154: The overwhelming power of talent!

Lying on the floor, Lin Feng watched Westbrook roaring wildly on the rim. For the first time, he felt the despair of his body being completely crushed by pure talent.

The referee's whistle finally blew, belatedly, after Westbrook landed.

The whistle was loud.

But the ruling was like salt being ruthlessly rubbed into Lin Feng's bloody wounds.

The basket counts!

And one!

This posterizing dunk of the century, a crushing display of dominance over another person that would go down in history, was actually a three-point play!

Humiliation!

This was the most naked, most thorough humiliation!

The Lakers' bench was deathly silent.

Kobe's resolute face turned pale for the first time.

Standing on the sidelines, D'Antoni opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound. Finally, he could only let his hands drop powerlessly.

It's over.

These words surfaced in everyone's hearts.

The backbone of this team, the team's last and only hope—

In that world-shattering collision just now—

Had been completely snapped.

Lin Feng slowly climbed up from the cold floor.

A series of tearing pains came from his chest.

Every breath felt like pulling a tattered pair of bellows.

But he couldn't feel it.

Physical pain, in the face of that immense sense of powerlessness that could completely freeze the soul—

Seemed so insignificant.

He lifted his head.

He watched Westbrook walk to the free-throw line and steadily sink the extra shot amidst a mountain-shaking, tsunami-like roar of "MVP" cheers.

He looked at the scoreboard, where the gap had instantly widened to a shocking 18 points.

His eyes were hollow.

The frenzied fighting spirit that had been reignited in the locker room by Kobe's words—

At that moment just now—

Had been completely extinguished.

The rest of the game entered a period of one-sided slaughter.

The Lakers' morale had completely collapsed.

Their defense was non-existent.

Their offense was chaotic.

One of Gasol's shots at the rim missed the basket entirely.

Nash's pass went straight into Durant's hands.

The point difference snowballed, growing wider and wider.

Twenty points!

Twenty-two points!

Twenty-five points!

D'Antoni finally called a timeout.

He looked at the figure wearing number 24 on the court, running back and forth like a walking corpse.

He knew he couldn't let him stay on the court anymore.

That wasn't a game.

That was a public execution.

The timeout ended.

D'Antoni subbed out all the starters, including Lin Feng.

The game officially entered garbage time.

Lin Feng walked off the court.

Welcoming him were the complex gazes of the Thunder fans, filled with mockery and pity.

He ignored them.

He walked straight to the end of the bench, grabbed a towel, and abruptly threw it over his head.

He didn't want anyone to see the expression on his face at this moment.

Beneath the towel was darkness.

Just like his mood at this moment.

Finally.

The harsh final buzzer sounded throughout the arena.

115:85.

The Los Angeles Lakers had lost the second game of the Western Conference Finals in a manner akin to a slaughter.

They trailed 0:2 in the series.

After the game, the Lakers didn't even hold a press conference.

Media outlets around the world were using the most excited and exaggerated headlines to pronounce the death sentence for this series.

【ESPN: Victory of Talent! thunder duo's 2:0 Sweep Imminent!】

【Yahoo Sports: The Miracle Ends! Individual Heroism Is Vulnerable Before the King-Bomb Duo!】

【Los Angeles Times: The End of an Era? The Lakers Dynasty May Completely Collapse!】

The new King of LA, who had been elevated to the altar just two days ago—

At this moment, he had become the world's biggest joke... On the bus back to the hotel, the atmosphere was so oppressive it felt like the air was solidifying.

No one spoke.

Only the unfamiliar, hostile lights of Oklahoma City outside the window were rapidly receding.

Lin Feng leaned against the window, saying nothing.

His mind was like a broken movie projector.

Over and over again, it frantically played that scene on a loop.

He had activated the Eye of the Heavenly Emperor.

He had predicted everything Westbrook would do.

He had stood in the most perfect defensive position.

And then.

He had been sent flying like a piece of paper.

That sense of powerlessness.

The powerlessness of using all your wisdom and all your skills, only to be completely crushed by the purest, most unreasonable strength.

It was like a cold venomous snake, tightly coiled around his heart.

Constantly gnawing at his pride and his self-confidence.

Back at the hotel.

Lin Feng ignored everyone and walked straight back to his room.

Bang!

He slammed the door and locked it.

He completely isolated himself from this world filled with failure and mockery.

He didn't turn on the lights.

In the darkness, he walked to the bed and picked up the tablet specifically used for watching game footage.

He clicked on the highlight reel that the media had already dubbed the "Dunk of the Century."

He looked at the screen.

At his wretched self being knocked backward.

Once.

And again.

He wanted to find the reason.

He wanted to know exactly where he had gone wrong.

But there was no answer.

It wasn't a technical error.

It wasn't even a tactical mistake.

It was just... pure talent, crushing him.

Buzz...

Just as he was sinking into a massive vortex of self-doubt.

The phone thrown on the bed suddenly vibrated slightly.

The screen lit up.

Lin Feng ignored it.

He didn't want to see anyone's messages right now.

Whether it was comfort or encouragement.

To him, it all felt like cheap pity.

Buzz...

The phone vibrated again.

Feeling somewhat irritable, Lin Feng picked up the phone.

He was prepared to turn it off.

But before turning it off, his finger subconsciously swiped the screen open.

It was a text message from an unknown number.

Frowning, he irritably clicked on the message.

The content of the text was very short.

Just one sentence.

But it was this one sentence that caused Lin Feng's pupils to suddenly contract into dangerous pinpoints!

"I see a lion being attacked by two Cheetahs."

"Though in a wretched state, the look in its eyes is very interesting."

—S.J.

S.J.!

At that moment, Lin Feng's mind went blank!

In this world, there was only one woman who would use this abbreviation so casually and as a matter of course!

Scarlett Johansson!

She... she was actually following this game?!

Lin Feng's heart began to pound uncontrollably!

He stared fixedly at the text message, reading it again word by word.

There was no comfort in this message.

There wasn't even a shred of sympathy.

It was a tone that was slightly condescending, observant, and even... playful.

What she saw was not a defeated player who had lost a game.

But a lion... being attacked by two Cheetahs in a desperate situation!

Though in a wretched state.

The look in its eyes was very interesting!

This unique, even somewhat cold perspective was like a blinding bolt of lightning, suddenly tearing through the thick dark clouds of "despair" in Lin Feng's heart!

He understood instantly!

A "Queen" of Scarlett Johansson's level!

The truly interesting "prey" in their eyes!

Were never those victors who had smooth sailing all the way!

But rather those!

Who could shred their cages in the deepest of desperate straits, be reborn through blood, and turn the tables on the hunters... true conquerors!