On January 21, the 21st round of Serie D began.
What Lu Yang had told Moric earlier hadn't been an empty promise.
When Moric got home and checked the Serie D standings online, he made a startling discovery.
The total points gap between 15th and 6th place was only twelve points!
What did that mean?
Twelve points. In theory, four wins would be enough to earn them.
Of course, the teams ahead weren't all going to lose four games in a row and let San Remo overtake them. But at the very least, it showed that the gap wasn't impossible to close.
If four games weren't enough, what about ten?
Fourteen?
Eighteen?
There were still eighteen games left, and San Remo's situation wasn't as dire as everyone imagined.
Vedian was doing a great job. With twelve goals, he was the league's second-highest scorer at the halfway point, just two behind Arnold, the starting forward for the league-leading Bisceglie Football Club.
That was no small feat in a low-level league like Serie D.
The lower the league, the harder it was to score consistently. Everyone was relying on luck. Why should you be the only one scoring more than everyone else?
But likewise, once you reached a certain level, playing in a low-level league with the right tactical support could produce surprisingly good results. Many selling clubs used this sort of tactical advantage to help players pad their stats and fetch a good price.
In any case, what Moric and Lu Yang had noticed hadn't escaped Soto, either.
Soto wasn't incapable of handling a game that looked like a hellish start but became ridiculously easy once you made your first purchase.
Especially after he discovered that the team had three players in Lu Yang, Moric, and Vedian.
In the lower leagues, you could get by on sheer talent alone.
Vedian counted as a prodigy—at least in Serie D.
His attacking force would be useful even in Serie B.
And he was a fast winger with a decent ability to pass and shoot.
As long as he had enough chances, twelve goals would definitely not be his limit.
Moric was a prodigy, too. In Soto's eyes, he might even have more talent than Vedian!
Fast wingers were everywhere. New ones emerged every year.
But a midfield conductor came along only once every few years.
Besides... Moric had a bit of Maniero in him!
Even the slightest resemblance would be enough to make Soto do everything in his power to nurture him.
Because even if a midfield maestro like Maniero passed on only a tenth of his talent, it would be enough to benefit someone for the rest of their life—even help them establish themselves in the Top Five Leagues!
As for Lu Yang, honestly, Soto couldn't quite figure him out.
A center-back who wasn't tall or strong.
His speed was passable, and he was damn good with the ball, too.
Was he trash? No. He had all the skills a center-back needed, and he was even pretty good by Serie D standards. His defensive positioning, tackling, interceptions, and build-up play were all excellent.
But a player like him could only manage in Serie D. Put him in a different setting—even Serie C—and Lu Yang probably couldn't handle it.
Could you call someone like that a prodigy?
No!
Soto thought Lu Yang was a talented player, but not a prodigy. He had no natural gifts, but he was hardworking and clever. Through his intelligence and sweat, he'd managed to hold his own in the intensity of Serie D.
But... he'd probably spend the rest of his life stuck in Serie D.
For some reason, after reaching that conclusion, Soto felt a pang of sadness.
He realized that deep down, he actually hoped he was wrong.
Because he could never forget Lu Yang's breathtaking dribble and shot at Marassi Stadium.
That kind of brilliance belonged only to the deadly strikers and star forwards of the football world. So why had it shone from a teenage center-back in Serie D?
Had Soto misjudged him, or did Lu Yang truly have potential that ordinary people couldn't see?
On January 22, at San Remo Municipal Stadium.
San Remo returned to action after the winter break. Their opponent was Avellino, who sat 14th, just one step above the relegation zone.
Neither Lu Yang nor Moric had earned a place in the starting lineup.
It wasn't that Soto wasn't bold enough. He was deliberately looking out for them, trying to spare them too much psychological pressure.
If they started, they'd become the center of attention from the very first minute.
And Lu Yang's job was one that really didn't suit the spotlight.
Any center-back who was repeatedly targeted and attacked could make a mistake.
Likewise, Moric, as the team's midfield core, would be a target for everyone.
Why were those two rookies getting special treatment?
Soto had only one demand for the team in the first half: don't concede.
