Chapter 813 Lotus
As the final weeks of 2039 ticked away, Ross found himself embracing a rare sense of peace.
Life, once chaotic and filled with battles, triumphs, and dramatic turns, had finally quieted down.
Now, it was the laughter of children that echoed through the halls of his home—more than thirty of them, each with their own quirks, talents, and boundless energy.
He spent his days with them, waking up to tiny footsteps and joyful voices, playing games in the garden, reading bedtime stories, and teaching the older ones about the vast world he had seen and shaped.
It was a different kind of fulfillment—gentler, but no less profound.
During a quiet evening, as the setting sun painted the skies in gold and crimson, Ross turned to his five new wives, each of whom had slowly become an important part of his life.
With calm sincerity, he asked, "Would any of you like to have a child of your own with me?"
The responses came with warm smiles and thoughtful expressions:
"Maybe later."
"Not at this time."
"I'm not sure yet."
Their answers were honest, and Ross appreciated that.
He didn't push or insist—he had never been that kind of man. Instead, he simply nodded with a smile, his heart full.
With so many children already, he wasn't in any rush.
What mattered was their comfort, their happiness, and the bond they continued to build together.
Together, they welcomed the new year surrounded by family.
Fireworks lit up the sky on the eve of 2040, and laughter filled the air as his children played late into the night.
Ross stood quietly, an arm around each of his wives, watching it all with a heart full of gratitude.
The year 2040 had come, not just as a marker of time, but as the start of a new chapter.
A season of love, of renewal, and of new adventures waiting on the horizon.
Whatever came next, Ross knew he wouldn't face it alone.
He had his family, his strength, and most importantly—peace.
***
"Whoosh!"
The sound echoed through the packed stadium as the ball fell through the net with flawless precision—nothing but net.
The crowd erupted into a frenzy.
"Another big three for Ross!" the commentator's voice cracked with excitement over the speakers.
"That's his 120th point, folks—and we're not even at halftime yet! Are we witnessing history here? Is Ross really going to break the 200-point barrier in a single game?!"
The camera zoomed in on Ross, who barely reacted to the shot. No smug grin.
No celebration. Just a calm, focused gaze—as if he were merely warming up.
His jersey clung to him, drenched in sweat, but his movements remained sharp, fluid, and efficient.
His breathing wasn't even labored.
On the other side of the court, the opposing team looked defeated—shoulders slumped, hands on hips, their eyes filled with disbelief.
They had tried zone defense. Man-to-man. Double-teaming. Triple-teaming.
Nothing worked.
Ross danced through them like a phantom, launching deep shots that never missed and gliding past defenders as if they were standing still.
The scoreboard glowed like a beacon of humiliation: Ross 120 – Opponent 25.
Beep!
The referee's whistle pierced the air. A substitution was called.
Ross glanced at the bench. His coach gave him a nod. It was time.
The crowd groaned in disappointment but quickly turned it into roaring applause as Ross jogged off the court.
The announcer's voice returned, slightly more composed but still buzzing with adrenaline.
"Looks like Coach is pulling Ross from the game… I mean, what else can you say? It's already a massacre. The other team has only managed 25 points, and Ross? 120. On his own. That's not basketball—that's a statement."
Ross took a towel from the assistant, wiping his face as he settled onto the bench.
His teammates bumped fists with him, some shaking their heads in amazement.
He sat there calmly, eyes on the court, watching the rest of the game unfold like a man who had already done his part—and then some.
Fans chanted his name, holding signs and jerseys, some in tears from having witnessed what would surely go down as one of the greatest single performances in sports history.
On social media, his name was already trending worldwide.
Clips of his no-look threes, thunderous dunks, and effortless fadeaways were going viral within minutes.
Pundits scrambled to update all-time records. NBA legends tweeted in disbelief.
Comment sections exploded with phrases like "unreal," "god-tier," and "Ross isn't human."
And through it all, Ross simply sat there—calm, quiet, unmoved by the chaos he had just created.
To him, this wasn't the end. It was just another game. Another day.
Another step in a legend still being written.
What made Ross's appearance on the court today all the more surprising—borderline shocking to diehard fans and commentators alike—was the simple fact that he never played during the regular season.
That was the unspoken rule.
Ross was a living legend, a walking myth in the world of basketball.
His mere presence was a game-changer, capable of turning the tide of an entire season in just a few minutes.
He didn't waste his time on early games.
He was the ace up the team's sleeve, the unstoppable force held back until the perfect moment—usually near the playoffs, when the team was on the brink, when morale was low, when hope was fading.
That's when Ross showed up.
He'd swoop in, dominate the court with godlike precision, and singlehandedly drag the team into the finals… only to win it all.
He wasn't just a player—he was the player.
The kind of talent sports analysts struggled to categorize. He didn't play for fame anymore.
He had all of it.
He didn't play for records either.
He had broken most of them, and the few that remained would fall eventually, probably on accident.
At this point, he played when he felt like it—when something called to him.
So why now?
Why this meaningless game, in the middle of the regular season, against a team that clearly didn't stand a chance?