Chapter Summaries

Tang Ye watched Portugal beat Czechia, learned that Cristiano Ronaldo would vote for him for the Ballon d'Or, and returned to China for the birth of his son, Tang Rui. After claiming the Nine Lords Unite reward, he discovered King Ding could boost his teammates when he captained them and suspected its effect was more powerful than it seemed.

• Cristiano Ronaldo headed in a goal as Portugal defeated Czechia 4–0, completing Tang Ye’s Nine Lords Unite task and earning him the King Ding reward.
• Cristiano Ronaldo said he would vote for Tang Ye for the Ballon d'Or, while Tang Ye dismissed the proposed dinner between Escribá and Erik ten Hag as their own business.
• Tang Ye was named prominently in China’s squad for the EAFF E-1 Football Championship and said winning the tournament would be best.
• Tang Ye rushed to the hospital after landing and met his newborn son, Tang Rui, while Zhou Ye teased him about his clumsy first attempts at caring for the baby.
• Tang Ye claimed King Ding and learned that its first layer gave teammates a 5% attribute boost when he captained them, then suspected the item’s effect had more potential than it appeared to have.

Tang Ye tried to manage the fallout after Escribá beat Erik ten Hag, while Cristiano Ronaldo mocked Erik and moved to Al Nassr. Fifteen days later, China began the EAFF E-1 Football Championship with a 6–0 win over Hong Kong, and Tang Ye made his debut in the tournament.

• Tang Ye calculated that [King's Might] gave his teammates a powerful combined boost and looked ahead to testing it at the EAFF E-1 Football Championship.
• Escribá defeated Erik ten Hag in a fight, leaving Erik with a suspected fracture in his left hand, and Tang Ye dragged Escribá away while trying to stop them from fighting again.
• News of the brawl spread widely, and Tang Ye visited Erik in the hospital as Erik rejected the idea of an apology and vowed to settle things with Escribá later.
• Cristiano Ronaldo joked about Escribá beating Erik, then left Manchester United for Al Nassr and called Erik a rat in an interview.
• China defeated Hong Kong 6–0 in the opening round of the EAFF E-1 Football Championship, with Tang Ye coming on as a substitute in the 74th minute and assisting Mei Kai.

Tang Ye learned that China would rest its main players in the remaining EAFF E-1 Football Championship matches, while Manchester United signed Harry Kane and Antony before the new season. Kane joined the club and joked with Tang Ye about his supposed curse as Manchester United completed its expensive summer rebuild.

• Tang Ye said Japan and South Korea were fielding substitutes, so China would rest its main players for the remaining tournament matches, and he called the World Cup draw very bad.
• Manchester United signed Tyrell Malacia and promoted Garnacho, while Erik ten Hag pursued Antony despite criticism from fans and the board.
• Mitchell van der Gaag warned Garnacho after he liked Cristiano Ronaldo's post criticizing Erik ten Hag, but Garnacho defended his support for Ronaldo.
• Manchester United beat Atlético Madrid 2-0, then announced that Harry Kane had joined for a huge fee and salary.
• Tang Ye welcomed Kane to Manchester United, teased him about his lisp, and laughed when Kane admitted he was cursed.
• Manchester United announced Antony's arrival from Ajax for €95 million plus €5 million in add-ons.

The chapter followed Tang Ye through the countdown to the 2022 FIFA World Cup as his market value, Manchester United form, and Ballon d’Or prospects drew attention. As the ceremony approached, he upgraded his shooting and discussed an Apple endorsement with LeBron, but their strange phone call left him confused.

• Transfermarkt valued Tang Ye at €300 million, prompting debate over whether his value could rise further and speculation that a China World Cup victory might push it above €360 million.
• Manchester United began the Premier League season strongly, while Liverpool struggled and Newcastle impressed; Tang Ye said Newcastle would not be as lucky at Old Trafford next time.
• Tang Ye used his remaining Talent Optimizer (Legendary) to raise his Shooting from 93 to 94 and planned to reach an overall rating of 98 before the World Cup.
• Tang Ye scored twice in Manchester United’s 4–0 Champions League win over Porto, bringing his group-stage tally to five goals and five assists.
• Boer told Tang Ye that Apple wanted to renew his endorsement deal with him and LeBron, so Tang Ye called LeBron to discuss scheduling a shoot.
• LeBron answered with strange noises and confusing explanations, so Tang Ye hung up and told Boer he could not work out what had happened.

Manchester United came from behind to beat Manchester City 4-2 at the Etihad, extending their lead in the Premier League. After the match, Tang Ye discussed the upcoming Ballon d'Or and World Cup, then told his teammates he had learned he would collect the award next week.

