Unbeknownst to many, the fact that Ye Chen, a rookie, was being compared to world-class forwards was already an accomplishment in itself.
Yet, both domestic and international fans had a tendency to overrate the past and underrate the present.
As a result, Ye Chen was thoroughly defeated in the comparisons.
First, when compared to Beckham:
Ye Chen's midfield lob was accurate, but Beckham's attempt was far more challenging, even with a similar distance.
Next, when compared to Rooney's three goals:
Rooney had two long-range screamers among his goals, while Ye Chen's were a tap-in and a chip shot.
The difficulty just wasn't comparable.
And as for Ronaldo's legendary free kick at Manchester Unitedâhis was from 40 meters, while Ye Chen's was only 35 meters.
In conclusion, Ye Chen lost out on every count.
But as for Ye Chen himself? He didn't care in the slightest.
By the time dinner was over, it was already past 9 p.m.âtoo late to return to England.
Ye Chen suggested Lina stay at a hotel for the night and return to England the next day.
The proposal was accepted, but it was also too late for Ye Chen to return to Dortmund, so...
One thing led to another, and they ended up checking into the same hotel.
Ye Chen asked the receptionist, "Do you have two rooms available?"
"Yes, sir!"
Turning around, he gave Lina an apologetic look. "There's only one room left. What should we do?"
Lina didn't believe him and asked the receptionist herself, "Is there really only one room left?"
The receptionist shook his head. "Of course not. We have plenty of empty rooms."
But when Lina returned to Ye Chen, she regretfully said, "We'll just have to share a room..."
Naturally, they booked a business room with two beds.
Back in the room, Lina, exhausted from the day, suggested taking a shower first. Ye Chen, still tired from the match, decided to rest on the bed.
As for showering, he'd already taken one after the match and changed into fresh clothes.
While Lina showered, Ye Chen, completely drained, fell asleep on the bed.
By the time he woke up, it was already the next morning.
"Hey, wake up!" Lina leaned on the edge of the bed, smiling at him.
Ye Chen groggily opened his eyes. "Lina, are you done showering?"
Lina burst into laughter. "What do you mean, done showering? It's already 9 a.m.!"
"What?!" Ye Chen bolted upright, his mind finally clearing.
It was broad daylight outside.
If he'd known, he wouldn't have restedâhe might not even be a virgin anymore.
Awkward. So awkward!
"Are you heading back to the team today?" Lina asked with a playful smile.
"I told you yesterday, didn't I? The boss gave me two days off."
"Then let's go buy you some clothes!" Lina's face lit up with a sweet smile. "You're going to be a star soon; you should dress the part!"
"I'm fine with whatever."
"That won't do!" Lina shook her head firmly. "If you dress terribly, it'll affect how my friends see me. After all, you're my boyfriend!"
"Alright, alright..."
Ye Chen usually didn't care about what he woreâback then, he couldn't afford to.
Now that he had money, it was indeed time to get some proper outfits.
He remembered how Real Madrid players always wore suits for Champions League finalsâthey looked stunning.
And he didn't even own a proper suit.
Not that it was particularly necessary...
Since Lina had classes the next day, they returned to Manchester in the afternoon. Ye Chen also returned to his team.
Interestingly, during his shopping trip, several fans recognized him, including two Mainz supporters.
After all, news about him had already spread across Germany.
Such was the culture of football.
Before parting with Lina, Ye Chen finally gave away his first kiss. For the first time, he saw Lina's shy, bashful expression.
That moment was enough to be etched in his memory forever.
As for how it felt to kiss her...
Have you ever eaten jelly? If not, give it a try.
Sweet, filled with the fragrance of love.
Back at the club, the first thing Ye Chen did was claim his mission reward.
The match had ended yesterday, but he hadn't collected the reward yet.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for leading Dortmund to a comeback victory over Mainz. Mission rating: SS-Rank! Reward doubled!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining a Diamond Chest!"
"Hiss..."
Ye Chen took a sharp breath in his dormitory.
He had finally earned his first Diamond Chest.
Diamond Chests were the system's highest-tier rewards. Did it appear because it sensed his desire?
While the Bundesliga match had made Ye Chen an overnight sensation, he saw only problems.
His speed was lacking, his explosiveness insufficient, and his physique abysmal.
In such a state, once opposing coaches began analyzing him, his future would be in trouble.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that his scoring opportunities would become extremely limited.
Did anyone really think you could just shoot on goal whenever you wanted in football?
Once marked by a defender like glue, you might not even get a touch on the ball!
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Ye Chen said to the system, "Open the Diamond Chest!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for acquiring the SS-Rank skill Poacher!"
Poacher?
Ye Chen's eyes widened.
This term symbolized top-tier strikers!
In his previous life, the most formidable poachers were Lewandowski, followed by Mbappé and Haaland.
Don't be misled by the term "poacher." It refers to aggressive, penetrating forwards adept at breaking through the last defensive line.
Aggressiveness here means being more threatening on the attack, closer to the opponent's goal, with an even stronger desire to score.
Breaking through the last defensive line refers to exploiting offside traps to create one-on-one opportunities because the last line essentially represents the offside line.
To become a poacher, one must possess sharp instincts, flexible positioning, exceptional spatial awareness, and blazing speed.
Without delay, Ye Chen opened his personal attributes panel.
He wanted to see what kind of changes this SS-Rank skill would bring him!
First, his offensive ability shot up, rising from 70 to 80.
This offensive ability essentially represented positional awareness, which in practice would make Ye Chen's off-ball movement more intelligent.
Next were his speed and explosiveness!
Both had increased to 85!
What did this mean?
Previously, Ye Chen's speed was 76, and his explosiveness was 78. Now, both had reached 85!
With this speed, he might not dominate the Premier League, but he'd certainly rank among the top in the Bundesliga...
And the improvements didn't stop there! The poacher skill had far more to offer.