After helping Raul Merion defeat Ridley Middle School 90 to 69, Su Feng returned home feeling an unprecedented level of exhaustion.
Even after drinking two bottles of nutrient solution, he still couldn't shake it.
"Exhausted!"
Collapsed on the couch in a classic Ge You slouch, Su Feng thought sadly.
No way.
Absolutely not!
A man can't be discouraged by a little setback!
So what if it costs a hundred thousand Iron Points?
Pfft!
No big deal. I'll just have Kobe train with me for two hours every day next week!
Of course, even though he failed to complete the [System's Mercy] mission and turn Bai Shi into "Grasshopper Meat," Su Feng discovered something new—this system has hidden quests!
"But how do I trigger them?" Su Feng wondered.
...
With a hunch about the system's hidden mission, Raul Merion secured three straight wins in the Pennsylvania high school basketball league in November.
Su Feng and Kobe's teamwork had become more seamless by the day. As some of the other "tool players" on Raul Merion joked, it seemed like even if you tied three huskies together, they'd still win!
In these three games, Su Feng averaged 24 points and 5 rebounds per game, while Kobe Bryant racked up an astonishing 32 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks.
Kobe's all-around skill was unmatched by Su Feng, but in the "Raul Merion" column written by Philadelphia Evening News reporter Maxson, Su Feng still received notable praise.
Besides listing Su Feng's stats, Maxson quoted his younger brother—Jackson, an NBA Miami Heat scout—who gave a professional evaluation of Su Feng.
While many of Pennsylvania's basketball insiders still doubted Su Feng's abilities, scouts and reporters who recently visited Raul Merion had started paying attention to him—not just Kobe. A clear shift.
Unlike those basketball experts, Su Feng was now becoming "somewhat famous" in Philadelphia.
During Raul Merion games, beyond the student crowds, many parents would also come to support their kids' school.
And these Philadelphia locals who saw the games were often impressed with Su Feng.
His playing style may not have had Kobe's explosiveness, but his shooting was elegant—he'd always manage to land some "miracle shots."
Moreover, whenever Su Feng played, for some reason, people often felt an odd urge to "drop to their knees."
Add to that his textbook-like bravery back in Nefalia, and Su Feng had every reason to lay low in Philadelphia.
Of course, he wasn't about to get complacent.
After all, what future NBA player wasn't once a local legend in their high school and college days?
...
In late November, aside from the high school league, Su Feng was invited by Kobe's father, Joe, to spend Thanksgiving Day on the 24th at the Bryant household.
Since Kobe and Su Feng had become friends, Joe had noticed a bright change in his son.
Now, Joe's only regret was that his back wasn't strong enough—otherwise, he would've given Kobe a younger brother. He believed that might've made Kobe more easygoing.
Um… Before Kobe was born, Joe and his wife, Pamela, had two daughters.
So, in a way, Kobe was Joe's "career-closing masterpiece."
During this holiday visit, Su Feng also met Kobe's two sisters, Sharia and Shaya, for the first time...
Initially, both sisters found it hard to believe that Kobe had actually made a close friend.
After all, to them, basketball had always been his one and only companion.
But after chatting with Su Feng, both Sharia and Shaya felt Kobe had made a great friend.
Su Feng was outgoing and funny—and thanks to his humor, their favorability toward him shot up like a rocket.
Of course, Su Feng also noticed that while he was talking to the sisters, Kobe never took his eyes off him.
Um... Su Feng knew what that look meant—Kobe was watching him closely.
Honestly, Su Feng felt Kobe was overreacting.
Because as far as he's concerned, Kobe's sisters aren't really his type—he prefers blondes anyway.
All in all, the Bryant family was pretty warm and welcoming at that time. And as Kobe's friend, Su Feng already planned to give him some advice once Vanessa entered the picture...
Not to tell him to break up, of course—but to remind him to keep closer ties with his family.
After all, who hasn't gone through a rebellious phase?
"Su, you have to come over on Christmas Eve and Christmas. There's a bedroom upstairs for you," Kobe said after their Thanksgiving dinner.
"This way, we can watch the Christmas Day games together," Bryant added.
After a pause, Su Feng agreed. And speaking of it, the '94–'95 NBA season was pretty legendary...
To keep up with current trends, Su Feng had developed the habit of reading newspapers daily after his rebirth.
So far, the new NBA season hadn't veered from what he remembered.
The reigning champions, the Houston Rockets, were clearly struggling. At this point, Hakeem Olajuwon's most dependable sidekick was Kenny Smith—who had already retired to become a commentator. Can you believe it?
Back then, the Rockets hadn't traded for Clyde Drexler yet, and Coach Tomjanovich was still holding onto his ace.
It may have seemed like Houston was fading, but once Rudy T made his move, we'd get one of the most iconic "locker room speeches" of the '90s—and the Rockets' resurgence wouldn't be far behind.
Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic were the team to beat. After Jordan's retirement, Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway had quickly risen as his apparent successor.
As early as his '93–'94 rookie season, Hardaway averaged 15–5–5, becoming an idol for many up-and-coming NBA guards.
But after Su Feng and Kobe's trip to Orlando, Su Feng had little admiration for Hardaway.
In fact, in his past life, Su Feng believed Hardaway was seriously overrated.
People often said, "If only Hardaway hadn't gotten injured..." But truthfully, even healthy, he could never match the accomplishments of the future "Big Four" point guards.
Hardaway's peak coincided with playing alongside Shaquille O'Neal.
In the '94–'95 and '95–'96 seasons, his stats soared—averaging over 20 points per game on 50% shooting. His game was smooth and efficient, earning him a large fan base.
But in the '96–'97 season—after Shaq moved west—Hardaway struggled, even before his injuries.
That year, across 59 games, his shooting percentage dropped to 44.7%.
Following Shaq's departure, Hardaway managed to shoot over 45% just once more. Most seasons, he hovered near 40%.
Sure, injuries played a role. But Su Feng was convinced that Shaq's presence had vastly inflated Hardaway's numbers.
Without Shaq drawing double-teams, Hardaway's dribble penetration and mid-range game lost their edge. Under the hand-checking rules of the time, it was no wonder he struggled—and got hurt.
Su Feng remembered how, during the era of the "Big Four" point guards, some fans tried to stand out by saying, "I don't like Iverson or Marbury. I only like Hardaway."
And hey, people are free to like whoever they want.
But Su Feng felt like telling these "basketball connoisseurs" that if you're a fan of the Big Four PGs, centers, or power forwards, sure—you can find their autographs with enough persistence and cash.
But Hardaway?
Yeah… good luck.
Unless the Chinese national football team qualifies for the World Cup again.
Actually, even if they did, getting Hardaway's autograph might still be harder than that.
In truth, Hardaway wasn't just arrogant—he was calculating.
The reason Shaq left for L.A. was because Magic management believed Hardaway would be upset if Shaq made more money than him.
But who told them that?
If later splits like Kobe and Shaq were about clashing personalities, then Orlando's was a case of a clever schemer pulling strings while the big man remained naïvely unaware.
And the outcome?
We all know how it turned out—Hardaway faded into obscurity after Shaq left.
Shaq, on the other hand, faced early setbacks with the Lakers, but once he won three straight championships in the early 2000s, his legacy was sealed.
Even though Kobe's heart was broken in Orlando, when it came to re-signing with Shaq, he still rooted for the Magic.
"Was Kobe cursed with bad luck?" Su Feng wondered. If he remembered correctly, didn't Kobe recently root for the Knicks in the Finals?
Yikes.
Should Kobe start cheering for himself next?
…
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, December arrived.
Su Feng and Kobe happily kept throwing up bricks...
Yeah, brick after brick—because at this point, Su Feng wasn't even playing the role of a "lucky charm" for his opponents anymore.
The competition was just way too weak.
In Su Feng's previous life, Kobe nearly led his high school team to a state title all on his own as a senior. And now that Su Feng had joined him in this life?
Thanks to Su Feng's presence, Kobe's offensive efficiency had skyrocketed.
And Kobe was more than happy to pass the ball to Su Feng. Well, again—it had nothing to do with the delicious meals Su Feng made for him, of course.
Anyway, after going on a 15-game winning streak and setting a school record with division leader Lower Merion, Su Feng was starting to question reality...
The local Philadelphia media even gave the team the nickname "Little Bulls."
Over those 15 games in the high school league, Su Feng averaged 23 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game. Kobe? A staggering 29.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 3.8 steals, and 3.4 blocks per game.
Su Feng was shooting 48.5% from the field, 44.5% from three, and—get this—a perfect 100% from the free-throw line. Kobe shot 51.5% from the field, 31% from three, and 79% on free throws.
Honestly, with numbers like that, Su Feng was on track to join the 180 Club.
No joke!
As the Philly media put it, the "Philadelphia Gemini" had taken Pennsylvania by storm!
Of course, to keep Su Feng's ego in check, Kobe had started going even harder in their one-on-one matchups lately.
"Ha! Su, you're so cold, even the rim's getting frostbite!"
"Miss again and I'm shaving that head of yours bald!"
"Come on, Su! Don't give up now—you can surpass me if you really try!"
Although...
Every time Kobe beat him one-on-one, Su Feng would scowl in frustration.
But then—he'd hear the system's Iron Value quietly ticking upward in his mind...
And Su Feng thought, Go ahead, Kobe—spam me with a hundred million bricks if you want!
Clearly, Kobe was his ultimate plug-in.