Chapter Five: The Edge of Elimination

Beichen Crown had already advanced. In Xinglan's first life, their first approach had also come now, and Harbor had described every contact as betrayal. She neither accepted nor refused. Let me finish this first. On Game Four night, every seat in Harbor Arena held a blue placard. The club had printed sponsor advertising on the front. Fans had covered the backs with one sentence: LET THE PLAYERS DECIDE THE GAME. Before introductions, Zhou stopped Xinglan. “What if they still order me to follow the script?” “You already turned the script over.” “I'm afraid I'll hurt us.” Xinglan pushed the ball into her arms. “Then defend. Steal it. Run. Scoring isn't the only way to belong on a court.”