Chapter 1 The Night

That night.

Bayer Leverkusen's official website and social media accounts extensively reported the victory in the season's first round.

Among them.

Li Kang's appearance in the final moments of injury time occupied a quarter of the coverage.

The Werkself fans were unhappy and complained in the comments section.

-【God, is Li Kang Völler's grandson? No one has ever received this kind of treatment at Bayer Leverkusen!】

-【I'm sure they're not related by blood. Li Kang is more handsome than him!】

-【In the few years that Völler has been in power, he has turned our club into a little dog for the Dragon Kingdom. The money earned there isn't even as much as the materials donated!】

-【Li Kang is excellent, but he is still very young and may not be able to adapt to the intensity of the Bundesliga. I suggest the club let him practice in the youth team for two more seasons! Now, please return the number 10 jersey to Çalhanoğlu!】

-【Return the number 10 jersey to Çalhanoğlu!】

....

Office.

The assistant handed over a report in frustration: "Boss! Only 12 of Li Kang's number 10 jerseys in the Dragon Kingdom have been sold... since he joined the club..."

Völler said in surprise, "Great! This is a good start!"

The assistant looked speechless.

He really couldn't understand the sporting director's train of thought.

He hesitated slightly and added, "Fans have a lot of opinions about the jersey number change, and the coaching staff is also worried that it will affect Çalhanoğlu's emotions..."

"Boss! Our Champions League qualifying match in a few days is very important! Mr. Schmidt said that Li Kang cannot be included in the Champions League squad... You know, we can only bring 7 substitutes to Old Trafford."

Völler tapped the table and shook his head: "The Bundesliga is not the island nation's J-League. Jersey numbers cannot be changed in the middle of the season. Don't mention this again! As for the Champions League qualifying match, Li Kang must be on the roster! And he must get playing time! Manchester United has a huge number of Dragon Kingdom fans!"

Assistant: "..."

He didn't know how to relay this to Schmidt.

Looking at the top five leagues, Völler is the only sporting director with such great power...

Völler lit a cigar and smiled: "Our opponent is not the Manchester United of the Ferguson era."

"If Schmidt can't beat this Manchester United in the process of rebuilding and transformation, then he should get lost!"

....

After finishing training, Li Kang returned to the first team dormitory.

Even if the facilities are luxurious.

None of the first-team stars would live here.

He was about to open the door when he suddenly heard a shout.

"Hey! New guy, shouldn't you say hello to me?"

Turned around.

He saw a blond young man in casual clothes.

The other party's attitude wasn't malicious.

But the atmosphere was a bit awkward.

Li Kang tried hard to recall his name, it seemed to be... 19-year-old Brandt?

"You don't recognize me? Okay... I just recovered from my injury and will officially return to the first team tomorrow!"

"We're both poor guys living in the dormitory area! If you need any help, just ask. This is my territory!"

Brandt punched Li Kang in the chest, trying to put on a "big brother" look.

He dropped a bag of chocolates and went into the dormitory next door.

.....

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the task: Bundesliga Debut!]

[Task rewards are being distributed...]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Mysterious Treasure Chest*1!]

A treasure chest surrounded by black energy floated in mid-air.

This is a mysterious treasure chest that can only be obtained with a small probability in the Champions League!

He quickly glanced at the prize pool.

[0.0001%: Cruyff "Football Saint" Module.]

[0.0001%: Beckenbauer "Godlike Libero" Module!]

[0.001%: Platini "Free Kick King" Module!]

[0.001%: Messi "Dreamlike Footwork" Module!]

[0.001%: Ronaldinho "Devil's Curve" Module!]

[...]

No messy hair growth tonic or latex gloves!

A dazzling array of star modules.

Li Kang didn't quite understand this drop rate.

Are Beckenbauer and Cruyff really that much stronger than later players?

After carefully studying the module names, he roughly understood.

For example, Messi is just a "Dreamlike Footwork" module, which does not include Messi's other abilities.

And the modules of Cruyff and Beckenbauer definitely contain the comprehensive abilities of the two at their peak.

[Mysterious Treasure Chest is opening...]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Mihajlović "Bogarde Missile" Module!]

[Additional attribute improvement: Ball Control +3, Defense +5, Set Pieces +??]

[He is the last swan song of Yugoslavian football...]

The mysterious treasure chest suddenly emitted billowing black smoke.

It frantically poured into Li Kang's body.

An indescribable pain came from the back of his head.

In his memory, fragments of devastating free kicks appeared...

Half an hour later.

He got up from the ground.

Covered in cold sweat.

...

The classic showdown between Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester United.

It can be traced back to the 2001/02 Champions League semi-finals.

The first leg was 2-2.

The second leg was 1-1.

Leverkusen eliminated Manchester United with the advantage of away goals and entered the Champions League final.

The coach at the time was old man Topp.

That year's Champions League final will be permanently remembered in football history.

Because Zidane kicked a masterpiece "Flying Immortal from Beyond the Heavens".

In the blink of an eye.

More than ten years later.

Bayer Leverkusen and Manchester United met again, but their strengths are no longer the same.

The two teams both ranked fourth in the Bundesliga and Premier League last season and failed to qualify directly for the Champions League.

They need to go through the play-offs to enter the main competition.

The German and English media quickly launched a "confrontation".

The mascots of the two teams were innocently shot.

*Bild* rigorously analyzed the strength gap and tactical styles of the two teams, with the picture: Brian the Lion frantically chasing Fred the Red Devil.

*The Sun* unearthed a series of black scandals from Leverkusen's senior management, with the picture: Fred the Red Devil wearing a scarf, holding a knife and fork, with a cartoon lion's head on the table.

Fans from both sides also suddenly quarreled in the European online community.

As they quarreled.

David Beckham, who had retired, was also shot.

Manchester United fans believe that Çalhanoğlu's free-kick style is imitating Beckham!

Leverkusen fans retorted: Çalhanoğlu's free kicks are much stronger than Beckham's!

....

Three days later.

Leverkusen training base.

The assistant coach read out the name of the last player on the Champions League play-off roster.

"Li Kang!"

Schmidt's face was gloomy.

He didn't have the courage to disobey Völler's arrangement.

Bellarabi looked disdainful: "Völler must have been a Dragon Kingdom person in his previous life. If we fail to enter the Champions League main competition... well, I mean: Is the club not interested in the revenue from the Champions League broadcast?"

Son Heung-min frowned.

Brandt walked up to Bellarabi and provoked, "You're like a woman!"

"Shut up!"

Schmidt roared angrily.

He glanced at Li Kang.

A distorted idea arose in his heart: The arrival of the Dragon-blooded kid caused internal strife in the locker room.

'Why does he bully you and not others?'

The Leverkusen coach took a deep breath and quickly stifled the idea.

He patted Li Kang on the shoulder and comforted him.

...

Çalhanoğlu chewed gum and looked up at the sky.