Luke was scrolling through the competition tasks, and it was the same old stuff. He was about to shut down the system and get ready for the competition when he noticed a red dot in the corner of his eye. An unread message in his inbox? Weird.
He thought he had already gone through all the tasks, so what was this about?
Opening the inbox, he found a special task! The first one since rookie training camp. What was this about? Did something trigger the task system?
"Special Task: Disdain from Pete Carroll, Provocation from Richard Sherman.
Task Description: In your first official game, shut down all the doubters, prove your worth, and make a strong start in the league. Begin your journey to becoming a football superstar.
Task Requirements: Win the game; score at least three touchdowns (0/3); complete two passes in Richard Sherman's defensive zone (0/2).
Task Rewards: Unknown Quarterback Training Skill Pack +2, Unknown Special Skill Pack +2, Unlock Hidden Attribute +1.
Failure Penalty: In the second week's game, overall passing accuracy will drop by fifteen percent; during interviews, rebuttal skills will have a fifteen-minute cooldown."
Luke blinked. Even after completing two special tasks and having the system for over a year, he still thought Seven was messing with him every time he saw a special task.
He got that the special task was tied to the Seattle Seahawks, carrying over the rivalry from rookie training camp to the regular season. The penalty of decreased passing accuracy made sense, but a fifteen-minute cooldown on rebuttal skills during interviews? What the heck? Did that mean he’d have to sit there like a dummy, taking questions from reporters without being able to respond?
That was the worst punishment!
"Seven!" Luke could usually handle fans and reporters calmly, but now he was clenching his fists and grinding his teeth. He knew Seven wouldn’t respond, so he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "Just complete the task. No matter what, I have to complete the task!"
With that thought, Luke felt a bit better.
More importantly, "unlock hidden attribute"—what kind of reward was that? Luke's curiosity was piqued. Every special task he completed brought surprises. What about this time?
First the competition tasks, then the special task. His first career game was shaping up to be something else. And the opponent was the Seattle Seahawks. The stage for his debut was set against such a special opponent. Fate had a funny way of working things out.
"Everyone gather!" Jim's voice snapped Luke back to reality. He joined his teammates, who were huddled together with their hands on each other's shoulders, forming layers of circles.
Jim was in the middle, his voice booming, "I don't need to say much! Victory is our only option. Those people out there are waiting to boo us, waiting to see us fail. But we didn't come here to embarrass ourselves! Our training is tougher than anyone else's, and our determination is stronger than anyone else's!"
"So, I don't care what issues you have with each other, put them aside. Now, I want you to go out there and win this game!" Jim's gaze fell on each player, finally landing on Luke. "Quarterback, do you have anything to say?"
All eyes were on Luke. He raised his right hand high. "Let's get some touchdowns!"
All the players roared together; all the spectators roared together.
Candlestick Park was ready!
The screams and shouts were deafening, like a storm, making the entire Candlestick Park feel like a tiny boat in a vast ocean, on the verge of capsizing. You could almost hear the roar of the waves.
Candlestick Park, with a capacity of seventy thousand, was no match for the hundred thousand seats of the Rose Bowl.
But right now, the thunderous cheers easily outmatched the Rose Bowl on January 1st. The fierce and powerful support made the Rose Bowl seem like child's play, while this was the brutal battle of the adult world, like a coliseum—bloody, cruel, yet exhilarating.
Luke looked around. The roaring crowd seemed like bubbling lava, menacing and overwhelming. The scene was both blurry and clear. Clenching his fist, Luke put on his helmet, stepped forward, and jogged onto the field with his teammates.
The game kicked off, and the captains from both teams met the ref for the coin toss. The San Francisco 49ers won and chose to receive the ball first.
The Seattle Seahawks' kickoff officially started the regular season. Their first kick flew straight out of the end zone, leaving no chance for the 49ers' special teams. This meant the 49ers would start their offense from the twenty-yard line. Luke led the offense onto the field, making his grand entrance.
Standing at the twenty-yard line, he bent down and touched the grass, feeling the morning dew on his fingertips. This simple action helped calm his racing heart, bringing it back to a normal rhythm. The surrounding noise and excitement caused his adrenaline to surge.
This was his stage. Not nervousness, but excitement; not fear, but eagerness; not panic, but anticipation.
"Guys!" Without hesitation, Luke called his offensive teammates over. They gathered in a circle, with Luke kneeling in the center, looking at each face around him.
After the preseason ended, the team had only ten days to prepare for the first regular-season game. In those ten days, they had become comrades in arms, the only ones they could trust.
At this moment, the eleven players on the field for the San Francisco 49ers were led by quarterback Luke.
Then came the five offensive linemen: center Jonathan Goodwin, left guard Mike Iupati, left tackle Chilo Rachal, right guard Anthony Davis, and right tackle Joe Staley.
Finally, the receiving players: running back Anthony Dixon, tight end Logan Newman, wide receivers Michael Crabtree, Kyle Williams, and Ted Ginn Jr.
This offensive lineup wasn't fixed. There were various combinations of receiving players and offensive linemen. Apart from the quarterback and center, who were constants, the team had multiple starting lineups based on tactical arrangements.
The most direct proof was the tight end position. The team's starting tight end should have been Vernon Davis, who was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2009 and had outstanding receiving and breaking abilities.
But in the past ten days of training camp, Luke and Logan had developed better chemistry. So, for today's first offensive play, Jim chose Logan over Vernon. Similarly, wide receiver Braylon Edwards didn't make the lineup.
Jim's voice came through the helmet's built-in headset, laying out the tactics. After confirming the information, Luke began to set up the play. The complex tactics were already second nature to him, needing only a simple command for everyone to understand. Finally, Luke extended his right hand, and everyone else followed suit, stacking their hands on top.
"Game on!"
The offense lined up, and the Seattle Seahawks' defense did the same.
Luke didn't rush to snap the ball. Like an experienced hunter, he began reading the defense. But clearly, the opposing defense didn't take Luke seriously.
"Did you forget something? Where's your pacifier?"
"Don't be so fierce; you'll scare the kid. There's no nanny here to take care of him. Are you going to change his diaper?"
"A baby on the field? Where are his parents?"
The mocking laughter was incessant. The most absurd part was that they were all lined up, eyes fixed on Luke like hungry wolves, but their trash talk never stopped. This absurd contrast made everyone laugh even harder.
"Shut up, you trash!" Mike Iupati stood up straight and shouted.
Immediately, another Seattle Seahawks player stood up, beating the other 49ers players to the punch, and loudly reprimanded, "You guys, this is a game, an official game! Can't you show some respect?" This temporarily quieted the noise. Then he turned to Luke, gave a friendly smile, and softened his tone, "Buddy, remember, this isn't soccer. Use your hands to pass the ball!"
The laughter exploded again, and all the 49ers' offensive linemen stood up, glaring angrily. The game hadn't even started, and the tension was already palpable.
"Ready to snap! Ready to snap!" Luke shouted, stopping his teammates. "You hotheads, calm down!" If they had to waste a timeout before the first play even started to avoid a delay of game, that would be the real joke.
The five offensive linemen exchanged glances and slowly got back into position. Since Luke, the person at the center of it all, didn't care, why should they? They still didn't have enough respect for this quarterback, merely following team orders. The camaraderie of comrades needed to be built on the battlefield!
The Seahawks' trash talk didn't affect Luke at all because all his attention was on their defensive formation.