592 The Feeling of Victory (2/2)
Dai Li then dialed another number.
”Hey, Li! Why are you calling? Are you here in Switzerland?” A man's voice came from the phone.
”No, I'm still in the United States, but I need to ask your help with something. Actually, I have a question I want to ask you,” Dai Li said.
”Is it about the car?” asked the person on the other end.
”Yeah, my car broke down, do you know how to repair it?” Dai Li said with a smile.
The other side knew that Dai Li was joking, so he replied, ”I know everything. Give me some tools and parts and I can assemble a car myself.”
Dai Li went straight to the point, ”After you retired, did you have any regrets? Did you have any urge to return to competitions?”
”Why?” The person asked, puzzled.
”I don't want the answer you'd give to a reporter. I want to know your real thoughts,” Dai Li continued.
The person on the other end thought about it and gave Dai Li an answer. Dai Li hung up after a few minutes of chatting.
”Who was it this time?” Johnson asked.
”Helheim,” Dai Li replied.
”The Car King? You know a lot of big-time athletes,” Johnson sounded a bit jealous.
Dai Li ignored Johnson and called another person.
...
When the car arrived at the hotel, Dai Li had already made several calls, each one to famous athletes.
Sitting next to him, Johnson went from being jealous, to admiring Dai Li, to being absolutely stupefied.
Johnson never thought about it, but Dai Li knew many of the world's top athletes. Johnson finally realized that he really had earned the honor of being named the world's top coach.
Johnson had been a part of the NBA for quite a few years. He knew a lot of professional basketball players, but he didn't know anyone from other sports.
The resources that Dai Li had accumulated over the years were finally coming into play. He had provided physical training for many top athletes, so he could quickly contact any of them. Other people couldn't reach so many high-level athletes with the efficiency that Li could.
The two went to the hotel's restaurant and ordered afternoon tea. Johnson kept urging Dai Li to tell him what he had said to the top athletes.
Dai Li only told him when the afternoon tea was delivered. ”I just spoke to a few athletes whose situations are similar to Raymond's. They all retired after they have achieved fame and success. I asked them if anything could make them return to professional sports. Do you know what they said?”
”The love of the game? Like Hall? He loves basketball, so he agreed to come back,” Johnson guessed.
Dai Li shook his head. Johnson then guessed, ”Then for their honor. They have yet to achieve what they wanted to or there is a record that they want to break. Top athletes might return for this, right?”
Dai Li shook his head again.
”It wasn't money either, right? The world's top athletes are not short of money. They wouldn't come back for money.” Johnson spread his hands and said, ”I really can't figure it out”
”Everyone I asked gave me a different answer. Some said that when they see other athletes standing on a podium, they get an impulse to come back. Some said that when they think thought about overpowering an opponent, they get an impulse to come back. Some people said that when they recall the brilliant moments in their careers, they get an impulse to come back. There are many answers but, in the end, there is only one underlying reason.” Dai Li deliberately lowered his voice and said, ”Victory!”
”Whether it be standing on a podium, overpowering an opponent, or reliving the most brilliant moment in their careers, the thing that excites these athletes is the feeling of victory. Even though they have retired, they still miss this feeling. I think 'victory' is the only thing that can influence Raymond.”
”Makes sense,” Johnson nodded. ”What are you going to do?”
”We will stay in Houston for two days. I have to arrange something,” Dai Li replied.
...
The next morning, Raymond wore a hoodie and ran on the road near his home.
Raymond ran every morning before breakfast. Although his knee was injured and he could not undertake any high-intensity exercise, he could still partake in low-intensity cardio.
A car was coming so Raymond ran to the side of the road, but the car stopped at his side.
Dai Li walked out of the car.
”Coach Li? Are you here for me?” Raymond stopped running. He knew that Dai Li had come early in the morning from downtown Houston, so he must've been there for him. He probably still wanted to persuade him to join the Clippers. Raymond even prepared what to say to reject him.
However, Dai Li said, ”My training center recently released a promotional film that I want to show you.”
Dai Li took out his tablet.
Raymond didn't understand what Dai Li wanted. Wanting to be polite, he took the tablet and sat on the side of the road, looking intently at the content on the tablet.
This video was a montage of moments in different sports. On it was recordings of athletes at their peak moments. Sprinters were crossing finish lines, high jumpers were jumping over poles, weightlifters were lifting weights, rugby players were scoring, and of course, basketball players making game-changing shots.
Every athlete in the video made a celebratory movement when they won. They were excited and some even seemed frenzied. With passionate music in the background, it made Raymond excited.
Suddenly, a subtitle appeared.
”This is the feeling of victory!”
Dai Li spoke when it ended. ”What do you think?”
”Ah yes. Not bad. It makes people feel excited ” Raymond replied subconsciously.
”This is the feeling of victory!” Dai Li repeated the sentence from the subtitles and then asked, ”How long has it been since you experienced this feeling of victory?”
Raymond gave glanced at the coach. He didn't expect Dai Li to ask him this. It was difficult for him to answer. He recalled the last time he had played professionally and he couldn't help but feel a bit lost.
”Actually, this is why I came to you, to ask you to come back. I hope that we can achieve victory together!” Dai Li stood up and patted Raymond's shoulder, he then said, ”If you want to taste this feeling again, call me!”
After Dai Li finished, he went straight to the car.
The car started and gradually disappeared, leaving Raymond sitting alone in the same spot, holding the tablet in a daze.
...
”Will this work?” Johnson asked.
”I don't know.” Dai Li shook his head and said, ”I am gambling on how eager he is to win!”