Tender Flower of the Earth

"Champions!!!"

"Champions!!!"

"We are the champions!!!!!"

On May 4th, in the final round of Italy's Serie C, Reggina fulfilled its mission. Under the watchful eyes of their home fans, they not only secured promotion but also clinched the Serie C championship.

Even a lower-league title was incredibly precious to Reggina.

Excited fans stormed the pitch.

The players were equally carried away by the excitement. There was little separation or distance between them and the fans; everyone was celebrating. Today, there were no losers at the Granillo Stadium.

Reggina had successfully suppressed Cagliari, the biggest favorite to win the championship.

In this clash between a new generation of coaches, Nevio Scala defeated Claudio Ranieri, who was also just starting out, and emerged victorious.

The commentators on the broadcast platform were also thrilled, shouting, "Reggina has shown us the power of unity; this team has truly embodied the spirit of football... Dejan, who lost his last remaining family member, became the key player in the second half of the season. His skill level is already beyond Serie C, and he'll be able to compete in Serie B with Reggina next season. I believe this young man will be an important part of Reggina."

"Yes, and I also heard he's attracted the attention of quite a few fashion brands. Everyone in Reggio Calabria knows who the handsome young guy on the motorcycle is. I'm not surprised by that at all."

In reality, most of that was fabricated by Dejan Lu and Bianchi.

No matter how influential a Serie C player was, major brands wouldn't be interested.

However, a chocolate company did approach Dejan Lu.

Having barely escaped the fans' enthusiastic grabbing, Dejan Lu quickly ran back to the locker room.

As soon as he entered, he found the old guy Giuseppe Bagnato hiding inside.

"Hey, what are your plans for next season?"

Dejan Lu asked directly.

Bagnato wasn't even a starter in Serie C.

After the team's promotion, there definitely wouldn't be a place for him.

Giuseppe Bagnato didn't answer Dejan Lu, instead saying mysteriously, "I might be about to strike it rich."

"Did you win the lottery?"

Dejan Lu teased.

"No, a director is interested in me!"

Bagnato said.

Dejan Lu: ...

The guy looked decent, but he wasn't exactly outstanding in the film industry. Plus, he had no experience. Which director was that bold?

"You know, there were reports saying Dino was in a rut, and then he actually found me, wanting me to play myself based on my experiences," Bagnato said.

Dejan Lu's expression turned strange.

He knew exactly what was going on.

That was a piece he had written to divert attention, and he never expected Dino to actually take it seriously.

Still, at least Reggina had some buzz right now.

And with the Italian football industry developing well, a movie about players should have a market, and it might even do well at the box office in other European countries.

"Alright then, I wish you success."

Dejan Lu thought of something and asked, "If you become an actor, does your wife have any objections?"

"What objections could she have?"

Bagnato replied, "After hearing the news, she even pulled me over to watch videotapes and practice a few times, telling me not to be too nervous and to make sure the actress has a good experience too."

Amazing!

Europeans, especially those in the Latin cultural sphere, were indeed open-minded in this regard.

A guy who couldn't even play well in Serie C switching to acting might actually be a good choice.

At least his income would see a significant increase.

Dejan Lu patted his shoulder. The next time they met might be on a screen.

After returning home, Dejan Lu opened his system and saw that the mission was indeed completed.

[Successfully activated Brothers in Arms: The Football Saga System Official Version (To succeed in football, you need numbers. You have the most people in football, making you the undisputed King of Football)]

Received skills: [King of Brothers], [Learn from Others], [Star of Yuanmeng].

Skill: King of Brothers - As a football superstar, the object of praise from numerous star players, your life off the field should also be exciting enough to maximize your historical status. As the absolute protagonist on the world stage, your chances of encountering various events off the field increase. (The more brothers you have, the luckier you are in events.)

Dejan Lu: ...

So, from now on, wherever he, Lu, goes, people will die?

Reality probably wasn't as exaggerated as Detective Conan, right?

Finally, this last part seemed to fit the system's name. It probably meant the more friends you have in football, the luckier you are when facing situations off the field? Like, if you're stuck in traffic, having many brothers might mean a helicopter passing by picks you up for the match?

This isn't a problem. My entire life, Lu has relied on having many brothers.

