Pain Never Lies

The final batter fought through nine pitches. Chen's focus fell to twelve; his luck burned from eighty-eight to forty-one. The tenth pitch leaked over the heart of the plate. The batter crushed it toward left-center. Lin's stomach fell. Everyone saw a game-tying double—until the sea wind shifted by a breath. The ball hung for one extra instant. With his back to home, the center fielder leaped and caught it at the top of the wall. 【Luck: 41→0.】 Three outs. The Thunder had their wild card. As the stadium celebrated, Lin collapsed to his knees. The black mark tightened the moment the game ended. Zhou's original agony, the amplification clause, and the damage from Lin's swing were settled together. Something seemed to tear inside him.