The special skill pack was a familiar face. Copper Skin and Iron Bones had three uses left, and Absolute Footwork had one use left. If used properly, they could be game-changing tools.
However, the Points Ticket was brand new. I had seen it for the first time today, and I had no idea what it was.
I tentatively clicked on the ticket. "Bang! Bang! Bang!" Fireworks instantly bloomed on the light-blue background in my mind, and Little Seven's professional and cold voice came over. "Congratulations, you have opened a Points Ticket and won five Basic Points and one Special Point."
The emotionless voice, combined with the sound of the fireworks, was a bit jarring, but I had gotten used to it and didn't mind. My eyes lit up slightly. "Is this a points lottery ticket? Like a football or a welfare lottery ticket?"
"Yes. Opening a Points Ticket gives you a chance to randomly win points," Little Seven explained professionally.
I immediately beamed with joy. I had just been thinking about my upgrade strategy. As the games went on, my shortcomings seemed to be increasing, and the demand for points was also constantly growing. I had won seven basic points in the past two games, which was still just a drop in the bucket. Now that I had a Points Ticket, I naturally got some points.
"Is this a reward from the system?" I chuckled. "Did even you think that my growth was not fast enough? Or is it that the opponents are studying me too quickly? Is that why you gave me the ticket? The intensity of the NFL and the NCAA is indeed worlds apart."
After my initial joy, I carefully read the description of the Points Ticket, and the smile on my face froze. It was almost impossible for me to laugh anymore. "Little Seven, is the maximum reward for a Points Ticket twenty points?"
"Yes," Little Seven explained professionally. "The maximum is twenty points, and the minimum is zero. Congratulations, you were lucky today."
I was speechless and stood there in a daze. But when I thought about it, it was true.
"0-20" is a very wide range. It could be heaven or hell. At least I didn't get the miserable zero points. Otherwise, that would have been a real letdown. Although it wasn't the highest twenty points, you can't be too greedy.
Everyone knows this, but I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. I could only sigh and try to move my eyes away from the description of the Points Ticket.
There was a chance to get both basic points and special points from a Points Ticket. The range for basic points was "0-20," and the range for special points was "0-5." If you were lucky, one ticket could make you rich. But if you were unlucky, even with a Points Ticket, you would have nothing.
As Little Seven said, my luck today wasn't the best, but at least I won some points. And I won both special and basic points. People can have ambition, but they can't be too greedy.
I collected myself and calmed down before starting to think about my upgrade plan.
Before I started thinking seriously, I added one special point to the "Precognition" option.
Currently, this is the only hidden attribute, and there's no need to hesitate to add a special point to it. After the upgrade, the score for the "Precognition" skill reached 78 points. For a quarterback, this is definitely one of the rarest attributes, and when used with tactical awareness and observation, the effect is even better.
Then, I calmed down and started to weigh my options. I had a total of twelve basic points—seven from the game tasks and five from the Points Ticket. How should I use them?
After the first week's game, I chose to add points to my physical fitness to gradually adapt to the intensity and pace of the NFL. This was fully demonstrated in today's game.
After the second week's game, I chose to go back to a quarterback's strengths and continued to improve my quarterback-specific skills, especially the tactical awareness sub-category, which also became the key to winning today's game.
So, what about today?
I seriously reviewed today's game and the special task. My eyes moved back and forth over the various skills, and finally, I made my choice. I firmly believe that there are no wrong choices, only suitable ones, and I must choose my upgrades based on my current situation.
First, I added five basic points to my tactical awareness.
Originally, this skill was already at 75 points and was one of my strengths. Now, it has reached 80 points. This also makes it the fourth individual skill to reach 80 points, in addition to mental fortitude, willpower, and long-passing accuracy.
Second, I chose five basic points and added them to my observation.
This is also one of my strengths. It was previously 70 points, and now it's 75 points. I will definitely have a deeper understanding of reading the defense and finding openings for passes.
With 75 points in observation, 80 in tactical awareness, 78 in precognition, and 80 in willpower, my passing skills will be further improved and will even enter a new phase.
