The following day, just as predicted, Lin Feng's name graced the pages of the Los Angeles Sports Times once more.
The Lakers' thrilling season opener against the Warriors had been broadcast live across the United States, etching into the collective memory of Los Angeles an unforgettable image: an Asian player with striking red hair, three strategically placed Band-Aids on his face, sleek Air Force One Venom basketball shoes, and the iconic No. 10 purple and gold Lakers jersey.
Far away in Houston, Yao Ming also tuned into the live broadcast and later perused the news coverage on ESPN Times.
At his eponymous Yao Restaurant, a frequent haunt during his downtime, Yao Ming sat with his laptop, scrolling through real-time news updates. The Lakers' dramatic victory over the Golden State Warriors the previous night dominated the headlines.
The narrative was compelling: after being dominated for three quarters, the Lakers, seemingly destined for defeat, were rescued by a young Chinese player.
This newcomer had stepped onto the court in the fourth quarter, single-handedly disrupting the Warriors' offensive rhythm and orchestrating a stunning comeback, capped by a game-winning buzzer-beater.
"This guy seems pretty impressive," Yao Ming murmured, a smile playing on his lips as he savored a mouthful of noodles.
"Is he one of us?"
Prior to this, Yao Ming had been unaware of Lin Feng's existence or his background.
He simply found it intriguing to witness an Asian player making such a significant impact in the NBA, a league overwhelmingly dominated by American talent.
Like himself, Lin Feng possessed black hair and yellow skin, yet he was not only holding his own in the NBA but had also delivered a clutch buzzer-beater to defeat a formidable opponent.
"I look forward to meeting him when we play the Lakers," Yao Ming mused, closing his laptop.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Pacific, in China, the overnight sensation was also making waves.
All major mainstream media outlets were reporting on the sudden emergence of this young man. An investigation by CCTV revealed that he was, in fact, Chinese American.
He had moved to Los Angeles around the age of six or seven, his parents being successful businessmen in the United States. From a young age, he had been passionate about basketball.
His entry into the NBA was attributed to Kobe Bryant, who had personally scouted and brought this young man named Lin from the NBDL Development League to the Lakers.
The Chinese nation was stirred by this news. Although Lin Feng's upbringing technically made him American, his heritage resonated deeply. The buzz around Lin Feng presented an opportunity for promotion within China. In addition to Houston Rockets games, more Lakers broadcasts were likely in the future.
This promising young Chinese talent was poised to gain a massive and loyal fanbase in China.
Consequently, major media outlets scrambled to cover the story, and even smaller websites drew comparisons between Lin Feng and the beloved "Little Giant" Yao Ming in a bid for clicks and views.
Overnight, Lin Feng became a household name not only in Los Angeles but also across the vast expanse of China.
Many in China now knew of Lin Feng, the Chinese American who had defied expectations by joining the Lakers and leading them to a season-opening victory with a dramatic buzzer-beater.
…
"Awesome, awesome, awesome!"
"Who is Lin Feng? He's incredible! I watched the game yesterday, he was truly amazing."
"Damn! Did you see that in the crucial moment, Kobe Bryant passed the ball? Kobe! He actually passed to that guy Lin Feng!"
"And Lin Feng, he just swished it in and defeated the Warriors!"
"That's freaking awesome! Aside from Yao Ming, can you still say Asians can't play in the NBA? Now there's another one, Lin Feng! See that? He can definitely play in the NBA!"
"Fuck! Why are you so excited? No matter how good he is, Lin Feng is still American, okay? Just American. Please don't get too worked up."
"What does his performance have to do with us? I still support Yao Ming. If anyone dares to slander Yao Ming in this forum, I'll go after them! Come out and fight me if you dare!"
"——"
This was the bustling basketball section of a popular domestic forum, the number of posts skyrocketing.
Lin Feng's buzzer-beating heroics against the Golden State Warriors had ignited a frenzy, and domestic media was providing extensive coverage.
The name Lin Feng became an overnight sensation, echoing the "Linsanity" phenomenon that would grip the basketball world six years later.
Of course, in 2006, the term "Linsanity" didn't exist. People were just beginning to learn about a Chinese American named Lin Feng, who was carving his own improbable path in the NBA!
Where there was praise, there were also dissenting voices, a common occurrence in online forums in China.
The forum was a hive of activity, with countless messages and posts engaged in heated debate.
Lin Feng, oblivious to his newfound fame back in China, was still basking in the glow of the Lakers' victory in Los Angeles.
After the post-game interview, he had received a familiar notification sound from the Ball God System.
[Win the first game for the Lakers, +1000 points]
[Big Heart, Key Player, Lore-winning, Points +500 points]
Lin Feng opened the system panel to check his accumulated points.
A glance revealed a total of 2500 points, a substantial sum that could be exchanged for various items within the system store.
However, browsing the system mall, Lin Feng found little of interest beyond some basic healing potions.
[System Notification: Player level insufficient. Mall access currently restricted to Level 2. The mall contains a total of 10 levels. Activating higher-level access will unlock more advanced items.]
The prospect of unlocking the Level 10 mall filled Lin Feng with anticipation. He imagined the countless valuable items that awaited him at the highest tier.
He casually exchanged a bottle of physical enhancement potion in the Level 2 mall and consumed it. Despite his already impressive physique, a significant portion of Sakuragi Hanamichi's raw power, he still felt a need for improvement.
His explosive power was still noticeably less than that of Sakuragi in the original Slam Dunk manga. He recalled Sakuragi's ability to crush a handshake into something resembling a braised pork knuckle.
His current explosive power was still a step below that.
The role-playing similarity wasn't a perfect 100%, making it impossible to fully replicate Sakuragi's unique physical attributes.
After drinking the physical potion, Lin Feng felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. His limbs felt lighter yet more powerful, and even his core seemed infused with explosive potential.
His muscular definition became even more pronounced, the lines sharper, the eight-pack abs more sculpted.
"Time to train!" Lin Feng muttered, his love for exercise now deeply ingrained.
Running, push-ups, sit-ups, weighted single-arm pull-ups, and barbell lifting – Lin Feng embraced any exercise that promised to enhance his physical prowess.
From early morning until the afternoon, Lin Feng was immersed in his rigorous training regimen. It was only when his girlfriend Su Muqing called, asking if he wanted to grab dinner, that Lin Feng finally took a short break.
Not long after hanging up with Su Muqing, Lin Feng saw her white BMW pulling up. She had brought him dinner. But the moment she stepped out of the car, Lin Feng's senses sharpened – someone was following Su Muqing.
A black Mercedes-Benz SUV had stopped directly behind Su Muqing's BMW.
Then, two white men emerged from the SUV, a sinister sneer spreading across their faces as they approached Lin Feng and Su Muqing.