Chapter 3: Physical Fitness Test

The next day, driven by his internal clock, Tang Bei woke up before dawn.

He owned an electronic watch he had bought for twenty yuan. Having already adjusted for the time difference, he checked the time; it was just past four in the morning. Outside, everything was pitch black, and Eric Fleisher, sleeping in the bed next to him, was snoring soundly.

Tang Bei possessed excellent sleep quality. Regardless of how tired he was the previous day, four or five hours were usually enough, and he woke up at this hour every day to practice martial arts.

He focused primarily on internal martial arts, specifically Tai Chi, and also studied Xingyi and Bagua. He had apprenticed under masters for all three, receiving authentic instruction in both their training methods and combat techniques. Regarding external martial arts, he focused on Northern styles like Baji Quan and Tongbei Quan, though he had also learned Southern styles such as Hung Ga and Wing Chun.

He was a martial arts fanatic who learned whatever he encountered, including various practical combat techniques like the "Eighteen Black Dragon Hands," as well as boxing, Sanda, freestyle wrestling, and judo. He even spent time training in Aikido under a Malaysian Chinese man who had returned to Beijing to visit relatives, and he had practiced it quite convincingly.

He began with an hour of Zhan Zhuang (standing post meditation). When it came time to practice his strikes, he didn't want to disturb Eric Fleisher, so he went to the bathroom to train. It was his first time practicing in a bathroom; with the toilet right next to him, it felt rather strange, though at least there was no unpleasant odor.

By seven o'clock, his stomach was growling loudly, and he was too hungry to continue, so he finally stopped.

He slowly pulled back the curtains to reveal a massive stadium, bustling streets, and a skyline dotted with skyscrapers in the distance. Gazing at the modern metropolis and contrasting it with the dilapidated, backward state of his hometown, he felt as if he had traveled through time and space.

Just past eight, the mobile phone on Eric Fleisher's nightstand began to ring.

"Good morning," Tang Bei greeted as he saw Fleisher stir.

"Morning!" Fleisher replied. "Oh, Tang, you’re already up?"

Eric Fleisher quickly got out of bed, greeting him while answering the phone. After a brief exchange, he hung up. A minute later, he opened the door to two men standing outside, and after a brief conversation, he brought one of them inside.

"Tang, this is John Liu. He is half-Chinese; his father is from China," Fleisher introduced.

"Hello, Tang. I'm John Liu. You can just call me John..."

"Hello, John."

John Liu introduced himself. His Mandarin was not perfect, but it was understandable and carried a slight Cantonese accent. However, his attitude toward Tang Bei was friendly; his father was a Malaysian Chinese, so he held no prejudice against Tang Bei from the mainland.

Tang Bei was also relieved; finally, someone who could speak Chinese had arrived. Being unable to communicate was a great source of distress. At that moment, his stomach growled again. Eric Fleisher smiled and immediately used the room phone to order breakfast for two.

"Tang, I am an NBA agent. Do you want to play professional basketball? I can help you enter the NBA and make a lot of money."

"Mr. Fleisher, no jokes—can you really get me into professional basketball?"

"Yes. But before that, I need to see your talent. I will arrange a physical assessment, and then you'll play a few professional games."

"OK."

With John Liu’s help, Eric Fleisher and Tang Bei finally managed to communicate, and the outcome was pleasing to both. Tang Bei felt a surge of energy. Although he had considered playing professional basketball the day before, it had just been a fleeting thought; in the unfamiliar city of New York, he had no idea how to go about it. The only method he could think of was playing on street courts like the others yesterday, but that wasn't professional basketball—it was more like street performing.

Now, he wondered: was Eric Fleisher his "destiny" for basketball? Had his appearance been arranged by the "Treasure Box"? Or could the Treasure Box actually predict the future?

The breakfast arrived. Seeing the food, he didn't dive in immediately but said, "Mr. Fleisher, this food must be expensive. I don't have the money to pay for it."

After John Liu translated, Eric Fleisher smiled and said, "Tang, just call me Eric from now on. I will pay for these meals. Until you enter the NBA, I will cover everything. This is my investment in you."

