A Bountiful Harvest! (Two-in-one)

The white net was stretched taut by the incredibly violent force.

The close-up cameras at Goodison Park trembled slightly from the overwhelming roar of astonishment.

A last-gasp winner!

A soul-stirring, brutal headed winner!

Li Luo spread his arms and ran all the way along the touchline.

His teammates followed close behind.

Camera flashes flickered nonstop.

Wolfsburg's assistant coaches had been waiting on the sidelines for a long time and excitedly embraced the Chinese youngster.

"The ball is in!"

"At the very last moment!"

"De Bruyne took the free kick, and Li Luo completed the winner, changing the scoreline."

"The Toffees' shield was shattered by that breathtaking header."

"This is football."

"Until the final moment, you never know what might happen."

"Hehehe, Li Luo fought tooth and nail to win that final set-piece opportunity too."

Livestream chat.

-[Holy shit, I went to the bathroom and came back... Over 2.5 came alive. This is unbelievable.]

-[Li Luo's passing, movement, and escapes in midfield were clearly so elegant, yet he produced such a ferocious header in settled play!]

-[The Chinese youngster, on his Europa League debut: one assist and one goal, tearing down cities and smashing through strongholds, unstoppable.]

-[And the opponent was Everton, a relatively strong and well-balanced side.]

-[He actually won it at the death?]

-[Lukaku's headed goal was stunning, and Li Luo's headed goal was just as stunning.]

-[McCarthy's reading of the ball's trajectory was so slow, and his timing on the start was a beat late... He's clearly seven centimeters taller than Li Luo.]

Wolfsburg's bench.

The coaching staff, substitutes, and players celebrated excitedly.

Hecking shook Li Luo by the shoulders in excitement.

"Fantastic."

"Li, you're our hero."

Li Luo said seriously, "Yes, I'm a hero!"

On the system panel, his Shock Points kept skyrocketing.

[Shock Points gained: 215688]

Could he exchange them for two "Europa League All-Stars Blind Boxes"?

On the other side.

Martínez stood frozen in place.

His eyes were vacant as he occasionally looked up at the goal replay on the LED screen overhead.

Some rejoiced, while others grieved.

Everton's players looked despondent.

Several local players with Great Britain household registration had even lost the mood to visit a nightclub that evening.

Lukaku wore a calm expression as he muttered, "If I had the chance to be Li's teammate, I'd probably be able to realize my own value even more."

Mirallas consoled him, "It's all right. We'll have plenty of chances to face him in the future. Next time, we'll definitely beat him."

The little black egg nodded. "Besides club-level contests, there are also national team clashes."

"The European Championship."

"..."

"Idiot, Li doesn't play in the European Championship."

By the rules.

After the stoppage-time winner, the referee team still had to restart from the center circle before blowing for full time.

A moment later.

The ball rolled gently on the center line.

Beep! Beep-beep!

The referee blew the final whistle.

Everton 1:2 Wolfsburg.

The LED screen hanging overhead displayed UEFA's Man of the Match number: Wolfsburg No. 10, Li Luo.

"The match is over."

"Congratulations to Wolfsburg, and best wishes to Everton."

"Li Luo and De Bruyne each contributed a goal and an assist tonight to seal the victory."

"Lukaku had once stubbornly equalized the score."

"So many outstanding young players are emerging across world football."

"Among these youngsters, China's Li Luo is an exceptionally dazzling rising star. I hope that on his journey ahead... he can continue setting new milestones for Chinese players!"

Applause surged like a tide.

Li Luo took a couple of sips of water, wiped away his sweat with a towel, and prepared to thank the away supporters with his teammates.

As he walked.

In the front-row stands, a blonde girl of sixteen or seventeen leaned out and waved her arms desperately.

"Li!"

"Li, I... can I have your shirt?"

"No, I'm giving my shirt to the Wolfsburg fans who traveled with us."

CCTV-5's broadcast studio.

The commentator and Director Zhang were studying Li Luo's total distance covered, passing accuracy, defensive cover, heat map...

Then they suddenly saw the director switch the camera to the sideline.

"Hehehe!"

"Sixteen-year-old Kelly is so lively. She nearly jumped over the advertising boards to ask Li Luo for his match-worn shirt."

"Li Luo wouldn't give it to her, haha."

"Kelly made a face at him."

"Haha, the cameraman and the surrounding spectators are all laughing. Even the Wolfsburg fans are signaling for Li Luo to give the little girl his shirt."

"Li Luo has high emotional intelligence. Considering her dignity in front of so many people, he handed the shirt over."

