Chapter 127 125: On-Field Provocation
After a quick glance at the game mission, Lu Ke saw nothing new. It was the same old formula, the same old flavor. He was just about to close the system to start preparing for the game when a red dot in his peripheral vision caught his attention. A red dot above his inbox, meaning an unread message.
'What's going on? I've already read the game mission, so why is there still an unread message?'
He opened his inbox and found a Special Mission! A Special Mission, which he hadn't seen a trace of since the Rookie Training Camp! 'What kind of Special Mission is it this time? Did some special event trigger the Task System?'
"Special Mission: Contempt from Pete Carroll, provocation from Richard Sherman.
Mission Description: In the first official game of your professional career, forcefully counter all doubts, make your presence felt, and take a firm first step amidst the fierce competition of the Alliance to begin your journey as a Football Superstar.
Mission Requirements: Win the game; score at least three Touchdowns (0/3); defeat Richard Sherman by completing two passes against his coverage (0/2).
Mission Reward: Unknown Quarterback Training Skill Package +2, Unknown Special Skill Package +2, Unlock Hidden Attributes +1.
Failure Penalty: Overall passing accuracy decreased by fifteen percent in the Week 2 game; when facing reporters, retort skill enters a fifteen-minute cooldown."
Lu Ke blinked. Even though he had already completed two Special Missions and had possessed the system for over a year, he still thought Qi was playing a prank on him every time he saw a Special Mission.
He understood that the Special Mission was bound to be directly related to the Seattle Seahawks; their clash from the Rookie Training Camp was carrying over into the regular season. He also understood the failure penalty, the drop in overall passing accuracy. That was an expected negative consequence.
'But a fifteen-minute cooldown on his retort skill with reporters, what the hell is that? Does that mean he has to just stand or sit there like an idiot and take a fifteen-minute barrage from reporters without being able to talk back?'
'This is practically death by a thousand cuts!'
"Qi!" When facing the fans and reporters outside the stadium, Lu Ke had maintained a calm and composed attitude, but now he couldn't help but clench his fists and secretly grind his teeth. But Lu Ke also knew that Qi wouldn't respond. So, in the end, he could only let out a long breath and force himself to calm down. 'It'll be fine as long as I complete the mission. Anyway, I have to complete it no matter what!'
Thinking this, he instantly felt much better.
More importantly, 'Unlock Hidden Attributes'—what kind of mission reward was that? Lu Ke's curiosity was getting the better of him. Every time he completed a Special Mission, it brought a surprise. 'What about this time?'
First the game mission, then a Special Mission. The first game of his professional career was certainly shaping up to be extraordinary. What's more, the opponent was the Seattle Seahawks. For his debut to be staged against such a special opponent—the wheel of fate was always so wondrous.
"Everyone, huddle up!" Jim Hubble's voice rang out. Lu Ke reined in his thoughts and joined his teammates. Everyone gathered in a tight circle, hands on each other's shoulders, forming a huddle three layers deep.
Jim was completely swallowed up in the middle of them, only his voice echoing out. "I don't need to say much! Victory—that's our only option. Those people out there are all waiting to boo us, waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves. But we didn't come here to be a disgrace! We've trained harder than anyone else, and our determination is stronger than anyone else's!"
"So, I don't care what conflicts or problems you have with each other. Put them all aside. Now, I want you to go out on that field and take this victory!" Jim's gaze fell on each player one by one, finally landing on Lu Ke. "Quarterback, you got anything to say?"
In that instant, the weight of every gaze landed on Lu Ke's shoulders. Lu Ke raised his right hand high. "Let's get some Touchdowns!"
"RAAAWR!" all the players roared in unison. "AAAAH!" all the spectators screamed in unison.
Candlestick Park was ready!
The endless surge of screams and shouts was earth-shattering, crashing down with the force of a thunderbolt and fierce waves. The entire structure of Candlestick Park felt like a canoe tossing and turning on the vast ocean, in perilous danger of capsizing at any moment. One could even faintly hear the roar of the ocean waves against the coastline.
Candlestick Park, with a capacity of seventy thousand, wasn't even in the same league as the hundred-thousand-seat Rose Bowl in terms of scale.
But at this moment, the tsunami of roars easily blew this year's January 1st Rose Bowl out of the water. The fierce, powerful cheers made the Rose Bowl seem like a children's make-believe game. This, right here, was the bloody slaughter of the adult world—like a colosseum, bloody and cruel, yet exhilarating.
