Chapter 20: Loan-Type Midfielder

"This, this..."

Tang Ye was completely stunned by Ten Hag's question.

No homework?

"This, is this really allowed?"

"Of course. I asked Ms. Valerie; you'll have quite a lot of homework recently. I also know you're an athlete with training to do, so it's perfectly normal if you can't finish your assignments."

Ten Hag sat down beside Tang Ye.

Tang Ye's eyes lit up.

No homework!

There's such a good thing?

Must seize it!

"So I don't have to do any homework from now on?"

"Oh, don't rush."

Ten Hag raised his index finger and wagged it in front of Tang Ye: "If you simply refuse to do your homework, Ms. Valerie won't agree, but I have a solution!"

A smile played on the Dutchman's face: "As long as you add two hours of extra football training every evening, you'll have a valid reason to skip your homework."

"How about that?"

"..."

Tang Ye shot Ten Hag a withering glance.

Damn it.

No analysis needed; Ten Hag was clearly the culprit behind Tang Ye's sudden surge in homework lately.

"No, I won't agree to that!"

Tang Ye suddenly jumped up from the bed.

That damned Ten Hag; he would absolutely not submit!

"Don't panic yet, Tang, sit down first."

Ten Hag pulled Tang Ye back; once Tang Ye was seated again on the bed board, Ten Hag continued: "If you don't finish your homework, Ms. Valerie will contact your parents. I heard your mother pays close attention to your academic performance. If you can't even complete your assignments, she'd be heartbroken, wouldn't she?"

"Am I not right?"

"This, this..."

Tang Ye gritted his teeth, sweat streaming continuously from his forehead.

"Two hours per week?"

"Two hours every day."

"But I only have two homework assignments a week; that's unfair!"

"For you, two hours of physical training is surely easier than doing those assignments, right? I think that's already quite fair!"

Ten Hag had his own set of theories.

Youth academy players generally disliked doing homework, and Tang Ye was no exception.

Sitting in a chair, staring blankly at recycled paper, was pure torment for young players!

"Here's the deal: you can rest two days a week, meaning no extra training on those two days. How does that sound? Besides, two hours isn't much; Michiel (Fan Fan Dejiahe) will lead your training."

"Damn it!"

Tang Ye clutching his head with both hands.

He did not refuse Ten Hag's demand.

Because he couldn't refuse!

"Good, now you may leave. Go to the first-team grounds; Michiel is already waiting for you outside!"

Ten Hag walked to the door, opened it for Tang Ye, and made a gesture inviting him out.

"..."

At 8 p. m., Tang Ye arrived at the first-team strength room. Fan Fan Dejiahe leaned against a treadmill, smiling as he watched Tang Ye approach.

"The lazy child has paid the price for avoiding homework."

"Jog 3 kilometers to warm up; I'll assign your tasks afterward."

Thump! Thump!

Fan Fan Dejiahe tapped the treadmill screen twice, signaling Tang Ye to get on, while he himself sat on a nearby chair reading a newspaper: "Remember to call me once you're done running."

Tang Ye said nothing to Fan Fan Dejiahe, walked straight onto the treadmill, and set the speed to 6 km/h.

This speed wasn't too slow for a warm-up yet wouldn't tire Tang Ye out; it was quite perfect.

Slap-slap-slap! Slap-slap-slap! Slap-slap-slap...

The rubber soles struck the track, making noise; finding it somewhat boring, Tang Ye shifted his attention to his system.

After scoring in the afternoon match, Tang Ye had successfully unlocked the Shop section.

He had been too eager to celebrate after the game to examine it yet!

Opening the Shop, he saw only three items on the interface.

【Vardy's Red Bull: Increases your stamina by 10% for the next 120 minutes】

【Grealish's Draft Beer: Reduces your perception of fatigue but impairs your thinking ability】

Tang Ye knew Vardy but did not recognize Grealish.

Of course, the players' names weren't important; what mattered were the items' prices and effects.

Both the Red Bull and the Draft Beer cost 5 Counterattack Points each; considering Tang Ye's daily mission rewards were only 3 Counterattack Points, these three things were rather expensive for him.

Besides Red Bull and draft beer, Tang Ye discovered something else.

【Spend 10 Counterattack Points to unlock additional item content】

Hmm...

Glancing at his remaining balance of Counterattack Points, which stood at 25, Tang Ye decided to test the waters first.

【You consumed 10 Counterattack Points. Item Shop capacity +1】

The next second, Tang Ye saw a green item with quite a long description.

【Cristiano Ronaldo's Broccoli: For the next 12 hours, training benefits involving a ball are doubled】

The effect of this broccoli was far stronger than that of Red Bull or draft beer, and its price was correspondingly higher.

A full 10 Counterattack Points; this meant Tang Ye would need to complete daily tasks for four days, or score one goal in the Eredivisie, just to afford a single broccoli!

These prices were simply too outrageous!

Outrageous as the prices were, Tang Ye wasn't particularly interested in this broccoli.

What interested him most was still that 【Grealish's Draft Beer】.

It reduces the perception of fatigue.

This thing was simply invincible!

Tang Ye only regretted not unlocking this shop section sooner; if he had possessed this draft beer during last week's endurance training, how much better it would have been!

The only drawback was that the draft beer would affect Tang Ye's thinking ability, so it couldn't be used during matches.

Tang Ye prepared to buy one draft beer to test the waters, but then remembered that today was supposed to be strength training.

Reducing the perception of fatigue during strength training was somewhat dangerous, so Tang Ye abandoned the thought in his mind.

Continuing to observe the shop interface, Tang Ye discovered that the shop was divided into two parts.

Items like Red Bull, draft beer, and broccoli all belonged to the category of "Props," classified within the "Prop Shop."

Besides the "Prop Shop," Tang Ye also had a "Template Shop."

【Hazard's Rhythm Change】

Price: Counterattack Points * 15,000

【Mbappé's Stop-and-Go Acceleration】

Price: Counterattack Points * 21,000

The prices had already reached four and five figures; if the broccoli earlier was a luxury item for Tang Ye, then these templates were things he simply could not afford at all.

The most heaven-defying aspect was that, besides these skill templates, the shop also sold growth templates of certain football stars.

Unlike skill templates, if one obtained a star's growth template, Tang Ye would develop in the direction of that star in the future, until he eventually possessed all of that star's abilities.

Of course, the number of zeros following these items was usually quite large...

【Kevin De Bruyne Growth Template (Cuckold-Proof Version)】

Price: Counterattack Points * 100,000

【Paul Pogba Growth Template】

Price: Counterattack Points * 100,000

【Sergio Reguilón Growth Template】

Price: Counterattack Points * 100,000

100,000!

After counting these digits, Tang Ye burst out laughing.

This system was truly an idiot; what was the use of creating items with such prices when he could never possibly afford them?

However...

While Tang Ye was pondering, he noticed that the button labeled 【Purchase】 was lit up.

Wait!

Tang Ye realized something, so he clicked the purchase button beneath the De Bruyne Growth Template.

【Please select a payment method】

1. Account Balance (Insufficient funds)

2. Huabei

Such a thing actually exists?

Let's try it!

【You used Huabei to purchase the Kevin De Bruyne Growth Template (Cuckold-Proof Version)...】

The system's voice rang out, leaving Tang Ye completely numb.

【Huabei credit utilized: 100,000. Repayment deadline: 1 month. Latest repayment date: October 13, 2036, Amsterdam Time】

(End of Chapter)