Nono's face turned crimson, his fists clenched, but he couldn't utter a single word.
With the match entering its final ten minutes, Extremadura's defense completely lost its shape.
Nono's mental defenses completely collapsed, and his fouls grew increasingly reckless and irrational.
In the 83rd minute, Lu Chuan received the ball near the center circle, and Nono rushed over from the side. This time, he didn't attempt any technical move, directly pushing Lu Chuan's back with both hands.
The referee unhesitatingly pulled out a second yellow card.
Red card! Nono was sent off!
Vallecas Stadium erupted in deafening cheers. Nono walked dejectedly towards the sideline. As he passed Lu Chuan, he stopped, his eyes filled with unwillingness and anger.
"Kid, you won," Nono gritted out, forcing the words through his teeth.
Lu Chuan didn't respond, merely watching him leave calmly.
At the final whistle, Rayo Vallecano won 1-0. Lu Chuan's goal was the only one of the match, marking a good start to his consecutive scoring record.
Back in the changing room, teammates came over to pat Lu Chuan on the shoulder.
"Lu, that return run of yours was so clever!" Álvaro exclaimed, excitedly waving his fists.
"You completely broke that old guy!" Mario Suárez burst out laughing.
Lu Chuan took a hot shower, changed into casual clothes, and prepared to go home. As he walked out of the stadium, his phone began to vibrate wildly.
The screen showed a string of messages from "Esther":
"Amazing! I knew you could score!"
"That return run of yours was like a ghost! I almost jumped off the sofa!"
"So, when are we making good on that dinner? I'm already back in Madrid, big hero."
"Don't think about escaping, I'm very patient~"
"Reply to my message! Otherwise, I'll just go to your training space and block you!"
The messages were filled with an undeniable enthusiasm, and Lu Chuan felt an unprecedented pressure.
He immediately called Carlos.
"Lu, congratulations on scoring again!" Carlos's cheerful voice came from the other end of the line.
"Carlos, she sent messages again, and..." Lu Chuan told his agent about Esther's messages.
The phone line went silent instantly. A few seconds later, Carlos's voice became exceptionally serious: "No, absolutely no private meeting! Listen, Lu, I'll handle this."
"How will you handle it?"
"I'll contact her agent." Carlos quickly considered his options.
"We need a compromise, a semi-public meeting. For example, in a stylish but inconspicuous private room at a restaurant. We can clear the area beforehand to ensure no paparazzi."
"Won't that be too much trouble?"
"Trouble?" Carlos's voice rose. "Lu, do you know how many fans Esther Eperost has?
Twenty million! If photos of you two meeting privately are taken, the entire entertainment section of Spain will explode!"
"I understand."
"Give me a day, I'll arrange everything," Carlos instructed before hanging up. "Until then, don't reply to anything."
Lu Chuan stared at his phone screen. Esther's messages were still flooding in. He took a deep breath and sent a reply that could be described as "steel-straight man":
"Thanks, I'm very busy with training lately, and the schedule is packed. Let's talk when I have time."
After sending this message, Lu Chuan thought Esther would back off, or at least be quiet for a while.
He was wrong.
His phone rang almost immediately. Esther's reply made him laugh and cry at the same time:
"Wow, it's my first time being rejected by a man with 'busy.' You've successfully piqued my interest, Mr. Lu Chuan. Now I want to meet you even more."
"I'm doomed." Lu Chuan held his forehead, feeling like he had made a huge mistake.
The next morning, the Copa del Rey Round of 16 draw results were announced.
When "Rayo Vallecano VS Villarreal" appeared on the TV screen, the entire training base fell silent for a few seconds.
"Oh my god." Álvaro's eyes widened. "Villarreal? We drew the group of death!"
"Cazorla, Paco Alcácer, Gerard Moreno..." Isi counted the opposing star players on his fingers. "Which of these guys isn't a top La Liga player?"
The atmosphere on the training space became somewhat heavy, with players whispering and discussing this almost impossible task.
Paco Jémez walked to the center of the field, hands on his hips, and looked around.
"What's wrong? Scared?" Paco's voice echoed across the training space. "Our goal is to take them down and make it to the quarterfinals! Why not? We even beat Betis!"
"Coach, Betis and Villarreal are not on the same level," Santi mumbled softly.
"Level?" Paco sneered. "There are no levels on the football field, only wins and losses! What do we have? We have speed, passion, and an indomitable spirit!"
He pointed at Lu Chuan: "We also have a striker who can score at critical moments!"
His teammates' gazes converged on him, with both expectation and worry. Lu Chuan took a deep breath, transforming the heavy pressure into a burning fire in his chest.
