area51novel Chapter 25 These shoes are called villains
Chapter 25 These shoes are called villains
Li Xiangbei's apartment in Tribeca, Manhattan, New York.
The doorbell rang.
As soon as Li Xiangbei opened the door, a middle-aged man with a ruddy complexion and slightly balding head rushed in and gave him a bear hug that was enough to suffocate Li Xiangbei before he even had a chance to greet him.
"Li! You're a genius! A complete and utter genius!"
The visitor was none other than Kevin Planck, the founder of Under Armour.
Compared to the somewhat awkward meeting a month ago, Planck today felt like he'd won the Powerball lottery. He released Li Xiangbei and paced excitedly back and forth in the living room.
"My God! You know what? Ever since that 'Wallbreaker' character went live, our bodysuit sales have jumped 30% in North America! It's insane!"
Planck waved his arms.
"And now you're the All-Star first-round vote leader! 152 million votes! You've surpassed Kobe! You've surpassed LeBron! Back then, those old guys on the board said I was crazy to give you 0.5% of the shares, but now? Ha! They're all praising me as a business genius! A visionary strategist!"
Li Xiangbei poured a glass of water for the excited boss, his expression remaining calm.
"Kevin, calm down. Take a deep breath."
Li Xiangbei sat on the sofa, crossing his legs.
"This is nothing. Wait until that Davidson kid (Curry) arrives, and you'll realize your surprise is premature. Did you bring the shoes?"
"Of course! This is our top secret!"
Planck put down his water glass and carefully placed the silver briefcase he had brought on the coffee table. He entered the password, and with a soft "click," the lid popped open.
A pair of basketball shoes with an extremely unique, even "fierce" design, lay quietly on a black foam pad.
The generation of villains.
The entire shoe features a matte black finish without any unnecessary patterns. The upper material has a very unique appearance, with a rough texture.
"This is Kevlar," Planck explained with pride. "The material used in bulletproof vests. It's lightweight, extremely durable, and offers maximum protection."
Li Xiangbei picked up a shoe and ran his fingers along the textured surface. The sole design was even bolder, featuring a rugged pattern similar to tank treads, providing visibly strong grip.
In terms of details, these shoes are a perfect embodiment of Li Xiangbei's personal style.
On the shoe tongue is a skull logo with a gas mask on—a "villain totem" personally chosen by Li Xiangbei.
At the heel, a line of bright red text is laser-etched: "NO MERCY".
Lift up the sole, and beneath the translucent crystal, the famous quote already etched into the NBA Trash Talk Hall of Fame is clearly printed: "Ball Don't Lie."
"Thump."
Li Xiangbei tapped the solid wood coffee table with the heel of his shoe, producing a dull and solid sound.
"Tough enough."
Li Xiangbei nodded in satisfaction, a smile playing on his lips.
"Wear this, and even if you accidentally step on someone like Bowen's foot again, it will be his bones that break."
……
1:00 PM. The online world.
The release of high-resolution spy photos of the "Rogue Generation" caused an instant uproar online.
Some people think it's awesome, while others think it's too ugly and too violent.
ESPN's notoriously critical commentator Bill Simmons wrote in his column:
"These shoes, like Li Xiangbei himself, are full of aggression and unnecessary violent aesthetics. They don't look like basketball shoes; they look more like military boots. Moreover, I don't think a second-round pick whose All-Star votes were entirely generated by the Chinese market deserves to have a signature shoe."
Kevin Durant quietly liked the tweet. Although he quickly unliked it, eagle-eyed netizens still managed to capture the moment in a screenshot.
Li Xiangbei was scrolling through Twitter while lying on the physiotherapy bed in the training hall when he saw this scene and laughed.
"You think I'm ugly? You think I rigged the votes?"
Li Xiangbei's fingers flew across the screen as he posted a new tweet.
The accompanying photo shows him holding a pair of black "Bad Guy Generation" sneakers, with the Madison Square Garden locker room in the background.
@LiXiangbei：
"It's not pretty, and I didn't expect it to walk the runway. It's for fighting, a tank for kicking the asses of skeptics."
"@KevinDurant, want a pair? They're a bit stiff, but wearing them might make you more than just hard online. In-game bonus: +50% true damage."
The comment section was flooded within five minutes of the tweet being posted.
"Hahaha! Official sarcasm is the most lethal!"
"Tank boots? I like that name!"
"KD is going to cry again. Why is he always the one who gets hurt?"
Even more amazing, ten minutes later...
@ScarlettJohansson retweeted this tweet.
"I want a pair of women's pink ones. I also want to try what it feels like to kick someone's butt. @LiXiangbei, remember to reserve some for me."
A decisive goal.
This is practically a second execution for Durant.
Under Armour's official website pre-order link crashed at that moment. Countless fans who wanted to imitate their idols' "kicking butts" flooded in, causing the server to crash.
Planck, beaming as he looked at the soaring data in the backend, exclaimed, "Looks like we'll have to work overtime to increase production, and we need to develop the pink version as soon as possible!"
……
The next morning. Madison Square Garden.
The Chicago Bulls visited New York.
This is a special game. It's not just a matchup between the number one draft pick and a villain, but also the first reunion of the former Memphis duo on the NBA stage.
Pre-match interview segment.
In the Bulls' locker room, reporters surrounded a still somewhat green Derrick Rose.
At this moment, Rose was wearing the Bulls' training uniform, his eyes still clear, but compared to his college days, he had gained a more professional player's determination.
"Derrick, do you remember the NCAA Finals a few months ago?" a reporter asked. "In the final 58 seconds, Li Xiangbei took over the game and made that game-winning shot."
Upon hearing this question, Rose paused in his shoelaces.
His gaze became somewhat complicated, as if it had traveled through time and space, returning to that unforgettable night.
"How could I forget?"
Ross looked up, his voice low and sincere.
"That was a miracle. That night, I was completely exhausted, and the team was on the verge of collapse. It was Lee who stepped up and saved us all. That championship trophy belongs to him halfway."
"He is my brother and my benefactor."
Ross paused, the warmth in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a strong fighting spirit.
"but."
"Tonight, we are opponents."
Ross stood up. The boy who used to follow Li Xiangbei with a silly grin was gone, replaced by the sharp edge of the Wind City Rose.
"I want to prove that being a top scorer is not just about talent, but also about ability."
"I will show him in my own way that I am also growing."
These words quickly reached the home team's locker room.
Li Xiangbei was wrapping a thick bandage around his ankle.
Upon hearing the reporter relay Ross's words, Li Xiangbei smiled, a smile tinged with nostalgia and a hint of helplessness.
"Derek is still as honest as ever."
Li Xiangbei tightened his shoelaces, stood up, and stretched his neck.
"Brothers are brothers, and competition is competition."
"Since he wants to win, wants to prove himself..."
Li Xiangbei looked at himself in the locker room mirror.
"Then I'll teach him a lesson."