113: The Queen's challenge! Losers eat dust!

It was a relentless hunt, targeted at him and him alone.

Lin Feng's back rested against the cold sofa, but a chill more piercing than the sofa's temperature seeped through him.

The frozen image on the TV screen was Leonard's young face, which already showed a cold, hard outline.

He felt as if he could look through the screen and see the will of Popovich behind those eyes.

It was a determination to erase him from the court at any cost.

The air was quiet, almost suffocating.

The carnival of victory had long since receded, leaving only the dead silence before the storm.

The next day.

The morning sun filtered through the blinds, casting mottled light and shadows on the living room floor.

Lin Feng hadn't slept all night.

After a night of rest and Yoona's careful attention, his body's soreness had eased significantly.

But the string of his spirit was pulled tighter than ever before.

"Ring, ring—!"

The phone's ringtone abruptly broke the silence of the apartment.

It was a call from his Agent, Jeff Austin.

Lin Feng picked up the phone.

"Lin! Something's happened!"

On the other end of the line, Jeff's voice was so anxious it was almost out of tune.

"Calm down, Jeff. Speak slowly." Lin Feng's voice was steady, devoid of any emotion.

"I can't calm down! Taylor Swift's team just called me!"

"They demand that you speak with Taylor personally!"

Jeff's voice sounded like an engine about to burn out.

"Do you know what this means? Lin! The whole world is watching you and that Korean girl!"

"At a time like this, you absolutely cannot be associated with Taylor again! It would be a PR disaster!"

Jeff was practically begging.

"Listen, Lin, when you take the call, don't admit anything and don't explain anything!"

"Just apologize! Keep apologizing! Lower your stance! We need to stabilize her right now, not provoke her!"

Lin Feng listened quietly.

He could imagine Jeff on the other end of the phone, scratching his head in anxiety.

Apologize?

Lower your stance?

The corner of Lin Feng's mouth curled into a cold arc.

In the face of absolute strength, those PR techniques seemed laughable and powerless.

"Give me the phone." Lin Feng's tone left no room for negotiation.

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

"Lin... are you sure? Don't do anything reckless!"

"I said, give me the phone."

Jeff let out a long sigh, his voice filled with despair.

A few seconds later, the call was transferred.

A slight static crackle came through the receiver, followed by a somewhat languid yet incredibly clear, queen-like voice.

"Lin Feng?"

"It's me."

Lin Feng's response was simple and direct.

No apology, no explanation, not even a polite greeting.

The person on the other end seemed slightly surprised by his reaction.

After a brief silence, Taylor's voice rang out again, this time with a hint of amusement.

"You're quite the celebrity worldwide right now."

"That girl is very beautiful."

Lin Feng didn't take the bait.

He just leaned back on the sofa, looking at the sky outside the window, and spoke calmly.

"I'm in the middle of a war right now."

"A very difficult war."

"I need to focus all my energy on winning it."

He didn't explain his relationship with Yoona.

Because he knew that any explanation would only seem pale and weak in front of another proud woman.

He chose a more direct approach, one that aligned better with the logic of the strong.

"Wait until I win this war."

Lin Feng's voice was calm and firm.

"I will come to see you personally and give you the answer you want to know."

The other end of the line fell into a long silence.

So long that Lin Feng could even hear his own steady heartbeat.

One second.

Two seconds.

Five seconds.

Just as Lin Feng thought she would hang up directly.

A very soft, short laugh suddenly came through the receiver.

In that laughter was a hint of being provoked and intrigued.

"I'll be waiting."

Taylor's voice regained its usual queenly aura of being in total control.

"I watched your performance on TV."

"It was wonderful."

"Like the most magnificent verse of a song."

Her tone suddenly shifted.

"But one performance isn't enough."

"That can only be considered a good opening."

"If you win this series."

Her voice carried an unquestionable declaration.

"I'll perform my next concert just for you."

Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat.

He knew this was Taylor Swift issuing a challenge in her own way.

A bet full of temptation and pressure.

"But if you lose."

Taylor's voice suddenly turned cold.

The languidness and amusement vanished without a trace, replaced by a cold, emotionless resolve.

"Then don't come to see me."

"I never watch the performances of losers."

"Losers only deserve to eat dust."

After saying this, she hung up the phone decisively.

Only the "beep-beep" of the busy signal remained in the receiver.

Lin Feng held the phone for a long time without putting it down.

It had to be said, this woman was very clever.

She didn't get entangled in emotional issues like ordinary women.

Instead, she brought the core of the issue directly to the level of victory and defeat.

Win, and you have everything.

Lose, and you have nothing.

It was cruel, but also fair.

More importantly, it completely ignited Lin Feng's fighting spirit.

A concert performed just for him.

Such a reward would give any man an irresistible sense of conquest.

Just then, Jeff transferred the call back.

"My god! Lin! What did you just say to her?!"

Jeff's voice was full of relief, like a survivor.

"Her PR team just notified me that they won't be releasing any negative news about you to the media for now!"

"How on earth did you do it?!"

"I just made a bet with her," Lin Feng said faintly.

"A bet?"

"A bet on the outcome of this series."

Without waiting for Jeff to ask more, Lin Feng hung up the phone.

He needed quiet.

He muted his phone and tossed it aside.

Kobe's warning, the San Antonio Spurs' hunt, Taylor's challenge... all the pressure weighed on his shoulders like massive mountains.

But instead of feeling suffocated, he felt a long-lost excitement that made his blood boil.

He liked this feeling.

The feeling of carrying the whole world on his shoulders and then lifting it up with his own hands.

He was about to get up for today's recovery training.

The phone on the sofa suddenly lit up.

Even though it was muted, the lit-up screen caught his attention.

He glanced at it instinctively.

It was a text message from an unknown number.

Lin Feng picked it up and opened the message.

The content of the message was simple, just one sentence.

"I'm Scarlett Johansson. Is it convenient for you to take a call?"

Lin Feng froze in place, holding the phone.

Before he could even catch his breath.

Another woman's call came in.