Star Skill

For several days in a row, Yang Yang still insisted on training day and night without rest. It wasn't until after Friday afternoon's training session ended that the coaching staff kept him behind for a private talk, where he learned he'd been included in the matchday squad for Saturday afternoon.

The one who informed him was Head Coach John Rep's assistant, who also doubled as Baken Academy's school team head coach, Dick Van Pool.

"We've all been amazed by the progress you've shown in training recently. Given the current state of the team, Mr. Rep and I have jointly decided to put you on the match list for tomorrow afternoon."

When Yang Yang heard this news, he was completely stunned.

He'd been in Almere for almost a year, but he'd never played a single match for Baken Academy—this was the first time.

Dick Van Pool found Yang Yang's reaction perfectly normal. Although he shared John Rep's judgment that Yang Yang would struggle to stay in Almere, he still had a lot of respect for this stubborn, admirable young man.

With an attitude like his, even if he couldn't make it on the pitch, he'd eventually carve out a career in some other field.

"Alright, don't put too much pressure on yourself. When the time comes, I'll decide whether to send you on based on how the game's going." Van Pool patted Yang Yang on the shoulder with a smile, encouraging him. "You know, Omnibus isn't a weak team either."

Although Almere had risen quickly, it had only been founded less than seven years ago, so its foundation was still shaky. It relied mostly on John Rep's influence and connections, which was also why the club chairman was willing to hand him full authority over the team. Youth development was another major shortcoming for Almere.

Becoming Ajax's satellite club and getting support in youth training had only happened in the last year or two, so results were hard to see in the short term. To this day, Almere had never had a Youth Training Player enter Ajax's Youth Training Camp.

And this year, Henk Dimer was considered the most promising candidate—he was the team's best technical midfielder and core playmaker.

"Prepare well." Van Pool left those words with a smile and drifted away.

Yang Yang stood there in disbelief. He was actually going to play in a match?

"Don't get ahead of yourself. Don't overthink it." Old Bing's emotionless voice echoed in his mind.

"What?"

"Putting you on the list is mainly because your team has a lot of injuries lately, and the defense is stretched thin."

"Defense?" Yang Yang was taken aback. He was a forward, or at worst a right winger.

"Probably because you've been doing well at winning the ball lately."

Yang Yang couldn't help but give a bitter smile. Back home, he'd always played as a forward, and in the Netherlands, he'd always seen himself as one. But now he might have to switch to defense—could he handle it?

He didn't have a choice, though. If he wanted to play, he had to follow the coaching staff's orders. Even if they told him to play goalkeeper, he'd have to do it.

Of course, for Yang Yang, just getting on the pitch was progress.

"Given where you are now, you really do need match experience to sharpen yourself. This is an opportunity. Let's change up the training plan—tonight, you'll start learning a Star Skill." Old Bing suddenly spoke.

"Star Skill?" Yang Yang was thrilled.

This was something he'd been dreaming of.

The A6 Highway was the main traffic artery connecting Almere to Amsterdam. Exit 5 landed right in the city center, and north of the exit was Almere Auto City.

Shen's Chinese Restaurant sat right between the Auto City and the dense residential area to the north, with a large open parking lot outside.

Every evening when night fell, the stream of cars returning from Amsterdam and the Auto City would quickly fill that parking lot. This was also the busiest time of day for Shen's Chinese Restaurant.

After school, Yang Yang dribbled a ball all the way to the restaurant, entering through the back door into the kitchen. By then, his uncle Shen Ming's family was already hard at work. His cousin Shen Yuzhu, fluent in Dutch, handled ordering and payments; his aunt Zhang Lan and a Chinese woman were serving dishes and wiping tables; and his uncle Shen Ming, along with two kitchen helpers, was sweating profusely in the sweltering kitchen.

As soon as he entered the restaurant, Yang Yang automatically put down his backpack and soccer ball and started greeting customers, helping with the comings and goings.

Every mealtime, the restaurant was like a battlefield—everyone racing against the clock. That was the norm in the food industry. It could make money, and the margins were decent, but it was tough. Mealtimes went without saying, and the rest of the time was spent preparing, waking early and sleeping late without a moment's rest.

Only after the rush passed did they have time to eat. They'd always use the day's leftovers, throw together a simple three-dish-one-soup meal, and the boss and employees would crowd around a table, eating and chatting with laughter.

Over dinner, Yang Yang mentioned that he'd been included in tomorrow's matchday squad. His uncle Shen Ming cheered loudly. "I don't know much about soccer, but it looks like your hard work this past year hasn't been wasted."

