don't you guess Bieber wins?"

"Although Bieber's a naughty kid, I guess he'll win," O'Neal admits, with a resigned shrug. They both chuckle as the situation unfolds.

Even though they laugh, it's clear that Justin Bieber is no slouch. At least, on a street court, he's formidable, or else they wouldn't have picked him.

Meanwhile, on the court, Jiang Hai has warmed up and is ready. After tossing his jacket to Moses Adams, he surveys Justin Bieber, still dribbling and showing off his moves. "So, how do we play this?" he asks.

"It's simple. Don't you know the basics of one-on-one? One attacks, one defends. If you score, keep attacking. If you miss or the ball goes out of bounds, we switch. First to seven points wins," Bieber explains quickly.

"Then let's start!" Jiang Hai declares, walking toward the free throw line. Justin Bieber is momentarily stunned.

"Wait, you're not going to take a three-pointer? Who's attacking first?" Bieber asks, holding the ball.

"No, you attack first, or you'll never even touch the ball," Jiang Hai replies with a calm confidence. He stands at the free throw line, ready to let Bieber make the first move.

"Dammit," Bieber mutters, seeing how casually Jiang Hai is handling it. He grits his teeth, dribbles, and heads toward the three-point line.

"This game will be over fast," Olynyk, off to the side, murmurs, sipping a sticky drink.

"Yeah, even though Bieber's a troublemaker, his skills are good. This'll be over soon," Mirotic adds, chuckling.

"No, you're wrong," Olynyk disagrees, shaking his head and pointing at Jiang Hai. "That guy's gonna win. Our coach called him a monster."

Mirotic, a bit puzzled by Olynyk's confidence, just watches.

"I'm coming!" Bieber yells as he dribbles to the three-point line. In a burst of speed, he moves left, trying to catch Jiang Hai off guard, but Jiang Hai stays calm, blocking his path with ease.

Justin Bieber, unfazed, pulls a fast move, spinning to the right. But once again, Jiang Hai steps right in front of him.

Bieber tries again, jumping like a giant grasshopper, but no matter how he maneuvers, Jiang Hai is always one step ahead. He's being thoroughly guarded, while Jiang Hai strolls casually, blocking him at every turn.

The crowd on the sidelines grows louder with their boos and cheers. The pressure on Bieber is mounting, and his frustration grows. Finally, when Jiang Hai blocks him again, Bieber leans into him, trying to jump back.

"I don't believe you can stop me this time!" Bieber shouts, launching himself into the air with a determined look. But as he leaps, a black shadow rises to block him, fully covering the basket.

"Wow, that's high!" The crowd is in awe, and even O'Neal and the others upstairs are stunned by Jiang Hai's leap. Who would have known that this unknown player had such strength?

In mid-air, Bieber, surprised, tries to push the ball toward the basket, but Jiang Hai smashes it out of the air like a volleyball, sending the ball flying out of bounds.

"Attack's over. My turn now," Jiang Hai says, landing gracefully. He looks at Bieber, who's still processing what just happened. With a chuckle, Jiang Hai shakes his head. This guy was really asking for it.

"Come on!" Bieber yells, swallowing hard, as some curious fans retrieve the ball. Jiang Hai walks to the center circle and pushes the ball to Bieber in a casual, almost teasing manner. Bieber slaps it back.

But as he does, Jiang Hai suddenly shoots. Do you remember Jiang Hai's shooting range? It spans the entire half-court.

It's just like taking a normal two-point shot. With a flick of his wrist, the ball sails effortlessly toward the basket.

The crowd goes silent as the ball sinks through the net. Justin Bieber watches in shock, as confused as the audience. The game has barely begun, and already, Jiang Hai has stunned everyone.

(To be continued.)