During the timeout, Bruton was reprimanded by coach Gore for being too aggressive on defense. Although Bruton felt wronged, he was also provoked and vowed to stop Li Feng by any means necessary.
Upon returning to the court, Li Feng noticed a change in Bruton's demeanor. Previously, Bruton's defense was rough but still within the bounds of the game, and his eyes showed defiance. Now, however, Bruton's gaze was filled with malice, as if Li Feng had killed his entire family. This made Li Feng uncomfortable, and he became more cautious.
As expected, Bruton's defense became even more exaggerated, exceeding the scope of basketball. For instance, before Li Feng could receive the ball, Bruton deliberately tripped him and stomped on his feet to prevent him from getting it. Not only that, but he also applied pressure to Li Feng's legs in a way that twisted his joints. He was utterly ruthless and malicious.
Younas, watching from the sidelines, shouted at the referee about Bruton's misconduct. However, the referee seemed to ignore it, only calling a common foul on Bruton.
Seeing that the referee wasn't intervening, Li Feng grew annoyed and decided to teach Bruton a lesson. As China initiated another offensive play, and Li Feng was about to receive the ball, Bruton extended his leg again and shoved Li Feng towards the sideline with his arm. This move, strictly speaking, was a form of combat.
Li Feng decided not to hold back. The moment Bruton extended his leg, Li Feng used the force of Bruton's push to fall to the ground. With a "crack," Li Feng's backside landed squarely on Bruton's ankle. Bruton cried out in pain and collapsed onto the court. Li Feng then rolled on the ground a couple of times, feigning agony.
Players from both teams rushed over to check on them. The referee, not having clearly seen the details, went to the scorer's table to review the replay. In reality, Li Feng had held back; he had only lightly pressed down on Bruton's ankle with his weight, not using his full strength. If he had intended to seriously injure him, he could have crushed Bruton's ankle, potentially keeping him off the court for a year or more.
After reviewing the replay, the referee determined that Bruton had committed the foul first and that Li Feng was the victim. Bruton was charged with an additional foul. The Chinese fans in the stadium erupted in cheers, having long been dissatisfied with Bruton's play and the referee's leniency. This time, the referee had finally been fair.
The team doctor examined Bruton and concluded that his injury was not severe and would heal with rest. Li Feng also got up, indicating he was ready to continue playing.
Australia's head coach, Gore, was dumbfounded. At this point, only Bruton could keep pace with Li Feng. With him injured, who else could guard Li Feng? He scanned the bench and his eyes lit up upon seeing the 28th player, Savili, a 1.95-meter-tall player, sitting dejectedly. Savili was a guard with inconsistent shooting but good defense, a fringe player for Australia. Gore hadn't intended to put him in, but with Bruton's unexpected injury, he had no choice but to try him.
"Savili, get ready to go in," Gore ordered. Savili was overjoyed, having only played a few minutes of garbage time in the Olympics so far. Today, he finally had a chance. Gore walked over to him and whispered, "No matter what it takes, you must lock down Li Feng, understand?" Savili knew this was his last opportunity; if he could shut down Li Feng, he would have more playing time in the future. He nodded vigorously, "Coach, don't worry, I'll definitely lock down Li Feng!"
The game resumed. Li Feng saw Savili guarding him and didn't pay much attention, as Savili appeared young, likely only around 20 years old. Perhaps eager to prove himself, Savili was as rough as Bruton, if not more so. He even resorted to wrestling moves. Although the referee called fouls on his actions, Savili didn't seem to care, only wanting to show coach Gore that he was trying his best.
Li Feng was also angered by Savili's tactics. He thought to himself, "It seems this is a tradition in Australia. If everyone plays like this, don't blame me for not being polite." During a rebound play, Savili pushed Li Feng in mid-air again. As Li Feng lost his balance, he swung his hand, and with a "bang," his palm connected with Savili's cheek, causing blood to gush from his nose. In fact, had Li Feng not possessed the system's "damage immunity" skill, he would have fallen badly. As everyone knows, being pushed in mid-air without any support can easily lead to severe spinal or hip injuries, potentially ending a career. Therefore, Li Feng gave Savili a small lesson.
After being slapped, Savili, with blood all over his face, had to leave the game. The referee reviewed the replay and again ruled Savili at fault, deeming Li Feng's slap an instinctive reaction. Although no one could fault Li Feng's actions, it was always the opponent who got injured, and the Chinese fans noticed the pattern.
"Li Feng is truly incredible. It's always others who foul him, but he ends up being fine."
"Haha, maybe he was born with an indestructible body!"
"I'm still scared. Those moves were too dangerous. Australia is really dirty."
"Exactly. If it weren't for Li Feng, others wouldn't be able to get back up."
Not only the fans but also Australia's head coach Gore was perplexed. He couldn't understand why his players were always getting injured while Li Feng remained unscathed. He would likely never figure it out.
After Savili's injury, Australia had no more guards, and Bruton returned to the game. Li Feng's earlier restraint had not seriously injured Bruton, just taught him a minor lesson. Gore felt a bit guilty towards Bruton, knowing full well that Li Feng was unstoppable and Bruton shouldn't be blamed. Seeing Bruton play so hard, Gore specifically walked over and patted his shoulder. "Bruton, just do your best, and don't get injured." "I understand, Coach."
When Li Feng saw Bruton back on the court, he couldn't help but chuckle. Australia had tried several players to guard him, and all had failed. Bruton's return was like that of an unkillable cockroach. In that regard, Bruton was indeed a tough guy. Li Feng expected Bruton to be more restrained after his earlier lesson, but to his surprise, Bruton's defense remained fierce and rough, further enraging Li Feng.
Li Feng decided to change his approach to thoroughly punish Bruton and make him fear him completely. Having recently acquired Irving's flashy dribbling skills, he began to toy with Bruton using them. At this point, the score was only three points apart. From the top of the arc, Li Feng executed a series of dazzling dribbles, leaving Bruton utterly disoriented and in disarray. After a brief period of teasing, Li Feng saw that only two seconds remained on the shot clock. He then pulled up for a step-back three-pointer, and with a "swish," the ball sailed through the net in a beautiful arc.