Chapter 2: Shining Dream Theater?

Pre-match press conference.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal sat sternly.
With his chubby hands, he straightened the red tie on his chest.
Reporters began to ask questions enthusiastically.
As usual, the old manager was easily provoked by the journalists.
On one more exaggerated occasion... when he got into a heated argument, he actually picked up a tactical board to explain his pre-match preparations in detail, leaving the opposing coach completely bewildered: "Are you letting me take an open-book exam?"
Gradually, the Manchester United manager's face turned red, and he began to retort angrily:
"Hmph, don't ask such boring questions. How many young players have I unearthed?"
"In all of Europe, I am the best at cultivating and transforming genius stars."
"Why are you questioning me? Which newspaper are you from? How many championships do you have?"
"During my time managing Ajax, I boldly employed Kluivert, the de Boer brothers, Davids, van der Sar, Overmars, and Reiziger! I transformed Bergkamp and Rijkaard!"
"During my time managing Barcelona, I improved the La Masia number four position and promoted young Xavi and Iniesta! Spain won three consecutive major tournaments to build a dynasty; do you know why?"
"During my time managing Bayern, I unearthed Müller and Alaba, and changed the positions of Schweinsteiger and Badstuber! The German team lifted the World Cup this year; do you know why?"
"You dare to slander me, thinking I won't let Li play? Asshole! I will definitely give him time to come off the bench tonight!"
...
Old Trafford Stadium.
Teeming with people, not a single empty seat.
There were many Eastern faces in the bowl-shaped stands.
Red banners printed with Chinese characters added an Eastern resonance to the shouts in the Theatre of Dreams.
"Go Li Luo!"
"The Theatre of Dreams never sleeps, the prologue to Li Luo's legend!"
"The future of Manchester United! The future of Chinese football! A supernova with high hopes!"
Li Luo sat on the bench, his gaze vacant.
He had tried hard to adjust his mindset in the locker room, but at this moment, Old Trafford looked like a roaring red beast to him... the massive momentum poured down from the stands on all sides like a flood.
He felt tiny, like an ant being scorched by countless gazes.
Tonight, would he make a fool of himself like a monkey in a zoo? Watched by tens of thousands of people on-site, and countless people around the world.
Damn it, I'm about to be scared silly.
...
"CCTV5! CCTV5! We are now broadcasting the first round of the 2014/15 Premier League season: Manchester United at home against Swansea."
"The director's camera focuses on Li Luo on the Red Devils' bench."
"The Chinese genius's expression is very calm, his body language very steady."
"Stars in his bosom, still waters run deep."
"Pine breeze on his face, immovable as a mountain."
"The light of the jade pot turns, the icy heart reflects itself."
"..."
"We can feel that he radiates the masterly temperament of legendary midfielders from previous generations: unperturbed, planning strategies..."
The commentator's tone was excited and his heart was surging.
Expert Zhang nodded repeatedly: "Hehehe, when young players are promoted to the first team for their debut, they are usually very nervous, leading to mistakes in their movements, but it seems Li Luo doesn't have this problem."
In the live stream, the bullet comments were flying.
- [Li Luo is so handsome, even I have to dodge his brilliance.]
- [Hubby!]
- [I want to go to Old Trafford to work as a cleaner, what if Li Luo falls in love with me?]
- [So cool, it's been many years since a Chinese player played in England, and Li Luo is wearing the Manchester United jersey!]
- [The Pride of Asia!]
- [Prince of the Theatre of Dreams!]
- [He plays as a midfielder, a commander! A core! A brain! A leader! A general!]
- [In the Asian Cup a few months from now, Li Luo will definitely lead the national team to beat South Korea, kick Japan, and dominate Asia!]
- [Brothers, Manchester United is very bad right now, playing like shit. I really don't want Li Luo to level up at Manchester United; it would be better to go to some Bundesliga or Serie A powerhouses to develop, as winning games earns experience faster.]
....
Beep!
Accompanied by the referee's whistle, the match officially began.
The cheers at Old Trafford intensified.
Li Luo sat on the bench, trying hard to capture everything happening on the pitch: he couldn't see any logic to it.
He didn't understand it at all.
He couldn't understand his teammates' positioning intentions, couldn't understand the tactical changes of the two formations.
Couldn't understand what the coach in the technical area was gesturing.
....
Time passed.
The match reached the 85th minute.
The LED screen in mid-air displayed a score that made the Red Devils fans angry: Manchester United 1:2 Swansea.
Boos erupted everywhere.
The bowl-shaped stands were filled with all kinds of curses:
"Fuck you, refund!"