Once Moric came on, the team would have the tactical ability to attack.
"Defend! Defend properly for me... Don't let him cut inside again... Don't charge in recklessly. Just hold your position... Go challenge him! There's a defender behind you. Your job is to sweep up the midfield..."
Soto shouted himself hoarse.
This team was still missing too many players.
But fortunately, they were playing in Serie D, not Serie A or Serie B. Otherwise, they might as well have surrendered.
San Remo's defense was as awful as ever.
In the 42nd minute, the other team finally scored from a corner routine.
But Soto, who'd been fired up all along, didn't berate his players. His reaction was completely different from before.
Seeing the puzzled look on Tom's face, Soto explained, "I expect my players to do everything they can to carry out my instructions. That may take courage, and I can give them that."
"San Remo used to play far too cleanly. That kind of defending makes it easy for people to bully you. The first step to improving our defense is making sure the other team knows we mean business! At the very least, we can't lose the battle of wills!"
A poor leader could bring down an entire team. That was how it worked.
Soto, the Butcher, might not have much else going for him, but he knew how to be ruthless.
And as the leader of the four butchers, he also knew how to lead a team to victory.
For example, by taking the blame!
"Likewise, once they've given it their all, even if the result isn't ideal, a leader has to step forward, shield them from the storm, and inspire them to get back on their feet." Soto clenched his fist. "Set pieces and corners are inherently unpredictable. They're one of the biggest headaches for defensive teams like ours."
"Even the strongest teams can't avoid conceding that way. It's normal. There's no need to blame the players."
Soon, the referee blew the whistle for halftime.
The first half was over.
Soto and Tom headed toward the locker room. But when Soto saw Lu Yang and Moric starting to get up to follow them, he said, "You two don't need to come in. Go warm up on the pitch."
The two were taken aback, then quickly nodded.
The stadium commentator had clearly noticed. "Oh, our young number 23, Moric, and young number 24, Lu Yang, aren't going into the locker room. They're warming up! Without a doubt, Soto is about to make his move."
"Fans who follow the club's youth academy will know that Moric is San Remo's treasure. Watching him play is a joy. He has the potential to become a midfield conductor."
"And as for Lu Yang, there's no need to say much. He's the player famous for his Lumberjack Shot. After scoring a goal and making a name for himself, he gained plenty of fans. Some say he's a true prodigy, while others say he just got lucky. Now there's no need to guess. Let's wait and see!"
On the pitch, with nearly a thousand people watching, Lu Yang asked Moric, "Want to give them a taste of what we can do?"
Moric frowned. "You want to try that play?"
Lu Yang nodded.
"We're behind. If you leave your position, it could easily..." Moric sounded worried.
"That's exactly why we're behind." Lu Yang shrugged.
Moric could only nod.
The second half began with the sound of the whistle.
Ding! The host has entered his first match as a substitute and acquired the player skill Super Sub! Super Sub: When coming on as a substitute in the second half, all attributes increase by 5%.
After getting the ball, Moric quickly tapped it back to Lu Yang, then shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, charging into the opposition's right half.
At the same time, Vedian—whom Lu Yang had pulled aside and coached at length as soon as he'd come out of the locker room—charged into the opposition's left half.
The two of them were like blades, stabbing into Avellino's flanks.
Avellino's defense was thrown into chaos.
At the same time, though, Avellino's midfielders and forwards charged at the player with the ball, trying to cut off the attack at its source.
After all, play had just restarted. If we weren't ready, what made you think you were?
Besides... San Remo had the ball at the feet of their substitute center-back.
A sixteen-year-old "little kid."
Avellino's forward reached Lu Yang first.
"Oh no! Quick, pass it!"
"Why isn't he passing?"
"We're doomed. He's going to lose the ball!"
"What? Lu Yang's dribbling sideways! That... that's definitely not a good idea! He may have dodged the forward's tackle with that sideways dribble, but what's he going to do about the two midfielders rushing in from the side?"
The commentator's prediction was spot-on.
One of the two midfielders moved to block Lu Yang's path, while the other charged at him.
They were about to take the ball away.