• Antony equalized against Manchester City, and Tang Ye encouraged him and urged Harry Kane to attack more boldly.
• Tang Ye set up Ousmane Dembélé for Manchester United's 3-2 lead, then assisted Harry Kane's header for a 4-2 victory.
• Tang Ye comforted Erling Haaland after the match, and later praised his former teammate in an interview.
• Tang Ye fielded questions about the Ballon d'Or, while news circulated about his Piggy Plush blind boxes and Portugal's World Cup squad.
• At Manchester United's cafeteria, Tang Ye and his teammates discussed China's difficult World Cup group and their hopes for the tournament.
• Tang Ye told the Manchester United players he had found out the previous night that he would collect the Ballon d'Or next week, and they applauded him.

Tang Ye’s fourth Ballon d’Or appeared increasingly likely as Cristiano Ronaldo and Escribá’s views unsettled him, while Ronaldo invited him to join Al Nassr. At the ceremony, Tang Ye kept Erik ten Hag away from Ronaldo, then learned he had beaten Benzema to finish first.

• FourFourTwo compared Tang Ye’s and Benzema’s statistics and argued that Tang Ye was the clear favorite for the Ballon d’Or.
• Rodri said Escribá’s comments had made him reconsider some of his ideas, and de Jong explained the Enlightenment to Tang Ye, who watched a video about it.
• Cristiano Ronaldo met Tang Ye in Paris, congratulated him on Manchester United’s Club of the Year award, and invited him to join Al Nassr.
• Tang Ye repeatedly moved Erik ten Hag’s seat farther from Cristiano Ronaldo, eventually placing him in the fifth row.
• The ceremony announced Cristiano Ronaldo in 18th, several Manchester United players in the top ten, Ousmane Dembélé in third, and Benzema in second, leaving Tang Ye as the winner.

Tang Ye won his fourth Ballon d'Or, then faced questions about Erik ten Hag and Cristiano Ronaldo before Manchester United's league season paused for the 2022 World Cup. The chapter ended with the tournament's opening match approaching and Tang Ye's China team facing a daunting Group C challenge.

• Tang Ye accepted the 2022 Ballon d'Or, his fourth, and also received the Socrates Award and Manchester United's Club of the Year award.
• Tang Ye praised Erik ten Hag but said he opposed Erik's fight with Ferran and would neither fully support nor reject Cristiano Ronaldo's criticisms of Erik.
• Mundo Deportivo called the Ballon d'Or Tang Ye's last glory before the World Cup, pointing to China being drawn with Argentina, Germany, and Wales.
• Cristiano Ronaldo said Tang Ye was an excellent player and that his own conflict at Manchester United had been between him and Erik, not Tang Ye.
• Manchester United beat Fulham 6-3 on November 12, and the major European leagues paused as players departed for the World Cup.
• FIFA announced that Qatar would play Ecuador in the World Cup's opening match on November 21.

Tang Ye and the China national team faced mounting pressure before a World Cup group stage against Argentina, Germany, and Wales, while coach Escribá prepared an untested tactical plan for their friendly with the Netherlands. The chapter ended with Escribá urging Tang Ye to believe in miracles and reports highlighting Cristiano Ronaldo’s support for Tang Ye.

• A viral animated video showed Messi and Müller attacking Tang Ye while Bell stayed out of it, reflecting China fans’ fears about the World Cup group.
• Tang Ye addressed the assembled China team in Doha, acknowledged the daunting opponents, and explained why they had arranged a friendly against the Netherlands.
• Escribá, Tang Ye, Feng Xiaoting, and Mati discussed the team’s low morale and the plan to test frequent switches between the flanks against the Netherlands.
• Escribá defended the tactical plan and told Tang Ye to believe in miracles, then worried privately about the criticism he might face if China lost all three group matches.
• Ballon d’Or voting results showed Cristiano Ronaldo had given Tang Ye his first-place vote, and a report quoted Ronaldo saying Tang Ye could achieve more away from Erik ten Hag.

Tang Ye unlocked King Ding’s second layer, which let him redistribute a vision boost among his teammates, and joked with Dembélé and Mbappé about helping each other’s teams at the World Cup. China prepared to face the Netherlands in a friendly, with Tang Ye required to play at least seventy minutes.

• Flick said Germany intended to avenge its 2018 loss to China and believed it could defeat Argentina.
• Tang Ye told Wu Lei that China might be able to challenge Argentina, though the team needed more time to build chemistry.
• An ice bath raised Tang Ye’s stamina to 87 and his overall rating to 98, unlocking King Ding’s Divine Blessing, which shared vision points with his teammates.
• Dembélé joked with Tang Ye and Mbappé about disguising himself to help China reach the knockout stage and Tang Ye helping France later.
• Tang Ye and Frenkie de Jong greeted each other before China’s friendly against the Netherlands, where Tang Ye was required to play at least seventy minutes.