"Has the 135 million pound summer transfer fee turned into bubbles?"
"Damn it, as a goalkeeper, De Gea is so heartbreaking!"
...
Technical area.
Assistant coach Ryan Giggs, his face full of anxiety, couldn't help but suggest sending on "The Angel" Angel Di Maria.
Van Gaal was expressionless, turning a deaf ear, continuing to write and draw in his small notebook.
South Americans? He hated them the most.
Even though in every Ballon d'Or vote, the old manager always secretly voted for Messi.
"Alright, Li is back from warming up, get him ready to come on!"
"Okay, boss!"
"In the Premier League, you must call me BOSS!"
When Li Luo heard Giggs call his name, he felt a sudden sense of despair.
He couldn't avoid it after all.
In the final stage of the match, he would finally make his Premier League debut.
...
Giggs took the bib, then bent down to tie the laces for the young Chinese player, his tone gentle: "Don't be nervous, play according to the deployment I told you in the locker room, 4-2-3-1! You are the one in the very middle of the '3'!"
"There isn't much time left for Manchester United, don't waste time organizing, boldly break through from the half-spaces."
Li Luo: "..."
The pressure was immense.
Especially with the looks from the Manchester United coaching staff... full of expectations for him.
....
When the young Chinese boy's figure appeared outside the center circle.
Chinese fans all over the world were extremely excited.
The CCTV5 commentator's tone also became urgent:
"Manchester United makes their final substitution."
"Coming on as a substitute is 18-year-old Li Luo!"
"The Chinese midfield genius, the gem of Manchester United's youth academy, he carries the expectations of countless fans."
"After many years, a Chinese figure appears on the top stage of the five major leagues again!"
Applause was like a tidal wave.
Tens of thousands of people cheered.
The director's camera focused on the sidelines: the Chinese boy high-fived and hugged Mata, and facing the wind, he stepped onto the Theatre of Dreams.
....
Li Luo was very nervous.
So nervous that he could hear his own heartbeat.
The rhythm of his breathing was also hard to adjust.
He tried hard to run, attempting to press the ball carrier, but felt like a lone boat drifting in the ocean.
The football rolled quickly on the turf.
Li Luo didn't know where to go next.
Didn't know where the direction was.
The night wind of Manchester was like a sharp knife, cutting fiercely at a headless fly.
...
The viewers in front of the TV saw their mood drop to the bottom, but after hearing the commentator's voice, hope was rekindled in the blink of an eye.
CCTV5 live studio.
The commentator and expert Zhang were joyful:
"Good!"
"Good! Giving his all in running!"
"A tenacious fighting spirit!"
"Li Luo's fighting spirit on the pitch is worth learning."
...
Gradually.
Li Luo was nervous to the extreme, his body trembling, and he couldn't help but slow down his pace.
Why?
Why was he full of energy, yet his feet felt like they were filled with lead... he couldn't run anymore!
The rhythm of his breathing was getting more and more chaotic.
Forget it, if I'm going to make a fool of myself, so be it.
What can I do?
If the pitch were to suddenly crack open a big hole right now, Li Luo would jump in without hesitation.
...
In the eyes of all the audience...
Did this kid start strolling?
The commentator and expert Zhang were full of shock:
"What?"
"This..."
"The playing style of a Baller!"
"This is the playing style of a Baller!"
"After the change of possession, Li Luo started the Baller playing style!"
"Hehehe, he has taken many fewer detours than Messi."
"Looking back at the World Cup a while ago, there was a match where Messi's total running distance was only 7.5 kilometers, spending a long time strolling, yet he contributed 1 goal and 2 assists, orchestrating the most efficient attack with minimal running."
"Breaking down defenses, observing tactics, reading the game."
"Li Luo is indeed a genius midfielder, with innate tactical awareness."
"Controlling the overall situation with a calm posture."
"Strolling leisurely like the moon in the clouds, the wind rises on its own when the mountain doesn't move."
....
The Swansea coaching staff were bewildered.
What is this?
What abstract tactic is Manchester United playing again?
Head coach Garry Monk froze for a moment, then began gesturing wildly in the technical area: "Don't be paralyzed! Go and stick to Li! Don't let him have any chance to touch the ball!"
The coaching staff had carefully studied the footage before the match: this kid Li Luo was invincible in face-to-face play, capable of dribbling, through balls, and distribution after receiving the ball in the front court; he was a terrifying triple threat.
On the other side.
Giggs was pulling his hair in confusion.
What is the Manchester United crown prince doing?
Van Gaal frowned, then suddenly his eyes lit up: "Beautiful! Li drew two Swansea defenders out!"
