Golden skill points. This was the only way to break the full-score barrier. According to the system, the playoffs were the only way to get golden skill points. In other words, they were worth a fortune!
This was true. Ten special skill points could be exchanged for one golden skill point, and 30 base skill points could be exchanged for one golden skill point. According to the average from the regular season, it would take three to four games to get that many base skill points. As for special skill points, they were even more difficult to get because they could only be earned through special and hidden missions. It would probably take two or three special missions to get ten special skill points.
"Hiss." Even after looking at it again, Lu Ke couldn't help but take a deep breath. Golden skill points were indeed as valuable as gold.
His eyes wandered and once again fell on the list on the left side:
Base Skill Points: 43; Special Skill Points: 14; Amplification Aura: 1; Absolute Step: 5; Bullet Time: 2; Iron Skin, Steel Bones: 3; Eye of the Falcon: 2.
"Exchange, exchange, exchange," the devil's voice in his mind kept whispering. Once he truly reached a perfect score, the skill's effect would definitely get a fundamental improvement that was extraordinary. The suppressed excitement and anticipation were almost unbearable.
"Calm down, calm down, calm down," the angel persuaded him. With 43 base skill points, if he used them well, Lu Ke could improve a lot of skills at once. He could, at a minimum, get two to three skills to reach the full-score barrier.
God, this was definitely the most difficult choice in Lu Ke's career. But Lu Ke was never a wishy-washy person. After some careful thought, he made his decision: exchange. If he just listed the reasons for and against exchanging, Lu Ke could list a series of pros and cons and analyze them back and forth. But in the end, those reasons were secondary. The real decisive factor was his curiosity, an unbearable curiosity that was enough to kill a nine-lived cat. Lu Ke decided to take a gamble.
Since he had made up his mind, he would just do it. After some simple deliberation, Lu Ke decided to use his base skill points for the exchange.
First, the special skills. Even if the points exchanged from special skills could be used to exchange for golden skill points, Lu Ke didn't want to put himself in a passive position by spending his emergency resources when the playoffs were about to begin.
Second, the special skill points. It was already harder to get special skill points, and the actual effects of the hidden attributes needed to be carefully studied, so he hoped they could be put to use in the playoffs.
So, base skill points became the best choice. He opened the Skill Point Exchange System, first selected "Base Skill Points" in the left box, and then selected "Golden Skill Points" in the right box. The equation appeared again: 30 base skill points for one golden skill point. He blinked and decisively clicked on the "Confirm" button that was floating below.
But the system didn't complete the exchange immediately. Instead, a pop-up window appeared with only two simple buttons: "Yes" and "No." This was the first time this had happened. When he added base and special skill points before, the system never showed a confirmation box. It just completed the addition directly. Lu Ke almost thought the system didn't have a "confirm" function. Now, it seemed that wasn't the case. This exchange, even from the system's perspective, was a cautious one that required a lot of thought.
However, Lu Ke was never a person who was afraid of losing. Without any hesitation, he confirmed it. The system then made a crisp sound: "Ding! Congratulations on completing the skill point exchange. Golden Skill Points +1."
There were no earth-shattering events or fireworks. The exchange was completed easily, and Lu Ke couldn't help but complain, "Little Seven, can you change the system sound? It's always a doorbell sound. Isn't that too monotonous?"
"No." That simple sentence instantly extinguished Lu Ke's enthusiasm. Lu Ke opened his mouth. "...Okay."
His eyes once again fell on the left side of the page. The list now looked different. Base Skill Points: 13; Special Skill Points: 14; Golden Skill Points: 1. As its name suggested, the Arabic number "1" for the golden skill point was exactly golden. It was a dazzling bright yellow that seemed a bit gaudy against the low-key and soft blue and black background. Was it... forcing Lu Ke to use it quickly? Lu Ke covered his face.
After the exchange was completed, he had to make good use of it. Impatiently, Lu Ke's eyes fell on the attribute panel and he easily found the four skills that had reached the full-score barrier: Tactical Awareness, 99; Deep Passing Accuracy, 99; Injury Resistance, 99; Prediction, 99.
This was not a difficult choice, but it was a tough one. The four options all had their own advantages: Tactical Awareness was the core of controlling the game. Deep Passing Accuracy was the weapon for a fatal strike at a critical moment. Injury Resistance was the key to a long career. Prediction was the key to reading the defense and knowing what was happening as soon as the ball was snapped.
