Chapter Summaries

Tang Ye received a difficult La Liga mission and spent his day off catching up on schoolwork before celebrating with his teammates. Pato later asked whether he could still improve, and Tang Ye handed him a math workbook, leaving Pato determined to get better.

• Tang Ye received a Hell-difficulty mission to score ten league goals or provide eighteen assists, with a French Superstar Chest as the reward.
• Tang Ye attended classes at Ceramic International School and learned that Ferran had claimed credit for teaching him the spinning pass he used against Ajax.
• At the team gathering, Bruno removed the Utrecht logo from Tang Ye’s backpack, and Tang Ye completed more than three hundred push-ups as his punishment in drinking games.
• Pato visited Tang Ye and asked if he still had room to improve, then took Tang Ye’s math workbook after deciding he needed to improve to keep his place in the starting lineup.

After Villarreal’s Europa League victory over Ajax, Tang Ye helped Yellow Submarine protect its third-place league position by assisting Pato and scoring against Alavés. He stayed on the pitch as Bruno was substituted, and Rodri realized his role was to cover for Tang Ye’s weaknesses.

• Erik ten Hag defended Manchester United’s Europa League loss to Fenerbahçe and insisted the club was on the right path despite sitting fifth in the Premier League.
• Before Villarreal hosted Alavés, Escribá and Bruno urged the team to win and keep its third-place position ahead of Athletic Bilbao.
• Tang Ye used a quick turn and cross to set up Pato’s opening goal in the 16th minute.
• Tang Ye scored Villarreal’s second goal in the 29th minute after Haller headed Bakambu’s cross into his path.
• Tang Ye tracked back to help defend Alavés’ attacks, and Bakambu later failed to convert another chance created by Tang Ye.
• Escribá substituted Bruno for Soriano in the 75th minute, and Rodri realized he stayed on the field to cover for Tang Ye.

Tang Ye scored twice and assisted once as Villarreal beat Alavés 3-0, then prepared for a busy run of matches under Escribá, who insisted Tang was not a core player despite repeatedly selecting him. Tang was left out of the starting lineup for the Copa del Rey match against Toledo, while Bakambu discovered a mathematics book in Pato's backpack.

• Tang Ye scored a curling shot against Alavés to complete his brace, and Villarreal won 3-0 to hold third place in the league.
• Escribá planned Villarreal's upcoming lineups and repeatedly wrote Tang Ye down as a starter, adding the note that Tang was not a core player.
• Tang Ye trained his cutback cross and learned that he would not start the Copa del Rey match against Toledo, though Escribá assured him he would start against Leganés.
• Escribá privately tried to comfort Tang Ye by calling him the team's core and saying he did not need to play in a small match.
• Bakambu found a mathematics book in Pato's backpack and told him, "There's no need to do this, brother."

Tang Ye remained unused against Toledo, while he and Escribá received La Liga monthly award nominations. Escribá studied Erik ten Hag’s touchline methods, then Villarreal took an early lead against Leganés through a free kick Tang Ye delivered; Escribá stood up on the sideline as the match continued.

• Chinese fans complained after Escribá left Tang Ye on the bench for Villarreal’s 2–0 win over Toledo, while Tang Ye and Escribá were nominated for November’s La Liga monthly awards.
• Bakambu volunteered to help Tang Ye with his homework, and Escribá studied Erik ten Hag’s match footage to learn how to manage from the touchline without interfering with Tang Ye’s decisions.
• Leganés fans jeered Villarreal’s bus before the away match, and Tang Ye said he would teach them a lesson on the pitch.
• Leganés attacked early, but Tang Ye won a foul after shielding the ball from Machís and chose to take the resulting free kick.
• Tang Ye’s topspin free kick set up Ruiz’s header, and Musacchio scored from the rebound to put Villarreal ahead.
• As Garitano urged Leganés to slow down and find their rhythm, Escribá stood up from the bench.

Villarreal defeated Leganés 3–0, with Tang Ye scoring twice and assisting Haller as Escribá urged his team from the touchline. After the match, Tang Ye watched as the November La Liga Player of the Month and Coach of the Month shortlist appeared on television.

