Chapter 31: Could This Time’s Reward Really Be...? (Two Chapters Combined)

The BayArena fell into a brief, heavy silence.

The Wolfsburg supporters in the away section were the first to erupt in cheers.

Immediately after, the home fans in the stands let out sighs of resignation.

"Li Luo!"

"He's scored."

"A brace."

"A magnificent goal!"

"With time running out in the match, he struck instantly inside the penalty area to help Wolfsburg turn the score around!"

"An assist from De Bruyne."

"A spectacular display of attacking football."

"A goal feast between the 'Pharma-men' and the Wolves."

"Tonight's showdown... the score is beyond everyone's expectations, with seven goals already netted."

Li Luo scrambled up from Bellarabi and sprinted toward the corner flag, pumping his fist in celebration. His Wolfsburg teammates followed closely behind.

...

In the livestream chat:
- [Thanks, Li Luo! I hit the 7+ over, I'm never gambling on this stuff again.]
- [Manchester United made me lose so many 'joy beans,' but I won it all back in this Bundesliga match.]
- [Positional attack—did that ball thread through the defense? Li Luo and his teammates are getting more in sync; this is exactly how I played when I was on the school team.]
- [First deposit of 6 yuan, get a genius midfielder for free.]
- [Golden Legend - Li Luo!]
- [How many goals has our Li scored in the Bundesliga now?]
- [De Bruyne's talent tree—why did he put points into ground penetration? He’s in a muscle-building phase; his future direction is long-range aerial guidance.]

...

On the sidelines, Hecking was dizzy with happiness. The assistant coaches swarmed the touchline, thrusting their fists into the air.

"We've turned it around."

"Since Li came on, we’ve overturned the deficit!"

From two goals down to taking the lead. A thrilling, unreserved attacking performance!

On the other side, Schmidt muttered in disbelief, "Impossible. How could one player, Li, change the entire course of the game?"

Dino took a deep breath and said calmly, "There is still time. We haven't lost yet."

...

At the corner flag, Li Luo stood atop the advertising boards, soaking in the frantic applause and cheers of the Wolfsburg fans.

[Shock Value +1!]
[Shock Value +1!]
[...]

The track around the BayArena was wide. A photographer crouched on the ground, choosing an extremely low upward angle. The lens seemed to grow directly from the turf, pushing Li Luo’s back—as he stood with arms wide open—to the very peak of the visual frame. The flags fluttering in the night wind, the raised banners, the swaying wolf-head patterns, the excited, joyous faces, and the tide of roaring voices... every element seemed to be gathered into the arms of the young Chinese player.

...

Malanda looked on with adoration: "Li, that was so cool."

De Bruyne clenched his fists, his cheeks flushed: With Li here this season, how many trophies will Wolfsburg win?

Suddenly, someone reminded them: "Last few minutes, we must stay focused. No low-level mistakes."

"Right, especially those guys on a yellow card."

Gustavo gave the advice calmly, then continued hopping around in celebration.

...

In the VIP box, the Bayer executives looked increasingly envious.

"Why don't we have a midfielder like that?"

"We have Calhanoglu!"

"The temperament is different."

"Calhanoglu betrayed his old club; he has a poor reputation with the public, and his style of play isn't as elegant or dashing as Li's."

...

The match resumed from the center circle. Both teams took their positions.

"Why aren't the Wolves celebrating longer? Bundesliga referees are lazy; they clock out the moment stoppage time hits..."

"However, the fourth official in the Bundesliga is rigorous and precise with the watch. If they waste time, the added time will just be longer."

"Just kidding."

"Will there be more goals?"

The commentator’s tone held both anticipation and anxiety. Both teams were nearly out of gas. Zhang, the guest analyst, was also worried, fearing that the Leverkusen players' movements might become distorted due to fatigue, leading to an injury for Li Luo.

...

In the remaining time, the Leverkusen attacking group did not give up. The Japanese television broadcast was so moved by their perseverance that they almost interrupted the feed to show childhood flashback clips. The South Korean fans, however, were furious, incessantly complaining about Son Heung-min.

The ball moved rapidly across the green pitch. Some felt time was dragging; others felt it was flying.

...

At the very last moment of stoppage time, Calhanoglu was brought down thirty meters out in the Wolfsburg half.

Beep!

The referee signaled a foul and pulled out the vanishing spray to draw a "U" at the spot of the foul.

"There's nothing else for it. When defensive players' stamina drops, their movements become clumsy."

"Leverkusen’s final chance."

"Calhanoglu."

"Based on the data from the last two seasons, his free-kick ability ranks in the top three of the younger generation."

...

Hecking was terrified. Schmidt looked nervous, like a gambler about to reveal his cards. Dino covered his eyes.

