Chapter 743: 742 Looking forward to
This season, the Kansas City Chiefs’ passing defense was indeed hard to describe.
It wasn’t that there were no highlights—Fuller’s brilliance and Jones’s growth were comndable; but it wasn’t enough.
On one hand, two people alone couldn’t support the entire defense group’s performance; on the other hand, their individual performances were sporadic and couldn’t form a consistent chain.
The situation was full of challenges.
Berry had been trying persistently, not hoping to be a savior, but hoping to return to his position, fight alongside his team, and contribute his part to the team’s weaker aspects.
He didn’t believe or think that he could transform the defense group completely, but he longed to step onto the field and fight with his teammates.
This desire, he thought would fade with the passage of ti and the difficulties of rehabilitation; but it didn’t, instead, it beca more urgent and stronger.
He had already missed last season’s playoffs, and he didn’t want to miss this year’s.
The injury, fortunately, healed, allowing Berry to finally run without pain.
However, his form didn’t return.
That wasn’t unexpected—
Berry had been out of the ga for two full years, and even now standing on the field, his condition, touch, and instincts were all different.
Recovering from an injury didn’t an he could go back to being that daunting safety.
Injury recovery didn’t work that way.
In fact, he might never be able to find his old self again, and he might return to the field only to never regain his peak form.
That was the most disheartening.
But Berry didn’t give up or surrender; he continued to fight.
Just like Felix.
Fighting with all their might for a glimr of hope, burning their entire lives.
When Berry learned of Felix’s situation, he remained silent for a very long ti and didn’t speak; after saying goodbye to Li Wei, he silently went back to train.
Even now, Li Wei still couldn’t forget Berry’s stubborn back, just like he couldn’t forget Felix’s tear-stained face tornted by pain.
He rembered, rembered it all.
Li Wei looked at Mahos, his face resolute.
“It doesn’t matter that Felix can’t co to the divisional ga, we will continue to advance, maybe we will have a chance at the conference finals,”
“If that’s still not enough, we will continue winning, move on to the Super Bowl, wait for Felix, wait for Eric, we are always fighting side by side.”
“They are not alone, and neither are we.”
Mahos looked at Li Wei and involuntarily opened his shoulders, stood straighter.
When he ca to, he found that not just him, but other players also stopped and looked over, their eyes showing resolution.
A softly uttered “Hang in there” holds no strength because people often don’t understand the effort and heart behind such encouragent, facing one disappointnt after another – persistence and fighting are never just slogans.
But if they are united and march forward together, they can continue, step by step, and this is precisely what the Kansas City Chiefs urgently need—
A fighting heart.
Even without Reed motivating them, the players voluntarily put away their phones, completely blocking out the gossip on social dia, and focusing wholeheartedly on pre-ga preparation.
Never before had the Kansas City Chiefs been so thirsty for a victory, and the postseason losing streak and restrictions from the previous season seed not as scary anymore.
So, is this what they call growth?
…
“There’s no need to be nervous, tomorrow is just another new day, another ga, another battle. I know the heavy burden everyone carries on their shoulders, but trust , you are ready,”
“I believe in you, I hope you can believe in yourselves as I believe in you.”
“Dismiss, have a good rest tonight.”
Having said that, Reed turned and left.
There were no long speeches, no inspirational talks, everything was as usual.
Tomorrow, Saturday, the wild card ga was about to blow its horn.
Watching Reed leave, the players packed up their notebooks and strategy manuals to go ho.
Li Wei was leaving the strategy room with his buddies when his cell phone in his pocket vibrated, Li Wei signaled to everyone, and stopped to answer the call.
“Hey, Felix.”
With that greeting, Mahos and Kelsey all stopped in their tracks.
On the phone, Felix’s voice was full of energy, just like Li Wei rembered, “Hey, good evening, Li Wei!”
“Sorry, I know tomorrow is ga day, and you must be busy; I should be the last person in the city to want to bother you, but, I have a question I must ask you. I can’t refuse.”
Li Wei was about to tell Felix “It’s okay”, in fact, he was thrilled to receive the call, elated to hear Felix’s energetic voice, but then he paused, his words lingering on the tip of his tongue, a smile gently creeping across his lips.
“Rookie, rookie?”
Not only Li Wei but also Mahos and the others cast inquiring looks.
Li Wei gestured that he understood and mouthed the words: He sounds good.
Mahos clenched his fist tightly and high-fived Kelsey and the others.
Li Wei, “Fire away, I’m ready.”
Felix, “Can you spare thirty minutes tonight to co to St. George’s Church near the hospital?”
Li Wei was stunned, “Oh, maybe. Why, is everything okay?”
“Haha.” Felix laughed heartily, “Secret, dear rookie, please allow to keep so secrets.”
Joyful, unrestrained, and a bit more mischievous than usual.
Li Wei couldn’t help but wonder, what was Felix like before he fell ill?
Now, when people saw Felix, the wheelchair and cancer were always the first things to enter the view, labeling him and treating him as a patient, a weakling before getting to know him; but beyond the wheelchair and cancer, he was also a vibrant soul.
A seventeen-year-old soul.
The call ended.
Li Wei looked up and could see the bustling glances coming his way again, he took a deep breath, “Oh, Felix sounds great, no worries; he just needs thirty minutes of my ti.”
“I don’t know, maybe Felix has finally mustered the courage to confess to the girl he likes, he needs to borrow so of our Chieftain’s strength?”
Cut it out.
A wave of teasing, the atmosphere turned lively.
Houston patted Li Wei’s arm, “Even though Felix might not be able to co to Arrowhead Stadium tomorrow, he’ll be fighting with us; you better go check on him.”
Finally, Li Wei and Mahos, two neighbors plus a tag-along, arrived at St. George’s Church, the three of them sizing up the church in front of them—
Calm, normal.
Nothing unusual about its appearance, still clueless upon arriving at the scene.
The three pushed open the church doors, and the lemon-yellow light cascaded down, revealing at the end of the aisle the silhouette of the wheelchair, unmistakably Felix’s back.
In addition, behind the podium at the end of the aisle stood a small figure, who upon seeing them, excitedly and vigorously waved her hands in greeting—
Annie Galas.
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