Chapter 15: MATCH.
The court was tense, a battlefield before the war. The match against Anhua High School hadn't even begun, yet the energy in the air was thick with hostility.
The audience—what little there was of it—had already started ditching them. Those who remained weren't exactly offering their support either. Banners fluttered in the stands, bold letters spelling out:
"BLACKTHORN ACADEMY WILL LOSE. LOSERS."
Hua Rong sighed, trying not to let the blatant insult get under her skin. But it was difficult when even her own team looked like they were mentally preparing for execution rather than a game.
On the other side, the Anhua High players stood tall, smirking as they exchanged amused glances. One of them, a boy with sharp features and an overconfident stance, stepped forward. His eyes landed on Hua Rong, widening slightly
"A girl?" he muttered before chuckling and turning to his teammates. "This is a first."
His tone wasn't outright mocking, but there was something in the way he said it that made Hua Rong bristle. Still, she forced herself to stay calm.
He extended a hand. "Mo Zixuan."
There was a brief pause before Hua Rong hesitantly reached out to shake it. Just as their hands were about to meet, something cold was pressed into her palm instead.
"Your cold coffee," a familiar voice said smoothly.
Xu Lingwei.