Shen Ming still felt a bit guilty about suggesting his nephew come to the Netherlands to play soccer. He knew full well what Yang Yang had been through there, so hearing that he'd made the squad made him genuinely happy.

"How about this—tomorrow's Saturday, and there won't be many customers anyway. I say we go to the game and cheer for Yang Yang. What do you think?"

His uncle's suggestion immediately won approval from his aunt and cousin. They all really liked and cared for Yang Yang.

"Uncle, I'm only on the squad list. I might not even get to play." Yang Yang was a bit nervous, afraid his uncle's family would get their hopes up too high. He wasn't starting, and who knew if he'd even get subbed in?

"That's fine. Being on the list means there's a chance. If you don't get on this time, there's always the next. Like our ancestors said, 'With enough effort, an iron rod can be ground into a needle.' Uncle believes you can do it."

"That's right, little bro. Sis believes in you too."

Yang Yang was deeply moved.

His uncle's family had no sons, and they'd always doted on Yang Yang, treating him like their own. Bringing him to the Netherlands had cost them a lot, and he knew how much they cared for him.

"I understand. I'll work hard and not let you down!" Yang Yang said firmly.

After dinner, Shen Ming sent Yang Yang home, not letting him help clean up, telling him to focus on preparing for tomorrow's match.

Yang Yang had his mind on the Star Skill in the Super Training Ground, so he didn't waste time. He went home, showered, lay down in bed, and quickly fell asleep, entering the Super Training Ground.

Old Bing was clearly ready and waiting for him.

The training ground was still lined with star players, even more than last time Yang Yang had seen. Word was that it gathered all the super legends from past and present—not just forwards, midfielders, and defenders, but even goalkeepers.

"Based on my scan of your body, I've found that you have a typical Eastern physique. Your strength is relatively weak, you're only 1.76 meters tall, and though you're still growing, you're not suited for a power-based player. Your fundamentals are poor, so for now, I recommend you go down the speed-based player route."

"Yes," Yang Yang nodded. That fit his own assessment well enough.

Given his physical condition, the gap between him and his Dutch peers on the team was still considerable. Even a technical player like Henk Dimer had strong physical presence.

"You can choose whichever Star Skill you want, but I want to warn you: learning more isn't necessarily better. Especially given your current situation, spreading yourself too thin could backfire. My advice is to focus on mastering one first, then gradually pick up others."

Yang Yang understood. The saying "bite off more than you can chew" and "troops are valued for quality, not quantity" both applied here.

Learning a Star Skill in the Super Training Ground wasn't hard—just hard work and practice. But actually applying it, especially using it fluidly in a real match, was far from simple.

With his current fundamentals, even mastering a single Star Skill would be a grueling challenge. If he tried to learn too many, he'd only get distracted, which wouldn't help his future development.

Stepping into the Super Training Ground, Yang Yang's gaze swept over the surrounding holograms of football legends. Each one was a top-tier superstar at the peak of their era, every Star Skill a weapon that had once dominated the world stage. They were treasures he'd always dreamed of, but now he had to make a choice.

Even though this match might see him placed in defense, Yang Yang was set on an attacking role in midfield or forward. As a speed-based attacker, he automatically ruled out physically imposing stars like Vieri, focusing instead on fast-paced offensive players. What drew him most were Maradona's dribbling, Zidane's passing and control, Cruyff's turn, Ronaldo's rush, Pele's rhythm, Van Basten's shot, and Bergkamp's control.

From a practical standpoint, all of these were incredibly useful.

Zidane, with his exceptional individual skill, had led France Team to win the World Cup. His passing and ball control were beyond question, and many praised his elegant style—but that elegance came from extraordinary footwork.

Maradona's dribbling was equally breathtaking. He had single-handedly led Naples to a title and Argentina to a World Cup. Though some took issue with his personality and conduct, no one could deny his superhuman performances on the pitch.

As for Pele, Cruyff, Ronaldo, Van Basten, and Bergkamp—there was no need to elaborate. Everyone knew how formidable they were. Learning even a fraction of their signature moves would benefit Yang Yang for life and let him dominate the field.

But not all of these suited him right now.

His current problem was weak fundamentals. Skills like Zidane's passing and control, Maradona's dribbling, and Bergkamp's control clearly weren't for him yet—they required a rock-solid foundation to be effective.

After eliminating those, the options left that fit Yang Yang were few.

So, quickly, he made his decision.

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