A Reporter Storms the Pitch

He pulled out the original owner's press pass and boarded a flight to Shanghu.

Everything hinged on this. If AC Milan did not sign him, he was basically finished.

After all, getting an overseas visa was a hassle these days, especially for someone like him, whose parents were both dead. A college graduate with no job could easily be denied a visa; any hint of immigration intent was enough to get rejected. So AC Milan was basically his only chance.

His chance to survive.

He casually found a four-star hotel and checked in.

Although he had spent most of his previous life writing, he had also opened milk tea shops and barbecue restaurants. He was not some complete shut-in. Though all those ventures had lost money for one reason or another, his social skills and emotional intelligence were fine.

Getting AC Milan to sign him would be difficult.

These days, the security around foreign big shots visiting China was extremely tight. He had no chance of sneaking into their hotel.

One wrong move and he might get pew-pewed on the spot.

The best option was to rush onto the pitch.

That was why he had brought the press pass.

With Huang Kaiwen's money-making powers, getting into the enemy camp had been easy.

June 2, 2004, Hongkou Stadium.

After eight years, AC Milan, one of world football's top giants, had come to China once again.

Serie A had been the first foreign league broadcast in China, and AC Milan was its most popular team. This China tour had completely ignited the passion of Chinese fans.

Although Milan had many key players absent due to the European Championship and Copa America qualifiers, that still could not stop the market's excitement from heating up.

Redondo's retirement announcement had also made many loyal fans want to use this final opportunity to watch their idol play in person.

"Milan, Milan!!!"

The fans roared and waved Milan scarves, trying to send their passion onto the pitch.

Without a doubt, AC Milan was more popular than Shanghai Shenhua, the home side.

Young people made up the majority of the crowd today, and they did not spare their voices in the slightest. At worst, they could buy a box of Golden Throat lozenges "endorsed" by Ronaldo after the match.

"You clueless brats. Back when AC Milan came, they brought players like Papin and Baggio. What kind of trash are they bringing now?"

An older fan was unhappy with today's lineup and took it out on the younger crowd.

These kids were too young to know any better. Back when Milan had come to China for three consecutive years, the players they fielded were on Papin and Baggio's level. What kind of trash was playing today?

The young man was not about to indulge a middle-aged uncle and fired back, "Then why did you come? Hmph."

Looking at the young fan's flushed face, the uncle felt he probably could not win the argument. He could only wave a hand and mutter, "Ah, I won't lower myself to argue with young people."

That was reality. If you did not argue with them, they thought they were right. If you did argue, they started talking about manners.

Still, it was only a small interlude.

On the green pitch, the players from both sides had formed two mixed rows, the front row crouching and the back row standing. Several suited officials stood in the back row as well; they were Shenhua executives and officials.

Maldini and Alessandro Costacurta, standing in the front row, exchanged a smile tinged with bitterness.

They had come to China several times, yet there was always a new surprise waiting for them.

In all his long career, it was Maldini's first time taking a photo with the opposing team's players all mixed together as eleven men. It was certainly an eye-opener.

Fortunately, the passion of the Chinese fans could soothe the wounds in their hearts.

The stadium was filled with red-and-black striped shirts, treatment they would never receive in an ordinary away match.

The Milan players were all ready to put on a good performance and repay the enthusiastic fans.

But as the match went on, the lively atmosphere gradually cooled, and the Milan players fell silent as well.

Shenhua seized two opportunities in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Albertz threaded a clever through ball. Qu Shengqing broke through the middle, rounded Carrozzieri, and scored with a low right-footed shot from twelve meters out, breaking the deadlock. AC Milan trailed 0-1. In the 53rd minute, Shanghai Shenhua extended their lead. Pete Villa muscled past Dianara in midfield and drove forward thirty meters before threading a pass to Sun Ji on the right side of the attacking third. Sun Ji blasted a right-footed shot from twenty-two meters out into the net. Shanghai Shenhua led 2-0.

Not only Milan fans—even the Shenhua fans who had come today just to make up the numbers were stunned.

They had never imagined their own team could beat Milan 2-0.

Parting was a silent melody; silence was tonight's Hongqiao.

Huang Kaiwen stood by the touchline with a camera, pretending to work as he secretly used a Super Star Experience Card.

[Obtained Messi's dribbling ability, CR7's finishing, Miroslav Klose's heading ability, Michael Owen's speed, Andrea Pirlo's vision, Xavi's playmaking ability, Rio Ferdinand's positional awareness, Juninho's free kicks, Ronaldinho's touch... 30 days].

