Champion, please stay!

Chapter 1.1. The system is activated.

"Huh...huh...huh..."

After running 10 laps around the track at a steady pace, Yi Shui began to feel like his lungs were about to explode, but he didn't stop. Instead, he slowed down and continued running.

After jogging around the track and regaining his strength, he ran to the edge of the playground, took out his water bottle from his bag, and gulped down two mouthfuls.

Looking up at the fiery clouds on the horizon, he recalled that line from the movie—"I remember running under the setting sun that day; that was my lost youth."

However, what he sees now is the rising sun, and his youth has not yet faded. He just turned 20 not long ago, in the prime of his life, but he is no longer the same person he used to be.

Looking at the churning, fiery red clouds and feeling the negative feedback in his body, Yi Shui felt bitter!
'Whose athlete is so weak? They're exhausted after running less than 5 kilometers!'

...

Originally, he was a low-level office worker living in the mid-20s, nearing his thirties. His life experience was insignificant. He had once had dreams, but reality was cruel. He thought that life would just be like that, and that it would be good to live a peaceful and uneventful life. He just hoped not to encounter so many unpleasant things.

To his utter surprise, the time-travel incident actually happened to him!

Ten days ago, he woke up to find himself transported to June 17, 2007, and had become a sophomore studying in the United States. The key point is that he was a key player on the University of Connecticut Husky team!

He was very excited at the time. Basketball was his favorite sport, without a doubt, and he had been a star player on the basketball court during his student days.

But as he sorted through his jumbled memories, he felt as if the sky had fallen.

He is a basketball prodigy. At the age of 17, he was favored by the newly elected Hall of Fame coach in an exchange game and was taken to the United States to study preparatory courses. During this period, he performed well in many team training games. At the age of 18, he successfully won a full basketball scholarship, officially enrolled in UConn, joined the Husky team, and became the only freshman in the team to start the new season.

In the first nine games of the 2005-06 season, he averaged 13 points and was featured in The New York Times before Christmas, being predicted as the number one candidate for the Big East Conference Rookie of the Year. He became an instant sensation in college basketball and was known as one of the "Husky Twins" with Rudy Gay, who had not yet gone to the NBA.

This was a perfect start, but as he became popular, the girls on campus started targeting him. He had never experienced anything like this before and couldn't resist the temptation. He became obsessed with the girls' bellies, and his training began to slack off, and his energy and focus in competitions gradually declined.

His overall performance in his freshman year was decent. Although he lost the Best Freshman award to Wilson Chandler of the DePaul University Demons, he was at least selected to the Big East Conference All-Freshman Team.

After a wild summer, his sophomore season completely collapsed. He lost his starting position after playing only a few games and became a substitute. His stats also dropped to half of his freshman season. He was scolded by the head coach countless times, but he showed no remorse. He was obsessed with exchanging information with his teammates. He was benched for the last two games of the season, but he still didn't change his ways and just wanted to date girls.

Looking back, Yi Shui strongly suspects that the original owner of this body was drained dry by those two white girls on his 20th birthday and died, which is why he was transmigrated into this body.

Because when he "woke up" in a hotel, there was a white woman lying on each side of him. When he got out of bed, his legs were trembling, he felt weak all over, his back was sore and stiff, and he was listless...

...

He stayed in his dorm room for three days, praying to gods and ancestors, chanting Ultraman, fairy tales, and masked superhero spells... He tried everything, but to no avail, so he chose to accept reality.

He wasn't one to sit idly by and wait for death. Since there was no going back, he decided to tackle the immediate problems.

As the ancients said, "I have been harmed by wine and women, and I am so haggard. From this day forward, I will abstain from alcohol."

At only 20 years old, he couldn't drink alcohol in the United States, so he had no choice but to abstain from sex.

He blocked and deleted all the numbers labeled "groupie1/2/3.../N" in his Nokia waterproof phone with its long standby time, leaving only the numbers of his parents, coach, teammates, and teachers.

If you've been neglecting training for a long time and indulging in excessive sexual activity, resulting in a severe lack of physical fitness, then it's time to start exercising again!
Before the first day of training, he went to the outdoor basketball court and jumped around a few times. He ran very fast and jumped very high. He even slammed a dunk. At the time, he thought it wouldn't be a big problem.

