Chapter 39
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Chapter 39: Coach, I Want to Play Basketball
Shan Jingshou looked on, stunned. He could not imagine how holding a basketball was related to the sport, and as he glanced over, he found Gongcheng Liang and Mugong Yan also wearing iron suits and doing the same strange training.
Gongcheng Liang held the basketball high, looking serious, as if he were about to leap and take a shot, but he stayed still, with a large stone slab hanging on his chest. Then Mugong Yan swung a big hammer at him, and with a loud bang, the slab shattered. Gongcheng Liang stepped back but seemed fine, and then they switched, with Mugong Yan hanging the slab on his chest and holding the basketball while Gongcheng Liang took the hammer.
They were actually taking turns practicing breaking the stone on their chests…
Everything Shan Jingshou saw made his mind spin, as if he had entered a mental hospital, surrounded by people acting insane.
Before Shan Jingshou could gather his thoughts, the old monk floated over. "Shan Jingshou, you haven’t gotten up yet? Join your coach in unleashing your passion and become an unbeatable basketball master, or do you still need Gorilla to give you another round of brain training?"
Just thinking of Gorilla’s terrifying brain training made Shan Jingshou shiver. He quickly shook his head. Bai Qige stroked his long beard and nodded. "Indeed, it seems Gorilla’s training had some effect, instilling fear in you. It would be even better if it created a conditioned response, but since you are ready…"
Bai Qige’s expression suddenly changed, becoming very stern. He whipped the air. "Then get up, so I can refine your flaws as a mere mortal, reshape you from head to toe into a strong, passionate basketball man."
The whip came swinging towards Shan Jingshou, who reacted quickly and dodged it. However, he managed to avoid one strike but could not escape the second one. Bai Qige struck him with the whip, causing Shan Jingshou to cry out in pain. Furious, he shouted, "How dare you treat me like this? Don’t you fear the revenge of Bloody Earth?"
"Hmph, the shouts of a young gang member aren’t worth mentioning. Let me shatter your absurd dreams! Call your father and see what he says!"
Shan Jingshou took the phone that Bai Qige threw to him. It already had Mountain Fox’s number saved. He dialed it, and as soon as the call connected, Shan Jingshou barely got the word "Dad" out before he heard:
"Son, I have settled things peacefully with the master. He has agreed to take you as his student, so you should study well under him. I hope this experience will help you grow!"
Then the call ended. Shan Jingshou looked confused, wondering if he had jumped into a parallel universe or missed a chapter in the story, making it impossible for him to understand the situation.
"Young gangster, your confidence and pride come from your background, but your own strength cannot support them. Your father is very disappointed in you. So, I have asked the master to transform you into a remarkable man. Don’t worry, I will take care of you!"
Bai Qige’s smile was as "kind" as ever, but it filled Shan Jingshou with unease. "You, you…"
"What about me? From today on, you will call me Coach! For you, I even chose a nickname: Coach RIP. The meaning is simple—if I am not satisfied with you, I can let you rest anytime! Now, put on your basketball uniform, grab a basketball, and start practicing."
The heavy iron suit, the iron weights tied to his hands, and the leg shackles with a ball were thrown at him. These items had nothing to do with basketball and looked more like the equipment of a serious prisoner. Shan Jingshou swallowed hard, thinking it wise not to back down. After a struggle, he put on what was supposed to be a basketball uniform but felt more like prison gear.
"Very good! The old monk’s wisdom is extraordinary, worthy of singing and crying about. He always teaches according to individual needs and uses different training methods based on personal traits. As for your first task, let the old monk see a wonderful pole dance first. Of course, if you prefer, a sexy dance is also fine; after all, the old monk won’t be watching!"
"What does this have to do with basketball training?" Shan Jingshou felt confused and humiliated. Suddenly, anger surged within him. As the leader of Bloody Earth, a great man who strives to rule humanity’s future with psychic powers, how could he endure this insult? He had to resist; he must resist! Just then, a huge fist, like a cooking pot, appeared before him, and then everything went black.
Shan Jingshou covered his eyes and rolled around on the bed, while Bai Qige retracted his fists solemnly and said, "The old monk has seen dark thoughts in your eyes. It seems you have been possessed by an internal demon. The old monk can only use the ancestral secret method of Lanruo Temple to drive out the internal demon within you. So, how are you feeling? Any thoughts of resistance? If you do, feel free to speak; the old monk’s fists are strong. Let me completely destroy the illusions caused by your internal demon!"
The old monk’s ruthless authority made Shan Jingshou fully understand his situation. He was like meat on a chopping block, just waiting for Bai Qige to torment him. In the end, Shan Jingshou decided to adopt a non-violent resistance approach, curling up at the edge of the bed and refusing to move. Bai Qige didn’t care and laughed heartily.
"Haha, I can see you still resist the old monk’s teachings a bit, but it’s okay. The old monk can give you a choice: First, you can wholeheartedly follow the old monk, work hard at basketball, and learn the Way of Basketball. Second, you can change your name to Basketball and live as a tool within the group, practicing the Way of Basketball. By the way, your future companions, the Three Beasts of Canglan, have already embarked on the path of unity with the ball. They can’t sleep at night without hugging a basketball! But don’t worry, either path will lead you to the peak of the Way of Basketball, becoming a tough or passionate man."
These threatening words coming from the old monk, who looked like a wise sage full of compassion, felt strangely out of place. Yet, that sinister chuckle deeply conveyed the fierceness within.
At that moment, Mugang Xian and his two companions approached, their hands ready, smiles passionate, and eyes determined, preparing to persuade Shan Jingshou to become their partner. But to Shan Jingshou, the Three Beasts of Canglan looked "ferocious" in their smiles and "wild" in their eyes, clearly eager to treat him like a basketball, fulfilling their terrifying desire for unity with the ball.
Shan Jingshou instantly cast aside his earlier thoughts of non-violent resistance. He suddenly knelt down. In his life, he had never felt such intense emotions or such impatience. Tears filled his eyes. With his hands on the ground, head bowed, he passionately shouted:
"Coach, I want to play basketball!"
Bai Qige stroked his beard and nodded kindly, reaching out to help Shan Jingshou up.
"You can be taught, so quickly get up and exercise more. In the next few days, I have arranged a series of compact and effective training sessions for you. I want to help you transform into qualified basketball warriors as soon as possible. By the way, here is a machete and a basketball for you. While you practice pole dancing, get familiar with how they feel in your hands, because we will soon start practical training. Three hours from now, a famous Muay Thai martial arts group will come to perform at the Yanhuang Empire. You can go play basketball with them. Six hours later, two groups of out-of-town gangsters will be here to trade drugs for weapons. You will use basketballs to punish them!"
