Football: Starting with the Crescent Moon Slash

Real Madrid's white bus smoothly departed Gran Canaria Airport and headed along the coastal highway towards the city of Las Palmas.

Outside the window is the ever-blue Atlantic Ocean, with golden beaches and palm trees stretching out along the way, and the sea breeze carrying a salty, damp scent against the car window.

The bus was quiet. Some people closed their eyes to rest, some were looking down at data, and some were gazing at the island scenery outside the window.

Jiang Yan had hoped to take this opportunity to rest and prepare for the upcoming away game.

Benzema kept talking nonstop next to him, and Kovacic and Martin Ødegaard, who were sitting in the front seats, also looked back curiously.

"Just show me, just once! Please, Jiang!"

"Overnight, the news spread like wildfire, claiming you're the Spanish gambling god!"

"He won twelve million overnight, which angered the son of a company so much that he was hospitalized!"

"You even won the heart of the sponsor's daughter! You're something else!"

Benzema spoke with great enthusiasm, his words tinged with a hint of envy.

Jiang Yan was looking out the window at the scenery, but Benzema was so annoying that he could only manage to deal with him for a few moments.

"I'd love to show you, but I don't have any playing cards."

"Here you are, Master, everything is ready."

Kovacic handed over a brand new deck of cards.

Jiang Yan glanced at Kovacic, then at Benzema, and suddenly realized, "So you two had already planned this!"

"After all, the media has made it sound so incredible; who wouldn't want to witness it with their own eyes?"

Seeing the expectant looks in the three people's eyes, Jiang Yan had no choice but to decide to give it a demonstration.

I'll demonstrate once.

……

The bus is still moving.

The time for the competition is getting closer and closer.

"I never expected, Jiang, that you could actually win over that Miss Lina." Benzema slumped in his chair. "Oh, heavens, why have you treated me so cruelly?"

"But I really didn't expect that AS and Marca, instead of focusing on sports coverage, would be so interested in the players' private lives!"

"There's nothing we can do about it. After all, Jiang is not only our 'Beckham,' but also a new pride of China!"

"Hehe, Jiang, I hope to see you at the World Cup two years from now."

"I hope so."

Jiang Yan smiled.

With the international match days approaching, it's time for Jiang Yan to start thinking about the national team.

"Speaking of women, that little model I dated in Italy last time said she still can't get over me! It's a bit of a dilemma. Should I bring her to Spain?"

Everyone was chatting enthusiastically.

Jiang Yan, on the other hand, was watching Inzaghi's match videos.

Kovacic, sitting in the front seat, couldn't help but ask after seeing this:

"Master, why are you watching Ninth Master's videos?"

"Nothing much, I just happened to come across this and thought I'd take a look."

"I see. But Ninth Master is indeed a great player, a natural opportunist! If I could play a game with him, I'd probably learn a lot."

Although Jiang Yan had acquired Inzaghi's goal-scoring instincts, he always felt that using them was strange, as if he wasn't as proficient as with his other skills.

Ultimately, the sense of smell at the door is a feeling, or rather, an intuition.

Although his shooting stats are terrible, as long as he can make the most of his "goal-scoring instinct," he can score even with a neighborhood-level shot!

After all, football is ultimately a game of kicking the ball into the goal.

We're four goals from open play away from completing the system task, so we have to make the most of this skill!

……

Las Palmas, officially the Las Palmas Athletic Union, was founded in 1949 and is located on the southernmost island of Spain.

The flight from Madrid to the northeast of Gran Canaria takes a full three hours.

Looking back at Las Palmas' first ten seasons, it can be considered a veteran team in the Segunda División, and Real Madrid should have little trouble winning the game away from home.

The only thing to note is that crosses will be affected by the sea breeze, so playing ground passing is the safest tactic.

Facing such a weak team, the outcome of the match was almost obvious.

Naturally, the media did not pay much attention to this match.

Wasn't it just Jiang Yan who provided the assist?

Did Cristiano Ronaldo score?

Is Benzema being blamed again?

It wasn't until just before the match that domestic media finally released a report.

