Chapter 18: The Great Flood? (Three-in-One)
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“Good evening, dear viewers.”
“We’re bringing you a live broadcast of a friendly match: the China National Team versus the Netherlands.”
“The Chinese team is playing aggressively, probing wildly down both wings and delivering crosses into the penalty area.”
“The Dutch side seems a bit restrained, setting up a low defensive stance. Even when they gain possession, they hesitate to launch counterattacks—their tactics are very conservative, relying mostly on long clearances.”
“Hmm? It’s starting to rain.”
“The pitch is getting wetter by the minute.”
“The rain seems to seep out from the cracks in the stone, like crushed moonlight. The sound is clear and bright, sometimes whispering softly, sometimes rising in song, as if conversing with the towering pines.”
“The air is filled with…”
“...”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Suddenly, a massive flood sweeps over the entire stadium…”
Ding ding ding~
The sharp ring of an alarm clock jolted Li Luo awake from his strange dream.
“Why would I dream something like that?”
“I actually…”
A complex swirl of emotions quietly spread through his heart: What is the meaning of life? What is the origin of the universe?
Suddenly—
He noticed subtle changes on his attribute panel.
[Stamina: 90 → 90.01]
[Jump: 80 → 80.03]
[Leg Strength: 81 → 81.02]
What?
During development... even sleep makes you stronger?
No wonder some football prodigies don’t like training much.
[Passing: 49.9 → 50]
“The training effect from the ‘One-Touch Pass’ module also pushed my passing attribute to 50!”
“Better get up quickly. Today’s the Bundesliga match day—I can’t be late.”
...
A few hours later.
A bus emblazoned with a wolf’s head logo slowly wound its way along a country road in Baden-Württemberg.
“We’re almost there.”
“That’s the Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum, and right across is Hoffenheim’s home stadium.”
“Looks so cool, like a spaceship landed in the fields.”
Bendtner, listless, yawned, his face full of melancholy, like a schoolboy who hadn’t finished his homework on a Monday morning.
Heikgold crossed his arms anxiously—not because of the opponent’s strength... no matter who they faced, the Wolfsburg coach always felt uneasy: although he had, in a way, saved the club years ago, he sensed his coaching philosophy was falling behind the times.
Especially after their “soft against the weak, afraid of the strong” tactics were exposed in the latter half of last season, the team was targeted and subdued every match, forced into low defensive blocks, relying on extraordinary performances from the forwards to snatch victories.
...
Most players, however, were full of fighting spirit and excitement.
Midfielder Gustavo chatted with Li Luo all the way, telling him tales of “the Hoff Village.”
“Finished the story, now let me share mine.”
“I started in Brazil’s lower leagues, got lucky once when I was loaned to a Serie B club.”
“Ragnick discovered me and brought me from Brazil to Hoffenheim in the 2. Bundesliga. Those months felt like a dream—from the lower leagues in Brazil to the 2. Bundesliga...”
“I helped Hoffenheim get promoted to the Bundesliga.”
“Later, I joined Bayern Munich and won many championships with the team...”
“And then, you know, two months ago in the World Cup semi-final, I was the starting defensive midfielder, and Germany scored seven goals against us.”
The Brazilian laughed self-deprecatingly.
Li Luo nodded thoughtfully.
He thought: Gustavo made twelve interceptions that game but still couldn’t prevent Brazil’s massacre; one day, he’d study the root of this problem and find a growth path suited to himself.
Next seat over.
De Bruyne felt a little disgruntled: last season, Wolfsburg also suffered a devastating defeat to Hoffenheim... he was frustrated and powerless then, but tonight he was determined to win back pride.
...
Night fell.
The city of Sinsheim by the Rhine slowly enveloped itself in a primitive restlessness.
Fans from all towns and villages across Baden-Württemberg gathered at the Rhein-Neckar Arena.
Blue flags fluttered in the wind.
Blue scarves were raised high.
“Welcome, everyone! Good evening!”
