Chapter 31: Answering the World with Goals

When Sonny Dean saw Wang Lie desperately chasing a ball that had clearly been overhit, he was suddenly struck by a memory from the training ground a week ago. It was almost identical to today, just with the roles reversed and a different passer.

That day, he and Vitini—that idiot—had also overhit a pass intended for Wang Lie.

The moment the ball left his foot, he knew it was a bad pass. He assumed Wang Lie wouldn't bother chasing it, but would instead turn around to berate him for his poor service. He had already prepared his retort: "If you just ran a little faster, it wouldn't be an issue, would it? You can't run fast anymore and you're blaming me?"

But instead, Wang Lie had gritted his teeth, veins bulging, and chased the ball down just like he was doing now.

And then he had kicked the ball high into the sky...

Even as someone who was quite annoyed with Wang Lie, Dean found it impossible to mock him for that moment. How could anyone guarantee a shot on target when striking from such a desperate position? Was he supposed to ridicule Wang Lie for even attempting to take the shot?

So today, as Dean watched the near-identical scene unfold, he had already resigned himself to the inevitable failure of Wang Lie’s shot.

He would blast the ball away, tumble clumsily across the turf, get covered in grass clippings and dirt, and finally lie face-down with his head buried in the ground...

Dean could even imagine the photos appearing on social media by tonight, serving as evidence that Wang Lie could no longer adapt to the Premier League.

But what did he actually see?

He saw the ball blasted by Wang Lie toward the goal, soaring over the head of Herringham FC’s goalkeeper, Adalsteinn, clipping the underside of the crossbar, and smashing into the back of the net!

Goal!

He was witnessing a goal!

Dean hadn't expected Wang Lie’s first goal for Tyne to come so soon... his first match, his second shot!

As the ball flew into the goal, everyone on the Tyne bench leaped from their seats, arms raised in triumph, embracing one another.

Dean, however, remained frozen, staring blankly at that distant figure.

Only one thing had turned out as he imagined: Wang Lie, having completed his shot, was rolling on the ground, covered in mud and grass, eventually collapsing on the turf and turning his head to look at the goal.

Was it clumsy?

A little.

But this would absolutely not become evidence of his inability to adapt to the Premier League!

"Ahhh! Sonny! Sonny! Come on! Come on!"

Dean, still dazed, was yanked around by the shoulder. He realized it was his teammate, Joshua Parker.

Parker was raising his arm, shouting with excitement and anticipation: "Give me five!"

Dean, still slow to react, reflexively raised his hand, spreading his fingers to slap Parker’s palm.

Then a gust of wind seemed to follow:

Parker’s hand slammed hard into his palm!

"Ah!" The cry of pain came from Parker. He had been so intent on settling the score for a previous "slap" that he had forgotten that force is reciprocal...

Clutching his hand, he gritted his teeth and cursed: "Damn it! Hell! Fuck! Shit!"

After a second of stunned silence, Dean finally felt the searing pain radiating from his own palm. He grabbed his reddened hand, cursing just as fervently: "Damn it! Hell! Fuck! Shit!!"

In front of the Tyne bench, now a cacophony of shrieks and curses, Sonny Dean finally no longer felt out of place.

***

After Wang Lie scored, the entire Leizer Park Stadium erupted into a carnival. If Dean had stayed rooted to the spot, he truly would have been the odd one out. But, in truth, no one cared about him at that moment.

Everyone was busy cheering, celebrating, and roaring, venting their inner emotions—who had time to worry about anyone else?

On the coaching bench, McNeil looked like a gambler who had bet his entire fortune and won. He excitedly hugged Vallo: "My God! I bet on it! Aha! I bet on it!"

The dice cup had been lifted, and he was staring at five sixes!

Vallo didn't pour cold water on him by pointing out it was only one goal; he was just as excited. His usual rationality and composure had vanished into thin air.

The two joined the other coaches in a group hug; the entire Tyne coaching staff was celebrating to their hearts' content. No one noticed the small episode on the bench.

***

Vitini had known the moment he kicked the ball that he had overhit it. Deep inside, a wave of immense frustration and panic washed over him—during the previous counterattack, he had failed to pass to his idol, who had already found the space. This time he had made the pass, but he’d overhit it!

