Ah! A New Crisis? (Two-in-One)

All eyes had been drawn to the rippling white net, then suddenly shifted back to the Chinese teenager who had delivered that miraculous long pass.

So dashing.

So elegant.

He was practically the soul of the entire team.

Milan was Europe's fashion capital, and countless daughters of fallen noble families, down-and-out aristocratic ladies, and faded glamorous actresses... couldn't help screaming and cheering at that moment.

Even those who knew nothing about football were thrilled by Li Luo's Inward-Curling Arc.

It was an indescribable visual experience.

Like admiring a work of art.

Cheers erupted from the Meazza Stadium stands and poured down onto the pitch.

Li Luo kept replaying the way he had exerted force in that instant.

His body posture.

The point where he struck the ball.

The follow-through...

He had never produced such a "perfect" Inward-Curling Arc in training before.

His passing ability had been pushed to its absolute limit.

And—

The essence of an inward-curving long pass lay in how its landing point changed after it dropped... its inward spin only faded after several bounces, allowing his 56-point passing attribute to play to its strengths while avoiding its weaknesses.

Of course, the receiving teammate couldn't be too lacking in football intelligence either.

"Beautiful!"

"It's in!"

"Li Luo delivered an astonishing long pass, curling around Inter Milan's defensive line."

"A god's-eye view."

"Top-tier reading of the match."

"A genius midfielder dazzling the Europa League!"

"The long pass floated unpredictably through the air."

"The ball's lateral zigzag after hitting the ground allowed Vieirinha to burst forward, collect it, and face the goalkeeper one-on-one!"

"Their combination has given Wolfsburg the lead."

The commentator's voice was full of excitement.

Coach Zhang sighed in amazement... he had never expected Li Luo to break the deadlock with an inward-curving long pass.

In the livestream.

The big screen replayed the moment of the goal.

A dense flood of comments covered the screen.

-[That was insane!]

-[So handsome!]

-[Husband!]

-[Damn, Li Luo's long pass bounced, bounced, bounced, bounced... and rolled right through Inter Milan's defense. What kind of principle is that?]

-[The Oreo principle, the Daliyuan effect, and Orion aerodynamics.]

-[The long-passing technique is one thing, but Li Luo's vision is even more important. Does he have a god's-eye view or something?]

-[What kind of role would Li Luo play for the national team? If he sent a pass like that in a China match, our forwards could easily score against the other side too, right?]

The Wolfsburg players rushed over one after another to embrace Li Luo.

They absolutely loved the Chinese teenager before them.

Part of it was the emotional bond and the team's honor.

The other part was the win bonus.

Vieirinha looked utterly incredulous. "That was incredible, Li. Before the ball dropped, I thought you weren't even passing it to me."

"Perfectly weighted."

"The moment I brought the ball under control, the spin on it had just about faded away."

"Eh? Li, you seem to have grown a little taller? I'm the shortest on the team again!"

Vieirinha was 172 centimeters tall and had been selected for Portugal's 2014 FIFA World Cup squad. Surprisingly, this substitute actually wore the number 10 shirt.

Li Luo retorted, "I was taller than you to begin with."

Everyone burst into laughter.

There was no height discrimination in the football world. The two were simply joking around and teasing each other.

De Bruyne finally squeezed into the crowd and joined the celebration.

Staring excitedly at Li Luo's face, he could not help but feel stirred. "Li's long passes still drift a little... He must be doing it to make them harder for opponents to judge, right?"

"His style of long passing is different from mine."

At the sidelines.

Hecking and the assistant coaches embraced each other excitedly.

They were overjoyed.

In the second round of the Europa League, they could see the light of victory again.

If they could avoid being ravaged by injuries later on, Wolfsburg might even be able to dream of winning the Europa League this season!

On the other side.

Mazzarri's hair was a mess.

"Damn it."

"That kid Li is too talented."

"Wolfsburg is so lucky."

"If Inter Milan had both a developing Li Luo and De Bruyne, how wonderful would that be?"

The match that followed.

Became dull again.

Some said that no matter how open a team's style was, once they stepped onto an Italian pitch, they would become unwatchable.

Inter Milan attacked with great effort.

But Wolfsburg excelled at parking the bus. Their deep defensive system had long been drilled into an impenetrable wall by Hecking.

Whenever they launched a counterattack, they could make the tens of thousands of Inter Milan fans in the stadium tremble with fear.

In the 50th minute.

Kovacic sent a long diagonal pass.

He was a household-name midfield prodigy in Croatia. At eighteen, he joined Inter Milan for a transfer fee of 11 million euros.

Croatian fans' expectations of him.

Were roughly... the same as Chinese fans' expectations of Li Luo.

"Yuto Nagatomo's timing on that run down the flank is crucial."

"Two teammates are following up—wow! A series of quick combinations in tight spaces."

"Can they penetrate Wolfsburg's defense?"

"Ah! Whose foot blocked it out?"

"Gustavo clears it... Is he passing to Li Luo?"

"Hehehe, former Bayern Munich player Gustavo might be thinking: I used to play UEFA Champions League matches against opponents like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Chelsea! Inter Milan, you're not what you used to be. I'm under no pressure at all!"

