The Shizi Dogs stepped off the bus and into the bustling lobby of their living facility in Beijing. The enormous hotel stood before them, its sleek glass exterior reflecting the early afternoon sun.
The hotel was reserved for the entire three weeks for the delegates of the Nationals. And now, for the first ti, the Shizi Dogs were among them.
They entered through the lobby, appearing like a fish out of water.
Wherever they went, their height stood out. However, in the lobby filled with basketball players their age, they didn't look special at all.
"Wait here," Coach Muchen said. "I'll just get your keycards and talk with so of the coaches to acquaint myself."
Lina nodded and led the boys to the middle of the lobby.
Jet's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the other teams milling around the lobby. "The Keystone Giants. They're so freaking huge!" he whispered to Kai, nudging him with an elbow. The Giants towered over everyone, their broad shoulders, and towering fras making them seem more like professional athletes than high schoolers.
"Yeah," Kai murmured back, looking at them with wide eyes.
Everywhere they looked, there were players with pristine uniforms, chatting with coaches or just lounging on the plush sofas. The opening ceremony was still the day after tomorrow, but the committee wanted them all to settle in early.
Nina and Rolan, the courtside reporters from Jilin, stood at the entrance, their eyes wide with amazent. Rolan, with his cara slung over his shoulder, scanned the crowd. "Where are the Shizi Dogs?" he muttered, searching for their favorite underdog team.
"There!" Nina pointed excitedly, spotting the Dogs in the middle of the lobby. Her excitent dimd slightly when she noticed sothing. "They're getting bumped around," she said, sympathizing with the newbies.
Indeed, as the Shizi Dogs made their way through the lobby, it seed like they were invisible. Other teams, more renowned and from more prominent cities, barely noticed them. Players from well-known schools brushed past them without a second glance, so even bumping into them as if they were rely obstacles in their path.
Jinping scowled as yet another player bumped his shoulder without so much as an apology. "We're like ghosts here," he muttered under his breath.
"Don't let it get to you," Yuze said. "They'll notice us on the court."
Lina, walking slightly ahead, heard the comnt and turned back with a reassuring smile. "We're here to play, not to be famous. Rember that."
"Or both," Jet said, rubbing his palms in excitent.
The Shizi Dogs nodded, trying to keep their spirits up. They were, after all, a team from a remote city in the northeastern part of the country, almost bordering Russia and North Korea. They hadn't been to the Nationals before, and their na didn't carry much weight compared to the schools from Shanghai, Beijing, and the neighboring cities.
They stood near the couches of the lobby since they were all occupied.
Just then, soone called Kai's na.
"Kai!" Calvin called out.
They turned to the side and found the Longyu Dragons sitting on one of the coaches. Guri frowned as soon as he saw Kai.
Kai bowed his head as a response.
The exchange was brief, but it caught the attention of several onlookers. So of the other players who had been clamoring for photos with Calvin turned to Kai with raised eyebrows, clearly wondering who this unknown player was that Calvin was greeting so casually.
Before they could dwell on it, another group approached. The Yin Yang Knights were heading toward the elevators. Max caught sight of Kai and stopped for a brief second before walking over to pat him on the back.
"See you on the court," Max said before continuing on his way.
Kai nodded, feeling the eyes of his teammates on him. "Yeah, see you."
As if the morning couldn't get any more surreal, the Ying Eagles entered next. Their presence was impossible to ignore, not just because of their reputation but because of their star player, Zheng Zhang. Kai's eyes widened as he took in Zheng's massive fra. The guy had always been big, but now it looked like he'd sohow gotten even bigger.
"He's a mountain," Andy whispered in awe.
Kai nodded, trying not to stare.
But before they could move on, the lobby suddenly erupted into a commotion. Cara flashes exploded as reporters sward towards the entrance. The Juren Champions had arrived, and with them, a sea of press.
The Shizi Dogs tried to move out of the way as the press surged forward, but it was like trying to hold back a pack of rhinos. Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire
The Champions were easily the most famous team, with their star players being treated like celebrities.
Chaoxing spotted Kai in the crowd and waved. The simple gesture sent speculations through the surrounding players. Those who noticed assud that Chaoxing was waving at them and waved back eagerly.
"He definitely waved at ."
"Nope. He waved at ."
"He's going to recruit in their team!"
"You're a benchwarr. Stop dreaming."
Jian, however, was more reserved. He glanced in Kai's direction, his expression unreadable, before turning his attention back to the reporters.
The press continued to swarm around the Champions, and in the chaos, Lina got caught in the crowd. She stumbled, losing her balance as a wave of reporters pushed forward.
"Lina," Kai softly said, pushing through the crowd to reach her. But before he could get there, another hand shot out to help her up.
The crowd quickly separated with the arrival of another star player.
Kai froze when he saw who it was.
"You okay?" the tall boy asked, his voice calm amidst the chaos.
The voice was familiar—but Kai had never heard him speak this way.
It was almost too…soft.
Lina nodded, still shaken. "Y-Yeah, thanks."
Kai stood a few steps away, watching the interaction.
Fang Liu.
Fang's eyes flicked over to Kai, and for a mont, the two locked gazes.
However, in a brief second, he looked away.
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