Chapter 654: The Inheritance of Hope
The entire Candlestick Park was in a state of chaos.
The humming sound couldn't be pieced together into an accurate word. It seemed to be just a painful groan, a desperate struggle, and an angry outburst. The focus and clarity had all dissipated. Looking around, all that was left were large, blurry halos of light. It was impossible to capture a specific image. It was as if everyone had temporarily lost the ability to think.
Ryan Baldwin finally couldn't hold on any longer and slumped into his wheelchair. His legs and knees were shaking violently. He looked as miserable as if he had just been pulled out of a hot spring, without a trace of blood. It was more regret than anger. An uncontrollable regret firmly gripped his heart, tightening, and tightening again until he couldn't breathe.
It was over, just like that.
The season where they witnessed the San Francisco 49ers' resurgence had come to an abrupt end. Standing on the stage of the NFC Championship, they fought to the last moment, but in the end, they failed. They couldn't move forward. All the glory, all the excitement, all the brilliance, had all ended on the stage of Candlestick Park. The 49ers' 2011 season was over.
Or, had their journey of resurgence also ended just like that?
Every football fan knew that because of the salary cap and injuries from intense physical contact, every team would inevitably face severe pain during every offseason. After the new season began, it was absolutely not easy to continue the good momentum from the previous season. It was normal for a team with ten wins in one season to fall to the bottom of their division in the next.
What's more, for a young team like the San Francisco 49ers, issues like injuries, form, and the locker room were all like time bombs. This game was a prime example. So, what about next season? Could they continue to be strong? Could they challenge for the Super Bowl again?
In an instant, Ryan was also in a trance.
His blurry vision fell on the center of the field, where the two teams' quarterbacks were talking. Under the close attention of the cameras, the two quarterbacks leaned close to each other, whispering in each other's ears. They were friendly and intimate. After talking for a long time, they finally separated and walked toward their respective teams.
The figure in the red jersey didn't leave. Instead, he walked to every corner of the field.
Those red figures lingered on the field, sitting or lying, standing or walking. The confusion and pain outlined by their shoulder lines were faintly visible in the bright light, but they couldn't accept the fact of their failure. Time seemed to be eternally frozen in the moment of defeat.
Then, the number fourteen walked toward each of his teammates, one by one. He hugged them, spoke to them in a low voice, and helped them up. It wasn't just the rookie players. The team veterans were no exception. He went to every single player, and it reminded Ryan of the story Jonathan had told him: the rookie quarterback who rallied his teammates after the loss in Week 4 of the regular season.
In a trance, the number fourteen on the field turned into a number sixteen. It was Joe Montana, who wore the number sixteen jersey and created the San Francisco dynasty, shouldering the weight of the entire team, leading them forward step by step. That seemingly thin and short back became the greatest pride in San Francisco's history.
He blinked, and the number sixteen turned into a number fourteen again. It was Lu Ke, who wore the number fourteen red and gold jersey and ignited the hope of San Francisco's revival. With black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin, he had the red and gold blood flowing in his veins. He was unyielding and never gave up, guiding them toward victory and reawakening the soul of the city of San Francisco.
Just then, the gloomy sky all afternoon suddenly cleared up.
Although it was a night game, the definition of night was based on the East Coast. On the West Coast, the game started at 3:30 PM, and it was now just past 7:20 PM. A remaining touch of sunset and twilight passed through the layers of mist, turning the hazy blue sky into a beautiful red. Before night fell, it instantly bloomed with a proud light and finally poured over the entire stadium.
Ryan's gaze was always on the back of number fourteen. He knew that was where hope lay!
He looked around. The entire Candlestick Park was in a state of confusion and restlessness. No one had left, but no one had reacted either. That suppressed and muffled restlessness was surging in the dark, pressing down on their chests, unable to be released or relieved.
Ryan supported himself on his wheelchair with both hands, gritted his teeth, and swayed as he stood up again. It wasn't an easy task. His legs were shaking violently. Every movement consumed all his strength. That pain and bitterness were indescribable, but Ryan didn't give up.