There was no wrong choice, only a prioritized one. In the end, his eyes fell on Tactical Awareness. For Lu Ke, using his tactical awareness to revitalize the entire technical and tactical system was the foundation, the starting point, and the core. As for deep passing, injury resistance, prediction, and so on, they were just some of the parts that, when combined, would lead to moving the ball and scoring. For a moment, Lu Ke considered deep passing accuracy or injury resistance, but in the end, he chose Tactical Awareness! As the playoffs were approaching, this was the most urgent and most efficient one.
He added the skill point. This time, there was no resistance. Tactical Awareness went from 99 to 100. Instantly, his mind went dark, like a computer screen going black. But it was only for a moment, and then it rebooted and became bright again. The whole feeling was like... closing his eyes and then opening them again. But in that brief moment of closed eyes, the pitch-black darkness was incredibly clear and deep. But it didn't bring pain or panic. Instead, it brought a sense of freedom and contentment, as if he was soaring freely in the boundless universe. His spirit could instantly look down on the Earth, with all the mountains and seas under his feet. His spirit could also instantly look up at the starry sky like a speck of dust, and the magnificence of the vast universe was deeply etched in his soul.
An eternal moment. That description was not fitting, but it was the most appropriate one. Unlike any other major improvement, his mind was surging. But compared to the negative emotions of pain and swelling, this time, there was a feeling of sudden clarity and vastness. Every single cell in his body blossomed and breathed with joy.
Unfortunately, it was fleeting. After it disappeared, the lingering feeling was still something to savor. It seemed like nothing had changed, but everything was already different. This feeling was truly special, and he couldn't help but get lost in it.
He opened his eyes again. His focus gradually became clear, but everything he saw seemed to be unchanged. Everything was the same as before. However, Lu Ke wasn't panicked at all. He was certain that after the golden skill point was added, a fundamental change had occurred.
A flash of inspiration came to his mind. He stood up from the ice bath, wrapped a towel around himself, and used another one to wipe the dripping water from his hair and face. Lu Ke quickly left the physical therapy room, constantly looking around.
Everyone saw Lu Ke's disheveled look and started to make fun of him, but Lu Ke didn't mind. He was focused on his search and occasionally caught a glimpse of Kip Clancey. He was holding a tablet, so Lu Ke shouted, "Kip, can you see the replay of today's game on the tablet? Or an older one works too."
Kip was about to leave and was inexplicably stopped. He hesitated for a moment. "Yes, I can."
"Pull it up for me to see." Lu Ke walked over with his wet slippers, "pitter-patter," and stood next to Kip, but he saw that Kip was not moving. So he explained, "Pull up the replay of today's game, the first drive. I want to take a look at it. Hurry."
"Oh, oh, oh." Kip was completely confused, but he didn't ask too many questions. He pulled up the game replay and started to play it.
Lu Ke watched the game replay intently and finally confirmed his guess. The same game seemed to become a micro-level view. He could see countless subtle changes in the offense and defense. The tactical combinations became clearer than ever before, and the superficial changes and potential trends of the local matchups were presented in his mind in great detail.
At the same time, it seemed to become a macro-level view. He only needed to see the trend of a tactical change, and then he could make a corresponding judgment. He had a thorough understanding and interpretation of the defensive tactics, and the execution and unexpected situations of the offensive tactics were as clear as day.
This didn't mean that Lu Ke could win the game, but it did mean that Lu Ke could interpret the game more comprehensively. On a tactical level, he had a deeper and clearer understanding of the opponent's changes, unexpected situations on the field, and his own team's execution and tactical changes. It was not just about judging flaws and arranging tactics, but also about the overall situation and layout of the entire game.
Just watching the game replay felt a bit ambiguous, but Lu Ke knew that once he was actually in the game, those subtle feelings would truly have a qualitative effect. Indeed, 99 was ultimately different from 100, and it was a fundamental difference. It was like a new door had opened. Only after seeing the magnificence of the world did he understand his own limitations and insignificance.
That crystal-clear feeling surged in his chest, and it was exhilarating and refreshing. The only thought in Lu Ke's mind right now was that he could get on the field and play a few series, even if it was just against the practice squad. The impatient excitement and thrill were unbearable.
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