Chapter 80: Semifinals (Part Six)

In that moment, every person present wore a different expression, their inner thoughts diverging wildly.

Zhang Jiafei: ??????????????????
Dongshan High School players: ??? Wasn’t he exhausted?
Zhao Zhongshi: I can hold it in, I won’t laugh.
Gorilla Coach: I’m finding it hard to hold back.
Jiu Wu, Screw, Zhu Bo, Li Qing, Wang Jinsong…: Hahahahahahahaha.
I admit we are all actors, but Lin Nan is absolutely the king of them all!
Su Qun, Yang Yi: ?
Northern fans: Is Lin Nan really this strong?
Southern fans: Nan God! Nan God!
Li Chuan: Suddenly enlightened.
He’s an actor! No, the king of actors! The absolute king!
Li Chuan’s friend beside him: Moved to tears, Lin Nan really gave it his all!
Yao Ming and Lin Lang: ……
……

Zhang Jiafei felt his head buzzing, as if a swarm of flies was spinning inside, producing a harsh noise that stabbed at his mind. The Dongshan High School team was equally stunned, utterly confounded by that dunk.

How could he still be so fast? How could he still jump so high?

No one bothered to explain to Dongshan’s players; Zhang Jiafei was completely out of commission. The game would not pause—it had to go on.

Lin Nan dropped the act, and so did Zhao Zhongshi. Both unleashed their full power, attacking with everything they had, driving Dongshan High School steadily backwards.

Total control of the rhythm—Dongshan’s morale plummeted to zero.

And so, the match ended swiftly. Qingshui No. 1 High School claimed victory by a staggering 20-point margin, advancing to the national high school basketball league finals!

At the commentary desk, Su Qun and Yang Yi finally understood: Lin Nan and Zhao Zhongshi had never been tired at all—their apparent exhaustion was pure performance!

After years of commentary, this was the first time the two found themselves speechless.

The crowd erupted in cheers, southern fans shouting passionately. Even though many eventually caught on to Lin Nan’s “acting,” it only made them cheer louder.

To have an idol of both skill and intelligence—who is occasionally mischievous—is a blessing for any fan.

In the northern stands, many saw through Qingshui’s tactics and Lin Nan’s superb acting. But since there was no foul play, they could only admit defeat.

Still, a bit of unwillingness lingered.

At that moment, the one with the most unique inner turmoil was Dongshan’s coach, Zhang Jiafei.

Being “smart,” he had already grasped the truth, but refused to accept this brutal reality.

Until Wang Jinsong nearby shouted at Lin Nan, “Lin Nan, you really are the king of actors! An Oscar winner!”

For some reason, amidst all the chaos, Zhang Jiafei distinctly heard those five heart-piercing words—“Oscar winner”—as if they were carved into his heart with a knife.

The pain was unforgettable.

Then, Zhang Jiafei heard Wang Jinsong’s booming voice again: “You stunned Dongshan’s coach so badly, he thought he had the win in his pocket, haha!”

Zhang Jiafei could no longer deceive himself or escape reality. A mouthful of blood surged up and he spat it out, immediately fainting.

Dongshan’s players rushed to his side, shouting, “Coach! What’s wrong, coach?”

“Doctor! Doctor! Our coach has fainted! Hurry!”

……

Finally, Yang Yi spoke simply into the microphone: “Let’s congratulate Qingshui No. 1 on reaching the finals.”

He began packing up, ready to leave. As a veteran commentator, realizing the team’s tactics only at the end was a bit embarrassing.

Yet he admired Lin Nan more than ever—a first-year with superb technique, phenomenal physicality, abnormal stamina, and this “great wisdom.” Such a player was truly rare.

That night, as Qingshui No. 1 High School rested at their hotel, the video of the last two quarters exploded online.

The headline: “How Actors Are Born.”

Bai Jing was a rising star—handsome and clean-cut, winning masses of fans the moment he debuted.

His true followers knew his deep love for basketball; most of his earnings went into collecting sneakers, and he always made time to play and watch games.

He had always followed the national high school league, and his favorite player was Lin Nan—admiring his clean, crisp style, never flashy.

However, Bai Jing’s schedule was packed that afternoon, leaving him only the evening to watch the replay.

