Chapter 393: Cold-Blooded Assassin

Chapter 393: Chapter 390: Cold-Blooded Assassin

Just throwing an interception that led to a turnover, and then watching the opponent ride that momentum to a touchdown, was definitely a formative experience for rookie quarterback Lu Ke—and not a pleasant one.

Although the opponent made a mistake, turning a potential seven points into only six and preventing the interception’s negative impact from worsening, it was still a heavy blow for the rookie. Only by going through such ordeals and setbacks can a rookie truly grow. The question now is, can Lu Ke pass the test?

Taking the field again, Lu Ke had to quickly regain his focus, forget the interception, and lock into this new offensive drive. But for a rookie quarterback, this was undoubtedly a difficult task. And now, the home fans filling FedEx Field had no intention of letting Lu Ke off the hook.

As the commentator spoke, the voices of the home crowd bled through the broadcast microphones. “Interception! Interception! Interception!” The taunts and jeers, starting scattered, quickly merged into a massive wave of sound, punctuated by mocking laughter and boos, all aimed at shattering Lu Ke’s confidence.

On the field, his teammates shot Lu Ke concerned glances. Jonathan Goodwin clapped him on the shoulder and said loudly, “Stay in the game. Just stay in the game.”

Even though the regular season was already in its ninth week, Lu Ke still hadn’t faced many real trials. This experience was entirely new—a combination of on-field pressure and off-field hostility. It was certainly a difficult situation for a rookie to handle, so his teammates’ concerns were not unfounded.

For Lu Ke, however, these influences were negligible.

Without saying a word, Lu Ke patted Goodwin’s shoulder, then led his teammates onto the field. They huddled up, and he began to call the play. A powerful, defiant fighting spirit ignited in his eyes.

…

“Wow!” After a moment’s pause, the commentator couldn’t help but marvel again. “Wow! Unbelievable. That was truly unbelievable!” The exclamations just kept coming.

“After throwing an interception that put his team behind, Lu Ke came right back out and displayed an incredible maturity and composure. He doesn’t look like a rookie quarterback at all. He seems completely unfazed. If you told me he’d been playing in this league for ten years, I’d believe you.”

“On that last drive, Lu Ke went nine for eleven. He not only converted on a critical third-and-twelve with a perfectly threaded pass to get the first down, pulling his offense back from the brink, but he also capped off the drive by completing a thirty-one-yard pass to Logan Newman for a touchdown! Beautiful! That was absolutely beautiful!”

Touchdown! In the face of a crisis, the San Francisco 49ers offense, led by Lu Ke, responded with a powerful touchdown. Once again, they showcased the devastating and fluid offensive momentum they’ve had all season, truly showing everyone the unstoppable offensive machine they become when firing on all cylinders.

The touchdown was stunning, but what was even more impressive was the ability Lu Ke demonstrated throughout the drive.

“Of course, on that final reception, Newman’s performance was absolutely worth highlighting.”

“After making the catch with ease, Newman found himself surrounded by three defenders. He used nimble footwork to get around the first, lowered his center of gravity to power through the second, and finally, with the third defender closing in, he used a high-step to break free from a sure tackle, charging into the End Zone for the team’s first touchdown of the day!”

“Without a doubt, Newman’s receiving talent on offense is absolutely stunning. The rookie Tight End has firmly cemented his place as the team’s number-one receiving target. But on this drive, it was Lu Ke’s performance that stole the spotlight. Facing a heavy blitz, the pocket completely collapsed, but Lu Ke refused to give up, showing an incredible, indomitable spirit.”

“While scrambling, Lu Ke used a mix of short and long passes to completely dismantle the Redskins’ entire game plan. It was like he was flying a kite—he held the string, pulling their Defense Team all over the field, making them run in circles. The Redskins defense had absolutely no answer, giving up ground step by step until they could only watch helplessly as their opponent struck the fatal blow and entered the End Zone.”

“In a tense, critical situation, Lu Ke’s nerves of steel and calm execution showed the poise of a true field general. His route distribution and the mix of pass and run plays were truly brilliant. After throwing that interception, Lu Ke immediately regained his footing, composed himself, recalibrated, and delivered a perfect answer.”

It was worth noting that after watching Logan cross into the End Zone for the touchdown, Lu Ke didn’t celebrate wildly. He just gave a small fist pump, acknowledging Logan’s fantastic play, and nothing more.

