Under the gaze of everyone in the stadium, Lu Chuan didn't hesitate.
The moment the ball bounced, he put all his strength into a super long-range lob shot towards the empty opposing goal!
The instant his right foot connected with the ball, Lu Chuan felt an unprecedented transfer of power.
Full Field Vision allowed him to precisely calculate the angle, power, and arc; every detail was under his control.
The ball drew an incredibly magnificent rainbow in the air, and everyone's eyes followed its movement.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment. Villarreal's players desperately turned back to chase, but it was all too late.
Tens of thousands of fans at the Estadio de la Cerámica held their breath. The ball arced across the night sky with a deadly curve, flying towards the goal seventy meters away.
Fernández stumbled, sprinting towards the goal; he didn't even dare to look back, only hearing the gasps from the stands behind him growing louder and louder, AS if draining the last bit of air from his lungs.)
Under everyone's gaze, the ball precisely and squarely dropped into the net! 2-0! A decisive goal!
The entire Estadio de la Cerámica fell into a deathly silence, and then, a few hundred Rayo Vallecano fans in the away stand erupted in a thunderous roar!
The ball in the net was still gently swaying, AS if mocking the home team's futility.
Villarreal's players stood blankly in place, no one speaking, only heavy breathing.
Paco Jémez wildly waved his fists on the sidelines; he rushed onto the field and embraced all the players and coaching staff!
Rayo Vallecano, a team from the segunda división, had astonishingly eliminated the powerful Villarreal away from home, creating the biggest upset of this Copa del Rey!
"Oh my God! This isn't real!" Álvaro held his head in his hands, tears shimmering in his eyes.
"Seventy meters! A full seventy meters!" Trejo jumped up excitedly, his voice trembling slightly.
"This kid is crazy! Absolutely insane!" Mario Suárez slapped his thigh, a wide grin stretching across his face.
"We knocked out Villarreal! We really knocked them out!" Isi Palazón was practically screaming.
"This is the most incredible goal I've ever seen!" Santi Comesaña clenched his fist, his face filled with shock.
At the final whistle, Lu Chuan collapsed directly onto the grass. His teammates lifted him up and tossed him high into the air.
Villarreal's legendary midfielder, Cazorla, walked over and voluntarily exchanged jerseys with him, patting his shoulder: "Kid, your future is limitless."
There was no anger in Cazorla's eyes, only pure admiration. AS a professional player, he deeply understood the quality of that kick.
Lu Chuan took the jersey and nodded vigorously. This was recognition from a master, more precious than any trophy.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the cross-level challenge mission: The Submarine's Torpedo!"
"Reward: 1000LP, [Specified Attribute Greatly Enhanced Card] x1"
"Match Rating: 9.9 (Man of the Match)"
"LP gained: 400 (Upset Victory) + 200 (MOTM) + 150 (One-on-one) + 300 (Super Long-range Lob Shot) = 1050LP!"
"Current LP balance: 300+1050 = 1350LP"
The system's prompt sounded in his mind, and Lu Chuan felt an unprecedented sense of accomplishment.
He looked at the jersey Cazorla handed him, its team emblem still carrying the opponent's body heat.
At this moment, he truly felt that he had found his footing, no longer a passerby from a foreign land, but a challenger capable of making waves on this soil.
Lu Chuan used the [Specified Attribute Greatly Enhanced Card] without hesitation, targeting "Speed." He knew this was the most lethal weapon in his counter-attacking tactics.
"Ding! Usage successful! Speed attribute permanently increased: Explosive Power +5, Max Speed +5, Speed Endurance +3!"
A warm current surged from his spine throughout his body; he subconsciously tensed his leg muscles, feeling their lines seemed firmer than before.
He tried an explosive starting motion; the linkage between his ankles and knees was smoother and more powerful than ever before.
Lu Chuan stood up and tried to move his legs. The feeling was strange, like having a brand new engine.
The next day, Lu Chuan and his wonder lob shot graced the covers of all sports media in Spain, even causing quite a stir across Europe.
BBC called it "one of the greatest goals in Copa del Rey history."
Marca's front-page headline was: "Magic from the East!" accompanied by a still image of Lu Chuan's lob shot.
AS used an even more exaggerated description: "Flying Immortal from the Heavens! The Chinese Dragon writes a legend at the Estadio de la Cerámica!"
Even the Daily Mail, usually focused on the Premier League, exceptionally reported on this goal, calling it "the most spectacular long-range shot in the last decade."
In a hotel in Madrid, Head Coach's technical analyst sent a report and match video back to China.
The report concluded: "No further assessment needed; immediate call-up is recommended. His ability and mental fortitude already qualify him to play for the country, and he could even be the answer for the frontline."
The analyst put down his pen and replayed the lob shot.
AS a professional, he had seen many brilliant goals, but the technical difficulty and mental fortitude required for this lob shot left him in awe.
Carlos's phone was practically ringing off the hook. In addition to Joma, more Spanish local brands,
and even some Asian fast-moving consumer goods brands, began inquiring about his price. Lu Chuan's commercial value had multiplied several times overnight.
"Mr. Carlos, we at Kelme are willing to offer a three-year contract worth 5 million euros!" an eager voice came from the other end of the phone.
"Hold on, let me think." Carlos rubbed his temples; this was already the twentieth similar call today.
"We at Hummel also want to talk; the price is negotiable!" another brand representative waited in line outside the door.
"gentlemen, please queue up." Carlos's assistant maintained order outside the door, "Today's schedule is already full."
"We want to see Mr. Carlos now! This Chinese kid is too hot!" an Asian brand representative waved a check.
His phone vibrated again; it was a message from Esther, with a screenshot of her TV screen taken while watching the game at home, the image perfectly capturing the moment Lu Chuan made the lob shot.
The message read: "My God! Are you a devil? This is absolutely incredible! Now, I'm even more certain that I must have dinner with you.
Tomorrow night at seven, La Terraza del Casino restaurant, no refusing!"
Lu Chuan stared at his phone screen; Esther's message was followed by a string of exclamation marks and heart emojis. She was clearly completely captivated by that lob shot.
He smiled wryly and shook his head. This woman's persistence was even stronger than his passion for football.
Lu Chuan looked at his phone, a bitter smile on his face. He knew this "date" was unavoidable. He replied with a simple "OK."
After sending the message, he recalled Esther's non-negotiable tone and sighed.
On the field, he could solve all problems with instinct and the system, but at the dinner table, all his "skills" were useless.
He opened the file for his next opponent — Mirandés in the Segunda División. Technical statistics, key players, tactical characteristics; all this data was clear at a glance.
Lu Chuan closed his notebook, his eyes refocusing. The celebration was over; a new battle was about to begin. He wanted to carry his hot form from the Copa del Rey into the League.
Consecutive scoring record, second match, here he comes!
Outside, the Madrid night was still bustling, but Lu Chuan's state of mind was completely different.
That wonder lob shot not only won over the fans, but more importantly, it showed him his limitless potential.