He had made his idol run for nothing twice!

He felt like burying his head in his hands...

Just then, he saw Wang Lie desperately catch up to the ball and strike it into the goal!

He was stunned for a moment, eyes widening as he stared at the net, confirming the ball had actually gone in and hadn't hit the side netting.

Then, he turned to look at the linesman on the far side—he was afraid that at the moment he had made the pass, Wang Lie might have been offside...

The linesman’s flag stayed down!

And he heard the referee’s whistle!

The stone in his heart finally dropped, and the overwhelming frustration and panic retreated like a receding tide.

Vitini screamed and lunged toward Wang Lie.

He knocked his idol, who had just managed to climb to his feet, back down to the ground and piled on top of him!

More teammates swarmed over, burying them both...

***

Since Wang Lie’s goal, Luo Jin’s excitement had not subsided. Watching the Tyne players celebrating wildly, he felt an urge to let out everything he had been holding inside for the past few days:

"...The Tyne players have rushed over, piling on top of Wang Lie to celebrate... but I suspect the weight of all those people doesn't compare to the pressure Wang Lie has been under these past few weeks!

"As bystanders, we can feel the suffocation brought by that pressure, let alone Wang Lie himself... Everything he did or said seemed wrong, even his past glories were twisted into mistakes!

"Scoring is 'selfish,' confidence becomes 'arrogance'... even the 'Seven-Time Champion' title became the root of the club's decline! And he couldn't refute it, couldn't defend himself, otherwise, it would be seen as a bad attitude, being a sore loser, being disrespectful, or acting erratic...

"I know some people love to say, 'In competitive sports, being bad is the original sin,' as if it were an absolute truth of the world. But I think many haven't grasped the definition of 'bad.' What is 'bad'?

"Is it the inevitable decline of a player who has won countless championships and is nearing the end of his career? Or is it the lack of ability and courage to even step onto the stage?

"Why should a man who once stood at the pinnacle of the world be questioned by so many who wouldn't even dare to start the climb? Is this reasonable? Is it a matter of course? I don't know... perhaps this is the truth of the world—there is no sense to be reasoned with, and there is no eternal right or wrong. Hard work does not necessarily bring equivalent rewards, let alone respect for the effort you've put in—if you don't win, then all your hard work is meaningless to the spectators.

"This is truly a depressing reality, and a perfectly reasonable reason to give up. But at this very moment, I am thinking: why is Wang Lie, a man whose personality is certainly not 'likable,' able to garner so much love from fans worldwide? Perhaps it is precisely because, when faced with a depressing reality, even though he has every reason to give up, he never does! That is something the masses find hard to achieve, yet Wang Lie did it, and thus he is naturally loved and adored.

"Doesn't he know the truth of the world has always been this way? He knows. But so what? Because it has always been this way, does that make it right? Because everyone else is like this, should he be too?!

"Faced with this real world, and its various overt and hidden rules, everyone has their own answers and choices. Many cannot be labeled as right or wrong, superior or inferior.

"And this stumbling, desperate goal today! That is Wang Lie’s answer to the world!"

In front of the television, Wang Ziqi, who had been jumping and shouting with excitement when his father scored, was now kneeling on the floor, head tilted back, crying loudly.

Tang Xingmei gripped the hand of her mother-in-law, Zhou Hong, who was struggling to suppress her sobs. Even Tang herself could feel two warm tracks on her cheeks.

As Wang Lie’s family, they knew better than anyone how difficult this journey had been for their father/son/husband.

The accumulated pressure and worry were vented in that single moment of the goal...

***

Jon Berg turned and grabbed the jacket of his companion, Robbie Dixie, roaring at him: "What did I tell you? What did I tell you?! Robbie! I told you he could do it! This is why I believe in him!"

Dixie, being manhandled by Berg, couldn't get a word in until he finally wrenched himself free and gasped: "You nearly strangled me, Jon!"

Berg regained his composure, laughing sheepishly: "Sorry, Robbie, I was just too excited..."

Dixie muttered under his breath: "Damn it... how did he even do it? I thought he was struggling just to catch up to the ball..."

Berg smiled happily: "Actually, when that idiot Roster started attacking Wang before the match, I knew Wang would definitely put on a great performance today."

"Why?"

