Chapter 87: The Two Brothers

As Ming Han and his friends were feasting, the mountaintop began to grow lively as well. Some vendors started setting up makeshift amusement areas—simple, but enough to attract a crowd of customers.

At that moment, a group of people found a clearing on the peak and began marking out a rudimentary basketball court. Before long, they had even managed to set up a basketball hoop.

“Incredible! Just goes to show, anyone with a dream is remarkable! When it comes to making money, these guys are like superheroes!” Da Xu exclaimed in admiration.

But who would come all the way to the mountaintop just to play basketball? There were plenty of courts in the neighborhood and at schools—it wasn’t as though it was a golf course, which you’d only see in the provincial capital.

Everyone was a bit puzzled.

Then the vendor put up a sign: Basketball Challenge! Make a basket from ten different spots; if you succeed at all ten, you win a Kobe jersey. Ten yuan per attempt.

Zheng Yuan chuckled, “Does this guy even know how to do business? At this rate, you’ll be broke in no time! That jersey costs several hundred yuan. For ten yuan a go, I could try ten times—surely I’d succeed once!”

Indeed, on the surface, this seemed a reckless gamble for the vendor. Ten tries for a hundred yuan, and hitting ten shots in a row didn’t seem out of reach for an experienced player.

Ming Han was suspicious. Anyone who could haul a basketball hoop up a two-thousand-meter mountain probably wasn’t here out of charity. He didn’t buy it.

“Yuhang, what do you think?” he asked.

Yuhang replied with a grin, “There’s something fishy here, sir.”

After a pause, Yuhang continued more seriously, “If I were shooting all ten from the same spot, I’m confident I could do it in three tries. Same spot, and you get into a rhythm. But from ten different spots? Honestly, I’m not sure I could make it in ten tries.”

Everyone found his explanation convincing. After all, Yuhang was the best shooter among them. If he wasn’t confident, nobody else there was likely to succeed.

As soon as the vendor posted the challenge, people started crowding around, discussing it excitedly.

Many were confident in their skills and lined up, eager to try.

One guy spent fifty yuan on five attempts and didn’t succeed once. Most people missed on the fifth or sixth shot.

The vendor beamed, counting his bills as he laughed, “Come on, everyone! Let’s see who’s the true king of the court!”

With more and more failures, those willing to step up grew fewer. The challenge looked easy but was far from simple.

The crowd gathered, eager to see if anyone could pull it off.

Da Xu stood up, dusting himself off with the air of a reclusive master. “Let me give it a try.”

Many turned to look, wondering if the strongest player was finally stepping up.

The vendor, a bit anxious, asked, “How long have you been playing basketball, kid?”

“Not long. I’m just the champion of my year,” Da Xu replied nonchalantly.

The vendor thought, Maybe I’ve met my match. Well, even if I lose a jersey, I’m still making money.

“Please, go ahead.”

Da Xu paid ten yuan, picked up the ball, and started shooting from the first spot.

Everyone watched in anticipation.

Da Xu took his shot. The ball arced awkwardly through the air—clang! A miss.

“Wow…” The crowd buzzed.

“So much for being a pro. Came to amaze us, ended up embarrassing himself.”

Da Xu’s face flushed red. “That was just a fluke. I’ll try again.”

The vendor forced a smile but was secretly delighted. Turns out this supposed ace was just another rookie!

Just then, Yuhang stood up and put a hand on Da Xu’s shoulder. “Let me give it a shot, buddy.”

Da Xu, a little reluctant, handed him the ball. “Fine, you take this one for the team, Captain.”

The vendor, reassured by Da Xu’s words, relaxed. If this was his sidekick, he couldn’t be much better.

Yuhang stepped to the first spot, shot, and scored—his form textbook perfect.

He moved to the second spot, shot again—another basket!

People murmured, “Way better than that clown of a captain.”

Swish, swish.

Yuhang sank two more shots.

The crowd started to cheer and clap. But making the first four shots wasn’t unheard of.

He continued.

At two more spots, Yuhang nailed both shots.

Now it was a sensation.

Out of dozens of attempts so far, only five or six people had ever made six in a row.

The vendor was getting nervous, clenching his fists. “Miss, please miss…”

But Yuhang remained calm, and coolly made the final four shots.

A cheer went up.

“You’re awesome, man!”

The vendor looked glum, but he still patted Yuhang on the shoulder and handed him the jersey.

“Looks like I’ll be working late tonight!”

At that moment, Ming Han, who had been quietly watching, stood up. After Yuhang’s impressive display, he didn’t want to be outshone.

“I’ll give it a try too.”

The vendor looked worried.

Da Xu laughed, “You? A rookie in your first year? Got no shame?”

When the vendor heard this, he relaxed. Another easy mark.

But Da Xu knew full well how good Ming Han was—he just enjoyed seeing people get surprised. In fact, Ming Han’s set-shot accuracy might even surpass Yuhang’s. Da Xu was sure he’d succeed within three tries.

Ming Han picked up the ball, took a breath, and started shooting.

Swish, swish, swish…

In less than a minute, he had finished all ten spots—and made every shot.

Before the crowd could even react, Ming Han had already walked off the court, calm as ever.

“Amazing…”

Zheng Yuan looked at the two men now quietly sipping drinks and eating braised snacks, and laughed, “You two are legends now.”

By now, several hundred people had gathered at the mountaintop, many recording the moment on their phones.

…

In Dong Zhijun’s office at Qianyang Club, his assistant hurried in with a laptop, face alight with excitement. “Boss, those two kids just did something big.”

A video had gone viral on every county forum: Two students conquer Mount Dafeng.

The thread’s title was bold, and views had topped two hundred thousand, with nearly ten thousand comments.

Dong Zhijun was elated as he read it. With years of marketing experience, he knew exactly what to do next.

“Xiao Li, send in the online promoters. Post the video of those two from their school match, boost their exposure, and get them trending.”

Xiao Li quickly jotted down notes and rushed out.

A new reply appeared beneath the post: These two prodigies are the same ones from Jinhua High’s school match.

“Not only do they play like pros, they’re also so handsome,” swooned a fangirl in the comments.

The click rate soared, and the video was soon reposted on major forums. Some praised them, others scoffed, claiming they could do the same.