Chapter 82: Ascending Strength

January 8th, He Residence.

“Damn Stern, discrimination, this is blatant discrimination.”

Mark stormed in, waving a newspaper angrily.

“What’s the matter?” He Xinghui set down his barbell.

“The league announced last week's best players, and you weren't picked.” Mark handed over the newspaper.

On January 8th, the league published last week’s top players. In the East, the award went to LeBron James: averaging 25 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7 assists, with a team record of 2 wins and 1 loss. In the West, it was Steve Nash: 21.3 points, 14.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and a 3-1 record.

He Xinghui had averaged 32 points, 3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, but his team’s record was 1 win and 2 losses, missing out on the weekly honor.

The league’s explanation was that the Clippers’ poor record was to blame, which was not entirely unreasonable.

In this era, a player’s impact is often judged by his team’s success. Even Kobe, despite winning the scoring title, couldn’t crack the top three in MVP voting. Last season, Nash secured MVP with just 15 points and 11 assists per game, simply because his team performed well. Those stats, without the boost of a strong team record, would be quite mediocre.

The Clippers’ lackluster performance clearly didn’t convince Mark.

For Mark, the more accolades He Xinghui earned, the greater his commercial value. With interests at stake, Mark couldn’t stay rational.

“Who cares?” He Xinghui shrugged off the disappointment. It was only a weekly honor, without even a trophy—he wasn’t bothered. Sooner or later, he’d get his turn.

“Alright, as long as you’re not upset. By the way, when are you planning your date with Charlize? Do you need me to help arrange it?” Mark’s concern shifted quickly, more interested in He Xinghui’s romantic life than the lost award.

He Xinghui had finally come to his senses and started pursuing women, which pleased Mark immensely.

“Who knows how many reporters are lurking outside my house right now—going on a date would be like a live broadcast. Better wait until the hype dies down,” He Xinghui replied. The downside of being a celebrity: privacy was hard to come by.

Mark gave He Xinghui a peculiar look, letting his imagination run wild.

Some superstar celebrities, to protect their image and conceal their true orientation, would pretend to pursue women, muddying the waters. Was He Xinghui doing the same?

Pretend to be infatuated with Charlize Theron, then make a bet almost impossible to win. That way, he could signal his admiration for beautiful women to the public, without ever actually pursuing Charlize. Yet, unexpectedly, he had accomplished that nearly impossible bet. Now, perhaps, he was looking for excuses to avoid her.

Was that the real story? Mark wasn’t sure. He decided to observe a while longer. In the meantime, best to avoid being alone with He Xinghui.

“Alright, I’ll get to work. There are a few contracts waiting for negotiation,” Mark said.

“Mark, you don’t have to work so hard. Even if you stayed here to exercise, I wouldn’t accuse you of slacking off.” He Xinghui smiled, wanting to show his concern as a boss.

Little did he know, Mark ran off even faster after hearing that.

“Boss, I’m not tired. You do your thing, and I’ll call Elena over to help you practice.” Mark was already at the door as he spoke.

“Such a good employee,” He Xinghui remarked, genuinely gratified.

...

The heat from his 65-point performance still lingered, but another hot topic was rising.

On January 9th, in a fit of madness, Kobe scored another high—50 points. He seemed intent on proving that his loss to He Xinghui was mere accident, and this was his true strength.

Though 50 wasn’t as impressive as last time, this consistent scoring was what coaches valued most. A single high-scoring game was nothing; many players had managed a forty-point game, only to be dropped the following season.

January 10th, Clippers versus Magic.

The Clippers won, but He Xinghui scored only 12 points.

Immediately, critics jumped in, claiming his breakout was a passing illusion. The speed of their judgment made it clear they were deliberately trying to undermine him.

With Barbossa’s precedent, the media now had plenty of people feigning idiocy for attention. Anyone with a functioning brain wouldn’t judge He Xinghui by one poor game—at least wait a few more matches.

January 11th, Lakers versus Trail Blazers.

The Lakers lost, but Kobe still exploded for 45 points.

After the game, few mentioned the result; most discussed Kobe’s scoring prowess.

Public opinion began to swing toward Kobe, asserting his talent far surpassed He Xinghui’s—that the game on the 7th was just a fluke, with He Xinghui merely overperforming. Only a superstar like Kobe, with such consistent excellence, deserved the title.

There was some truth to these claims.

Yet He Xinghui suspected these narratives were Lakers PR, trying to maintain Kobe’s status as the King of Los Angeles and secure the city’s fan market. The Lakers needed to make Kobe their star, to prove he was stronger than He Xinghui.

He Xinghui understood the Lakers’ motives.

But the online slander still irked him—how could they say he wasn’t good enough?

He Xinghui smiled, then spent all his accumulated rage points, boosting his strength attribute to B-level and his mid-range shooting to A-level.

He Xinghui: Height 1.97 meters, wingspan 2.10 meters, weight 86 kilograms.

Talents: Strength B, Speed C, Jumping C.

Shooting: Three-point A, Mid-range A, Attacking the rim C.

Skills: Ball-handling C, Passing C, Stealing C.

Defense: Man-to-man B, Help defense C.

Remaining rage points: 69.

Overall rating: A super substitute in the NBA with strong offense and weak defense, possessing significant tactical value.

Warm reminder: Strengths and weaknesses are obvious; please improve your shortcomings as soon as possible.

With A-level three-point and mid-range shooting, He Xinghui’s offensive arsenal became much richer, making him far harder to defend. Only those tall, agile perimeter defenders could simultaneously guard his shooting and his drives. Such defenders were rare across the league.

With these attributes, He Xinghui could now be a team’s main player. Given the ball, he could rack up high scores.

Of course, stats are just one side—performance on the court matters, too. On an off day, even with these attributes, it wouldn’t be surprising to score nothing.

To avoid that fate, after upgrading, He Xinghui threw himself into relentless training, eager to adapt his body to its newfound abilities.

Fortunately, the Clippers’ next game wasn’t until the 14th, giving him several days to adjust.

And their next opponent, the SuperSonics, weren’t strong—just the opportunity He Xinghui needed to prove himself and rack up points.