Chapter 423: The Giant Beast Awakens

Lu Ke extended his right hand, placing it in the center. A predatory glint flared once more in his resolute gaze. The tenser the situation, the more fired up he got. The more desperate the circumstances, the more his spirits soared. The greater the difficulty, the more heroic he became. His blazing eyes radiated unwavering confidence. ‘I own this field!’

One hand, then another. Every player on the offense reached out, stacking their hands on top of Lu Ke’s. Even coaches like Craig Roman and Kip Kester extended their hands to join the huddle. They never shied away from a tough fight, and they were never intimidated by being the underdogs! If you want a war, then bring it on!

“This is a war!” Lu Ke yelled. “This is a war! WAR!”

Everyone began to roar. “WAR!” Their shouts, one after another, grew hoarse as they screamed their lungs out, stirring every emotion within them, like a slumbering giant reawakening. “WAR!”

Their roars were so powerful that the fans in the stands heard them, and all eyes turned in their direction.

Slowly, gradually, the same sound began to echo throughout Candlestick Park. The panicked, chaotic, and listless cheering finally found its focus, firmly coalescing once more. It made Ryan Baldwin look up, surveying the endless sea of red before him. He, too, was but a single drop in that ocean.

“WAR! WAR! WAR!”

Before he even realized it, Ryan couldn’t help but join the chant. One shout, then another, his voice rising in pitch and volume until he was yelling freely, all his emotions erupting at once. As he shouted, a smile bloomed on his face. He looked up at Jiang Youning, who was standing beside him. They exchanged a glance and shouted in unison, “WAR!”

This was the San Francisco 49ers’ war—a war where they would never give up, never retreat! And every fan in Candlestick Park was a soldier in this battle.

It wasn’t just at Candlestick Park. At that very moment, Anthony Tinozzo, watching the game at Joe’s Bar, was swept up in the same frenzy. All the fans in the bar raised their glasses, pounding on the tables with a dull, unified rhythm like a marching army. Then, in a deep bass, they chanted:

“WAR!”

The passionate, heart-pounding emotion gradually spread to everyone, and even Anthony couldn’t help but join the chant.

It wasn’t just because of the offense on the sideline getting pumped and ready to give their all. It was because over the past nine weeks, this team’s indomitable spirit and relentless perseverance had touched every fan, uniting them all at this very moment. The very pulse of San Francisco seemed to reawaken.

“WAR! WAR! WAR!”

The immense sound swept majestically across the entire stadium!

…

With 2:15 on the clock and the score 21-27, the offense took the field again for a first-and-ten from their own 15-yard line.

The preceding kickoff return by the special teams had not gone well. The returner, Anthony Dixon, had unfortunately failed to find a running lane. Starting from the end zone, he was stopped at the 15-yard line, an outcome even worse than taking a touchback. But there was no time for regrets, as the game clock was running once more.

First and ten.

The San Francisco 49ers once again lined up in their favored multi-receiver set: three receivers to the right and one to the left. Moreover, Lu Ke was openly in the Shotgun Formation, with Marcus Lynch positioned as a slot receiver on the left. This created a shotgun look with three receivers on the right and two on the left.

Having regained their form during the third and early fourth quarters, the New York Giants were now unafraid, lining up in an even more aggressive defensive formation.

On the first level was a four-man rush. The four defensive linemen all pressed forward, posturing for a heavy blitz on the quarterback. Alongside them, in man-to-man coverage, were three linebackers and two cornerbacks, matched up one-on-one with the 49ers’ five receivers. They spread the formation wide and pressed up on the line of scrimmage, leaving no doubt about their aggressive intentions.

The second level consisted of two safeties playing deep, about fifteen yards off the line of scrimmage. One was positioned in the middle of the field, while the other was over on the right side. This effectively left the left side of the field somewhat open—the very side opposite the 49ers’ three-receiver stack.

Through three quarters of play, the New York Giants seemed to have found the key on defense, completely stifling the San Francisco 49ers’ versatile passing attack and even displaying their own defensive aggression. For nearly two full quarters, the 49ers had failed to score again. This was, without a doubt, a success.

Now, the New York Giants were two minutes and fifteen seconds away from completing a second-half shutout.