His entire body began to tremble. Jonathan finally noticed Ryan's abnormality and tried to reach out to help, but Ryan firmly shook his head, refusing. He needed to do it on his own.
Yes, they had failed. They had lost this NFC Championship. But they had completed a sixty-five-yard Hail Mary and tied the score at the last minute. They were so close to winning again, just by a hair's breadth, just like the zero-second game-winner in Week 10 of the regular season.
Even though they had lost the game, they were not losers.
Ryan stood up, raised his chin high, and his hoarse throat could barely make a sound. But he never gave up, shouting one word at a time, "We are the 49ers! We are warriors!"
At the beginning of the season, no one thought they could rise again. Before the playoffs, no one was optimistic about their future. Before the final eleven seconds, no one thought they could complete a Hail Mary. But they did it!
"We are! The 49ers! We are! Warriors!"
Ryan's shout was so faint but so firm, becoming more and more confident, more and more fervent. His eyes were fixed on the number fourteen on the field. As he shouted, his adrenaline began to surge again, and his slightly hot eyes began to blur again, but this time it wasn't because of sadness or regret, but because of joy.
Because he knew that they had finally found that sliver of hope!
Jonathan Baldwin stood beside him and choked up. A pang of sadness hit his nose, and tears almost fell, but he held them back. He looked in the same direction as his brother and saw Lu Ke, who was hugging Willis. The offense captain and the defense captain had met again, and Akers was also standing next to them.
The emotions in his chest surged and boiled again.
So, Jonathan also joined Ryan. "We are! The 49ers! We are! Warriors!"
"Bambi, I'm sorry," Willis said, his voice halting. He was trying his best to suppress his emotions. In the end, it was the defense that made a mistake. They couldn't stop their opponent, and they couldn't even get Lu Ke a chance to get on the field. At this moment, his feelings were complicated and hard to describe.
Lu Ke patted Willis's back hard. "Please, don't be so dramatic. I might not be able to handle it." He was just a rookie quarterback. Without the team's help and support, he wouldn't have been able to get to this point. Although the final result was a shame, everyone had tried their best.
As he spoke, Lu Ke's eyes also became a little red, but then he laughed loudly. "We still have next season. Let's make a deal now. You cover for us, and we'll charge for you. What do you say? Is that a good deal?"
Next season.
Willis just gritted his teeth and couldn't say a word. Then he could clearly feel the heavy slaps on his back from Lu Ke, as if urging for a reply. Willis couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "It's a good deal. It's a deal then!"
He let go of Willis and then saw Akers standing next to him.
Akers didn't say anything, just shook his head helplessly.
Even though he had kicked the extra point in at the last moment and tied the score, who knows? Did that missed field goal become the biggest regret of his career? Maybe, just like that, he would never get a Super Bowl ring. Was this his fate?
"David, do we still have a chance to work together? If you don't retire, I still need you. You know, I don't really know many good kickers." Lu Ke's joke made Akers laugh helplessly.
This year, Akers was already thirty-eight years old. Retirement was not far off.
Akers didn't answer. He just shook his head, patted Lu Ke's arm, and changed the subject. "You should go check on Aldon. That kid is completely broken. He thinks it's all his fault. Don't worry, I'm fine. Really, I'm fine."
Lu Ke sighed softly and was about to move when he heard a slight commotion in Candlestick Park. It was just a small sound at first, but then it gradually gathered together like a stream, becoming a river and a sea—
"We are! The 49ers! We are! Warriors!"
"We are! The 49ers! We are! Warriors!"
He looked up. The silent red ocean in Candlestick Park gradually began to revive. The seventy thousand seats were still full. Everyone stood up one after another, forming an irregular wave. That mighty force spread out everywhere. The large patches of beautiful twilight above his head seemed to be overshadowed. The entire world was dyed a vibrant red, bright and dazzling.
Then, he could see a small group of figures holding up a flag and running along the inner path of the stadium. Wherever they went, the spectators raised their hands, creating a spectacular wave. The momentum surged, and the flag fluttered in the wind, making a flapping sound.
Kings of the Bay Area!
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