Chapter 870: 869 following every step carefully
Donald launched himself into the air, using his right leg as a pivot, spinning like a whirlwind, and finally throwing his entire body recklessly toward Li Wei.
Such a physique, such mass, defying gravity in an extraordinary leap, caught the wind to soar, using explosive power and timely secondary reactions to close the gap, incredibly catching up to Li Wei’s stride, and then—
Donald grabbed hold of Li Wei’s calf, pulling down hard while entangled in a struggle, using his body as a weapon and slamming him horizontally like a bowling ball, sweeping across Li Wei’s lower half.
The entire crowd gasped sharply; they had never seen Donald struggle so desperately before. Watching as the shadow of peril completely enveloped Li Wei.
And it was at this very moment, in the split-second before collision, that Li Wei caught Donald’s movement in the corner of his eye. Without time to think, survival instincts kicked in:
A stomp on the ground, two leaps, a triple-jump maneuver, hastily propelling forward like Indiana Jones fleeing a rolling boulder, stepping on the Wind Fire Wheel to save his life, stumbling and careening to narrowly escape Donald’s all-or-nothing lunge. His rhythm and balance spun into chaos like a whirlwind, precariously teetering—though evading Donald’s strike, it seemed he was about to fall.
Step, step, step-step.
A quick succession of stomps regained his footing amidst a wavering center of mass and turbulent currents, left hand bracing the ground, barely maintaining balance while adjusting and moving forward—
Vertical progression.
One step, two steps, in a flash, crossing the scrimmage line, Li Wei was regaining his balance and speed.
From the left, a sapphire-blue figure closed in fast; Li Wei didn’t even have time to make out their jersey number, holding his breath as he braked sharply to yield space with a courteous gesture, inviting the figure to pass through first.
The sapphire-blue figure swept past Li Wei like a gale storm.
Only then did Li Wei restart his stride. He barely had time to catch a breath when from the right, Peters came charging in, face twisted in fury.
In that fleeting moment, Peters couldn’t tell whether Li Wei was humiliating Donald or himself. He hadn’t even managed to graze Li Wei’s jersey and instead seemed discarded like trash—effortlessly tossed aside.
Despite his stumbling steps, Peters chased on, staggering forward to stop that man before Li Wei released his full speed.
Right then, Li Wei hit the brakes abruptly; Peters didn’t hesitate—hurling his body forward in a diving tackle aimed directly at Li Wei’s waist.
This time, Li Wei didn’t have the chance to shake off the hold the same way. Instead, he took only a small step forward, not for evasion but to create misalignment, and then—
Jumped straight upward.
No mistake—it was an in-place vertical leap, as if he were a basketball player pulling up for a three-point shot, effortlessly ascending into the air.
Peters couldn’t believe his eyes at this unexpected decision. Watching as collision seemed inevitable, he was forced to lift his head and search for Li Wei’s silhouette above.
Li Wei knew his jump height wouldn’t suffice to clear Peters completely, so he consciously spread his legs open, extending them straight to avoid contact.
The Mercedes-Benz Dome witnessed an astonishing sight—a scene akin to “ballet versus breakdance”—as Peters slid beneath Li Wei’s open stance, and Li Wei gracefully vaulted overhead, the two narrowly missing an impending crash.
Then, gravity yanked Li Wei back to the ground, landing next to Peters. Mentally prepared for the impact, Li Wei executed a gazelle-like leap over Peters’ sprawled body, stumbling but continuing forward through the chaos and counterforces of the collision.
“This… unbelievable!”
“Wow, Li Wei! Li Wei being Li Wei once again!”
“Not once, not twice, but three times! Three tackles—each entirely different in style—Li Wei tore through the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive line with a dazzling show of skill.”
“Was this poor performance by the Los Angeles Rams Defense?”
“No, it was Li Wei’s sheer brilliance.”
“Li Wei is advancing, he’s charging forward, even with faltering steps, exhausted and seemingly on the verge of collapse—Li Wei keeps running.”
“Forty-five-yard line!”
“God, the Los Angeles Rams are in crisis—but Corey Littleton and John Johnson save the Rams!”
“Corey Littleton, a contender in the discussions for Defensive Player of the Year, justified the votes that placed him in the All-American Second Team. On the grand stage of the Super Bowl, he delivered a stellar performance. This young lineman responded precisely in time to halt Li Wei’s advance, tackling him before another incredible touchdown after his breathtaking long-distance scurry.”
“Who can stop Li Wei? Who can stop this man?”
“A full twenty-yard rushing advance. Once again, Li Wei broke Donald’s containment, transforming what could’ve been a backfield takedown into a twenty-yard gain, securing a critical first down for the Kansas City Chiefs and… crossing midfield.”
“Folks, it might seem implausible, but this marks only the third time any team has crossed midfield in this game, all three by the Kansas City Chiefs.”
“So, could this be the turning point that allows the defending champions to break the game’s deadlock?”
The air was on fire, breaths burning in unison.
Both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams were stepping up their intensity and tempo in this critical moment.
Li Wei’s extraordinary performance came at the steep cost of intense short-term exertion; the level of physical confrontation escalated sharply, raising the stakes and intensity. But this was the turning point—Li Wei knew it, and Donald knew it too.
Donald stood up again, not discouraged but instead raising his thumb in approval toward Li Wei.
Seeing Li Wei perform at such a high level, how could Donald afford to fall behind?
Without hesitation, Donald rallied the Los Angeles Rams Defense, quickly boosting morale and demanding the defenders to step up their resilience and toughness.
Next, the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive front delivered harsher, fiercer pressure, targeting not just Li Wei but the entire offensive line, as if a storm hit them relentlessly. Their opponents could feel the rising aggression.
On one side, the Kansas City Chiefs secured two additional first downs, maintaining their advance.
On the other side, the Los Angeles Rams unleashed their explosive prowess at the edge of the Red Zone. Safety John Johnson and Cornerback Peters combined efforts to shut down Kelsey, successfully breaking up a pass, forcing a three-and-out, and holding back the Kansas City Chiefs’ charge once again.
Fierce clashes, uncompromising defense—the Los Angeles Rams showcased their strength, proving that the entire defensive group represented elite standards in the league, beyond Donald’s individual brilliance.
Even against Li Wei’s unparalleled individual performance, the Los Angeles Rams adjusted rapidly, suppressing the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense before they could seize full momentum.
Still, no touchdown appeared.
The intense consumption of energy was evident on both sides. Players were red-faced, dripping sweat, keeping a fragile balance amid thrilling, nerve-wracking exchanges, unable to break the stalemate just yet.
Nonetheless, the Kansas City Chiefs secured a forty-three-yard field goal opportunity. This time, Buck made no mistake, scoring perfectly.
The scoreboard—finally no longer blank.