But after running three or four laps on the track, he felt something was wrong; his stamina was declining rapidly! At 29 years old, having sat in an office for seven or eight years without exercising properly, he shouldn't have gotten tired so quickly! He wasn't foolishly sprinting a few laps; instead, he was running at a steady pace that he felt was suitable for him.

He thought of an idiom—outwardly strong but inwardly weak.

No wonder his average points per game dropped to 6 in his sophomore season and his shooting percentage dropped by nearly 10 percentage points. The head coach kept giving him opportunities and then kept scolding him after the game. It wasn't until the last two games of the season that he was benched.

However, after realizing just how 'weak' his body was, Yi Shui's resilience actually improved. If this continued, he was afraid he would become a premature ejaculator in bed. In his memory, he had gone from being a motorcyclist to an electric scooter in the last two months.

He stubbornly persisted and ran 10 laps before ending his first morning exercise. In the evening, after the sun went down, he came to the playground again and ran another 10 laps.

He was woken up by his alarm clock the next morning, and dragging his body, which felt just as heavy as after that day's two-on-one fight, he continued his early morning run...

It has to be said that his physical foundation is really good, which may also have the effect of 'abstaining from sex'. He runs 5 kilometers each morning and evening, and spends his days reading, sleeping and eating. He resolutely refuses the party invitations from his lewd friends next door and gets a good rest. After four or five days, he was able to run 10 laps at a steady pace in one go.

However, my physical recovery seems to have reached a bottleneck. Yesterday and today, I didn't see significant progress as I did in the past few days.

As the sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone onto the playground, Yi Shui put her water bottle back in her bag, ran two more laps, exceeding her planned 5-kilometer morning run, before ending her training and heading back to her dormitory with her small bag.

Although his progress has stalled, he is still in a good mood because he no longer feels completely exhausted after running 5 kilometers like he did a week ago.

As long as we don't give up, there are always more solutions than problems. This is just the beginning. We need to have a sense of urgency, but we can't rush things.

He thought about going to the gym to lift weights, which could increase his aerobic training volume, but 5 kilometers at a time or 10 kilometers a day was about right. Too much volume was not good either. He decided to gradually start to resume anaerobic training and combine it with aerobic training, which would be more reasonable.

The University of Connecticut's business school has three semesters per academic year. Currently, it is the summer semester, and there are no major courses offered, only foundational and elective courses.

The basic courses are really basic, and they are open-book exams, so don't worry. As long as he is still a member of the school team, he can get credits for elective courses by simply taking the exams without attending classes, as is customary. The fall semester doesn't start until August 20th, and the basketball club's registration day is also at the end of August.

He has a full two months to get back into shape, though he doesn't know if that will be enough, but he's determined to do his best.

He wants to get back on the court! He can't have stood that tall 6'3" for nothing!
Although he disagreed with his previous self, he envied the feeling of being under the spotlight on the court and wanted to experience it for himself!
...

On her way back to the dormitory, Yi Shui ran into an acquaintance.

Stanley Robinson, a freshman, ranked 18th in the nation among high school students in the class of 06. He was one of the two teammates I remember being closest to, in the same major as him, and we even lived next to each other in dorm rooms.

He himself also remembered this person, who was selected in the second round of the future draft. His future role model was Kevin Durant, a 206cm tall small forward. At that time, Durant had just won his first scoring title, and Robinson also became a hot topic. However, his ball-handling talent, shooting talent, and athleticism were not comparable to Durant's. He just had a playing style similar to Durant's in his first two years in the NBA. He did not get a contract and played in European and Australian basketball circles.

Robinson looked at Yi Shui's sweat-soaked vest and said in surprise, "Brook, are you serious? You've been practicing for days!"

Yi Shui shrugged: "There's no way around it. If I don't practice more, I might be kicked off the team next season... Where are you going so early?"

People are all concerned about their image. He was exhausted after running a dozen laps around the track, and as a member of the school team, he certainly didn't want others to see that. So, starting the next day, he would get up before 6 a.m. to run, making sure he didn't run into anyone.

