Chapter Nineteen: 9527’s Secret Weapon

As for the nearly useless 9527, Geng Haoshi no longer held any hope for it. On the basketball court, ten out of eleven players were paired off, practicing rapid two-man passing drills, while the remaining player practiced fast punching exercises on the side.

Geng Haoshi thought to himself: Since things have come to this, I might as well give it my all—for the sake of my goddess Mimi!

After calming his emotions, Geng Haoshi walked toward the lone player. Having just introduced themselves, Geng Haoshi had memorized all their names. The solitary player was Chen Yu, a backup point guard for the team.

"Chen Yu, come practice rapid passing," Geng Haoshi said casually, as he was not used to socializing with others.

Chen Yu glanced at Geng Haoshi, a hint of disdain in his eyes, but still moved to a spot about seven meters away. "Let's begin," Chen Yu said, a flash of anger in his gaze.

Geng Haoshi recalled the two-handed chest pass technique 9527 had taught him the previous night: fingers naturally spread, thumbs forming an eight, gripping the ball at the rear sides above the finger roots, leaving the palms hollow, elbows bent naturally at his sides, ball held at chest level, eyes on the target, maintaining a basic stance.

He pushed off with his back leg, shifted his weight forward, extended his arms, and snapped the ball forward with his index and middle fingers.

Chen Yu caught the ball smoothly. Without hesitation, he hurled it back to Geng Haoshi with force—ouch! This guy’s pass was so hard, my hand’s gone numb! After catching Chen Yu’s pass, Geng Haoshi’s palm stung with pins and needles.

Well, since this is a rapid passing drill, that’s to be expected! Drawing a deep breath, Geng Haoshi threw the ball back with equal force. When Chen Yu caught it, his expression shifted slightly, and his hand tingled as well.

Now, the two of them were locked in a fierce contest.

Thus, Geng Haoshi and Chen Yu began an all-out exchange—come on, let’s see who gets hurt first!

Seeing the intensity between Geng Haoshi and Chen Yu, the other ten players were inspired and started passing with renewed vigor. On the court, the sharp smack of basketballs echoed non-stop.

“Smack! Smack! Smack!”

Yu Manman, seeing the entire team so fired up, allowed a rare smile to brighten her face. Had Geng Haoshi seen that smile, he likely would have had a nosebleed again.

In just over thirty minutes, Geng Haoshi and Chen Yu had completed a thousand rapid passes. Geng Haoshi was panting heavily. “Ha… Chen Yu… you really go all out, huh? Don’t tell me you’re trying to show off your manly charm because there’s a beautiful coach watching?”

But such thoughts had never crossed Chen Yu’s mind—because he liked men! Well, in this day and age, that’s hardly unusual.

Chen Yu’s hostility toward Geng Haoshi wasn’t due to “like repelling like,” but because Geng Haoshi had unwittingly driven away the object of his affection—the poor soul who had been kicked off the basketball team by the demon goddess coach, Yu Manman, just the day before.

Now, Chen Yu glared at Geng Haoshi with a murderous look. Geng Haoshi, oblivious, began his set of a thousand rapid punches.

Since 9527 had entered his mind two weeks ago, Geng Haoshi had been completing high-intensity workouts every day. It had taken him from a two-hundred-and-fifty-pound fat man to a “mere” two hundred pounds, and vastly improved his physical fitness. If this had been the old Geng Haoshi, he would have collapsed before finishing a thousand passes!

A thousand punches was relatively simple; Geng Haoshi finished quickly. Then came two hundred fifty-meter sprints—a much greater challenge. His legs were already exhausted. Next, he had to shoot two thousand baskets—though nearly all missed. Then a thousand rapid arm swings—his arms were now beyond fatigue. In fact, Geng Haoshi was so tired he collapsed on the ground.

“Huff—huff—” Geng Haoshi lay on his back, gasping for breath.

Yu Manman strode over with the grace of a runway model, smiling. “You useless fatso, you’re done for, aren’t you? There’s still time to quit.”

“Only a loser would quit!” Geng Haoshi shot back, showing some backbone. But as soon as he finished, his eyes drifted to Yu Manman’s chest… and yes, he had another nosebleed!

Seeing him in that lecherous state, Yu Manman’s anger flared. “Fine! If you’re not a loser, then get up, now! If you don’t finish all your tasks by ten o’clock, you’re out!”

Come on! Isn’t that a bit harsh? Can’t I rest for even a moment? Though he grumbled inwardly, Geng Haoshi gritted his teeth and forced himself up, trembling.

There was still the drill of two hundred dribbles up and down the court… but his legs were shaking so much he could hardly move. Geng Haoshi stood there, unable to take a single step.

“…Master, are you about done for?” came the voice in his head.

“Heh… you useless thing… So you know your master is at his limit, and you’re planning to bail again?” Geng Haoshi remembered how 9527 had once tricked him into hitting that tall guy with a basketball, only to play dead and abandon him.

“…Master, if you still want to continue with your training tasks… I can help you.” 9527 sounded reluctant, as if it didn’t want to say this.

“Oh? You?” In Geng Haoshi’s mind, 9527 was just an alien system good for sarcastic remarks.

“…Master, I have a way to instantly restore your stamina… though the side effects might be…” 9527 hesitated.

“Really?! I don’t care about side effects! I don’t want to get kicked off the team on my first day!” If his goddess Mimi heard he’d been disqualified on the first day, he’d never live it down. Geng Haoshi no longer cared about consequences; holding onto his spot on the school basketball team was all that mattered.

Seeing Geng Haoshi’s determination, 9527 activated its secret weapon—Power Surge!

This so-called “Power Surge” involved amplifying the heart and respiratory systems, accelerating metabolism throughout the body, and unleashing the body’s maximum energy, instantly boosting strength, speed, endurance, coordination, flexibility, and agility.

Under the influence of 9527’s Power Surge, Geng Haoshi’s energy exploded to its peak in an instant!