"Have you forgotten? What happens to those who offend Wang? What are the consequences for those who try to provoke him?"

Dixie had a sudden realization.

Wang Lie was famous in the world of football for being "vengeful"—if you offended him, you wouldn't get off lightly.

Take the most famous example: when Wang Lie left Barcelona Athletic, things had ended very unpleasantly. The club had even gone so far as to pay a PR firm to smear Wang Lie—of course, this was only revealed later; at the time, no one knew a giant club could stoop so low.

Leaving aside the PR smear campaign, Barcelona Athletic had personally joined in. Legends, teammates, and club officials had all criticized and blamed Wang Lie.

Some pretended to be Wang Lie’s friends, expressing pity and claiming he had been deceived by the shameless sycophants around him, referring specifically to his agent, Fernando Clemente...

They said Wang Lie was a loner in the locker room, unpopular; they said Wang Lie, having left the La Liga giant, couldn't possibly achieve anything more in his career; they even said that Wang Lie’s Champions League title was solely due to Barcelona Athletic’s powerful team, that he had wrongly estimated his own level, and that Sovoflian would soon discover they had bought a historic lemon.

And what happened?

Three seasons after leaving Barcelona Athletic, Wang Lie had his "moment of revenge":

He faced his old club in the 2029-2030 Champions League final.

That final was a one-man show. Facing the former club that had constantly slandered him, he pushed individual heroism to the limit, making the twenty-four-year-old "would-be king" Ronier Nascimento look dim in his shadow.

In the end, he stepped over the corpse of his former club to climb to the pinnacle of European football.

This history was well-known, so even Dixie, who wasn't a Sovoflian fan, understood the context.

He immediately understood where his friend’s confidence came from, but a new doubt arose: "If even you knew this, why would Roster still provoke Wang before the match?"

Berg scoffed: "What do you mean 'if even I knew'? Let me tell you, Robbie, over the last half-year, there aren't many people left who still remember these things. People like me who have always kept faith in Wang are in the minority. Roster must have thought Wang was old, just a toothless tiger, unable to strike back. Didn't you think the same, Robbie? You thought he was old too."

Dixie looked a bit embarrassed: "It’s just one goal! We weren't betting on his performance in this one match, but for the whole half-season!"

Berg nodded with a smile: "Yes, yes, the whole half-season."

Seeing his old friend’s smug look, Dixie decided to let it slide. Just then, the singing of the Tyne fans filled the stadium, so he joined in the chorus:

"...Tyne River, oh Tyne River, the ever-flowing Tyne River, and the standing chimneys, and the dancing fire in the furnace... This is my home, Newcastle—! Newcastle upon the Tyne!!"

***

"Newcastle upon the Tyne" was one of the Tyne fans' favorite anthems. Unlike similar songs from other clubs, the rhythm was relatively slow and melodic.

Rather than just cheering for the team, it was more of an expression of the Tyne fans' love for their hometown of Newcastle.

But it was precisely this kind of song, praising one’s hometown, that erupted with such infectious power when used to cheer for the team representing it, binding every Tyne fan in Leizer Park Stadium tightly together.

Especially the final line, repeated and drawn out by the fans, the long notes sounding like Scottish bagpipes floating on the wind, carried to a very distant place.

Such singing could stir the soul and make people tremble.

For instance, Kofi Roster’s face gradually turned livid amidst this melodic song.

It was as if the ball Wang Lie had just kicked hadn't hit the net, but rather his own face.

Assistant coach Andrew gritted his teeth beside him: "That shouldn't have been a chance!"

Roster agreed.

A chance that wasn't a chance, a highly unconventional shooting technique, and a nearly thirty-eight-year-old veteran who hadn't played properly in over half a year...

Add all these factors together, feed them into the world’s most advanced AI model, and the probability of that ball going into the goal probably wouldn't be higher than 0.1%!

Earlier, when Wang Lie had tried to shoot with his right foot but kicked the ball into his own left leg, the broadcast had cleverly cut to the Herringham FC bench, capturing the moment Roster and Andrew were laughing their heads off—a classic scene.

The director clearly knew what they were doing, so this time, after Wang Lie scored, they shifted the camera away from the celebrating Tyne players and back to the Herringham FC bench.