Robinson: "Where to? Oh, nowhere. I just got back from a party. But you should train more. Jeff and I have told you before that you can't hang out with those girls all the time."

Looking at her neighbor, who was walking with a limp gait, Yi Shui complained, "Your words have absolutely no credibility."

Robinson retorted, "I only go out occasionally. I'm not as popular as you. You can't even play basketball anymore and you're surrounded by so many girls. Last night they wanted to ask you out, so they invited me. I asked you and you said you weren't going. Have you forgotten?"

"Holy crap, you and I are kindred spirits now?"

"What do you mean, 'took the same path'?... Fa Ke, you're truly a little Shakespeare, even your words are so poetic!" Robinson didn't think there was anything wrong with that. She wasn't any of their girlfriends, just a piece of flesh. Those girls had far more fun than these athletes; almost all of his positions were taught to him by those girls.

"Oh, right, Jeff asked me to invite you out for dinner tonight, and then we'll watch the talent show live. He bought a new TV and game console, so we can play games together after the show."

"I'm going to do extra anaerobic training today, and I'm going to run tonight..."

"You haven't participated in any group activities for a week!"

"It's just the three of us... Fine, I'll practice everything I need to do at the gym during the day, and we'll find a cheap restaurant for dinner tonight."

This time it was Robinson's turn to complain: "You haven't spent any money for a week, eating in the cafeteria every day, and you're still so stingy!"

Yi Shui felt ashamed upon hearing this. He remembered that on that morning 10 days ago, the two girls had paid for the room. In his memory, he didn't seem to have paid for the room at all.

He felt so ashamed that he couldn't face anyone.

But to be honest, apart from his inability to control his legs and his serious lack of self-discipline when playing basketball, he was definitely a good kid in other aspects. Except for the occasional secret drink with his three brothers, he never even touched a cigarette.

In his memory, his father said that smoking was not allowed in America, and who knows what was in the cigarettes that other people were passing around.

His parents were both honorable teachers, and he remembered them as people he respected them very much.

His academic performance is also quite good; it seems that he has never scored below 3 points in any of his major courses.

The other members of the school team almost all relied on basic courses and elective courses to raise their average GPA to 2 points, which is above the NCAA's minimum requirement.

His parents just overlooked their son's good looks and healthy body...

Yi Shui spread his hands: "You know I'm a poor international student, I have to be careful with my money."

Robinson, speechless, replied, "I'll call Mrs. Jim to reserve a table later..."

Mrs. Jim owns a family restaurant near the school. Although the food is just so-so, the ingredients are fresh, the portions are generous, and the prices are relatively cheap, making it very popular with the students.

Since meeting Yi Shui last summer, Robinson has been puzzled. How can this guy be both stingy and strong-willed? He is reluctant to spend money, but he doesn't like to take advantage of others. For example, when it comes to meals, he can't even treat Yi Shui; Yi Shui insists on splitting the bill.

He didn't even realize that this was precisely why they almost never had any conflicts.

...

When Yi Shui returned to his dormitory, he felt compelled to complain every time he saw the room.

Although it's a single room, it's small, with just a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, a small cabinet, and a tiny bathroom. The only appliances are a light bulb, a microwave, a fan I bought myself, and an electric blanket I brought from China in the cabinet. That's all, and it costs $9000 a year.

If it weren't for the full scholarship, he wouldn't have been able to afford this university at all. He remembers that the year he spent in preparatory school was a huge financial burden for his family.

But this is already the best accommodation at Cornell University; accommodation for local students from within the state is much worse.

He used to think that American universities preyed on international students, using the money they made from them to subsidize their own students. But his memories told him that Americans treat everyone equally, and they exploit local students just the same.

For local students going to university, one-third of them have to take out loans to pay their tuition. Not only are the interest rates high, but they also compound, and interest starts accruing from the first day the contract is signed. It sounds nice that you don't have to pay back the money during your studies, but by the time you finish four years of university, the principal has almost doubled. According to data published in 2005, the average repayment time for student loans was 22 years. For high-income professions such as law and medicine, it's even more extreme; once the student loan is paid off, it's basically just time to retire. The calculations are incredibly precise.

