The other players, who mostly disliked Zhang Ziyang’s attitude but didn’t want any internal conflict, quickly stepped in. “Luozi, don’t get mad. Zhang Ziyang’s just got a sharp tongue. Just let Xu Ze play and ignore him.”
With everyone smoothing things over, Luozi let it go, though his expression remained stern.
As for Xu Ze, he remained calm and unbothered. While he didn’t particularly like Zhang Ziyang, he had to admit the guy wasn’t entirely wrong. Xu Ze hadn’t touched a basketball in years, and compared to the other players on the team, he was several levels behind. Plus, his outfit was undeniably amateurish. But it didn’t matter. He was only here because Luozi was the captain, and he thought it might be fun to join in.
Back in high school, Xu Ze had played basketball occasionally, but it had been years since he last touched a ball. If it weren’t for Xiao Dao pressuring him, he wouldn’t have bothered. He was usually too busy.
Still, Xu Ze often envied his classmates who could freely sweat it out on the court. He had just never had the time or skill to join them.
But now that he was here, he figured he might as well give it a shot. After all, they say guys who play basketball tend to be popular with girls…
Luozi called over a few players and cleared a hoop. He dribbled the ball forward a couple of steps, executed a smooth layup, and then turned to Xu Ze with a smile. “Come on, Xu Ze, let’s see what you’ve got!”
Xu Ze jogged over, caught the ball Luozi tossed his way, and gave it a couple of light bounces. He took a deep breath, looked at the hoop, and bent his knees slightly, preparing to shoot.
Honestly, Xu Ze had no confidence in this shot. While he had played basketball before, it had been years ago, and he had never been particularly good. This shot was purely based on instinct.
The other players gathered around, watching with amused smiles, curious to see if their new teammate was a complete beginner or a hidden talent. Zhang Ziyang, in particular, wore a cold smirk, waiting for Xu Ze to embarrass himself. He was certain that someone who hadn’t touched a basketball in three years couldn’t possibly be any good.
Xu Ze, however, didn’t care. He knew his limits. This was just for fun, and everyone knew he wasn’t exactly a seasoned player.
He took a moment to steady his breathing, aimed at the hoop, and was about to shoot when the voice of the system’s automatic response program suddenly rang in his mind: “Shooting posture is incorrect. Recommend retracting the right elbow by 30° to increase accuracy by approximately 25%.”
Xu Ze was startled but also delighted. “This system is insane. It can even teach me how to play basketball?” Without thinking, he adjusted his elbow as instructed and aimed again.
But then, a red dotted line appeared on the lens of his left glasses, connecting his wrist, the ball, and the hoop. The system’s voice spoke again: “Based on system analysis, wrist strength is insufficient. Recommend increasing force by 30%.”
Xu Ze’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the dotted line on his glasses. “No way… this actually works?” He quickly tightened his wrist as suggested, saw the red line brighten, and then released the ball.
As Xu Ze finally took the shot, everyone around him let out a collective breath. He had taken an unusually long time to aim—most players wouldn’t take half a minute to line up a shot. Luozi had been growing impatient but didn’t want to rush Xu Ze, so he just stood there, watching anxiously.
Only Zhang Ziyang’s smirk deepened. He was certain Xu Ze was a complete novice and that this shot was doomed to miss.
As the ball left Xu Ze’s hands, everyone’s eyes followed the trajectory of the brown basketball.
