Chapter 1

In the second-to-last round of the league last season, Chelsea challenged Liverpool away. In that game, Chelsea lost to Liverpool 1:3 away, and Chen Hero scored twice.

The key was that Terry became the backdrop for both of his goals.

For the first goal, Chen Hero used his strong body to squeeze Terry behind him. Terry wasn't exactly weak, standing at 1.87 meters tall and weighing ninety kilograms. Proportionally, he was probably even stronger than Chen Hero.

But he was squeezed behind Chen Hero like a child being bullied, and then watched Chen Hero kick the football into the goal.

Regarding this goal, Cech was very angry at the time, but he just spread his hands and shrugged to express his dissatisfaction. He didn't say anything else.

After all, it was the captain who made the mistake…

Chen Hero's second goal was even worse. Terry's header clearance wasn't far enough, and Henderson took a long shot, which Chen Hero intercepted midway and knocked into the goal.

Both goals were directly or indirectly related to Terry.

Terry was completely defeated when facing Chen Hero.

But it was also quite normal. Terry was already thirty-two years old, getting older, and his physical condition wasn't as good as before. Chen Hero was only twenty-three years old and on the rise. Such a result was natural. If Terry were five years younger, Chen Hero probably wouldn't have been so relaxed.

Terry was only a little annoyed by the goals and the defeat, and that was all. As an old player, what hadn't he seen? He'd even missed a crucial penalty in the Champions League final, causing the team to lose the Champions League title. What did conceding two goals to Chen Hero in a game count for?

Originally, this matter would have passed.

Who would have thought that Advocaat would jump out at this time, saying "Facing him is our nightmare," pushing Terry back into the spotlight. The media rehashed the old news, and everyone instantly thought of how Chen Hero had "humiliated" Terry in the thirty-seventh round of the league last season.

Yes, some media used the word "humiliate."

In fact, it would have been fine if they had said that the goals and the defeat were Terry's responsibility. He wasn't afraid of anyone when it came to losing the Champions League title. But the media didn't say that. What the media said was, "...John Terry is obviously old. In front of the stronger and younger Chen Hero, he is vulnerable and no match for Hero at all..."

Listen to those keywords: "obviously old," "stronger and younger," "vulnerable," "no match at all." This was simply blatant belittling. How could Terry not be annoyed?

Terry could accept failure. He had experienced countless failures in his career. But when he had achieved fame and reached this point, when his career was gradually declining, the thing he couldn't tolerate the most was... being looked down upon.

It made him feel insulted. But the real, deeper reason was that Terry was afraid of this aging process…

When his body began to age, his movements were no longer powerful, he didn't jump as high as before, his headers weren't as accurate, and his physical confrontation was no longer as fearless as before, he became more and more panicked. This was the ending that a hero who had once stood at the peak was most unwilling to accept—helplessly watching the flowers fade away.

Terry was one of the world's top center backs when he was young. Now, he was being bullied by a newcomer, and the media was helping the other side, as if the right thing for him to do was to retire.

It really pissed him off.

He hadn't taken it seriously at first, but now Advocaat and the media were rehashing the old news, and everyone's discussion made him, Terry, seem incompetent.

He couldn't tolerate such a thing.

He had to prove himself again, even if he knew that this proof wouldn't rejuvenate his career. But even if it was just once, only once, he could make the media change their tune and cheer for him. In the twilight of his career, there weren't many such moments left.

He also wanted to show Advocaat his strength. Reassert his position and power to this new coach. Chelsea couldn't do without him.

So many things he needed to do, and they all came down to Chen Hero. As long as he defeated Chen Hero in the game, successfully froze him, defended him, and prevented him from shooting and scoring, then he would win.

To this end, he planned to find Advocaat and volunteer to defend Chen Hero in the game.

※※※

Was Advocaat really an idiot? He clearly knew that his words would arouse dissatisfaction among the defense, especially the strong reaction from the team's big boss, Terry. Why did he still say such stimulating things?

He knew that arriving at a new team, and having a good relationship with the team's old players, especially the captain and players with a pivotal position in the locker room, was the key to stabilizing the takeover of the team.

But why did he still say that?

The reason was still Chen Hero.

As Chen Hero's mentor, he felt that he understood Chen Hero too well.