"The camera has switched to Lukaku nearby. The Black Everton forward is standing there shirtless with a jersey in hand, looking utterly lost... haha, maybe he wanted to swap shirts with Li Luo too."

The Wolfsburg fans did not mind that detail.

They shouted the Chinese youngster's name.

Their voices were filled with joy and happiness.

"Li Luo~"

"Li Luo~"

"Our hero, Li Luo~"

In the opening round of the Europa League group stage, Li Luo had not only helped the team emerge unscathed from Goodison Park, but also completed a last-gasp winner to secure three precious points.

His standing in the hearts of Wolfsburg fans had risen steadily.

They did not care at all that he was only on loan.

The mixed zone.

De Bruyne was especially talkative today.

"As long as Li stays healthy, I believe Wolfsburg can win many honors this season."

"I'll help him..."

"He doesn't need anyone's deliberate help to win the Golden Boy Award. He has the ability."

As the night deepened, Goodison Park slowly fell quiet.

The Wolfsburg players returned to the locker room.

Everyone felt as if they had just won a game, replaying their performances over and over in their minds.

Bendtner hitched up his shorts and showed off his thigh muscles. "Wasn't I handsome tonight? Wasn't I such a team player? I'm about at the peak age for a target man! I pinned down their defensive line, I laid the ball off for you guys, and Everton's defenders couldn't even trash-talk better than me."

"My role was just that important. Even though I didn't score or assist, Arsenal beat Everton 6–2, and Wolfsburg beat Everton 2–1. Hahaha!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Captain Benaglio, meanwhile, did not take any credit. Instead, he kept complaining about Lukaku's luck...

Malanda quietly tapped away at the calculator app on his phone, his tone excited. "Li, it's so good to have you. The win bonuses I've saved up over these past few rounds... are enough to buy a car!"

He was only nineteen this year, with little playing time, so his share of the win bonuses was relatively small.

After thinking for a moment, Li Luo pulled out a copy of Buffon: My Investment Insights from his backpack and handed it to Little Black Egg. He said seriously, "A little suggestion. We should learn from Buffon and learn how to manage our money."

It was only a small suggestion.

Li Luo would not interfere with anyone else's spending habits.

Little Black Egg froze for a moment, deeply moved. He accepted the book with both hands, his face devout. "Thank you, Li. I won't buy a car anymore."

The post-match press conference.

Hecking was growing increasingly accustomed to the media's praise.

Peerless master coach, training maestro, tactical genius of endless variations, grandmaster who fused Klopp-style and German football philosophies...

He adjusted the tie at his chest and said solemnly:

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"

"But you overlooked one thing. Tonight, I made a personnel adjustment at defensive midfield. I used neither Arnold nor Guilavogui."

"I used Malanda."

"Do you understand? With different midfield partners, Li will play in different ways."

"Different ingredients, different methods of cooking."

"Why was he constantly shaking off defenders tonight? Oh! God, the moment he received the ball and slipped past his man, it was like he was dancing. Everyone praised how elegant and charming it was... What I want to say is, that is Li's normal level."

A moment later.

Martínez appeared in the hall.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke:

"I'm not as good as Mr. Hecking."

The Wolfsburg squad returned to the hotel where they were staying.

Bendtner sneakily slipped out through the side entrance of the lobby.

Li Luo and his teammates could not help but admire the Arsenal Emperor's stamina and energy...

Back in his room.

[Do you wish to spend 100,000 Shock Points to exchange for a Europa League · Star Blind Box?]

[Exchanging...]

[Do you wish to continue spending 100,000 Shock Points?]

[Exchanging...]

His guess had been right.

He really could exchange for two UEFA · Star Blind Boxes!

Rumble...

Rumble...

Two gigantic cards suddenly rose before him!

Different figures slowly emerged within the cards.

Every time he opened a blind box, he could not help feeling nervous and thrilled.

Li Luo took a deep breath.

What did he want?

There were far too many things he wanted.

He would reveal the first card first!

[Blind Box opening...]

A figure clenched both fists and let out a thunderous roar.

[Glory and dreams, our Roma "vice" captain.]

[From the "New Wolf King" to the "Vice Wolf King."]

[An important supporting character in Totti Joke Collection.]

[Roma's vice-captain, who averaged 2.8 tackles per game last season.]

[Congratulations: You have obtained De Rossi's "Precise Interception" module.]

[How could an outstanding midfielder not know how to defend?]

[Use your brain to anticipate the opponent's attacking directions and passing connections.]

[Additional attribute boost: Defense +5, Tackling +5!]

The back of his head tingled slightly.

Good stuff.

It had forcibly added two attributes!

