The ESPN studio was as silent as the grave, while on the TV, the fiery red flames seemed to escape the confines of the screen and gush forth, unreasonably dragging the studio's occupants into the tempest.
Four years ago, it was the same Arrowhead Stadium, against the same Oakland Raiders, when Kansas City Chiefs fans released a thunderous wave of support, shattering the World Record created by the home crowd of the Seattle Seahawks and making history.
Everyone in the ESPN studio at this moment had witnessed that match live, but compared to today's spectacle, it was but a minor prelude.
Before their eyes, it was more than just noise; they could deeply sense the strength and spirit firmly twisted into one from the bottom up, inside out—the unified cheers transforming into spreading magma, burning intensely.
In this moment, fans and players, team and city, seemed to truly merge into one, united in facing their divisional arch-rival and bursting with high morale.
It was spectacular and grand.
In this fleeting moment, people temporarily forgot which team they supported, wholeheartedly appreciating the purest and most beautiful aspect of competitive sports, their hearts surging involuntarily.
Perhaps there was one exception.
When Li Wei was tightly surrounded by the Oakland Raiders, three layers inside and three layers outside, there was a brief moment when he ignited hope; but it was quickly extinguished as he watched Li Wei break through the wall and fell into despair—
Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance.
Those five stages flashed by in a blur, then Bart's heart sank hard, crashing down into countless shattered pieces in a free fall.
His face, where was it?
Heh, the face was long gone, and slaps couldn't even be felt anymore; now he was lying flat, open to mockery, with a heart dead as ashes, life no longer worth living.
Bart felt that he could become a monk.
For the game before him, Bart couldn't think of a beginning, a middle, or an end; from any angle, he could not deduce a halftime score of "0:24," and that remained true even if he was completely objective and rational. Yet bizarrely, such a thing was unfolding before his eyes.
Bart firmly believed that he and Li Wei were simply incompatible, destined to avoid each other forever.
If even Bart had become autistic, what about the Oakland Raiders?
Mark was somewhat dazed, standing still and panting like a cow, his brain a complete mush. They had given it their all; they were warmed up, but why couldn't they stop the opponent?
So, what should they do next?
For the first time, Mark did not look towards Li Wei but instead turned his head to see coach Del Rio, only to find Del Rio's eyes just as hollow, staring into nothing, as if being dragged into a black hole by a deep sense of powerlessness.
Of course, that was out of the question.
If they surrendered, Del Rio might be drowned in the spit of Oakland fans. This was the Kansas City Chiefs, the century-old arch-rival; no matter the outcome, they absolutely could not give up. They had to fight to the bitter end.
Even though Del Rio had no idea what to do, he had to grit his teeth and press on.
In the first half, the Oakland Raiders Offense led by Carl took the field once again.
Carl, as if awakening from a dream, finally found some passing rhythm and no longer fixated on passing to Cooper, spreading the ball around during the offensive and defensive showdowns to gain some yardage, securing three first downs and pushing past midfield for the visiting team.
In one drive, Carl's performance had already surpassed the total of the first three drives of the first half, showcasing the Oakland Raiders' spirit of counterattack. Since there was no turning back, they might as well go for broke.
Quietly, memories of the last game between Oakland and Kansas resurfaced, where the Kansas City Chiefs had been leading for three quarters, only for Carl and Cooper to explode in the fourth quarter and complete the comeback.
Could it be that Carl was about to pull off a come-from-behind performance again?
The Kansas City Chiefs Defense seemed to say, "Do you think we're just for show?"
With a clean strikeout, the Kansas City Chiefs snuffed out the flickering flame of the Oakland Raiders Offensive group's revival; but with little time remaining in the first half, Del Rio decided to take a gamble.
They chose to go for a fake punt!
Unfortunately, the fake punt attempt failed, but the Oakland Raiders still succeeded in running out the clock for the rest of the first half, preventing the Kansas Chiefs Offense from taking the field again and avoiding a further widening of the gap.
Returning from the halftime break, the Oakland Raiders were the first to go on the offensive.
However, Carl still continued the pattern from the end of the first half, seemingly regaining a bit of form, stumbling through to achieve some first downs; but as soon as they crossed midfield against the intensity of the Kansas City Chiefs Defense, they quickly faltered and were struck out in quick succession.
On the other hand, the Kansas Chiefs Offense remained dominant. Nagy consciously began controlling the tempo of the game, not rushing to get the fatal touchdown, combining passing and running more smoothly and tensely, and always managing to advance successfully, leaving the Oakland Raiders Defense powerless to resist.
The back-and-forth tug-of-war was noticeably fiercer and more contentious, yet the Kansas City Chiefs still maintained a firm grip on the game. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire
By the end of the third quarter, the Oakland Raiders had yet to score, while the Kansas City Chiefs methodically expanded their advantage, going into the final quarter with an insurmountable lead.
Some commotion arose on the field, with a noticeably jovial atmosphere and laughter in the Kansas City Chiefs' sideline area, the scene lively.
"Hmm? Wait a minute, what's happening on the field? It's not clear from here."
In the broadcast booth, Pash didn't understand; but in the studio, Bart, upon seeing this scene, quickly scanned the field and realized what was happening. The realization made him go pale: damn.
Then applause erupted in the stands, someone led a standing ovation, and cheers and clapping spread throughout the stadium in an instant.
"Oh, Smith is taking off his helmet, ready to rest, and backup quarterback Mahomes is about to enter the game."
"Wow, Reed, Reed is really... bold!"
"After a six-game losing streak, to daringly choose to end the workday after three quarters and send in the backup lineup for the final quarter, this is... impressive!"
"But no matter what, Mahomes, the first-round tenth overall pick from this year's draft, is about to make his debut, stepping onto the NFL field for the first time representing the Kansas City Chiefs. Now we'll finally get to see how this young man performs."
Mahomes couldn't believe his ears, sitting obediently on the bench, his pro debut opportunity unexpectedly upon him.
Subconsciously, Mahomes looked towards Li Wei, "What, what should I do?"
Li Wei revealed a big grin, "The helmet, don't forget your helmet."
Mahomes, dazed and confused, put on his helmet without even knowing which way to go and entered the game. He hadn't even prepared mentally before being faced with his first appearance.
All around the stadium, the applause was thunderous, offering the warmest welcome to the team's future. The overwhelming wave of enthusiasm left Mahomes standing in place, somewhat stunned.