Lu Ke looked up and scanned his surroundings. The seething, churning, clamorous sea of people looked like gurgling volcanic lava, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws in a terrifying display. The scene before his eyes was so blurry, yet so clear. Tightening his palm into a fist, Lu Ke put on his helmet, took a step, and followed his teammates onto the field at a jog.
The game officially began. The team captains met with the referee for the coin toss. The San Francisco 49ers won the toss and elected to receive.
The Seahawks' kickoff signaled the official start of the regular season. Their first kick left the 49ers' special teams no chance, flying straight out the back of the end zone. This meant the 49ers would start their offense from their own twenty-yard line. Lu Ke, leading the offense, made his grand entrance.
Standing on the twenty-yard line, he bent down and touched the grass, his fingertips even brushing against the morning dew. With just this simple action, his wildly beating heart gradually calmed down, returning to a normal rhythm. Amidst the noise and frenzy surging from all directions, his adrenaline began to pump.
This was his stage. Not nervousness, but exhilaration. Not timidity, but excitement. Not panic, but desire.
"Alright, guys!" Without hesitation or reluctance, Lu Ke called his offensive teammates over. They gathered in a circle with Lu Ke in the center, taking a knee as he looked at the faces around him.
After the preseason ended, the team had only ten days to prepare for the first regular-season game. But in those short ten days, they had become comrades-in-arms, the only partners they could trust.
At this time, the eleven San Francisco 49ers players on the field were, first, quarterback Lu Ke.
Then the five players of the Offense Line: Center Jonathan Goodwin, Left Guard Mike Lupati, Left Tackle Chilo Rachal, Right Guard Anthony Davis, and Right Tackle Joe Staley.
Finally, the receiving players: running back Anthony Dixon, Tight End Logan Newman, and Wide Receivers Michael Crabtree, Kyle Williams, and Ted Ginn Jr.
This offensive lineup wasn't fixed. There were many different combinations for the receiving players, and for the offense line as well. Aside from the unshakeable quarterback and center, the team had multiple starting lineups depending on the tactical arrangement.
The most direct proof was the Tight End position. The team's starting Tight End should have been Vernon Davis; he was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2009, with outstanding receiving and breakaway ability.
But in the final ten-day training camp sprint, the chemistry between Lu Ke and Logan was more outstanding. So, for today's first offensive drive, Jim chose Logan instead of Vernon. By the same token, Brylen Edwards, a Wide Receiver, did not get the chance to play.
The sound of Jim Hubble calling the play came through the headset built into his helmet. After Lu Ke confirmed he received the information, he began to relay the play call. He was already so familiar with the intricate plays that they were second nature. A simple command was all it took for everyone to understand. Finally, Lu Ke extended his right hand, and everyone else stacked their hands on top.
"Game time!"
The offense finished lining up in formation, and the Seattle Seahawks' defense got set as well.
Lu Ke didn't rush the snap. Instead, like a seasoned hunter, he began to read the defense. But clearly, the opposing defense didn't take Lu Ke seriously at all.
"Boo-hoo-hoo, did you forget to bring something onto the field? Where's your pacifier?"
"Oh, don't be so fierce, you'll scare the little kid. There's no nanny here to take care of him. Are you gonna change his diapers for him later?"
"A little baby ran onto the field, where are his parents?"
...
The derisive laughter was endless. The most absurd part was that they were all in formation, their eyes locked on Lu Ke like starving jackals, but the trash talk never stopped. This ridiculous contrast only made it funnier, and they all roared with laughter.
"Shut up! You pieces of trash!" Mike Lupati stood up straight and barked.
Immediately after, another Seahawks player also stood up. Before any other 49ers could react, he loudly reprimanded his teammates, "You guys, this is a game, an official game! Can't you show some respect?" This sentence temporarily quieted the noise. Then he turned to Lu Ke, flashed a friendly smile, and softened his tone. "Hey buddy, remember, this isn't soccer. You have to remember to throw the ball with your hands!"
"HAHAHAHA." The laughter exploded. All the players on the 49ers' Offense Line stood up, their eyes wide with anger. The game hadn't even started, but the gunpowder had already ignited.
"Get set! Get set!" Lu Ke shouted, stopping his teammates. "You hotheads, cool it!" If they had to waste a timeout before the first down even started to avoid a delay of game, that would be the real joke.
The five members of the Offense Line exchanged a glance and slowly got back into position. Since Lu Ke, the target of the insults, didn't seem to care, why should they stick their necks out? They still didn't have enough respect for this quarterback; they were just following team orders. The bonds of comradeship had to be forged on the battlefield!
The Seahawks' trash talk didn't affect Lu Ke in the slightest, because all of his attention was now focused on the opposing defensive formation.