Not only that, the geometric model of Spatial Awareness in his mind seemed to have gained a faint red line. A potential enhancement?

In high-intensity contests, defending was never a one-man job. Wolfsburg teammate Gustavo was a very capable defender, yet he still could not cover every gap.

Working with his teammates, Li Luo was confident that during Wolfsburg's low-block phases, he could make greater defensive contributions.

The second card.

[The blind box is opening...]

The bald figure, posed in the act of swinging his leg for a volley, gradually came into focus.

[In 1996, the 24-year-old French midfielder faced the final Europa League match of his career: the final against Bayern Munich.]

[The silent leader. Bordeaux's manager had once suspected that this young man was mute.]

[Final curtain call: Iron Head.]

Rumble!

The card burst forth with an incomparably dazzling light.

[Congratulations: You have obtained Zidane's "Dragonfly Skimming" module.]

[Passive Effect: At the instant you handle the ball, you may gain more inspiration. It is a habit—an instinct.]

Zidane!

Li Luo had watched recordings of his matches and video highlights.

Dragonfly Skimming—judging from its passive effect... combined with Spatial Awareness and One-Touch Passing, it might become a god-tier skill, and one with tremendous appeal.

It could solve many problems during matches.

Especially when handling the ball in the space between the opponent's two lines, it might relieve immense pressure.

The match against Everton had been quite a haul.

The De Rossi module and the Zidane module had improved Li Luo's overall abilities.

Li Luo did not lose himself in the joy of becoming stronger.

He opened his notebook.

He began writing in his diary and summarizing.

"Coach Hecking is a renowned manager. He's very capable. Sending Malanda out to fully support me eased my pressure."

"Next match, I can make Malanda do a bit more work?"

"Everton's midfielders and defenders made a lot of little moves, and the physical clashes were fiercer. I was lucky not to get injured today."

"Receiving the ball head-on and breaking free is a miraculous passive dribbling skill in fast-paced confrontations."

"The pace of a match needs to be supported by the players' abilities. If it is simply fast, there will only be more openings."

"Bendtner invited me to George Street's 'Men's Paradise' to experience the local flavor. I refused, because infectious diseases are terrifying."

"Being strong in the air... isn't just for shooting. It can also be used to knock the ball down and set up plays."

"Wolfsburg has entered a period of fighting on multiple fronts. The fourth round of the Bundesliga is coming in three days, and everyone will be exhausted."

"Everton manager Martínez employed a technical defensive-counterattacking system tonight. This style is still rare in Europe's top five leagues, so there is no need to waste too much time studying it in depth for now."

He closed the notebook.

Fatigue and drowsiness gradually engulfed Li Luo.

With difficulty, he switched his phone to silent mode, then collapsed onto the bed.

In the eastern land, roosters crowed as dawn broke.

People began another busy day.

Li Luo's highlight reel played on phones in sidewalks, subway stations, buses, breakfast shops... and countless other places. The vast majority of Chinese fans felt an overwhelming surge of excitement.

"Holy shit! You can shake people off like that?"

"So calm and composed, like he was taking a leisurely stroll."

"So handsome."

"His style is both simple and elegant."

"Awesome! A last-minute winner!"

"With this BGM, it's so hype."

"On his Europa League debut, Li Luo took down Everton, who finished fifth in the Premier League last season. His form is really stable—he hasn't declined at all."

"Everton's strength this season might only rank somewhere in the teens in the Premier League, but for Li Luo to lead Wolfsburg to such a performance away from home is already incredible."

"I saw an expert's analysis: the famous coach Hecking changed Li Luo's style of play because he was really trying to prevent him from getting injured."

The front pages of major sports newspapers carried photos of Li Luo in Wolfsburg's white away kit.

Different photos, different moments.

The Chinese Man's Europa League Campaign.

Chinese fans found it difficult to calm down for a long time.

Manchester.

Van Gaal stared at the footage, full of pride.

"See?"

"The technical support we provided to Wolfsburg's coaching staff was extremely useful."

Giggs scratched his head. "Boss, I... don't really see it. I think Hecking gave Li a great deal of freedom, which was why they managed to win such a difficult match."

"..."

"Let's change the subject. Could we ask Hecking for some advice?"

"How does he usually train Li and De Bruyne? Have him provide some technical support for Manchester United as well."

"We can use those methods to develop Manchester United's young midfielders."

Van Gaal's eyes were filled with anticipation.

Giggs nodded.

Manchester United's staff were deeply envious of Wolfsburg's results. Fortunately, Li Luo had only been loaned out temporarily... If he had been sold, how much would Manchester United have had to spend to buy him back?