Chapter 41: Immediate Combat Power Module! (Two-in-One)

"Congratulations to VfL Wolfsburg!"
"As of now, they temporarily sit in second place in the Bundesliga."
"The Wolves' overall strength this season is formidable. After losing only to Bayern Munich in the opening round of the Bundesliga, they have gone on an impressive eight-match winning streak in the league!"
"Chinese player Li Luo, through his exceptional talent, has established himself as the midfield orchestrator for the Bundesliga club."
"A rising supernova in Europe's top five leagues."
"Countless people are looking forward to seeing what heights he will reach in the future."
"I feel proud and honored for him."
"..."
The commentator began to wax lyrical.
Speaking of the truth of life, heroism, perception and passion...
Director Zhang, meanwhile, was carefully analyzing Li Luo's passing success rate, ground duels, defensive contributions... and other related data from tonight's match.
He froze from time to time.
Furrowing his brow, then smoothing it out.
Whenever there was something questionable in the data, it undoubtedly had to be the teammates' fault.
Passing success rate? The teammates didn't receive the ball properly or didn't make the right runs.
Ground duels? The teammates delivered a poor pass, putting Li Luo in a difficult situation and causing him to be disrupted by opponents.
...
Salutes echoed, and green confetti drifted down gracefully from the away stand.
Like a gentle rain.
The assistant coach was reviewing the match tape when a sudden thought crossed his mind. He looked up and said gently to Bendtner: "If your hold-up play were a bit stronger, breaking their high press would be much simpler for us."
"If your off-the-ball movement were sharper, you could better disrupt the spaces between their lines."
"That would allow Li to play an even simpler game."
There was truth to these words.
With a dominant center forward boasting strong hold-up and off-the-ball capabilities, Wolfsburg's attack could be simplified further.
It would be equivalent to having a towering pillar in the final third.
Bendtner remained unfazed, shrugging, "My hold-up play is already stronger than the other strikers at the club."
"Considering the market and price tag, could Wolfsburg buy a center forward with better close control, higher tactical awareness, and superior hold-up play than me?"
"If I met all the criteria you're asking for, would Arsenal have chased me out? Would I have been replaced by Giroud?"
The assistant coach listened attentively and nodded, "Mm-hmm, you're right, but you should strive harder to prove yourself."
Unable to resist, he pulled out his small tactical board and began to run hypothetical scenarios...
Center forward position? Excellent close-range technique? High tactical awareness? Capable of stretching the opponent's defensive lines? Strong vision?
Who fits that description?
Morata!
A product of Real Madrid's youth academy, now a young genius playing for Juventus.
His presence would undoubtedly alleviate a tremendous amount of pressure on Li.
However.
Wolfsburg couldn't afford him.
Even if they could afford him, he wouldn't be willing to come; Juventus was a major contender for the UEFA Champions League this season.
By next summer's transfer window, a deep-pocketed club like Manchester United could certainly afford him!
The assistant coach secretly made up his mind: when the time comes, he would seriously offer this recommendation to his friends in Manchester United's scouting department—it was bound to pay off. If Li Luo returned to Manchester United, he would undoubtedly be treated as the cornerstone of their revival, and the club would build the entire team around him.
...
Li Luo's two goals made his teammates deeply aware of his lethal finishing ability.
Having breached the defenses of the Bundesliga's next-generation goalkeeping prodigy, Karius, who would dare question the Chinese genius's shooting technique?
The Wolfsburg players left the pitch one by one.
Gustavo pondered for a moment and said, "Merdana, we also need to use our brains more to read the flow of the game, giving Li more time and space to participate in the attack, and setting him free!"
Old Gu was the defensive midfielder for the Brazilian national team, possessing the mindset of "how to support the great playmakers in the central midfield and attack like Neymar."
The young midfielder's eyes showed determination as he shook his head, "The boss told me not to overthink things; I only listen to Li's instructions."
De Bruyne did not join the discussion; twirling a blade of grass around his index finger, he gazed into the distance at Li Luo's departing back and smiled.
...
Post-match press conference.
Hecking beamed with a wide smile.
"Tactical chess match? What tactical chess match?"
"Don't worry about what others are doing. We just need to play our own game, pass the ball to Li, and naturally, things will become simple."
Clap, clap, clap!
Warm applause echoed through the auditorium.
Media reporters scribbled furiously, recording the master coach's golden quotes.
Much like Cruyff's famous maxim: "When attacking, stretch the space; when defending, compress the space."
A single, short sentence encompassing the profound mysteries of the laws of space.
"Hmm? Yes! Li commanded the team during the transition phase to crack Tuchel's pressing trap; he is far too clever."
"Karius is one of Germany's strongest next-generation goalkeepers, yet tonight he conceded two goals to Li Luo."
"What does this mean? Do I even need to elaborate?"
Clap, clap, clap.
The applause rang out once more, lingering long in the air.
Moments later.
Mainz assistant coach Uhl walked gloomily into the auditorium, endured a barrage of media questioning, and was once again asked about the threat posed by the opposition...