• Escribá stood on the touchline and directed Villarreal as Tang Ye combined with Rodri before threading a through ball for Haller to score.
• Villarreal went into halftime leading Leganés 2–0, and Garitano told his defenders to tightly mark Tang Ye.
• Díaz fouled Bakambu early in the second half, sparking a confrontation in which Haller, Díaz, and Timor received yellow cards.
• Tang Ye moved into the penalty area during Villarreal’s attack and scored from Sansone’s pass to make it 3–0.
• Villarreal celebrated their 3–0 away victory, and Tang Ye watched the television announce the November Player of the Month and Coach of the Month shortlist.

Tang Ye and Escribá both missed out on November’s monthly awards, but Escribá believed he had found a better understanding with Tang Ye and predicted a breakthrough in December. Villarreal fielded its starters against Zürich, took a 2-0 first-half lead, and substituted Tang Ye at halftime before Mati saw something on a phone that made him stare at Tang Ye.

• Tang Ye was disappointed when Lionel Messi won November Player of the Month, and the locker room also learned that Simeone had beaten Escribá for Coach of the Month.
• Tang Ye answered reporters by promising to keep working, while Escribá said he expected to win the award in December because he had found a bond with his players.
• Tang Ye checked his skills and Comeback Points, then learned he had grown only half a centimeter; strength training raised his physical-confrontation attribute, and Sansone admitted he had lost Tang Ye’s homework notebook.
• Villarreal started Tang Ye against Zürich despite already securing first place in their Europa League group, and Pato scored in the 17th minute after Tang Ye helped quicken the attack.
• Tang Ye set up Rodri’s goal with a cutback pass in the 38th minute, giving Villarreal a 2-0 halftime lead before Escribá substituted Tang Ye and Haller.
• After the second half began, an assistant coach handed Mati a phone, and Mati looked at it before staring at Tang Ye.

Tang Ye’s math homework was found in Sansone’s backpack, sparking a media frenzy over whether his teammate had done it for him. Villarreal beat Zürich 3-1 to finish the Europa League group stage with six straight wins, while Tang Ye denied the accusation in interviews and was left facing questions about balancing football and school.

• Mati showed Tang Ye reports claiming his homework had been found in Sansone’s backpack, and Tang Ye panicked when Marca suggested Sansone had carried it for him.
• Reporters compared Tang Ye’s Utrecht and Spanish homework handwriting, while Tang Ye worried that Escribá would scold him for the story.
• Zürich scored a penalty in the 71st minute, but Bruno restored Villarreal’s two-goal lead in the 81st as Villarreal won 3-1 and completed a clean sweep of their group.
• Escribá denied that Tang Ye had anyone else do his homework, and a reporter returned Sansone’s backpack and Tang Ye’s notebook at the press conference.
• Tang Ye denied asking a teammate to do his homework and said school was difficult alongside football, then struggled to answer which was harder: leading La Liga in assists or completing homework.
• Reports later claimed Tang Ye had done his own homework, and Villarreal fans spotted him arriving at school to hand it in.

Tang Ye trained after hours to improve his crossing and raised his passing and overall rating before Villarreal hosted Atlético Madrid. Atlético dominated the opening minutes and had a goal ruled offside, while Tang Ye launched a high cross into the box as the first half of the match began to unfold.

• Escribá warned Yellow Submarine that Atlético Madrid’s compact defense and aggressive play would make the league match difficult, while Tang Ye worried about reaching the next level of his crossing skill.
• Tang Ye trained alone that evening, with Haller staying to watch, and upgraded De Bruyne Cutback Cross to lv3, raising his passing to 88 and overall rating to 80.
• Escribá and Mati planned to use Tang Ye as the team’s temporary attacking core against Atlético Madrid, despite Escribá’s insistence that Yellow Submarine should not depend on him.
• Atlético Madrid pressed Villarreal early, and Gameiro put the ball in the net, but the assistant referee ruled the goal offside.
• Tang Ye helped settle a long ball and then sent a lofted cross into Atlético Madrid’s penalty area.

