Chapter Seventy-Seven: The First Assessment

The players, having been taken down one by one by Tony, lined up again, their spirits dampened.

“I have a tradition when instructing trainees,” Tony announced, facing the whole team, “which is to knock every new trainee to the ground with a single punch during the first training session.”

The players looked utterly bewildered by Tony’s words.

Geng Haoshi rolled his eyes, cursing inwardly: Tradition? What an excuse for beating people up! You brute!

“Knocking you down with one punch proves that I’m your coach,” Tony went on. “The day you can knock me down with one punch, that’ll prove you’re ready to go out on your own.”

Li Shishi cupped her cheeks in both hands, gazing starry-eyed. “Is this the so-called ‘man’s world’? So manly!”

Having explained his “one-punch rule,” Tony continued, “Alright, time for the final segment—core strength training.”

Core training included lower and upper ab exercises, lying leg raises, bicycle kicks, and fast straight-leg sit-ups.

Although the core workout lasted only ten minutes, it was utterly exhausting. The players barely managed to finish the set, and afterwards, they all lay sprawled on the floor, gasping for breath.

“Your pretty coach has been too soft on you. Looks like I’ll have to remind her to step up your strength training,” Tony said nonchalantly, looking down at the players on the floor.

Damn! Another hardliner! Geng Haoshi cursed inwardly.

From that day forward, the players of Tiancheng Institute of Technology’s basketball team began a hellish training regime under the double “oppression” of the demon goddess coach Yu Manman and the ever-smiling Tony.

Time flew by, and soon it was December 15, 2016. Today was the day to test the first goal written in the players’ notebooks.

At two in the afternoon, the players entered their respective X-numbered rooms.

Geng Haoshi entered Room X-6 and stood in the red circle, lighting up the room.

“Huh? Why is there only one robot?” he wondered aloud when he saw only a single robot standing under the basket. “Aren’t there usually three? Did the other two go for maintenance?”

At that moment, Yu Manman’s voice came through the intercom to all twelve X-numbered rooms: “Today’s assessment is one-on-one—play one thousand rounds against the robot, with a minimum shooting percentage of thirty-three percent.”

Geng Haoshi recalled that for the past two months, he’d played fifteen hundred rounds daily against three robots, and the best shooting percentage he’d achieved was nineteen percent. Now, hearing it was one-on-one, he felt a surge of hope. If it was just one robot, maybe he could really hit thirty-three percent!

“For this assessment, layups aren’t allowed. You can only score by shooting,” Yu Manman added.

Since the players were facing only one robot in “normal” mode, this restriction would make it easier to judge their improvement in shooting percentage over the past weeks.

“Alright, you may begin,” Yu Manman announced, and all twelve players began their matches.

Each X-numbered room was equipped with sensors that tracked rounds and baskets made, so all Yu Manman had to do was sit in the massage chair in the Boss Room and watch the results on the monitors.

In Room X-6, Geng Haoshi dribbled the ball, eyeing the robot with the number “1” on its chest. “Hey, buddy, your two pals aren’t here today. Watch out, or I might just take you apart.”

The Boss Room could monitor and hear everything going on in the X-numbered rooms. Hearing Geng Haoshi’s threat to the robot, Yu Manman smirked coldly, “Aren’t you afraid of getting stuck?”

Geng Haoshi moved the ball side to side, easily faking out the robot. Beyond the free throw line, he jumped and took a shot—the ball drew a beautiful arc and swished through the basket.

For several rounds in a row, Geng Haoshi breezed past the robot and scored with jump shots.

With the ball in hand, he dribbled right up to the robot’s “face.” “You low on battery today or something? You’re moving way slower than usual.”

Yu Manman hadn’t told the players that the robots had three settings: normal, pro, and super. Geng Haoshi was used to facing three robots in “normal” mode at once, but now, with just one, the robot’s limitations became apparent, leading him to believe it was simply slower than before.

The assessment consisted of one thousand rounds, each theoretically lasting no more than twenty-four seconds, given the shot clock rule. During normal training, each player faced two robots at once, while Geng Haoshi faced three. On average, each round of his training took about thirteen to sixteen seconds.

Now, in this first assessment, each player faced only one robot, so each round went much faster than usual.

In less than two hours, Geng Haoshi was the first to complete the one thousand-round shooting test.

Because he’d been battling three robots in fifteen hundred rounds daily, plus intense training from morning till night on days without classes, he finished the assessment still full of energy.

“You’re the first to finish, Number Two… Good job,” Yu Manman said from her seat in the Boss Room, giving Geng Haoshi a rare word of praise.

Usually, if Geng Haoshi got through a practice without getting whipped, it was already a good day—praise was unheard of.

Hearing her compliment, Geng Haoshi put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily, “Coach, I’m an all-around basketball player!”

Since he was the first to finish, he thought, why not go to the Boss Room to watch the others? That should be interesting. With that in mind, Geng Haoshi called out, “Coach, let me come to your room and watch how the others are doing!”

“For no other reason,” he added quickly, “just so I can better understand my teammates’ offensive styles and work with them more effectively in games. What do you think?”

Desperate for an excuse to get into the Boss Room, Geng Haoshi’s mind worked fast.

Yu Manman considered his words. Hmm, that makes sense… She hadn’t expected him to be so proactive.

“Alright, come over,” she replied.

With a beep, the door to Room X-6 opened.

Geng Haoshi strode straight to the Boss Room, already plotting how he’d have a little fun with the others…