Chapter One: The Multiverse Begins with the "Great Shark"

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Let me briefly explain the plot. The NBA-related storyline only spans the first five chapters and primarily revolves around completing tasks to unlock a lottery. If that’s not your cup of tea, feel free to skip ahead to the next world.

This is a new release, so please consider bookmarking and following the story. Thank you.

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“Huashi’er” seemed engulfed in endless darkness, drifting aimlessly without any sense of time passing. Suddenly, a faint light appeared in the distance like the morning star.

With that glimmer came a swift retreat of the darkness.

Then, the light rapidly pushed back the shadows, revealing dazzling colors and a cacophony of sounds flooding in.

Cheers erupted all around, accompanied by the snap of countless camera shutters. These noises finally stirred Huashi’er’s just-awakened mind to life.

When he finally took in his surroundings, he was stunned: “What am I seeing? Old Coach K? Or is that young Coach K? Fisher...”

“Huh... why are they so short?”

As Huashi’er wondered if he was dreaming, he suddenly noticed something odd in his hands—something spherical.

A basketball? Looking around at the court environment, that was the first thing that came to mind. But it couldn’t be—it was far too small.

Lowering his gaze, he saw a pair of huge, dark-skinned hands clutching a basketball. Compared to those giant hands, the ball looked like a shrunken toy meant for children.

“Am I dreaming?”

Before Huashi’er could fully grasp the situation, a sharp beep sounded. Looking up, he saw a white referee put down his whistle, signaling a timeout violation and the opposing team’s throw-in.

“Hey, Shaq, you okay?”

A middle-aged man wearing glasses and a suit stood courtside, shouting loudly in his direction.

Strangely, although Huashi’er had never been good at English and had never traveled abroad, he understood every word perfectly, effortlessly.

He instantly recognized the man calling to him—none other than the famed NBA championship coach, the Zen Master Phil Jackson, though this version looked much younger than he remembered.

Huashi’er was a casual fan.

By that, I mean he only followed games featuring his favorite stars. He was that kind of fan. The Bulls led by Jordan, the Lakers with Kobe, were his beloved teams, and the Zen Master was the head coach during the peak era of those legends.

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So even as a casual fan, Huashi’er was quite familiar with the Zen Master.

His mind was a bit muddled. The Zen Master called him “Shaq”? But wasn’t that O’Neal’s name?

Wait a minute...

Huashi’er looked down again at his own massive dark hands. Could it be...?

A possibility struck him. Without hesitation, he tossed the basketball to the referee signaling for it and turned toward the players’ tunnel.

“Hey, Shaq, what are you doing?”

Phil Jackson looked bewildered. The players on both teams shared the same confusion.

“I’m going to the restroom!”

Huashi’er shouted without looking back. The moment the words left his mouth, he realized they were spoken in fluent English. He quickened his pace.

From the stands flanking the players’ tunnel, fans cheered him on: “Shaq, I love you...”

But more voices jeered and mocked:

“Big Diesel, you must be scared of our Jazz and Dream, plus our top rookie Steve, haha...”

As Huashi’er dashed into the tunnel, Phil Jackson called for a substitution.

At that moment, the commentators on the court figured out why the “Big Shark” was rushing off. They laughed, teasing that Shaq must have been really desperate, or else he wouldn’t have abandoned the game to run to the restroom like that.

Inside the tunnel, Huashi’er quickly found a staff member and asked for the restroom. Then he rushed in at full speed and locked the door behind him.

Standing before the mirror above the sink, staring at the tall, dark figure reflected back, Huashi’er finally confirmed he had indeed transmigrated into the body of the NBA’s premier center, the “Big Shark.”

“Shaquille O’Neal? I really became the Big Shark...”

He patted his head hard. “How did this happen? I must be dreaming!”

Yet with each firm tap, memories flooded back, reminding him of what had transpired before.

In his recollection, his mother had introduced him to a blind date. Today was the day they met. The woman was remarkably outstanding—beautiful, intellectual, gentle, and gracious. Virtually every flattering word for a young lady fit her perfectly.

Though Huashi’er himself wasn’t unattractive, clearly she was beyond his match, given he had just graduated and worked barely over a year.

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Indeed, after meeting in a high-end café, although it wasn’t the typical mercenary matchmaking scenario seen in novels, the woman candidly admitted she had just returned from studying abroad, was entirely focused on her career, and wasn’t ready for a boyfriend so soon.

She said the blind date was just to appease her parents.

She apologized sincerely, and Huashi’er graciously replied it was fine—he himself didn’t want a girlfriend so early either, also trying to satisfy family expectations.

Their meeting ended on a friendly note. After one cup of coffee each paid separately, they left together, parted amicably—one going left, the other right.

They were supposed to part ways then, with no further connection.

But on the street, a car suddenly lost control. Amid screams from passersby and screeching brakes, it barreled onto the sidewalk, heading straight for a passing child.

Without thinking, Huashi’er instinctively lunged forward, grabbing the child to jump away. But before he could leap clear, a shock surged through his body, lifting him off the ground, followed by excruciating pain.

He seemed to crash heavily into something, then everything went black.

Now, staring at the over two-meter-tall dark figure in the mirror, Huashi’er bitterly chuckled to himself. Could it be that by sacrificing himself to save the child and getting hit by the car, he had transmigrated?

He had once dreamed of transmigration while reading novels, but when it actually happened...

If he had crossed into a world of immortals, that would be one thing. But to jump back over twenty years and become a basketball star like Shaq—other than becoming a superstar or using his knowledge to foresee opportunities to become the world’s richest man or chase after beautiful celebrities—what else could he do?

What else...

“Ahem,” Huashi’er felt he was sounding too extravagant.

In truth, transmigration wasn’t the main issue. The key was that he was an only child and worried about his parents. Moreover, Shaq’s appearance didn’t fit his aesthetic.

More importantly, according to Shaq’s ex-wife’s revelations, things downstairs weren’t exactly ideal...

Thinking of this, Huashi’er quickly unbuckled his belt to check... ahem... well, that’s not the point. The real point was that he couldn’t bear to leave his family behind.

For a moment, Huashi’er’s heart was filled with mixed emotions—joy and sorrow intertwined. It seemed really not... okay. Alright, to emphasize again, that’s not the point.

*Ding*

“Trial mission activated...”

Huashi’er was stunned at first, then overjoyed. Damn, a golden finger!