Standing in the pocket, Lu Ke’s mind was calmer and clearer than ever. He hadn’t been this focused even when things were going smoothly in the first half. The sound of his heart thundering against his chest made his skin grow hot. He gently rolled the football, searching for the delicate texture at his fingertips. Then, he yelled—

“Hike!”

The instant the call was made, all five of the San Francisco 49ers’ receivers took off running. Their routes looked vaguely familiar, yet somehow different.

On the right wing, Logan Newman, Michael Crabtree, and Kyle Williams started and sprinted at the same time, like finalists in a 100-meter dash competing to see who was fastest. They didn’t change direction, running in perfectly straight lines.

On the left wing, Ted Ginn Jr. also started at the same time, sprinting in a straight line and instantly leveraging his speed advantage to the maximum. Marcus Lynch was the only exception. After a quick start with choppy steps, he ran just two or three yards—a couple of big strides—before making an immediate ninety-degree turn to the right. Like a roaring race car, WHOOSH, he shot across the field behind the defensive line.

The entire route combination was unadorned, seemingly without any tricks or strategy. It was as if they had decided to win with pure speed, aiming for a fatal blow deep downfield, hoping to end the game and complete the comeback with a single long pass. This seemed to be a classic rookie quarterback trait: getting impatient in a critical moment and going for the one-hit kill.

But, did that really describe Lu Ke?

“Straight lines. Except for Marcus Lynch, all the receivers are running straight lines, attacking deep with pure speed. This route combination…”

Kirk stopped abruptly mid-commentary. A thought flashed through his mind. He had seen this tactic before, in the San Francisco 49ers’ game against the Dallas Cowboys:

‘The players run their routes as a single unit, pushing forward with overwhelming momentum. Once they reach a certain part of the field, they instantly scatter, just like the break in a game of pool when the cue ball scatters the rack. It’s impossible to defend, completely disrupting the defensive assignments in the area. Even man-to-man coverage can’t provide effective help—because Lu Ke’s pass is completely unpredictable.’

The thought lasted only an instant before Kirk’s commentary continued, “Blitz! The New York Giants’ defensive line is bringing a ferocious blitz! It looked like a one-on-one matchup, but they launched a surprise rush and it’s incredibly effective! The 49ers’ pocket is collapsing—collapsing fast!”

“Lu Ke quickly adjusts his dropback, scans the field, shuffles laterally—his pocket footwork is flawless—and he throws! The velocity is much faster than anyone expected—it’s a bullet pass, not a Rainbow Pass! My God, this isn’t a long pass! It’s not a long pass! The New York Giants’ Defense Team made a mistake! There’s an opening, an opening for Ted Ginn Jr.! It’s Ted Ginn Jr.!”

…

After the snap, Ginn adopted the stance of a hundred-meter sprinter, trying to maximize his speed advantage. Especially with his teammates on the right acting as a screen, the entire field seemed to turn into a hundred-meter track. The powerful forward charge created a palpable shockwave; the unified line of red jerseys looked like a giant bulldozer, sweeping forward majestically.

The visual impact, carrying a powerful shock, was overwhelming!

Almost as a reflex, the safeties playing deep and the cornerbacks and linebackers in man coverage had the same initial reaction: they started to backpedal, adjusting their steps to keep pace with the sprinting receivers in an attempt to maintain tight coverage. It was a physical instinct, a subconscious adjustment made in response to the visual deception.

After his release, Ginn faked a shove against the cornerback covering him, creating a sliver of space before hitting his top speed. Sure enough, the defender also hit a second gear, pushing his own acceleration to the limit. The two of them shot forward one after the other, stride for stride, like bullets from a gun barrel.

In the blink of an eye, after sprinting ten yards, Ginn slammed on the brakes. His arms maintained their powerful sprinting form, but his feet began chopping in place, bringing him to a sudden stop. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the cornerback covering him couldn’t stop at all. His momentum and inertia kept carrying him forward, making him overshoot the spot and drift further and further away.

‘An opening!’

A quick stutter-step, a turn, and a look back. Almost simultaneously, Ginn moved quickly toward the left sideline, creating a wide-open space for himself. His body finished its adjustment, following its own momentum, and then Lu Ke came into view. The next second, a bullet pass was rocketing toward his chest.

Without meeting any resistance or obstruction—it wasn’t even necessary for a back-shoulder throw—Ginn easily cradled the football in his arms.

Instantly, the stadium erupted, the cheers and roars exploding in a deafening blast!