Super Doctor - Chapter 91

“Xu Ze… Xu Ze… Xu Ze…”

The deafening cheers from the surrounding stands roared like thunder, as if they might shatter the stadium’s ceiling.

Xu Ze stood calmly on the court, dressed in a sky-blue jersey. His expression was serene, his gaze fixed on the opposing team from the Economics and Management Department. The roaring cheers around him seemed entirely unrelated to him.

At the far end of the court, Tao Zhixiong stood with a cold, grim expression. A trace of something unidentifiable—and fear—flickered in his eyes as he stared past his teammates at Xu Ze. His hands trembled slightly, as if beyond his control.

Finally, he couldn’t hold back any longer. He glanced up at the stands, where Zhang Linyun sat, her pretty face pale. A wave of frustration surged in his chest.

Back then, he had proudly taken Zhang Linyun from Xu Ze’s side, brimming with confidence. Aside from a select few, there was no one in the entire school he feared.

But now, looking at that familiar figure, all he felt was fear… and envy.

This was still the second round of the group stage—Medical Department versus Economics and Management, the final match before the semifinals.

Earlier that morning, the reigning champions from the Journalism Department had faced the Surveying and Mapping Department. But due to Xu Ze’s unexpected intervention, the underdogs staged a miraculous comeback. Led by their captain, Hu Xuezhao, they crushed the demoralized defending champions.

Xu Ze’s almost supernatural medical skills had healed Hu Xuezhao in just two minutes—an injury that should have taken two weeks to recover from. This act of mercy reignited the underdogs’ fighting spirit and reaffirmed Xu Ze’s undisputed position as the top-ranked figure in Xing University’s popularity rankings.

No one doubted the outcome of this match. With Xu Ze leading the high-spirited Medical Department team against the clearly demoralized Economics and Management squad, the winner was a foregone conclusion.

Everyone already knew the semifinalists: Electrical Engineering, Surveying and Mapping, Hydraulic Engineering, and Medical.

As the referee’s whistle blew, Luo Zi struck first, sending the ball flying into the opponent’s court.

Zhang Ziyang followed with a fierce shout, leaping up and pushing past Tao Zhixiong to steal the ball. With a quick spin, he dashed toward the basket.

Inside the three-point line, faced with a double-team, he flicked the ball backward without hesitation. Li Tianbao, trailing close behind, caught the pass, feinted past a defender, and pulled up just beyond the three-point line. Seeing no opening inside, he smirked, jumped, and—without even seeming to aim—released the ball with a smooth flick of his wrist.

Swish.

The ball sank through the net, leaving the Economics and Management players stunned. Li Tianbao laughed, high-fiving Zhang Ziyang before jogging back to their half of the court, relaxed and triumphant.

As he ran, Zhang Ziyang glanced at the composed, handsome young man standing motionless near their own basket. There was no trace of his old jealousy—only admiration.

He knew this man was beyond comparison. And he knew exactly what his presence meant for the team.

Never before had they played so effortlessly, so freely. Never before could they take risks without fear. All because he was there.

With him on the court, the team had an unshakable pillar. They could play without restraint—missed shots didn’t matter, turnovers didn’t matter, even falling behind didn’t matter. He would recover the points. He would rally their spirits. And the stands would always roar for them.

The Economics and Management team, however, played under suffocating pressure.

Tao Zhixiong dribbled, breathing heavily as his teammates screened for him. After several dodges, he finally broke into the Medical Department’s three-point line.

But when he saw Xu Ze standing motionless in the paint, he froze.

That figure just stood there, silent amidst the roaring crowd, watching him with an invisible, crushing weight pressing down on him.

Luo Zi, trailing close behind, noticed Tao Zhixiong’s sudden hesitation. Then he spotted Xu Ze—and stopped as well, choosing to observe instead of pressing.

The other players guarded their marks but sensed the strange tension near the basket.

After a brief pause, hearing the crowd’s rising excitement as he faced Xu Ze—and feeling a certain gaze from the stands—Tao Zhixiong gritted his teeth, let out a low growl, and charged forward.

Heart pounding, he rushed past Xu Ze’s motionless form and found himself under the basket, his mind blank. Instinct took over—he jumped and released the ball with practiced ease.

Swish.

The ball dropped through the net, its thump… thump… thump… echoing in the suddenly silent stadium.

Tao Zhixiong stared at the bouncing ball, stunned. He turned, bewildered, to face Xu Ze.

Why didn’t he stop me? Why didn’t he move?

Not just him—every player, every spectator in the stadium gaped in confusion.

But two people reacted very differently.

Sun Linfei, seated on the left side of the stands, clenched her fists, muttering under her breath: “You idiot… What are you doing? Don’t tell me you’re still holding back because of her…”

On the right side, the woman in question—Zhang Linyun—sat with a pale face, her expression a mix of loss and a faint, smug satisfaction.

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder. Some remembered an old post they’d seen long ago, and the whispers spread like wildfire.

Then—suddenly—silence.

Because Xu Ze moved.

He turned, nodded to Li Tianbao, and caught the ball tossed his way.

Dribbling lightly, his once-passive expression shifted into a rare, radiant confidence. He raised a finger to the sky, like a king claiming his domain.

The stadium erupted.

“XU ZE! XU ZE! XU ZE!”

Louder than before. Stronger than before.

The deafening chants reverberated through the arena, drowning out everything else. The Economics and Management players, who had just started to hope, felt their spirits plummet once more.

Tao Zhixiong’s triumphant grin froze as he watched the man who had seemed so passive moments ago now stride forward with the effortless grace of a conqueror.

Only then did he understand: In his eyes, I am nothing.

Zhang Linyun covered her mouth, her face drained of color. Staring down at the man who had never before shone so brilliantly, a bitter ache spread through her chest.