“Live coverage of the 2014/15 Bundesliga Round 3 now underway.”
“Hoffenheim are hosting Wolfsburg.”
“The last time they met, Hoffenheim crushed Wolfsburg 6-2.”
“What kind of story will unfold tonight? Let’s wait and see.”
...
Pre-match press conference.
Heikgold blushed as reporters teased him.
“No more talk about that 6-2!”
“The past is the past; we’ve learned our lesson.”
“Each game is an independent event; previous results have no bearing.”
On the other side.
Hoffenheim’s coach Markus spoke firmly.
“I don’t know about any Wolfsburg prodigy.”
“Can one or two games prove someone a genius?”
“I’ve seen plenty of geniuses over the years. Every German player who lifted the World Cup was a super genius.”
“Tonight, I only know Hoffenheim’s Firmino. Last season, he scored 16 goals and provided 11 assists in the Bundesliga. He will be our hero.”
German reporters wanted to argue but found no way to refute.
Old Markus was too sly—his words actually boosted the German team.
...
Player tunnel.
Gustavo warmly embraced his Brazilian compatriot.
De Bruyne whispered to Li Luo about their experience facing Hoffenheim.
“Li, let’s give it our all. I’m confident this time.”
Li Luo nodded seriously.
He had done his homework and preparations.
Captain Benalio looked grave.
“Li, tonight’s match will be tough. Be mentally prepared, especially... we’re away, you’ll feel the jeers of tens of thousands. Stay strong!”
Thinking of their last massacre by Hoffenheim, Benalio felt a little depressed.
The goalkeeper suffered the most psychological scars.
Wolfsburg’s prince Arnold stared seriously at Hoffenheim’s Firmino... the Brazilian noticed but didn’t get angry, instead smiled back.
.....
A hot air balloon adorned with the Bundesliga logo slowly ascended.
Both teams lined up on the pitch.
The crowd in all stands roared wildly; the home stand slowly unfurled a massive TIFO.
Blue marine smoke bombs exploded simultaneously in the corners.
Thick smoke billowed.
“The atmosphere here at the Neckar Arena is intense.”
“Now, the starting lineups.”
“Hoffenheim line up in a 4-4-2 tonight!”
“Goalkeeper: Baumann.”
“Defenders: Strobl, Güler, Bicakcic, Andreas.”
“Midfielders: Rudy, Polanski, Firmino, Salihovic.”
“Forwards: Modeste, Szalai.”
“A diamond-shaped 4-4-2, with Firmino’s tactical role being crucial.”
“When he first joined Hoffenheim, he was diagnosed with malnutrition. Now, he looks much better.”
...
“Wolfsburg are fielding a 4-5-1!”
“Goalkeeper: Benalio.”
“Defenders: Sebastian, Naldo, Knoche, Ricardo.”
“Midfielders: De Bruyne, Gustavo, Li Luo, Arnold, Caligiuri.”
“Forward: Bendtner.”
“Wolfsburg’s away kit this season looks better than their home kit.”
“De Bruyne looks a bit thin, but reports say he plans to bulk up soon.”
“Tonight, can Heikgold wipe the slate clean?”
....
Beep!
With the referee’s whistle, the match officially began.
Hoffenheim had possession.
Big man Modeste passed back to the defense.
Next moment.
His teammates surged wildly past the halfway line.
“Gotta snatch the opening!”
“Why is Firmino dragging back to receive the ball?”
“He’s almost at the defense line.”
“Beautiful.”
“After receiving, he nimbly dodged the pressing Bendtner.”
“A quick push forward.”
“Switch to the wing!”
The ball curved precisely to the flank.
Strobl stopped, controlled, then charged into Wolfsburg’s half, thirty meters out.
He looked up.
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He saw two of his own center-forwards pressing into Wolfsburg’s penalty area.
Deciding against cutting inside or combining on the wing, he sent in a direct cross!
Smack!
Cheers and roars erupted from all stands.
...