China faced the Netherlands in a World Cup warm-up match, where Tang Ye coordinated the team’s flank switches and used his protection ability to boost teammates’ Vision. The Netherlands led 1–0 through Berghuis, and Tang Ye was left trying to keep both teams calm as the match grew tense.

• Escribá instructed China to focus on switching the ball between the flanks rather than the score, and Tang Ye prepared to lead the team.
• Wang Dalei saved Bergwijn’s shot after Tang Ye’s protection boosted his Vision, while China moved the ball across the pitch and created a chance for Wu Lei.
• Tang Ye fooled de Jong with a feint and set up Wu Lei’s shot, which Noppert saved.
• de Jong led a Netherlands attack, Gakpo set up Bergwijn, and Berghuis finished to put the Netherlands ahead in the 18th minute.
• Tang Ye urged China to keep their rhythm after the goal, then mediated when Zhang Xizhe’s foul on de Jong sparked an argument between the teams.

China lost 1-3 to the Netherlands in a friendly after Tang Ye helped set up Zhang Xizhe’s goal, and the team’s reserves struggled once both sides made substitutions. Afterward, Mati warned Escribá that Tang Ye’s confidence might collapse if Argentina beat China in their opening World Cup match.

• At a water break, Escribá told Wu Lei and Wei Shihao to drop back and keep China’s midfield connected.
• Tang Ye intercepted Blind’s pass and launched an attack, but the Netherlands scored from a Van Dijk header to make it 2-0.
• After halftime, Tang Ye created space on the right and assisted Zhang Xizhe’s goal, bringing China within 2-1.
• The Netherlands made mass substitutions and Depay scored; China lost 1-3 after Tang Ye was taken off and the substitutes were overwhelmed.
• Mati told Escribá that Tang Ye believed China could beat Argentina and feared a loss could shatter his confidence and the team’s momentum.

As the World Cup approached, pundits praised China’s improvement and Tang Zhengxiong publicly backed Tang Ye and the national team, while joking about his betting habits. The chapter ended with warnings about gambling’s risks and a report that Tang Zhengxiong’s support sent PPBond stock higher.

• Mati asked Escribá about the draw, and Escribá avoided discussing it, saying they could only focus on playing well.
• FourFourTwo praised China’s improved coordination and tactics, predicting that Tang Ye’s performance would determine the team’s World Cup fate.
• Tang Zhengxiong told a reporter that he trusted Tang Ye and announced a one-million-yuan bet on China to beat Argentina, then accidentally revealed a separate bet on Argentina to win 3–0.
• A charity organization warned fans that gamblers who won by backing China in 2018 could lose everything by betting on China again in 2022.
• Tonghuashun reported that PPBond stock rose 7% after Tang Zhengxiong expressed support for China during a livestream.

The China national football team prepared for its World Cup opener against Argentina, while Tang Ye joked with teammates and spoke to fans. During a team meeting, news broke that Li Tie was under investigation and had been dismissed, leaving him stunned.

• Tang Ye and the China national football team held a stadium familiarization session at Lusail Stadium ahead of their match against Argentina.
• Tang Ye told reporters that China would give everything in the opener and said he would prefer his son Tang Rui to study rather than play professional football.
• Tang Ye and his teammates watched Qatar lose 0-2 to Ecuador in the World Cup opening match.
• At the team meeting, Tang Ye saw a report that Li Tie was being investigated and alerted him and the other players.
• The players read the announcement that Li Tie had been dismissed, and Tang Ye quietly told the frightened Li Tie that something had happened to him.

China faced Argentina in its World Cup opener, with Tang Ye and his teammates determined to play their own football despite the pressure. China started brightly, but Wu Lei’s early attack ended with him dribbling the ball over the end line.

• He Sheng told Chinese fans that China could lose to Argentina, draw with Germany, beat Wales, and advance from the group.
• Tang Ye’s hand trembled in the tunnel, but after Escribá urged the team to show its ability, Tang Ye decided to challenge Argentina.
• Tang Ye and Messi bumped fists and hugged before the match, and China’s supporters filled Lusail Stadium with chants.
• China kicked off, and Tang Ye sent a long pass toward Wu Lei on the right flank.
• Wu Lei and Zhang Yuning completed a one-two, but Nicolás Otamendi contained Wu Lei, who dribbled the ball over the end line for an Argentina goal kick.

China used a cautious approach against Argentina, keeping possession and defending resolutely while struggling to create clear chances. After China missed several opportunities, De Paul scored late in the first half to give Argentina a 1:0 lead.

