Li Wei swore he had no recollection of that face—it seemed to belong to McCaffrey's teammate. So Stanford University had such a figure too?
Mahomes edged a bit closer and lightly bumped Li Wei with his shoulder, "Don't mind it, Solomon Thomas is also a Defensive End, and he's been using Garrett as his imagined adversary. Since Garrett couldn't hold you back, now those on the defensive line and the linemen have set their sights on you. As long as they can defend against you, they can prove themselves, and their draft ranking might even surpass Garrett's."
So that's how it was—
From the nationwide champion MVP to making history with the Heisman Trophy, especially with the overwhelming historical voting rate, everything had placed Li Wei in the spotlight, where everyone was waiting to defeat him to prove themselves.
After the national championship ended, Li Wei mysteriously disappeared—he didn't attend any training camps, which only fueled the rumors about him, leaving his competitors red-eyed one after another.
Now, Li Wei had finally appeared at the training camp, naturally becoming the target everyone was eager to defeat.
Li Wei, however, was not worried.
They hoped to beat Li Wei to prove themselves, and Li Wei was equally eager to embrace all challenges to refute the skepticism—who would be whose stepping stone still remained to be seen.
Li Wei didn't take those provocations to heart—
Attention is good, it proves you're worth the attention.
Li Wei was looking for his teammates.
This year, University of Alabama's draft participants were not just one or two; this batch of juniors had turned professionals and entered the Rookie Training Camp's view. As the backbone of back-to-back NCAA national champions, they were undoubtedly the targets actively sought after by various teams.
Then, a figure passed by Li Wei; his gaze inadvertently caught Li Wei's, and as their eyes met, he paused and walked back, standing in front of Li Wei with a polite smile.
The next sentence was a declaration of challenge.
"You're no match for Derrick Henry. Derrick Henry has both speed and power, while you just rely on speculation and luck. Everyone knows about the Crimson Tide Storm's dominant offensive line—you owe your numbers to their protection. At least half of your achievements should be credited to your offensive group teammates."
"It's just because the League saw the commercial value of the Asian Market and pushed you from behind, continually promoting you, determined to award you the Heisman Trophy. Those media that sway with the wind were all too eager to flatter you."
"But you're nothing more than just a face."
"You may look impressive, but really you're just a straw man. I'll poke through this facade, I'll defeat you and prove that you're just a poster boy with nothing but appearance."
"You, are not worth mentioning."
Different from anyone before, the person in front of him was very calm and composed, without a hint of aggression, just contempt and disdain embedded in his bones—as if he were looking at an embroidered pillow that's all show and no substance, emanating disdain and scorn from the depth of his soul.
For a moment, Mahomes was at a loss, as the person before him was so calm and composed, even wearing a smile as if engaging in a friendly talk; yet, the content of his words was so aggressive. How should one respond?
Li Wei, with a smile, nodded politely and gentlemanly to the person before him, looking like the perfect, obedient student, "I'll be waiting obediently."
Li Wei was serious. Since someone had come to challenge him, he was ready to face it.
Instead of wasting words here, it was better to let actions speak.
"But I guess there might be quite a few people who think the same as you. You'd better get a number and patiently wait in line."
Li Wei's lips curled upwards, revealing a row of neat teeth, displaying the grace of a man of manners.
The person before him: ...
Why does everything feel a bit off?
Watching the man in front of him showing no sign of leaving, and experiencing a lag in his reaction, Li Wei also felt somewhat helpless. He maintained a smile and leaned slightly towards Mahomes, lowering his voice, "Who is this guy?"
The cheeks of the man before him instantly turned red, as if he were a high-pressure cooker with steam hissing from his ears, about to explode any second.
Mahomes blinked his eyes and whispered sneakily, "Kamara, running back from Tennessee."
The University of Tennessee, Alabama's arch-rival, had an outstanding performance this season, ranked ninth in the NCAA, and was also the first of three tough opponents Alabama faced in the middle of the season during their devilish schedule.
But the University of Alabama completely crushed the opposition in that game, almost shutting them out, so it was normal for Li Wei not to recall this particular running back.
Li Wei was somewhat surprised, "Tennessee? Our Southeastern Conference's Tennessee?"
Then why didn't he remember?
Alvin Kamara's face turned crimson, like a pig's liver, looking at Li Wei and Mahomes as they discussed him in hushed tones right in front of him, feeling utterly humiliated; it seemed he was about to explode.
Opening his mouth, he wanted to introduce himself but felt utterly pathetic; retreating as though beating a shameful retreat would be just as cowardly.
He was in a real predicament!
A cheer rang out, and without turning around, he knew it was Humphrey, that guy.
Rustling softly, all eyes in the hall converged on Li Wei—
Heisman Trophy winner, nationwide championship MVP, yet called a rookie; was this serious?
Suddenly, not just Humphrey but Allen, Howard, Foster, Robinson, and a bunch of others from Crimson Tide Storm's championship team gathered around.
Li Wei turned and greeted his teammates with enthusiasm, and after a slight delay, he turned to introduce Mahomes, "Oh, and another guy, said he's from Tennessee..."
Upon turning around, however, he found that Kamara had vanished, having left at some unknown point.
Not just Kamara, there was now a noticeable gap around Crimson Tide Storm.
Without a doubt, Crimson Tide Storm had performed so well, so remarkably, that there was a clear barrier between them and other teams.
Perhaps only Clemson remained unimpressed, not sparing them a glance, as Watson strode forward toward the elevator.
Mahomes, mixed in with the champion team, looked somewhat embarrassed; he had missed the right moment to leave and ended up amidst Crimson Tide Storm.
Mahomes: Maybe, I should hide under a car?
Amidst the bustle, Humphrey took the initiative to help Li Wei with the check-in, and a swarm escorted Li Wei and Mahomes upstairs, where they were staying in adjacent rooms. Li Wei used his keycard to open his room door and stepped inside.
"Meet downstairs in a while? I'm planning to go for a jog in the gym."
Outside, there were groans and protests, but Li Wei had already developed his training habits.
"I can't do a full workout today, but I should still keep up with my daily aerobic exercise."
Amid a chorus of complaints, Li Wei turned around only to see a face full of vitality but tinged with a bit of embarrassment, arms akimbo, striking a pose next to the bed, having been waiting for Li Wei to turn around.
Finally, Li Wei turned around.
The eager, waiting smile on the face before him blossomed once more.
"Can I join in on the training, too?"
Unexpectedly, with a turn, he encountered him again—Christian McCaffrey.