[Learn from Others]: Each match, you can randomly draw a trial card for a player who is the opposite of your good brothers, to complement your good brothers' performance on the field. (The more brothers you have, the higher the chance the drawn player will be in their prime.)

Very good, this still fits the system's name.

But this "opposite of good brothers" part, I don't quite understand.

Opposite playstyle? If they're slow, draw Owen?

Or opposite personality? If they like being late, draw a player who practices extra every day?

Whatever it is, at least it's a good thing.

Dejan Lu feels it too. His talent has always been there, but to play in the top leagues, he might still be a bit short, and there's no time for him to slowly develop.

This skill at least compensates for that weakness.

Star of Yuanmeng — As the leader of your brothers, you never drive a Range Rover while letting your brothers live in hardship. As the timely rain of the football world, the savior of the earth, you are their strongest backing. With this skill, all your brothers will receive a certain degree of positive feedback. The one who is your best brother can even have their wishes come true to a certain extent.

Holy crap?!

This skill is quite interesting.

It's only good when everyone is good.

His friends around him are constantly lucky. If this continues, the football world might truly be named Lu.

Let's keep reading.

[New Journey: You've successfully won your first important career championship and are incredibly excited. However, as the last reserve superstar of Samba Football, you can't always be a wingman. For the glory of Brazilian football and the brilliance of your professional career, please transfer away from Catalonia and stay in one of the top four leagues. PSG is not the best choice; your career path must be carefully considered. (Successfully activating a mysterious event after transferring to a top four league.)]

Dejan Lu: ...

Before, it asked him to be brothers with the two superstars, and now it's treating him like Neymar?

This system is really something else.

He's changing jobs in the summer anyway, so this mission should be easy to complete.

Dejan Lu hasn't decided where to play yet.

If possible, he'd definitely want to stay in Italy, but currently, no teams are contacting Reggina.

However, Serie C ends early, so he can still wait.

If no team extends an offer by the end of the month, he'll prepare to try his luck in England.

English teams are banned from European competitions, but the British are great at hype.

Playing there will also rapidly increase his commercial value.

He won't think about this for now.

He still has to go to Milan tomorrow.

Ferrero entered the country in the 80s, focusing on hazelnut chocolate and premium products. It's normal for them to be interested in him, Lu. They probably want to shoot a commercial to test the waters.

Even though it's a food commercial, Dejan Lu still takes it quite seriously.

This is his first commercial endorsement, even if it's just a short-term domestic one.

The next morning, Dejan Lu boarded his flight to Milan.

He arrived at the hotel lobby a bit early, just in time to chat with the commercial director.

Dejan Lu doesn't smoke, but he'll take a couple of puffs when socializing, without inhaling. Nowadays, even the team is full of chain-smokers, let alone society.

Luca Bigazzi is quite famous, and Ferrero seems to take this seriously.

Bigazzi said with a smile, "You're the first Chinese person I've ever met, and you're completely different from what I imagined."

"British TV shows are too arrogant," Dejan Lu said dismissively. "In their eyes, nothing in the world is good. If they hadn't seen their colonies gain independence one by one, you'd think they were still the strongest empire on which the sun never set."

"Hahaha, yes, they always have their noses in the air!" Bigazzi nodded vigorously. "Between British food and dog poop, I think dog poop might be tastier, because I've never tried either."

They hit it off talking about this.

Bigazzi excitedly waved his right hand and said, "You know, when I was filming in Portsmouth, they kept talking to me about child labor laws. Britain is the country with the most child worker deaths, these damn hypocrites."

Just then, a young woman walked directly towards them.

The sound of her high heels was light and lively, indicating her good mood.

Both of them subconsciously turned their heads.

Dejan Lu recognized the person immediately, even though she wasn't very famous in Italy yet.

If he had to describe her in one sentence, Dejan Lu would say this girl glows...

Damn, this is the Flower of the Earth in her early twenties!

Seeking reads, monthly votes, recommendation votes, and collections.

Please don't hold back, big shots. If the data isn't good, the editor won't give recommendations. As an established football author, I'm not saying I'll definitely get a Sanjiang recommendation, but at least close to it. Big shots, please support me!