This kid was the kind of player who, the more you looked down on him, the more he would desperately perform and prove himself to you.

If he said in an interview, "We already have a way to deal with Chen Hero," then after the media hype, Chen Hero would obviously take this matter to heart.

He had focused on studying the most recent league game. Why was Chen Hero so energetic at the beginning of the game? Wasn't it because the media hyped the topic of him never having conquered Villa Park. To be honest, he also thought this topic was really boring. Chen Hero hadn't even played at Villa Park before, so what was there to talk about about "conquering it or not"?

In the eyes of someone who understood Chen Hero very well, there was a big difference between Chen Hero's performance in the first and second halves of that game.

After scoring a goal, he obviously slowed down the pace, and in the second half, he simply performed normally. Of course, for others, Chen Hero's normal performance was already terrifying enough, but Chen Hero's performance in the first eight minutes of the first half was extraordinary…

There was a gap.

In order to avoid stimulating Chen Hero, he didn't deliberately make a mystery of it and say that Chelsea already knew how to defend Chen Hero. He knew that someone like Chen Hero wouldn't give his former mentor any face in the game—Chen Hero's way of expressing his respect for his teacher was to desperately defeat you in the game, proving that he didn't hold back, and that he respected you very much. When coaching Chen Hero, Advocaat liked Chen Hero's principle. After becoming an opponent of Chen Hero, he began to have a headache because of it…

The current Chen Hero was in the rising period of his career, and this rising curve was almost going up at a ninety-degree angle, like a rocket, rising at high speed. He had won championships until his hands were soft, and breaking records was as easy as eating. He had heard countless kinds of praise and flattery.

Based on his understanding of Chen Hero, it was impossible for such a young man not to have a bit of an overconfident mentality. Not to mention that Chen Hero had shown such problems many times when he was at Zenit Saint Petersburg. Otherwise, how could his condition be like a fountain, erupting once in a while?

So if he followed the current trend and praised Chen Hero, it might make Chen Hero relax his vigilance instead. Chen Hero was like this, easily emotional, and once he became emotional, it would affect his performance…

This was Advocaat's plan. He didn't really look down on Terry, nor did he have to reopen Terry's scars, but it was just... well, a tactical need. Of course, another reason was to arouse Terry's fighting spirit, confidence, and form.

Therefore, it was not beyond his expectations that Terry would take the initiative to find him and defend Chen Hero in the game—he wanted Terry to come to him.

※※※

"I hope to defend Hero in the game the day after tomorrow, boss." Facing Advocaat, Terry still gave enough politeness and respect. After all, he was his superior, and because he brought out a character like Chen Hero and led Zenit Saint Petersburg, who was previously not favored by anyone, to win the UEFA Cup, Advocaat still had enough influence.

Although Terry was still quite respectful to the other party in his title, Advocaat still felt the domineering aura of Chelsea's big boss from Terry's straightforward, almost commanding tone.

Anyway, his request was what he wanted, so Advocaat didn't feel any discomfort.

Of course, it was still necessary to continue to provoke and stimulate Terry's fighting spirit.

Advocaat pretended to be surprised: "You alone?"

This surprised look made Terry even more unhappy. He thought to himself that he wanted to defend Chen Hero alone and prove it to you!

So he nodded vigorously: "Yes!"

Advocaat frowned: "Like this… But what I'm considering is letting you and Luiz defend him together…"

You need both of you to be able to defend Chen Hero, which was obviously worried that Terry alone would not be able to defend Chen Hero.

It also showed that he didn't trust Terry's ability.

Of course Terry couldn't agree.

He said very firmly: "No, I can do it alone!"

Seeing that the other party's attitude was firm, Advocaat knew that the heat was on, and if he continued to provoke him, he was afraid that Terry would first lift the table and turn against him here. That would not be worth the loss…

So Advocaat pretended to be very embarrassed and thought for a while, then nodded, as if he had made a great determination, and said to Terry: "I'll leave him to you, John. I believe that you are still the world's top center back!"

First give a slap in the face, then give a sweet date to taste.

Let Terry think about whether he looked down on him or valued him.

Anyway, after this game, Advocaat would have a good talk with Terry. At that time, he would open his heart and all misunderstandings would be resolved.