Whistle: The start of the third quarter.
Ming You picked up the ball under his hoop and began dribbling. With a glance, he signaled his teammates where to move.
When Ming You reached the three-point line near his hoop, he made a sharp pass to Haru Lin, who was positioned opposite the center line. Ming You then sprinted to the corner of the opponents' three-point line, while Haru Lin took the central three-point line, dribbling slightly to the right.
On defense, Eun Sok stood in his way, arms outstretched, trying to steal the ball. But Haru Lin stepped back, cradled the ball with both hands, and taunted the defender:
"You're not even trying to guard me, or are you just scared?"
"Shut up and miss, you bastard. Though I won't even let you shoot!" Eun Sok growled aggressively, attempting to knock the ball away. But Haru Lin dodged deftly.
"Ha-ha, you're funny."
Eun Sok's veins bulged on his forehead after Haru's light laugh. Spotting an opportunity, Eun Sok tried to swipe the ball from below, but Haru Lin made a sharp pass to Hong Ren.
"Did you really think you could take the ball from me?"
"Shut up, bastard… Huh?" Before Eun Sok could turn toward him, Haru Lin slipped past.
Bang!
Haru Lin caught the sharp pass from Hong Ren and shot the ball. The defense reacted too late, and the ball swished cleanly through the net.
"Oops, I didn't miss. Your turn to cry."
"You damn worm!" Jae Un shouted, slamming the ball on the floor and clenching his fists.
Lu Shen, walking away from the opponents' hoop, laughed and spread his arms:
"Wow, Captain Yuromusho is already on edge. Didn't your mom teach you to control your emotions?"
"Say one more word about my mother—I'll break your legs," Jae Un snapped, turning sharply, only to hear Ming You's cold tone as he ran past:
"She already ruined her own reputation. Remember the second quarter?"
Jae Un lunged forward, seemingly ready to grab Ming You by the jersey and throw him down, but Eun Sok grabbed his elbow and pulled his captain back, whispering aggressively:
"Not now. We'll destroy them on the court."
"Fuck," Jae Un cursed through gritted teeth.
Eun Sok picked up the ball and passed it to a teammate, who dribbled it at a moderate pace toward the left corner of the center. After reaching the sideline, he made a sharp pass to Jae Un, who sprinted through the center.
Before locking eyes with Ming You, Jae Un passed the ball back to Eun Sok. He caught it and tried to break through from the right flank, but Haru Lin blocked his path.
"Wow, you're really tense. I wonder, if I steal the ball from you, will you piss yourself?"
"Tch, think you can distract me?" Eun Sok replied coolly, ignoring Haru Lin's gaze.
Haru Lin smirked and reached for the ball. The moment his middle finger grazed it, Eun Sok reacted sharply and passed to Jae Un.
Jae Un caught the ball one-handed and charged through the three-point line, but Ming You cut off both his advance and his passing options. Jae Un tensed and shot Ming You a disdainful look:
"Can't you just leave me alone?"
Jae Un dribbled more aggressively, while Ming You replied emotionlessly:
"Can't you just learn how to play?"
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Jae Un glared at him but didn't react in time as Ming You stripped the ball from his hands.
The ball hit the court and rolled toward the right flank of the three-point line. Eun Sok reacted quickly, scooping it up one-handed, but—
"Eun Sok, behind you!" Jae Un yelled when he saw Ming You sprinting toward him.
"What the—?"
Smack!
Before Eun Sok could start dribbling, the ball was knocked from his hands. Ming You tapped it with his right hand, picked it up, and dashed through the center at full speed.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?!" Jae Un shouted after him.
Ming You scanned the court and spotted an open player—Jung Ho. He was already stretching his arms near the opponents' free-throw line, ready to receive the pass. Ming You fired a sharp one-handed pass from the center.
Jung Ho caught the ball, but two defenders immediately shoved his shoulder. He snarled, holding onto the ball:
"Hey, bastard, that's a foul!"
"What, are you a girl? Whining like that?" one of the Yuromusho defenders sneered.
Jung Ho broke sideways, spun sharply, and passed back to Ming You, shouting loudly in support:
"Here, fuck them apart!"
Ming You caught the ball one-handed, and before he could blink, Jae Un and another defender stood in his way. He taunted them loudly:
"Oh, two cowards instead of one."
"I'll break you, freak," Jae Un whispered like a wild animal.
Ming You instantly blew past the defense.
"Motherfucker!" Jae Un spat as Ming You confidently shot the ball from under the hoop, gloating:
"Learn how to defend first, brat."
Whistle: End of the third quarter.
The teams retreated to their benches to discuss their next moves.
In the stands, a tall guy in a blue hoodie turned to his friend:
"First time I've seen Yuromusho play dirty. Aren't you surprised?"
His friend, a tall, athletic guy with short white hair and a white hoodie, replied disdainfully:
"It's not Yuromusho playing dirty—it's Team Yoshido… number forty-four, to be exact."
