Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Worst of Them All

When Long Yuyun returned to Dorm 505 after handling the enrollment procedures together with Xia Liquan, he found that his son had already blended seamlessly with the other six roommates. The table was piled high with all sorts of snacks brought from their homes, and each boy was chatting away with great enthusiasm.

Seeing this scene, a hint of relief flickered across Long Yuyun's eyes. This was exactly what he wished for. Now he understood that Yunjia Tianyu Football School recruited elite talents from all corners of the country. While other clubs in China were still neglecting youth training, Yunjia Tianyu had already taken the lead, gathering the most outstanding and promising young players through various means. This was evident in how their reserve team had consecutively won the reserve league championship for two seasons. Moreover, in every national youth team aside from the senior squad, young players from Yunjia Tianyu made up a significant portion.

Compared to these young elites, Long Bisheng’s shortcomings were obvious. However, as long as he could actively integrate into the team, his growth would be all the faster. It was a simple truth: the lower the starting point, the faster the ascent. The real test would come when his abilities began to approach theirs.

"Bisheng, I’ll head back now. There are still many things waiting for me in the unit," Long Yuyun said, gently stroking his son's hair. He spoke with fatherly affection. Originally, he had planned to stay with his son a bit longer, but seeing the situation, he changed his mind. Since he was destined not to accompany his son until adulthood, why not let him start living independently a little earlier—even if it was just by a day?

"Go home, Dad. I’ll take care of myself," Long Bisheng said, holding back tears. He knew that coming to Yunjia Tianyu Football School was different from being in Xi’an. Not only was it farther from home, but returning would be a rare luxury. Otherwise, why had Azati, after arriving at Yunjia, never gone back even once? There must be something here that drew him so much he didn’t want to waste dozens of days on a trip home.

Long Yuyun gave his son a tight hug and then smiled at the other six boys. "Everyone, Bisheng will be your roommate from now on. Please help take care of him… Sorry to trouble you all."

Faced with such a forthright officer speaking so earnestly, the six boys, young yet precocious, felt honored. They each assured him they would never bully Long Bisheng—besides, judging by his stature, he wasn’t someone to bully easily!

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With his father gone, the long journey of Long Bisheng’s first real football training began today.

In the week before school started, the boys had already introduced themselves to one another. Aside from Long Bisheng, three of the other six were from Liaoning and three from Hubei. Hu Gantang and Li Jie were both from Dalian and had grown up together in the same compound. Their close bond began when they joined a local football school at the age of five; three years ago, they were scouted by Yunjia Tianyu. Zhang Yi, a native of Shenyang, had played at a local football school there. Last year, his father was transferred to Yunjia for work, and Zhang Yi switched schools with his family, passing the rigorous selection to enter Yunjia Tianyu Football School.

Dai Guangming was from Jingzhou, Hubei, while Zhou Wei and Wu Bufan hailed from Yichang and Xiangfan, respectively. All three had originally been students at the Wuhan Football School. In the top league, it was well known that Wuhan and Yunjia had the closest relationship, with frequent exchanges of players between their clubs and youth teams. Like Long Bisheng, these three had only been noticed by Yunjia this year and transferred to study here.

Unlike Long Bisheng, almost all of them had been playing football since childhood, and unlike his rough-and-tumble experience in the army compound, they had received proper, systematic training from the very beginning. Most importantly, they had been lucky: when they started playing, they met coaches who, though perhaps not highly skilled, knew how to inspire a child’s interest in football, guiding them through the dull basics and into the world of the sport.

Though Long Bisheng had persevered through the early stages thanks to his love for football and unwavering determination, compared to Dai Guangming and the others, who had already chosen their positions and set their goals, he still felt lost—what position suited him best? Where could he unleash his greatest potential? All of this remained uncertain.

Wu Bufan was tall and agile, with strong, powerful hands; though he lacked much talent in playing, his peasant background made him an excellent candidate for goalkeeper. Li Jie was strong and sturdy, with excellent judgment and a quick turn, perfect for central defense. Zhou Wei, though slight, was exceptionally agile and possessed great ball sense, making him a skilled dribbler and attacker. His physique wasn’t suited for the center, but on the defensively weaker flanks, he excelled. Most importantly, he was a rare left-footed player. Zhang Yi had solid fundamentals, speed, physique, and an outstanding ability to cross from the wing—a textbook right midfielder. Hu Gantang, true to his name, was decisive and bold, willing to take responsibility and showed leadership, perfect for defensive midfield. Dai Guangming had a sharp reading of the game, excellent technique, and moments of brilliance—an ideal organizing midfielder.

Compared to them, Long Bisheng seemed to lack any particularly outstanding qualities. Even his previously proud height was not much of an advantage against Wu Bufan and Li Jie.

In terms of speed, except for the goalkeeper Wu Bufan, Long Bisheng was the slowest. But speed wasn’t crucial for a goalkeeper, and Wu Bufan, despite his size, moved quickly on his feet—he just lacked the ability for long runs.

In terms of skill, Long Bisheng could not compare to the others. Though his fundamentals were solid, in ball control and passing, everyone except Wu Bufan was far superior. Even in basic techniques, those who had received formal training since childhood had a clear advantage over Long Bisheng’s rough style.

Physically, Long Bisheng was impressive, but compared to Hu Gantang and Li Jie, he held little advantage. Zhou Wei, Zhang Yi, and Dai Guangming, though not particularly strong, often used their agility and cleverness to leave the slower Long Bisheng bewildered.

In short, to sum up in one sentence: Long Bisheng was the weakest member in Dorm 505.