165: Unlocked! The Eye of the Heavenly Emperor ZONE!

That cold, yet incredibly familiar, mechanical system notification sound.

Just like a divine decree.

Solemnly, it boomed deep within his mind!

[Ding! Detected that the Host has completed a deep intimate link with the ss-rank charm target 'Scarlett Johansson' under the 'Soul Resonance' state!]

[Congratulations, Host. The SSS-rank Skill [Seijuro Akashi's Eye of the Heavenly Emperor] has advanced to—[Heavenly Emperors Eye · ZONE]!]

The moment the system notification sound faded.

An information torrent, immense beyond description.

Without warning, it fiercely rushed into Lin Feng's brain!

It was a supreme truth about the sport of basketball, akin to a cosmic law!

Countless complex trajectory lines!

Innumerable unbelievable tactical variations!

Every player on the court, from the subtle twitch of their muscles to the prediction of their next action in 0.1 seconds!

Everything transformed into the purest data, surging wildly, restructuring, and then being completely absorbed by him in his mind!

Lin Feng felt like his brain was about to explode from this terrifying information flow!

And just at this moment.

The system's voice sounded once again.

[Skill Name: Heavenly Emperors Eye · ZONE]

[Skill Level: SSS+ (Upgradeable)]

[Skill Description: The materialization of the emperor's authority. Upon activation, the Host's vision will no longer be limited to the individual, but will cover the entire basketball court from a God's-eye view.]

[Ability One: Full-Court Future Sight]

[Description: The Host can not only perfectly predict all opponents' actions, but also clearly see the optimal offensive runs and defensive positions of their own teammates in the next few seconds.]

[Ability Two: Emperors Edict (Core)]

[Description: The Host can briefly share the "future" they see with any designated teammate on the court via eye contact, simple gestures, or commands!]

[Sharing Effect: The teammate who is shared "Future Sight" will be forcibly entered into a "Pseudo-ZONE" state for a very short period (duration depends on the Host's mental strength).]

[In the Pseudo-ZONE state, all key abilities of that teammate—such as reaction speed, movement speed, tactical judgment, and shooting accuracy—will receive a massive boost!]

[Side Effect Warning: This ability is a forced activation of a teammate's potential and will consume double the Host's mental strength and physical stamina. It cannot be mastered by anyone who does not possess the stature of an emperor with absolute control over the entire court.]

[This is the true "Authority of the emperor"!]

...After the final section of the system description slowly disappeared from his mind.

Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes.

In that instant.

The entire world before his eyes changed.

It was no longer just simple objects and colors.

Instead, it was a code world, composed of countless intricate, faintly glowing data streams and trajectory lines—a world that could be calculated and rewritten!

He didn't even need to turn his head.

He could clearly "see" every wrinkle on the black velvet sofa behind him.

He could "see" the trajectory of every dust particle floating in the air.

And he could "see" the steady frequency of the heartbeat and the speed of blood flowing beneath the skin of the woman beside him, who was still slightly languid after having just experienced a passionate war.

"You look... a little different."

Scarlett had woken up sometime without him noticing.

She was lying on her side, propping her head up with her arm, her blue eyes examining Lin Feng with a hint of curiosity and scrutiny.

Lin Feng turned his head and met her gaze.

His eyes were calm.

But this very calmness caused Scarlett's heart to inexplicably skip a beat.

She saw in this man's eyes an absolute confidence that made her heart tremble slightly.

It was the look of a master, one who held the entire world in the palm of his hand.

Lin Feng did not answer her.

He simply reached out and gently tucked a strand of her golden hair, which had fallen onto her cheek, behind her ear.

Then, the corner of his mouth curved into an arc of extreme confidence.

He knew.

From this moment on.

The rules of the NBA game.

The definition of victory and defeat in the sport of basketball.

Would all be rewritten by him!

Outside the window.

The ink-black night sky of Los Angeles had been torn open by a streak of pale dawn light.

Dawn was about to arrive... That same evening.

Staples Center.

Inside the Lakers' home locker room.

The atmosphere was as oppressive as a tomb.

The air was thick with the scent of failure and despair.

Every player's face was etched with numbness.

No one spoke.

The only sounds in the entire locker room were the "slish" of tape being torn and the faint clinking of medical equipment as the Team Doctor treated wounds.

Steve Nash leaned against his locker, eyes closed, while the Team Doctor applied an ice pack to his already overburdened knee.

The face of the two-time MVP winner showed only unconcealed exhaustion.

Pau Gasol had his head bowed, covering his face with a large towel, making his expression indiscernible.

But his knuckles, white from clenching his hands, betrayed his inner frustration and reluctance to surrender.

Nick Young, the usually optimistic and goofy "isolation king," now sat dejectedly in the corner like a defeated rooster, staring blankly at the floor.

0:3.

This number weighed on everyone's heart like an insurmountable mountain.

They all knew that tonight might be their final battle of the season.

They were facing a farewell performance that was destined to be a shameful, losing sweep.

In this atmosphere so heavy it was almost suffocating.

"Creak—"

The locker room door was pushed open.

Lin Feng walked in.

He had changed into a clean practice uniform, his face devoid of any unnecessary expression.

His arrival caused a slight stir in the oppressive locker room atmosphere.

Everyone subconsciously turned their gaze towards him.

There was sympathy.

There was helplessness.

And a final sliver of hope that they hadn't even realized they held.

Lin Feng ignored these complex gazes.

He walked straight to the center of the locker room and stopped.

Then, he slowly looked around.

His gaze swept past Nash's exhausted face.

Past Gasol's towel-covered head.

Past Nick Young's blank eyes.

Finally.

He spoke in a tone that was utterly calm and devoid of emotion.

"Tonight, don't worry about missing shots."

This sentence stunned everyone in the locker room.

They didn't understand what Lin Feng meant by saying something like this at this moment.

Was it comfort?

Or was he speaking some unrealistic nonsense?

Amidst everyone's puzzled looks.

Lin Feng's voice sounded again.

This time, his voice carried an undeniable, absolute will, as if a monarch were issuing a command!

"All you need to do..."

"...is run to the position I tell you, and shoot."

His teammates looked at him skeptically, but then noticed a light in Lin Feng's pupils that seemed to overlook all beings.

That gaze compelled them to submit involuntarily.