Jian leaned back on the bench, staring up at the scoreboard.
He felt it might change if he looked hard enough.
However, the gap wasn't even close.
His team was silent.
The Juren Champions had been here before—plenty of times, actually. They were the ones used to win, the ones who usually left the court with their heads held high. But today, it was different. Today, the Shizi Dogs had taken their victory, and the Champions were the ones with nothing to show.
Chaoxing was the first to break the silence. He stood in front of his teammates, forcing a smile. "Hey, it's okay, guys," he said, his voice shaky.
He looked around at them—Jimmy, whose eyes were cast down, refusing to meet anyone's gaze, and the younger players, who were already trying to mask their tears with laughter.
"We can come back next year," one of the younger players said, his voice trying to sound optimistic. "You can still play next year, Chaoxing."