Jiang Yan faces a physical crisis after consecutive battles?

Comment area.

[A match with absolutely no suspense; if the odds are set at two, I'll bet!]

Will Jiang Yan score in this match? If he does, I'll play.

[Looking at the starting lineup, with Jiang and Luo, the game is over!]

[Is Benitez going to field another rookie team? If they can't cover the spread, they'll lose a fortune!]

[It's best if you can't wear them; the manager's already tired of collecting them!]

……

The sky was getting dark.

As dusk fell on Gran Canaria, the Atlantic Ocean painted the island a gentle orange hue. The sea breeze grew cooler, but it couldn't dispel the growing fervor of the crowd heading towards the stadium.

Real Madrid's white bus slowly drove into the outer passage of Las Palmas' home stadium.

The roadside was already packed with fans who had been waiting for a long time. There were die-hard fans of the home team wearing yellow jerseys, as well as traveling fans waving Real Madrid flags. Flashes of light and shouts filled the air outside the car windows.

Inside the stadium, all the lights were on.

The grass at Gran Canaria Stadium shone a vibrant green in the night, clearly indicating meticulous maintenance. A sea breeze, carrying a damp coolness, wafted through the gaps in the stands.

In the locker room.

Benitez stood in front of the tactics board, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable firmness.

"These are the three people we need to watch out for tonight."

Willian José (forward) – A young player who played for Castilla for a period of time in the youth academy, currently valued at 200 million euros.

Roque Mesa (defensive midfielder) – with exquisite dribbling skills and a strong physique, he is said to be expected to break the 10 million euro mark within two years.

Jonathan Vieira (attacking midfielder) – the midfield maestro, with exquisite technique, is the brain of this team.

"As long as these three are contained, Las Palmas won't be able to cause any trouble!"

……

The match is about to begin, and the yellow waves in the stands are the eager fans singing the Las Palmas team song.

"Zhuangdianertai, Zhuangdianertai! Good evening, everyone."

"We are now broadcasting live the 29th round of the 2015/16 La Liga season."

"Just two days ago, in the 29th round of La Liga, Barcelona thrashed Getafe 6-0. Messi didn't accept handouts, scoring one goal, providing three assists, and missing one penalty."

"In the standings, Barcelona leads Real Madrid by four points with 67 points and one more game played. This match is crucial for Real Madrid!"

……

Inside the players' tunnel.

Willian José, who also hails from Castilla, greeted the Real Madrid players briefly.

The other players didn't interact much with the Real Madrid players, but Jiang Yan could sense their determination in their eyes.

Although Las Palmas is a lower-tier team, it doesn't mean all their players are third-rate. If they can perform well enough in the match against Real Madrid, they could be poached by other teams.

Elite teams naturally attract attention, and when playing against such high-profile teams, no one will hold back.

Casemiro tapped Jiang Yan on the shoulder from behind.

"Hey Jiang, why do you seem a little unfamiliar with that William? Aren't you both from Castile?"

"Well... how should I put it? Like me, he's not a true Castilian; he transferred in from outside, so he doesn't get along very well with his teammates. After all, we're both only fifteen or sixteen... you know?"

"I see. Bullying is indeed frequent in the youth team. It seems that William and you have both been affected to some extent."

"Heh, they're all just weak-willed fools..."

……

Led by the referee team, the players from both sides lined up and walked out of the tunnel.

As the players entered the field, the cheers from the fans grew louder and louder.

"Here are the starting lineups for both teams."

Las Palmas fielded a 4-1-4-1 formation.

Goalkeeper: Barras

"Defenders: Garcia, Lemos, Bigas, Garrido."

"Single defensive midfielder: Mesa."

Midfielders: Rini, Jonathan Vieira, Montolo, Momo.

Forward: José

"Compared to Real Madrid, Las Palmas' squad lacks a bit of star power, but there are still things to watch!"

"Las Parma's striker José also came from Castilla, and it seems he was Jiang Yan's classmate. I wonder what kind of sparks will fly between them?"

……

"Real Madrid still fielded a classic 4-3-3 formation."

