Chapter Sixteen: Pushed to the Brink!

As soon as classes ended that afternoon, the school’s basketball gym was already teeming with people. Lin Hang was, after all, one of the school’s most talked-about figures, and now, Chen Feng had become equally renowned—especially after this morning, when he received a heartfelt apology from a teacher. By now, there were hardly any students who didn’t know his name.

A basketball match between these two was bound to draw a crowd of eager spectators. Even before today, the nickname “Chen Three-Pounds” had spread far and wide, and everyone knew that Chen Feng’s three-point shots were uncannily accurate.

Lin Hang had been waiting for Chen Feng for some time. He was simmering with a quiet rage. Ever since Gu Shasha sought out Chen Feng and ended up humiliating herself, rumors about Lin Hang had been swirling throughout the school, turning him into a modern-day villain in the eyes of many. Heaven knows—Lin Hang was still a virgin!

This morning, Chen Feng’s exam results had only deepened Lin Hang’s sense of defeat. That chubby guy, who used to rank near the bottom, had somehow managed to place twenty-fourth in the entire grade.

Now, Lin Hang was burning with resentment, desperate to teach Chen Feng a lesson on the court and vent his frustration.

When Chen Feng entered the gym, he’d already changed into the number 14 jersey. He had slimmed down considerably, so the uniform no longer looked bulky on him.

“Chen Feng, you’re here?” Lin Hang’s gaze was intense, almost blazing.

“Of course,” Chen Feng replied with a broad smile. He seemed like a friendly, good-natured guy, but to Lin Hang, he looked more like a predator eyeing his prey.

Yes, prey.

Defeating Chen Feng would earn him a wealth of achievement points.

The PE teacher, Chen Ping, appeared between them, holding a basketball, and spoke slowly: “Now, let me explain the rules. It’s a one-on-one match, ten minutes in length. Any objections?”

Ten minutes?

Chen Feng cast a deep glance at Lin Hang. He’d expected the match to be decided by whoever scored first, not by a timed game. Luckily, just that afternoon, he’d injected the super-soldier serum distilled from Captain America, or else he might have been in trouble.

It seemed Lin Hang lacked confidence in himself, hoping to wear Chen Feng out over time.

Chen Feng smiled, “No problem at all!”

“Then let’s begin. Who will start with the ball?” asked the PE teacher.

“Let him go first,” Chen Feng said with a grin.

Lin Hang picked up the ball, staring fixedly at Chen Feng, dribbling in rhythm. Though he claimed he wouldn’t lose easily, deep down, he knew better than anyone that Chen Feng’s skills were no joke.

“Chen Three-Pounds” was not just an empty nickname.

Suddenly, Lin Hang sprang into action, darting along the perimeter before cutting inside. He was well aware of Chen Feng’s main weakness: stamina. Chen Feng was deadly with three-point shots, but his endurance was poor—he could only sustain it for about five minutes. So, Lin Hang aimed to exhaust him within that window.

Under the basket!

Lin Hang drove forward, taking three steps for a layup.

But just then, a figure appeared before him—Chen Feng. The instant the ball left Lin Hang’s hand, Chen Feng leapt. His jump shocked everyone: he soared nearly a meter off the ground.

“How is this possible?” Lin Hang’s eyes widened as Chen Feng’s pudgy hand slapped the ball forcefully.

Bang!

A powerful block!

The ball slammed onto the floor, and the sheer force of the block stunned everyone. Even the PE teacher was dumbfounded—it simply defied science. How could Chen Feng jump so high, especially given his size?

Lin Hang tried to recover the ball, but Chen Feng moved even faster, snatching it away. His speed far outstripped Lin Hang’s, and by the time he reached the three-point line, Lin Hang was still several steps behind.

Swish!

The ball traced a perfect arc through the air, dropping cleanly through the net.

Chen Feng turned, his face calm, and said with a faint smile, “Three points ahead!”

Picking up the ball again, Lin Hang gritted his teeth. “Don’t get cocky—it’s not even a minute in.”