"He helped Manchester United create a weak side!"
"The space creator!"
"Blind! Damn you! Hurry up and make that long diagonal pass!"
...
Snap!
Above the Theatre of Dreams, a beautiful arc was outlined.
The football suddenly plummeted toward the left vacancy at the edge of Swansea's penalty area!
"Rooney!"
"It's coming!"
"No touch! Volley!"
...
"Wow! A miraculous save by the Swansea goalkeeper!"
"Too spectacular!"
"At the last moment, Manchester United got a corner kick opportunity. They were just a little bit away from equalizing. Since 1972, the Red Devils have not lost the first round of the Premier League at home for 42 years!"
"Look at the replay of Manchester United's attack... huh? Li Luo's diversion?"
....
CCTV5 live studio.
The slow-motion replay showed Manchester United's attacking process.
The commentator was focused: "Expert Zhang, what do you think?"
Expert Zhang took a sip of tea, his tone excited: "Very high-level playing style! Li Luo's run... positioning! He has the shadow of Ronaldo, top-level mental game in a state without the ball. He attracted two Swansea defenders through dummy runs, thereby helping Manchester United create space on the weak side!"
"It can be said that 18-year-old Li already has the potential of a superstar."
"Incredible space creation, he might become... the sharpest sword of China."
Live studio.
- [So that's how it is, I almost thought Li Luo didn't know how to play! I was just thinking it would be better to let me go up and play!]
- [Too high-level, awesome! My Li!]
- [Brother is so handsome.]
- [Master.]
- [Devising strategies, winning the battle from a thousand miles away.]
....
Li Luo hadn't played football before, so he didn't know what the psychological game of positioning on the Premier League pitch was.
The two Swansea players who stuck to him were chattering incessantly, trying to distract the Manchester United genius's "focus," making fierce expressions, and using "trash talk" to mess with his mentality.
"Kid, don't move around, or I'll destroy you."
"Kick your legs off."
In the history of the Premier League, many foreign players and young players have been intimidated to the point of losing their cool, often making mistakes in their actions.
Some, and there are quite a few... were scared to tears or kicked to tears in Premier League matches.
Li Luo wasn't afraid; instead, he looked up and started chatting with the opponent: Where is your home? How many people in your family? Oh! You old Taylor family has a daughter? Is she about my age?
After chatting, his mood was indeed much better.
He wasn't so nervous anymore.
It was just that these two Swansea players would nervously stretch out their arms from time to time, grabbing his arms, pressing his chest.
After playing for a few minutes.
Li Luo regretted putting his attribute points into heading; there was no chance to head the ball at all... even if there was a heading opportunity, he was so short...
...
The fourth official held up the LED board.
3 minutes of stoppage time.
Manchester United cherished this corner kick opportunity, and their army pressed into the Swansea penalty area!
Rooney pressed his hands on Li Luo's shoulders and "moved" him to the back post.
During this historical period, Premier League lower-to-mid-table teams attached great importance to set-piece defense. Swansea head coach Garry Monk issued an order again: "Asshole, Li is so short, no need to stick to him in set-piece defense!"
"He is so short!"
"He can't head the ball!"
According to the video data: Li Luo's heading was shit, and his ability to compete for headers during set-piece phases was almost non-existent.
At 173cm tall, facing the tall and mighty Swansea defense, what threat could he possibly create?
...
Corner flag area.
Blind raised his left hand.
Then he took two steps back, swung his arm, and kicked.
Snap!
The football took off from the ground, spinning violently, and flew toward the Swansea penalty area.
The tall players from both sides jumped up fiercely.
No one headed it.
The football fell straight to the back post...
There, stood a 'frail' Chinese figure!
Old Trafford fell into a brief silence.
Van Gaal widened his eyes.
Giggs held a mineral water bottle, stunned.
...
Li Luo looked up and saw a white object falling down.
His mind was struggling with how many seconds were left until he could 'get off work'.
In an instant.
His 58 heading stat made him react reflexively and subconsciously.
He engaged his waist and abdomen.
Whipped his head.
The Swansea defender, who was madly rushing back to defend... it was already too late.
Snap!
The violently spinning football had its direction changed during its descent and boomed toward the Swansea goal.
Bang!
The football hit the post hard and deflected into the net.
The Swansea goalkeeper, who had dived, was full of shock.
2:2!!!
In an instant, Old Trafford shook the earth.
The close-up camera shook incessantly from the landslide-like cheers.
The whole stadium was boiling.
"Beautiful!"
"Goal!"
"18-year-old Chinese teenager Li Luo, shining in the Theatre of Dreams!"