Awakening the Messi template, Florentino Pérez begs me to join Real Madrid

Chapter 41 Devil's Away Game

On the training field, after a sudden stop and change of direction, Gao Lin subconsciously touched the back of his left thigh.

Although the movements were quick, the coaching staff on the sidelines saw it all.

The competition continued.

Wu Shi was exceptionally active on the left flank – not with flashy dribbling skills, but with simple and efficient receiving, passing, and forward runs.

After a one-two pass, he crossed from the byline, and the ball accurately found Elkeson at the far post, who easily headed the ball into the goal.

"Great pass!" Elkeson gave him a thumbs up.

Gao Lin watched from the other half of the field with a calm expression, but his footwork was noticeably slower than before his injury.

In a one-on-one duel, he tried to use his speed to overpower the young full-back, but the opponent blocked his position and the ball went out of bounds.

Lippi was whispering something to his assistant coach on the sidelines, his gaze shifting between Gao Lin and Wu Shi.

After training, the team doctor gave Gao Lin a brief check-up.

"The muscles are still a bit tight," the team doctor told Lippi. "There's a risk of straining them again in high-intensity matches."

Lippi nodded without saying anything.

During the tactical meeting that evening, the starting lineup was projected onto the screen.

Left winger position: No. 21 Wu Shi.

Gao Lin's name appeared in the first column of the substitutes' bench.

[System notification: Consecutive starting lineups confirmed. Mission generated: Devil's Away Trial.]

【Task Requirements:】

1. Overall passing accuracy ≥ 75%

2. Create at least 3 scoring opportunities (as determined by the system)

3. Complete at least two successful defensive exchanges.

4. The team remains undefeated (with a draw or better)

[Reward: Fusion level +0.1%, and unlock the "Away Team Resilience" trait (Beginner)]

[Failure penalty: None, but you might not be able to place in the next competition.]

Wu Shi stared at the mission requirements.

The third rule, "Successful defensive confrontation," is new—the system is forcing him to address his weaknesses.

We arrived in Shenyang at 3 p.m.

Autumn is already quite evident in the north; the air is dry and cold, and the sky is a hazy, grayish blue.

On the way to the hotel, Wu Shi saw a few fans wearing Liaoning football jerseys scattered along the street.

Some people gave the bus a thumbs-up—upside down—while others went even further, giving it the middle finger.

Others held up signs that read, "Welcome to Hell's home turf."

Zheng Zhi sat next to Wu Shi, looking out the window:

"This is nothing. Tomorrow, the road from the hotel to the stadium will be packed with people. The shouts will be loud enough to pierce through car windows."

When checking into the hotel, several local fans were checking in at the front desk. When they saw the Evergrande players come in, they deliberately raised their voices:

"Hey, the Evergrande rich team is here."

"They played like crap in the last game, and they still have the nerve to come here?"

"They're rich; they can still get a high salary even if they don't play well."

Wu Shi lowered his head and walked quickly past, but those words still reached his ears.

Even more jarring was the conversation overheard in the elevator—two Liaoning football players failed to spot the Evergrande players in casual clothes:

"Do you think Evergrande is underperforming this year? What kind of football did those national team players play in that game against Kyoto?"

"He's only focused on making money. He's more enthusiastic about endorsements than playing football."

"I heard from my third cousin that their factory is in contact with them, wanting to supply our sea cucumbers to them on a long-term basis as a daily nutritional supplement for the players."

"Oh, your cousin's company's sea cucumbers are a well-known brand in Liaoning. Liaoning is a major sea cucumber producing area."

"Getting off topic, tomorrow is our home game, let's show them what it means to fight tooth and nail."

"Our team may not be as rich as theirs, but when it comes to fighting spirit, we're miles ahead of them."

"I think so too. This new star of the Chinese Super League is all talk and no action."

The elevator doors opened, and the two walked out chatting and laughing.

Wu Shi stood still until the elevator doors were about to close again.

"Did you hear that?" Zheng Zhi asked.

Takeshi nodded.

He recalled the sea cucumber team in his previous life, but he was labeled as such even though he had never actually joined the team in this life.

The room was on the twelfth floor. Wu Shi put down his luggage and walked to the window. Across from the hotel was a community soccer field, where several children were playing soccer, their shouts faintly audible.

[System: Emotional fluctuation detected. Anger level: 40%, Anxiety level: 35%. Suggestion: Convert to focus.]

My phone vibrated; it was a message from my mother: "Arrived? It's cold up north, wear more clothes. Don't worry about what others say, just focus on playing your game."

Wu Shi replied, "Okay, Mom."

He opened his laptop and pulled up the video recordings of Liaoning FC's last three matches.

Pay close attention to their left flank defense – tomorrow he will be matched up against a 32-year-old veteran, experienced, prone to dirty tricks, and hot-tempered, who received 11 yellow cards last season.

"He likes to use his hands, likes to lean on his body, and is slow to turn around..." Wu Shi took notes.

The atmosphere was somewhat subdued during the team's dinner in the evening. A few veteran players were discussing tomorrow's tactics in hushed tones, while most of the younger players kept their heads down and ate.

The teaching assistant sat down next to Wu Shi with a tray of food: "Nervous?"

"A little."

"That's normal." The teaching assistant took a bite of rice.

"The first time I came here to play an away game during my playing career, I couldn't sleep that night. But you know, the crazier the fans are, the more they value you. If you're a nobody, they won't even bother with you."

Wu Shi recalled the conversation in the elevator.

"They think we're all talk and no action," he said.

The teaching assistant smiled:

"That proves they're wrong. The fairest thing about football is that everything is decided by the feet."

After lunch, there was a tactical meeting. Lippi detailed the tactics against Liaoning FC: control the tempo in midfield, and be bold in attacking down the flanks, especially the left flank—Liaoning FC's right-back is their weakness.

"Wu Shi," Lippi called out, "your task tomorrow is very heavy. You need to attack, but also assist in defense. Liaoning FC likes to play long passes to find the left winger, and that foreign player is very fast. You need to work well with Sun Xiang in defense."

Takeshi nodded.

Before the meeting ended, Lippi concluded by saying, "I know what people are saying outside. They say we have money but no fighting spirit, that we played softly in the last game." He looked around the team, "Tomorrow, we'll respond with the game."

It was already 9 p.m. when I got back to my room. After stretching, Wu Shi lay down on the bed.

The city lights outside the window were bright.

He closed his eyes and started the system.

[Time Slice feature (currently on cooldown). Distance reset: 3 days.]

Should we conduct simulation training?

Start simulation training

After training, Wu Shi was drenched in sweat.

He walked to the window and looked at the sleeping stadium.

Tomorrow, that place will be in an uproar.

He, however, had to remain icy amidst the boiling hostility.

The phone screen lights up, and the system displays its final notification:

The quest "Devil's Away Trial" has been activated.