The conflict between veterans and rookies was irreconcilable, like a ticking time bomb that was always in danger of going off. In the San Francisco 49ers' locker room, it had been suppressed time and time again, but today, it could no longer be contained.
"What did you say? What the hell did you just say? You little punk! You're a damn rookie! Damn it! Damn it!" Parys's face was completely contorted. He struggled fiercely, and the players behind him, who weren't paying attention for a moment, were broken free from by Parys. Then he charged at Logan with a menacing aura.
The scene became chaotic again, on the verge of erupting.
Suddenly, a figure cut in, blocking the path between Parys and Logan. He lowered his center of gravity, pushed his body forward, and with a solid, sharp, and powerful stance, he charged fiercely at Parys. Then he collided head-on with Parys, who was like an out-of-control train.
"Bang!"
A muffled sound was heard, and in the next second, Parys was sent sprawling backward as if he had run into a mountain. Not only did he fail to break through, but he also fell apart.
Parys fell to the ground, looking disheveled and embarrassed, and the whole world was shaking. "Damn it! Who! You..." A string of profanities followed. Saliva was flying out of his mouth. His sanity had been completely burned away, and he was ready to kill anyone who got in his way.
"Shut up!" The figure took a step forward and roared thunderously. "Shut the hell up! You single-celled organism with a brain like a slipper animalcule, you don't even have the ability to think. If you don't understand what's happening right now, then shut your mouth! Don't use your mouth as an anus! You damn idiot! Shut up!"
The overpowering aura, from the absolute position of looking down on Parys, was like a lingering shadow, firmly engulfing him. He had nowhere to run, and it forcibly cut off all of his anger. It also forcibly cut off everyone else's voices. The entire training field instantly fell silent, and not a sound could be heard.
Bambi.
This was Lu Ke's nickname. Most of the San Francisco 49ers' players didn't know the origin of the nickname. They just simply and crudely believed that on one hand, it was because Lu Ke was indeed a bit thin, and on the other hand, it was because Lu Ke's appearance was that of a scholar. He looked weak and out of place in a game as hard-hitting and tough as football.
Even after three games of getting used to him, Lu Ke's usual image was still that of a sunny and cheerful college graduate. But today, Lu Ke showed a tough attitude and an absolute presence. The huge contrast hit them in the face, and everyone was stunned. For a moment, they didn't know how to react.
More importantly, that solid and powerful hit just now, which sent Parys flying in a head-on collision, had a strong visual impact. What happened to being skinny? What happened to his physical shortcomings? What happened to his lack of ability to fight back?
But people had forgotten that Lu Ke had been a practice squad player for a whole year during his junior year. Even if his physical ability wasn't top-notch, his ability to fight back was definitely not that of a rookie. For a practice squad player, colliding, colliding, and colliding again was their daily job.
Practice squad players' physical abilities were already relatively not that outstanding, which meant they had to use more techniques to gain an advantage in a confrontation. What's more, the so-called "weak" was only in comparison to other players with more outstanding physical talent.
So, with a muffled "bang," Parys was sent tumbling to the ground.
The huge contrast caused a storm, and everyone opened their mouths in shock and panic, but not a single sound came out.
"Damn it! Are we the rookies, or are you the rookies!" Lu Ke took off his helmet and spat to the side. "If you have any complaints, take it out on the field. This is a football field, not a boxing ring. If you want to solve problems with your fists, get out. The wild dogs and junkies on the streets of the slums can satisfy your needs!"
Lu Ke was also furious at this moment. His chest was heaving violently, and he gritted his teeth, letting out every word one by one. "Any problem, show me what you've got. We'll have a head-to-head confrontation and solve it face to face! If you think you have too much energy, come at me. Let's have a six-mile race right now and see who falls first. The one who falls first is a b****."
Lu Ke glared fiercely at Parys. His aura was intimidating, and he showed no signs of backing down.
All along, Lu Ke had known that there was bound to be a conflict between veterans and rookies. This was a tradition in every team. And as an undrafted rookie and a Chinese-American player, he had further exacerbated this conflict. Dealing with it was naturally incredibly tricky. So, Lu Ke had chosen to be low-key, letting his ability and the game speak for themselves, and avoiding a head-on confrontation.
But it was clear that today, Parys was like a mad dog, biting anyone he saw. Since Parys wanted a war, Lu Ke would give him a war. It would be a one-on-one, head-to-head confrontation, and they would see who would fall first.
