"My God, oh, my God! Lu Ke is on his feet! Lu Ke is standing up! He's standing up!" Kirk frantically pounded on the broadcast desk, shouting uncontrollably. His words seemed to have lost their original meaning, as he just kept repeating, "Lu Ke is on his feet!"
That fanaticism and excitement went beyond Kirk's role as a commentator, as he truly felt the passion of football.
"Lu Ke turned around and faced the away fans in the stands. He raised his right hand and gave a thumbs-up, thanking the fans for their support. My God, he seems to be okay, that's great!" After shouting, Kirk's voice became a little choked up. He then realized his unprofessional behavior. He had not only stood up, but he was also cheering like a fan. He didn't even know why he was doing it.
Perhaps it was because he saw the indomitable, never-give-up, and persistent spirit in Lu Ke, who had gone from an unknown practice squad player to where he was now. In competitive sports, victory is everything, and the winner takes all. But sometimes, there is more to it than just victory, and that is the fundamental reason why sports make people so crazy and so invested.
Inside Paul Brown Stadium, the excited and passionate cheers of the San Francisco 49ers fans were echoing. They weren't powerful, but they were tough enough. They weren't noisy, but they were passionate enough. The shouts echoed inside the stadium, gradually coming together to form a cohesive force that truly made people feel the team's unity.
"Wow, this is a sight that the 49ers have never seen since the beginning of the season. This Chinese quarterback has earned a group of loyal supporters with his performance and strength." The passionate emotions gradually subsided, and Kirk couldn't help but sigh, his heart surging as he looked at the vibrant red and gold sea.
Turning his head, Kirk saw a smiling Teddy. But he wasn't embarrassed. He shrugged and chuckled, "I guess I got infected." He openly admitted his unprofessional behavior, earning a laugh from Teddy and applause from the audience.
Then, Kirk continued, returning to his role as a commentator. "However, the specific situation still needs to be determined by the team doctor. We don't know what Lu Ke's condition is and whether he can continue to play. There is no doubt that if he can't, it would be a loss for the regular season."
Team doctor Walt Hudson jogged onto the field. From a distance, he could see Lu Ke standing up again, but his steps didn't stop.
This was the second time Lu Ke had been down in today's game, and Walt was very worried about a concussion. Furthermore, Lu Ke's physical fitness was not top-notch, and he was still on the lighter side. Four sacks in a row would be tough for any quarterback. So, Walt immediately walked over and carefully assessed Lu Ke's condition.
"Doctor, I'm fine," Lu Ke said with a big smile.
Walt frowned. "Whether you're fine or not is for me to decide, not you." If he could, he hoped he wouldn't have to go on the field at all and just stay on the sidelines, with all the players full of life and free from injuries.
The referees were still observing the situation. Walt had limited time. Otherwise, Lu Ke would have to leave the field for a full examination.
Quickly, Walt began the concussion test again. Then, he tested his breathing and joint mobility, and finally, he checked his muscles. After confirming that Lu Ke was okay, he let out a long sigh of relief.
Although Lu Ke's weight was still on the lighter side, his body's flexibility and muscle resistance were excellent. It was rare that he hadn't suffered any injuries after four sacks. This surprised Walt a little. "Wait, is it because of yoga?"
This was the first guess that came to Walt's mind. Lu Ke's persistent yoga training, and the fact that the difficulty was gradually increasing, was no secret within the San Francisco 49ers.
However, this was not the time for discussion. Walt patted Lu Ke on the shoulder and instructed him again, "If you feel any pain, tell me immediately. Don't try to be a hero. Also, after the game, we need to do a full examination."
"Don't worry, Doctor!" Lu Ke gave an "OK" gesture. He then turned around and faced his teammates. "I told you, I'm fine."
The previous collision looked brutal, but thankfully, the flexibility of his body absorbed most of the impact. Muscle soreness was inevitable, but he wasn't injured. More importantly, with the accumulation of basic points, his physical fitness had indeed improved significantly.
Standing still, Lu Ke jumped a few times and stretched his body. Then he rotated his arms to relax his slightly tense muscles. But then he felt a faint soreness in his right arm and left abdominal muscles, and he couldn't help but frown.
A body is made of flesh, after all. How could he not have any reaction after a series of impacts? Not only were his muscles sore, but the muscles in other parts of his body were also tense. It felt like all his nerves were strained, not a specific pain in one spot, but like a rubber band, all his nerves were pulled tight. This feeling was truly strange.
