Standing in the bustling crowd, with a continuous stream of players coming to congratulate him, Lu Ke's head was a little dizzy.
Normally, in training and on the field, Lu Ke looked mature, calm, and in control. But no one should forget that he would only turn twenty-three next month. He had just graduated from college this summer and was still a young man who had just entered the professional arena, facing new challenges.
As a Chinese-American, living in a foreign country, how to fit in, how to prove himself, and how to face challenges were all issues Lu Ke had to deal with. As a player on the field, because of his relatively small build, how to survive, how to establish himself in a game, and how to gain recognition were also issues Lu Ke had to handle all the time.
Lu Ke had always been trying his best to earn his place and to win recognition and affirmation with his own abilities, whether in life or on the field. It wasn't an easy task. More often than not, Lu Ke was always an underdog.
Joining a professional team, becoming the starting quarterback, winning a game, and establishing himself on the team... Step by step, his journey had been incredibly solid. Lu Ke never dared to relax because he didn't have the right to. Every day, every moment, he had to give it his all.
Now, Lu Ke had gone a step further and taken over the responsibilities of the offensive captain, moving from the sidelines to the spotlight. More importantly, the trust from Goodwin, Akers, and Willis, and the cheers and celebrations from his teammates, were all a trust and responsibility that fell heavily on Lu Ke's shoulders.
Lu Ke knew that the significance of a captain in a football team wasn't as important as one might think. Nevertheless, the journey from being an underdog to becoming the captain of a team was incredibly long, difficult, and... unfamiliar.
Lu Ke stood there, a little dazed. His first thought was, "Uh... what am I supposed to do?"
"After Sunday's game, you need to buy three rounds of beer for the entire team at the bar," Aldon immediately started to cheer. The other players all nodded in agreement and even raised their hands, excitedly shouting, "Treat us! Treat us! Treat us!"
Looking at his cheering teammates, Lu Ke couldn't help but laugh wryly and spread his hands. "Only three rounds? Is that all you guys want? How unmotivated."
This challenge immediately made everyone howl. They all clamored about drinking Lu Ke to bankruptcy. Then, Kip Crist from the sidelines said in a loud voice, "It's only Wednesday. And you're already talking about drinking? Do you not want to make it? If you don't play well in this week's home game, see if the fans will even let you into the bar!"
The shouting and cheering finally calmed down a little, but the offensive teammates were still winking at Lu Ke, genuinely happy for him.
Seeing this, Kip added, "Warm up. Everyone, start warming up now. What are you all standing around for?"
With that, the players scattered and began today's recovery training with smiles and laughter.
After the noise died down, Lu Ke's mind was still a little muddled. It wasn't because he was too happy; it was because he was completely lost. As a captain, what was he supposed to do? He began to search his memories for past offensive captains, subconsciously trying to find a role model.
Logan still hadn't left. As a close friend, he could feel Lu Ke's confusion. He patted Lu Ke heavily on the shoulder. "Relax."
Lu Ke suddenly turned his head, his unfocused eyes looking at him. This made Logan laugh. They had known each other for so long, and it was rare to see Lu Ke so flustered.
So, Logan laughed out loud without holding back. "Relax, relax," he said, patting Lu Ke's shoulder repeatedly, taking the opportunity to give him a good beating.
Before Lu Ke could react, Logan quickly pulled his hands back and said in a serious tone, "The true meaning of being a captain is to lead the team in your own way. Every captain has a different style. You don't need to feel too burdened. Just be yourself. The way you became our captain, step by step, is the way you should continue to be, leading us to one victory after another."
"The problem is, I don't know how," Lu Ke said blankly, blinking his eyes. He had never been in this situation before, and his reaction speed was a little slow.
Logan laughed again, but this time, he quickly reined it in. "Just be yourself. Don't change. Everything is good." After saying that, Logan gave Lu Ke a sincere and warm hug. "Trust me, you're an excellent leader. Just keep moving at your own pace, and we'll all follow you."