Chen Feng merely smiled, unconcerned. He had resolved that Lin Hang would not score a single point in this match. It sounded unbelievable, but Chen Feng had the ability.

Though “Slam Dunk” depicted high school students, the abilities shown were NBA-level, and most characters were inspired by real NBA stars. Mitsui’s prototype was said to be Reggie Miller, the legendary player who slew Jordan with a three-point shot.

They were high schoolers in the story, but their skills were truly formidable, and all modeled after NBA hard-hitters.

Previously, Chen Feng’s weak stamina was his Achilles’ heel. But since he’d injected Captain America’s serum at noon, his physical abilities had soared. Compared to the protagonist Sakuragi Hanamichi, Chen Feng’s current athleticism was even more terrifying.

In other words, he now surpassed Mitsui in every way.

Lin Hang’s skills were decent, but to Chen Feng, he was merely there to be trounced.

Again, Lin Hang charged at Chen Feng, who met him with a mocking smile, blocking his path in just a few steps.

Steal!

Lin Hang felt his right hand empty—the ball was snatched again. Chen Feng leapt and shot from a distance.

Another three-point shot!

“Six points!” Chen Feng tossed the ball back to Lin Hang, still wearing that infuriating smile. “Don’t rush. We’ve got nine minutes and thirty seconds left, plenty of time.”

“You don’t need to rush either. I’ll show you just how worthless your basketball skills are!” Lin Hang’s eyes were red with anger. Though he hated to admit it, he knew full well that, purely in terms of skill, he was no match for Chen Feng.

“I must wait. I must endure. I can’t be impatient. Once his stamina runs out, it’ll be my turn to shine!” Lin Hang roared inwardly.

But Chen Feng could easily guess Lin Hang’s intentions. Wait for him to tire? How laughable. Captain America’s serum had supercharged his metabolism, eliminating fatigue-causing substances like lactic acid from his muscles. His endurance couldn’t rival Captain America’s, but it far exceeded any ordinary person; after a basketball game, he wouldn’t feel tired at all.

Smack!

Chen Feng’s body twitched, stealing the ball yet again, and made another three-point shot without hesitation.

One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes.

Lin Hang was overcome with terror. Chen Feng’s shooting accuracy was unreal, and, most frightening of all, he showed no signs of fatigue. This was nothing like last time, when he'd started panting after less than a minute, and by three minutes, was running on sheer willpower.

But now—

Chen Feng’s stamina seemed bottomless, his movements agile and tireless, sinking an average of four three-pointers every minute.

By the ninth minute.

108:0

This score stunned everyone present. Lin Hang stared blankly at Chen Feng. “Why? Why aren’t you exhausted?”

Smack!

Without any unnecessary words, Chen Feng snatched the ball again. This time, he didn’t stop at the three-point line, but jumped from the free-throw line.

He soared like a dragon, full of unstoppable momentum.

“Is he going to dunk?” Lin Hang watched in utter disbelief, praying desperately that Chen Feng would fail, hoping for him to make a fool of himself.

Under the gaze of the entire crowd, Chen Feng leapt more than a meter high, like a mighty dragon beneath the backboard, and slammed the ball hard into the hoop.

Clang!

A thunderous crash echoed throughout the gym as the ball was hammered into the basket. The entire hoop shook violently, struggling to withstand the force.

Impossible!

Everyone was dumbstruck. This was a high schooler, dunking from a distance—a feat many professional players couldn’t pull off, let alone someone like Chen Feng, an ordinary student who weighed over 180 pounds and was known for being chubby.

Thud!

Lin Hang collapsed heavily onto the floor, all his strength drained. He stared at Chen Feng in disbelief, a deep sense of defeat washing over him.

He knew he’d lost—lost utterly and completely. Their abilities weren’t even in the same league.

110:0

Chen Feng’s absolute victory.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Someone began to applaud, and soon the entire gym erupted in thunderous applause, like a tidal wave surging through the crowd.