Goalkeeper: Navas

"Defenders: Alberoa, Ramos, Pepe, Carvajal."

Midfielders: Jiang Yan, Casemiro, Modric.

Forwards: Bale, Ronaldo, Vazquez

……

The guessing game is over.

Beep!

With the referee's whistle, the match officially began.

Cristiano Ronaldo took the kickoff and passed the ball back to his own half.

As a striker, José began his sprint, facing his former club, and he was full of energy.

Conversely, the remaining teammates maintained their formation and began to retreat.

"Is Las Palma going to park the bus?"

"Only José was left in the attacking third, while the rest of the players retreated to the defensive line to defend."

"It's perfectly normal for them to park the bus when facing a powerhouse team like Real Madrid."

"Las Palmas's mission this season is to avoid relegation, so it's understandable that they want to hold on for a point at home."

The ball came to Ramos's feet.

Jose's pressing was very aggressive.

Snapped!

In a panic, Ramos passed the ball to Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan originally intended to pass the ball with one kick.

It was only when I looked up that I noticed.

Surprisingly, not a single person stepped forward to rob it!

Of the 11 players on the field, all except Jose retreated to the defensive third, making the penalty area resemble a bus.

What does this mean?

"Jiang Yan is dribbling the ball... He's stunned!"

"Indeed, anyone would be suspicious if they saw such a heavily guarded bus for the first time."

[Is this the first time Jiang Shen has faced such a heavily guarded bus?]

[It seems so. This bus formation is too thorough. They're only leaving one striker up front; they're completely trying to trap the team with the bus!]

[But this also has its advantages; if a foul is committed, it's a free kick, and Jiang Yan's free kick will come in handy!]

[That's true, it seems the bus can't control Jiang Shen anymore!]

……

At this moment, Jiang Yan was in a state of great inner struggle.

He had just studied Inzaghi's running positions in the car, preparing to show his skills in this match.

But the other side just brazenly used the bus tactic!

They were still four goals short!

Real Madrid kept passing the ball around in their own midfield, looking for scoring opportunities.

Twenty minutes passed just like that.

Although they created some attacking opportunities, Las Palmas's defensive team was very solid.

Scoring a goal won't be an easy task.

"It looks like today's match is destined to be dull."

The narrator had barely finished speaking.

Vázquez's breakthrough was successfully intercepted.

Las Palmas launches a counter-attack!

"They've moved! Las Palmas' attacking third! 1...2...3...A full five players have started moving!"

Vieira dribbles the ball, and his four teammates press forward to attack.

Meanwhile, José, who was already active in the attacking third, also started moving.

"A counterattack! Las Palmas' long-planned counterattack!"

"Real Madrid's players clearly didn't expect Las Parma to launch such a large-scale counter-attack! Real Madrid's defense is currently very vulnerable!"

Because Real Madrid had previously deployed too many players to push forward, Las Parma easily broke through the midfield.

"Oh no! If Las Palmas gets the ball, Real Madrid will be in danger!"

After a series of fluid passes, the ball returned to Vieira's feet.

Just then.

"That man! That man is here!"

"Jiang Yan has returned to defend!"

Just as Vieira received the ball, Jiang Yan, with his "God's-eye view" and "perfect positioning", arrived in front of Vieira ahead of time.

"What?"

His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

Even Vieira himself didn't expect Jiang Yan to appear in this position.

Snapped!

Makelele's "Steal" skill pack was activated simultaneously.

In the blink of an eye, the ball was back at Jiang Yan's feet.

"They...they stole it!"

"Jiang Yan made the steal!"

"Precise! Decisive! Without any hesitation!"

"Jiang Yan! Jiang Shen! Real Madrid's rising star! Single-handedly turned the tide of the game! Defused this extremely threatening attack!"

"No! That's not all!"

The moment Jiang Yan intercepted the ball, he delivered a brilliant 45° diagonal long pass, finding Bale on the wing.

Las Palmas's aggressive pressing will expose numerous weaknesses in their otherwise solid defense.