Villarreal took a 2-0 lead over Atlético Madrid through Haller and Bakambu’s combination and Tang Ye’s direct free-kick goal, but Griezmann pulled one back before halftime. Escribá planned for Villarreal to defend the lead until the 70th minute, then attack as Atlético Madrid tired.

• Tang Ye sent a long pass to Haller, who headed the ball into Bakambu’s path for Villarreal’s opening goal.
• Tang Ye was fouled by Juanfran, then scored directly from the resulting set piece when his cross struck the post and went in.
• Griezmann beat Ruiz and scored to cut Villarreal’s lead to 2-1.
• Ruiz headed clear a late Atlético Madrid chance, and the first half ended with Villarreal leading 2-1.
• Escribá told Villarreal to focus on defending until the 70th minute before increasing their attack.

Villarreal beat Atlético Madrid 3-1 after Tang Ye’s unconventional quick free kick from the ground set up Sansone’s goal. After celebrating the win and signing a fan’s shirt, Tang Ye returned home and discovered the Europa League draw was less than five days away.

• Atlético brought on Saúl for Thiago, and Tang Ye won a free kick after Griezmann fouled him, though his delivery struck Gameiro.
• Tang Ye tracked back to disrupt Atlético’s attack, then was fouled by Saúl while receiving a long ball and saw Saúl booked.
• In the 79th minute, Gabi brought Tang Ye down, but Tang Ye spun on the ground and passed to Bakambu, whose cross Sansone finished to make it 3-1.
• Escribá substituted Tang Ye in the 85th minute, and Villarreal held on to defeat Atlético as Tang Ye greeted the fans and signed a shirt.
• After the match, Villarreal players tried to imitate Tang Ye’s spinning pass, while Tang Ye sent the clip to Ousmane Dembélé and checked the upcoming Europa League draw date.

Tang Ye and Yellow Submarine prepared for their upcoming match against Sporting Gijón, while Escribá worried that the team was relying too heavily on Tang Ye. Escribá also grew suspicious of why Sansone alone was doing Tang Ye’s homework, and the chapter ended with Bruno stopping him from reaching for his backpack.

• Tang Ye checked his attributes during training and joined his teammates in hoping for a favorable Copa del Rey draw after the Sporting Gijón match.
• Escribá and Mati planned the provisional lineup, and Escribá chose Tang Ye while promising that he would soon devise a way to win without relying on him as the core.
• Escribá asked Bruno to watch the players’ focus and raised his suspicion that Sansone’s recent scoring form might be connected to doing Tang Ye’s homework.
• Bruno said he knew of no one besides Sansone who was doing Tang Ye’s homework, and Escribá wondered why Haller had not volunteered instead.
• Escribá asked Bruno whether he had been doing Tang Ye’s homework, then reached for Bruno’s backpack as Bruno pressed a hand down on his.

Escribá discovered that Villarreal’s players had only imagined that doing Tang Ye’s homework made them score more, and he banned them from doing it. Tang Ye then assisted Haller and set up Rodri’s goal as Villarreal took a 2–0 lead over Sporting Gijón at halftime.

• Escribá compared the forwards’ scoring records and realized their numbers had risen together because Villarreal’s teamwork had improved, not because Tang Ye favored players who did his homework.
• Escribá gathered the forwards and Bruno, scolded them for doing Tang Ye’s homework, and threatened to bench anyone who continued.
• Tang Ye failed to raise his ball-control attribute to 80, then started Villarreal’s away match against Sporting Gijón.
• Tang Ye crossed for Haller to score the opening goal after fooling Amorebieta with a feigned retreat and sudden run down the flank.
• Tang Ye dummied Costa’s pass so Rodri could shoot and score, giving Villarreal a 2–0 halftime lead.

Villarreal defeated Sporting Gijón 3-1, finished December with a perfect league record, and climbed to second place, one point behind Barcelona. As the Europa League knockout draw began, Escribá sat beside Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag and started talking to him.