"An investment? Alright, Eric, then I won't stand on ceremony."

Tang Bei began to devour the food, clearing everything in just a few minutes. Seeing that Tang Bei still seemed unsatisfied, Fleisher realized he wasn't full and ordered a second portion, then a third, fourth, and fifth—each one a double serving. Even knowing that a big man like Tang Bei would have a large appetite, both he and John Liu were shocked that one person could consume ten portions of food.

After the meal, Eric Fleisher took Tang Bei to New York University for a physical assessment.

"I’ve really struck gold," he thought, his heart racing as the data came in.

Static athleticism: S+ grade. These were the physical attributes of a top-tier center.

As for dynamic athleticism: a 230 kg max bench press, an 85 cm vertical jump, a standing reach of 287 cm, a maximum reach of 372 cm, a running vertical of 101 cm, a running reach of 388 cm, and a 40-yard dash of 4.45 seconds—all rated S+.

Holding these double S+ stats, his hands were trembling. This data was even slightly better than that of Shaquille O'Neal, who made him drool with envy. A 230 kg bench press was likely the best in the NBA, surpassing even "The Mailman" Karl Malone. Furthermore, Tang Bei had a longer wingspan, which made bench pressing more difficult, meaning his raw strength was certainly greater than the Mailman's. Additionally, Tang Bei was only 19; as his body matured, his strength would only increase. A 19-year-old Karl Malone certainly couldn't bench 230 kg.

Moreover, Tang’s strength was more balanced than the Mailman's. His thighs were thick, providing immense lower-body strength, whereas the Mailman relied primarily on upper-body strength with average core and lower-body power.

What excited him most was that Tang Bei’s speed was unbelievable for a 135 kg, 213 cm giant; his explosive power was off the charts. This kind of athletic talent was seen once in thirty years.

Tang Bei was also curious about his stats, as he only knew his height and weight.

Eric Fleisher then had Tang Bei test his basic basketball skills. This was Tang Bei’s weakness; he had never formally trained in basketball fundamentals, and many of his movements were unconventional. However, Fleisher wasn't disappointed. He could see that Tang Bei’s flexibility, balance, and coordination were excellent; he could definitely be trained. All he lacked was proficiency.

"Tang, let me see your wrists," he said.

Tang Bei extended his arms. His palms were firm and his wrists were thick, with forearms that were incredibly robust and full of raw power.

Fleisher remarked, "Your wrists are too thick, which might affect your touch. Your shooting might not be great, so you should practice free throws as much as possible."

After John Liu translated, Tang Bei gave Fleisher a strange look and said, "Eric, even though my wrists are thick, it doesn't affect their flexibility."

As he spoke, he performed several hand maneuvers, showing that his fingers and wrists were indeed extremely agile.

Eric Fleisher was stunned. It was his first time seeing someone with such thick wrists possess such dexterity. What did this mean? It meant Tang Bei’s shooting touch might not be bad at all, and he had a real chance to develop a jump shot.

He didn't know that Tang Bei focused on Tai Chi. How could someone who practiced Tai Chi allow their body to become rigid? Movements like "Cloud Hands" and the application of "Silk-Reeling" energy required immense wrist flexibility. According to the Treasure Box's digitization, his flexibility was rated at 90—top-tier status.

Afterward, Eric Fleisher bought Tang Bei some items, including clothes, sneakers, and a Motorola mobile phone, totaling over a thousand dollars as a gift to welcome him. Dressed in the new clothes, Tang Bei’s "country bumpkin" aura was almost entirely gone.

"So, this is a mobile phone?"

He looked at the phone curiously, turning it over and over. Very few people in his home country used these; he had heard they cost tens of thousands of yuan. When those bulky "brick" phones first came out, he heard they cost tens of thousands, and he never imagined he would be using one today.

"It’s just too small—not very convenient."

The phone looked tiny in his hand. He had to poke the buttons with a single finger, carefully using only the tip. He thought the best way to use it would be to find a small stick to replace his finger.