Chapter Summaries

Utrecht turned the match around against AZ Alkmaar as Tang Ye set up Haller’s equalizer and assisted Joosten’s go-ahead goal. Erik ten Hag shifted the team to a defensive formation, but Amrabat conceded a penalty with a handball.

• At halftime, Erik ten Hag told Tang Ye to switch play with long passes and leave most defensive work to Bart and Frenkie.
• Utrecht opened the second half with a quick attack, and Tang Ye evaded Henriksen before crossing to Haller, who scored the equalizer.
• Tang Ye assisted Joosten in the 63rd minute, putting Utrecht ahead 3:2 and completing his assist hat trick.
• Erik ten Hag brought on Janssen and Amrabat and changed Utrecht from a 4-2-1-3 to a 4-3-1-2 formation.
• Amrabat handled the ball, and AZ Alkmaar won a penalty.

After Amrabat conceded a penalty that let AZ Alkmaar equalize, Erik ten Hag urged Tang Ye forward, and Tang Ye scored a late lob to give Utrecht a 4–3 win. Utrecht held on through stoppage time, and Tang Ye reassured Amrabat after the final whistle.

• Jahanbakhsh's shot struck Amrabat's hand, and Santos scored the penalty to level the match at 3–3.
• Tang Ye comforted the shaken Amrabat while Erik ten Hag realized he could still use Tang Ye as a forward.
• Ramselaar passed to Tang Ye, who sent a long ball toward Balazhit as Utrecht pushed for a winner.
• An AZ Alkmaar defender misplaced a pass into Tang Ye's path, and Tang Ye lobbed the goalkeeper to put Utrecht ahead 4–3 in the 87th minute.
• Utrecht defended through three minutes of added time and celebrated after the referee blew the final whistle.
• Tang Ye told Amrabat that he had said they would win, and Amrabat hugged him and called him his god.

Tang Ye celebrated Utrecht’s historic Eredivisie title and learned that Erik ten Hag still would not confirm whether he would leave for Manchester United. After the season, reports of United’s increasingly lucrative offer threatened Utrecht’s hopes of keeping their coach.

• Tang Ye celebrated Utrecht’s title, lifted the championship shield with Ramselaar, and joined fans chanting his name.
• Tang Ye won the match MVP after scoring once and providing three assists, then told reporters he had not expected to win the league after joining the first team shortly before the season began.
• Erik ten Hag said he had moved Tang Ye to center forward when Utrecht fell behind, and declined to confirm whether he would leave for Manchester United.
• Utrecht’s executives considered cutting transfer spending to afford Ten Hag’s rumored €7 million annual salary from Manchester United.
• Reports revealed United had actually offered Ten Hag £7 million a year and might raise the offer above £10 million.

After Utrecht won the Eredivisie, Tang Ye celebrated with the squad before unlocking the ultimate chest. Its mutation gave him an ultimate two-footed template that would copy his dominant foot’s abilities and future templates to his weaker foot.

• Utrecht owner Weilhof treated the squad to dinner after the club won the Eredivisie and secured a Champions League place.
• Tang Ye pranked Amrabat by spraying Coke from a bottle, then asked ten Hag and Weilhof to get him food at the banquet.
• Weilhof toasted the team’s first league title, and Tang Ye joined the celebration with Coke instead of wine.
• Back at the dorm, Tang Ye opened the ultimate chest after winning both the Dutch Cup and the Eredivisie.
• The chest first produced a legendary Ousmane Dembélé two-footed dribbling template, which mutated into Zhou Botong’s ultimate Left-Right Handed Combat template.
• Tang Ye learned the ultimate template copied his dominant foot’s abilities and any future templates onto his non-dominant foot.

Tang Ye weighed transfer offers after Utrecht’s title-winning season, while Erik ten Hag left to become Manchester United’s manager. Tang ultimately chose a loan move to Villarreal, and Haller began considering an important decision of his own.

• Tang Ye discussed Utrecht’s Champions League prospects with Ramselaar and Haller, who questioned whether he would leave the club.
• Boer told Tang Ye that nineteen teams had made inquiries, but Sevilla’s interest had cooled over his turnovers, Eintracht Frankfurt had concerns about his age, and most clubs would not meet Utrecht’s €20 million asking price.
• Tang Ye asked Boer to wait, especially for Spanish clubs, while fans debated his transfer prospects and Utrecht announced Erik ten Hag’s departure.
• Erik ten Hag accepted Manchester United’s three-year contract and advised transfer chief Joel against signing Tang Ye, citing his weaknesses and inability to adapt to the Premier League’s pace.
• After the European Championship, Tang Ye told Haller he would be loaned to Villarreal, and Haller decided to make an important choice after Tang left.