One would imagine that in a revenge game like this, especially after hitting the low of an interception and facing the taunts of the home crowd, scoring a touchdown would be the perfect moment to unleash all that pent-up emotion in a wild celebration—a way to brutally shut the fans up.

But Lu Ke was so calm, so composed—understated, even. It was truly unexpected. He looked like a cool-headed assassin: draw the blade, spill the blood, sheathe the blade, and walk away without a word.

‘Does this mean… Lu Ke considered that touchdown a matter of course, something not even worth celebrating?’

If that was the case, it was another form of humiliation for the Washington Redskins’ Defense Team. But since no one was interviewing Lu Ke at that moment, no one could know what he was thinking. All of it was just speculation.

Still, it was undeniable that the San Francisco 49ers offense was in outstanding form this season. Although the Offense Line still struggled with inconsistent pocket protection, the unit as a whole—not just Lu Ke, but everyone from the Offense Line to the receivers—was red-hot in their tactical execution and coordination. They were truly showcasing the sharp, incisive nature of the West Coast Offense.

Even the commentators couldn’t help but marvel, to say nothing of the home fans.

Just moments ago, they had been clamoring, shouting “Interception,” kicking Lu Ke while he was down, trying to crush their opponent’s spirit completely. But in the next instant, they witnessed a touchdown—a surgical thirty-one-yard scoring pass that felt like a dagger plunging straight into their chests. And then…

Dead silence.

For a fraction of a second, the entire FedEx Field fell silent. It was a deathly quiet, as if every breath had been stolen away. The sheer, dumbfounded shock of being so thoroughly put in their place left the home fans completely speechless.

But it was only for an instant. Then, the stadium erupted in a tsunami of boos, the sound swelling to an even greater volume as it cascaded down from the stands. They were trying to smother the San Francisco 49ers’ newfound momentum, and if they could rattle them enough to miss the extra point, all the better.

Unfortunately for them, the home fans were destined for disappointment. David Akens’s performance was rock-solid and unshakable. He coolly split the uprights for the extra point, bringing the score to 6-7. Just like that, the visiting team had retaken the lead and seized the game’s momentum.

The tiny spark of momentum the Washington Redskins had just managed to build was extinguished before it could even catch fire. A bucket of ice water had been dumped on their heads, chilling them to the core. The pressure was now squarely back on the shoulders of the Redskins’ offense.

All eyes in the stadium fixed on Rex Grossman. Grossman could immediately feel the pressure—a crushing, mountainous weight settling on him, almost suffocating him. A moment ago, the trial had fallen on Lu Ke’s shoulders. Now, it was Grossman’s turn.

This was already a high-stakes game, and now Grossman could feel the pressure multiplying exponentially. Even as a seasoned veteran, he couldn’t stop his palms from sweating. And then… then came the interception.

“Interception! Following in Lu Ke’s footsteps, Grossman serves up an interception of his own!”

“In the pocket, Grossman must have had a blind spot. He completely misread the route, throwing the ball straight into the path of an opposing player. There was no suspense, no contest. The San Francisco 49ers’ number 53, inside linebacker Navorro Bowman, came away with the easy interception!”

“Although Bowman was surrounded by Redskins players and couldn’t get any yards on the return before being tackled, this is still a disaster for the Redskins.”

“Because they were intercepted on their own twenty-four-yard line, just past the twenty. This means the San Francisco 49ers are only twenty-four yards away from the End Zone! With an offense as high-powered as the 49ers have, you can be sure they won’t be settling for a field goal. They’ll be aiming for a touchdown!”

First, Lu Ke gifted the Washington Redskins excellent starting field position. Then, Grossman returned the favor, gifting the San Francisco 49ers an even better starting position, much closer to the End Zone. This back-and-forth was the very picture of “friendship first, competition second.”

Faced with such a generous gift, Lu Ke did not refuse. He gladly accepted.

After taking the field, Lu Ke threw a short pass, followed by a run, and then another short pass. He found a wide-open Kyle Williams, surprisingly forgoing his primary targets, Logan Newman and Ted Ginn Jr. Williams made the sure-handed catch, made a quick turn, and walked easily into the End Zone for another touchdown.

It was his second touchdown pass of the game, and Lu Ke still didn’t celebrate wildly. He gave another small fist pump, shared a high-five with a jubilant Williams, and that was it. His calm and composed demeanor was truly that of an assassin.