Holy crap.

Huang Kaiwen could only marvel. If this had not been an experience card, it would have created the strongest footballer in history.

He took off his coat and pants, revealing the Milan kit underneath. No one paid much attention to it; everyone was focused on the match.

For convenience's sake, he had not changed into football boots. However, he was wearing Puma's F1 series today, which looked quite similar to football boots, so it would not affect his play too much. They simply had no studs.

Just then, a Shenhua player kicked the ball toward the touchline.

Spotting his chance, Huang Kaiwen shot out like a leopard without a word. Dribbling at high speed, he sprinted forward. Maldini and a Shenhua player, who had originally come to retrieve the ball, instinctively stuck out their feet, only for him to beat them with a Marseille turn.

Ancelotti was dumbfounded.

The players and fans from both sides were dumbfounded.

Coach Zhang, who was commentating on the match, let out "ah" for a long while before saying flatly, "A Milan fan has run onto the pitch. His ball control is quite good."

Having burst onto the pitch, Huang Kaiwen drove the ball toward Shenhua's half.

Even Milan's players moved in to stop him.

Borriello charged at him with a flying tackle, but Huang Kaiwen had been prepared. He took an early step with his left foot, clamped the ball between both feet, and flicked it from behind him to the front.

"What a rainbow flick!"

Coach Zhang was already numb. Holy crap, was this fan unhappy about Milan trailing and personally coming on to play?

And he had to admit, the kid could really play.

Cristian Brocchi and Shenhua's Albertz rushed at Huang Kaiwen almost simultaneously. With the instinctive understanding of professional players, the two teams' players prepared to trap the disruptive fan between them and take him off the pitch.

Huang Kaiwen noticed it too. He accelerated, dribbling at speed with the ball always between half a meter and one meter ahead of him. When Brocchi and the others closed in, he suddenly knocked the ball forward. It rolled straight between the two players, and Huang Kaiwen accelerated through the gap after it.

"Ball and man through!!!"

Coach Zhang's tone was beginning to rise.

Ancelotti's eyes lit up at the touchline. High step frequency, long strides—during that stretch, Huang Kaiwen's dribbling looked very much like Milan's "new king," Kaka.

The Shenhua defenders exchanged glances and came to a decision. They swarmed Huang Kaiwen.

No matter the reason, they could not allow a fan to wreak havoc in their defensive line.

But they overestimated themselves and underestimated Huang Kaiwen.

Facing Jia Wenpeng's charge, Huang Kaiwen pushed the ball with the outside of his right foot, then quickly dragged it back with his toe. A flip-flap took him past his opponent, followed by a Marseille turn that beat Dong Yang as well.

Seeing this, Li Chengming ruthlessly prepared to use both hands and feet. Picking his moment, he lunged straight at Huang Kaiwen.

Who would have thought Huang Kaiwen would simply roll the ball back under his foot and evade him with ease? Then, using a "Blanc frog jump," he clamped the ball and hopped over the stupid obstacle, breaking clean through one-on-one.

Shenhua goalkeeper Zhu Huiqian was nervous as hell.

But as a professional player, he knew that coming off his line was his best option.

Facing the charging goalkeeper, Huang Kaiwen calmly began performing stepovers. When Zhu Huiqian lunged at him, he dragged the ball sideways to evade him, then dribbled it into the goal.

The ball was in!

The entire stadium fell silent.

But Huang Kaiwen was far from satisfied after scoring. Keeping the ball at his feet, he came out from inside the goal and headed toward midfield.

Holy crap, he was planning to do it again.

"Damn it, catch him!"

Only now did the head of security remember his responsibility. Furious, he ordered the stadium security personnel onto the pitch.

Seeing that things were going badly, Huang Kaiwen hurriedly dribbled away from the pursuing players of both teams and stopped at the touchline.

By then, Donati had already wrapped him up.

He did not struggle. Instead, he shouted in Italian, "Give me a chance! You've seen me play! Milan definitely won't regret signing me!!!"

"Please, Carlo Ancelotti, believe me! Signing me is the same as signing another Ballon d'Or winner."

As the players from both sides and the security personnel tightly held him and dragged him away, Huang Kaiwen began struggling desperately, shouting again and again at Ancelotti.

He had to shout.

If he failed to sign with a top club before the summer transfer window closed, he would be dead.