Basketball System: Rebound of the Underdog-Chapter 599: Unstoppable Duo

"It's a tie! This is getting ridiculous."

"During the second quarter, I thought the Chinese team would finally win."

"Where's the handsome, young man? I don't see him anywhere, and I think he should be the one on the court."

"Aww, man. I just wasted my ticket on coming here. Basketball is the only sport I'm interested in, and they had disappointed me."

The tension in the area increased as the buzzer signaled the end of the third quarter.

The scoreboard showed a tied score.

78-78.

Fans complained from the stands, wanting the Chinese team to be strategic once more. On the other hand, the South Korean team saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

This was very doable. The Chinese team wasn't playing for themselves anymore. Their teamwork had definitely improved. However, with Kai Guo, their most promising rookie, and Marcus, their strongest veteran, the South Korean team felt that their chances of winning had greatly increased.

"What's taking them so long?" Dong muttered, glancing anxiously toward the tunnel.

Max pursed his lips, his arms crossed like he was coming up with the greatest theory of all time. "Maybe they knocked each other out back there. I think Kai won. He has a reputation for fighting with the strongest gang leaders back then."

The other men looked at him with wide eyes, expecting him to be joking.

But no, he was dead serious.

"Or maybe they were abducted by Kai's obsessive fans," Jian added, half-joking. The players for the fourth quarter weren't amused, to say the least.

"What kind of conversation did they have for it to take a whole freaking quarter?" Muyang asked, clicking his tongue.

"Enough," Coach Xu Wei barked, massaging his temples.

He clenched his jaw as he looked around the court. His eyes settled on the tunnel before shaking his head. "We don't have time to look for them," he said.

With a reluctant sigh, he turned to Bam and Jie. "The two of you play in their stead. Hold the line and make sure to do your very best."

Bam and Jie gulped, not expecting such heavy responsibilities.

The two nodded and jogged onto the court, but the rest of the bench knew this was far from ideal. The South Korean team was strong, disciplined, and brimming with confidence after clawing their way back to tie the game.

Gina's voice crackled through the commentary. "It's unclear why Kai and Marcus aren't on the court right now. Could this be a strategy by Coach Xu Wei?"

David shook his head. "I'm not so sure, Gina. This could hurt them. They've relied heavily on both players to keep up the pace, and without them, it'll be a challenge to maintain momentum. Honestly, I feel like they should have been placed in the third quarter, but that's just me."

In the tunnel, muffled voices could be heard, growing louder as footsteps approached.

"What have you fed my friend for him to convince me like this?"

"It's my first time seeing him!" another voice retorted. "I must be a very likable person."

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Marcus grumbled.

"You won't regret it," Kai replied firmly.

The two emerged onto the court just as the South Korean team scored a quick two-pointer, pulling ahead.

82-84.

However, even with the lead, the Chinese team collectively exhaled in relief.

"They're back!" Dong exclaimed.

Coach Xu Wei, however, didn't say a word. He merely gestured for Marcus and Kai to sub in. Jie and Bam jogged back to the bench, both looking relieved.

Kai and Marcus exchanged a glance as they stepped onto the court. The tension between them had dissipated, replaced by a shared determination.

The South Korean team was in control now, hence the lead.

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Within moments, they extended their lead to four points.

82-86.

Kai clicked his tongue before stretching his arms.

"I can't believe we talked for that long," he muttered as he stared at the timer and the scoreboard.

Including the half-time, the third quarter, and the time they missed in the fourth quarter, they had spoken for 17 minutes in total!

"Time to focus now," Kai muttered, his eyes showing a different emotion.

Park Jinwoo, who was in front of him, felt a shiver run down his spine.

"His face just changed," he whispered.

The ball was in Marcus' hands now, and Kai moved into position, signaling for a screen. Marcus nodded and darted to the left, using Kai's pick to shake off his defender. The pass found Kai near the baseline.

Kai pivoted, faking a drive before tossing the ball back to Marcus, who had rotated to the top of the key. The defense tried to close the gap. Marcus rose, his form perfect, and let the ball fly.

Swish.

The gap was back to two.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Dong shouted from the bench, pumping his fist in the air.

Marcus smirked, glancing briefly at Kai. "Not bad, huh?"

Kai grinned and nodded, wanting to feed the older man's ego.

The South Korean team wasn't backing down. They pushed the ball up the court, their point guard moving through the defense with impressive speed. But Kai was there, anticipating the pass and intercepting it cleanly.

"Kai with the steal!" Gina exclaimed, her voice nearly drowned out by the roaring crowd.

Kai sprinted down the court, defenders closing in fast. He feinted left, then right, before kicking the ball out to Marcus. Marcus caught it and hesitated for a split second, drawing the defense toward him, before firing the ball back to Kai, who had repositioned himself at the three-point line.

Without hesitation, Kai took the shot.

The ball arced high, the crowd rising to their feet.

87-86.

"Three-pointer by Kai Guo! The Chinese team has taken the lead!" David shouted, standing from his chair.

The Chinese bench erupted in cheers, the momentum now firmly in their favor.

The South Korean team called a timeout, their coach frantically scribbling adjustments on his clipboard. On their side, Kai and Marcus exchanged a brief nod, a silent acknowledgment of what they'd just accomplished.

"Let's keep this going," Kai said, clapping his hands as the team huddled.

Marcus smirked. "Don't get cocky, kid. I'm still in the lead."

Kai laughed. "Me? Never."

Meanwhile, their teammates, along with Coach Xu Wei, watched their interaction with narrowed eyes.

"What happened in that tunnel?" Dong muttered.

Max raised his hands. "I don't even want to think about it."