Imitating Leo Kang's Style!

Bayer Leverkusen offices.

The assistant handed over a report. "Director, Leo Kang's jerseys are still selling poorly in China. But in several countries on the Balkan Peninsula, they're selling like crazy!"

"Some video bloggers broke down Leo Kang's free-kick movements frame by frame and found that they look incredibly similar to Mihajlovic's!"

"His passing technique and physicality have also made Balkan fans see him as the new hope of Yugoslavian football!"

Völler lit a cigar and laughed. "Yugoslavian football? It disappeared from this world many years ago! Other than that free kick, I can't see the slightest connection between Leo Kang and Yugoslavia! Do Balkan fans still fantasize about Leo Kang and Modrić becoming international teammates?"

The assistant nodded seriously.

Although every boast the director had made about Leo Kang had come true one by one.

Becoming international teammates with Modrić? That was simply impossible.

Völler shifted the ashtray and said, "We need to prepare a new contract extension for Leo Kang."

He lifted a page of fax paper from Barcelona off his desk.

Leo Kang returned to the first-team dormitory.

His phone suddenly chimed.

He looked down at the screen.

His goal bonus from the Champions League qualifiers had arrived.

That was one of the good things about Bayer Leverkusen. Their tiered bonuses were never delayed like those of the Spain National Youth Team.

At the same time.

The system notification suddenly sounded.

[Injury Immunity Physique module fusion complete!]

[Potential left hamstring injury repaired.]

[Potential groin injury repaired.]

[Potential cruciate ligament injury repaired.]

[Potential soleus muscle injury repaired.]

Leo Kang was slightly surprised.

He had actually been carrying so many hidden injuries that even Bayer Leverkusen's team doctors could not detect?

They were probably side effects from the Curved Heavy Cannon module and its powerful shots.

Like that Premier League player whose balls had ruptured after unleashing a thunderous long-range strike.

The next morning.

Bayer Leverkusen's first-team training ground.

"Leo, good morning! You always arrive before everyone else!"

"Leo, have you had breakfast?"

"Leo, wipe off that sweat."

The teammates were behaving very differently from usual, showing none of their usual coldness.

They all greeted Leo Kang warmly.

It was as though the mute Chinese kid had always been their closest companion.

Even BellArabi handed him a dry towel with a fake smile plastered on his face.

Leo Kang did not take it.

He merely greeted Son Heung-min, Brandt, Kramer, and Kießling.

In the distance.

Çalhanoğlu wore a complicated expression.

Bayer Leverkusen's head coach and assistant coach slowly approached, continually discussing matters while holding small tactical boards.

A moment later.

The whistle blew.

The internal scrimmage began.

Leo Kang's name was still not on the list.

"Hakan, our coaching staff has analyzed Leo Kang's characteristics. If you can learn from him, Bayer Leverkusen's midfield control will become even stronger!"

Schmidt smiled as he patted Çalhanoğlu on the shoulder.

The latter nodded earnestly.

Sure enough.

The tactical drill that followed was practically a replay of Leo Kang's command and distribution during the final six minutes against Manchester United!

It was even more aggressive interweaving movement layered on top of their original high-pressing style.

In the fifth minute.

Çalhanoğlu floated in a chipped pass.

Kießling finished in one go.

He broke through Team B's goal.

Schmidt stood by the sideline and clapped excitedly. "That's right! If Hakan absorbs Leo's strengths, we'll definitely crush Manchester United at home!"

The other teammates felt that something was off.

Çalhanoğlu did not really look like Leo Kang.

Why was he copying Leo Kang by constantly raising his hands to direct their runs?

Soon.

The 20-minute internal training match ended.

Captain Bender came before Schmidt and asked in confusion, "Coach, given Leo's ability, he absolutely needs to take part in the internal scrimmages! We can't keep overlooking him like we did before!"

Schmidt shook his head. "Leo is only seventeen this year. He lacks experience. One or two standout performances don't prove anything. It's very possible that Manchester United simply weren't familiar enough with him. Hakan has already proven his ability in the Bundesliga. He is our true core!"

"Even setting ability aside, Hakan loves Bayer Leverkusen! Leo did come out of La Masia Academy, after all!"

Bayer Leverkusen's head coach was not merely stubborn.

He believed that Çalhanoğlu was Bayer Leverkusen's record signing and was earning the club's highest salary.

A player worth that much had merely performed poorly in the first leg against Manchester United.

Bender did not say anything more.

He turned to look at the black-haired figure training alone in the distance.

Then he shook his head.

Leo Kang did not care much about the internal scrimmages.

Because he had discovered that his attribute points rose faster when he trained alone.

The final eight minutes at Old Trafford had already proven that this group of Bayer Leverkusen teammates possessed strong tactical awareness and understanding.

Unless they needed to practice specific tactical set pieces.

They barely needed to spend much time training together.

It was just that once an attribute surpassed 70 points, improving it became increasingly difficult.

Leo Kang suddenly had a strange thought.

By the system's standards, certain attributes of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo must be close to, or even above, 100, right?

Three days later.

Matchday arrived.

The second round of the Bundesliga.

Bayer Leverkusen VS Hertha Berlin.

The Bayer Arena was packed to the brim.

Leo Kang and Brandt sat in the cafeteria, watching the live broadcast.

"Damn it, the coach didn't include either of us in the matchday squad. My savings plan for a big house has been pushed back another week!"

"Then again, maybe not. What if they lose? Hahaha!"

Brandt had come through Wolfsburg's academy and, like Leo Kang, did not feel particularly attached to Bayer Leverkusen.

It was just that Bayer Leverkusen offered the best bonuses and salaries, and paid them most promptly.

That could greatly shorten his plan to buy a house.

The broadcast suddenly cut to the pre-match press conference.

Leo Kang could not help feeling slightly surprised.

Magath?

According to the original timeline, this guy should have been taking it easy and enjoying life during the 2015/16 season. How had he ended up coaching Hertha Berlin!

Bayer Leverkusen's match this round looked a little dangerous!

Schmidt was once again ignored by the media.

Cameras and microphones all turned toward Hertha Berlin's head coach—Magath.

After all, he was a world-renowned "tactical master."

As a player, he had also helped the German National Football Team win countless honors.

Magath calmly adjusted his glasses. "You're asking who Bayer Leverkusen's most threatening player is? That Asian kid! Not Son Heung-min, but Leo Kang. He left a deep impression at Old Trafford."

At the same time.

In some livestream room in China.

The small-time streamer was wildly excited. "Brothers, get on board! Bet all your Happy Beans heavily on Bayer Leverkusen! With Leo Kang the jinx on their side, it's a guaranteed win!"

[What's going on? Why do Bayer Leverkusen's odds keep rising?]

[It's a trap, brothers! Don't panic! No odds can compare to Leo Kang the jinx!]

[Hertha Berlin have been very strong this season. Their head coach is Magath!]

[Holy shit! The matchday squad is out! I don't see Leo Kang's name!]

Thanks to Ranqing Zhuhua for the monthly ticket and reward.

Thanks to Youge Dadan Xiangfa Hia for the monthly ticket and reward.

Thanks to reader 202204111222819176 for the three rewards. I missed your name yesterday, and I'm very sorry.

Thanks to Dongzhi Wuyu for the reward.

Thanks to everyone who voted with recommendation tickets.

Wait for the next chapter. It really won't be frustrating.