Tang Ye joined Villarreal on loan, moving from Utrecht to La Liga as Chinese fans celebrated his arrival. After visiting home, he began preparing for Spain, where Valerie offered to teach him Spanish.

• Tang Ye received a 2,400-point season bonus and considered using burgers to improve his ball feel during the break.
• Xiao He abandoned CCTV's negotiations for Eredivisie broadcasting rights after news broke that Tang Ye had joined Villarreal on loan.
• Tang Ye visited his father, Tang Zhengxiong, who asked whether he could earn a starting place at Villarreal.
• Tang Ye learned that Erik ten Hag had helped turn his transfer into a loan, while Villarreal covered 80% of his wages.
• Tang Ye traveled around China with Valerie, then learned from Escribá that he needed to study Spanish.
• Valerie told Tang Ye that she had grown up in Madrid and offered to teach him Spanish.

Tang Ye arrived in Spain to join Villarreal on a season-long loan and used his system to instantly master Spanish. After signing and posing in the number 99 shirt, he faced reporters as coach Escribá acknowledged his past disciplinary issues and said he would address them.

• Tang Ye arrived in Villarreal with his family, but his parents left for the Olympics and he waited with his suitcases for Haller.
• A Spanish woman mocked Tang Ye with a slant-eyed gesture while he waited, and Haller soon drove him to the training ground.
• Tang Ye unlocked the Language University module and spent Comeback Points to master Spanish, then told Haller he had learned it as a child.
• Tang Ye signed his loan documents with Villarreal, met coach Escribá, and posed for photos in the number 99 jersey.
• At a press conference, Tang Ye said La Liga would be challenging, and Escribá told reporters he knew about Tang Ye's disciplinary issues and was confident he could handle them.

Tang Ye underwent Villarreal’s physical assessment and passed despite worrying that his fitness would not meet the club’s standards. After Rodri and Kyle explained that a woman’s gesture had likely been racial discrimination, Tang Ye wondered whether he should go back and hit her; Villarreal later announced that he had passed and joined preseason training.

• Tang Ye reviewed his improved attributes, then asked fitness coach Kyle whether he could remain with the team if he failed the physical assessment.
• Tang Ye scored 64.7 centimeters in the standing vertical jump, and Rodri demonstrated a 72.1-centimeter jump.
• Tang Ye recognized Rodri’s name from a player-growth template and learned more about Rodri’s path into Villarreal’s first team.
• Tang Ye described a woman pulling at the corners of her eyes, and Rodri and Kyle told him it was likely racial discrimination.
• Tang Ye completed the remaining assessment, barely passed the final endurance test, and Villarreal announced that he had joined preseason training.

Tang Ye joined Villarreal training and struggled with the team’s possession-focused drills, while Erik ten Hag told reporters he had loaned Tang to Villarreal because he doubted Tang’s fit for La Liga. Tang began adapting and produced a surprising curved through ball for Bakambu, leaving Bakambu convinced he understood Haller’s mysterious scoring advice.

• Tang Ye rejected a distant apartment and chose to rent the small, inexpensive apartment near the training ground where Rodri lived.
• Erik ten Hag said he had arranged Tang Ye’s loan to Villarreal because Tang’s unusual style had special value to Utrecht, while avoiding a direct answer about whether Tang could adapt to La Liga.
• Escribá welcomed Tang Ye to training and explained that he would need to improve his ball control and movement in Villarreal’s possession system.
• Tang Ye struggled during rondos and a practice match, losing possession repeatedly, but his possession attribute increased as he adapted to the drills.
• Tang Ye used a curved through ball to send the ball past Team B’s defenders and set up Bakambu’s goal, prompting Bakambu to think he had understood Haller’s explanation of scoring.

Escribá tried to teach Tang Ye Villarreal’s possession-based style and brought him on against Porto, where Tang Ye adjusted to his teammates and assisted Haller. His unexpected left-footed pass left Escribá wondering whether he had signed the wrong player.

• Escribá watched Tang Ye in training and decided to improve his ball control and discipline while preserving his creativity.
• Tang Ye tracked progress in his passing skills and told Haller they should aim to climb higher.
• Villarreal traveled to Porto for a friendly, and Escribá put Tang Ye on the bench before bringing him on in the second half.
• Tang Ye struggled to find the right position in Villarreal’s possession game but began connecting with teammates after moving into space.
• Tang Ye sent a curled outside-foot pass to Haller, who scored to bring Villarreal level.
• Escribá noticed Tang Ye had made the assist with his left foot and wondered whether he had signed the wrong player.

Tang Ye scored and assisted in Villarreal’s 2–1 friendly win over Porto, while his direct passing unsettled the team’s possession style. After registering as a La Liga player, he received a scoring-or-assisting mission and began school in Spain; the story left him preparing for his first Villarreal first-team start against Leganés.

