The moment the final whistle blew, Butarque Stadium fell into a brief silence.
Immediately, the home stands erupted in thunderous applause.
Lu Chuan stood in the center circle, his chest heaving.
Sweat dripped down his cheeks, but his eyes remained sharp.
1-1.
On paper, this result exceeded everyone's expectations.
But a hint of unwillingness welled up in Lu Chuan's heart.
He had a chance to score the winning goal.
That blocked shot in the eighty-eighth minute had actually found a very good angle.
"Lu Chuan!"
Luis Pereya ran over, patting his back hard.
"You're crazy! That long-range shot!"
His teammates swarmed over, all talking at once, with Pereya's voice being the loudest, almost deafening him.
For them, snatching a point from Real Madrid Castilla was already a huge victory.
Lu Chuan forced a smile and high-fived his teammates one by one.
He walked towards the Real Madrid players.
Their captain extended his hand first, with a hint of respect in his eyes.
"You played very well."
The words were in English, but Lu Chuan could hear the sincerity in them.
"Thank you."
Lu Chuan shook the other player's hand, responding in Spanish.
Several Real Madrid players cast curious glances.
They clearly hadn't expected this young Chinese player's Spanish to be so fluent.
Lu Chuan turned and walked towards the stands.
Continuous applause and cheers came from the home fans' section.
He raised his hands, saluting his supporters.
The applause slightly calmed the unwillingness in his heart.
At least, he had proven himself.
In the player tunnel, Chema Rico was waiting there.
The coach's face rarely showed a smile.
"Let's go, kid."
Chema patted Lu Chuan's shoulder.
"Today you made everyone sit up and take notice."
The atmosphere in the changing room was completely different from the heavy mood at halftime.
His teammates excitedly discussed every detail of the match.
"Lu Chuan's long-range shot, I swear I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life!"
Pablo Sanchez gesticulated, mimicking the shooting motion.
"The ball was like a cannonball! The goalkeeper didn't even have time to react!"
Sergio also joined the discussion.
"I was stunned on the field. In that instant, the entire stadium went silent."
Lu Chuan sat in the corner, silently taking off his shoes.
Joaquín walked over.
This substitute striker, who had always been somewhat unfriendly towards him, now had a complex look in his eyes.
He sat down beside Lu Chuan, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and patted Lu Chuan's shoulder.
There were no words, only a brief but powerful touch. Lu Chuan understood that this was the purest form of recognition between rivals.
"Alright, guys!"
Chema Rico walked into the changing room, his smile even brighter.
"Today, all of us should be proud of ourselves!"
His gaze swept over every player, finally stopping on Lu Chuan.
"Especially our captain. Lu Chuan, your performance today deserves all praise."
"You are not just the team's savior, but also our future."
Chema's words brought another round of applause in the changing room.
Lu Chuan stood up and nodded to the coach and his teammates.
"This is just the beginning."
His voice was calm and firm.
"We still have more matches to play, and higher goals to achieve."
His teammates were infected by his words, nodding in agreement.
This was the charm of a captain.
Even in moments of victory, he did not forget the greater goals.
At the press conference, reporters surrounded Chema Rico, asking questions non-stop.
"Coach, how do you evaluate Lu Chuan's performance today?"
A reporter from AS was the first to ask.
Chema answered without hesitation.
"I rarely see a young player like Lu Chuan, he has the intuition and ability to change the direction of a match."
"That long-range shot was not luck, but a manifestation of his skill."
"He has a Big Heart and never backs down at crucial moments."
Another reporter pressed on.
"Do you think Lu Chuan has a chance to join the first team?"
"You'll have to ask Coach Pellegrino, I wouldn't dare make that decision for him. However, with Lu Chuan's ability, I believe he will stand on a higher stage sooner or later," Chema cleverly responded to the reporter.
At the same time, in the Real Madrid Castilla changing room.
The head coach was conversing in a low voice with his assistant.
"This number 9, we must pay close attention to him."
The assistant quickly took notes in his notebook.
"His long-range shooting ability is indeed outstanding, but more importantly, it's his game reading ability."
"His several cuts inside and runs in the second half were very threatening."
The head coach nodded.
"Compile his information and send it to the club's scouting department."
"A player like him shouldn't be buried in Segunda División B."
In the stands, several men in casual clothes were packing up their notebooks.
They were scouts from other Segunda División B teams.
"This young Chinese player is worth watching."
One of them said to his companion.
"Long-range shooting, positioning, overall vision – he lacks nothing."
"The key is that he's only 18, with huge room for improvement."
The other nodded in agreement.
"I will send today's match report to the club."
"If Leganés is willing to let him go, we can consider making an offer."
By the time Lu Chuan returned to the dormitory, it was already nine in the evening.
Miguel practically sprang from his bed, grabbing Lu Chuan's arm, his eyes terrifyingly bright.