Parys reluctantly met Lu Ke's gaze, but in the end, he still lacked the confidence. With that one hit just now, Parys had been completely humiliated. He couldn't say a single word at this moment.
What's more, in just under two months, everyone was aware of Lu Ke's insane training regimen. When it came to hard work and diligence, no one on the entire team could compare to Lu Ke.
However, the players had never made a fuss about it. They just took it for granted. Because an undrafted rookie needed to work harder to catch up with them. But now, faced with Lu Ke's assertiveness, Parys couldn't help but feel a lack of confidence. It was at this moment that they realized that even though Lu Ke was an undrafted rookie, he was definitely not a pushover.
"Any other questions? If not, get on the field. Today's practice isn't over yet! If you have a problem, I'll see you on the field!" Lu Ke took large strides toward the training field. After a few steps, he realized that none of the players had moved. The scene was as quiet as a graveyard.
"Damn it! We don't have all day! Get back on the field right now! Any problem, we'll solve it on the field!"
Lu Ke's rough and violent voice rang out again, echoing aggressively above the training field. The players, who were standing there like statues, finally came to their senses and silently started to move, returning to their positions.
The offensive players, however, exchanged glances. Their eyes were filled with surprise and shock. They couldn't help but remember the small incident during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals: "Bloody Bambi."
The tough and assertive retaliation on the field showed the steel presence in his bones. It was clear that Lu Ke, who was able to lead the team to a three-game winning streak in a difficult situation, was definitely not just a simple "Bambi."
Parys was breathing heavily. An unspeakable feeling of humiliation was surging in his chest, but he couldn't vent it. He glanced at Alex Smith, who was on the sidelines, but Alex didn't give him any response. He just stood there with his arms crossed, silently watching every move on the training field.
It wasn't just Alex. The other members of the defensive team, NaVorro Bowman, Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, and others also didn't say anything and avoided his gaze, silently showing their agreement.
Lu Ke's words were right. They were teammates, not enemies. Any problem should be solved on the field, and that was the right way to do it.
"Damn it!" Parys gritted his teeth, his anger surging. He hesitated for a moment. Should he turn around and leave the training field, or should he stay and continue to practice? After a moment of struggle and hesitation, he wisely chose the latter. He suppressed his anger and jogged back to his original position, but his heaving chest and constant cursing still betrayed his dissatisfaction and anger.
Logan jogged alongside Lu Ke, a wide smile on his face hidden behind his helmet. "Hey, man, that was a pretty cool display of dominance. Nice."
Lu Ke rolled his eyes speechlessly and looked at Logan, but he only saw that smug smile. In the end, Lu Ke couldn't help but chuckle. "Stay focused. Who knows if that lunatic will lose his mind and try to make a dangerous hit? Be careful!"
If a defensive player was desperate to take out a player, it would be very difficult for other players to fight back effectively, except for the blindside tackle and guard.
Logan thumped his chest. "Don't worry, I'm fine. You, on the other hand, need to be careful. That psycho might just come after you to pave the way for his little sweetheart."
Lu Ke didn't say anything more. He just raised his right fist, and the two of them bumped fists, exchanging a look of understanding. Then they each went back to their own positions.
Lu Ke straightened his body and gestured toward the coaching staff. "That last play, can we run it again?"
At this moment, the coaches standing on the sidelines all had strange expressions on their faces, especially Jim. In team sports, players generally have hot tempers and are used to using their fists to talk. Physical conflicts are not uncommon; they can even happen every day. Usually, the team leader will step up, take control of the situation, and unite the team.
Earlier, Kippy and Craig didn't step in to stop them because they knew that the locker room needed to vent. Between men, a fight and a talk can solve a problem. They just didn't expect that Lu Ke would be the one to step up, and they didn't expect that Lu Ke would actually be able to take control of the situation.
After all, the atmosphere in the locker room was largely due to the emergence of Lu Ke, a wild card.
Now, seeing Lu Ke's calm actions and demeanor, the coaches were the ones who couldn't keep up.
In order, Lu Ke had already completed his offensive play, and it should have been Scott's turn to go on the field. But Lu Ke had returned to his position, ready to run the same play again.
Although he didn't know the reason, and there was no need to repeat the same play again, Craig still gave him a thumbs-up.
"Hike!" Lu Ke announced the snap again.
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