• China pressed Argentina early, then settled into a defensive plan as Tang Ye helped organize the team and disrupt attacks.
• Argentina threatened through Messi and Di María, but Wang Dalei saved Paredes's shot and China kept the score at 0:0.
• China had 52% possession after twenty minutes, but Tang Ye shot straight at Martínez and later Wu Lei's chance was cleared.
• Argentina attacked through Tagliafico and Messi, and De Paul scored with a long-range strike to make it 1:0.

Tang Ye helped China national football team recover from an early deficit against Argentina, scoring a spectacular equalizer before putting China ahead with a long-range lob just before halftime. China led 2:1 as the first half approached its end.

• De Paul scored for Argentina in the 25th minute, giving them a 1:0 lead over China national football team.
• Tang Ye confronted Gómez after he stepped over Zhang Linpeng, and the referee showed Gómez a yellow card.
• Tang Ye combined with Wu Lei to create a chance, then scored a curling shot into the top corner to equalize for China.
• Jiang Guangtai repeatedly cleared Argentina's attacks as China defended deep, and Tang Ye received a yellow card for bringing down Lionel Messi.
• Near the end of the first half, Tang Ye scored from a seventy-meter lob over Martínez and celebrated with a Thunder Yatales pose.

China took a 2-1 halftime lead over Argentina after Tang Ye scored a spectacular 67-meter lob, but Argentina equalized through Lionel Messi after Jiang Guangtai’s injury forced China to reorganize its defense. Wu Lei scored late to put China back in front, leaving the team ahead as the match neared its end.

• Tang Ye scored a 67-meter lob to give China a 2-1 lead over Argentina before halftime.
• Escribá urged China to stay focused, and Tang Ye rallied his teammates to believe they could win.
• Jiang Guangtai twisted his ankle and was replaced by Zhu Chenjie, weakening China’s defense.
• Messi finished Argentina’s attack to equalize at 2-2 in the 70th minute.
• Tang Ye continued covering the pitch as China defended and pressed for another goal.
• Wu Lei scored late after a shot rebounded off Romero, restoring China’s lead.

Tang Ye and Wu Lei led China national football team to a dramatic 3–2 World Cup victory over Argentina, then celebrated as Tang Ye won the match’s MVP award. The chapter ended with China’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage rising while Argentina’s tournament prospects and reputation fell.

• Wu Lei scored the winning goal in the 87th minute after Tang Ye’s long pass, putting China national football team ahead 3–2.
• Wang Dalei saved Messi’s late shot, and Tang Ye helped defend Argentina’s final attacks until the referee ended the match.
• China national football team celebrated its first World Cup victory as students at Mianyang Nanshan High School erupted in excitement.
• Tang Ye received the MVP trophy, drank from it, and told reporters he believed China could advance to the knockout stage.
• Tang Ye joked with a Peking University News Agency reporter about teaching at the university after graduation.
• China’s upset drew widespread attention, while Argentina’s odds of winning the tournament dropped sharply.

After China national football team upset Argentina 3–2, the victory sparked celebrations and online attention while Germany’s win reshaped Group C. China national football team prepared for Wales, but learned that Jiang Guangtai was likely to miss both remaining group matches.

• Argentina fans angrily demanded refunds and criticized their players and Scaloni after their loss to China.
• Tang Ye’s victory celebration boosted Armor Hero’s TikTok popularity, while China Media Group’s Pig Hero series fell behind in the rankings.
• China national football team celebrated its historic win, and Tang Ye struggled to sleep as fans celebrated and argued online.
• Germany defeated Wales 5–4, leaving Germany and China in the qualification zone with three points each.
• At training, Wu Lei told Tang Ye and Zhang Xizhe that Jiang Guangtai’s swollen foot would likely keep him out against Wales and might rule him out against Germany.
• Tang Ye urged his teammates to push through the group stage and said they would beat Wales.

After China’s upset victory over Argentina, Escribá warned the players that expectations had risen and stressed the importance of avoiding defeat against Wales. As kickoff approached, Chinese fans gathered at Lusail Stadium in elaborate hero costumes, while Tang Ye and the teams prepared to take the field.

• China’s players celebrated their win over Argentina, but Escribá reminded them that they needed points against Wales to keep their chances of advancing alive.
• Cristiano Ronaldo praised Tang Ye’s performance against Argentina and criticized Erik ten Hag in a post-match interview.
• Media and fans discussed China’s chances against Wales, including Bell’s threat and the team’s missing injured players.
• People’s Daily Online visited China’s temporary World Cup base, where Tang Ye was asked why he had skipped the Tokyo Olympic Games.
• Hours before kickoff, Chinese fans waited at Lusail Stadium in Armor Hero costumes and showed their support for Tang Ye.
• Tang Ye embraced Wales captain Bell in the tunnel as the teams prepared to enter the field.