The whoop of joy Ethan let out in the CostMart parking lot earned him a strange look from a woman loading groceries into her car, but he didn't care.
He felt like he had just cracked the stock market. He hadn't just signed a player; he had invested in a future superstar right before the rest of the world even knew his name.
The bike ride home was a blur of triumphant energy.
He immediately texted Leo and Liam with a screenshot of the FCG notification.
Ethan: BOOM. S-Rank. Liam, you are a scouting genius. Leo, you're buying the kebabs next time.
Leo's reply was a string of shocked-face emojis. Liam's was simple and to the point:
Told you so. Now go win the league.
The next day, Ethan logged into the game for a team meeting.
The atmosphere on the virtual training ground was electric.
The players were still buzzing from their dominant 2-0 win over Shrewsbury.
"Alright, lads, gather 'round," Ethan called out, a wide grin on his face.