After training, Lu Chuan returned to his apartment alone. He opened the system panel, and the 2300LP balance gave him more room for action.
Facing a strong passing and controlling team like Villarreal, relying solely on shooting skills was not enough. He needed to improve his tactical dimension and understand the game better.
He unhesitatingly chose the Full Field Vision skill.
"Ding! Consumed 2000LP, successfully redeemed skill: Full Field Vision!"
Lu Chuan paused for a moment. He shook his head, feeling as if his brain had been covered with a cool towel.
His thoughts raced several times faster, and many previously vague ideas (now) became clear.
He opened his computer and pulled up Villarreal's match footage. This time, he wasn't just watching; it was as if he had activated a "God's Eye View."
The movements, gaps, and passing lanes of all 22 players on the field were presented in a three-dimensional way in his mind.
He could see the tactical intention behind every pass from Cazorla and anticipate Gerard Moreno's running routes.
"It's amazing," Lu Chuan murmured to himself.
This feeling was like upgrading from a two-dimensional world to a three-dimensional space; his understanding of football instantly elevated to a new level.
His phone rang; it was Carlos.
"Lu, I got in touch with Esther's agent." Carlos's voice sounded a bit tired. "She agreed to the semi-public meeting proposal.
Three days from now, in the private room of La Terraza del Casino restaurant."
"She really agreed?"
"Her agent said Esther insisted on seeing you." Carlos sighed. "This girl is quite persistent."
After hanging up, Lu Chuan remembered something. He opened the training space and silently thought: "Simulate target: Esther Eperost."
Esther's figure appeared in the virtual space, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a brilliant smile.
"Hi, Lu Chuan." The virtual Esther spoke. "Finally, we meet."
"Hello, Esther." Lu Chuan tried to respond.
"Your game today was amazing! That goal was absolutely breathtaking!" Esther's eyes sparkled with excitement. "How did you think of that run?"
"Uh... I just thought of it on the spur of the moment." Lu Chuan felt his answer was a bit dry.
"On the spur of the moment?" Esther smiled. "You're an interesting person. What else do you like to do besides playing football?"
"Training."
"Training?" Esther tilted her head. "No other hobbies?"
"Watching match footage."
"..."
The atmosphere instantly went cold. Lu Chuan felt his answer was terrible.
He restarted the simulation, this time trying to initiate a conversation.
"Esther, I've seen your TV series, and you acted very well."
"Really?" The virtual Esther's eyes lit up. "Which character did you like the most?"
"Uh... the female lead."
"The female lead has a name, she's called Cala." Esther's smile was a bit forced. "Have you really seen it?"
"I have seen it, it's just..." Lu Chuan stammered, realizing he couldn't recall any specific plot details.
Another awkward silence.
The third simulation began, and Lu Chuan decided to be honest.
"Esther, I'm actually not very good at talking."
"Why?"
"I've been focused on football since I was a child and don't know much about other things."
"Then can you talk to me about football?"
"Of course!" Lu Chuan's eyes lit up, finally finding a familiar topic. "What do you want to know?"
"Why do you like playing football?"
"Because..." Lu Chuan paused. He thought of his previous life, of those regrets and unwillingness. "Because football is my everything."
The virtual Esther looked at him quietly, with a strange glow in her eyes.
"Your everything?"
"Yes." Lu Chuan's voice became serious. "When I stand on the field, facing tens of thousands of spectators, that feeling... cannot be described in words."
The simulation ended, and Lu Chuan exited the training space. Three simulations, all ending in "awkward conversations." He found himself omnipotent on the field, but a complete novice in social situations.
On the eve of the match, the system task arrived as scheduled:
"Ding! Overcoming Challenge Mission: The Submarine's Torpedo!"
"Mission Objective: Create a goal (either a goal or an assist) in the match against Villarreal."
"Mission Reward: 1000LP, Designated Attribute Greatly Enhanced Card x1"
Seeing this mission, Lu Chuan's heart rate quickened. He was very aware of Villarreal's strength; this was definitely not an easy task to complete.
He closed the system and took a deep breath.
Two "tough battles" lay before him: one at Estadio de la Cerámica, facing Villarreal with a Spanish international frontline;
The other, at a Michelin-starred restaurant, facing a dazzling female celebrity whom he couldn't predict at all.
Lu Chuan gave a bitter smile: "This is much harder than playing football."
Outside the window, the night in Madrid deepened. The distant neon lights flickered, like the excited yet anxious flame in his heart.
Tomorrow, another new challenge awaits.