Munich, Germany — July 2014. Inside the Bayern training base.
"Qin, you're not in my plans for next season. The club's intention is to transfer you. Several Chinese Super League teams have already submitted offers, and the club is quite satisfied with them."
"I believe they'll also offer you excellent treatment, so this should be a win–win situation for both sides."
The bald man sitting on the sofa spoke in a calm, detached tone, as if he were casually deciding someone else's future.
His name was Erik ten Hag, the current head coach of Bayern Munich II, who had just led the team to a regional league title the previous season.
Ten Hag set down his glass of water, raised his eyes slightly, and studied the young man sitting across from him.
The boy looked sixteen or seventeen — neat black hair, sharp eyes, and a calmness that seemed far too mature for his age.
His name was Qin Ming. Just a few days ago, he had still been in 2025, watching the U20 Asian Cup. After China's national youth team lost to Saudi Arabia thanks to a last-minute goal, he had downed a bottle of cold beer in frustration — and then everything went black.
When he woke up, he discovered he had become part of the great army of transmigrators — now inhabiting the body of a seventeen-year-old footballer also named Qin Ming.
Immediately after that realization came two pieces of news:
Good news: he was a player for Bayern Munich II.Bad news: Erik ten Hag wanted to sell him.
Qin Ming didn't immediately agree to Ten Hag's decision. Instead, he said calmly and earnestly,
"Coach, could you give me a little more time? I'd like to think it over carefully."
It wasn't that he was unwilling to return to China and earn easy money — but the moment he had transmigrated, he'd also received the standard gift package: a system.
The only problem was that the system was still loading — and would need another 26 hours to fully activate.
If that system turned out to be something game-changing, only an idiot would rush back to the Chinese Super League. Wouldn't it be far better to dominate European football instead?He could achieve financial freedom and fulfill the football dream that had been cut short in his previous life.
"Qin, I've already given you enough time,"Ten Hag's expression hardened."From now on, you're banned from using any of the team's facilities until you give me a satisfactory answer."
Qin Ming's entry into Bayern's youth system had largely been thanks to a China–Bayern exchange program.Without sponsorships from Chinese companies and the appeal of the Chinese market, he probably wouldn't have made it into Bayern II at all.
A few days earlier, the club management had hinted that they wanted to "sell back" Qin Ming to the Chinese Super League — a tidy little marketing move.Ten Hag suspected some shady dealings behind it, but as the reserve team coach, he didn't have much say. He could only follow orders.
As for the lack of Chinese players in Bayern's ranks? The club could always find another youngster through another exchange program.
"Alright," Qin Ming replied calmly, without arguing. He turned and left the office.
He didn't plan to burn bridges — not yet.
But he'd already made up his mind.Since he had transmigrated and now had a system backing him, he was staying in Europe no matter what.
Unfortunately, he had underestimated Ten Hag.When he went to the dining hall for lunch, he was told he was not allowed to eat there.
Typical Ten Hag move.
Prepared for the worst, Qin Ming called his teammate Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and asked him to bring some food back to the dorm.
If Ten Hag blocked one path, Qin Ming would just take another. Surely the coach couldn't stop others from bringing him food.
Fifteen minutes later, Højbjerg sighed as he watched Qin Ming eat.
"Qin, why not just accept it? The Chinese Super League's doing pretty well now. Their salaries are even higher than some first-division players' wages. If you go head-to-head with the coach, you'll only lose."
"Yeah, I'll think about it,"Qin Ming replied as he chewed on the overly salty chicken breast. Did the chef get dumped today or something?
"Alright. Think it through. I'll bring you dinner tonight,"Højbjerg said with a nod before leaving.
He'd noticed that Qin Ming seemed... different lately.But he figured it was just the pressure from Ten Hag getting to him.
After finishing his meal, Qin Ming gazed up at the clear blue Munich sky and murmured to himself,
"Just wait… just wait."
He wasn't going to overthink it.
Worst case, he'd go back to China, make some quick money in the Super League, and see what happened.Even if he was exposed after a few games, at least he wouldn't starve.
Besides — he remembered that 2014 was the year China launched a massive economic stimulus.The stock market had just entered a new bull phase, and everyone was calling it a golden opportunity.
Even if it didn't last long, it would be enough for him to build up some capital — then he could go into business, buy property, and live comfortably.He didn't need to become the richest man in China; financial freedom would do just fine.
Still, those 26 hours dragged on painfully slow.
Barred from the facilities, Qin Ming stayed cooped up in the dorm. At least Ten Hag hadn't gone as far as to kick him out completely — otherwise, he'd have been out on the street.
Finally, when the countdown in his vision reached zero, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
[Football System activated!][Scanning host body…][Filtering suitable templates…]
A dazzling light flared before his eyes, forming a spread of player cards in midair.
[Inzaghi — "Fox in the Box" Template][Balotelli — "Super Mario" Template][Vieri — "Apennine Tank" Template][Ronaldo — "The Phenomenon" Template][…]
Qin Ming glanced through them and quickly noticed something they all had in common.
They were... flamboyant.
He recalled a dream he'd had before transmigrating — an old Adidas commercial where two kids played football and picked their favorite stars.
Back then, for fun, he'd chosen all the famous playboys — Inzaghi, Vieri, Ronaldo… all men whose off-field records were as dazzling as their skills.
But looking at it now, he realized that while their private lives were messy, their footballing ability was beyond question.
They were all world-class talents — the kind of players you couldn't forget.
[Template Draw Complete!][Ronaldinho — "The Football Elf" Template Selected!][Initiating Host Body Synchronization in 3… 2… 1…]
Before Qin Ming could even react, the card exploded into a shower of golden light that surged straight into his body.
A thunderclap rang in his head, and his consciousness was instantly swallowed by darkness.
When he woke again, sunlight was streaming across his face.
He covered his eyes with a hand, stretched lazily, then rushed to the bathroom mirror.
That was... terrifying.
Ronaldinho was a genius — but his looks...
Qin Ming didn't say it out loud, but he definitely didn't want to wake up looking like that.
Thankfully, the "body modification" didn't change his face.Instead, when he flexed his arm and stood up, he could feel the strength coursing through his limbs — light, balanced, powerful.
He focused, and a glowing screen appeared before his eyes:
[Host: Qin Ming][Height: 183 cm][Weight: 75 kg][Template: Ronaldinho — "The Football Elf" (65% Synchronization)]
That was all. Four simple lines of text.
No stats, no attributes, no menus — nothing else.
Naturally, Qin Ming's gaze fixed on the 65% figure.He guessed it must represent how much of Ronaldinho's abilities he had currently fused with.
Would you like me to continue translating the next part in the same narrative tone and style (smooth, novel-like English)?