If you can't find a good job after graduation, the employer is very considerate and provides a minimum repayment amount. When you retire and can no longer work, the repayment will continue to be deducted from your pension. If your pension is insufficient or nonexistent, your son or daughter will have to continue making the payments.

The Democratic Party's black leader, who is running for president, said something that boosted his approval rating by several percentage points: "Usury is more ethical than student loans."

Lost in thought, Yi Shui took a shower to wipe away the sweat.

He looked at the mirror above the sink while drying his hair, and after ten days or so, he finally got used to it.

Actually, he looks very similar to his 'previous life' now, about 80 or 90 percent similar. But it is precisely because they look so alike that there is a 'uncanny valley' effect. When he first transmigrated, he always noticed those different details. Now, the face of his 'previous life' in his mind has completely overlapped with his current face.

He heated up the sandwich he made last night and ate it with milk for breakfast. Then he took a nap. Around 9 a.m., he was woken up by his alarm clock. He got up, washed his face, and jogged to the school's gymnasium. He went to the gym to lift weights without any trouble.

He first chose to train his legs and back, and instinctively became proficient in using various machines. He also had a good physical foundation and could withstand relatively heavy loads. For example, he could do the 84 kg bench press, which Durant couldn't lift at the same age of 19. However, his endurance was too poor, and he couldn't do it after a few reps.

He couldn't help but sigh. He had worked very hard for at least the first year and a half after arriving in the United States, but the environment had a huge impact on people. Now that he thought about it, if it were him, and he hadn't "seen" the consequences of not being able to control his legs, would he have become so unruly? But he had already felt the consequences, so he couldn't repeat the same mistake.

At 4:30 pm, Yi Shui finished her nightly 5-kilometer run on the treadmill and felt the same exhaustion she had felt a week ago when she first started exercising. She felt a bit of a headache, but also looked forward to the effects of the anaerobic training that was about to begin.

He turned off the running machine, ready to finish his workout for the day, when suddenly, a 'screen' appeared in front of him! It was like typing, with one word after another being 'typed' out rapidly.

"You have been living a dissolute life for the past two years, which has caused serious damage to your body. Fortunately, you have come to your senses in time and started rehabilitation training on your own."

It's never too late to mend your ways. You have completed 7 days of recovery training. The hidden prerequisite task, "Sudden Awakening," has been completed. Congratulations on receiving an extra reward: 1 Advanced Blind Box.

System activation in progress...

Yi Shui was stunned for a moment, then blinked. Even with his eyes closed, he could see the 'screen', and he was instantly overjoyed!
When he first transmigrated, he had hoped that there would be some kind of cheat code, but so many days had passed that he naturally couldn't think about it anymore. Unexpectedly, it suddenly appeared!

He also accidentally completed a hidden quest and received an extra reward!
Then new content appeared on the screen.

"The system has been activated."

You regard Tim Duncan as a basketball role model and aim to surpass him to become the most perfect player.

In your senior year of high school, you became the first non-American to be ranked number one in the nation in high school basketball history, and after graduating from high school, you were expected to be a lottery pick in the 2005 NBA draft.

But you resisted the temptation to skip college and go straight to the NBA, choosing instead to hone your skills in college.

During your two years of college, you achieved numerous individual honors and became the top prospect for the number one draft pick this year, surpassing Greg Oden, Kevin Durant, and Al Horford, and registered to participate in the draft early.

But as the draft approached, you were still disappointed that you hadn't won the championship in college and felt that your skills weren't good enough. You wanted to enter the professional arena in a more perfect form.

After discussions, the NCAA made an exception and allowed you to continue participating in NCAA games. On the day of the draft, you announced your withdrawal from the draft and your return to the NCAA, causing a sensation in the basketball world...

You can use one wish opportunity to promise to lead your team to the NCAA championship in your remaining two years of college career and receive your career launch package early. Do you want to use it? (Note: If you fail to fulfill your promise, all future rewards of the same tier will be deducted double.)

"what?"

(End of this chapter)