"Counterattack!"

"Here it comes."

Li Luo did not dwell on the ball.

He immediately passed it to Malanda.

Then he continued charging forward, raising a hand as he ran to signal Little Black Egg to send the ball out wide.

He had not run far.

When Malanda passed the ball back to him again...

Sighs rang out endlessly at the Meazza Stadium.

Inter Milan's local fans had already witnessed the quality of Wolfsburg's counterattacks, and fearful expressions surfaced on their faces without them realizing it.

Simple.

Li Luo possessed elite vision, allowing him to quickly spot the gaps in Inter Milan's formation as they dropped back into position.

Ensuring that the first half of the counterattacking chain would not break.

De Bruyne possessed elite passing and movement, especially that killer final ball, which could directly threaten the defense.

Ensuring the quality of the second half of the counterattacking chain.

A devastating two-core combination.

"Oh!"

"That through ball from Li Luo..."

"The lead on it was perfect!"

"De Bruyne made a run into the right channel."

"He was quick, reaching the ball before Juan Jesus."

"One explosive touch!"

"Shot!"

Tonight, De Bruyne had already taken two shots, both saved by Handanovic.

This time.

Without the protection of his defense, Inter Milan's goalkeeper was powerless to turn things around.

Bang!

The ball skimmed along the grass and blasted into the bottom-left corner.

0:2!!!

The Meazza Stadium was drowned in sighs.

"Beautiful!"

"Another goal!"

"Crouching Dragon and Young Phoenix!"

"Li Luo links up with De Bruyne! The Crouching Dragon and Young Phoenix—two genius midfielders! Together, they've torn apart Inter Milan's defense!"

"Wolfsburg extend their lead."

"Li Luo has two assists."

"A Chinese player shining brilliantly at the Meazza..."

The commentator's voice was charged with excitement.

Director Zhang kept chuckling nonstop.

"Li, so this is what it feels like to be fed a tap-in..."

De Bruyne's cheeks reddened as he raised both fists and bounced about.

Li Luo and the Wolfsburg players... out of reflex, copied the exact same celebration.

Live chat.

-[What kind of neighborhood-level celebration is that?]

-[Crouching Dragon and Young Phoenix.]

-[Li Luo is meshing better and better with his teammates. Wolfsburg might actually stop Bayern Munich from winning the title this season, hahaha!]

Wolfsburg's celebrations gradually died down.

In the 68th minute.

During a stoppage, the fourth official raised the LED number board by the touchline outside the center circle.

"Hecking makes a substitution."

"Li Luo is being taken off."

"With four matches in one week during this brutal stretch, the young players really need proper rest."

"Don't run him into the ground."

Rounds of applause rose from the Meazza stands.

Li Luo walked to the touchline and exchanged a high-five and hug with Arnold.

Hecking excitedly spread his arms.

"Fantastic, Li!"

"Go get some rest."

The assistant coaches all handed him dry towels and water.

For some reason, the moment Li Luo walked off the pitch, he suddenly felt exhausted.

Still, he was in high spirits.

[Shock Points gained: 170256]

[Spend 100,000 Shock Points to exchange for a Europa League All-Stars Blind Box?]

[Exchanging...]

Li Luo high-fived his teammates and staff along the way before taking his seat.

Rumble!

A gigantic card suddenly rose before him.

Come on.

The Europa League blind box probably wouldn't give him anything useless!

He needed to improve in every area.

Looking forward to it...

[Blind Box opening...]

The shadow of a bicycle kick slowly emerged on the card.

[Europa League Golden Boot.]

[Europa League God of Slaughter, Europa League Striker Overlord, Europa League Tiger.]

[When Porto qualified for the UEFA Champions League, he transferred to Atlético Madrid; when Atlético Madrid qualified for the UEFA Champions League, he transferred to Monaco; when Monaco qualified for the UEFA Champions League, he transferred to Manchester United... In the 2014/15 season, Manchester United had no European competition to play in—not even the Europa League.]

Which unlucky bastard was that?

Was he cursed by the UEFA Champions League?

Li Luo could not help recalling a compilation of "football curses" he had watched recently.

Guttmann's curse, Maradona's curse, the FIFA Confederations Cup champions' curse... and so on.

The funniest was in the Japanese J.League. There was a striker named Ryoichi Maeda who, from 2007 to 2012, over six seasons, relegated every team he scored his first goal of the season against from the J.League.

It scared the J.League clubs into issuing orders: under no circumstances could they let that kid break the seal!

[Congratulations, you have obtained: Falcao's "Tiger Descends the Mountain" module!]

[Awooo~]

[During matches, you can link shooting movements more smoothly and adjust your shooting posture more easily.]

[Additional attribute increase: Shooting +5]

Good stuff.

With several modules stacked together, his shooting attribute... had already reached a whopping 75 points!

The attribute adjustment from Müller's "False Run" module.

The attribute bonuses from Matthäus's cannon shot and Falcao's finishing technique.

With 75 points in shooting, did the Europa League's finest dare to be afraid?