• Moi Gómez scored for Sporting Gijón in the 51st minute, then Bakambu suffered an ankle injury after Amorebieta's sliding tackle and Pato replaced him.
• Tang Ye set up Villarreal's third goal with a cross that led to Haller's finish, sealing a 3-1 victory over Sporting Gijón.
• Tang Ye received the match MVP trophy, and Bruno said Villarreal would try to challenge Barcelona for first place.
• Villarreal rose to second in the table with 41 points, while fans debated the upcoming Europa League draw and hoped for their preferred opponents.
• Tang Ye and Villarreal's players watched the draw together, and they noticed Escribá switch seats with Pochettino and Weinzierl before chatting with Erik ten Hag.

At the Europa League draw, Villarreal were paired with Roma, then Tang Ye starred in a 2–1 Copa del Rey win over Toledo as the team advanced to the Round of 16. The chapter ended with Tang Ye and Escribá nominated for La Liga’s December awards and the players teasing Tang Ye about his wish to win several Ballon d’Ors.

• Escribá and Erik ten Hag nervously watched the Europa League draw, which paired Villarreal with Roma and Manchester United with Athletic Bilbao.
• Escribá told the squad to focus on the league and Copa del Rey before the Europa League tie, and he promised Tang Ye a start against Toledo.
• A young Villarreal fan gave Tang Ye a filled-in math homework book and offered to do his homework if he stayed at the club.
• Tang Ye assisted Haller with a cross and scored a volley as Villarreal led Toledo 2–0 at halftime; the team won 2–1 and advanced to the Copa del Rey Round of 16.
• Tang Ye and Escribá were nominated for La Liga’s December Player and Coach of the Month awards, while Cristiano Ronaldo won the 2016 Ballon d’Or.
• Bruno and the Villarreal players joked with Tang Ye after he said he had once wished to win several Ballon d’Ors.

After reporters revealed that twelve La Liga clubs had challenged Tang Ye’s squad registration, Escribá assured him the complaint would not matter. Tang Ye received a huge year-end bonus, accepted an endorsement deal with baby bedding company Micuna, and left for Villarreal’s Copa del Rey match against Real Sociedad after a promotional appearance turned his baby-pillow habit into a joke.

• Escribá told reporters that Villarreal would use Tom-centered tactics only against special opponents and said the club was waiting to see what players might become available in the winter window.
• News reports said twelve La Liga clubs had appealed Tang Ye’s number 99 registration, while Tang Ye contacted Escribá and was reassured that he could enjoy his holiday without worry.
• Tang Ye received 1,320 comeback points and a further 1,200 seniority points from the system, bringing his balance to 2,947.
• Boer told Tang Ye that Spanish baby bedding company Micuna had offered him a one-year endorsement deal worth 1.8 million euros, and Tang Ye agreed to promote its products.
• Tang Ye spent Christmas with Bruno, Musacchio, Escribá, and Dembélé, then filmed Micuna advertisements and told journalists that he still used the company’s baby pillow.
• Micuna’s product manager joked that its bedding had served a Golden Boy winner, while news outlets ran stories about Tang Ye’s unusual pillow; Villarreal’s away Copa del Rey match against Real Sociedad was scheduled for January 5.

After Villarreal faced a registration challenge, Tang Ye was promoted to the first team and given Pato’s number 10 shirt. He overcame his anxiety about the responsibility and opened the Copa del Rey match against Real Sociedad with an assist for Haller.

• Tang Ye returned from Christmas break, and his ball-control stat increased from 79 to 80 during training.
• Escribá and Tolan Emery told Tang Ye that Villarreal would cancel his B-team registration and promote him to the first team instead of sending him to play three Segunda División B matches.
• Villarreal announced Tang Ye’s promotion and assigned him the number 10 shirt left by Pato, while LaLiga fined the club 185,000 euros for its registration violation.
• Tang Ye worried about the expectations attached to number 10, but Bruno and Haller encouraged him to embrace the shirt.
• In the Copa del Rey Round of 16 first leg against Real Sociedad, Tang Ye combined with Rodri and then set up Haller to give Villarreal a 1:0 lead.