But then something astonishing happened!
Lu Yang used a V-Pull to evade the challenge and change direction, turning his sideways dribble into a forward drive.
He got past his opponent, and the way ahead was clear.
By then, Vedian had found a huge pocket of space on the left wing.
Before the other midfielder could rush over to cover, Lu Yang kicked the ball away.
"Great ball!" Soto's eyes lit up.
Having a center-back carry the ball forward was an incredibly bold gamble.
But high risk brought high reward.
Once he'd beaten his opponent, Lu Yang had the perfect conditions for a pass.
If he'd been a midfielder, the opposition wouldn't have been so overconfident in their defense. They would have focused on preventing a pass. It was precisely because he was a center-back that this opportunity had appeared.
But Soto nearly spat blood a moment later.
Lu Yang's long pass was a bit of a mess.
It was too powerful, and it veered a little to the left.
Luckily, Vedian was fast enough to control the ball before Avellino's right-back could intercept it. But the right-back had caught up with him by then.
Vedian wasn't strong enough to shake off his opponent. The moment they made contact, he was knocked off balance.
Even so, he managed to sweep the ball toward the top of the penalty arc before he fell.
There, Moric charged in at full speed and drew back his leg.
A powerful shot!
The ball flew into the top-right corner of the goal!
The opposing goalkeeper didn't even have time to dive.
It all happened too fast!
"GOAL! It's in! It's in! We've equalized!" The commentator had gone wild. "This was a lightning-fast goal, planned down to the last detail! Lu Yang launched the attack, Vedian made the breakthrough, and young Moric finished it off. A perfect team goal!"
"Oh, this is an astonishing record: thirteen seconds! San Remo needed only thirteen seconds to score! It's the fastest second-half goal in Serie D history! It may even be the fastest second-half goal in all of Italian professional football!"
"Look at Lu Yang's ball control. It's a joy to watch! That's not how a center-back is supposed to play, but there it is! A perfect V-Pull that fooled everyone, followed by a long pass..."
"Vedian is so fast! He overtook their center-back and right-back during his off-the-ball run. And his final pass was spot-on. Sweeping it into the middle was the right choice! He knows how to use his speed and pass the ball. He's so clever—he deserves to be called a prodigy!"
"I have to remind you all: this is Vedian's fifth assist of the season. Twelve goals and five assists—he's an absolute all-rounder!"
"Young Moric came on in a competitive match and scored with his second touch, just thirteen seconds later. He scored on his debut—this match is already a perfect one for him!"
"Look at his shooting technique! A first-time shot is extremely difficult. One slight mistake and the ball goes flying. His free kicks must be excellent. He has everything you'd expect from a midfielder!"
The commentator ignored the flaws in Lu Yang's long pass and heaped praise on the three players involved in the goal. He knew exactly what the fans wanted to hear, and Lu Yang admired that.
"Hey, Lu, that long pass of yours..." Vedian sounded regretful. If that pass had been a little more comfortable, he could have gone straight through on goal. What a shame.
"If we don't talk about that pass, we can still be friends!" Lu Yang quickly cut him off.
After all, his passing really wasn't up to professional standards.
Moric would have made a better pass.
Of course, if it had been Moric, the other team wouldn't have given him the chance. By the time he'd shaken off the defense and found an opening to pass, Vedian might have already been offside.
This goal needed every one of them!
Avellino's players looked as if they'd swallowed a mouthful of shit.
What the hell were they supposed to do to defend against that?
A center-back was carrying the ball and doing a midfielder's job.
A defensive midfielder had charged forward and was playing like an attacking midfielder.
And they had a track-and-field athlete who ran like the wind. Why was he bringing his crossover sport onto a football pitch? Couldn't they just keep it simple and play football the simple way?
"Celebrate! We haven't celebrated yet!" Vedian had plenty of experience scoring goals and had to remind the two rookies.
Only then did Lu Yang and Moric react. They ran toward the corner flag together.
Moric turned to the camera. "Pay attention, pay attention!"
Lu Yang picked up the line. "You're watching..."
Together, they shouted, "The San Remo Legend! Setting sail!"