"I don't think Li is a phenom with exceptionally high raw individual athleticism; he simply excels at using his spatial awareness to handle the ball with utmost simplicity."
"His brilliance lies in his vision, his reading of the game, his tactical acumen, his match concentration, and his understanding of space..."
"A genius midfielder who plays with his brain, bringing his own system with him—a commander who can only unleash his maximum value at a true European powerhouse."
"The above are Tuchel's evaluations, not mine."
...
Returning to the hotel.
Li Luo eagerly hurried into his room.
Beep, beep, beep.
His phone rang.
Messages had come in from Lauren and Rae, and even Lalisha had sent one.
With a crisis looming before him, how could he allow girls to distract him from his self-improvement?
He chose to ignore them.
[Shock value acquired: 165,687]
[Do you wish to consume 100,000 shock value to redeem a Bundesliga Star Mystery Box?]
[Redemption in progress.]
Rumble!
A colossal card suddenly materialized before him!
Within the card, a figure slowly emerged.
Li Luo took a deep breath.
He closed his eyes.
This was his final mystery box draw before the international A-level matches!
The ultimate test of luck had arrived.
Tonight, he absolutely could not afford to be the unlucky one.
He had to pull a combat-ready module to weather the impending storm.
That was going to be a difficult challenge where even macroscopic spatial awareness and tactical mastery might not produce an immediate, decisive effect!
The reward couldn't be a team buff; it had to be an individual "burst" module!
[Mystery box is opening...]
A figure with a receding hairline was captured in a sprinting, dribbling posture.
[In a dribbling state, the human limit for step frequency is 4.4 Hz; his step frequency is 4.2 Hz.]
[Left foot, left foot, left foot, left foot, right foot.]
[Right, right, right, right, left, left, right, left, left, right, left—continuous ground contact without a predictable pattern.]
[The Flying Dutchman who galloped forth from Groningen.]
[The entire world knows he is going to cut inside, but they simply cannot stop him!]
What?
It actually is...
[Congratulations on acquiring: Robben's "Step Frequency" module.]
[Burst, burst, burst!]
[As your ball control attribute increases, this module will gradually reveal its full might.]
[Ball control attribute adjustment: 48 → 60!]
[Additional attribute enhancement: Speed +2!]
Whoa! It's a legendary golden drop!
Much like Müller's module, it directly adjusted his stats to the lower threshold required for the module to take effect!
And his speed had increased by two points.
His speed attribute had now reached an astonishing 88 points!
...
Li Luo felt a slight tingling sensation at the back of his head.
No fractured memories surfaced in his mind.
Why?
The next moment, he understood.
This was a step frequency module—an enhancement of the most fundamental and original kind, not the Robben inside-cutting module.
It was akin to the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms.
Guo Jing, Hong Qigong, Qiao Feng, and Shi Huolong all executed them differently.
High-frequency dribbling was the same.
Messi, Robben, Neymar, Hazard, and Walcott all possessed completely different combat forms.
...
Li Luo let out a long breath.
He had finally drawn the ultimate individual "burst" module.
He could not afford to slack off.
He still needed to continue studying.
He picked up his tablet and resumed watching *Cristiano Ronaldo Teaches You High-Speed Sprints and Nuclear Headers*.
During the last charity event, Morata had given him a suggestion: he could learn Ronaldo's heading techniques, as they were extremely practical.
A heading rating of 98.
In that difficult battle ahead, it would surely become a crucial weapon.
...
A series of news reports surged to the top of China's internet trending searches.
"Chinese youngster Li Luo scores a brace in the Bundesliga."
"The ultimate duel between the new generation's spear and shield: Li Luo executes an elegant lob to demolish Karius."
"Japanese media: Kneeling in despair, the sweat and tears of Shinji Okazaki—is this all truly unchangeable?"
"Korean media: Li Luo is too savage; Koo Ja-cheol merely attempted a sliding tackle on him, yet Li leapt up and viciously stomped on Koo Ja-cheol's body."
"The Sun: During the international break, the oriental girl Li Luo secretly met is definitely not Korean."
Finally.
A bombshell piece of news was released, setting off a nationwide frenzy.
"International A-Level Match: China vs. Japan, Li Luo to make his national team debut."
The accompanying image captured the dashing moment of Li Luo lobbing Karius.
The number of comments, likes, and shares skyrocketed wildly.
-[What?]
-[My Luo is going to play for the national team?]
-[I'm so thrilled! A genius midfielder shining in the Bundesliga is pulling on the national team jersey. Am I dreaming?!]
-[Ahhh! So handsome! If I had Li Luo's football skills, I'd charge forward to play for the national team without a second thought.]
-[Li Luo, please, wipe away the national team's shame and show us hope!]
-[We shouldn't put too much pressure on Li Luo. He's still young; the result of the national team match doesn't matter. The most important thing is that he doesn't get injured or suffer any lingering issues.]