The ball arced into the penalty box.
“A double-pronged attack!”
“Modeste at 1.87 meters, Szalai at 1.93 meters!”
“This is the spirit of Markus Hoffenheim!”
Wolfsburg’s backline struggled to disrupt.
Pop.
The ball bounced off Modeste’s head, weak and soft towards goal.
Goalkeeper Benalio leapt up and caught it easily.
Wolfsburg fans in the away section breathed in fear.
So close.
Almost the same as last time—getting opened up!
....
Li Luo and his forward teammates barely retreated inside the penalty area, saw the turnover, and quickly dispersed.
Using the spatial perception model in his mind,
he realized the opponent’s tactics tonight were both old and new.
Old-fashioned wing crosses.
Old-fashioned double forward attacks.
But the way they built attacks seemed ahead of their time.
‘Firmino is a playmaker, so why does he drop back to the defense line to help build and push?’
...
On the sidelines.
Markus shouted wildly, exaggerated expression:
“What Wolfsburg genius?”
“Can’t blow him up, okay?”
“Before the last match, German media hyped Wolfsburg, and Hoffenheim massacred them anyway!”
He knew many of his own ideas were outdated, but the previous coach’s legacy helped patch things up.
Firmino was the key.
Hoffenheim’s current player structure made it hard to play advanced football.
But Firmino’s uniqueness could catch opponents off guard.
On the other side.
Heikgold paced anxiously.
“Look, they failed to snatch the kickoff again and are stuck in low defense.”
“Markus acts like a turtle.”
“No sign of Ragnick’s spirit!”
Hoffenheim’s miracle years weren’t built on passive defending.
But now Hoffenheim was flexible.
When it was time to park the bus, they did so without hesitation.
...
The game slowed down.
Wolfsburg’s advances faced little interference.
In the blink of an eye, they pinned the opponent in their penalty area, launching a siege.
“Oh no.”
“Once past the 30-meter line, the pressure hits.”
“Hoffenheim doesn’t let De Bruyne play comfortably; as soon as he gets the ball, two big men rush him.”
“Last time, in that 6-2 game, it was the same.”
“We believe De Bruyne, with his unlimited potential, will gradually overcome this in future games.”
“Heh, right, he’s growing constantly.”
...
Hoffenheim marked Li Luo seriously.
They assigned the versatile midfielder Rudy to face the young Chinese player.
Rudy was well-rounded.
His drawbacks at this stage: slow turning, slow speed, poor jumping.
But Hoffenheim’s coaching staff believed that in the ‘positional defense’ phase, a 180-cm midfielder could physically dominate a 173-cm opponent.
Hoffenheim’s owner, Mr. Hop, had developed several ‘high-tech devices’ to enhance players’ physical fitness during training.
...
On the pitch.
Li Luo loved opponents like Rudy.
Slower than himself.
Mentally slower too.
At most, Rudy could tug on his arm or shirt to limit his turning after receiving.
Several localized battles ensued.
Rudy grew frustrated, pacing nervously with flushed cheeks: against other opponents, he would have crushed them by now.
Hoffenheim fans booed fiercely, trying to disrupt Wolfsburg’s midfield.
Many unwittingly realized:
Li Luo’s spatial perception combined with his one-touch passing made him the nemesis of traditional deep-lying midfielders in mid-tier Bundesliga teams.
...
Time passed second by second.
Li Luo became the player with the most touches in the ‘positional play’ phase.
Against Rudy’s ‘slowness,’ the young Chinese player appeared graceful and agile.
Continuous one-touch passes.
Continuous lateral runs.
Using his spatial perception model, the passing lanes he created were like precise steel wires, strangling Hoffenheim’s ‘parked bus.’
Though his passing quality was sometimes unsteady,
Hoffenheim’s compact shape meant players dared not lose position recklessly.
Most resources centered on De Bruyne.
This caused Wolfsburg’s other players on the flanks to seem like they were just training.