"You think he's provoking them?" the first guy asked skeptically.
His friend's tone turned even more contemptuous, as if angry:
"Didn't you see how Yuromusho's captain almost attacked number forty-four twice? That bastard's trying to make them play dirty. The ref doesn't hear the taunts, and neither do we, the audience. But knowing Yuromusho, I can confidently say number forty-four is one hell of a scumbag."
"You're pretty sharp," the first guy said, surprised.
Whistle: Fourth quarter.
Eun Sok picked up the ball, his face twisted in anger. He passed to a teammate and dashed to the free-throw line, receiving the ball back.
Haru Lin stood in his way, arms wide. Eun Sok elbowed him in the chest, broke through, and scored from under the hoop:
"Take that, trash!"
"Faggot…" Haru Lin muttered through clenched teeth, rubbing his chest.
"Hey, that's clearly a foul!" Lu Shen yelled at the referee, who replied indifferently:
"Keep playing."
Jae Un dribbled the ball, crossed his own three-point line, and passed to a teammate. From beyond the center line, the ball was passed to Eun Sok.
Eun Sok moved to the left corner and faced Haru Lin, shouting furiously:
"You're just a damn show-off! No shortage of nerve!"
"More like you've got nerve standing in my way, ha-ha-ha!" Haru Lin laughed.
Eun Sok played even more aggressively:
"Arrogant bastard!"
He charged through Haru Lin, but Jung Ho blocked his path. Eun Sok made a sharp pass to what seemed like an open Jae Un, but—
Bang!
Ming You intercepted the ball one-handed, coldly addressing his opponents:
"Offense is your biggest weakness."
Ming You sprinted to the opponents' three-point line, where two defenders met him. One yelled:
"In that case, your team's weakness is defense!"
"We're still better at it," Ming You sneered before making a sharp pass to an open Hong Ren.
Jae Un, rushing to defend, thought in disbelief:
"Why the hell didn't the double-team work on him?!"
Hong Ren, suddenly receiving Ming You's pass, scored from under the hoop, glancing at the opposing team:
"Hey, assholes, I'm still here."
They ignored him, and Jae Un screamed at his defender:
"Are you actually blind or just pretending?!"
"Shut the hell up! You almost got ejected because of number forty-four!" his teammate snapped furiously.
Jae Un gritted his teeth.
Eun Sok dribbled confidently, scanning the court and his team:
"Don't slack off—no time for arguments, especially in the final minutes. Stay sharp!"
The team nodded and spread out. Eun Sok drove to the three-point line, but Haru Lin blocked him again, smirking first this time:
"Where's the fire? Try getting past me!"
""Teach your grandmother to suck eggs!" Eun Sok sharply changed direction.
Haru Lin laughed harder:
"Ooh, so feisty! Did someone hit you in the head with a ball as a kid?"
"Shut up and lose!" Eun Sok's eyes flashed with rage. Before he could break through, Ming You stripped the ball from behind.
"What?!" Eun Sok turned in shock, meeting Haru Lin's arrogant tone:
"You don't know much about our captain—or, as all the losers call him, number forty-four!"
Eun Sok clenched his teeth as Ming You quickly grabbed the ball and raced through the center. The Yuromusho defenders tried to catch up, and Eun Sok, panting heavily, shouted:
"You think it's that easy to get away from me?"
"You're wrong on two counts: you can't catch me, and I know it!" Ming You grinned, passing to an open Jung Ho.
Jung Ho was trapped between two defenders and had to pass back to Ming You.
"Screw all of you!" Jung Ho yelled.
Ming You caught the ball at the three-point line. Jae Un and Eun Sok rushed him, but he was already in the air. Jae Un jumped, trying to block the shot, snarling:
"Don't even dream about it!"
The ball arced through the air and swished into the hoop.
Whistle!
Lu Shen smirked and yelled in Eun Sok's face:
"Where's your double-team now, motherfuckers?"
"I'll tear you apart, punk!" Eun Sok lunged, but his teammates held him back.
Jae Un, calming his teammate, stepped up to Ming You, breathing down his face:
"Wonder if you'll still talk big once we're off the court, huh?"
"You're pathetic even without my words," Ming You said without blinking.
Jae Un raised his fist, but the coach grabbed his arm and shoved him back. Jae Un spat on the floor and walked away, while the coach glared at Ming You:
"Aren't you ashamed of being such a scumbag in the game? This is a sport where respect matters, not trash like you!"
"I don't care about opinions, especially from losers. Your weakness is losing your cool in the game," Ming You retorted with a sly smirk, turning toward his bench.
"How dare you!" the coach raged, but Ming You ignored him and joined his team.
"Great game, guys," Jung Ho announced with a smile, slinging an arm over Ming You's shoulder.
"Can't argue with that," Ming You forced a smile, but his gaze locked onto someone else.
As the team celebrated, two tall guys walked past. One—the white-haired one in the white hoodie—gave him a disdainful look.