...

The BayArena echoed with the Leverkusen club anthem.

"Bayer, Bayer 04, we stand by you!"

"Bayer, Bayer 04, we stand by you!"

Both sides braced themselves. Wolfsburg goalkeeper Benaglio was meticulously organizing the wall. Li Luo was positioned behind the wall... lying flat on the ground.

The goal: to prevent a low strike.

"One hand over your heart."

"One hand covering your groin."

"Li, you're facing the wrong way. Your backside is facing out. Yes, just like that."

"Don't worry, the boss analyzed Leverkusen's set-piece data before the match. Within 30 meters, Calhanoglu has a 90% chance of shooting himself; he won't pass to a teammate."

At this moment, among the tens of thousands in the stadium, Li Luo was perhaps the only one who couldn't see how the free kick was taken.

He didn't pay it much mind. The night wind brushed the grass and gently caressed his cheeks. His mood grew increasingly calm.

In his field of vision, a black object grazed the crossbar and flew into the stands.

Then came a wave of overlapping sighs, followed by the cheers of his Wolfsburg teammates.

Beep! Beep-beep!

The referee blew the final whistle.

Leverkusen 3:4 Wolfsburg.

...

"Congratulations to Wolfsburg!"

"Down by two goals at halftime, they achieved a massive comeback!"

"A thrilling, spectacular duel."

"Most players on both sides fought until they were completely exhausted. Only Li Luo stood tall; his spirit..."

"Heh heh heh, Li Luo was only subbed in during the second half, of course he can still stand tall."

"..."

The commentator and Zhang continued to review the match data and tactical details. The viewers left the livestream immediately to swarm football forums and video sites; the more skilled fans were already editing highlights.

...

Calhanoglu sat dejectedly on the turf. Why? Why was his light overshadowed by Li?

Kiessling comforted him: "Next time, we will definitely win."

Not far away, Son Heung-min was accepting an interview with German media.

"As an Asian player yourself, how do you evaluate Li?"

"After Li came on, Wolfsburg improved a level in both attack and defense. Everything flowed more smoothly. He makes the team's overall strength greater. He seems to see everything and control everything. He is the soul of the game."

"The Asian Cup?"

The young Son Heung-min didn't know how to speak in diplomatic platitudes yet: "No, no, no, the Asian Cup is different!"

"If the South Korean team has a chance to meet the Chinese team in the Asian Cup..."

"It’s different."

The rambling South Korean player made the reporters laugh out loud. In a few months, the Asian Cup would feature many players from the top five leagues, with a significant number from the Bundesliga.

...

At the post-match press conference, Schmidt looked melancholic.

"We should have won the match, but we missed too many opportunities."

"There wasn't a major problem with Calhanoglu's performance; it's just that the opponent happened to have genius midfielders like Li Luo and De Bruyne."

"Goals bring incomparable pleasure to the fans; that is the charm of football."

"Leverkusen will not deliberately change our style. We will continue to press and attack in future matches. Tonight, we just had a bit of bad luck."

A moment later, Hecking walked into the auditorium, beaming. Camera flashes flickered incessantly. Reporters scrambled to ask questions.

"Don't rush, one by one."

"The match looked thrilling, but I was calm the whole time."

"A miraculous substitution? Oh, I just put Li on."

"A 'false nine'? I just knew I had to get Li on the field!"

Clap, clap, clap.

Thunderous applause followed. The reporters on site all believed this was the manager's humble deflection—though, of course, Li Luo was indeed exceptional.

...

The BayArena slowly grew quiet. Li Luo thanked the fans with his teammates before returning to the dressing room. He ignored the reporters' pestering on the way back.

He was in a hurry to draw his rewards.

[Shock Value Earned: 135,482]
[Consume 100,000 Shock Value to redeem a Bundesliga Star Blind Box?]
[Redeeming...]

Rumble!

A giant card stood before him in the familiar fashion! A figure slowly emerged within the card.

[Blind Box opening...]
[A genius boy from the Oria Valley.]
[One of the protagonists of the Miracle of Istanbul, famous for his iconic kiss with Gerrard.]
[The backbone of the Invincible Armada.]

A figure with an arm raised and leg swinging slowly appeared.

[Congratulations on obtaining: Xabi Alonso's "In-swerving Arc" module.]
[Additional attribute boost: Passing +5! Curvature +5!]

The back of Li Luo's head felt a slight tingle. Countless memory fragments flooded his mind...

"An in-swerving long ball... it can actually tear through the opponent's defense with a change of direction after landing?"

"Breathtaking."

A god-tier skill! Combined with his spatial awareness, this module was absolutely a master skill for a midfielder. It was highly aesthetic, and the Shock Value he would reap would certainly be substantial.

