Chapter 208: Chapter 131: Who Under Heaven Does Not Know You?

「April 2nd.」

At 5:30 in the morning, the sky was still dark.

A team had already quietly gathered at the base of Li Wei’s apartment building.

"Are you ready?" one of them asked his companion. "Did you bring everything?"

"Everything’s here," his companion replied with a nod, patting his waist, which produced a metallic clatter. "We’re all set."

"Good," the stylist said. "I’ll give him a call then."

"No need," Don Quixote said, pushing the door open with a yawn. "Come on in. The doorman already let us know you were here."

"Good morning, Mr. Don Quixote," the stylist said. "Is Mr. Li Wei awake?"

"He’s been up for a while," Don Quixote said, pointing to the living room. "He’s in there. Go on ahead."

The Giants’ styling team filed in, laden with bags large and small containing an assortment of scissors, fill lights, and contouring tools. They looked as prepared as if Li Wei were getting married today.

Li Wei was already waiting in the living room, scrolling through emails on his phone.

After the stylists and makeup artists set up a mirror and fill lights, one of them took an eyebrow-shaping razor from a small case.

She had intended to use the razor to neaten Li Wei’s hairline and balance his facial proportions, but something strange happened.

The blade couldn’t cut a single strand of his hair.

"That’s odd..." she mumbled, swapping out the blade. "Is this one too dull?"

After changing the blade, her confusion vanished.

"It really was just dull," she said. "Sorry, Mr. Li Wei."

Li Wei waved his hand to show it was fine and quietly deactivated his Silver Body.

He usually made a point to deactivate his Silver Body before getting his hair cut or having makeup done. But this time, having pulled an all-nighter with his attention glued to his emails, he had completely forgotten.

After a full session of makeup and styling, a little after 7:00 AM, Li Wei put on a custom-bought Zegna suit and climbed into the bulletproof Cadillac Escalade.

Silence reigned both inside and outside the car. Don Quixote was acting as Li Wei’s driver, and as he drove, he went over the day’s schedule.

"Are you getting all this?" he rambled on. "We’ll enter the stadium at 9:00. Then at 9:30, you’ll meet with John Mara and NFL Commissioner Roger. At 10:00, there’s a quiet period for you to be alone for a bit. The interview officially begins at 10:30."

"I know, I know," Li Wei said with a smile. "This is the third time you’ve gone over it with me."

"Take this seriously," Don Quixote said, clearly anxious. He refrained from smoking, not wanting the smell to get on Li Wei. "This is your biggest moment to date."

"You’ll have hundreds of thousands, even millions of people cheering for you," he said. "You’re going to be a superstar, a household name."

"Whatever," Li Wei said, not particularly interested in football. "Maybe I’ll play for a year or two and then retire."

’In a year or two, I’ll be Superman. Who the hell plays football then?’

’I’ve even figured out a cool opening line. I’ll hold a press conference and just say, "I am Superman."’

’That would be so cool.’

The car entered the West Side Highway, heading toward MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

"You should rest for a bit," Don Quixote said, checking the time. "When we get out of the car, I’ll remind you to put on your Beats headphones. It’s in the contract."

Li Wei nodded without a word.

At five minutes to nine, they arrived at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Instead of using the main entrance, the bulletproof Cadillac Escalade, like a black behemoth, slid silently into the VIP entrance of the underground loading dock.

Even through the BR6-rated bulletproof glass and reinforced steel doors, the outside clamor seeped in like muffled thunder. Peering through the tinted windows, Li Wei could see that over a thousand fans had already gathered by the fences outside the loading area.

The crowd was clearly split into three camps: supporters holding "Let Levi Play" signs; opponents with signs reading "Respect the Rules" and "No Shortcuts"—most of whom were die-hard Giants fans resistant to change; and a third group of onlookers, phones held high to livestream, who were simply there for the spectacle.

As the massive, jet-black armored vehicle rolled past, a commotion erupted from the crowd. Some flipped the bird, others cheered, and a few even tried to breach the security line, only to be swiftly tackled to the ground by burly special police.

"He’s here! He’s really here!"

"The rumors are true!"

From Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, figures like Mayor Holmes, the Gambino Family, and Lady Delores were all captivated by the unfolding drama.

On the underground betting markets, searches for "Will Li Wei sign with the NFL Giants?" surged. However, the retail bettors and hot money looking to place last-minute wagers were surprised to find that the lines had already been locked.

Li Wei put on his Beats headphones, not even sparing the frenzied crowd a glance as he walked straight to the private elevator.

「9:30 AM. The Owner’s Office.」

When Li Wei pushed the door open and walked in, he saw the room was already filled with people.

There was the Giants’ owner, Li Wei’s old acquaintance John Mara; his co-owner, whom Li Wei had hardly met, Steve Tisch; General Manager Joe Schoen; Head Coach Brian Daboll; and the man who controlled the entire NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell.

"Here’s our future King," John Mara said, rising to his feet with a smile. "How was your night? Sleep well?"