Li Wei was sprinting at full speed, his pace with the ball already fully accelerated. Directly ahead, he could see Baker spreading his arms like a hawk swooping down on a chick, intercepting and cutting off the path forward.
It seemed as though the two players were about to collide near the midfield line of the Crimson Tide Storm, neither Li Wei nor Baker shifting directions, both like runaway trains with no brakes, about to clash in a catastrophic confrontation.
The stadium was silent, with everyone holding their breath, fixated on the impending event.
Just a second ago, they witnessed the "car crash" between Jones and Victor, and now, they were about to witness a second one.
Even the air seemed to freeze.
Baker was extremely calm and focused, needing all his effort to control himself and suppress his excitement, avoiding a missed tackle due to over-eagerness, attacking only when he was one hundred percent sure of his position.
He lowered his center of gravity and took a leap from the ground.
Baker intercepted Li Wei with precision, a surge of elation just about to ignite when it was abruptly extinguished.
A muffled grunt from Baker.
His chest felt like it was being hit and run over by a hundred-ton train, his blood churning, the strings of reason in his mind instantly snapping, his vision darkening before he could even contemplate what had happened, the strength and balance of his body uncontrollably torn away.
The next second, Baker felt as if his body became weightless, no longer bound by gravity, only hearing the whistling of the raging wind in his ears.
How… how did this happen?
The whole stadium was in shock.
Just as Li Wei was about to collide with Baker, he bent his knees to lower his center of gravity, slightly shifted his position, and forcefully rammed his shoulder into Baker's chest, striking before Baker could complete his tackle.
From running up to accelerating and then to exerting force, Li Wei's brazen strength instantly shattered Baker's tackle; it was the clash of power against power, with speed as the fuel to break the balance and thoroughly overturn Baker.
Baker, significantly smaller than Li Wei in both height and weight, was powerless to fight back, all techniques and intelligence crumbling in the face of absolute power.
Head-on collision, breaking through the front!
Baker was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, while Li Wei felt the pressure lift, his speed and power freed from any constraints, becoming light once more.
Step-step, step-step-step.
Amidst the tumult and chaos, his speed reignited by the continuous power of his steps.
Running faster and faster, without any reservations, leaving everyone in the dust.
The whole stadium went wild--
The forty-yard line, Li Wei continued his breakthrough after crossing midfield into open space.
At the thirty-yard line, the classic supporting slogan of the season for the Crimson Tide Storm echoed once more in the Georgia Dome skies, accompanying Li Wei in his wild horse sprint, reaching for the peak.
At the twenty-yard line, even though the defensive group from the University of Washington was still in full pursuit, they had lost their chance; their momentum and speed were completely overpowered, they watched speechlessly at the figure ahead, not even daring to draw close.
Ten-yard line, Red Zone.
End Zone Line, touchdown.
Everything felt so easy yet so graceful.
There were evasive maneuvers amidst chaos, breakthroughs at absolute speed, head-on collisions of force, and a dust-raising sprint; Li Wei exhibited the art of ground offense running to its fullest, delivering a potent response—
University of Washington, are you ready? You think you're prepared, but are you really? Have you ever witnessed the true Crimson Tide Storm?
In the end zone, Li Wei calmly stopped, without any cheers, yells or spiking the ball, but stood still, placing his right hand by his ear and waiting in silence.
He was awaiting the response from the University of Washington.
And the response from the University of Alabama.
In the stands, fans from the University of Washington trembled and stared agape, silenced by the sight of Baker who was too dizzy to stand.
Baker: Who am I, where am I, what am I doing?
Exactly three seconds later, the Georgia Dome echoed with uniform chanting.
"There he is, here he is, he's everywhere, he's the Edgerunner, Li Wei, Li Wei, Li Wei!"
Once, then again, overwhelmingly, the entire stadium prostrates in worship before Li Wei, drowning out even the commentator's voice in the broadcast booth.
Fierce! Formidable! Dominating!
From the beginning, the University of Washington took the initiative, asserting their claim over the game, unaware that such a move would awaken the slumbering beast early, and with one flick of its tail, the Crimson Tide Storm crushed whatever momentum the University of Washington had managed to build up.
Li Wei, the number twenty-three of the Crimson Tide Storm, with a seventy-five-yard long rush to the end zone, broke through the encirclement of four defensive players, leveling the playing field in just under thirty seconds after the University of Washington had painstakingly established an advantage.
The University of Washington players, both Browning and Baker, were panicked; how could they continue this match? It's not that they hadn't tried their hardest or lacked a strategy; they had indeed put forth all their tactics with all their might, yet they were still so easily taken down?
At that moment, the Georgia Dome transformed into Bryant Denny Stadium, the roaring Crimson Tide Storm completely overpowered the support for the University of Washington, with their overwhelming presence causing the confident, united defensive group of the University of Washington to stand lost and disoriented.
Baker remained seated on the ground, unable to stand for a long time: weak, helpless, trembling.
In the end zone, Li Wei, hardly sweating, took off his helmet, celebrated with high-fives to his offensive group buddies, tossed the football to a teammate from the Special Duty Group taking the field, and walked effortlessly towards the sidelines, handing over to the defensive group.
Humphrey finally regained his smile, looking at Li Wei with a broad grin, "Beast, you're a beast. They tremble under your claws, haha, I love it."
Li Wei high-fived Humphrey, "The true beast of the Crimson Tide Storm is the defensive group, Coach Saban is watching you guys. You should make them tremble under your claws."
Allen also joined in, patting Humphrey on the back, "Did you hear that? Anyone who didn't know better would think our Crimson Tide Storm has switched to offense, just like that a ten-year defensive legacy gone, not good."
A little joke immediately made Humphrey's face contort as if he were constipated. He looked again across the field, couldn't help but crack his knuckles—
Clearly, the University of Washington was not ready to surrender. Since they dared to challenge the University of Alabama, it meant they were psychologically prepared.
Moreover, didn't the University of Washington smoothly score a touchdown in their opening offensive?
Browning rallied his spirits.
Taking the field once more, Browning stood erect, ready to enter the second round of the battle with the king, but just as he stepped onto the field, he immediately felt a different atmosphere; all those eyes and gazes fell upon him like a pack of wolves setting their sights on a little rabbit.
Heh heh, those smiles, each more ferocious than the last.