Then, Logan gave Lu Ke a big smile, turned, and left to join the warm-up.
Lu Ke let out a long breath, and the surging emotions in his chest gradually settled, and he regained his composure. Lu Ke had never been a person who was afraid of challenges, change, or the unknown. It was the same when he was suddenly given the responsibility before the regular season, and it was the same now that he was a captain for the first time.
Although Lu Ke didn't know what qualities an excellent captain should have, he knew very well that leading by example was undoubtedly the most important first step. Not only because a captain takes on more responsibility but also because a captain needs to lead the entire team.
As a captain, Lu Ke needed to be more dedicated to his training and more focused on his own progress. This applied to his basic training as well as the playbook. Maybe he should start waking up earlier and increase the intensity of his training tomorrow. He had to truly lead by example and not be complacent at all.
He quietly clenched his fists and started to cheer himself on. All the confusion and shock, all the excitement and joy, were put aside for now. He then jogged toward the locker room to take a shower, change his clothes, and get ready for today's basic quarterback training.
Standing outside the training field, Parys Haralson still couldn't fully comprehend what was happening.
In just one bye week, why had the entire world been turned upside down? He couldn't recognize it anymore. Lu Ke was the offensive captain. A rookie player was the offensive captain. What did this mean?
Parys tried to recall a memory. Of the thirty-two teams in the entire league, which team had ever appointed a rookie player as their captain? But he failed. There was no memory, nothing. This result made him even more panicked. He tried to say something, to shout something, but no sound came out.
Parys just stood there, stunned, as Lu Ke jogged toward him.
There wasn't much expression on that young face, only a polite nod to say hello. But Parys didn't react because he didn't know how to. He couldn't even give a reflexive greeting. He just stood there frozen, completely bewildered.
Then, Lu Ke just brushed past him.
Parys felt like an idiot.
Colin Kaepernick, who was two steps behind, looked up, his brows furrowed. His gaze was sharp and serious as he stared at Lu Ke without any sign of letting up. That intense look was less about fighting spirit and more about resentment.
He wasn't convinced. He wasn't convinced at all! He wasn't convinced from the bottom of his heart!
The only reason Lu Ke was able to become the team's starting quarterback was because he hadn't been able to establish himself. As long as he was given enough time to study the playbook and get a good grasp of it, Lu Ke would be benched. He was the future of the San Francisco 49ers. Otherwise, why would the team have used a second-round pick and even traded up for the pick specifically to select him?
Lu Ke's starting position was temporarily secure because winning had blinded people. As the season progressed, Lu Ke's weaknesses would slowly be exposed. At that time, the fans would start to miss him and Alex. That starting position belonged to him, not Lu Ke.
But now, Lu Ke had gone a step further and become the offensive captain. By what right? Lu Ke was just an undrafted rookie. Lu Ke had only played six professional games. Before the game against the Seattle Seahawks in the first week of the regular season, Lu Ke hadn't even finished a single game! By what right could Lu Ke become the team captain?
Kaepernick stared at Lu Ke, gritting his teeth, his hands clenched into fists. He was so tense that his body was trembling slightly.
But Lu Ke just ran past him, not stopping, not greeting him, and not even showing off. Why? Shouldn't Lu Ke be showing off to him? Shouldn't Lu Ke be gloating and acting arrogant? Why did Lu Ke just pass by? Did... Lu Ke think he wasn't even worthy of that?
Damn it.
Lu Ke blew past like a gust of wind, leaving Kaepernick standing alone, his muscles so tense that he was like a powder keg on the verge of exploding.
In reality, Lu Ke didn't notice anything unusual about Parys and Kaepernick. His mind was fully focused on training. Even if he had noticed, he wouldn't have cared. Compared to these personal grudges, the most important thing right now was the eighth-week game of the regular season.
This was Lu Ke's first game after taking over as offensive captain, and it was also the first game back from the bye week. He absolutely couldn't afford to lose. Lu Ke hoped that the team would continue to move forward, advancing toward the playoffs with one victory after another!
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