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"Goodbye, Kevin."
"Goodbye, Eden, get well soon."
"Goodbye, brothers."
"Lance, remember to rest well when you get back, don't push yourself."
At Berlin International Airport, most of Belgium disbanded on the spot.
Some had already stayed in Brazil for vacation, while most of the rest would return to their hometowns in Belgium for a period of rest.
As for Lance, pre-season training for Bundesliga teams had already begun during the World Cup.
After a few days with his family in Munich, Lance would soon need to return to Bayer Leverkusen to prepare for the new season.
This past summer, for Lance, felt like a beautiful yet regrettable dream.
It was somewhat similar to those dreams where you meet your soulmate and embark on a passionate romance with her.
You kiss and embrace, spending many wonderful moments together.
However, at the very last crucial moment, nothing seems to go right.
You wake up from the dream to find yourself lying alone in bed, with no one beside you.
The captivating face from the dream becomes blurry and indistinct; you can't remember her appearance at all.
The alarm rings repeatedly, urging you to go to work or class.
You don't even have time to savor the beauty of the dream; the lingering sweetness on your lips gradually fades with your morning routine.
Only the regret of not completing the dream remains.
There's no helping it; people rarely dream of details for things they haven't experienced.
The World Cup, for Lance, was just such a dream.
So much so that even after returning to the restaurant in Munich, he was still replaying the details of the matches.
On the TV, the German football channel repeatedly broadcast news of Germany's victory.
Lance sat in a corner of the restaurant, idly staring into space with his arms crossed.
"Hello, Lance, may I take a photo with you?"
It was clearly a student from the nearby Munich University, with a youthful face, mustering up the courage to approach him.
"Sure."
Lance had 'operated' countless times and already had the self-awareness of an idol.
He naturally took the other person's phone, took a selfie together, and then signed their poster with a flourish.
"Thank you!! Lance, you were amazing at the World Cup! Keep it up! I'll always support you!"
Lance chuckled wryly.
This university student was clearly wearing a Bayern jersey, so why support him?
"Aren't you afraid Bayern will lose?"
"It's okay! I'm your fan now! It's a shame that the number 39 jerseys for Belgium and Bayer Leverkusen are all sold out; I can't buy one at all."
Lance was stunned; his jersey was so popular?
It seemed his contract didn't include a jersey sales clause; otherwise, just from the jersey sales commission, Lance would be rolling in money.
"Yeah, all my friends are talking about you. Your popularity at the World Cup was even higher than Götze's."
…
After the 2-1 comeback and last-minute victory against Argentina, Belgium, as expected, couldn't overcome Netherlands in the World Cup semifinals.
Without key players like Kompany, Witsel, Fellaini, De Bruyne, and Hazard, Lance alone couldn't carry the team.
Belgium could only defend with all their might.
Netherlands' attacking duo of Robben and Robin van Persie made Belgium sweat.
Ultimately, neither side could capitalize on their chances.
Lance was also substituted in the 105th minute due to exhaustion.
The two teams played a full 120 minutes, reaching a 0-0 draw and heading into the most brutal penalty shootout.
With so many key players out, Belgium's morale was already low.
Netherlands seized the opportunity and won on penalties.
The Orange Army reached the World Cup final for the second consecutive time, while Belgium ultimately stopped at the World Cup semifinals.
In the third-place match, Belgium was riddled with injuries, only allowing Lance to play for 45 minutes.
The third-place match was essentially an exhibition game, with Belgium and host Brazil engaging in a fierce attacking battle.
Lance, utilizing the Bachira Meguru template, scored twice with two consecutive solo counter-attacks, achieving a brace.
He set his personal World Cup goal count at 10!
Ultimately, Neymar stepped up, scoring 2 goals and assisting 1 to help Brazil defeat Belgium 3-2, securing third place.
Belgium finished in fourth place, ending their dream journey of 2014.
…
"Still thinking about the World Cup?"
Lance had been sitting in the restaurant all day.