Ming You watched him before stepping away. He slowly approached San Liu, who already anticipated his visit:
"The next—and last—team you'll face is Gokudan. No matter the tournament, they're always first."
Ming You replied coolly, without faking emotion:
"Didn't know you were so sharp. I might've bragged about our team taking second, but you ruined it."
"Don't act like you don't care!"
"Alright, San Liu, I'll grab the game notes from you at school," Ming You turned to leave, but San Liu stopped him:
"I think you're forgot something."
"The flash drive's in my bag. Yeah, I forgot to give it back at school." Ming You took off his backpack, pulled the drive from the front pocket, and handed it over. San Liu snatched it.
"Why the hell did you bring my flash drive to the game? What if a ball hit your bag and broke it? Ever think of that?"
Ming You put his backpack back on and feigned regret—badly:
"...Well, sorry."
"Don't play dumb!" San Liu's veins bulged as Ming You waved and walked away calmly:
"See you at school."
…
Police station. Vice department.
Lao Han sat at his desk, his empty eyes scanning the screen. Before him were files on the missing persons cases he'd been reviewing:
"Chang Wo, basketball coach at Yoshido Club, disappeared with his wife and children. Wife: Chang Su Yeon—cashier; children: Chang Mi—12-year-old middle schooler; Chang Yeon—infant, 1.5 years old. So Ho—Yoshido student, and his sister So Yeon. Hee Rak—college student, former basketball player. Guk Chhol from Siomo School, basketball club member. Suk Chhon, Shoguro School… All connected to basketball."
"Lao Han," Xin Shi's voice called. She approached, holding a coffee cup. "See the new data? These disappearances… they're nonsense."
Lao Han slowly looked up, meeting her gaze. He nodded and handed her a file.
"Chang Wo," he began tonelessly. "Basketball coach. Vanished with his family. So Ho, Yoshido student, and his sister So Yeon. Hee Rak, college student. Guk Chhol, Siomo. Suk Chhon, Shoguro. All tied to basketball."
Xin Shi sat across from him, narrowing her eyes.
"Basketball? Seriously? You think it's not a coincidence?"
"No," Lao Han said. "Too many links. They vanished at different times, but the connection is clear."
"Maybe a manager," Xin Shi said confidently. "Someone from the basketball clubs. Only a manager would benefit from kidnapping players. Maybe to weaken competition? Or money… Or something else."
Lao Han tilted his head slightly.
"Possible. But here's the thing: I think—no, I know—they're already dead."
Xin Shi sighed.
"Why do you keep thinking that?"
"If they were taken for profit, we'd have demands by now. Ransom, threats… anything. But silence. Silence means they were killed—by a professional."
Xin Shi frowned.
"But why? Who benefits from killing basketball players? School players, not pros in some international league?"
"Maybe it's not about profit. Maybe it's revenge. Or obsession. Someone tied to basketball who can't play. Someone who hates those who can."
"You still think a student started killing basketball players?" Xin Shi asked skeptically.
"Yes. Maybe someone who was bullied, taking revenge. Or someone obsessed with basketball as a sport, imagining themselves a god. Basketball is their world. If they can't be part of it, they'll destroy it."
Xin Shi paused.
"That Ming guy, You know… Ming You, captain of Yoshido's basketball club. He's… strange. A nerd who plays basketball. Arrogant, knows his rights. When we tried to question him, he shut us down—no evidence, no warrant, blah blah. But… he was close to Chang Wo. The coach."
Lao Han raised a brow slightly.
"Close? Or just his claim?"
"Well…" Xin Shi hesitated. "He said Chang Wo was a respected mentor. But who knows? Maybe he lied. Maybe he hated him. Or So Ho. Maybe it's revenge, though he doesn't seem bullied—he's the team captain."
"Anything's possible. But we can't theorize without proof. Ming You… he's interesting, but just one of many."
Xin Shi leaned on her hand.
"Yeah, you're right. But he's… suspicious. Or maybe I'm just mad he wouldn't talk."
Lao Han's empty eyes held hers.
"Emotions hinder work. Don't let them win."
Xin Shi frowned.
"I know. But… it's hard. You get it?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he looked back at the file. His thoughts flowed slowly, like cold water.
"Yoshido's manager, San Liu," he said suddenly. "We've questioned him. He's clean—no evidence, not even indirect."
"Right," Xin Shi agreed. "But… did we miss something?"
"In cases like this, we always miss something. But we must look wider. Not just managers. Not just students. Someone else. Someone in the shadows."
Xin Shi pondered his words, then nodded.
"You're right. But… where do we start?"
"With basketball," Lao Han said. "It's the key. We need to find what links them. Not just playing basketball. Something deeper. Something we can't see yet."
Xin Shi stood to leave but paused.
"Lao Han," she said softly. "Do you… really think they're all dead?"
He met her gaze, his face blank.
"Yes. But we keep searching. For their families. For ourselves."
Xin Shi nodded, her eyes glistening.
"You're right. We'll find them—and their kidnapper."