Chapter 1 Is Night

That night.

Toppmöller couldn't attend the post-match press conference due to the severity of his "injury."

The German media covered the event extensively.

Leverkusen's football legends, led by Völler, all criticized the incident.

Borussia Mönchengladbach also joined in the fun; legends like Matthäus, Effenberg, and Netzer—all the living ones—emerged.

Cologne's legends were not to be outdone, especially the legendary goalkeeper, Toni Schumacher.

This guy had strong off-field fighting ability: to criticize Beckenbauer, he wrote a book, and it became a bestseller!

The old men of the North Rhine Big Three began their verbal duel!

The truth of the matter was no longer important.

The content of the old men's arguments gradually drifted to the 1970s.

Things like smashing buses, wearing green hats, sucking up to Bayern, and not repaying debts...

Finally.

Cologne's 88-year-old patriarch emerged and instantly suppressed this group of juniors aged 55-78!

Hans Schäfer!

The North Rhine Big Three?

He won the World Cup in 1954.

He's a legend in the hearts of five generations of Germans.

The great hero of the Miracle of Bern.

Of course.

The German Football Association did not give up on further punishing FC Köln: closing the stand where the incident occurred and imposing a fine!

......

The Leverkusen players were unaware of these events and were on their way back to the club.

The distance between the two clubs is very close; the drive is less than an hour.

Son Heung-min shook his head, rejecting the hints from Kramer and Bender.

Although he liked to go clubbing, he was very disciplined.

Before major events, he would become extremely self-disciplined, adjusting his body to its best condition.

The coaching staff unanimously believed that the South Korean striker's strategic significance was important for the Champions League Round of 16 match against Arsenal.

"Son, one last time?"

"Wait, let me call my dad..."

....

Brandt dejectedly tapped the screen of his phone, sending several large paragraphs of dense text messages, but received no response.

This guy had a childhood sweetheart, a female field hockey player.

But the relationship recently came to an end.

Havertz next to him looked confused.

Li Kang, on the other hand, was replaying the match in his mind: ultimately, the Cologne players were just too weak.

The Eye of Truth is a passive skill that integrates offense and defense.

But like peak Boateng, even if he could guess Messi's intentions, if his actions couldn't keep up, he'd still be faked out.

This example isn't direct enough.

A more appropriate example would be: in 2010, the world's number one right-back, Maicon, was completely dominated by the 21-year-old Bale and fell from grace.

Even if you see through everything, in the face of absolute strength, the ending is still crushing.

...

The coaching staff were engaged in a heated discussion.

For Leverkusen's defense, the Arsenal match was very, very difficult!

Wenger was several levels better than Enrique at this time. Although his on-the-spot command ability had declined significantly, his pre-match tactical arrangements were very detailed.

He would plan a perfect tactical strategy in advance.

The classic evaluation of him was: "Arsenal is well prepared; I don't know how they can lose."

In the first half of the 2015/16 season, with no injuries, the Gunners were terrifying!

....

Li Kang returned to the first team dormitory.

A system notification quietly sounded.

[Ding! Congratulations on completing the Bundesliga League Treasure Chest Mission!]

[Personal Performance Evaluation: SSS+]

[Evaluation too high; Treasure Chest reward upgraded!]

[Congratulations on obtaining: Cologne Legend · Golden Treasure Chest!]

There aren't many legendary Cologne players, but they are all elites.

Li Kang quickly glanced at the prize pool.

[Fischer "Overhead Kick King" Module (Fragmented)!]

[Podolski "Prince of Cologne" Module!]

[Toni Schumacher "Fifth Goalkeeper" Module (Fragmented)!].

[...]

Overhead Kick King?

Fischer, the second highest scorer in German football history.

The shooting attributes and flexibility improvements that come with this module must be significant.

I like these ready-to-use modules the most!

[Treasure Chest opening...]

[Congratulations on obtaining: Toni Schumacher "Heavy Punch" Module!]

[Special effect: your fists and knees will become harder; goalkeeping reduced by 30%! Shooting reduced by 80%! Speed reduced by 50%!]

[He is France's eternal enemy!]

Isn't this guy a goalkeeper? A former top-five goalkeeper in history! Why would the goalkeeping attribute be reduced by 30%?

The treasure chest emitted a dazzling white light.

Li Kang involuntarily closed his eyes.

When he woke up again.

He found himself in a magnificent stadium.

Wearing white gloves.

.....

1982, World Cup semi-final.

"Legendary Number Ten" Platini sent a freehand long pass, tearing apart the German team's proud defense!

Battiston charged forward at high speed! Forming a one-on-one situation!

The next moment.

He experienced death.

....

Li Kang opened his eyes.

And unhesitatingly threw the "Heavy Punch" module into the fusion furnace.

It had nothing to do with reducing shooting and speed's negative attributes!

This is a fighting module, not a football module.

Such behavior violates the spirit of sports; what's the difference between that and those Korean bastards?

He was about to grab a ball and go downstairs to train.

The system notification sounded again.

