Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog-Chapter 568: Ridiculous Torch Lighting

Around him, his teammates erupted into laughter and teasing.

"Of course, it's Kai," Max said, nudging him in the ribs with his elbow. "The baby of the group gets the honor."

"Baby? I'm taller than you," Kai shot back, earning a snort from Max.

Zheng grinned widely. "How does it feel to carry the hopes of the nation at 16, huh, Golden Boy?"

Kai rolled his eyes, but before he could retort, Jimmy let out an exaggerated groan, slumping against Jian's shoulder.

"This is so unfair," Jimmy whined, pointing a finger at Kai like he'd stolen his lunch money. "Do you know how close I was to being the youngest player? Four months. Four measly months."

"Yeah, and yet here we are," Jian said with mock pity, patting Jimmy on the head. "Just not young enough, old man."

Jimmy shot Jian a glare before turning to Kai. "This should've been me, you know. You don't even look like the youngest. I swear you're secretly 20."

Kai smirked. "I'm not the one lamenting my lost youth like a grandpa."

Zheng chuckled and placed a hand on Jimmy's shoulder. "Well, at least you won't experience the pressure."

Jimmy rolled his eyes but didn't say anything more.

As Zheng said those words, Kai turned to see Fernando Ching sitting stiffly off to the side, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his expression somewhere between annoyance and indifference. The legendary shooter clearly wasn't thrilled to be sharing the torch-lighting honor with a kid.

Kai swallowed hard, suddenly feeling anxious under Fernando's hard stare.

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The murmurs around the room died down as Fernando finally spoke, though not to Kai. Instead, he turned to Johnny Wang.

"Can you believe this?" Fernando said in a loud voice, shaking his head. "The youngest player and me—what a joke."

Johnny Wang blinked, unsure how to respond. "Well, you're both the representatives of time, right? Past and future. It's symbolic…and it's what the sponsors want."

Fernando huffed. "Symbolic nonsense. I've been competing at the Global Games since I was 28. Now, look at me—pushing into my mid-40s and still carrying the team."

He uncrossed his arms only to wave a hand dismissively. "You think I got here by sharing the stage with a bunch of teenagers?"

Johnny smiled. "Well, at least you've always medaled, right? That's impressive."

Fernando's eyes lit up at the opportunity to boast. "Every single year except my first one. That was expected, of course. You don't just show up to your first Global Games and win. But after that? Gold, silver, bronze—it doesn't matter. I've been on the podium for every single Global Games since."

The other athletes were amazed, nodding in approval.

Kai, listening from a few steps away, couldn't help but purse his lips. He understood Fernando's frustration.

Shooting didn't have the same following as basketball, even though it required just as much dedication and skill. The fact that basketball teams got a bigger budget simply because they were more popular didn't sit right with Fernando—or most of the other smaller sports teams, for that matter.

Kai knew it wasn't his fault, but still…he felt awkward.

Fernando let out another deep sigh, his sharp gaze flicking toward the basketball team. "Meanwhile, your boys get the big bucks. Doesn't matter how poorly they place, as long as the stands are full and the cameras are rolling."

Johnny Wang decided not to respond and merely stepped back to the podium. Then, he gestured to the far side of the room, where another man stepped forward.

The man was slender and sharp-looking, wearing a black turtleneck and round glasses that gave him the air of a high-brow artist.

"This is Mr. Liang, the director of the opening ceremony performance," Johnny said. "He will explain the concept and how the torch-lighting will work."

Mr. Liang adjusted his glasses and smiled politely at the crowd. "Thank you, Mr. Wang. Athletes, it is my great honor to present this year's performance. As mentioned, the theme is time. Past meets future, tradition meets innovation."

He gestured to the screen behind him, and the lights dimmed as an animated video began to play. Kai leaned forward in his seat.

The animation opened with a stylized version of a traditional Chinese courtyard. A young athlete—drawn to resemble Kai a little too closely for comfort—stood poised with a basketball in hand, surrounded by calligraphy and abstract art.

Music swelled as the animated athlete ran through the scene, running between symbolic representations of past champions—runners, gymnasts, martial artists.

Kai's pulse quickened as he watched the animated version of himself dash across a glowing red court, dribbling the basketball like it was second nature. The scene was fast-paced and heart-pounding.

Then, the video slowed. The animated athlete stopped just beyond a painted white line, his eyes locked on a distant ring perched atop an ornate structure. In the center of the ring sat a pile of coal, dark and waiting.

"And here," Mr. Liang's voice narrated over the visuals, "is where the magic happens."

The animated athlete pulled back his arm, spun the basketball, and launched it with perfect form. The camera followed the ball's arc as it sailed through the air, growing brighter as it approached the coal. Upon contact, the coal erupted into brilliant flames that spread across the torch ring, lighting up the entire structure in a golden blaze.

Kai watched with wide eyes as to what happened next. He was unsure how the torch was going to be lit throughout the video.

Then, the unbelievable happened.

Gasps rippled through the room as the animation faded, and Mr. Liang stepped back into the light. "This will be recreated live at the opening ceremony. Kai Guo will dribble the torch ball to the designated point. He will make the final shot. The ball is designed with flammable liquid, and when Fernando Ching fires his shot, the ball will ignite mid-air, lighting the ceremonial torch."

The room was silent for a moment. Then Kai whispered under his breath, "That looks impossible."