69: Lose the game, win the future

That hand was long and powerful.

Quietly, it hovered in front of him.

Nick Young slowly raised his head, his vision blurred.

Tears and sweat mixed together, making it impossible to see the person in front of him clearly.

He only saw a silhouette, a figure that appeared exceptionally tall under the brilliant lights of the Staples Center.

He knew who it was.

Shame and regret, like a flood breaking through a dam, instantly swallowed him.

"Brother... my fault..."

His voice was hoarse, with a heavy nasal tone, full of self-loathing.

"I... I messed everything up..."

Lin Feng didn't speak.

He just used strength in his wrist and yanked Nick Young, who was still kneeling on the ground, up from the cold floor.

The force was so great that Nick Young stumbled, nearly failing to keep his footing.

"Slap!"

Lin Feng's hand slapped heavily onto Nick Young's shoulder, cutting off all the self-reproachful words that were to follow.

"No."

Lin Feng's voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of every teammate around them.

It also reached the recording equipment of the reporters who had already gathered at the sideline, ready to capture scenes of infighting within the Lakers.

"Lift your head up."

Nick Young subconsciously raised his head and met Lin Feng's eyes.

What kind of eyes were those?

No anger, no disappointment, not a single trace of blame.

Only calmness.

A calmness like a deep pool.

"That was a perfect open look."

Lin Feng looked into his eyes and said word by word.

"There was absolutely nothing wrong with your shot."

Nick Young was completely stunned.

He thought he would face a barrage of harsh scolding or an extremely cold face.

He never imagined that what awaited him would be such a sentence.

Lin Feng let go of his hand, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding Gasol, Artest, and Howard not far away.

Finally, his gaze seemed to penetrate space, looking at the reporters carrying cameras by the sideline.

He raised his volume.

"It was the right choice; that's how basketball should be played."

"We are a team. In the final moments, passing the ball to the teammate with the most open look is always the first choice."

"Always!"

His voice, through the broadcast signal, echoed in every corner of the Staples Center and also reached the ears of countless fans watching the live stream worldwide.

Lin Feng turned back again, looking at the completely dazed Nick Young.

His tone returned to calmness once more, yet it carried an unquestionable firmness.

"Next time."

"As long as you get open, I will still pass it to you without hesitation."

"And I believe you will definitely make it."

These words were like a scorching warm current, instantly breaking down all the defenses in Nick Young's heart.

He looked at Lin Feng's incredibly sincere face.

Looking at those eyes filled with trust.

This man, who was always joking around off the court and was jokingly called the "isolation king" by fans, saw his eyes turn red in an instant.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his throat felt like it was stuffed with a ball of cotton; he couldn't utter a single word.

He just nodded heavily.

At this moment, he was completely conquered.

Not because of Lin Feng's miraculous skills.

But because of this responsibility—choosing to believe in him even under the criticism of the masses.

The surrounding teammates were also shocked by this scene.

Gasol looked at Lin Feng, his eyes full of approval and relief.

He seemed to see his younger self, just starting out, being accepted and trusted by Kobe in the same way.

Chris Kaman, the veteran who had just joined the team, saw his gaze toward Lin Feng change completely.

It was a respect that came from the heart.

A first-year rookie, after losing a key game—and losing because of his own pass—not only didn't shift the blame to the Los Angeles Lakers but actively took all the responsibility on himself to protect the teammate who missed the shot.

This kind of poise and magnanimity was something he had only seen in truly great leaders.

Even the always unruly Howard, looking at Lin Feng's back now, had a complex look in his eyes.

This scene, through the camera lens, spread throughout the world.

At the TNT commentary desk.

Charles Barkley, who was just harshly criticizing Lin Feng's choice as a mistake, now sat with his mouth open, unable to say a word for a long time.

On the screen, a replay was showing Lin Feng pulling Nick Young up and then saying those words to the camera.

"This..."

Kenny Smith was also at a loss for words.

He had prepared a belly full of criticism and analysis, but at this moment, they felt incredibly pale.

From a tactical level, they could criticize Lin Feng's choice as not being "superstar" enough.

But from a leadership level, they could not blame this young man.

Because what he did was more like a leader than a superstar.

Barkley looked at Lin Feng's calm face on the screen, and after a long time, he finally sighed.

"Alright, I take back what I just said."

"Perhaps... I need to change my prediction about the newspaper headlines."

...In the player tunnel leading to the locker room, the atmosphere remained heavy.

The shadow of the loss loomed over everyone's heart.

A six-game losing streak.

This number was like a giant boulder, weighing people down until they couldn't breathe.

The players walked silently; no one spoke.

Nick Young followed behind Lin Feng, wanting to speak several times but not knowing what to say.

In the locker room, there was a deathly silence.

Everyone sat in their seats, heads bowed, the air so oppressive it was suffocating.

D'Antoni stood in front of the tactical board, his face ashen, not saying a word.

Just then.

Kobe broke the silence.

He slowly stood up from his seat and walked to the center of the locker room.

Everyone raised their heads.

Kobe's gaze didn't look at anyone else; it fell straight onto Lin Feng.

He walked up to Lin Feng and stood still.

"Even though we lost tonight."

Kobe's voice was hoarse, but every word was like a hammer striking everyone's heart.

"I saw something more important than a victory."

His gaze swept across the whole team, from Gasol to Howard, then to Nick Young.

Finally, his gaze returned to Lin Feng.

In those eyes that once were filled with killer instinct, there was now a rare light mixed with admiration and recognition.

"Lin."

Kobe looked at him, and in front of all the coaches and players, he said word by word.

"You made the choice that a true leader should make."

"From today on."

Kobe emphasized his tone.

"You, are the on-court captain of this team."

These words were like a bomb dropped into a calm lake.

In the entire locker room, everyone was shocked.

D'Antoni looked at Kobe in disbelief.

Gasol's face was written with surprise.

Howard's pupils visibly contracted.

on-court captain!

This wasn't just a title.

It meant that in the critical moments of a game, he held the highest tactical decision-making power.

It meant that Kobe Bryant, the absolute monarch of the Lakers for twenty years, was willing to hand over a portion of his authority into the hands of this first-year rookie.

What kind of trust was this!

What kind of recognition!

Although Lin Feng lost the game tonight.

On this night, with a fateful pass and the responsibility he took afterward, he truly won the soul of this team.

He won the future of this team.

Despite gaining the conviction of his teammates and the recognition of his idol, the bitterness of defeat still lingered in Lin Feng's heart.

He sat in front of his locker, his mind constantly replaying the shot Nick Young had taken.

The image of the basketball hitting the front of the rim, over and over again.

He suddenly realized a cruel reality.

Just making the right choice wasn't enough.

In this league, the right choice doesn't necessarily bring victory.

He needed a power that could better control the outcome.

A type of ability that could "foresee" the future.

His desire for Seijuro Akashi's Eye of the Heavenly Emperor reached an unprecedented peak at this moment.