Villarreal defeated Real Sociedad 3–1 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey after Tang Ye recorded an assist hat-trick in his first match wearing the number 10 shirt. At the press conference, Escribá defended Villarreal ahead of their Barcelona match by comparing Tang Ye’s assists with those of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Suárez.

• Tang Ye assisted Haller’s goal before halftime, giving Villarreal a 2–0 lead over Real Sociedad.
• Real Sociedad’s Concha set up Juanmi to score early in the second half, narrowing the score to 2–1.
• Tang Ye’s shot rebounded off goalkeeper Martínez, and he turned the loose ball into a through pass for Sansone to score and complete his assist hat-trick.
• Villarreal beat Real Sociedad 3–1, and Tang Ye celebrated his three assists as Eusebio watched from the bench.
• At the press conference, Tang Ye spoke about wearing number 10 and struggled to say whether he was a first-team or academy player.
• Escribá told reporters that Tang Ye had more assists than Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Suárez combined, putting extra pressure on him before Villarreal’s match against Barcelona.

Escribá’s boast that Tom’s 15 assists exceeded the combined 14 of Barcelona’s MSN trio became a viral talking point, and he admitted he had used the comparison to put pressure on the seventeen-year-old. As Villarreal prepared to face Barcelona, Tang Ye entered the match focused on earning the system’s top reward by decisively defeating them.

• Escribá apologized for his comparison with MSN, while Roncero and fans debated the assist statistics and turned “1 > 3” into a meme.
• During recovery training, Escribá told Mati that he wanted to make Tang Ye feel pressure so he would unleash his talent, and he stopped Tang Ye from spinning during warm-ups.
• Tang Ye saw that he needed three more La Liga assists to unlock his French Superstar Chest, then traveled with Villarreal to face Barcelona at the newly renamed Ceramic Stadium.
• Before kickoff, Tang Ye saw Barcelona’s full-strength lineup, including Lionel Messi, Suárez, and Neymar, and received the system mission “Destroy the Universe.”
• Tang Ye chose the mission’s highest completion goal: decisively beat Barcelona and earn the Barcelona Legend Template.

Villarreal fell behind Barcelona 2–0 before Bakambu pulled a goal back, leaving the Yellow Submarine trailing 1–2 at halftime. Escribá identified Barcelona’s press as the reason Villarreal’s midfield was being cut off and prepared a tactical adjustment as Tang Ye remained determined to help win the match.

• Barcelona pressed Villarreal’s buildup, and Suárez scored from Messi’s pass in the 17th minute to put the visitors ahead.
• Neymar scored on a Barcelona counterattack in the 24th minute, making it 2–0.
• Rodri intercepted Iniesta’s pass to Messi and launched a counterattack, but Villarreal could not convert Bruno’s cross.
• Tang Ye set up Haller with a through pass, then crossed for Bakambu to score a rebound and make it 2–1 before halftime.
• Escribá studied the players’ heat maps, concluded Barcelona’s press had separated Tang Ye from his teammates, and instructed the wide midfielders to drop back and support the buildup.
• Tang Ye told Escribá he could keep running and headed back out determined to help Villarreal win and claim the Barcelona Legendary Chest.

Tang Ye scored Villarreal’s equalizer against Barcelona, but Iniesta restored Barcelona’s lead and Haller missed a late chance to tie the match. After the 3–2 loss, Tang Ye opened a Barcelona youth academy chest and received a Lamine Yamal far-corner curl template that upgraded his shooting and curling shot.

• Tang Ye scored a curling strike to make it 2–2 against Barcelona in the 52nd minute.
• Barcelona changed formation and Iniesta scored from distance to put his team ahead 3–2.
• Tang Ye sent Haller through on goal in the 86th minute, but ter Stegen saved Haller’s shot and Barcelona held on to win.
• Tang Ye and Bruno comforted Haller after the match and kept a reporter from filming him in the tunnel.
• Tang Ye opened the Barcelona youth academy chest and gained Lamine Yamal’s left-foot far-corner curl template, raising his shooting to 77 and his De Bruyne curl skill to level five.