Aside from his morning workout, Lance had no other activities.
Lu Yongping, as the restaurant manager, was busy greeting customers, directing the kitchen, supervising waiters, and mediating customer disputes, completely swamped.
He had wanted Lance to go out and have fun, whether at a nightclub or with friends.
Anything was better than just sitting idly in the restaurant.
He looked utterly dejected.
However, after experiencing the World Cup, Lance had no interest in other activities.
"I'm thinking, if only I had tried harder in that match against Netherlands."
If he had capitalized on the two chances in the first and second halves, if his stamina had been better, allowing him to last 120 minutes and reach the penalty shootout…
Would they have made it to the final?
"Especially that goal in the first half, I dribbled past all of them!"
With the Bachira Meguru boost activated, Lance was a war god.
He dribbled past De Jong, Wijnaldum, and Sneijder, then used his monster's intuition in front of the box to anticipate Vlaar's tackle, doing a human-ball split to break into the penalty area.
Dutch defenders Blind and De Vrij closed in from left and right, both sliding in simultaneously.
Lance had a good shooting opportunity.
He decisively took a shot, aiming for the top corner and blasting it directly!
Unfortunately, Dutch goalkeeper Cillessen made a god-like save, diving to block Lance's shot.
If Lance's shooting had been more refined, if his technique had been more perfect, or if he had been more confident in his shooting window in front of the box, taking a long shot directly after feinting past De Jong…
Would the outcome have been different?
Lance realized that relying solely on the Nagi Seishiro and Bachira Meguru templates wasn't enough.
He couldn't just wait for 100% rage in every match!
Higher-level competitions demanded even more from shooting.
While first touch, dribbling, and passing could win against most opponents, when it came to capitalizing on absolute chances, Nagi Seishiro and Bachira Meguru seemed a bit insufficient.
This was proven by Belgium's loss and his defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals.
"I need to become stronger!"
Whether it was his own strength or acquiring new templates, Lance was not content with the status quo!
Lance had even greater ambitions!
"I see you, kid, you can't sit still… Go."
"Really?"
"Yes, go back, go back to your Bayer Leverkusen, go back to your training ground, hurry up and leave, don't interfere with our business."
Lu Yongping shooed Lance away with a look of disdain, trying his best to hide the reluctance in his eyes.
His son had worked hard for a season, and then hard for a summer.
He had barely been back to spend a day with them, and now he had to leave again to embark on a new season.
How could Lu Yongping truly want Lance to leave?
But Lance was destined for the football field; he was only truly happy when he was with football.
"Then I'm off!! I'll come back to see you when I have time!"
"No, when we're not busy, we'll come to see you. Train hard, listen to your coach, and be careful not to get injured."
"Got it!"
Lance hugged his father's slightly thin body, then hurried out of the restaurant with his bag, heading straight for the Lamborghini in the parking lot.
This was Lance's new Lamborghini Murciélago, the same model as Batman's Dark Knight.
He chose it because the car was understated enough.
He stepped on the gas, and with the enchanting roar of the supercar engine, he sped away.
Only then did Zhao Ping rush out from the kitchen.
She had been checking newly purchased ingredients with the staff, planning to chat with her precious child after finishing up, but in a moment of inattention, he was gone?
"What happened? You just let him run off? He only just came back today!"
"Oh, Munich isn't far from Leverkusen. We can go see him in a couple of days."
"Lu Yongping!! You!!"
"Don't make a fuss, people are watching. Isn't it good that I'm here with you?"
"Who cares!"
Zhao Ping rolled her eyes at the man, pouted, and turned back to the kitchen.
Lu Yongping could only chase after her with an apologetic smile.
In truth, they both knew Lance was feeling stifled there, so it was better to let him return to the field.
At this moment, Lance, driving his Lamborghini Murciélago, was speeding on the Munich highway in the night.
Weaving through traffic, Lance felt like he was rushing towards his new Bundesliga season!
"Bring it on!! 2014-2015 season!"
"I can't wait!"