• Tang Ye’s bold through balls increased Villarreal’s attacks, and he scored in the 82nd minute as Villarreal beat Porto 2–1, with one goal and one assist.
• Escribá defended Villarreal’s commitment to possession football at the press conference, while post-match reports debated whether Tang Ye fit the team’s style.
• Tang Ye’s new La Liga mission required him to score two goals or provide three assists, and he spent 25 Comeback Points on a burger to improve his touch.
• Haller drove Tang Ye to his first day at Ceramic International Middle School, where Tang played FIFA in class and slipped out through a window.
• On August 14, Tang Ye was named in Villarreal’s squad to start for the first team against Leganés.

Tang Ye made his Villarreal debut against Leganés, struggled in the team’s possession system, then helped Haller equalize with a left-footed set-piece cross. Escribá realized Tang Ye was right-footed but could deliver accurate set pieces with his left, though Villarreal had no purchase option in his loan agreement.

• Escribá started Tang Ye against Leganés and urged Villarreal to follow their tactics.
• Guerrero scored after Álvaro-Gonzalez passed the ball to him, and Leganés led 1-0 at halftime.
• Haller came on and asked Tang Ye to pass to him, prompting Villarreal to abandon their possession approach and attack more directly.
• Tang Ye used his left foot to send a set-piece cross onto Haller’s head, and Haller scored the equalizer.
• Escribá confirmed with Mati that Tang Ye was right-footed, then learned Villarreal’s loan deal included no purchase option.

After Tang Ye surprised Ferran Escribá with a left-footed set piece, Escribá decided to build him into Villarreal’s plans despite doubts about his fit with the team. Tang Ye discovered that his two feet had become indistinguishable to him, while Escribá ultimately chose to keep him on the bench for the Champions League qualifier against Monaco.

• After the 1-1 warm-up draw, Ferran Escribá questioned Tang Ye about his left-footed set piece and learned that Tang Ye had always been able to use both feet.
• Escribá admitted to reporters that Tang Ye struggled to fit the team’s system but said he would find a way to use him ahead of Villarreal’s qualifier against Monaco.
• On the train, Tang Ye asked Sergio Rodri which foot was his left, then realized the system’s two-footed template had left him unable to distinguish left from right.
• Fans debated why Tang Ye had concealed his left-footed ability at Utrecht while Erik ten Hag remained unaware of the speculation.
• At a coaches’ meeting, Escribá declared that Tang Ye would be a key part of Villarreal and planned to train him to improve his possession and passing.
• After the coaching staff debated whether to risk playing Tang Ye against Monaco, Escribá decided Tang Ye would start on the bench.

Tang Ye watched Villarreal lose 2-1 at home to Monaco in the first leg of their Champions League playoff, staying on the bench as Mbappé and Bernardo Silva scored. Villarreal still had the return leg ahead, while Tang Ye’s hoped-for Piggy Bank reward depended on the team qualifying.

• Tang Ye learned that qualifying for the Champions League would give him a Piggy Bank that could upgrade an unopened treasure chest, and he planned to use it on his Germany Advanced Chest.
• Mbappé put Monaco ahead in the 26th minute by cutting inside and scoring past Asenjo.
• Haller equalized for Villarreal in the 40th minute after a passing move.
• Escribá left Tang Ye and Rodri on the bench as Villarreal continued playing possession football.
• Bernardo Silva scored in the 76th minute, and Monaco beat Villarreal 2-1 in the first leg.
• News coverage mocked Tang Ye’s inability to get onto the pitch and renewed attention on Erik ten Hag as the Premier League season approached.

Tang Ye made his La Liga debut for Villarreal as a second-half substitute against Granada and scored the opening goal. He left the match determined to build on his performance, silence his critics, and earn a starting place sooner than Escribá had promised.

• Erik ten Hag said Tang Ye would return to Utrecht after a year, while Villarreal coach Escribá told Tang Ye he would have to wait two or three months for a role in the rotation.
• Fans criticized Tang Ye online after he failed to earn playing time, and he remained on the bench for Villarreal's La Liga opener against Granada.
• After Trigueros was injured, Escribá sent Tang Ye on in the 65th minute, giving him his first appearance in La Liga.
• Tang Ye combined with Soriano and Bruno before turning what looked like a pass into a shot that gave Villarreal a 1-0 lead in the 71st minute.
• Tang Ye received 30 Counterattack Points for scoring his first La Liga goal and continued playing, determined to impress Escribá and earn a starting spot.