Roster and Andrew, standing side-by-side on the sideline, looking on with twisted expressions, also became a classic shot of the match.

But the best was yet to come...

The camera switched again, this time focusing on two stern-looking figures in the VIP box.

It was Herringham FC’s General Manager, Kyle Iroside, and the owner, Lin Han.

Seeing this, English commentator Connor Cowley laughed:

"I wonder what Roster is thinking right now. Does he regret provoking Wang before the match? Now he has successfully let the whole world know that the man who just broke through his team’s defense is the man his boss let slip away! Haha! I think, regardless of the result of today's match, after this game, all of England will be discussing this even more heatedly. What role do you think they’ll assign to Herringham FC?"

***

The wild celebrations finally neared their end. Wang Lie had long since been pulled up from the ground, high-fiving and hugging everyone.

"Haha! Great, Wang! I knew it! You did it! Congratulations!" Former captain Gortz, always upright and team-first, had run over from the goal specifically to congratulate Wang Lie.

After saying this, he turned and ran back, not forgetting to wave his arms to the Tyne fans in the stands, signaling them to sing even louder.

And truly, the singing grew louder:

"This is my home, Newcastle—!! Newcastle upon the Tyne!!!"

Amidst the roaring chorus, Vitini, while high-fiving and hugging Wang Lie, felt a bit guilty: "Sorry, Wang, that pass..."

Wang Lie comforted him: "It’s okay. Not every pass and reception in a game can be perfect. That’s why we have to give our all on the pitch. That’s how you turn a ball that isn't a chance into a chance."

Honestly, Wang Lie’s words were a bit "dad-like," but Vitini didn't care.

This was his idol, his role model!

If his role model was willing to lecture him, it was his honor! He was overjoyed!

"I’ll work hard to do that, Wang!" Vitini nodded repeatedly, practically ready to sign a guarantee.

After Vitini, the Brazilian talent Katich opened his arms to Wang Lie: "I never thought I’d be hugging you..."

Wang Lie hugged him and whispered in his ear: "I bet this hug will appear in a lot of places after the match. What do you think they’ll say?"

Katich laughed, patting Wang Lie on the back: "Let them say whatever they want. I used to think you were an arrogant, trouble-making jerk, but now I think being your teammate is pretty interesting, ha!"

After they separated, Katich asked: "Was that a flash of your former self?"

Wang Lie shook his head: "Of course not. In fact, I feel like... I’m becoming younger!"

Katich grinned: "That’s an interesting way to put it."

He clearly didn't take Wang Lie’s words seriously.

But Wang Lie knew he was telling the truth—just as he was being pushed to the ground by Vitini, a set of large golden numbers had popped up before his eyes:

36

In fact, when he learned the system could revert his physical condition to his youth, he had wondered how he would confirm his body was becoming younger.

Would it be through subtle changes in his joints or muscle tissues?

Or would he have to wait for training to feel it?

He hadn't expected the system to tell him in such a simple, brutal way:

Although your actual age is thirty-seven, your current physical age is thirty-six!

But how it told him was unimportant.

What Wang Lie never expected was... he had only scored one goal, and he had become a year younger!

Was it that simple?

Could the system be wrong?

Would this year of youth be taken back later?

Just like the current VAR system, where checking the video can rule out a goal that already went in, leaving everyone confused about whether to celebrate or not...

So, when he first learned he was a year younger, Wang Lie wasn't excited.

He had been lying on the ground under his teammates, feeling quite anxious, certainly not as excited as they were.

Now, as the goal celebration was ending, he still hadn't heard the system sound to retract the reward.

No golden "37" had appeared before his eyes.

Finally, he could be certain:

He really had returned to age thirty-six with just one goal!

***

PS,

Two chapters again tomorrow!

Also, a friendly recommendation:

A friend’s new book, "Echoes of Glory."

When time travels back to 2005, do you still remember the impact of the Miracle of Istanbul?

When the glorious Milan became the laughingstock of the world, can you still recall Kaka silently wiping away his tears?

You might remember everything, but you certainly don't know that in this space-time, there was a young Chinese player on Milan’s bench.

He was a spectator, but also a witness!

Except, the glory that belonged to him began on that night in Istanbul.

Starting at Inter, Milan fans, please go easy.