As mentioned in today's special task, using the quarterback's strengths to counter the defense's strengths is the priority. At the end of the day, I am still a pocket quarterback. It will take a long time for me to grow into a mobile quarterback like Cam Newton or a relatively well-rounded quarterback like Aaron Rodgers. I can't rush it.
However, I didn't use all twelve of my basic points. I left two basic points and added them to my speed.
My speed was 68 points before and is now 70 points.
In fact, I had weighed my options. Among the four physical fitness sub-categories—speed, acceleration, explosive power, and strength—I wanted to add points to them to fill in my weaknesses little by little. Although the quarterback's brain is the core of the team, in case of an accident, I must ensure that I don't get injured.
Relatively speaking, adding points to strength is the most direct way to increase my physical confrontation ability. This sub-category currently only has 61 points, which is the lowest among all the basic options, except for the 50-point agility.
But considering the special skill "Copper Skin and Iron Bones" that I just received, I now have three chances to withstand hard hits in close-quarters confrontations, especially the blind-side rush. The crisis has been temporarily alleviated, at least for a short time.
And besides the blind side, when a defensive player breaks through from other directions and tries to make a sack, this is a crisis that I can catch with my peripheral vision. Sufficiently flexible footwork and light speed will create a chance for me to evade a sack. What's more, my running and passing and ball-carrying skills have already reached 70 points, which means I have a certain ability to escape and seize an opportunity to attack.
Because of this, I chose to add points to speed. Of course, part of the reason is that after these two basic points are added, my speed will enter the 70s, and the quantitative change will become a qualitative change, and the situation will be different.
After this skill upgrade, my quarterback skills and pocket-survival ability were further improved.
However, the most regrettable thing is that my play-action passing and ball-protection skills still haven't been improved.
Now, I can only hope that I can anticipate in advance and have a solid pocket protection, or that I can run a little faster to avoid a vicious sack. As for adding points to play-action passing and ball protection, I'll have to wait for the next good opportunity.
In the midst of the trade-offs, the twelve basic points were once again used up. Then I noticed: my medium-passing accuracy!
I had forgotten to add points to my medium-passing accuracy. This skill is currently only at 67 points. Most of the incomplete passes today came from the mid-field area. I had thought that if I got some basic points, I would definitely raise my medium-passing accuracy to 70 points as soon as possible. Otherwise, relying only on short and long passes would still be too limited in terms of tactical choices.
But I forgot!
But it's too late now. Looking at the basic points that have returned to zero, I let out a light sigh and told myself that you have to take things one step at a time and not be too hasty. Just like the daily training tasks, after sticking with it for a long enough time, the rewards will eventually come.
The team bus swayed and arrived at the hotel.
Today's game started in the morning, and after it ended, lunch hadn't even finished. But after so much time in the locker room, it was now past lunchtime.
Bobby Ingram stood at the bus door and said loudly, "Now, everyone, go to the buffet for lunch. You have forty-five minutes to eat. Then go back to your rooms and pack your bags. We have to meet in the hotel lobby at 3:30 p.m. to go to the airport."
This is how it is for away games. They have to arrive in an unfamiliar city in advance to prepare for the game, and after the game, they still have to travel a long way to go home. If possible, every team would want to play their games at home.
"Got it? Forty-five minutes for lunch. Pack your bags and meet at 3:30! Don't be late!" Bobby emphasized again, and then he moved aside to let the players get off the bus.
Logan, Marcus, and I walked off the bus with the other players, laughing and talking. They were talking about Jay Fox. After graduating from college, they went their separate ways, but it was a kind of fate that they could be reunited in such a clever way. They were rookie players, and Jay was a rookie reporter. It was good that they could help each other.
"Bambi." Amidst the chatter and laughter of the players, Bobby's voice rang out, causing Logan, Marcus, and the others to start teasing me again, saying that I was "getting special treatment." But when they looked in the direction of the voice, they all froze a little.
Bobby wasn't alone. Standing next to him was an elderly man with gray hair. He was in a suit, standing tall and straight, with a gentle smile on his face. "Sorry to interrupt your lunch. May I talk to you? If I have the honor, we can have lunch together."
I opened my mouth slightly, obviously not expecting the person. Then I laughed and nodded slightly. "No problem." I turned around and waved at Logan, Marcus, and the others, and then I took a step toward the old man.
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