Superstar Talent, Time Card (Seeking Collection, Seeking Monthly Votes)

The internet connects the world tightly, magnifying both joy and sorrow.

This has been demonstrated vividly over the course of the twenty-first century.

On November 25, 2020, Argentine football superstar Diego Maradona passed away, plunging the world into grief.

But as time passes, people gradually realize that the final destination for all superstars is death.

Zidane, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kaka, Robben, Rooney, Pirlo, Lewandowski, Neymar...

This pain reached its peak after Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo drifted away.

No football fan can accept a world without these stars.

If there were truly a world of football without these legends, then the meaning of Lu Yang's existence would be to let them know that there is a kind of football called Messi, called Cristiano Ronaldo, called Pele, called Ibrahimovic, called Cruyff, called Rummenigge, called Kahn, called Buffon, called Mbappe, called Haaland...

"Lu, it's you, it's really you! My god! You are so lucky, man!"

Lu Yang was shaken awake by his friend Moric, and countless people around him cast envious gazes his way.

In an instant, a flood of memories surged forth.

He had transmigrated, inhabiting the body of a person with the same name, Lu Yang, in a parallel universe.

Lu Yang, sixteen years old, an Italian-Chinese youth player for the Sanremo Football Club in the Italian fourth division, playing as a center-back, standing one meter seventy-eight tall.

He was currently in the East Stand of the Marassi Stadium, watching this year's "Italian Football Legend Invitational".

According to tradition, the director would randomly switch cameras to select a lucky spectator to participate in the match, signifying that they were the luckiest person in the world that day.

This gimmick made the annual legend match exceptionally popular.

And this year, Lu Yang had become that lucky boy.

But at this very moment, Lu Yang showed no signs of excitement.

He kept muttering to himself: "There's Real Madrid, but no Cristiano Ronaldo? There's Barcelona, but no Messi? There's the San Siro, but no Kaka? No Ronaldinho, no Batistuta, no Adriano, no Shevchenko, no Ibrahimovic, no Lukaku..."

"The Prince of the Zebras isn't Del Piero, but Ancarelli? The Wolf King isn't Totti, but Perotta? Milan doesn't have the Three Dutchmen but four butchers? Inter doesn't have the Three Musketeers, but instead, Juventus has one star and four arrows?"

It was a mess; so many things were wrong.

Lu Yang regained his senses, looked around, listened to the surrounding noise and cheers, and watched the fans who were crazy about football.

Some things, however, were not wrong.

Soon, Lu Yang entered the pitch amidst the envious, jealous, and hateful gazes of countless people.

He was assigned to the "Star Arrow Team" because this team featured the biggest Italian football legend of the day, Maniero!

As the absolute brain of the Juventus "one star, four arrows" era, Maniero's style of playing as a deep-lying midfield playmaker had a massive impact on the entire football world. His long black hair remained as elegant as ever.

"Hey, kid, don't be nervous, just treat it like a game." Maniero patted Lu Yang's shoulder kindly; he was known for his good nature, and his eyes, which always seemed half-closed, were his trademark.

Lu Yang nodded: "Thank you, Maniero. You are one of my favorite midfielders. I love your precise and fast long-range passes; they are like missiles, hitting exactly where you aim."

"Hahaha!" Maniero laughed happily. "I see you're not an ordinary fan. Have you played football before?"

Lu Yang said: "I am a youth player for Sanremo."

"Oh, my god, really?" Maniero was even more pleasantly surprised. He put an arm around Lu Yang and pointed to a bearded man on the opposing Butcher Team. "See that guy? His name is Soto, a very annoying midfield laborer with absolutely no football talent."

"Unfortunately, this nuisance will become the head coach of the Sanremo first team in the coming half-season. He is a devil who only knows how to destroy and never understands the art of creation. He won't bring any good luck to Sanremo."

"As a member of Sanremo, you should give him a taste of his own medicine. How about scoring a goal against him?"

Maniero rambled on.

The man named Soto was the leader of the four butchers of Milan, doing the dirty work, sticking to the opposition's midfield like a plaster.

Maniero had once been frozen by this man, eventually forcing him to move his role as a midfield playmaker deeper. Yet, this led to a breakthrough, and he ended up leading Juventus to the pinnacle of Europe.

The two were bitter rivals when playing for their clubs, but they were a perfect match on the national team.

After retiring, their relationship had become even closer.

