Ye Chen was fully immersed in training.
During a break, he finally redeemed the golden treasure chest earned from his starting debut.
Initially, he planned to open it during his morning training, but Klopp had interrupted him. Despite the anticipation, the reward wasn't doubled. Perhaps starting two games early seemed natural to the system.
As Ye Chen stared at the golden treasure chest in his mind, an uncontrollable excitement built up. His current skills were entirely due to system-enhanced attributes. But was Ye Chen strong enough now? Not quite.
Plenty of players relied on speed, but only a select few used it to ascend to superstardom. For Ye Chen to achieve greatness, he needed technical improvement.
"System, work your magic!" he said, taking a deep breath. "Open the golden chest!"
"Ding! Congratulations, host! You've obtained the S-level skill: Penalty Specialist!"
Ye Chen froze. Was the system serious?
"All rewards are randomly selected," came the cold reply.
His lips twitched in mild frustration. The reward felt lackluster.
Opening his attribute panel confirmed itâno direct attribute boosts.
Wait! He suddenly noticed something: his non-dominant foot had improved from 3 to 4! Could this be due to penalty training involving his left foot? Improving one's non-dominant foot was notoriously challenging. While his right foot could launch 120 km/h shots, his left foot could barely manage 80 km/h with minimal accuracy. As a result, he rarely used it.
Yet, the Penalty Specialist skill unexpectedly boosted it. A pleasant surprise!
Ye Chen, ever content, accepted the skill graciously. The question now was whether Klopp would entrust him with penalties. With this skill, they would be a breeze.
What Ye Chen didn't realize was that Penalty Specialist provided more than technical boostsâit enhanced his mental attributes too. Though intangible, these attributes were real.
Why, for instance, did England players falter in penalty shootouts during major tournaments? The higher the stakes, the greater the disappointment, as if cursed.
Ye Chen, however, might not face such issues... or so he hoped.
Back on the training ground, Klopp directed Ye Chen to practice positioning as Dortmund prepared to deploy a new 4-3-3 formation for the upcoming match. Its success hinged largely on Ye Chen's performance.
Meanwhile, opposing coach Ralph Reuss set up a trio of defensive midfielders to contain Ye Chen. Their only directive: stop him at all costs.
October 25th: Pre-match Press Conference for the German Cup Second Round
As usual, Klopp attended the conference, but this time, the room was packed. Normally uninterested in the German Cup, journalists were now drawn by rumors of Ye Chen's potential transfer.
Mendes, Ye Chen's agent, was adept at leveraging public opinion. Ye Chen only needed to focus on training while his reputation soared across European football.
"Is it true Mourinho wants to bring Ye to Real Madrid? Rumor has it Mendes is brokering the deal!" one reporter asked.
Klopp replied calmly, "I've spoken with the management. They'll soon present Ye with a new contract."
"Reports suggest Manchester United has increased their bid. Will Ye return to Old Trafford?"
"I don't know about the future, but right now, no," Klopp declared confidently. "I've spoken to Ye privately. He's very happy at Dortmund."
"Will the transfer saga affect his role in the team? Will he start in the next match?"
"Ye will start. I've said before: Dortmund will do everything to help him make history," Klopp said with determination.
Meanwhile, Ralph Reuss marveled at the swarm of reporters. Was this the power of Ye Chen's influence? Dresden, a town of just 500,000, rarely attracted more than a handful of local journalists. Yet, a second-round German Cup match had drawn national attention.
"Dortmund aims to help Ye set records. Will you let them succeed?" one reporter asked.
"We Dresdeners are not pushovers!" Reuss replied firmly. "I understand his desire for records, but he'll have to get past us first."
"Will you resort to foul tactics against Ye?"
"Of course not! He's just a 17-year-old kid! Besides, he's not Messi or Ronaldo. We've got ways to handle him," Reuss said confidently.
Though Ye Chen was impressive, Reuss believed the hype was overstated. Following days of targeted training, he was brimming with confidence. He planned to surprise everyone at Signal Iduna Park.
After the press conferences, the internet buzzed with activity:
⢠Klopp: Ye is happy at Dortmund and won't leave!
⢠Ye remains central to Dortmund's plans!
⢠Dresden coach: We've found a way to stop Ye!
⢠Reuss: If he wants records, he must first beat us!
⢠He's no Messi or Ronaldo!
As the match approached, fans grew increasingly excited, especially in China.
"CCTV 5 isn't broadcasting? Where can we watch? I'm already nervous!"
"I never cared about the German Cup before, but now I can't wait!"
"Three days without Ye, and I'm already in withdrawal!"
"Jianjun will stream it on Penguin Liveâhe's Ye's biggest fan now!"
"Let's go, Ye! Show those doubters what you've got!"
"Alarm set for 2 AM. History awaits!"
"Ye Chen, go, go, go!!!"
In Dortmund's luxurious Hilton Hotel, two elderly gentlemen were deep in conversation.
Ferguson smiled. "Are you sure this is how you want to bring him back?"
David Gill nodded firmly. "I was the one who let him go. Now I'll bring him back personally." He had endured countless reprimands from the club owner over this decision.
"But then I won't have money for Van Persie!" Ferguson lamented. "If only the Glazers would loosen the purse strings."
"Didn't you say Ye would make Van Persie unnecessary?" Gill asked, surprised.
"Come on, we're adults. Why not want both?" Ferguson grinned.
Once dismissed as an unremarkable academy player, Ye Chen had become Europe's hottest prospect. Ferguson regretted underestimating him. After Manchester United's humiliating 1-6 loss to Manchester City, Ferguson couldn't help but wonder: if Ye had started instead of Welbeck, would the result have been different?
The thought of Welbeck's two squandered chances pained him deeply. If only he had chosen Ye back then...