Soon, the warm-ups ended. With a sharp blast from the referee's whistle, the game officially began.
As the whistle blew, the referee tossed the ball high into the air, and Liu Zhu and Lü Tian both jumped for it.
Lü Tian was quite confident about the tip-off. His vertical leap had always been impressive—and besides, his opponent was Liu Zhu, someone he didn't even consider a threat.
'If they'd put Zhao Yuan up for the tip-off, he might have posed a threat. But anyone else can forget about taking this ball from me!'
Lü Tian sneered. In his eyes, Class Three of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine had made a huge mistake by not having Zhao Yuan do the tip-off.
'I'll win this tip, launch a fast break, and if we score first, it'll be a huge morale boost for us and a major blow to Class Three of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine!'
So much for the fantasy; reality was cruel.
Just as Lü Tian's hand was about to touch the basketball, another hand shot out from the side and slapped it first. It was Liu Zhu!
"Ho... How is this possible?!"
Lü Tian's eyes widened, unable to believe what he was seeing.
Liu Zhu had actually jumped higher than him?! That's fucking impossible!
How could he have known that Liu Zhu had been following Zhao Yuan's Cultivation of the Four Saints Technique? His physical conditioning had improved by leaps and bounds, and his vertical leap had increased significantly as well. In the past, Liu Zhu truly wouldn't have stood a chance against Lü Tian, but now, he could completely dominate him!
Liu Zhu tipped the ball to Guo Shun.
After catching the ball, Guo Shun immediately charged forward. However, the players from Clinical Class Seven got back on defense quickly, and one of them immediately closed in, trying to steal the ball from him.
"Zhao Yuan!" Guo Shun yelled, immediately passing the ball to him.
The strategy for Class Three of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine was simple: once they had the ball, they'd get it to Zhao Yuan. He would then decide whether to take the shot himself or assist a teammate. This strategy gave Zhao Yuan a great deal of power and freedom. At the same time, it also meant he had to shoulder immense responsibility and expend a lot of energy. But for Zhao Yuan, neither of those was a problem in the slightest!
His mental fortitude and physical stamina had long since been honed to an inhuman level!
When Zhao Yuan got the ball, Sun Ning and Zeng Ping immediately rushed him, blocking his path and preventing him from driving to the basket.
Zhao Yuan's earlier performance had already shown the players from Clinical Class Seven just how terrifying he was under the basket. Keeping him outside the three-point line seemed to be the best option.
However, was it really the best option?
Zhao Yuan immediately showed them with his actions that it was completely useless.
He jumped. He shot.
The basketball traced a beautiful arc in mid-air and sank through the net with a swish.
A three-pointer!
An incredibly accurate, flawless three-pointer!
"Nice shot!"
Off the court, Li Bing exclaimed in admiration.
"He can dunk up close and shoot threes from deep. He can play inside and out. This kid's a true all-around talent!"
Sun Ning and Zeng Ping looked at each other, utterly frustrated, and rushed to explain to Lü Tian.
"Captain, we honestly didn't think the kid could shoot three-pointers..."
"Yeah, we thought he was going to drive to the basket. We were all set up to stop him."
Lü Tian waved a dismissive hand, his expression dark. "Alright, that's enough. So they scored first, big deal. It's fine. We'll catch up!"
After the inbound, Lü Tian led the Clinical Class Seven players as they charged into Class Three of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine's half-court.
They had assumed that, with their skill, they could easily break through the defense of Class Three of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine and score. They quickly realized how wrong they were. Class Three's defense was unbelievably solid! Impenetrably thick! They tried several set plays but couldn't break through at all!
Class Three's defense was like a flood barrier; no matter how violently the torrent raged against it, it stood tall and unmoving!
The players from Clinical Class Seven were shocked once again.
How could they know that the guys from Class Three of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine had already developed a formidable defense during Zhao Yuan's inhuman "abuse" of a training regimen!
The ball was back in Lü Tian's hands, and with the 24-second shot clock about to expire, he took a deep breath, preparing to try for a three-pointer. But just then, he heard his teammates shout a warning: "Watch out!"
A figure, like a fierce tiger swooping down a mountain to hunt, was charging straight for him.
It was Zhao Yuan!
Lü Tian's pupils contracted.
'Trying to steal the ball from me again? Dream on!'
Without a moment's hesitation, he jumped and released the ball.
Zhao Yuan jumped at the exact same moment.
"SMACK!"
With a muffled thud, the basketball was swatted down by Zhao Yuan's hand.
A spectacular block!
Before anyone else could react, Zhao Yuan landed, sprinted for the ball, grabbed it, and immediately launched a fast break.
The Clinical Class Seven players scrambled back on defense, but how could their speed compare to Zhao Yuan's? They could only watch helplessly as he easily scored.
From that point on, the game was completely dominated by Zhao Yuan.
Under his leadership, Class Three of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine launched wave after wave of offense, leaving Clinical Class Seven completely dazed. By the end of the first quarter, Clinical Class Seven had only scored a meager four points. Meanwhile, Class Three of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine had thirty points, outscoring their opponents by twenty-six!
Of those thirty points, Zhao Yuan had scored twenty himself. The other ten were also thanks to his assists and playmaking.
It was safe to say that in the first quarter, Zhao Yuan had single-handedly broken Clinical Class Seven's spirit!
During the break, the Clinical Class Seven players gathered on the sidelines. Crestfallen, none of them spoke. The mood was incredibly low, the atmosphere oppressive.
Lü Tian's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. Being outscored by such a huge margin in a single quarter was something that had never happened to him before.
"This is all Zhao Yuan's fault! If it weren't for him, Class Three of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine would be no match for us! If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have been humiliated like this!" Lü Tian said through clenched teeth, looking up at Zhao Yuan with a gaze full of hatred.
"Captain, why don't we... take him out?" Sun Ning suggested. He and Zeng Ping had been responsible for guarding Zhao Yuan, but they had been beaten so badly they were starting to question their very existence. In terms of skill, neither he nor Zeng Ping was weak, but in front of Zhao Yuan, they were like toddlers, unable to withstand a single blow.
Lü Tian nodded.
Their patron, Ye Feng, had said to humiliate Zhao Yuan *before* injuring him. But right now, *they* were the ones being humiliated! And if they didn't take Zhao Yuan out of the game soon, the humiliation would only get worse!
Lü Tian gave the order. "Sun Ning, when the game starts up again, I want you to take that kid out. And remember," he added, "aim for his little brother."
Even burning with rage, he hadn't forgotten Ye Feng's request.
Sun Ning was taken aback for a moment, not understanding the need for a low blow, but he didn't ask questions. He just gave a savage grin and replied, "Alright! I promise I'll turn that kid into a eunuch!"
"Be subtle about it. Don't let anyone see you did it on purpose," Lü Tian added.
Sun Ning nodded. "Don't worry, Captain. I know what I'm doing."