Chapter One: After the Retirement Bell

He touched a line, and blue ripples spread beneath his finger. A list appeared: 472 athletes under twenty-five whom the Obsidian Basketball League system had marked as having no developmental value. Beside the names were cold reasons—undersized, prior injury, attitude risk, low commercial value, refused representation. “Low commercial value counts as no talent?” Lu murmured. The system did not answer. It enlarged the timer: 71:58:43. His phone buzzed. Former teammate Zhou Fang had sent him a listing. The Northport Embers were for sale: eighteen million in debt, nine days left on their training-hall lease, only two registered players. Fans in the comments called the club “Northport’s last pile of ash.”