score maniac

Chapter 28: points!

And since he entered the game in the second half of the first quarter, theoretically, Gu Yu had scored 13 points in a row in just half a quarter!! “That scoring burst was absolutely mind-blowing!!” The Kings’ bench erupted in celebration, welcoming Gu Yu back like a hero. Everyone raised their hands high and high-fived him enthusiastically; the atmosphere was absolutely electric. “Damn…!” In contrast, on the Timberwolves’ bench, everyone looked as if they’d just swallowed a fly—their expressions were absolutely horrid. The players had absolutely no desire to encourage their teammates; each one kept their head down, muttering curses under their breath and shaking their heads incessantly. In fact, looking at the score, the Timberwolves were still leading by 7 points, and things were looking great. But letting a pure shooter—who had nearly gone undrafted and was traded the very moment he was selected—score 13 points in half a quarter meant that even if the Timberwolves won this game, the media and fans would tear them apart after the final buzzer. What the hell kind of defense is that?! “13 points, 6 field goals and 1 free throw—the shooting locations for those 6 field goals…” A reporter immediately began scrolling through the real-time stats updated on the official website. Upon seeing Gu Yu’s shot chart, he sucked in a sharp breath. “Wait… all six shots were made in the exact same area?!!” That can’t be possible!! The reporters were baffled. Although the shot location map on the official website showed a tiny difference in Gu Yu’s release points, everyone who watched the game knew that this slight variation was merely due to one or two of his six shots being taken with a slight fadeaway. If you only consider the takeoff point, the takeoff points for all six shots were almost identical! Could something like this really happen? A shooter making six shots from the exact same spot in just six minutes? Is the Timberwolves’ defense completely useless?! “Great shot, beautiful!!” Over here, Gu Yu was still basking in his teammates’ cheers, but right before his eyes, something appeared—something only he could see. Another hint panel! While acknowledging his teammates’ encouragement, Gu Yu gave the prompt panel a quick glance. It wasn’t a big deal until he looked at it, but once he did, a new smile curled up at the corners of Gu Yu’s mouth. “So that’s how it is…!” This cheat is really something else. At this rate, it won’t be long before I’m unbeatable! “Great! That comeback in the second half was spectacular—keep it up in the second quarter!” Westphal had already picked up the whiteboard and begun laying out the game plan for the second quarter. As Gu Yu listened, he began carefully studying the prompts. “Phase One mission complete!” Behind the most prominent text on the interface, the words “10/10” were displayed. Anyone who’s played games could tell at a glance that Gu Yu had just completed a “quantity-based quest” set by the system. “10/10…” Gu Yu pondered this carefully. At first, he didn’t understand what the number meant, but after quickly tallying his own baskets, his eyes immediately lit up. “I’ve scored 6 goals in this game so far, and I scored 4 goals in the last Basketball Summit game—that adds up to exactly 10 goals!” The so-called Phase One mission was to score 10 baskets in official games! Although Gu Yu still couldn’t tell whether the mission required him to score exclusively from “system-designated shooting spots,” that didn’t matter. What mattered was that, based on Gu Yu’s years of gaming experience, completing a mission meant… “There’s definitely going to be a reward…!” Sure enough, the words “Claim Reward” appeared at the bottom of the notification panel. While his teammates were listening intently to Westphal’s tactical instructions, Gu Yu pretended to stretch and tapped the button with his right hand. “Ding—!” The familiar system sound rang out, and the text on the panel exploded, giving way to new text. “Please select a reward type” Below the new text were two options. The first was “Add a 100% shooting spot.” Of course he’d choose that! Gu Yu was about to select it without hesitation, but when he saw the second option, his hand paused mid-air. Because the second option was: “The shooting spot is within the area inside the three-point line and can be moved freely.” …Holy crap! Gu Yu was a bit undecided—both of these rewards seemed pretty good! If he added a shooting spot, taking the description literally, the system should provide a new “100% shooting spot.” Barring any surprises, Gu Yu wouldn’t be able to choose the exact location of this new spot—it would be designated by the system. The new shooting spot could be on the other side of the court, on the same side as the previous one, or even outside the three-point line—its exact location would be unknown until Gu Yu made his choice. This choice carries some risk. If the new shooting spot is far from the original one—or is even a three-pointer—it would certainly be a great help in expanding Gu Yu’s arsenal. But if he’s unlucky and the two shooting spots are relatively close together, Gu Yu will face a dilemma. His opponents are unaware of the existence of Gu Yu’s 100% shooting spot; when defending, they rely on the concept of the “sweet spot.” Even if an additional shooting spot appears within the same area, it wouldn’t be easy for Gu Yu to secure a position and score. On the other hand, if he chooses to move his shooting spot freely, Gu Yu can shift that single spot wherever he pleases—to the left if he wants, or to the right. Aside from not being able to make every three-pointer, this is a god-tier ability on par with a game-breaking glitch. Which one should I choose…? “Gu… Gu!” Just as Gu Yu was wavering, Westphal’s shout rang out. Gu Yu looked up and saw that his teammates were all staring at him. “They’ve figured out your sweet spot. You can’t keep forcing shots from there. Starting in the second quarter…” Westphal looked at Gu Yu, furrowing his brow as he pondered, “Try moving over to the right side more often!” “Ding—!” After hearing the head coach’s words, Gu Yu chose the second option without a second thought. His expression remained unchanged as he grinned smugly as always: “Got it, sir—!” Now, I’m truly unstoppable…! A brother in the group said he’s read *The All-Around Rebound Obsessive* four times and was truly moved! It’s indescribable to have something I worked so hard to create recognized and loved!