The night breeze at the Meazza Stadium gradually dried his sweat.

Even his pores seemed to be breathing.

Li Luo felt utterly refreshed.

The psychological pressure on him dropped sharply.

At Wolfsburg, such a united and balanced Bundesliga team, he could lie low, develop steadily, and improve step by step.

Next season, riding seven-colored clouds...

" Theatre of Dreams, your genius has returned!"

"Hey, why does our Manchester United Crown Prince not seem to have improved much?"

In the end, Beep! Beep-beep!

The whistle that broke Inter Milan fans' hearts sounded through Meazza Stadium.

Inter Milan 1:3 Wolfsburg.

Hecking pumped his fist excitedly.

Wolfsburg's fans were overjoyed.

Another Europa League win secured, and the light of qualification for the knockout stage shone ever brighter.

The Chinese teenager stood beside the G.G. board, accepting interviews from the Italian media.

Cameras and microphones were thrust at him from every direction.

Flashbulbs kept going off.

A chubby reporter asked, "Li, your performance tonight was incredible, but many fans on the Apennine Peninsula may not know you very well. Could you introduce yourself?"

"My name is Li Luo. I'm eighteen years old, and I'm Chinese."

"Then would you come to Serie A?"

Serie A?

He was returning to Manchester United next season. There was no way he could join another club.

Li Luo instinctively shook his head.

But then he felt that would be somewhat impolite.

"Serie A has a glorious history. Countless stars have left legendary moments on the Apennine Peninsula..."

Clap, clap, clap.

Thunderous applause erupted.

The Italian media was very pleased with that answer.

Suddenly.

The chubby reporter raised another question. "During the international break half a month from now, will you represent China and make your national team debut? As far as I know, the opponent will be Japan's second team."

"A period of adjustment ahead of the Asian Cup!"

"I believe many Chinese fans hope you can wash away the humiliation of China's 1:5 crushing defeat to Thailand's second team."

"You carry the expectations of countless Chinese fans!"

Li Luo froze for a moment.

With the club playing four matches a week recently, he had simply had no time to pay attention to outside news.

What?

An international break?

An international A-level match, representing the national team against Japan's second team?

Then many of his weaknesses would be exposed!

The... style of his national team teammates was different from that of his Wolfsburg teammates.

Hecking's tactical system and the abilities of his Wolfsburg teammates had concealed many of his shortcomings to a large extent.

The national team? Washing away the humiliation of a 1:5 defeat?

A period of adjustment before the Asian Cup?

Li Luo suddenly felt the pressure multiply.

Others were still leveling up in the beginner village alongside high-level accounts, yet now he was being asked to wear basic gear and solo an elite monster?

In truth, Chinese fans were not that demanding.

Previously, when the national team lost 0:8 to Brazil, Chinese fans had been very tolerant and understanding, speaking out online to encourage them.

But losing 1:5 to Thailand's second team... that scoreline was simply too hard to accept.

A moment later, the interview ended.

Li Luo calmed himself.

No matter what, he had to face it bravely.

There were still half a month until the international A-level match.

There was still one Bundesliga match left to exchange for a blind box.

There was still room for improvement.

A mechanical, icy electronic voice quietly rang out.

[Mission Triggered: China National Team Debut.]

[Mission Description: Regardless of the match result, you will receive a gift.]

[Quest Reward: Dark Gold Treasure Chest.]

Not a blind box exchanged with Shock Points?

A treasure chest that directly gave rewards?

Good stuff.

Li Luo's Spatial Awareness module had come from a treasure chest!

One news story after another climbed the trending charts on the Chinese internet.

<The Inward-Curling Arc That Sliced Through the Night Sky Above Meazza Stadium.>

<Li Luo's Masterful Control: Two Brilliant Assists That Crushed Inter Milan.>

A Rising New Star of the Europa League.

<Famed Manager Hecking's Plan: Li Luo and De Bruyne Forge a Super Double-Core Midfield.>

<Japanese Media: A Major International A-Level Clash! J.League Players and Selected Overseas Elites Assemble to Face Genius Li Luo!>

<Chinese Football Association: Will Li Luo Play? We Need to Hold a Meeting to Study and Discuss It.>

<The Sun: Li Luo May Secretly Meet an Eastern Girl During the International Break.>

The number of comments, likes, and reposts kept skyrocketing.

-[What? Li Luo's going to beat up Japan?]

-[That's great news!]

-[Japan's headline makes it sound like a line from Captain Tsubasa...]

-[Football is a team sport. Don't put too much pressure on Li Luo. He has no time in the Bundesliga to build chemistry with the national team. We need to be tolerant and understanding. He's the only college student in the whole village! Don't tear him down or insult him.]

-[Yeah, no matter the score when the time comes, we need to encourage Li Luo. He's still young, and he's playing so well in the Bundesliga. Don't make him carry all those heavy expectations of the national team.]

-[One genius can't save the national team, but we have to support Li Luo to the very end!]

-[Two assists against Inter Milan in the Europa League—who dares question my Luo's ability?]

-[That long pass from Li Luo... it was practically a work of art.]