Lying in bed, he searched on his phone and found the full match instantly.

Seeing a video titled “How Actors Are Born,” he clicked out of curiosity.

Immediately, the comments below were all:

King of actors! King of actors! Worship!
I laughed so hard my stomach hurts at midnight. The video creator even focused on Dongshan’s coach.
He actually fainted!
Deep sympathy! If it were me, I’d probably faint too!

……

Bai Jing’s curiosity grew stronger and he started watching.

Minutes later, Bai Jing: ……

So this is Lin Nan! But, I like it!

Some uploaded the video to film forums.

At first, many criticized the title: What acting could there be in basketball?

After watching: Sorry, I was wrong. This is a true actor! King of actors! Oscar winner!

A renowned director, sensing a business opportunity, decided to shoot a youth basketball drama once the heated national league ended.

But every male star auditioning for the lead was all looks, no actual basketball skills, let alone embodying the sport’s spirit.

The director, being a basketball fan, knew this year’s league had quality, and his drama needed real talent and substance to succeed.

Just as he fretted, he saw the video.

After watching, he made up his mind: Lin Nan! It has to be you!

But the director hadn’t realized—by the end of the league, Lin Nan’s value would far exceed his budget.

……

In Lin Nan’s fan group, Li Chuan wrote, “Isn’t the God of Gambling the king of actors? I think Lin Nan is the Nan (Basketball) God, king of actors!”

The group echoed, some saying:

I think Lin Nan could become an actor after his basketball career ends.

One member analyzed in detail: First, his height suits a celebrity or actor. Second, Lin Nan’s clean, handsome look is tinged with determination, his eyes full of vitality—he could portray any role. Lastly, his talent: acting skills are obvious, and without training he’s already fooled so many.

Except for Qingshui No. 1, the whole audience was fooled by him, right?

After reading the analysis, the group wholeheartedly agreed.

……

Everyone following basketball tonight was immersed in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere.

Only Yangcheng High School’s coach, Xiao Ran, was poring over tactics for the finals.

Today’s game had shown him Lin Nan and Zhao Zhongshi’s astonishing stamina; he knew they could fight fiercely through all four quarters without issue.

Thus, Xiao Ran realized their prized bench depth might not be an advantage in the final.

Late into the night, he still hadn’t devised a good strategy.

Truth be told, Yangcheng High School was strong but their players were generally balanced, lacking distinctive stars like Tiramisu, Takayama Tai, or Zhao Zhongshi.

And their skill did not reach Lin Nan’s level.

So Xiao Ran found it hard to formulate a targeted plan.

He could only pin hope on Wang Shiying, praying he could uphold Yangcheng High’s honor.

Meanwhile, Qingshui’s Gorilla Coach was analyzing Yangcheng’s strength.

He watched the first round semi-final video several times, finally realizing the only uncertainty was Wang Shiying—he seemed to be holding back during the match.

The coach sensed: the final might be a shootout.

It would come down to which side could score more reliably and efficiently.

Lin Nan, staying in the same hotel, was already asleep. Today’s acting had left him feeling oddly addicted.

He didn’t want to become a celebrity idol—a life too constrained, not in his plans.

He went to bed early, hoping to shake off the strange feeling.

Lin Nan’s father, Lin Lang, was discussing finals arrangements with Yao Ming.

To save time and ensure fairness, there was only a day between the semifinals and finals of the national league.

This gave Yangcheng High a slight advantage, but not a significant one.

Lin Lang thought, since it’s a high school league, it must be youthful and vibrant.

He proposed to Yao Ming: should both schools bring some students as cheerleaders?

This would showcase student unity, making the game more meaningful, and boost player enthusiasm, ensuring a more exciting match.

They quickly agreed it was feasible.

Then, Lin Lang and Yao Ming decided how many students each school could bring, how they’d arrive, where they’d stay, and other safety details.

Finally, Lin Lang called Sanrenxing Company’s chief financial officer, Wan Cong, “requesting” his help with funding and logistics.

Yao Ming also offered to reimburse part of the expenses.

To ensure the inaugural national high school basketball league was perfectly executed and concluded, Lin Lang and Yao Ming left no detail unconsidered.