Wait a second.

What was the "iconic kiss"?

In his memory fragments, Li Luo saw two grown men passionately embracing on the green pitch, and then...

Thankfully, the module couldn't influence his emotions. Li Luo didn't like overly intimate physical gestures with other men.

He pulled his phone from his bag and pressed the power button. *Beep, beep, beep*... a dense barrage of notifications.

Upon closer inspection, they were all congratulatory messages from Lauren and Rae.

Must maintain self-discipline. Cannot get addicted to chatting with girls.

Li Luo silently typed, then copied and pasted: "I don't like texting. If you have anything to say, let's talk when we meet."

...

They didn't linger in Leverkusen for long. The entire Wolfsburg team boarded the bus and returned to Lower Saxony overnight. The quiet country roads echoed with the rousing club anthem.

Malanda suddenly said: "Li, it's such a joy to be your teammate. We get win bonuses, and I used to think I wouldn't be a starter at the club. I haven't even been called up to the Belgian national team yet."

It was a long story; the Belgian national team had historical baggage dating back to the North-South divide since 1830.

During the 2014 World Cup a few months prior, Belgium had even suffered internal strife because some players felt the coach favored a certain faction.

Li Luo had inadvertently browsed related news recently, so he asked curiously: "If you made it to the Belgian national team, which faction would you choose?"

Malanda scratched his head: "I can't choose. I was born in Brussels. The Flemish faction thinks I'm a Southerner, and the Walloon faction thinks I'm a Northerner..."

"I'm Black. My ancestors immigrated to Belgium a long time ago. Those Congolese-descended teammates don't like to talk to me because I don't eat African food."

"..."

Li Luo thought for a moment and said, "Look at it from another angle: you can integrate into *every* faction!"

Everyone burst into laughter. De Bruyne couldn't help but chuckle: "Li is right. I really like Malanda."

Arnold added: "At this moment, I feel like something is missing."

"The 'Arsenal Emperor' who loves to brag!"

"If that guy were here, he’d definitely say we only won because he was there, haha."

...

In Little Britain.

Wolfsburg sporting director Allofs finally managed to bail Bendtner out.

A gust of wind lifted fallen leaves. A newspaper took flight, tumbled in the air, and stuck firmly to a utility pole.

Bendtner, bleary-eyed, let out a yawn: "Without me, the team definitely would have lost."

"That guy Dost, even though his shooting is better than mine, he doesn't have any chemistry with Li in training."

"Sigh."

"I have to take responsibility for this. If I’m not there, the team might not even score."

"..."

Allofs and the staff looked at the "Arsenal Emperor" as if he were an idiot.

"We scored four goals."

"We won?"

"We won."

...

In Cheshire.

The quiet Hale village restaurant. The fireplace glowed with a faint red light.

Ferguson finished watching the entire match and nodded with satisfaction: "Not bad."

"Bundesliga teams have had a very distinct style in recent years, suitable for the growth of young players..."

Jack quickly agreed: "Right, Carvajal and Kroos both trained at Leverkusen and put up good numbers."

"This group of Wolfsburg players has a lot of potential."

"Their ability to read the game is very strong; they always... pass the ball to Li."

"I am increasingly looking forward to Li's return."

...

Chinese fans were happy. Waking up on a weekend morning to watch Li Luo’s brilliant match highlights was the perfect start to a beautiful day.

"Two goals in one half, the Chinese teenager shines in North Rhine."
"An elegant dragonfly skimming the water."
"A super Marseille turn."
"Hecking’s masterstroke: bringing on Li Luo to reverse the situation."
"Leverkusen sporting director Völler: Li Luo has set a benchmark in the top five leagues; I will keep an eye out for more excellent Chinese players like him."
"Korean media: Son Heung-min and Li Luo are equally excellent; stats don't represent everything, different teams have different tactical focuses."
"Japanese media: Burning fighting spirit in the face of adversity, the Great Demon King Li Luo comes off the bench to dominate the match, aiming for the throne! Where is the end of Wolfsburg's journey? The ambition of the unrivaled manager Hecking!"

The number of comments, likes, and shares skyrocketed.

- [What an insanely cool sequence of dribbles!]
- [Elegance.]
- [Li Luo’s Marseille turn perfectly calculated the defender's position... he was almost dispossessed, that was the limit! His level is so high.]
- [Leverkusen is seriously strong; they almost forced out 100% of my Li's power.]
- [Wolfsburg jerseys are sold out... magical.]
- [I’ve discovered a pattern: in matches where Li Luo plays, there are never a shortage of goals.]
- [Will they beat Inter Milan in the upcoming Europa League too?]