Wolfsburg teammates didn’t doubt Li Luo’s passing, instead blaming their own lack of active movement in positional play for not keeping up.
Indeed.
Who would question the passing of a young genius with such football IQ and vision in positional play?
Maybe he was passing like that intentionally!
By guiding the team’s overall rhythm changes, he aimed to break through the bus.
“Masterful.”
“Graceful and free.”
“Li Luo’s style speeds up Wolfsburg’s tempo.”
“Will he now showcase his signature breakthrough?”
“No.”
“He passed to De Bruyne, who found a gap.”
“Oh no, Bendtner wasted the Belgian’s exquisite pass...”
“No worries, breaking down a bus requires patience.”
...
Live broadcast chatroom.
-[Awesome!]
-[Li Luo dances near the opponent’s penalty area, organizing play on the ground, breaking down the defense.]
-[The most crowd-pleasing style.]
-[Rudy usually has a high success rate in ground duels, why can’t he keep up with Li Luo tonight?]
-[I figured it out: De Bruyne attracts two big men, Li Luo takes over midfield and speeds things up; De Bruyne frees himself without the ball, finds space, then slows down to change rhythm, wearing down Hoffenheim’s energy.]
...
VIP box.
Volkswagen executives were displeased.
Whispering among themselves, complaining about their coaching staff.
“That Heikgold guy, how can he exhaust Li like this?”
“Why not let Li be like Bendtner, the big guy, just waiting in the box for passes?”
“We gave Li bonuses for goals and assists.”
“Forget it, we can’t interfere with the club’s tactics.”
...
Technical area.
Heikgold clapped occasionally,
thinking about the pressure from Volkswagen’s upper management: find a way to get Li Luo scoring and put up better stats.
“Damn it.”
“Outsiders coaching insiders—how can this improve results?”
“How could they make a genius midfielder like Li Luo push up to the frontline in positional play!”
The assistant coach clutched the tactical board, hurriedly approaching.
“Boss, bad news—the opponents are increasing their pressure on Li. If we lose the ball, Hoffenheim will counterattack easily...”
“Hm?”
“Immediately, push Li up front!”
“Put Knoche in midfield, spread others out to widen attacking lanes!”
On the other side.
Markus shouted furiously,
telling his players not to lose position or be pulled out of shape by Wolfsburg.
....
Wolfsburg’s coaching staff’s adjustment signals reached Li Luo’s ears.
Push up front, stand parallel to Bendtner?
That’s good.
He had been pondering how to break through Hoffenheim’s bus with organization and control.
Now, let the teammates think.
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In the first Bundesliga match against Frankfurt, Li Luo learned to initiate counterattacks and deal with high pressing.
In the second Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim, Li Luo learned to break down low defensive blocks.
These two distinct opponents had granted the young Chinese player valuable experience.
...
“Huh? One tall, one fast!”
“Bendtner is tall.”
“Li Luo is fast.”
“Hoffenheim increased their pressure on Li Luo, but he slipped into a position closer to the penalty area.”
“Cruyff once said: defense is about closing space, attack is about expanding space.”
“What we’re seeing now matches that.”
The commentator looked puzzled.
What use was a 173-cm Li Luo pushing up front in positional play?
Hoffenheim’s backline was tall and strong.
...
The game grew dull.
Cheers at the Neckar Arena grew quieter.
In the 28th minute,
a sudden change occurred.
Wolfsburg midfielder Caligiuri received a difficult pass from De Bruyne amid fierce pressure.
Wolfsburg’s fullback Sebastian quickly made an overlapping run.
They executed a quick one-two.
Penetrating to the edge of Hoffenheim’s penalty area.
“Oh!”
“Beautiful!”
“Too many people to get through.”
“Güler’s precise blocking caused the ball to bounce up.”
“Bendtner stretched out his long leg.”
....
Li Luo stayed alert.
He tried to make a penetrating run to the near post, aiming for the most logical finishing spot.
Suddenly,
the geometric model formed by his spatial perception condensed into a red phantom.