Now is the perfect time to launch a counterattack.

"Jiang...Jiang Shen delivered a brilliant long diagonal pass, finding Bale in an open position!"

"Las Parma's aggressive push created a gap in their defense, and Jiang Yan's pass completely tore through that defense!"

"Real Madrid's counter-attack opportunity has arrived!"

Bale accelerated down the wing, and Las Parma's players couldn't catch up or pull him back; they could only watch helplessly as Bale charged toward the byline.

"Bell cuts inside!"

"Break the door!"

"Barras bravely blocked the ball!"

"It's not over yet!"

"Modric won the second ball and shot without stopping it!"

"Barras makes two consecutive saves!"

"What's going on? Has he been possessed by a spirit? He's so good at pouncing!"

Barras's two consecutive saves helped the team temporarily avert the crisis.

Some of the defensive players have already taken their positions.

"Barras single-handedly pulled the team back from the brink of disaster! That's the role of a good goalkeeper!"

The ball came to Ronaldo's feet.

Cristiano Ronaldo, outside the penalty area, intended to shoot directly, but he seemed to see something out of the corner of his eye.

"Ronaldo didn't hesitate! He kept shooting!"

"Can Barras pull off another miraculous save? Or is he going to make a miraculous triple save?!"

boom!

boom!

Two voices came from the field.

One of the sounds was the sound of Cristiano Ronaldo's shot, while the other was the sound of the ball hitting the post.

"Ronaldo's shot went wide! Ronaldo actually missed!"

Cristiano Ronaldo's shot hit the post, and just then, a ghostly figure suddenly appeared.

"It's Jiang Yan!"

"Jiang Shen!"

"When did he get there?!"

Just as Ronaldo was about to shoot, Jiang Yan had already arrived at the edge of the penalty area.

Although Ronaldo saw Jiang Yan in a better position, he still chose to shoot himself.

Most people would give up trying to contest the header after seeing Ronaldo shoot, since the penalty area is full of defenders and going in now wouldn't do any good. It's better to believe that Ronaldo can score.

However, Jiang Yan, who possessed Ninth Master's "Sense of Smell at the Door" skill set, sensed something amiss.

With his skills, he moved like a ghost in the blind spots of the defenders.

Even if a defender sees him and tries to stop or pull him, they find that they can't catch him at all.

His agile movement helped him evade the defenders' attempts to pull him down.

Just as the ball bounced back.

Jiang Yan arrived on horseback!

The goalkeeper had already shifted his weight to save Ronaldo's shot.

He could only stare at Jiang Yan, who had suddenly appeared, with an expression of disbelief.

Facing the incoming ball.

Jiang Yan made no adjustments, and didn't even need to exert any extra effort.

It was just a light touch with the foot.

Swish!

Goal!!!!

"1-0!! Jiang Yan's ghostly runs helped Real Madrid take the lead away from home!"

"That goal was like a ghost! It reminded me of Inzaghi!"

"That's so cool!"

Jiang Shen is awesome!!!

That was such a cool shot! Did he get some serious training from Ninth Master?

[How come Jiang Shen always manages to come up with new moves? He's too strong!]

[This entire play, from defense to counter-attack to goal, was entirely Jiang Shen's doing! Absolutely phenomenal! A performance worthy of a football king!]

It seems Real Madrid is about to develop a dependency on Jiang Yan!

One more goal! One more goal!

……

On the field.

Barras, who had just completed a miraculous double save, was very puzzled.

How did Jiang Yan end up in that position?

There were clearly so many people in the restricted area.

Why didn't anyone notice him?

Could he be a ghost?

Jiang Yan's goal rendered his two miraculous saves futile; he never expected that his efforts would ultimately become someone else's backdrop.

Barras rubbed his cheeks to encourage himself, then shouted to motivate his teammates.

"Hey! Stop looking so gloomy. We already knew Real Madrid was strong, didn't we? Don't be afraid, fight back! I won't let him score again!"

After hearing what Barras said, the previously dejected Las Parma players got up and prepared to restart the game.

"I absolutely will not allow you to score again!"