"Oh my god! Lu Chuan! You were a god today!"
His roommate jumped up excitedly.
"I was on the bench and even I was stunned by your long-range shot!"
"The entire stadium was cheering for you!"
Lu Chuan sat wearily on the edge of the bed, but with a smile on his lips.
"Just good luck."
"Luck?"
Miguel's eyes widened.
"That's skill! That's talent! That's ability!"
"I bet all the sports newspapers will be reporting on you tomorrow!"
Lu Chuan didn't respond, but pulled out his phone.
The screen showed more than a dozen missed calls.
Most were unknown numbers.
He first dialed Carlos's number.
"Congratulations, Lu Chuan."
His agent's voice carried unconcealed excitement.
"Your performance today exceeded everyone's expectations."
"I've already received interview invitations from seven media outlets."
"But according to our previous agreement, I will screen them carefully."
Lu Chuan nodded.
"Any other news?"
"Yes."
Carlos's tone became even more excited.
"Three Spanish local sports brands have already expressed interest in collaboration."
"Although they are small brands, it's a good start."
"I will carefully evaluate these opportunities and negotiate the best terms for you."
After hanging up, Lu Chuan saw calls from his parents.
He immediately called them back.
The video connected, and his parents' excited faces appeared on the screen.
"Son! We saw the news!"
His mother's eyes were filled with tears.
"You played wonderfully! We are so proud of you!"
His father also leaned into the camera.
"That long-range shot!"
"I can't believe that was my son's shot!"
His parents' words reassured him more than any praise. The lingering unwillingness he felt from only getting a draw completely dissipated.
"Mom and Dad, this is just the beginning. I will continue to work hard."
"We know."
His mother wiped the corner of her eye.
"But son, you must remember to stay humble."
"Don't be arrogant when successful, and don't be discouraged by setbacks."
"We will always support you."
His father added.
"Also, take care of your body. Don't neglect your health for training."
"We are waiting for your good news back home."
After ending the call, Lu Chuan lay on his bed.
The system interface appeared in his mind.
[Host detected to have performed excellently in a crucial match]
[Gained LP: 200]
[Composure attribute increased: +5]
[Decision-making attribute increased: +2]
[New task triggered: Become the segunda división b league Top Scorer]
[Task Reward: Unlock Legendary Skill [Precise Crossing] (Advanced)]
His breath hitched, his gaze fixed on the line "Become the segunda división b league Top Scorer."
200 LP, this was the largest reward he had ever received.
Adding to his previous accumulation, his current total LP had reached 350 points.
Enough to unlock some advanced skills.
He opened the Legendary Shop, carefully browsing the various options.
[Penalty Box Finisher] requires 2200 LP.
[Long Shot Expert] requires 2000 LP.
[Ball Control Master] requires 1800 LP.
His current LP was not enough to redeem these top-tier skills.
But he could first improve some basic attributes.
[Strength Increase]: 100 LP / point
[Speed Increase]: 100 LP / point
[Shooting Increase]: 100 LP / point
Lu Chuan thought for a moment and decided to prioritize improving his shooting attribute.
After all, AS a striker, scoring goals was the most important thing.
[Shooting attribute increased by 3 points]
[LP consumed: 300]
[Current LP balance: 50]
The moment he confirmed the exchange, a strange sensation spread from his right ankle, like countless tiny electrical currents reshaping his muscle memory.
The feeling of shooting became clearer.
He seemed to be able to control the direction and power of the ball more precisely.
Outside the window, the Madrid night was deep.
The sound of cars passing by could be heard in the distance.
Lu Chuan closed his eyes, recalling every detail of the match.
That world-class long-range shot.
His teammates' embraces.
The coach's praise.
The media's attention.
All of this convinced him that he was on the right path.
But he also knew that this was just the beginning.
There were still many rounds of matches in the segunda división b league.
He needed to maintain this form, or even improve further.
Only consistent excellent performances could truly prove that he was not a flash in the pan.
His phone rang again.
The screen showed an unknown number.
Lu Chuan hesitated for a moment, then answered.
"Hello, is this Mr. Lu Chuan?"
A female voice came from the other end, speaking Spanish.
"I'm a reporter from AS, and I'd like to arrange an exclusive interview with you."
Lu Chuan remembered Carlos's instructions.
"Excuse me, please contact my agent for all media matters."
He politely refused and hung up.
Then, he sent Carlos a short message, informing him of the situation.
Soon, Carlos replied.
"Good job. I will handle all these interview invitations centrally."
"Rest well tomorrow and prepare for the next match."
"You are in the spotlight now, but you must also remain low-key."
Lu Chuan put away his phone, ready to sleep.
There was still training tomorrow.
There was still a match next week.
His professional career had just begun.
But tonight, he could go to sleep with a sense of satisfaction.
He had proven to everyone that he wasn't here for a gilded experience.
He was here to conquer.