[False Run]
The red phantom dashed to the far post.
Why?
Shouldn’t the most reasonable position be the near post?
Does attack always need to be reasonable?
Far post!
....
Rudy was baffled.
He didn’t understand why Li Luo ran to the far post.
The ball couldn’t be switched there!
He abandoned the chase to help defend a teammate.
Pop!
Pop!
Two consecutive touches; the scene briefly chaotic.
The ball flew out of the crowd.
Falling toward the far post.
Following the drifting trajectory, everyone was surprised to see...
The young Chinese player was exactly at the landing spot.
Unmarked.
The whole stadium was stunned.
The commentator’s voice excitedly asked: “How did Li Luo get there?”
Heikgold’s face was stunned.
Markus frowned deeply.
Why?
Why was Li Luo there?
...
Tens of thousands of spectators searched for answers in their minds.
Amid the thoughts,
the young Chinese player fixed his gaze, swung his arm and leg.
Smack!
A crisp touch.
To Hoffenheim’s goalkeeper Baumann, it sounded like the ticking of a bomb timer—there was no time!
He couldn’t rush from the near post to the far post in time!
The ball hit the net.
0:1!!!
The stadium erupted.
...
De Bruyne looked incredulous.
Bendtner was still trash-talking the opposing center-back.
Wolfsburg teammates froze for a moment, then enthusiastically rushed toward Li Luo.
So satisfying.
Last time they were slaughtered by Hoffenheim.
Tonight, Li Luo sounded the horn of revenge!
[Shock Level +1!]
[Shock Level +1!]
[Shock Level +1!]
[...]
Li Luo watched his rapidly rising experience points, unsure how to celebrate.
He hadn’t learned any celebration moves from the tutorial videos.
He could only foolishly rush to the away stand, raise a fist toward the traveling Wolfsburg fans...
A warm cheer responded.
“Li Luo!”
“Li Luo!”
“...”
Li Luo didn’t indulge in the joy of victory, his mind racing:
The ‘unreasonable’ false run to seize space might not always lead to goals;
But it was more unexpected than ‘reasonable’ runs, confusing the opponent’s defense.
...
“Beautiful!”
“Goal!”
“China’s young talent Li Luo breaks the deadlock, scoring his first Bundesliga goal.”
“Giving Wolfsburg the lead.”
“His graceful shooting posture is textbook perfect.”
“The key was the movement.”
“Slow-motion replay shows Li Luo’s runs caught Hoffenheim’s defense off guard.”
“Incredible, a top-class goal poacher.”
The commentator’s voice was excited.
He couldn’t help but recall his earlier doubts about Li Luo and gave himself a mental slap.
Coach Zhang smiled broadly: So complete! Li Luo’s attacking attributes are comprehensive—he can control the game ‘reasonably’ and finish ‘unreasonably.’ Simply amazing.
....
CTV5 broadcast room.
The giant screen replayed the goal.
-[Phantom-like runs.]
-[I still don’t understand how Li Luo got there.]
-[Isn’t this just poaching? I could score from there.]
-[Scoring isn’t the hard part; it’s getting to that spot and beating others to it.]
-[Wow, Li Luo can play as a shadow striker?]
-[Müller, nicknamed ‘Little Li Luo.’]
.....
Sidelines.
Wolfsburg assistant coaches hugged excitedly.
Heikgold rubbed his face.
“Boss, your adjustment was brilliant, Li actually scored!”
“Ahem... yes, play that way, give Li more freedom!”
On the other side.
Markus was furious, yelling at his players.
....
VIP box.
Volkswagen executives cheered wildly.
Armrests banged loudly.
“I f***ing knew it.”
“I knew Li could score, his commercial value soaring, a golden river flowing.”
“Heikgold did well! So, how can we keep Li here?”
“The Porsche and Piëch families’ young ladies adore Li, right? Let him stay in Germany, get married, raise kids.”
“You guys still think you live a hundred years ago?”