"Bambi, are you sure?" Logan noticed the struggle on Lu Ke's face. Earlier, to check if his nose was bleeding again, Walt ordered Lu Ke to take off his helmet, and he was now completely exposed to his teammates. "If you're hurt, don't try to be a hero!"
"If it weren't for some people's lack of effort, how could Bambi have gotten hurt? Not to mention Bambi, even if Cam Newton came, four sacks before the end of the third quarter, he would get hurt too!" Marcus was still full of frustration, muttering and complaining, indirectly blaming someone.
Iupati and Rachal's faces immediately changed, and the other three players on the offensive line and the three wide receivers also looked upset. The expressions on their faces were complicated and difficult to describe.
"Marcus, leave the locker room issues in the locker room and on the practice field. We're in the middle of a game now. We're one team," Lu Ke said, stopping Marcus. But before he could finish, Marcus stiffened his neck. "You treat them like teammates, but do they treat you like a teammate? They..."
Marcus wanted to continue, but Lu Ke stopped him directly. "I want to win. I want this victory very, very much. I hope I'm not alone, because I need your help to finish this game. The troubles off the field are not what I need to worry about right now. My only concern is, can you stop Atkins?"
With that last sentence, Lu Ke looked at Iupati and Rachal.
Iupati opened his mouth to answer, but Lu Ke's gaze stopped him. "Think before you answer. You've given up four sacks! I don't like it! I've done my job, and I hope you do yours. I need to know that we are on the same page right now, because I don't intend to let this victory go!"
His simple words were powerful. The determined and sharp gaze made it impossible to look him in the eye. Iupati couldn't help but look away. Rachal met Lu Ke's gaze directly, not giving in an inch, but in the end, he couldn't hold on and lowered his head in embarrassment, avoiding eye contact.
"Right now, we need to focus. We are... on the five-yard line." The previous sack lost four yards. Fortunately, Lu Ke didn't fumble the ball this time, although his mind was blank, and he couldn't remember if he had protected the ball. "We have two more chances to score a touchdown. I believe we can do it. Let's show the defense on the other side who the boss of this field is! What do you say, anyone willing to join me?"
With that, Lu Ke extended his right hand and placed it flat in the middle.
The offensive players looked at each other. In the end, everyone's gaze fell on Lu Ke. First, Ted Ginn extended his right hand and placed it on top of Lu Ke's hand, followed by Michael Crabtree and Kyle Williams, then the offensive linemen, and finally, Marcus and Logan reluctantly placed their right hands on top.
Lu Ke didn't say anything. His eyes fell on each of his teammates' faces. "When two brave opponents clash, the braver one wins! I firmly believe that today's victory belongs to us!" His powerful words made every player's eyes gradually light up. Their emotions once again surged and boiled, and they were even eager to start the game again.
The regular season had entered its third week, and the team had already won two consecutive games. But it wasn't until today, until this moment, that the San Francisco 49ers' offense truly became one. Looking at Lu Ke in front of them, they seemed to have a glimmer of belief, a passionate and fanatical belief in victory.
"On three, we're all going to shout touchdown! Let's get some touchdowns! One, two, three!" Lu Ke raised his right hand high, and everyone shouted in unison, "Touchdown!" Then, with shouts, roars, and yells, that desire for victory erupted with incredible light!
Lu Ke stood there and stretched his muscles again. The soreness and tightness still hadn't completely subsided. Lu Ke knew that his current physical condition was not at its best. But he had no way out. He had to play through the pain. Besides, it wasn't even a minor injury. He had to be on the field. He had to give his all and firmly hold on to this victory with his own hands and feet!
The faint stinging sensation kept his mind clearer than ever. In his line of sight, the Bengals' defense had also regained its composure. In a professional game, the previous situation was just a minor incident. No one would care, and no one would be soft, except for the people involved.
But Lu Ke wasn't intimidated or backing down at all. He was ready. He was ready to score another touchdown.
Read the defense, read the defense, read the defense.
Lu Ke wasn't flustered. He read the defense unhurriedly and then slowly, slowly bent down, ready for the snap.
NOTE:
New chapters drop Three times a day, every Monday through Sunday! Plus, you have the power to unlock more: we'll release Three bonus chapters for every 300 votes! Let's get this story moving together.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
Explore up to 20 chapters in advance!