Lu Yang gave a stiff smile: "Are you sure? He was a world-class defensive midfielder, even if he's been retired for several years, but... I play as a center-back for my team."

Maniero was stunned, then laughed: "Modern football has no place for a one-meter-seventy-eight center-back, kid. Although I don't know your level, don't you Easterners have a saying: 'Trees die if moved, but people thrive'?"

"Go play as a striker. At least for this match, you can play as a forward. I need a partner who can still run and is willing to run!"

Maniero spoke his true thoughts.

Even after retiring, and even though Soto was a good friend, Maniero absolutely did not want to lose to that guy on the pitch.

He needed a player who could keep up with his passes.

The Italian legends on the field were basically in their forties or fifties; how could they outrun a teenager?

"Alright, it's settled. Be sharp later. I might pass to you at any time. As long as you can catch up to the ball and give it a light poke, you can tell your future first-team coach that he's a midfield scrub and he can't defend against you at all!"

Maniero and Lu Yang chatted happily.

The stadium commentator clearly noticed the scene and quickly cut to a close-up: "Oh, we can see that the Juventus brain, Maniero, and this young man are chatting happily. They are even hugging like old friends reunited after a long time..."

"Wow, Soto is looking over. Is his expression one of jealousy? After all, everyone knows that since retiring, his relationship with Maniero has been the best..."

Beep!

The whistle blew, and the match began.

Thousands cheered from all around the stadium.

But at the same time, the voice Lu Yang had been waiting for echoed in his mind: "Ding!"

"Legendary Footballer System activated. Scanning host data... Offensive stats too low, unable to detect... Defensive stats too low, unable to detect..."

"Mental stats:

Aggression: 99

Focus: 99

Consistency: 99

Affinity: 50

Leadership: 50"

"Physical stats:

Speed: 55

Acceleration: 50

Shot Power, Jumping, Strength, Balance: 50

Ball Control: 50

Stamina: 50

Injury Resistance, Preferred Foot: Both

Vision"

Two virtual panels appeared, leaving Lu Yang quite shocked.

On one hand, he was shocked that his professional offensive and defensive abilities were all below 50, to the point where the system couldn't even register them. On the other, he was shocked by how powerful his mental attributes were.

Anything that didn't require collaboration was maxed out.

This was practically a "Kobe" personality.

Following this logic, 50 must be a threshold, likely the dividing line between professional and amateur players.

"Ding! Detected that the host has three attributes at max level. Received Random Gift Pack x3. Open gift packs?"

Opening blind boxes?

Lu Yang didn't hesitate and opened all three in a row.

"Ding! Obtained Player-level Proficiency x1: Backline Defensive Coordination."

"Ding! Obtained Superstar-level Talent x1: 'Xavi - God's Eye View'!"

"Ding! Obtained Moment Card x1: Lionel Messi!"

In an instant, Lu Yang's mind cleared. Many concepts regarding backline defense that he couldn't grasp during his time in the youth academy suddenly made perfect sense.

Avoid passing back toward the goal to prevent own goals.

One center-back pushes up, one drops back.

Center-back closing tactics.

Defensive line offside traps.

Defensive line passing lane diagrams.

Lu Yang hadn't been ignorant of these things before, but he had never understood them as thoroughly as he did now.

Lu Yang guaranteed that in his current state, he was confident he would become the best center-back in the youth academy.

No, he could even become the best center-back for San Remo!

"Hmm?" Lu Yang stared at his Vision stat and noticed it had jumped from nothing straight to 99.

This was...

"Xavi - God's Eye View," a Superstar-level talent that allowed him to perceive everything on the pitch, see everything, seize everything, and become the master of the green field!

With just a glance around, Lu Yang felt the difference.

He could truly sense everything around him.

It wasn't like the god's-eye view in a video game; rather, he could memorize everything he caught in a glance and even calculate changes, effectively giving him eyes in the back of his head.

This requires immense brain capacity, calculation power, a vast field of vision, and good visual habits.

Any player who possesses a "God's eye view" will constantly turn their head to observe their surroundings during lulls in play. Only by putting in the effort during routine moments can one perceive everything in a split second and deliver a decisive, game-ending blow!

As for the final card floating on the interface, one side features a portrait of Messi, while the other depicts Messi dribbling the ball at the edge of the penalty area, surrounded by several opponents.

This is a one-time item that requires active activation, providing special effects for three to ten minutes after use.

"Hey, kid, catch!"

It takes a long time to describe, but in the real world, only an instant passed before kickoff.

