"My brother is awesome! I guess we'll have to fight more often in the future!"
A mischievous thought sparked in Lin Feng's mind. If anyone dared to commit a malicious foul against him in the future, he would simply retaliate with his fists.
Afterward, his similarity would likely increase.
He just wondered if constantly fighting would be wise in the long run.
What if he kept getting into fights and irritated the system, leading to accusations of "flooding" and a premature end to his journey?
In Lin Feng's estimation, enhancing the similarity of Sakuragi Hanamichi's inner character seemed to be more of an unintentional trigger.
The system probably wouldn't appreciate constant brawls. It was too crude.
On the other side, Croft, his nose gushing blood from Lin Feng's punch, was like an enraged boar. Several teammates struggled to restrain him as he insisted on continuing his physical confrontation with Lin Feng.
The referee, realizing the situation was escalating dangerously, didn't hesitate to issue technical fouls to both players.
Ryan, eager to protect his player, rushed over to argue with the referee. After all, Croft had initiated the malicious foul.
Lin Feng shouldn't have been penalized with a technical foul.
The bald referee remained resolute and promptly slapped Ryan with another technical foul.
His message was clear: he was in charge on the court, and his calls were final. Further arguments would not be tolerated.
Lin Feng had calmed down by now and signaled to Coach Ryan to let it go. It was already a minor victory that he hadn't been ejected from the game entirely.
Deep down, the referee likely knew that Croft's earlier move wasn't a legitimate defensive play but a deliberate attempt to injure Lin Feng.
Their strategy was clear: eliminate Lin Feng in the first game, prevent him from playing in the subsequent series, and significantly increase their chances of winning the championship.
...
"Lin Feng, how do you feel? Can you continue playing?"
Ryan's concern for Lin Feng was genuine. The championship was on the line, and he couldn't afford to be careless.
Without Lin Feng on the court, both their offense and defense would suffer significantly.
He didn't want to risk Lin Feng's long-term health unless absolutely necessary.
Lin Feng cautiously moved his swollen ankle and winced. He could probably push through and continue playing, but he worried about the long-term consequences, potentially sidelining him for the rest of the series.
A sprained ankle might seem like a minor injury, but it required prompt and proper treatment.
Delaying treatment and insisting on playing could have severe repercussions, even for an athlete with exceptional physical conditioning.
He recalled the 2000 NBA Finals when Kobe Bryant was maliciously tripped by Jalen Rose, causing his left ankle to twist severely. The team doctor diagnosed it as a Grade 3 sprain.
Despite the significant pain, Kobe played through the injury, ultimately leading the Lakers to victory over the Pacers and securing his first championship ring.
Lin Feng's current situation bore a striking resemblance to Kobe's. He had been intentionally tripped by Croft. While his sprain might not be a Grade 3, it was undoubtedly serious.
Just as a wave of uncertainty washed over everyone, a crisp "ding" sound snapped Lin Feng out of his contemplation, replacing his pain with elation.
[Bite!]
[Because the host's similarity with Sakuragi Hanamichi has reached 50%, congratulations on obtaining 1,000 points and activating the mall system.]
[System Mall: Opened!]
"Huh?"
The system's prompt left Lin Feng momentarily dumbfounded.
He quickly accessed the system mall and discovered that he could use his accumulated points to exchange for various healing remedies.
There was an item called 'Magic Bone Water' that promised rapid recovery from athletic injuries – sprains, falls, bruises, and more.
According to the description, a single bottle of this magical elixir would restore an injured athlete to their pre-injury condition almost instantly.
"Wow, I've struck gold!"
A surge of excitement coursed through Lin Feng. He had almost forgotten that systems acquired by time-traveling hosts invariably included a shopping mall.
It would have been utterly unacceptable if his system lacked such a crucial feature.
A bottle of Magic Bone Water cost 100 points to redeem.
Lin Feng also noted that in addition to increasing his similarity with Sakuragi Hanamichi, he could earn more points by delivering strong performances in games and leading his team to victories.
"System, exchange 100 points for a bottle of Magic Bone Water for me," Lin Feng mentally commanded.
[100 points exchanged for Magic Bone Water, exchange successful. When would the host like to consume it?]
"Right now!" Lin Feng replied quickly in his mind.
[The host has successfully consumed the Magic Bone Water. The sprained ankle has fully recovered!]
Lin Feng cautiously moved his injured ankle again and was astonished to find that all pain had vanished, and the swelling had completely subsided.
The speed of recovery was incredible! This system mall was truly a godsend for athletes!
In the heat of competition, injuries were almost inevitable.
Even basketball legends like Kobe, Rose, McGrady, and Iverson had their careers significantly impacted by injuries.
Now that he had access to the system mall, he felt as resilient as a rock, no longer fearing the specter of injuries.
"Ha ha!"
The realization filled Lin Feng with such joy that he couldn't help but chuckle aloud.
Ryan, Su Muqing, Harris, and the others exchanged worried glances. They initially thought Lin Feng's injury might have been more severe than they realized, perhaps even a concussion from the fall.
In such a critical game, an injury to their star player was a major setback.
They were all debating whether they should allow Lin Feng to continue playing in his injured state.
Before they could reach a consensus, the injured Lin Feng suddenly started laughing, a seemingly manic sound.
Ryan frowned, looking at Lin Feng with a mixture of concern and bewilderment. "Lin Feng, what are you laughing at? You're injured like this; you can't continue the game. Come off the court and rest. I'll ice your ankle and we'll try to get you ready for the next game!"
"The team needs you! Without you, our chances of winning the championship are uncertain!" Coach Ryan's words echoed in his ears.
Lin Feng, his face now relaxed and confident, replied, "Coach Ryan, the injury is no longer a problem. My ankle is completely healed!"
"What? Healed?"
Ryan and the others were utterly astonished.
Healed that quickly?
How was that even possible?
"Let me see."
Ryan quickly knelt down and examined Lin Feng's previously swollen ankle.
Seeing was believing, and the sight was truly shocking.
He was dumbfounded to find that Lin Feng's ankle, which had been grotesquely swollen just moments ago, was now perfectly normal!
There was no trace of redness or swelling. He gently palpated Lin Feng's ankle and asked, "Does it not hurt at all?"
"Coach Ryan, I told you I was fine. Why would it still hurt?" Lin Feng replied with a shrug.
Su Muqing, who had been standing nearby with a worried expression, now looked utterly perplexed.
"Baby, are you sure it doesn't hurt at all? It was so swollen just now. How can there be no swelling at all now? It's a miracle!"
"Yeah, it's really amazing. I'm a little confused myself," Lin Feng said, playing along.
He didn't know how else to explain it without revealing his possession of the Ball God System.
Telling Su Muqing, Ryan, and the others that he had simply exchanged points for a bottle of magical elixir and instantly healed his injury would sound utterly unbelievable.
Sometimes, a simple, blatant lie was the most effective approach.
Ryan smiled, relief washing over his face. "It's good that you're okay, really good! Just keep playing, Lin! You have to lead us to a perfect victory tonight!"
"Don't worry, Coach Ryan. We won't let anyone down. Just wait for the good news!"
With renewed vigor, Lin Feng stretched his limbs, ready to continue his fight for the NBDL championship!