[Ding! Congratulations on unlocking the hidden achievement: North Rhine Conqueror!]

[Introduction: Rams, Foals, Lions!]

[Permanent Special Effect: When you step onto the green fields of Cologne, Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Leverkusen, all attributes increase by 5%!]

.....

The next morning.

The small assistant held a stack of faxes, hesitating, "Boss, the brand owners have raised the price; I think we can let Li..."

Völler waved his hand, smiling, "It's still too low; they don't understand Li's commercial value at all. Let's talk about it after the Champions League Round of 16. How are the shirt sales doing?"

The small assistant answered seriously, "Not bad; especially in the Balkans... sold out!"

"I almost forgot; Longwei Mobile will be here today to shoot the second ad!"

....

First team training ground.

Son Heung-min and Li Kang were engaged in one-on-one training.

After a few attempts.

He was surprised to find that in static confrontation, he couldn't easily break free, nor could he defend against Li Kang!

"Li! How can you seem to see through my changes in balance?"

"You mean? Try pulling away a little further?"

Beep!

Dino blew the whistle, interrupting the two's exchange, "Li! Someone's looking for you!"

Li Kang looked over.

And saw a young man in a suit and tie.

The head of Longwei Mobile's German branch... Zhang Wei!

And the bearded director and the film crew.

"Little Li! You've gotten taller again!"

Zhang Wei trotted forward, warmly shaking Li Kang's hand.

A staff member hurriedly handed over two gift boxes, containing either phones or tablets.

"Our overseas compatriots from the Dragon Kingdom are the most reliable!"

Originally, Longwei Mobile encountered a unilateral termination of contract by a Bundesliga star in Europe. Zhang Wei stumbled upon Li Kang, thinking it was a temporary endorsement to clean up the mess.

The advertising effect was unexpectedly good!

Especially the sales in the North Rhine region!

After all, this is the area with the strongest consumer power in Germany at this time!

Although mobile phones aren't Longwei's main business, having a spokesperson with a healthy image in Europe is icing on the cake!

....

The group didn't exchange pleasantries for too long.

They didn't use Leverkusen's dedicated filming base.

The film crew began setting up on an empty field nearby.

The bearded director's expression was a bit conflicted, "Li! This time your partner isn't football!"

As he spoke.

An Asian girl with an exaggerated figure, wearing a jersey, strolled over.

She looked to be in her early twenties, but exuded a mature and charming aura.

Exquisite, large features, fiery red lips, showing all her allure.

She smiled slightly, her voice very gentle, "Li, I'm your fan."

Li Kang didn't recognize this female star.

Judging from her makeup style, she definitely wasn't from the Dragon Kingdom, nor was she Japanese or Korean.

The pronunciation of her spoken language sounded more like somewhere in Southeast Asia...

Zhang Wei quickly said, "Right, right! Chi Pu is your advertising partner this time!"

He patted Li Kang on the shoulder, having a flash of inspiration, adding, "She's a girl! Not a guy!"

Chi Pu paused.

Striving to maintain her smile.

This year, at 22 years old, her career was on the rise, and she was very popular in Southeast Asia.

Before filming the advertisement, she had already researched Li Kang's information.

A red-hot super talent in Europe! Young and handsome! And of Chinese descent!

Such a high-quality partner, combined with a high-quality brand, would definitely help boost her influence in Asia and even the world!

What fan?

She didn't watch football at all.

Her country couldn't even beat the Dragon Kingdom's national football team!

.....

The advertising content was very simple.

Li Kang just dribbled the ball and took some shots.

Chi Pu just tossed the ball aside and smiled.

Zhang Wei stroked his chin, saying, "The Valentine's Day limited ad is aimed at the European and Southeast Asian markets; I think we can be a little more open!"

The bearded director nodded seriously.

He had professional ethics: Longwei Mobile was paying more than Veltins!

"Li, you can rest for a bit!"

"Miss Chi Pu, you stare at that dummy wall, with a loving gaze!"

"We'll take care of everything in post-production!"

.....

The small assistant quickly handed over a dry towel.

Li Kang didn't expect to earn this endorsement fee so easily.

No foul smell.

Indicating that the other party's private life was relatively clean.

Which reflected that Longwei's background check department was still quite capable.

He wiped his face and forgot what Miss Chi Pu looked like.

What came to mind were the appearances of Sanchez, Čech, Cazorla, and others.

How to defeat this Arsenal?

That was a headache of a problem.

He wanted to copy the Premier League's homework, but Mourinho's Chelsea almost capsized in the Community Shield at the start of the season.

....

An hour later.

The advertising shoot ended.

Chi Pu changed into casual clothes, smiling, "Li, can you show me around the club? I'm very interested in Leverkusen's history."

Interested in what history?

She wanted to find a chance to exchange contact information first.

The feeling of getting along with this talented player... was quite nice.

Zhang Wei gave a thumbs up, smiling, "Don't worry, Leverkusen has already arranged everything; there will be someone to take all of us to visit the club museum!"

Chi Pu took a deep breath, striving to suppress her anger.