-[That's right. We must be tolerant, understanding, encouraging, and supportive of Li Luo. He's playing so well in the Bundesliga and the Europa League; if the national team loses, it will definitely not be his fault!]
-[Let's go, Li Luo!]
...
Cheshire.
Hale Village, shrouded in a thin mist.
Ferguson sat before the fireplace, contentedly reviewing the video footage of Wolfsburg.
Jack poured a drink cautiously: "Boss, word has come back from Tom."
"Hmm? Is Li in a relationship? It's fine; that's completely normal at his age. As long as she's a good girl, we shouldn't meddle too heavily."
Ferguson's expression turned complex as he sighed, lowering his head as if recalling past memories.
Jack shook his head: "No, Tom said Li doesn't know any girls in Germany."
"There are, however, many football agents inquiring about Li's contact information."
"A guy named Raiola claims he has the ability to broker a move for Li to a European powerhouse."
Pfft.
Ferguson picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth: "Absurd. Broker a move for Li to a powerhouse? Manchester United *is* a powerhouse!"
Jack looked hesitant, stumbling over his words as he said, "That guy's idea is... to take Li to Barcelona, to become Xavi's successor, the new-generation La Masia number four, and kick off a fourth Dream Team era."
"Haha!"
Ferguson chuckled: "I will always trust Li's character."
Jack nodded: "Mm, I believe so too. Tom will truthfully report on Li's situation and handle any trouble."
As they chatted, sipping their drinks,
The two of them actually felt a bit pleased:
Since the Manchester United crown prince had proven his mettle on the Bundesliga stage, it was only natural that he would attract the attention of various forces.
...
Li Luo's character was, of course, beyond reproach.
He had no idea that any agency was sniffing around for his contact details.
Even if they found him, he would reject them outright.
Returning to Manchester United upon the conclusion of his loan spell was a promise; he wasn't going anywhere else.
"Li, are you changed yet?"
"Coming."
Stepping out of the hotel room, his Wolfsburg teammates had also changed into casual wear.
Bendtner even wore a flat cap, sunglasses, and a face mask: "I'm afraid of being recognized by fans and causing a commotion."
"Hey, your level of fame isn't quite that high yet..."
"Even top stars with high fame are the same. When Benzema came to Mainz to hang out last time, the locals and tourists were very calm, treating him like any ordinary tourist."
Being within Germany, the coaching staff was quite relaxed about the players' outings.
People needed to unwind; they couldn't stay mentally tense all the time.
However, they were strictly forbidden from visiting the red-light district.
...
The cobblestone streets of the old town gleamed with damp textures under the light and shadow, Gothic spires pierced the clouds, and the Rhine River flowed like a silver ribbon, reflecting the lights of both banks and the silhouettes of ancient architecture.
Bendtner pointed at a church and laughed, "With so many brothels on either side, do you think the nuns hear people groaning during mass?"
The others paused, unable to do anything but admire the Arsenal Emperor's unique train of thought.
Next up was the international break, and there wouldn't be another Bundesliga match for thirteen days.
For players not selected for their national teams, it was effectively a two-week vacation.
Merdana said, "The competition in the Belgium national team is too fierce. I couldn't make the cut; I have to go back and captain the U23s."
The situations for the other teammates were much the same.
In European and South American football powerhouses, unless a player occupied a scarce role within the coach's tactical system, they generally faced fierce, unyielding competition.
De Bruyne hesitated for a long time before finally saying to Li Luo, "Li, be careful on your trip, and don't get hurt."
Gustavo smiled, "Don't worry. Li's status in China is equivalent to Neymar's status in Brazil! Li, take my advice! If anyone tackles you, roll around dramatically to draw the referee's attention and protect yourself."
Li Luo nodded earnestly: "Mm, I understand."
"Come on, come on! Time for a picture!"
Wolfsburg's crown prince, Arnold, pulled out a camera and signaled everyone to gather by the riverbank.
"What about you?"
"Oh right! Hey, brother passing by, could you help us take a picture? I'll give you my autograph!"
"Careful, don't get blown into the river by the wind!"
Everyone had already taken their positions.
Arnold trotted over eagerly to the side.
The passerby, looking somewhat excited, adjusted the camera.
Snap!
Li Luo and his Wolfsburg teammates left a precious group photo by the banks of the Rhine River.
Every single one of them wore a brilliant smile.
Their faces brimmed with hope for the future.
...
Hotel conference room.
The Wolfsburg coaching staff finished reviewing the match tape.
A staff member knocked gently on the door: "Boss, the Chinese national team sent a fax to the club..."
Hecking took the document.
After reading through it carefully,
He muttered, "Not bad, the phrasing and titles are quite accurate—'Master Coach!'"
"They want to consult... how the national team should utilize Li? They hope to get our suggestions."
The Wolfsburg manager raised an eyebrow.
Huh?
They don't even know how to celebrate a win?
"Which of you has the time to reply properly."
"My point is that we can't let Li get too tired. Draft your... write your response around that core principle!"