Tang Ye scored and assisted in Villarreal’s 2-0 win over Granada, leaving Escribá unsure how to balance his attacking talent with the team’s rhythm. During training, Tang Ye showed off his passing with both feet and revealed he could not tell left from right, prompting Escribá to ask Mati for Erik ten Hag’s contact information.

• Tang Ye tracked back to stop Krhin’s through ball for Javi Márquez, then joined Villarreal’s counterattack and assisted Haller with a left-footed cross.
• Villarreal beat Granada 2-0, giving Tang Ye a goal and an assist on his La Liga debut; Escribá declined to say whether Tang Ye would continue playing despite disrupting the team’s rhythm.
• At training, Tang Ye demonstrated a curved through ball, while Rodri and Bruno struggled to reproduce it.
• Tang Ye used the same pass with his left foot and admitted he could not tell left from right, leaving Escribá to plan instructions around the confusion.
• Escribá told Mati that Tang Ye’s talent did not justify changing the team’s style and asked whether Mati had Erik ten Hag’s contact information.

Villarreal faced Sevilla with Tang Ye starting on the bench, but Escribá brought him on after his side went 2–0 ahead. Tang Ye showed promise with a left-footed shot and a pressing-led counterattack that helped Villarreal win 3–1, leaving fans asking which foot was stronger.

• Escribá failed to get advice about Tang Ye from Erik ten Hag and decided to work out how to use him himself.
• Villarreal took a 2–0 lead through Bruno and Musacchio before halftime, prompting Escribá to send Tang Ye and Rodri on at the start of the second half.
• Sevilla pulled one goal back after N'Zonzi headed in from a corner soon after Tang Ye came on.
• Tang Ye set up a chance with a precise left-footed pass to Pato, then tested Sevilla's goalkeeper with a left-footed shot.
• Tang Ye pressed Vázquez into an inaccurate pass, then sent a slowing through ball that led to Haller setting up Víctor Ruiz for Villarreal's third goal.
• Villarreal's fans chanted Tang Ye's name and asked which foot was stronger.

After Villarreal beat Sevilla 3–1, Tang Ye’s impressive passing drew praise, fan attention, and an €18 million valuation, while Erik ten Hag regretted letting him go. Under pressure to start Tang, Escribá ultimately named him in the lineup for Villarreal’s decisive Champions League playoff against Monaco.

• Tang Ye received a yellow card for a reckless tackle on Vázquez, then celebrated Villarreal’s 3–1 win over Sevilla with Bruno and the team.
• Escribá praised Tang Ye’s passing and overall performance, while news outlets and fans highlighted his two-footed ability and demanded that he start.
• Erik ten Hag watched Tang Ye’s pass against Sevilla and regretted loaning out a midfielder he now believed was worth €3 million.
• Tang Ye learned that Villarreal’s match against Monaco would decide their Champions League place as pressure mounted on Escribá to change the lineup.
• Escribá saw Tang Ye’s €18 million valuation place him atop Villarreal’s squad and complained about the growing pressure.
• Tang Ye appeared in Villarreal’s starting lineup for the Champions League playoff against Monaco.

Tang Ye started Villarreal’s Champions League playoff second leg against Monaco, scored the equalizer, and later helped stop Kylian Mbappé as the match continued. Villarreal remained under pressure, while Escribá struggled to organize the team around Tang Ye’s unpredictable positioning.

• Tang Ye learned he would start for Villarreal and joined the team’s pre-match chant before facing Monaco.
• Monaco took the lead through Fabinho in the 9th minute, putting Villarreal two goals behind on aggregate.
• Tang Ye scored in the 23rd minute after faking a pass and firing a low shot to make it 1:1.
• Tang Ye created a chance for Pato with a cross in the 41st minute, but Pato missed the open goal.
• At halftime, Escribá asked Tang Ye to help Soriano defend Mbappé and reviewed Monaco’s threats with the team.
• Tang Ye slid in to dispossess Mbappé near the penalty area, and Musacchio cleared the ball forward.

Tang Ye scored twice against Monaco, but Villarreal were eliminated from the Champions League qualifiers after Pato wasted key chances. Escribá resolved to abandon possession football and copy Erik ten Hag’s approach, then introduced long-ball and off-ball movement drills at training.

• Germain put Monaco ahead 2:1, but Tang Ye scored from Pato’s rebound to level the match at 2:2.
• Tang Ye set up another chance for Pato, whose one-on-one shot was saved, and the match ended in a draw that sent Monaco through on aggregate.
• The system gave Tang Ye a new mission to lead Villarreal’s youngsters into the Europa League knockout stage, with the savings jar as the reward.
• After facing criticism, Escribá decided Villarreal should break from possession football and follow Erik ten Hag’s approach.
• At training, Escribá replaced the usual rondos with long-ball combinations, through balls, and off-ball movement drills.