She smiled and shook Li Kang's hand and left with the others.

Li Kang suddenly found a small note in his hand.

The small assistant hesitated for a moment, saying, "Li, you might not need it now, but you might need it in the future!"

.....

A few days later.

A 30-second advertisement was released.

It was simultaneously published on various short video platforms in the Dragon Kingdom and quickly went viral.

The short film content was very simple.

Warm tones.

Cheerful background music.

Li Kang and Chi Pu, wearing jerseys and sneakers, dribbling footballs.

As the football rose and fell.

The backgrounds of the two changed.

The misty banks of the Rhine River.

The gentle and dreamy Neuschwanstein Castle.

The resolute and magnificent Museum Island in Berlin.

...

From Europe to Asia.

Continuously switching between the scenic spots along the way.

Finally.

The screen dimmed.

A heart-shaped animation and the latest electronic device popped up.

...

The number of comments, likes, and reposts exploded.

-[This is great; I won't criticize Li Mingdeng for sucking up to foreign women.]

-[I checked; the woman has no scandals as of 2015. I'll eat this dog food!]

-[Li Mingdeng has scandals! He went to South Korea and abused the Koreans, and even flirted with their national girl! Killing and torturing their hearts!]

-[Li Kang's private life is very clean. The truth about the Korean flirting incident has come to light. The Japanese hotel finally provided complete surveillance footage. The time entering and leaving the room was only fifty seconds. What could he do?]

-[I still think Wang**, from the first part, is more compatible with Li Kang!]

......

Of course, Li Kang didn't have any further stories with Chi Pu.

He just didn't know where she found his social media account and occasionally had awkward chats.

He didn't have the mind to be in a relationship right now.

A major battle was imminent.

He had to level up desperately!

Tenth round of the Bundesliga!

Leverkusen welcomed a long-awaited home game!

The enemy was Hannover 96!

The number of fans of this club in the Dragon Kingdom was six times that of Leverkusen!

They were the first club in German football history to win the German Cup while in the second division.

In 1992, Hannover 96 advanced all the way, consecutively defeating powerhouses such as Borussia Dortmund, VfL Bochum, Karlsruher SC, Werder Bremen, and Borussia Mönchengladbach, and ultimately lifting the German Cup.

But they were very weak this season, starting with eight consecutive losses! Destined to be the bottom of the Bundesliga!

The match had no suspense.

Leverkusen's number 10 had two passes and two shots, helping the team win 4-0 against Hannover 96!

Japanese top defender Hiroki Sakai was completely dominated twice by Li Kang!

ESPN's Japanese fans went wild again!

After the match.

Li Kang drew the [Robert Enke "Gates of Heaven" Module!] from the golden treasure chest.

[The Unbearable Lightness of Life.]

He closed his eyes.

And experienced a death.

....

Eleventh round of the Bundesliga.

Leverkusen continued its home games!

And welcomed a weak opponent—FC Augsburg!

This club had only won against Leverkusen once in seven years!

Li Kang encountered two "old acquaintances" in the players' tunnel.

Koo Ja-cheol and Hong Jeong-ho.

The match still had no suspense.

Perhaps because they were traumatized in the friendly match.

The Korean center-back, who had just recovered from his injury, was instinctively afraid of confronting Li Kang!

Leverkusen's number 10 assisted a hat-trick, helping Leverkusen take a 3-0 lead in the first half!

During halftime.

Dino and Toppmöller hurriedly substituted him to prepare for the upcoming European Round of 16!

They replaced him with Çalhanoğlu!

Augsburg's coach, Dirk Schuster, was not an ordinary person; he was the Bundesliga's most famous "promotion expert"! He had successfully promoted four different small teams.

All the Bundesliga coaches had done in-depth research on how to play against a Leverkusen team with Çalhanoğlu at its core!

In the second half.

Augsburg scored two goals in a row!

Almost completing an "Istanbul Miracle" of equalizing after being down three goals!

Fortunately, Leno was in explosive form, making saves in the penalty area and helping the team maintain its lead until the end of the match!

Leverkusen was on a winning streak in the Bundesliga, only eight goal difference away from the overlord, Bayern Munich.

....

After the match.

Li Kang drew the [Helmut Haller "Elegant Fatty" Module (Fragmented)!] from the golden treasure chest.

[He was fat, but he was strong.]

[Additional effect: Do you want to become fatter? How about 200 pounds! Speed reduced by 80%! Stamina reduced by 50%!]

[Additional attribute increase: Ball control increased by 10%!]

Li Kang smiled. This fragmented module was strong, but it wasn't adapted to the rhythm of modern football.

.....

Li Kang lived a peaceful and boring life.

He got his driver's license and bought a used car, but the first time he went out, he crashed into a fire hydrant.

People from FIFA's Minor Protection Committee came to Leverkusen to inspect Li Kang's situation and ended up watching the 1994 version of *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* with great interest!

Time flew by.

And it was December in a blink of an eye.

The Champions League 1/8 knockout stage in this parallel universe arrived.

Li Kang and Leverkusen were about to set off for North London.