Soto of the Butcher Team is indeed quite rough; after taking possession, he was outplayed by the long-scheming Maniero. Instead of retreating to the midfield, Maniero pressed forward to challenge Soto.

Soto turned to shield the ball, only to have it stolen by a veteran star from the Star Arrow Team. After the steal, the opponent immediately played a short pass to Lu Yang, the team's only "center forward."

But perhaps due to excitement, Lu Yang stood rooted to the spot, failing to react.

The ball was about to slam into Lu Yang's back.

Suddenly, Lu Yang burst into motion. While surging forward, he not only avoided being hit by the ball but let it pass through his legs, attempting to flick it from behind him to the front without turning around.

This is a basic stop-and-dribble maneuver; it integrates trapping and dribbling, and while simple, it is highly effective. Many stars use this method during matches to seize that split second of a counterattack.

Regrettably, Lu Yang's ball control attribute is at an amateur level. Although he eventually managed to flick the ball forward, he stumbled, his feet tangling as he wobbled.

Consequently, Soto, who had just lost the ball, quickly caught up and fiercely stripped it away.

Though it was fierce, Lu Yang could feel that Soto committed no foul; the process of winning the ball was as clean as art.

If Maniero's offense is an art that kills the game, then Soto's defense is equally an art that destroys it.

It is hard to say which is superior.

Coincidentally, their honors are also on par, making them true rivals of their era.

This pair of Italian twins brought many fond memories to the fans of that time.

"GOAL! A goal! Two minutes into the match, Soto steals the ball from Star Arrow Team's Lu and provides an assist. The Butcher Team now leads the Star Arrow Team one to nil. The pressure is on Maniero! His old rival has recorded a perfect stat line of one steal and one assist!"

Lu Yang was stunned. A goal already?

But he soon calmed down. Looking at the other twenty-one players running on the pitch, even the weakest among them were once professional Serie A players, while the strong ones include national team stalwarts like Maniero and Soto.

They have won countless trophies and honors, and even after years of retirement, they still possess extraordinary standards.

Without exaggeration, most of them could still play in Serie C, and even now, Maniero and Soto could still compete in Serie B.

So, whenever the opportunity arose, they were capable of killing the game; the only thing holding them back was their increasingly aging bodies.

This is the charm of legendary stars.

Old soldiers never die, they just fade away!

"Don't be discouraged, Lu, this isn't your fault." Maniero walked up and patted Lu Yang on the shoulder. "Your idea amazed me, even if your ball control and trapping technique aren't mature enough yet."

"You are truly suited to be a striker because you have the blood of offense flowing in your veins."

"Later, I will reduce the through balls behind the defense and try to keep the ball in places where you can run. Use your youth to defeat us old guys, Lu!"

Maniero is worthy of being the brain of Juventus back in the day; with just one touch, he saw through Lu Yang's playing style and mindset.

Encouraged, Lu Yang nodded and looked at the Butcher Team stars who were celebrating.

As it happened, Soto also looked at Lu Yang.

He actually saw it just now! Soto glanced at Lu Yang, who was standing with Maniero, feeling a constant sense of awe in his heart.

If Lu Yang hadn't made a mistake while flicking the ball, Soto would never have been able to catch him.

Furthermore, because Soto had abandoned his post, the Butcher Team's midfield would have been exposed, allowing Lu Yang to either drive forward or pass, both of which would have created significant threats.

Was that really just a coincidence?

Or is it that, like that guy Maniero, he can see what's behind his own head?

Soon, the match continued.

The Star Arrow Team kicked off.

This time, neither team made any amateur mistakes.

Maniero seized an opportunity and delivered a through ball. After the Star Arrow Team's attacking midfielder took possession, he fired a shot to equalize the score.

But soon, Soto completed another steal and finished with a shot right in front of the retreating Lu Yang, putting the Butcher Team ahead again, two to one.

"Your defense isn't bad, but it's a pity you aren't fast enough." Soto looked at Lu Yang and said, "If you were playing center back, you might have stopped that shot, but unfortunately, you are a center forward."

Lu Yang nodded, not discouraged.

It's just an exhibition match, after all; winning or losing doesn't matter.

Besides...

[Ding! You have received the appreciation of legendary star Maniero, gaining 1x random player-level skill.]

[Ding! You have received the appreciation of legendary star Soto, gaining 1x random player-level skill.]

Lu Yang smiled!

The more he plays, the stronger he gets!

That's more like it!